The City Manager or his/her designee is hereby empowered to inspect and examine any tract of land and to order in writing the remedying of any condition found to exist therein in violation of any provision of this Sign Section. After any such order has been served, no work shall proceed on any building, other structure or tract of land covered by such order, except to correct such violation or comply with the order.

For new signs associated with new construction of a structure. The sign shall be approved by the City Council, in accordance with the regulations of this Section and the Site Plan requirements.

No sign shall be constructed, established, placed, or painted on a building, structure, or site, and no existing sign shall be modified except for change of copy or repair, unless such sign has been approved by the City Manager or his/her designee and issued a sign permit, unless exempt from these regulations, or is a temporary sign.

Any sign authorized in this Article is allowed to contain a noncommercial message in place of any other authorized commercial or noncommercial message.

If the plans and specifications for a sign set forth in any application for a permit conform to all of the requirements of this Section and other City regulations, the administering employee will issue the appropriate permit.

A sign permit is not required:

Unless earlier revoked, a sign permit to construct, erect or place a freestanding or wall sign is valid for one hundred and eighty (180) days from the date of issuance. The durations of temporary signs are placed with each sign definition.

A sign permit may be revoked for a violation of this Section. The City Manager or his/her designee shall give prior written notice of a proposed revocation to the permittee and an opportunity to respond to the reasons for revocation prior to making a decision thereon.

Any person aggrieved by a decision of an administering employee in the application of this Section may appeal the decision to the Zoning Board of Adjustment in accordance with the procedures applicable to appeals of decisions under the City’s zoning regulations. The Zoning Board of Adjustment will hear and decide appeals in accordance with the provisions applicable to appeals under the City’s zoning regulations.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment may grant variances to the provisions of these regulations in accordance with Section 3.2.6.

A sign that had a permit, but the permit has expired and/or does not identify or advertise a bona fide business, lessor, service, owner, product, event, or activity, or pertains to a time, event or purpose which no longer applies. Abandoned Signs are prohibited in the City.

Signs located on the field side of scoreboards and fences of athletic fields. No sign permit required.

Any sign that emits music, talking, words, or other sound amplification. Audible Signs are prohibited in the City with the exception of signs in connection with drive-up windows menu boards.

Any sign which is located on or is part of an awning if the awning contains any form of interior illumination that is intended to or has the effect of making the sign more readily visible from a public street. Internally illuminated awning signs are prohibited in the City.

A temporary inflatable device sign.

Any sign which is not exempt or allowed by permit. These signs include signs located on or attached to a streetlight, utility pole, hydrant, bridge, traffic-control device, street sign, or other city-owned building, facility, structure, or equipment, and signs attached to trees and shrubs. Bandit signs are prohibited within the City.

A temporary sign having characters, letters, or illustrations applied to plastic, cloth[,] canvas, or other light fabric or similar material, with the only purpose of such nonrigid material being for background. A Banner advertises the business’s name, opening dates, telephone number, hours of operation, and/or types of products offered or sold.

A sign which is a primary sign and advertises businesses, commodities, activities, services or persons which are not usually available or present upon the premises upon which such sign is located, or which directs persons to any location not on the premises. Billboards are prohibited in the City.

Any sign which identifies the name of a business and may contain the name and address of the business.

Signs printed on, painted on, or attached onto a canopy or awning[.]

A temporary sign used to advertise or display contact information of property owners, opening dates, architects, contractors, engineers, landscape architects, and/or financiers, who are engaged with the design, construction, improvement or financing of a residential subdivision with homes under construction within the subdivision to which it pertains or within a commercial project to which it pertains.

Custom decorative flags, banners, or pennants utilized as an integrated and permanent part of the architectural design of a building or site may be permitted pursuant to the approval of the City Council and subject to the following criteria:

Any surface element, background, or support of any Sign that has finished materials that are missing, broken, bent, cracked, decayed, dented, harmful, hazardous, illegible, leaning, splintered, ripped, torn, twisted, or unsightly. Signs that are deteriorated, dilapidated, or unsafe are prohibited within the City.

The following signs do not require a sign permit. Refer to each sign’s definition for specific qualifications. Athletic Fields; Business Door Nameplates; Construction Sign; Governmental Sign; Holiday Signs and Lights; Mailboxes and addresses; National or State Flags; Plaques; Private Traffic-Control Sign; Railroad Sign; Real Estate Sign; Signs on outdoor machines, devices or equipment; Signs on persons; Unused Signs; Utility or Hazard Signs; Vehicle Sign; Window and Door Sign.

A Governmental Sign is any sign which is erected or maintained pursuant to and in discharge of any governmental function or is required by law, ordinance or governmental regulation; or used to convey health, safety and welfare information to the public regarding City, County, State, or Federal government requirements and regulations such as water restrictions, burn bans, or other similar information. Governmental signs may also be defined as those located on property owned, leased or under the control of a governmental entity. No sign permit required.

In addition to the limitations of this ordinance, the owner, and any tenant or occupant of a lot shall be permitted a banner, for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days, whose sole purpose is to announce or advertise the initial opening of an establishment, project, business or other enterprise.

A sign that is suspended from the underside of a horizontal plane surface such as a canopy or marquee and is supported by such surface.

Temporary signs, including Christmas lights, containing only holiday messages and no commercial advertising.

Sign erected without the permission of the owner, or his agent, of the property on which or over which such sign is located.

Signs which are illuminated from within or without that:

Any sign, which, by color, shape, location or other means endangers public safety by resembling or conflicting with any traffic-control sign or device or which due to its dangerous construction, manner of display, or location is hazardous. Imitation Governmental Signs are prohibited in the City.

Addresses and names located on mailboxes. No sign permit is required.

An operable or inoperable vehicle with illuminated or nonilluminated panels, other devices, or appendages used to advertise, promote or draw attention to products, services, events, or other similar purpose. No person shall park any vehicle or trailer on public property, or on private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way, which vehicle has attached thereto or located thereon any sign or advertising device for the purpose of providing advertisements of products located on the same or nearby property or directing people to a business or activity located on the same or nearby property. This definition is not intended to apply to standard advertising or identification practices as defined as a Vehicle Sign. Mobile Advertisement Signs are prohibited in the City.

A sign supported from the grade to the bottom of the sign having or appearing to have a solid and opaque base and used to identify tenants or name of a business located within a development or on a separately platted lot.

Any sign, sign appendages or apparatus designed or made to move freely in the wind or designed or made to move by an electrical or mechanical device. Moving signs, and/or any sign appendage that moves, are prohibited in the City.

A MTDS is a sign that is supported from the grade to the bottom of the sign having, or appearing to have, a solid base or a sign that is supported by poles or supports in or upon the ground independent of any building and is used to identify multiple tenants within a development. A MTDS is permissible on a nonresidential zoned property subject to the following conditions.

A national or state flag, or both, on any one premises if they do not exceed the total area regulations applicable to freestanding signs for that premises. No sign permit required.

Any sign that does not comply with the standards of this Section or other City ordinances. Noncompliant signs are prohibited in the City.

A freestanding sign located on any railroad right-of-way that is not used for or related to railroad operations. Non-Railroad Related Signs are prohibited in the City.

A sign that advertises, promotes or pertains to a business, person, organization, activity, event, place, service, product, etc. at a location other than where the business, person, organization, activity, event, place, service, product, etc. is located. With the exception of political signs, off-premise signs are prohibited in the City of Sansom Park.

Historical and commemorative plaques of recognized historical societies and organizations. No sign permit is required if the signs are less than fifteen (15) square feet in total area.

Any sign designed or intended to be relocated from time to time, whether or not it is permanently attached to a building or structure, or is located on the ground. Portable Signs include signs on wheels or on portable or mobile structures, such as, among other things, trailers, skids, banners, tents or other portable structures, A-frame signs, T-shaped signs, airborne devices, or other devices used for temporary display or advertising. Portable Signs are prohibited in the City except as specifically allowed by this Ordinance.

Signs on private property containing no advertising that direct the movement of traffic, warn of obstacles or overhead clearances, or control parking, including entrance and exit signs. No sign permit required.

It is unlawful for any person to erect, install, construct, display, maintain, reconstruct, place, locate, relocate or make use of any of the following signs for advertising purposes. These signs are specifically defined within this Section. Abandoned Sign; Audible Sign; Awning Sign (Internally Illuminated); Bandit Signs; Billboards, Blocking of Public Access Signs; Dilapidated Sign; Illegally Placed Sign; Illuminated Sign (High Intensity); Imitation Governmental Sign; Mobile Advertisement Sign; Noncompliant Sign; Non-Railroad Related Sign; Portable Sign; Off-Premise Sign; Roof Sign; and signs which interfere with Sight Visibility.

A sign projecting out from and attached to the exterior wall of any building and forming an angle of thirty (30) degrees or more to said wall.

A sign erected on a vertical framework consisting of two or more uprights supported by the ground independent of support from any building. Pylon Signs shall only be permitted on properties zoned Commercial or Industrial.

Any sign on railroad property placed or maintained in reference to the operation of the railroad. No sign permit required.

An unilluminated nameplate bearing the family name of the occupants residing in the residence.

An on-site, temporary stake sign used to advertise a home or residential property for sale or lease. A real estate sign is used to advertise the name of the owner or realtor, telephone number, property information, and/or website address[.]

Signs located on a roof or attached to a building if it projects above the highest point of the facade or parapet. Roof Signs are prohibited in the City.

Any sign that violates any sight visibility regulations of the City. These signs are prohibited in the City.

A sign for permitted nonresidential uses within certain residential zones including SF-10, SF-6, SF-5, D, MF and MH.

Signs located on outdoor machines, devices or equipment which display the trademark, trade name, manufacturer, cost, or operating or service instructions or similar information but do not advertise the business where located. This exemption includes signs on coin-operated vending machines, fuel dispensing pumps, telephone facilities, automatic teller machines, automotive vacuum cleaners, amusement rides, and similar machines, devices, or equipment. No sign permit required.

Hand-held signs on persons. No sign permit required.

A temporary sign with a base/stake commonly made of metal, wood or other similar material with an end for driving into the ground.

A temporary on-premise sign.

In addition to the limitations of this ordinance any owner, tenant or occupant of a lot not otherwise having a permitted permanent sign shall be entitled to a banner for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days to direct attention to the name of the owner or occupant of the premise upon which the banner is placed, or identifying the premises; or advertising goods manufactured or produced or services rendered on the premises upon which the banner is placed pending the installation of a permanent sign.

Any sign used to display information that relates to a land use, or a sign with a limited duration which is not rigidly and permanently installed into or on the ground, attached to a building, or as identified in this Section as Balloon Sign; Banners; Grand Opening Banner; Temporary Freestanding Sign; Temporary Identification Banner; Stake Sign; and Wind Device Sign.

Signs marking utility or underground communication or transmission lines and hazards. No sign permit is required.

A sign attached to any vehicle, truck, car, bus, trailer, boat, recreational vehicle, motorcycle or any other vehicle; however, any vehicle, whether operable or not, shall not be parked and/or decorated where the intent is to use the vehicle as advertising. Vehicle signs shall exclude bumper stickers and state-required registration or inspection stickers/identifications.

Any sign either painted or erected against an exterior wall or erected parallel to a wall. A Wall Sign is a sign erected parallel to and extending not more than eighteen inches (18") from the facade of any building to which it is attached, supported throughout its entire length by the building face. A Wall Sign identifies the name of a business and/or logo of a business. Neon shall not be installed on any wall sign installed below nine feet (9') from grade. A Wall Sign may include neon tubing attached directly to a wall surface when forming a border for the subject matter or when forming letters, logos, or pictorial designs. This definition shall not include painted on murals. Wall Signs are permissible subject to the following conditions and upon issuance of a sign permit:

Any devices made of cloth, canvas, plastic or any flexible material designed to float or designed to move, or moves freely in the wind, with or without a frame or other structure, used for the purpose of advertising or drawing attention to a business, commodity, service, sale or product. Wind device signs may not extend beyond the property lines of the premises where located, over any public highway, street or sidewalk, or to a greater height than the maximum height allowed for a structure on the premises. Only one (1) wind device sign is allowed per lot. Sign permit is required.

Signs painted on or placed on and supported by the glass surfaces of windows or doors, if not illuminated with the intent of being viewed from the public street. No sign permit required.

The size of a sign is determined by its total area. For freestanding signs, the total area includes the entire structure on which all signs are placed or mounted.

The setback is measured perpendicularly from the curb line to the closest point of the sign.

The height of a sign is measured from the natural ground level at the base of the sign to the highest point of the sign.

The width of a sign is measured along a line drawn from the outermost edges of the sign, parallel to the ground.

Directional signs or incidental signs are signs such as “entrance” or “exit’ that give information but do not contain advertisements. They require a sign permit but do not count toward the size requirements of this section.

Informational signs are signs that give information of a noncommercial or advertising nature such as historic markers, highway identification markers, or traffic signs within the parking area of a building. They require a sign permit but do not count toward the size requirements of this document.

Nonconforming signs are allowed if the sign was erected in compliance with the regulations in effect prior to the effective date of this ordinance or was lawfully in place at the time the sign was annexed into the City.

A freestanding sign becomes nonconforming if not removed within thirty (30) days of the date the sign becomes an abandoned sign. Within sixty (60) days of the date a freestanding sign becomes an abandoned sign, the message portion of the sign must be painted over, covered, removed, or modified so that the remaining sign structure is left visually unobtrusive, presents a solid facade, and does not appear to be in disrepair or dismantled.

Any nonconforming sign, including its supporting structure, which is destroyed, damaged, dilapidated or deteriorated must not be replaced, repaired or renovated, in whole or in part, if such replacement, repair or renovation would require an expenditure of monies in excess of sixty (60) percent of the reproduction cost of a new sign, including its supporting structure, which is substantially the same or similar to the nonconforming sign destroyed, damaged, dilapidated or deteriorated, unless such alteration or repair makes the sign conforming. A person may not repair, renovate or alter a nonconforming sign without first receiving a sign permit. A permit is not required to repaint a sign.

The City Manager or his/her designee may, whenever deemed necessary to reasonably determine the applicability of this Section, require the owner of the nonconforming sign to submit two or more independent estimates from established sign companies of the cost of replacing, repairing or renovating, in whole or in part, the existing nonconforming sign and two or more independent estimates from established sign companies of the reproduction cost of a new sign, including its supporting structure, which is substantially the same or similar to the nonconforming sign destroyed, damaged, dilapidated or deteriorated.

Any part of a sign or the supporting structure of a sign that is a nonconforming use may be repaired or renovated only by the use of the types of materials and dimensions of materials that are the same as the parts of the sign or supporting structure being repaired or renovated.