Abandoned and Damaged Signs. Signs left in place on land left vacant for one hundred eighty or more consecutive days or any sign that is defaced or damaged to an extent where the cost of repairs exceeds fifty percent of the replacement cost for the entire sign.

Animated Signs. Any sign where all or part of the sign is affected by the movement of air or other atmospheric or mechanical means, or that uses natural or artificial changes of lighting to depict action or create a special effect or scene. Animated signs include, but are not limited to, flashing signs, inflatable signs, rotating signs, streamers, balloons, searchlights, spinners, and propellers. Changeable copy signs that change less frequently than every ten seconds are not considered animated signs.

Beacons and searchlights.

Billboards.

Flags (except for national and state flags) larger than twenty square feet.

Obscene Signs. Signs which bear or contain statements, words or pictures which are obscene under the prevailing statutes or U.S. Supreme Court decisional law are prohibited.

Off-Premises Signs. Signs advertising businesses not located on or adjacent to the property where sign is placed.

Roof Signs. Any sign mounted in such a way as to be higher than the roof of the building.

Traffic Hazards. Any sign that obstructs the vision of drivers or pedestrians, hinders visibility of traffic control devices, misleads or confuses traffic, or is otherwise a detriment to traffic safety by reason of its size, location, shape, movement, or method of illumination.

Vehicles Used as Signs. Signs greater than five square feet in area attached, painted or otherwise affixed to a vehicle or trailer for the primary purpose of displaying a sign. This applies to vehicles that are not used during the normal course of business, vehicles parked in the same location for more than seventy-two hours, and any unlicensed or inoperable vehicle.

Replacement of copy, including notices on community bulletin boards;

Repair or replacement of light bulbs or neon tubing; and

Painting.

Address. Letters or numerals or a combination of both that provide building identification installed in compliance with the premises identification requirements of Chapter 15.08.

Community Bulletin Board Signs. Community bulletin board signs used for posting public or legal notice required by a governmental entity, as required by regulation or ordinance.

Historical Signs. Plaques on a historic building or site, including gravestones.

Human Signs. Signs worn or carried by a person.

Incidental Signs. Informational signs less than four square feet in area pertaining to the facilities on site, such as restrooms, telephone, help wanted, hours of operation, parking space designations, entrance/exit, intended primarily for the convenience of the public while on those premises.

Inside Building. Any sign inside a building, not attached to a window, that is not legible from a distance of more than three feet beyond the lot line of the zone lot or parcel on which such sign is located.

Flags. National and state flags of any size and number are allowed without a permit. Two additional flags allowed per lot, provided they are twenty square feet or smaller.

Public Notice. Any public or legal notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, or by a governmental entity, regulation, or ordinance.

Signs installed by governmental agency or transportation authority. Traffic control, wayfinding, public service, and other signs installed in public rights-of-way by a governmental agency that meet Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) standards.

Window signs.

Pole sign on property when property is for sale and sign is less than eight square feet.

A-frame signs made of durable materials.

Banners attached to a building at all four corners or those sponsored by a public agency or nonprofit organization and attached to a city-managed structure.

Lawn signs.

Number.

Design. This section shall not be construed as permitting any sign or feature (such as animation or balloons) otherwise prohibited in this chapter. Temporary signs may not be illuminated.

Installation. No landscaping, other than holes in sod, may be damaged or modified to accommodate a temporary sign.

Location.

Size.

Height. Maximum of four feet tall for signs on ground. Banners attached to building may not be mounted above roof line.

Duration of Display.

Registration Requirements. All temporary signs shall be registered with the city to provide sign owner contact information, location, and duration information. Unregistered signs will be considered in violation of this chapter and subject to the provisions of Section 17.80.150.

The sign is replaced with another sign; or

The sign requires repairs beyond normal maintenance; or

The sign is expanded, moved or replaced.

Shine on, or directly reflect into, residential structures or lots;

Adversely affect surrounding properties;

Interfere with safe vision of drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians.

Exposed incandescent lamps over seventy-five watts.

Exposed incandescent lamps with internal or external polished mirror reflectors.

Exposed lamps used on the exterior surface or raceway lighting. Exposed neon tubing is allowed.

Incandescent lamps inside internally lighted signs.

Eight hundred milliamp ballast lamps spaced closer than ten inches on center for internally lighted signs.

Any person aggrieved by the imposition of the amortization period established in subsection A of this section may request review of the clause. The request for review shall be filed with the city not later than six months prior to the expiration of the amortization period. The review shall be heard by the city's hearing examiner. A fee will be charged based on the processing costs as provided by the city's most current fee resolution.

The aggrieved applicant has the burden of establishing the unreasonableness of the amortization period and must provide evidence showing that the amortization period is unreasonable.

The hearing examiner shall consider such things as lease obligations, remaining period of life expectancy of the nonconformance, depreciation and the actual amount invested in the nonconforming sign.

The hearing examiner shall consider the preservation and improvement of the city's physical environment, natural amenities and desirable characteristics of the city as asserted in the purpose of the city's land use regulations as well as the goals and policies adopted in the city's comprehensive plan. The hearing examiner may consider any combination of these legitimate public concerns; however, the hearing examiner may not rely solely upon the promotion of the aesthetic values to the city in supporting the amortization period.

The hearing examiner shall conduct a balancing of interests, considering the interest and hardship as to the applicant, and whether the hardship to the applicant reasonably overbalances the benefit that the public would derive from the termination of the nonconformance. If, after careful consideration, the hearing examiner feels that the amortization period, as applied to the applicant's nonconformance, would result in a greater hardship to the applicant than benefit to the public, the hearing examiner may extend the amortization period to a point in time where the balancing of interests would support the termination of the nonconformance. In no event should this amortization period be greater than three additional years.

The variance does not conflict with the purpose and intent of the sign regulations;

The variance does not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with the limitation upon signage of other properties that have had to conform to the provisions of this title;

There are exceptional or extraordinary circumstances or conditions applicable to the property involved, or to the intended use of the property, that are not contemplated or provided for by this chapter;

The granting of such variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity and zone in which the subject property is situated;

The variance will not increase the number of signs allowed by the title or allow a prohibited type of sign; and

Approval has been conditioned as necessary to ensure compatibility with this chapter.

Removal. City staff may remove signs when they are:

Disposal. When a sign has been removed, the city must: