[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of New Carrollton 9-7-2005 by Ord. No. 06-02[1]; amended in its entirety 5-18-2016 by Ord. No. 16-10. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 41.
Housing and property maintenance — See Ch. 71.
[1]
Editor’s Note: This ordinance also repealed and replaced former Ch. 72, Prohibited Signs and Advertisements, adopted 5-5-2004 by Ord. No. 04-01.
The provisions of Subtitle 27, "Zoning," Part 12, "Signs," Division I, "General," Division 2, "Administration," Subdivision 1, "Permits," Subdivision 2, "Nonconforming Use Signs and Nonconforming Signs" and Division 3, "Design Standards" of the Code of Prince George's County, Maryland, as amended from time to time, are hereby adopted and are incorporated herein by reference, and shall govern the erection, location, placement, maintenance, size, quality and display of all signs in the City of New Carrollton. In addition, the local requirements contained in this Chapter shall also apply to all signs displayed in the City.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall paint, mark, write on, post or otherwise affix any handbill or sign to or upon any sidewalk, crosswalk, curb, curbstone, street lamppost, hydrant, tree, shrub, tree stake or guard, electric light, power or telephone pole or wire appurtenance thereof, or any part of a fire alarm or police system, or upon any lighting system, public bridge, street sign or traffic sign.
A. 
The Mayor and Council will issue regulations concerning signs and advertising devices.
B. 
Temporary real estate directional signs may be placed in municipal public rights-of-way behind the curbline, but are not to be placed within City parks or within 120 feet of City of New Carrollton entrance signs. Only one temporary real estate directional sign per advertised property may be placed on 85th Avenue, Lamont Drive, Westbrook Drive and Carrollton Parkway, and such signs shall be restricted to the intersection of a street leading to the property, unless additional signs are specifically authorized by the Mayor or his/her designee. The temporary real estate directional sign must be made of a rigid material, such as metal, cardboard or plastic, and be attached to a metal or wooden stake. Signs are not to be attached to trees, utility poles, street signs or traffic sign poles. Permitted temporary real estate directional signs may be displayed between 12:01 a.m. Fridays through 11:59 p.m. on Sundays only, and must be removed no later than 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.
C. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to install or display any signs, banners, pennants or flags consisting of advertising messages, colors, logos and the like within a City right-of-way unless a permit is obtained for the sign from the City in accordance with § 72-4 below. A banner is a sign made of fabric or any nonrigid material with no enclosing framework.
D. 
In all areas zoned for other than residential use within the City, the County Code shall govern as to signs on private property.
A. 
The City Code Enforcement Manager or his/her designee is authorized to process applications for permits required pursuant to City Code, § 72-3C. The City is authorized to issue sign permits provided that the applicant meets the applicable requirements of Subtitle 27, "Zoning," Part 12, "Signs," of the Prince George's County Code. The City is authorized to adopt and maintain regulations and procedures consistent with issuing sign permits. The Code Enforcement Manager and his/her designee, upon presentation of proper credentials, may enter or inspect any property in the City for which a sign permit has been applied to ensure compliance with all applicable codes and ordinances.
B. 
Application for sign permits. Application for a sign permit shall be made to the City upon a form provided by the City Code Enforcement Manager and shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
(1) 
Name and address of the owner of the sign.
(2) 
Street address or location of the property on which the sign is to be located, along with the names and addresses of the owners of that property.
(3) 
The type of sign proposed.
(4) 
A site plan that shows the proposed location of the sign as well as the locations of all existing signs on the same property.
(5) 
Specifications and drawings showing the materials, design, dimensions, structural supports, and any electrical components of the proposed sign.
C. 
Permit fees. All applications for sign permits filed with the City shall be accompanied by a payment of a fee as established by the City in its annual fee resolution.
Violations of this chapter are hereby declared to be municipal infractions, subject to the provisions of § 1-21A of this Code.
Enforcement of this chapter and the removal of all signs erected in violation of this chapter shall be the responsibility of the City Code Enforcement Department or its designee. Whenever a City Code Enforcement Officer determines that a sign violates any of the requirements of the Code of Prince George's County, Maryland, adopted in § 72-1 of this chapter, he/she shall issue a notice of violation directing that the sign be made to conform to all of the requirements of the Code of Prince George's County, Maryland, adopted in § 72-1, or be removed. The person owning or using the sign or, in the case of a gateway sign, the Homeowner's Association or other entity responsible for the maintenance of the sign, shall comply with the notice of violation within five (5) days after the person, Homeowner's Association, or other entity receives the notice of violation.
If the sign is unsafe and it is not removed in accordance with a notice of violation issued by the Code Enforcement Officer in accordance with the provisions of this section, the Code Enforcement Officer shall cause the sign to be removed. The cost of removal shall be borne by the owner, user, Homeowner's Association, or entity responsible for the sign and shall be assessed against the property and shall constitute a lien collectible in the same manner as real property taxes.