Minor Wall Signs—Review and Approval by the Planning Director. Any wall sign less than 100 square feet in area and not incorporating exposed neon lighting shall be deemed to be a minor wall sign and shall be subject to administrative review and approval by the Planning Director, provided that a total of not more than three wall signs currently exist or are proposed to exist for the subject business exterior. Any application for approval of a minor wall sign where a total of more than three wall signs currently exist or are proposed to exist for the subject business exterior shall be subject to design review approval by the Planning Commission.

Major Wall Signs—Review and Approval by the Planning Commission. Any wall sign which is 100 or more square feet in area, or any wall sign which incorporates exposed neon lighting, whether less than or greater than 100 square feet in area, shall be deemed to be a major wall sign. Any application for approval of a major wall sign, shall be subject to design review approval by the Planning Commission.

Standards Applicable to All Wall Signs.

Comprehensive Sign Program Performance Standards. Comprehensive Sign Programs shall be subject to development review approval by the Planning Commission. Each such program shall describe the proposed type, number, size, location, design, and colors and materials for each sign within development project. A Comprehensive Sign Program shall be approved if the signs within the Program conform to the applicable standards of this article and the Planning Commission finds the Program satisfied the following requirements:

Maximum Number of Signs. A total of one hanging or one projecting sign shall be allowed for each business.

Maximum Sign Area. Hanging signs shall not exceed five square feet in area, and projecting signs shall not exceed 15 square feet in area.

Vertical Clearance. Hanging and projecting signs must have a minimum vertical clearance of eight feet above finished grade.

Height. Hanging and projecting signs shall not extend above the building façade or building parapet, whichever is more restrictive, to which said sign is attached, and in no event higher than 20 feet above finished grade, or if the building has a walkway, deck, or courtyard on a second floor or higher that is open to the public, in no event higher than 20 feet above finished floor.

Maximum Projection. Hanging or projecting signs shall not extend beyond 1/2 of the width of the adjacent pedestrian walkway or adjacent right-of-way, a maximum projection of no more than three feet beyond the building façade or parapet, whichever is more restrictive.

Eligible Properties. No monument sign shall be permitted on any property unless that property satisfies at least one of the following criteria:

Height.

Length. Monument signs shall not exceed eight feet in length.

Area. The maximum area of a monument sign shall be 24 square feet.

Design. The design of monument signs shall be consistent with the architectural design of the building on the property on which the sign is constructed.

Landscaping. All monument signs shall have a landscaped area or planter located around the signs that is not less than double the square footage area of the face of the sign structure. Monument signs located within planters shall not protrude beyond such planters. Berm slopes shall not be steeper than three to one (3:1). Notwithstanding the preceding requirements of this subparagraph, a monument sign that is proposed to replace an existing nonconforming monument sign or pole sign may be placed within a landscaped area or planter that is not less than the square footage of the sign structure and may be placed on a berm with a slope not steeper than two to one (2:1), provided the height of the berm does not exceed three feet at any point within the visibility triangle as defined in subparagraph (8) below.

Number. One monument sign shall be allowed for each property that is eligible for such sign as provided in subparagraph (1) above. A greater number of monument signs may be allowed on properties that have more than 200 lineal feet of street frontage, provided the minimum distance between each monument sign on site and those off-site is not less than 200 feet.

Limitations on Placement Within Visibility Triangles. No monument sign, landscaping or obstruction exceeding three feet in height shall be located within areas defined herein as visibility triangles. A visibility triangle at a street intersection is defined as that area within a right corner triangle that has two equal sides of 25 feet at a signalized intersection (or 45 feet at a non-signalized or stop controlled intersection), where those two equal sides represent the extension of the curblines from the two intersecting streets and the hypotenuse of the triangle (the longer side) crosses the corner of an applicant's property. At each driveway entrance to a property, there are visibility triangles on each side of the driveway entrance. A visibility triangle at a driveway entrance is defined as that area within a right corner triangle that has one side 50 feet in length along the edge of the sidewalk from the intersecting point of the sidewalk and the edge of the driveway, and another side that is seven feet in length measured from the same intersecting point and running perpendicular to the street into the lot. Monument signs, shrubbery or other obstructions exceeding three feet in height from the adjacent sidewalk elevation may be located outside these visibility triangles provided they satisfy the setback requirements of paragraph (9) of this section and other requirements of this section.

Monument Sign Setbacks. In addition to the restrictions on placement of monument signs within visibility triangles as specified in paragraph (8) of this section, and not as an exception to those restrictions, a monument sign shall conform to the following minimum setbacks:

Sign Copy. Monument signs shall be only used to identify the name of the retail or business center for which the monument sign is proposed. A tenant of the subject retail or business center that has a floor area that is 50,000 square feet in size or greater may also be identified on the monument sign.

Light Manufacturing and Industrial (M-1) Zone. Wall signs may be constructed or erected in the Light Manufacturing and Industrial (M-1) Zone provided such signs comply with the provisions of Subsection (a) of Section 9-2.1202 of this article.

Heavy Manufacturing and Industrial (M-2) Zone. Wall signs may be constructed or erected in the Heavy Manufacturing and Industrial (M-2) Zone provided such signs comply with the provisions of Subsection (a) of Section 9-2.1202 of this article, and further provided that, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9-2.1202(a)(3)(B), the maximum sign area allowed for a business in the Heavy Manufacturing and Industrial (M-2) Zone shall not exceed 1/2 square foot for each lineal foot of business frontage and no individual sign shall exceed 100 square feet in area.

For purposes of this subsection, a window sign includes any sign that incorporates exposed neon lighting and is located within five feet of the surface of a window.

A window sign that incorporates exposed neon lighting shall not occupy more than 25% of the window area, or shall not be larger than four square feet in total sign area (including any exposed neon perimeter line around the sign), whichever is more restrictive.

A window sign that incorporates exposed neon lighting shall only be allowed for a business suite having at least 30 linear feet of business frontage and shall not exceed one such sign per business suite. If the business suite is located on a corner and has two business frontages, with each frontage of at least 30 linear feet, one such sign may be allowed for each frontage of the business suite.

If a window sign that incorporates exposed neon lighting is allowed, no other window signs shall be allowed along that storefront façade of the business suite and no other form of exposed neon lighting (i.e., a neon wall sign or a neon architectural accent) shall be allowed for the business suite. However, a business suite exceeding 200 linear feet of business frontage may utilize a neon window sign as well as one other form of exposed neon lighting (i.e., a neon wall sign or a neon architectural accent).

Whenever there is a conflict between the standards contained in this paragraph, the provisions contained in other paragraphs of this section, and the provisions of Article 12.5, the most restrictive of the standards shall control.

No sign that identifies a home occupation or that otherwise promotes, announces, or calls attention to the use of the site for a home occupation shall be allowed.

In addition to any other limitations and restrictions pursuant to this chapter, a total of only one monument sign or one wall sign will be allowed on any property located in the Multiple Residential (M-R) Zone.

No sign that identifies a home occupation or that otherwise promotes, announces, or calls attention to the use of the site for a home occupation shall be allowed.

Number. Only one monument sign shall be allowed for each property that is eligible for such sign.

Height. Monument signs shall not exceed four feet in height, inclusive of the height of the supporting structure, as measured from the ground surface level at the point on which the sign is to be placed to the top of the sign structure.

Length. Monument signs shall not exceed eight feet in length.

Area. The maximum area of a monument sign, excluding the supporting structure, shall be 24 square feet.

Design. The design of the monument sign shall be consistent with the architectural design of the development on the property on which the monument sign is to be erected, and shall be subject to review by the Planning Director.

Sign Copy. Monument signs shall be only used to identify the name and address of the development on the property for which the monument sign is to be erected, except as otherwise authorized pursuant to the provisions of this Code.

Limitations on Placement Within Visibility Triangles. No monument sign exceeding three feet in height shall be located within areas defined herein as visibility triangles. A visibility triangle at a street intersection is defined as that area within a right corner triangle that has two equal sides of 25 feet at a signalized intersection (or 45 feet at a non-signalized or stop controlled intersection), where those two equal sides represent the extension of the curblines from the two intersecting streets and the hypotenuse of the triangle (the longer side) crosses the corner of an applicant's property. At each driveway entrance to a property, there are visibility triangles on each side of the driveway entrance. A visibility triangle at a driveway entrance is defined as that area within a right corner triangle that has one side 50 feet in length along the edge of the sidewalk from the intersecting point of the sidewalk and the edge of the driveway, and another side that is seven feet in length measured from the same intersecting point and running perpendicular to the street into the lot. Monument signs exceeding three feet in height may be located outside these visibility triangles provided they satisfy the setback requirements of Subsection (c)(8) of this section and other requirements of this section.

Monument Sign Setbacks. In addition to the restrictions on placement of monument signs within visibility triangles as specified in Subsection (c)(7) of this section, and not as an exception to those restrictions, a monument sign shall not be erected, displayed, or maintained within eight feet from the property line or 16 feet from the street curbline, whichever is greater.

No temporary sign shall be placed, erected or maintained on private property without the authorization of the private property owner or tenant.

Except for exterior banners authorized in Subsection (b) of this section, the display period for any temporary sign installed, erected, displayed, maintained, or otherwise used at any property shall not exceed 90 calendar days.

Except for exterior banners authorized in Subsection (b) of this section, each temporary sign shall not exceed 16 square feet in sign area per sign face and the total amount of sign area of any temporary signs on a parcel of property shall not exceed 80 square feet.

Except for exterior banners authorized in Subsection (b) of this section, temporary signs containing the same message or advertising the same subject shall be limited to one two-sided sign per 100 feet of street frontage or parcel of land, or one two-sided sign per parcel, whichever is greater, and such signs shall be no closer than 100 feet from each other if located on the same lot or parcel of land.

Temporary signs placed, erected or maintained in violation of this section shall be removed by the City if the temporary sign is not removed, relocated, or altered as required by this section, after providing five days' written notice requesting the violation be corrected to the owner of the sign and the property owner or tenant on whose property the sign has been posted. The notice requirements herein shall be satisfied upon a reasonable and diligent effort by the City to locate said owner of the sign, property owner and/or tenant.

Any handbill or sign found posted or otherwise affixed upon any public or utility property contrary to the provisions of this section may be removed by any company, utility, organization, or individual owning or responsible for maintaining that property, the Sheriff's Department or the City. The person responsible for any such illegal posting shall be liable for the cost incurred in the removal thereof, and the City Manager is authorized to effect the collection of said cost incurred by the City of Artesia.

The City Manager shall determine the verifiable costs to the City incurred in removing handbills and signs pursuant to this section. Such costs shall include, but not be limited to, direct labor, material and equipment costs, as well as departmental and general City overhead costs attributable to the removal of signs. Prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the City may adopt a schedule of charges which persons responsible for the illegal posting of handbills and signs are required to pay pursuant to this subsection, based on those costs.

Persons billed for the costs of removing handbills or signs may appeal such cost assessments to the City Council in accordance with rules adopted by the City Council.

Nothing in this section shall apply to the painting of house or street address numbers upon curbs done under permits issued by the City.

Nothing in this section shall prohibit the installation of signs on or between street lighting posts provided the sign is a part of a program sponsored by the City and such signs and locations are approved by the City.

Nothing in this section shall prohibit the posting of signs authorized pursuant to other provisions of this Code.

Such bulletin boards shall be located only on premises developed for publicly-owned, charitable, or religious institutions.

Such bulletin boards shall be architecturally related to the structures to which they are appurtenant.

Such bulletin boards shall not be more than 20 square feet in area.

Any illumination of such bulletin boards shall be achieved only through the use of nonflashing indirect or internal lighting.

When a vehicle, device, or bicycle is a motorized or non-motorized mobile billboard advertising display and is parked or left standing in violation of this code, if the registered owner of the vehicle was previously issued a warning notice for the same offense;

A warning notice was issued to a first-time offender at least 24 hours prior to the removal of the vehicle. The City is not required pursuant to Section 22651(v)(2) and (w)(2) of the California Vehicle Code and sections amendatory or supplementary thereto to provide further notice for a subsequent violation prior to enforcement; and

The warning notice advised the registered owner of the vehicle that he or she may be subject to penalties upon a subsequent violation of this chapter that may include the removal of the vehicle.