Permits shall be required for all signs greater than six square feet in area.
A. 
Permit required. Unless otherwise permitted herein, no person shall erect, alter, locate or relocate or reconstruct or maintain or cause to be erected, located or relocated or reconstructed or maintained within the limits of the City of Long Branch any sign or signs greater than six square feet in area without first having obtained and having in force and effect a permit for the location of such sign or signs from the Construction Code Official.
[Amended 5-12-1983 by Ord. No. 1100; 7-14-1983 by Ord. No. 1110]
B. 
Application information and contents. Any persons desiring to procure a permit to maintain a sign in the City of Long Branch shall file with the Construction Code Official a written application, which shall contain an accurate description of the location or proposed location where such sign is to be erected and a diagram of each sign that the applicant desires to erect, alter, locate or relocate, use or maintain. Such application shall be signed by the applicant, who shall also indicate his post office address and supply any and all information that the Construction Code Official may reasonably require in order to determine properly whether the proposed location of the sign complies with the provisions of this chapter.
C. 
Inspection of premises; issuance procedure. The Construction Code Official upon receipt of an application shall examine the premises upon which it is proposed to erect the sign, and if the proposed structure is in compliance with all the requirements of this chapter and all other laws and ordinances of the City of Long Branch, the Construction Code Official shall then issue the permit. If the work authorized under a permit has not been completed within four months after the date of issuance, the permit shall become null and void.
A. 
Causes for revocation. A permit to erect or maintain a sign may be revoked for any one or more of the following causes:
(1) 
Whenever the application used in obtaining a permit is knowingly false or misleading.
(2) 
Whenever any of the provisions of this chapter are violated.
(3) 
Whenever a licensed structure is not being maintained in a safe, sound and good condition.
B. 
Notice; hearing. No permit shall be revoked for any of the above causes until a five-day notice has been given the permittee, which five-day notice shall be served either personally or by first-class mail. Any permittee will be given a hearing thereon by the City, if promptly requested, in writing, within a five-day period, addressed to the Construction Code Official. (Should be specific determination of body to hold hearing.)
C. 
Removal of sign, advertising structure, space or wall. When a permit for a sign is revoked, the permittee shall remove the sign, advertising structure or space within 10 days from the date of the revocation of the permit.
(1) 
Failure to remove. Whenever a person fails to remove an advertising structure or space after the expiration date of the removal notice, legal proceedings may be instituted against said person or the power of removal may be exercised.
(2) 
City removal, costs. Whenever the removal power is exercised for the elimination of a violation, the cost and expense incurred may be charged against the person responsible for it. A bill rendered for the cost of the removal, unless paid on demand, shall bear legal interest charges, and collection shall be made accordingly.
The fees to be paid to the City for the erection of each sign and for each of the conforming signs now erected in the City as of October 22, 1974, shall be:
A. 
Signs not exceeding 10 square feet: $10 minimum fee.
B. 
Signs exceeding 10 square feet: $1 per square foot.
C. 
Relocation permit: $5.
The Construction Code Official or other designated City official shall issue a tag for each sign, which shall be permanently attached to or displayed on each sign, billboard or structure so that it may be readily ascertained that a permit has been issued for each use.
If any person, firm or corporation claims a special hardship by reason of any ruling which has been or may be imposed by the Construction Code Official, an appeal may be made to the Board of Adjustment, and its determination shall be final.
Adoption of amendments to this chapter shall be in accordance with the enabling legislation of the State of New Jersey.
The provisions of this chapter set forth minimum requirements for promotion of the health, safety and public welfare, and whenever the requirements of this chapter are at variance with the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations or ordinances, the most restrictive, or that imposing the higher standards, shall govern.
[Amended 7-14-1983 by Ord. No. 1110; 10-27-1998 by Ord. No. 36-98]
Any person, firm or corporation found guilty in the Municipal Court of the City of Long Branch of a violation of the terms of this chapter shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article I.