Chapter 15.12 SIGNS AND BILLBOARDS

The purpose of this chapter is to provide minimum standards to safeguard life, health, property and public welfare in keeping with the unique character of the city of Angels by regulating and controlling the size, height, design, quality of materials, construction, location, electrification and maintenance of all signs and sign structures as provided herein, and to provide a reasonable system of control of signs integrated within the general planning program and zoning law; to promote commercial centers and property values for effective communication of the nature of goods and services; to enhance the economic values of the community and avoid wasteful and unsightly competition in signs, as overly ostentatious signs violate the rights of other sign users as well as the public. (Ord. 280 §1, 1986)

15.12.020 Definitions.

For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and phrases have the meanings respectively ascribed to them as follows:

1. "A-frame sign," "portable sign" and "sandwich board sign" shall mean portable signs capable of standing without support or attachment.

2. "Aggregate total glass surface area" shall mean the product of multiplying the length times the width of the storefront glass surface along a single building elevation with the proviso that window panel separations (mullions, grids, etc.) that are less than six inches wide shall be counted within the aggregate total glass surface area available for signage, and window panel separations or building structural elements separating windows that are greater than six inches shall not be included within the aggregate total glass surface area available for signage. In case of stores with more than one building elevation with window glass, the aggregate total glass surface area available for the placement of signage shall be calculated based on the dimensions of each individual elevation. Unused amounts of aggregate total glass surface area from one elevation shall not be applied to any other elevation.

3. "Amenity sign" means a wall-mounted or freestanding sign that promotes features and/or services of a commercial business.

4. "Animated sign" shall mean a sign with motion, flashing lights, or changes in color or intensity utilizing electricity or other sources of energy. This definition shall not include a sign which tells only time and temperature in alternating sequences.

5. Apartment Community. The term "apartment community" shall mean an apartment project which consists of a minimum of eight apartment units located on the same lot, which are for rent only.

6. "Area of sign" shall mean in computing maximum permissible sign area or display surface the overall display surface of a sign shall be included, or the largest face of a double sign and not the aggregate of display faces. The area of a sign without a border shall be computed by enclosing the entire sign within sets of parallel lines touching the outer limits of the sign message and computing the area thus enclosed.

7. "Awning" shall mean a structure composed of canvas or other non-canvas materials, except for the supporting framework, that extends from the exterior wall of a building.

8. "Awning sign" shall mean a sign composed of flexible materials and incorporated into an awning.

9. "Balloon" shall mean any inflatable sign or balloon regardless of size that is designed to be used as an advertising device for any business or promotional event.

10. "Banner sign" shall mean a temporary sign composed of lightweight, flexible, nonrigid material either enclosed or not enclosed in a rigid frame.

11. "Barber pole" shall mean a stationary cylindrical pole of red, white, and blue spiral stripe design and which identifies a barber shop.

12. "Bench sign" shall mean a city or county franchised outdoor bench to which an advertising message is applied.

13. "Blade sign" shall mean a pedestrian-oriented, non-internally illuminated double-faced sign, comprised of one individual panel, projecting from the building wall on which it is mounted. A blade sign cannot exceed a total of five square feet of signage per side, has at least six inches between the building wall and the edge of the sign nearest the building, and cannot project more than thirty-six inches from the building wall on which it is mounted.

14. "Billboard" shall mean a large panel designed to carry outdoor advertising for products other than those sold on premises, i.e., national outdoor advertising.

15. "Building front" shall mean the wall surface facing the primary street. In case of a corner business, it shall be at the discretion of the owner which building face shall be considered the front.

16. "Building facade" shall mean that portion of any exterior elevation of a building extending from grade to eaves, parallel to the street and extending the entire width of the building. Any area of the facade made up of false fronts and/or parapets cannot be included in the facade calculation for sign area.

17. "Bulletin board sign" shall mean an exterior sign used to display announcements pertaining to an on-site church, school, community center, park, hospital, or institutional building.

18. "Business front" shall mean the side of a building that contains the principal entrance. For a shopping center, multiple business fronts may exist.

19. "Business sign" shall mean any structure, housing sign, device, figure, painting, display, message placard, or other contrivance, or any part thereof, which has been designed to advertise, or to provide data or information in the nature of advertising, for any of the following purposes:

a. To designate, identify, or indicate the name or business of the owner or occupant of the premises upon which the business sign is lawfully erected.

b. To advertise the business conducted, services available or rendered, or goods produced, sold, or available for sale upon the property where the business sign has been lawfully erected.

20. "Canopy" shall mean a roof of a building or a fixed overhead shelter used as a roof, which may or may not be attached to a building.

21. "Canopy sign" shall mean a sign attached to or hung from a canopy.

22. "Civic sign" shall mean a sign, other than a commercial sign, posted to advertise a civic event, public agency, school, church, civic-fraternal organization or similar noncommercial organization.

23. "Coming soon sign" shall mean a sign placed on the site of work under construction stating that a business will be opening soon and denoting the opening date, architect, engineer, contractor, future business or lending agency.

24. "Construction sign" shall mean a temporary sign with the names of the architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors and financing agencies of buildings and structures being constructed upon the site on which the sign is located.

25. "Corner triangle" shall mean the triangular area created by a line connecting points along the front and side lot lines which points are established forty feet in distance from the intersection of the extension of such front and side lot lines within the street right-of-way, and by a line connecting points along the front lot line and driveway apron, which points are established ten feet in distance from the intersection of the extension of such front lot line and driveway apron within the perpendicular to the street right-of-way.

26. "Corporate flag" shall mean a flag identifying a business or firm.

27. "Directional tract sign" shall mean an off-site temporary sign containing only the name and location of a subdivision and/or a multiple-family residential project and directions for reaching the project.

28. "Double-faced sign" shall mean a sign with more than one face located on the same base or support structure and the sign advertising faces are back to back so that both faces cannot be viewed from any point at the same time, and the sign faces are not more than eighteen inches apart.

29. "Electronic reader board sign" shall mean a business sign on which the copy is manually or electronically changed and which is intended primarily to promote items for sale or of general interest to the community. This term includes a business bulletin board, a time/temperature sign, or other changeable copy sign.

30. "Erect" shall mean to build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend or affix. Such terms also include the painting of wall signs.

31. "Facade" shall mean the portion of any exterior elevation of a building extending from grade to the top of the parapet wall, or eaves, parallel to the street and extending the entire width of the building.

32. "Flashing sign" shall mean an illuminated sign in which the artificial light is not maintained in a stationary or constant intensity.

33. "Frontage property" shall mean the longest, single, lineal dimension of a parcel of property abutting on a public street.

34. "Garage sale sign" shall mean a sign that is used to advertise the sale of used or secondhand goods or merchandise at dwellings and on residentially zoned property; these sales may also be known as patio sales, yard sales, etc.

35. "Grand-opening signs" shall mean banners, pennants, flags, balloons, searchlights, and advertising devices when used only for bona fide grand-opening functions.

36. "Height" shall mean, in determining maximum or allowed height, the distance shall be measured from base of pole, or point where base of pole would be on level ground, to top of sign.

37. "Historic sign" shall mean an existing sign, or refurbishing of an existing sign, or re-creation of a sign that once existed on the subject site at least fifty years ago.

38. "Identification sign" shall mean a sign, or device, which serves exclusively to designate the name, or the name and use, of churches, auditoriums, public buildings, or multifamily residential uses, or the use of a lawful parking area, recreation area, or other open use permitted in the district.

39. "Illegal sign" shall mean signs and their supporting members which do not meet any of the criteria of this chapter.

40. "Illuminated sign" shall mean an internally or externally illuminated business sign which uses a source of light in order to make the message readable.

41. "Marquee" shall mean a fixed overhead shelter used as a roof, which may or may not be attached to a building, and which projects into or overhangs a public street or alley right-of-way.

42. "Marquee sign" shall mean a sign attached to or hung from a marquee and which is mounted in a vertical plane.

43. "Master sign program" shall mean a sign program approved by the planning commission for a retail, office or industrial complex, an automobile dealership or a building more than two stories high.

44. "Mobile sign" shall mean any sign not permanently affixed to a vehicle that is used to advertise a business or service.

45. "Monument sign" shall mean an independent, freestanding sign structure supported on the ground by a solid base at least as wide as the sign, as opposed to being supported by poles or open braces.

46. "Mural" shall mean a picture or decoration which is painted on, or otherwise applied directly to, an external wall.

47. "Neon" shall mean illumination affected by a light source consisting of a LED or neon or other gas tube which is bent to form letters, symbols or other shapes.

48. "Nonconforming sign" shall mean any sign installed prior to the adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter which does not meet the specifications and requirements of this chapter.

49. "Office building master identification sign" shall mean a business sign that serves to identify an office building or any institutional use, and whose copy shall include only the name of the building or institutional use and the street address range of the complex.

50. "Official public sign" shall mean signs of a public nature, which shall include public transit service signs, utility information signs, public restroom or telephone signs, trespassing signs, legal notices erected by a public officer in the performance of a public duty and signs placed by a public agency for the purpose of guiding persons to emergency centers or places, buildings, or locations of regional or historical significance.

51. "Off-site advertising sign" shall mean any sign which advertises or informs about a business organization or event, goods, products, services or uses not available on the property upon which the sign is located. Signage for a business within a shopping center under multiple ownership shall not be considered an off-site advertising sign even though it is not located on the same property as the business being advertised. The term "off-site advertising sign" does not include special easement signs, community identification signs, off-site residential development directional signs or off-site temporary for sale or lease signs.

52. "Off-site residential development directional sign" shall mean a uniformly designed sign which advertises or informs the public about a residential development where five or more dwelling units are undergoing construction.

53. "Off-site temporary for sale or lease sign" shall mean any off-site sign used in-lieu of a freestanding sign which advertises property for sale or lease.

54. "On-site temporary for sale or lease sign" shall mean any on-site sign used in-lieu of a freestanding sign, which advertises property for sale or lease.

55. "Open-house sign" shall mean a portable sign used in connection with the sale of individual residential real properties.

56. "Pedestrian/shingle sign" shall mean a suspended sign used to identify and indicate pertinent facts concerning a business or professional services conducted on the premises.

57. "Pennant" shall mean any tapering flag used for signaling or identification.

58. "Permitting body" shall mean the person or body with the authority to review and approve permits for signs. This may include the planning director, the planning commission, or the city council.

59. "Pole sign" shall mean a freestanding sign supported by one or more pillars, poles or posts that is more than eight feet in height but less than twenty feet in height with sign copy or content no lower than eight feet, nor higher than eighteen feet in height.

60. "Political sign" shall mean a sign designed for the purpose of advertising support of or opposition to a candidate or proposition for a public election.

61. "Projecting building sign" shall mean a wall sign which projects from and is supported by a wall or roof of a building, structure or sign structure and projects beyond the eaves of a building.

62. "Real property sign" shall mean a temporary sign placed upon real property to advertise that the property upon which the sign is placed, or any piece or parcel thereof, or any interest therein, is for sale, exchange, lease or rent.

63. "Roof sign" shall mean any sign erected and constructed wholly on or over the roof of a building, supported by the roof structure, and extending vertically above the roof.

64. "Service station display structure" shall mean an on-site identification business sign that serves to identify the name and logo of the service station located on the site.

65. "Service station price sign" shall mean a business sign indicating gasoline prices and available services.

66. "Shopping center" shall mean any complex of separate businesses so designated by the planning commission as a shopping center.

67. "Sign" shall mean every sign, billboard, freestanding sign, portable freestanding sign, wall sign, roof sign, illuminated sign, projecting sign, temporary sign and street clock, and includes any announcement, declaration, demonstration, display, illustration or insignia used to advertise or promote any interest when the same is placed so that it is clearly visible to the general public from an out-of-doors position.

68. "Sign structure" shall mean the supports, uprights, braces and framework of a sign.

69. "Special easement sign" shall mean a business sign used in lieu of a freestanding sign located off-site from, but within the immediate vicinity of, the business the sign has been designed to advertise; where said business is located on a parcel of land without direct access or frontage on an improved public right-of-way; and where the two parcels involved are interconnected by a traversable vehicular roadway which is subject to a nonrevocable, nonexclusive recorded vehicular access easement.

70. "Streamer" shall mean a long, narrow banner, flag, or pennant.

71. "Street address sign" shall mean the numerals of a street address for a given use or uses in a given building or buildings.

72. "Temporary sign" shall mean any sign, banner, pennant, valance, political sign or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard or other light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed for a period of not more than thirty calendar days.

73. "Tenant directory sign" shall mean a tenant directory or other exclusively informational listing of tenant names attached to the exterior wall at the entrances of a building and used for the purpose of displaying the names and unit identifications of occupants engaged in professions or businesses on the premises.

74. "Tenant frontage" shall mean the linear length of a building frontage of suites occupied by a tenant.

75. "Vehicular sign" shall mean any sign permanently affixed to an operable or inoperable vehicle currently registered as a motor vehicle, which is used in the normal course of business.

76. "Wall sign" shall mean any sign attached to, painted on or erected against the wall, roof or marquee of a building or structure, and not extending more than six inches beyond the point of attachment.

77. "Window sign" shall mean a sign maintained in or painted in or painted upon a window, which shall be classified as a wall sign. (Ord. 440, 2009: Ord. 337 §1, 2000; Ord. 324 §§1, 7, 1992; Ord. 280 §2, 1986)

15.12.030 Official signs exempted.

Sign provisions of this chapter shall not apply to official signs placed by a governmental agency within a street right-of-way. (Ord. 280 §3(A)(1), 1986)

15.12.040 Directional and other exempted signs.

The maximum number of signs shall not apply to signs not exceeding four square feet which express direction, identification or warning by letters, figures or symbols, such as address, name, access, trespass or parking, but apply only to a use on the parcel. (Ord. 280 §3(A)(2), 1986)

15.12.050 Off-site signs.

Signs shall advertise only licensed business conducted, services rendered or products from or sold on the parcel. Off-site signs shall require approval of a conditional use permit by the planning commission. (Ord. 377 §2, 2000: Ord. 280 §3(A)(3), 1986)

15.12.060 Maximum area per building.

The maximum sign area for each building, except that covered under "Shopping centers," Section 15.12.080 and provisions in the historic district, shall not exceed ten percent of the business front, but in no case shall exceed ninety square feet for the business front. The sign area allowed to separate occupancies in multiple-use buildings will be in direct proportion of their part of the total building front including doors and windows. (Ord. 324 §2, 1992: Ord. 280 §3(A)(4), 1986)

15.12.070 Types permitted.

There may be permitted for each building a combination of not more than two types of signs: freestanding, wall or projecting, with their aggregate size not exceeding the size limitations under Section 15.12.060. (Ord. 280 §3(A)(5), 1986)

15.12.080 Tentative plan for shopping center.

Shopping centers must submit a tentative sign plan to the planning commission at the time of site plan approval. Final sign approval will not be granted until actual sign detail can be provided to the planning commission. (Ord. 280 §3(A)(6), 1986)

15.12.090 Approval at time of site plan approval.

All other signs shall be approved by the planning commission or staff if submitted after site plan approval except as otherwise provided for in Section 17.26.090 pertaining to signs in the historical commercial district. Any signs which do not comply with the provisions of this chapter or a shopping center sign plan shall be reviewed by the commission except as otherwise provided for in Section 17.26.090 pertaining to signs in the historical commercial district. (Ord. 486 §1(part), 2019: Ord. 324 §§3, 9, 1992: Ord. 280 §3(A)(7), 1986)

15.12.100 Maintenance.

Signs and sign structures shall be maintained at all times in a state of good repair. (Ord. 280 §3(A)(8), 1986)

15.12.110 Permit--Exemption.

One sign of four square feet or less is allowed per parcel without first obtaining a sign permit. (Ord. 280 §4(A)(1), 1986)

15.12.120 Permit--Required.

No person shall erect any sign over four square feet as defined in this chapter without first obtaining a sign permit from the city. (Ord. 486 §1(part), 2019: Ord. 280 §4(A)(2), 1986)

15.12.130 Permit--Application.

An application for a permit for each sign shall be made to the city in such form and include such information as the city shall prescribe. The application shall be accompanied by the permit fee herein provided. The application will be obtainable at the community development department. (Ord. 486 §1(part), 2019: Ord. 280 §4(A)(3), 1986)

15.12.140 Permit--Fee.

The permit fee for each application for each sign shall be based on the fees prescribed by resolution of the city council. (Ord. 280 §4(A)(4), 1986)

15.12.150 Permit--Issuance.

The planning commission, or designated representative, will issue the permit to an applicant when the necessary requirements have been met to the satisfaction of the planning commission or designated representative, and the prescribed permit fee has been paid. (Ord. 486 §1(part), 2019: Ord. 324 §4, 1992: Ord. 280 §4(A)(5), 1986)

15.12.160 Permit--Inspection.

The planning commission staff will make the necessary inspection to ascertain that such sign or signs comply with this chapter. (Ord. 280 §4(A)(6), 1986)

15.12.170 Freestanding sign--On-premises.

The following applies to freestanding signs on premises:

A. Location. An on-premises sign is one that is confined to the owner’s property. Such signs are not allowed in residential zones.

B. Height. No such sign shall exceed eight feet in height except as provided in Section 15.12.175. The height of freestanding signs shall be measured from the base line.

C. Number. There may be one such sign for each building, and in no case shall exceed ninety square feet as defined in Section 15.12.140.

D. A-Frame Sign. Free-standing signs on an A-frame are allowed in the SC and I zone. Subject to the requirement to be located on the parcel of the business being identified; is not in the public right-of-way; does not block the sidewalk or create visibility problems for vehicles or pedestrians; and does not exceed a width of four feet or height of four feet for a total sign area to not exceed sixteen square feet per side of sign area. An A-frame sign is a double-sided sign attached at an apex whose legs provide a frame for plywood panels. (Ord. 377 §3, 2000; Ord. 280 §5(A)(1), 1986)

15.12.175 Pole signs--On-premises.

The following applies to pole signs on premises:

A. Conditional Use Permit Required. No pole sign shall be allowed unless the planning commission has approved a conditional use permit for the sign.

B. Location. An on-premises sign is one that is confined to the owner’s property provided that the property fronts on Highway 49 or 4; the property has a minimum of seventy-five feet of highway frontage; the sign is no closer than seventy-five feet from any other pole sign situated along the highway right-of-way; the sign is not located within one hundred feet of a traffic signal or traffic directional sign or any other traffic safety devise placed by a public agency within a highway or road right-of-way; and the pole sign will not interfere with or conflict with trees located along the road right-of-way. Such signs are not allowed in residential zones.

C. Height. The pole sign shall not be less than eight feet in height nor more than twenty-four feet in height; advertising copy shall not be less than eight feet from ground level nor more than eighteen feet from ground level.

D. Number. There may be one pole sign along an applicable highway frontage; where the property fronts on two highways, two signs may be permitted.

E. Lighting. Pole signs shall not use reflective coatings, neon, flashing or moveable copy. Signs shall be indirectly lit or internally lit. Internally lit signs shall display sign copy and logos exclusively illuminated with translucent materials and the balance of the advertising surface shall be made of dark or earth-tone nontranslucent materials. (Ord. 377 §4, 2000)

15.12.180 Freestanding signs--Off-premises.

The following applies to off-premises freestanding signs: A. Freestanding signs shall be allowed in SC zones and I zones, provided a use permit has been obtained from the planning commission.

B. No billboards shall be allowed. (Ord. 280 §5(A) (2), 1986)

15.12.190 Wall and window signs.

A. Location. Wall signs shall be located on the business front.

B. Height. No part of any sign shall extend above the top level of the wall upon or in front of which it is situated. Any such sign which is suspended or projects over any public walkway or walk area shall have an overhead clearance of at least eight feet.

C. Number. There may be any number of wall signs for each business front, but the total sign area shall not exceed ten percent of the building front, and in no case exceed ninety square feet, as defined in Section 15.12.140.

D. Thickness or Projection. No sign, including any light box or other structural part, shall project more than twelve inches from the building face. (Ord. 280 §6, 1986)

15.12.200 Projecting signs.

A. Location. Signs may be located on the building front, providing they do not constitute a hazard to pedestrians or vehicular traffic, do not conceal from view any public or business sign or traffic signal, do not extend or project over a street right-of-way and do not extend lower than eight feet above the surface below it.

B. Height. No such sign shall extend above the top level of the wall upon or in front of which it is situated, or, in the case of buildings having sloping roofs, above the roof ridge.

C. Number. There may be one projecting sign for each business front, but total sign area shall not exceed ten percent of the building front, and in no case exceed ninety square feet, as defined in Section 15.12.140. (Ord. 280 §7, 1986)

15.12.210 Temporary signs.

Temporary signs may be permitted by the planning director for a time period specific for each type of temporary sign. Types of temporary signs:

A. Subdivision Directional Sign Permit. The permit for any subdivision directional sign shall be valid for one year from the approval date. The planning director shall have the authority to extend the time period for one additional year. Requests for extensions shall be submitted to the planning department thirty days prior to the expiration of the first year permit. The sign shall be no larger than thirty-two square feet.

B. Political Sign. Political signs may be posted on private property, with property owner’s permission, preceding an election. The maximum size of each sign shall not exceed thirty-two square feet. No deposit shall be required to ensure the proper removal of such signs.

1. No political sign shall be erected within or overhang into any public right-of-way or publicly owned property, nor constitute a traffic hazard by reason of obscuring motorist vision, or otherwise jeopardizing the normal flow of traffic.

2. All political signs shall be removed within seven days after the election date, except those candidates that were successful in a primary election or must compete in a runoff election, in which case, such signs shall be allowed to remain until seven days after the final election day.

3. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to remove all political signs within seven days after the final election day. In the event that any political sign is not removed within the specified time, the property owner shall be notified of their responsibility to remove such signs within seven days or be cited. If the sign has not been removed with the additional seven days, the property owner shall be issued a citation in the amount specified by the city of Angels municipal code for each successive day until such sign is removed.

C. Construction Signs. One sign identifying a project under construction shall be permitted per street frontage on the structure or site under construction. The sign may contain the name of the building contractor and his subcontractors, the architect, the engineer, the owner, and the developer. The sign shall be permitted during the period of actual construction after the building permit has been issued. The sign area shall not exceed thirty-two square feet, shall be one-sided, shall not exceed ten feet above the adjacent pavement surface, and be unlighted. All signs shall be removed thirty days after final inspection.

D. Grand Opening and Special Events Signs. A temporary sign permit may be issued by the planning director thirty days prior to the event for banners, streamers, flags, and other prohibited signs as defined herein, and temporary or portable signs as defined herein, for special events or sales, such as new car models, clearance sales, outdoor fairs and sales, grand openings and events of a similar nature. All signs shall be removed fourteen days after said event, with the planning director able to extend the time frame of these signs.

1. Signs shall be allowed in all zoning districts, except residential, subject to the approval of the planning director; provided, that:

a. Signs shall be located on primary streets providing directions to the business.

b. Signs shall be limited to a maximum height of ten feet and shall not exceed fifty square feet in area, and shall be set back a minimum of ten feet from any city right-of-way or public easement. If the grade at the location of a sign is below the grade of the street right-of-way, the sign height may be increased to a maximum of twelve feet in height upon approval of the planning director.

c. The total number of signs shall not exceed six for each business.

d. A fee shall be collected that is established by resolution of the city council.

e. A minimum horizontal distance of seventy-five feet shall be maintained between a commercial directional sign and any other advertising sign. (Ord. 444, 2010: Ord. 280 §8, 1986)

15.12.220 On-site directional signs.

A. Directional signs may be erected for the purposes of facilitating or controlling the efficient or safe movement of pedestrians or vehicles on or onto private property and shall be located on the property to which they pertain.

B. Such signs shall not be used for advertising purposes.

C. Directional signs shall not exceed an area of six square feet, nor a height of eight feet. (Ord. 280 §9, 1986)

15.12.230 Signs confusing to public.

No sign shall resemble any official traffic or identification signal, or use warning terms such as "stop" or "danger" in a manner which might create public confusion. (Ord. 280 §10(A)(1), 1986)

15.12.240 Lights.

Signs shall have no flashing or blinking lights; lighting shall be arranged so that visibility of vehicular traffic is not impaired, and objectionable glare is shielded from adjoining residential zones. No neon-type lighting will be allowed without prior approval of the planning commission. (Ord. 280 §10(A)(2), 1986)

15.12.250 Stationary vehicle signs.

Signs placed on stationed vehicles for the primary purpose of displaying such signs shall not be allowed. (Ord. 280 §10(A)(3), 1986)

15.12.260 Hazards--Extension over right-of-way.

No sign shall constitute a hazard to pedestrians or vehicular traffic, conceal from view any public sign or traffic signal, nor extend on or project over a street right-of-way. (Ord. 280 §10(A)(4), 1986)

15.12.270 Roof signs.

New roof signs are prohibited. Roof signs in existence on November 1, 1991, which may or may not be legally conforming, shall be deemed legally conforming. Any change in copy or structure shall comply with the provisions of this chapter for existing roof signs. (Ord. 324 §10, 1992: Ord. 280 §10(A)(5), 1986)

15.12.280 Nonconforming signs--Permitted when.

Any sign which is nonconforming with this chapter shall be removed if the sign is altered or modified. "Altered or modified" within this chapter means any change to the sign structure including but not limited to changes to the sign cabinet, supports, structure or copy on the face for a new tenant or user. The normal painting of the sign as part of routine maintenance where no change in tenant occurs is not considered an alteration. Sign may remain until any change in design, structure, location or other alteration is made. A nonconforming sign may not be restored or rebuilt if fifty percent or more of the sign is damaged or destroyed for any reason or damaged to the extent of more than half of its current replacement cost. A nonconforming sign may not be resumed if use is discontinued or if business is not being conducted for any reason for a period of more than one year. Nonconforming signs may be altered if necessary for public safety to the restrictions of this section. Such a nonconforming sign, when altered for public safety, shall be subject to securing a sign permit from the city with an explanation for retaining the sign. (Ord. 324 §5, 1992: Ord. 280 §11, 1986)

15.12.290 Nonconforming signs--Removal.

Any sign constructed after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter which is nonconforming with the requirements of this chapter may be removed by the city of Angels. The city council or its authorized agents may enter upon private property for the purpose of removal of the sign. These signs shall be stored for a period of at least twenty days, and if not claimed within that time, may be destroyed. The owner shall pay a fee to the city equal to the costs incurred by the removal, storage and handling of the illegal sign. (Ord. 280 §12(A)(1), 1986)

15.12.300 Political signs--Removal.

Political signs not removed within seven days after the election shall be removed by the city at the expense of the candidate or sponsoring agency. (Ord. 280 §12(A)(2), 1986)

15.12.310 Variance--Authority and findings.

Variances from the terms of this title shall be granted only when, because of special circumstances applicable to the property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of this title deprives such property of privileges enjoyed by other property in the vicinity and under an identical zoning classification. Any variance granted shall be subject to such conditions as will assure that the adjustment thereby authorized shall not constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the vicinity and zone in which such property is situated. A variance requires a public hearing. (Ord. 280 §13(A)(1), 1986)

15.12.320 Variance--Application submittal.

Applications for variances shall be submitted to the planning commission for recommendation to the city council. (Ord. 280 §13(A)(2)(a), 1986)

15.12.330 Variance--Review.

A sign variance is subject to review and approval by the planning commission. City staff shall report to the commission specific findings to support or deny the variance request and conduct a duly noticed public hearing. Action by the commission is final unless an appeal is filed with the city council within the prescribed time limits. (Ord. 392 (part), 2002; Ord. 386, 2002: Ord. 324 §6, 1992: Ord. 280 §13(A)(2)(b), 1986)

15.12.335 Use permit--Authority and findings.

A. As provided elsewhere in this title, the planning commission may consider and approve a conditional use permit for pole signs in excess of eight feet in height where the proposed pole sign conforms with the requirements of Section 15.12.175, and findings of Section 17.78.030 can be made.

B. The planning commission may also consider and approve a conditional use permit for other types of signs, such as off-site signs, where provisions of this title specifically provide for such consideration, and approval and findings of Section 17.78.030 can be made. (Ord. 377 §5, 2000)

15.12.340 Violation--Penalty.

Any person violating or causing a violation of the provisions of this chapter or permitting such a violation on land or in a structure owned, rented or controlled by them is guilty of an infraction. (Ord. 514 §3 (Att. G), 2021; Ord. 280 §14, 1986)