SEC. 608.14. VINTAGE SIGNS.

New Ordinance Notice

Publisher's Note: This section has been AMENDED by new legislation (Ord. 124-25 , approved 8/1/2025, effective 9/1/2025). The text of the amendment will be incorporated under the new section number when the amending legislation is operative.

(a) Restoration and Maintenance. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 604(e) of this Code, Signs which depict in text or graphic form a particular residential, business, cultural, economic, recreational, or other valued resource which is

deemed by the Planning Commission to be a cultural artifact that contributes to the visual identity and historic character of a City neighborhood or the City as a whole shall be considered a Vintage Sign and allowed to be restored, reconstructed, maintained, and technologically improved on a property by Conditional Use authorization of the Planning Commission provided that: (1) the Vintage Sign to be restored, reconstructed, or technologically improved depicts a use, person, place, thing, cultural icon, or other valued character or characteristics of the City or a City neighborhood that, at the time of the Vintage Sign authorization, is at least 40 years old; (2) at least 50% of the Area of the Sign remains legible, (3) the Sign does not visually obstruct or significantly impair or detract from, by glare or any other means, a City landmark or public vista; (4) the Sign is not larger than the Sign that existed prior to the Vintage Sign authorization and does not appear to be more visually prominent than the Sign that existed prior to the Vintage Sign authorization; and (5) the Sign is maintained in good condition, repair, and working order. Designation as a Vintage Sign under this Section 608.14 does not by itself protect the Sign from being obscured or removed by future development projects.

(b) Application for Vintage Sign Authorization. Prior to the scheduling of the Conditional Use hearing before the Planning Commission required by subsection (a), the applicant for a vintage sign authorization shall provide to the Department evidence in the form of photographs and/or documents demonstrating that:

(1) the sign proposed for vintage sign authorization is at least 40 years old; and

(2) the sign is a cultural artifact that depicts a particular residential, business, cultural, economic, recreational, or other valued resource of the past that contributes to the visual identity and character of a City neighborhood or the City as a whole.

(c) Application of Other Article 6 Requirements. Once a sign is authorized as a vintage sign under this Section, it is subject only to the requirements of this Section 608.14 and is exempt from all other provision of Article 6. However, any change of copy from the vintage-copy authorized by the Planning Commission or any enlargement or alteration shall be considered an abandonment of the vintage sign authorization and the sign shall then be considered a new sign subject to all the provisions of this Article 6. The addition of a frame to a painted wall sign shall not be considered an enlargement or alteration under this section.

any change of copy from the vintage-copy authorized by the Planning Commission or any enlargement or alteration shall be considered an abandonment of the vintage sign authorization and the sign shall then be considered a new sign subject to all the provisions of this Article 6. The addition of a frame to a painted wall sign shall not be considered an enlargement or alteration under this section.

(d) Removal of Vintage Sign. Once designated as a vintage sign under this Section, the sign may not be removed without Conditional Use authorization of the Planning Commission.

(e) Relocation. A three-dimensional vintage sign may be relocated to a new location with Conditional Use authorization of the Planning Commission. Relocation of a general advertising sign is subject to the provisions of Section 2.21 of the San Francisco Administrative Code and may not be relocated under this Section 608.14.

(f) Referral to Historic Preservation Commission. If the application for a vintage sign authorization under this Section 608.14 is not otherwise required to be referred to the Historic Preservation Commission under the San Francisco Charter or this Code, it is not required to be referred.

(Added by Ord. 276-98, App. 8/28/98; amended by Ord. 160-11 , File No. 110277, App. 8/1/2011, Eff. 8/31/2011; Ord. 124-25, File No. 250542, App. 8/1/2025, Eff. 9/1/2025)

AMENDMENT HISTORY

Section header and section amended; Ord. 160-11 , Eff. 8/31/2011. Division (a) amended; Ord. 124-25, Eff. 9/1/2025.