Chino Hills Municipal Code Ch. 15.08 Developer Directional Signs

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a uniform, coordinated method of offering developers a means of providing directional signs to their projects, while minimizing confusion among prospective purchasers who wish to inspect development projects, while promoting traffic safety and reducing the visual blight of the present proliferation of signs.

(Ord. 49 § 4, 1993)

This chapter is adopted pursuant to the State Planning and Zoning Law; Business and Professions Code, Section 5230; and Streets and Highways Code, Section 1460.

(Ord. 49 § 5, 1993)

For purposes of this chapter, the following words, terms, phrases, and their derivations, shall have the meanings given in this chapter. When consistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the past and future tenses, and words in the singular include the plural.

"City" means the City of Chino Hills.

"Developer" means an individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation, estate, trust, syndicate, district, or political subdivision that offers for sale, lease or rent a residential project of at least five dwellings, including condominiums, single-family dwellings, and apartments.

"Directional sign" means any off-site free standing, non-flashing sign which is designed, erected, and maintained to serve as a public convenience in directing pedestrian and vehicular traffic, but not used for the purpose of advertising uses and activities on site.

"Kiosk" means a free standing and multiple-sided structure which serves as its main purpose to display signs or information.

"Licensee" means a person, persons, firm or corporation authorized by a license agreement to design, erect and maintain directional and kiosk signs within the City.

"Off-site sign" means any sign which is not located on the business or activity site it identifies.

"Person" means an individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation, estate, trust, syndicate, district or other political subdivision, or any other group acting as an independent unit.

(Ord. 49 § 6, 1993)

Directional and kiosk signs, including travel direction signs, other than those on-site, are prohibited except as provided in this chapter.

(Ord. 49 § 7, 1993)

The City Council may, by duly executed license agreement, grant to a qualified person the exclusive right to design, erect and maintain directional and kiosk signs within the entire City, or any designated portion of the City.

(Ord. 49 § 8, 1993)

No person shall erect or maintain any directional sign or kiosk sign within the City without first obtaining a license issued by the Community Development Department. License, may be issued to locate a single directional sign in the public right-of-way at locations approved by the City Engineer. Licensees shall be selected by soliciting requests for proposals.

(Ord. 49 § 9, 1993)

The term of each license shall be set forth in the license agreement.

(Ord. 49 § 10, 1993)

Directional signs and kiosk structures; (1) shall not obstruct the use of sidewalks, walkways, bike or multi-use trails; (2) shall not obstruct the visibility of vehicles, pedestrians or traffic control signs; (3) shall, where feasible, be combined with advance street name signs; (4) shall not be installed in the immediate vicinity of street intersections.

(Ord. 49 § 11, 1993)

A. Sign structures shall be wood type with individual sign panels of uniform design and color throughout the City limits.

B. Sign structures shall not exceed twelve (12) feet in height.

C. The width of sign structures and sign panel shall not exceed five feet.

D. Sign panels shall not be illuminated.

E. Sign structure installation shall include the Caltrans Standard "break away" design features where required in right-of-way areas.

F. The lettering for each tract identification shall be uniform and shall be reviewed and approved by the Community Development Director or the appointed designee.

G. Licensee shall maintain all signs in a neat, clean, orderly, and weed-free condition.

H. Licensee shall accept liability for all signs and shall provide insurance naming the City as additionally insured in a form and with a company acceptable to the City Attorney.

I. All violations of the license agreement are to be corrected within forty-eight (48) hours (two days).

J. For all signs erected on private property, there must be written consent from the property owner, on file with the City, giving the right to enter property to remove any signs not in conformance.

K. The City, and its officers and employees, shall be held free and harmless of all costs, claims, and damages levied against them.

L. No attachments, tags, signs, streamers, devices, display boards, pennants, flags or other appurtenances or devices shall be attached to any sign.

M. All signs must have applicable Building and Safety and Community Development Department permits.

N. Placement of signs must be in accordance with permit specifications from the City's Public Works Department.

O. All signs within public rights-of-way must have an encroachment permit.

P. All nonconforming subdivision or apartment complex directional signs associated with the project in question must be removed prior to the issuance of a new sign permit.

Q. For housing projects within a recorded tract, such signs on approved sign structures shall be allowed for a maximum period of time concurrent with the approved time limit of the structure location, or until the associated subdivision is sold out, whichever occurs first.

R. The placement of each sign structure shall be reviewed and approved by the Community Development Director or appointed designee.

S. All signs placed on a private property must receive written consent of the property owner, which shall be filed with the Community Development Department prior to issuance of a permit.

T. A sign location plan shall be prepared showing the site of each directional sign and shall be submitted to the Community Development Department prior to the issuance of a sign permit.

U. Any such sign approved for a particular subdivision or apartment complex within the City shall not be changed to advertise another subdivision or apartment complex without prior approval of the Community Development Director.

(Ord. 49 § 12, 1993)

Licensee shall make directional sign panels available to all persons or entities selling subdivisions (hereinafter referred to as "subdividers") on a first-come, first-served basis. Licensee shall maintain a separate waiting list for each sign structure. Alternatively, a subdivider may apply to licensee for a sign panel program consisting of a single sign panel on each of a series of sign structures as needed to guide prospective purchasers to his or her subdivision.

(Ord. 49 § 13, 1993)

A. It is unlawful for any person to violate any provision of this chapter. Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of an infraction or misdemeanor as hereinafter specified. Such person shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion of day during which any violation of any of the provisions of this chapter is committed, continued, or permitted.

B. Any person so convicted shall be, (1) guilty of an infraction offense and punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00) for a first violation; and (2) guilty of an infraction offense and punished by a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars ($200.00) for a second infraction. The third and any additional violations shall constitute a misdemeanor offense and shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or six months in jail, or both. Notwithstanding the above, a first offense may be charged and prosecuted as a misdemeanor. Payment of any penalty in this chapter shall not relieve a person from the responsibility for correcting the violation.

C. Any City code enforcement officer possessing appropriate certifications shall be authorized to issue citations to enforce the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 49 § 14, 1993)