Huntington Park Municipal Code Art. 12A Signs on City Property

In adopting this chapter, the City acts in its proprietary capacity as to City property. Private parties may post signs on City property only in accordance with this article or some other authorization duly adopted by the City Council.

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)

The City declares that all City property in the City shall not function as a public forum for sign display by private parties, unless some specific portion of public property is identified herein as a public forum of one particular type; in such case, the declaration as to public forum type shall apply strictly and only to the specified area and the specified time period, if any.

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)

All definitions stated in the Sign Ordinance (Article 12 of this chapter) apply in this article, unless a term is defined in this article.

"City property"

means that land or other property owned by the City, or in which the City holds the present right of possession and/or control, or land or other property which the City holds in trust, as well as all public rights of way located within the corporate limits of the City.

"Sign"

has the same definition as given in Article 12 of this chapter, except that the exclusion of signs on city property or public property do not apply.

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)

No sign may be mounted, located or displayed on City property unless a City Property Sign Permit therefor has first been issued, or the subject sign is expressly exempted from the City Property Sign Permit requirement by this article.

Only those signs expressly allowed by this chapter (or another law) shall be eligible for a City Property Sign Permit.

Any sign posted, mounted or displayed on City property within the City, without a permit and/or contrary to the policies stated herein, may be summarily removed by the City as a trespass and a nuisance, and/or pursuant to Penal Code 556.

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)

The Director shall prepare and make available to the public a form for application for a City Property Sign Permit ("Permit"), which shall, when fully approved, constitute a permit and indicate the City's consent, in its proprietary capacity, for placement or display of a sign. The applicant for the permit must be the same person or entity who is to be the owner of the sign. The processing fee for each application, which shall not be refundable even if the application is denied, shall be the same as the fee for a sign permit under the Sign Ordinance.

Any City Property Sign Permit issued in error may be summarily revoked by any officer of the City by simply informing the applicant of the nature of the error in issuance. Any applicant whose permit is revoked as issued in error may, at any tune thereafter, submit a new permit application which cures any deficiencies in the original application.

Applications which fully comply with the terms and conditions of this article shall be duly issued after administrative review by the Director. Applications which are denied, or permits which are revoked or suspended, may be appealed in the same manner as denials of sign permits, as described in the Sign Ordinance.

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)

The following signs are exempted from the permit requirement: Traffic control and traffic directional signs erected by the City or another governmental unit, official notices required by law, signs placed by the City in furtherance of its governmental functions, other signs approved pursuant to City Council action, and signs allowable under Section 9-3.12A.07 of this article.

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)

In traditional public forums (public streets, parks and sidewalks, as well as the exterior curtilage of City Hall), persons may display noncommercial message signs thereon without first obtaining a City Property Sign Permit, subject to:

A. The signs must be personally held by a person, or personally attended by one or more persons. "Personally attended" means that a person is physically present within five feet of the sign at all times.

B. The maximum aggregate size of all signs held or attended by a single person is eight square feet.

C. The maximum size of any one sign which is personally attended by two or more persons is eight square feet.

D. The displayed signs may not be inflatable, activated by air or moving gas, illuminated, or electrified.

E. In order to serve the City's interests in traffic flow and safety, persons displaying signs under this section may not stand in any vehicular traffic lane when a roadway is open for use by vehicles, and persons displaying signs on public sidewalks must give adequate space for pedestrians to pass by.

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)

Real estate signs are not allowed on City property.

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)

When the City allows a special event on City property, sponsored by a private entity, the City shall state only the time, place, manner and quantity of signage allowed, and leave decisions as to which signs may be displayed as part of the event to the private party sponsor.

When the City itself sponsors a special event, City property may be used to promote and identify the special event, but co-sponsors, if any, shall be limited to commercial entities and commercial sign messages only. A City Property Sign Permit is not required for entities participating in a City-sponsored special event (including the City or Redevelopment Agency).

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)

When a sign is mounted on private property but projects or encroaches into City property or the public right-of-way, such encroachment is allowed only pursuant to an encroachment permit, which shall be evaluated without regard to the message on the sign.

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)

Existing contracts concerning advertising on bus shelter benches are validated. This provision does not extend the term of any such contracts, and does not create a right or expectation of extension of such contract.

(§ 2, Ord. 757-NS, eff. July 5, 2005)