24.16.120 Enforcement, Penalties and Abatement — Imperial Zoning Code

Any violation of the provisions of this Section shall be deemed to be a continuing violation until the same has been corrected.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by fine of not more than $500.00 or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, the City

. Attorney upon the order of the City Council, may commence an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to obtain an injunction prohibiting the construction, erection, maintenance or display, or requiring the removal, of any sign which is in violation of any of the provisions of this Section. In any such action, the City shall be entitled to recover its costs and its reasonable attorney's fees.

The owner or other person entitled to possession of a sign which is removed, stored and/or destroyed pursuant to any provision of this Section shall be liable to the City for the cost of such removal, storage and/or destruction and the City may recover the same through an action commenced in a court of competent jurisdiction together with the City's court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
1. Any illegal sign within the public right-of-way is hereby found and declared to be public nuisance, and such sign may be abated by the City as follows: a. If the address of the owner or other person entitled to possession of said sign is known, notice of the City's intention to remove and destroy the sign, stating the date after which sign will be removed and destroyed, shall be mailed to the owner or other person entitled to possession by certified mail, return receipt requested at least ten (10) days before said date. If the address of the owner or other person entitled to possession is not known, such notice shall be affixed in a conspicuous place on said sign at least ten (10) days before said date. Such notice shall also set forth the provisions of this Section.
b. The owner or other person entitled to possession of said sign may, before the removal date stated in the notice, file a written request for hearing with the Planning Division. Said request shall identify the sign and its location, state the name and address of the owner or other person entitled to possession and set forth in detail the contentions why said sign should not be removed and destroyed.
- c. If a request for hearing is filed, the Planning Commission shall hear the matter at a regularly scheduled meeting held not more than thirty (30) days thereafter. After said hearing, the Planning Commission shall determine whether or not said sign is an illegal sign within the public right-of-way. The written decision of the Planning Commission shall be rendered within ten (10) days after the hearing and a copy of said decision shall be mailed to the owner or other person entitled to possession within seven (7) days thereafter. Unless a notice of appeal is filed as hereinafter provided, the

decision of the Planning Commission shall become final ten (10) days after mailing.

d. The owner or other person entitled to possessionmay file a notice of appeal with the City Clerk within ten (10) days after the date of mailing of the Planning Commission's decision. If a timely notice of appeal is filed, the matter shall be heard by the City Council at a regular meeting scheduled not more than thirty (30) days thereafter. After hearing, the City Council shall determine whether or not said sign is an illegal sign within the public right-of-way. The written decision of the City Council shall be rendered within ten (10) days after the hearing and a copy of said decision shall be mailed to the owner or other person entitled to possession within seven (7) days thereafter. The decision of the City Council shall become final ten (10) days after mailing.
e. Unless the owner or other person entitled to possession of such sign, on or before the removal date stated in the notice described in this section, files a written request for hearing with the Planning Department, the City may, at any time after said date, remove and destroy said sign. If a written request for hearing is filed then upon any final decision of the Planning Commission or the City Council determining that said sign is an illegal sign within the public right-of-way, the City may remove and destroy said sign.
f. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, any illegal sign within the public right-of-way which constitutes a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic may be removed immediately and stored by the City, at the expense of the owner or other person entitled to possession, pending completion of the notification and hearing procedures hereinabove set forth.
24.16.1130 Non-Conforming Signs and Signs Without Permits 1. Intent of Provisions. It is the intent recognize that the eventual elimination of ofexistth i sng chaptersigns thatto are not in conformity with the provisions of this title, is as important as is the prohibition of new signs that would violate these regulations.