General requirements for area and maintenance
(a) Determination of sign area. Sign area shall be determined as follows:
(1) The area shall be considered to include all lettering, wording and accompanying designs and symbols, together with the background, whether open space or enclosed, on which they are displayed, but not including any supporting framework and bracing which are incidental to the display itself.
(2) Where the sign consists of individual letters or symbols painted on or attached to a building, wall, awning, or window, the area shall be considered to be that of the smallest rectangle or other convex shape which encompasses all the letters and symbols.
(b) Maintenance. Signs shall be maintained in accordance with the following:
(1) All signs, including all supports, braces, guys and anchors, shall be kept in good repair and shall be kept clean, neatly painted and free from all hazards so as to not endanger the public health or safety. Such areas shall be maintained in a clean, sanitary and healthful condition.
(2) The area to be maintained shall include both the physical sign structure, including all supports, and outside area within a radius of 20 feet of the base of a freestanding sign and an outside area within a 20-foot radius of the lowest center point beneath a wall-mounted sign, provided that these areas are contained within the legal boundaries of the property on which the sign is located.
(c) Obsolete signs. Any sign which advertises an area, use, business or product no longer sold on site or a service no longer offered upon which the sign is located shall be considered to be obsolete and shall be removed within 30 days after the date that it becomes obsolete and shall be deemed a violation.
(d) Unsafe signs. If the building official shall find that any sign is unsafe or insecure or is a menace to the public health or safety, such conditions shall be deemed a violation.
(e) Repair and alteration. No sign, whether previously approved by the building official or considered a legal nonconforming use, shall be altered in any manner to include changes in graphics, lettering, color, brackets or posts without obtaining a sign permit as outlined in section 21-245.
(Ord. No. 94-14, § 1, 8-15-1994; Ord. No. 25-08, § 2, 10-20-2025)