Mountain House Municipal Code Ch. 2 Signs: General Provisions

The intent of this Chapter is to set forth general provisions for signs.

(Ord. 2024-18, § 1(Exh. A), 2024)

Except for signs expressly exempted by the provisions of Section 9-1705.5 of this Division, no sign shall be erected, constructed, attached, or maintained on any property except in conformity with this Division.

(Ord. 2024-18, § 1(Exh. A), 2024)

Pursuant to Section 5491.1 of the Business and Professions Code, an inventory of all illegal signs in City of Mountain House shall be commenced.

(Ord. 2024-18, § 1(Exh. A), 2024)

Unless otherwise specified, it shall be unlawful to erect or maintain:

(a) Any sign advertising a home occupation;

(b) Any sign imitating or resembling a traffic sign, institutional/public sign, traffic signal or symbol, but which is not actually such a sign;

(c) Any sign that is attached to a rock, tree, telephone pole, utility pole, or street light;

(d) Any sign that emits a sound in order to attract attention to the product being advertised;

(e) Any sign that obstructs any form of ingress or egress, such as doors, windows, fire escapes, stairways, or ventilators;

(f) Any sign illuminated by strobe or flashing lights;

(g) Any sign located within or projecting over any public right-of-way or railroad right-of-way, publicly owned property, or stream or creek channel, except for institutional/public signs.

(Ord. 2024-18, § 1(Exh. A), 2024)

Except for the requirements contained in Sections 9-17-204, 7-17-302(c)—(f), and 9-17-303, the following signs are exempt from the requirements of this Division. These signs are not to be included in the determination of the allowable number, type or area of signs as specified in Section 9-17-301.

(a) Commemorative;

(b) Informational;

(c) Institutional/Public;

(d) Flag;

(e) Traffic;

(f) Supplemental Tenant;

(g) Utility;

(h) Window;

(i) Crop-identification; 4-H;

(j) Right-to-Farm;

(k) No Trespassing;

(l) Signs located inside a building, courtyard or mall, or any other sign not conspicuously visible and readable from a public street or adjacent, separately owned property.

(Ord. 2024-18, § 1(Exh. A), 2024)

In addition to other signage allowed in Section 9-17-301, on-site signs advertising the price of gasoline are permitted. Such signs must not exceed thirty (30) square feet in size. Up to one-third of the sign may identify the brand of gasoline sold. In case of any conflict between the provision of this Chapter and State requirements for signs related to gasoline sales, the State provisions shall govern.

(Ord. 2024-18, § 1(Exh. A), 2024)

All signs shall be properly maintained. Exposed surfaces shall be clean and painted, when required. All defective parts shall be replaced. The Director shall have the right to order the repair or removal of any sign which appears poorly maintained, defective, damaged, or deteriorated.

(Ord. 2024-18, § 1(Exh. A), 2024)

Unless otherwise specified by this Division, all permitted signs may use manual or automatic changeable copy.

(Ord. 2024-18, § 1(Exh. A), 2024)

Nonconforming signs are permitted, subject to the requirements set forth in this Chapter regarding safety, maintenance, and repair. However, if any such sign is relocated, or requires repair or maintenance exceeding fifty percent (50%) of its appraised replacement value, the sign shall be brought into conformance with this Code, or removed. Similarly, if such sign is removed by any means, including an act of God, it shall be restored, reconstructed, altered, or repaired based on the provisions of this Division.

(Ord. 2024-18, § 1(Exh. A), 2024)