Mountain View Municipal Code Div. 2 Erection, Construction and Maintenance of Outdoor Advertising Signs…

For the purposes of this division, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

(a) Advertising structure. "Advertising structure" is any structure of any kind or character erected or maintained for outdoor advertising purposes, upon which any poster, bill, printing, painting, statuary, or other advertisement of any kind whatsoever may be placed for advertising purposes.

(b) Freeway. "Freeway" is a highway in respect to which the owners of abutting lands have no right or easement of access to or from their abutting lands or in respect to which such owners have only limited or restricted right or easement of access. "Freeway" shall include expressway and parkway.

(c) Sign. "Sign" is any card, cloth, paper, metal, wooden or painted sign of any type or character placed for outdoor advertising purposes, on or affixed to the ground or any tree, wall, bush, rock, fence, building, structure or thing, either privately or publicly owned, other than an advertising structure.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

No sign shall be painted, attached, installed, erected, constructed or relocated in the city which is visible from a freeway if such sign is designed to have or has advertising thereupon maintained primarily to be viewed from the freeway. When any sign is intended to be located within six hundred (600) feet from the edge of the right-of-way of the designated freeway so that the advertising thereon is visible from such freeway, it shall be deemed prima facie to be maintained primarily to be viewed therefrom.

(Ord. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

No sign shall be painted, attached, installed, erected, constructed or relocated or maintained in the city, if such sign, because of its location, size, nature or type, constitutes or tends to constitute a hazard to the safe and efficient operation of vehicles upon the freeway, or upon any ingress or egress ramps to or from a freeway, or creates a condition which endangers the safety of persons or property thereon.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

Any sign lawfully existing at the effective date of this division, or lawfully existing hereafter upon the completion of any freeway, which sign is designed to have, or has, the advertising thereon to be viewed primarily from a freeway, or which does not otherwise conform to the provisions of this division shall be regarded as nonconforming and may be left in place; provided, however, that:

(a) In the event that any such existing sign is determined by the director of public works, the director of planning and the city building inspector to constitute a dangerous or hazardous condition, the same shall be removed within thirty (30) days after written notice to the owner of such sign, which notice shall be signed by such director of public works, director of planning and city building inspector.

(b) Any sign which is visible from any section of a freeway, and is designed to have, or has, the advertising thereon maintained primarily to be viewed from such freeway, shall be removed within one (1) year from the completion of such section of freeway, or within three (3) years of the effective date of this division, whichever is sooner.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

Nothing in this division shall be construed to prohibit:

(a) Any notice or advertisement prescribed or required by law, or any notice posted by any lawful officer.

(b) Any directional warning or information signs or structures required or authorized by law or by federal, state, county or city authority.

(c) A sign advertising a sale or lease of the building or premises upon which it is located.

(d) The name of the person occupying a building or premises, and the type of business conducted by such person.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

No sign permitted under Sec. 3.18.7 of this division shall contain moving parts, changing or flashing lights, including black light signs, moving colors, or moving messages which attract attention to the sign, which constitute or tend to constitute a hazard to the safe and efficient operation of vehicles upon the freeway, or create a condition which endangers the safety of persons or property thereon.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

Except as otherwise provided in this division, it shall be unlawful for any person to erect, alter or relocate within the city any sign, within view of a freeway, without first obtaining a permit from the chief building inspector of the city, and paying the required fee therefor.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

Application for a permit required by Sec. 3.18.7 shall be made to the chief building inspector upon a form provided by the city and shall contain such information as may be required by the chief building inspector to assure compliance with this code and other ordinances of the city, and shall be accompanied by a permit fee of ten (10) dollars.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

Each application provided for in Sec. 3.18.8 shall contain a statement by the applicant that such advertising structure, billboard or sign is not to be viewed primarily from a freeway.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

Each application for a permit pursuant to this division shall be considered by the chief building inspector, the director of public works, and the director of planning, and they shall determine by a majority vote whether or not the proposed advertising structure, billboard or sign is to be viewed primarily from a freeway.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

No permit required by this division shall be issued to erect, construct or relocate any advertising structure, billboard or sign, regardless of location, having the advertising thereon viewed primarily from a freeway.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

The chief building inspector shall issue permits for the erection, alteration or relocation of any advertising structure, billboard or sign when:

1. Application therefor has been properly made.

2. The fee for such permit has been paid.

3. It has been determined by a majority vote of the chief building inspector, the director of public works, and the director of planning, that the proposed advertising structure, billboard or sign is not to be viewed primarily from a freeway, and that such proposed advertising structure, billboard or sign complies with this code and other ordinances of the city.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

Permits issued pursuant to this division shall become null and void upon the expiration of six (6) months after the date of issuance if the work authorized by such permit has not been completed.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)

On the denial of application of any permit required under the provisions of this division, any applicant for a permit who is denied such permit, or any permittee whose permit is ordered revoked, or any person who deems that his interests or property or that the general public interest will be adversely affected as the result of operations authorized by or under any permit granted or issued, or the transfer thereof, may appeal to the planning commission. Such appeal shall be in writing and shall be filed within ten (10) days after the issuance, denial, or revocation of the permit.

(Ord. No. 175.622, 8/8/60.)