Santa Ana Municipal Code § 41-896 Maintenance of signs

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. NS-2116, § 5, adopted Mar. 18, 1991, repealed former Div. 5, §§ 41-895—41-899, of this article, relative to planned sign programs for on-premise signs, and enacted new provisions in lieu thereof as Div. 5, §§ 41-895—41-900. Formerly, such provisions derived from Ord. No. NS-1721, § 1, adopted Apr. 2, 1984.

Except as otherwise provided in this article, no person shall place, paint, erect, move, reconstruct, alter or display any sign structure or allow the same to be done on property occupied or controlled by such person, except in accordance with a permit issued for such sign pursuant to this article.

(Ord. No. NS-2116, § 5, 3-18-91)

No person shall allow any sign located on property owned, occupied or controlled by such person to remain in a condition of disrepair for a period of more than thirty (30) days. For purposes of this article, a sign shall be deemed to be in a condition of disrepair if it is in need of replacement of defective or missing parts, has a broken or damaged sign face, or is in need of repainting or cleaning in order to be brought into a reasonably sightly and legible condition.

(Ord. No. NS-2116, § 5, 3-18-91)

Any sign installed, altered or maintained in violation of any provision of this article constitutes a public nuisance and is subject to abatement pursuant to Chapter 17 of this Code.

(Ord. No. NS-2116, § 5, 3-18-91)

(a) A nonconforming sign may be maintained subject to the same restrictions as apply to nonconforming uses and buildings pursuant to Article VI of this chapter.

(b) A nonconforming sign which is relocated on the same site to accommodate a street widening or other public works project shall retain its status as a nonconforming sign, provided the relocated sign is substantially the same as the sign existing prior to the relocation.

(Ord. No. NS-2116, § 5, 3-18-91)

Subject to section 41-898(b), a nonconforming sign becomes an illegal sign and must be removed, altered or changed to comply with all provisions of this article when:

(1) The sign is structurally altered or expanded.

(2) The sign has ceased, for a period of ninety (90) days or more, to identify or represent any occupant or activity actually located and operating on the site of the sign. For a multitenant nonconforming freestanding sign, the discontinued business sign shall be blanked out, and when fifty (50) per cent or more of the entire sign is blanked out, then the sign shall be removed or shall comply with the provisions of this part.

(3) There is damage or destruction to the sign to the extent of more than fifty (50) per cent of the value of the sign.

(4) The sign face or copy is changed, except that a sheet metal cabinet sign in conformance with an implied or explicit sign program may continue subject to all other provisions of this article.

(5) The sign is located on a site on which the building exteriors are undergoing remodeling, renovation or rehabilitation.

(Ord. No. NS-2116, § 5, 3-18-91)

No person shall install, construct or maintain an illegal sign.

(Ord. No. NS-2116, § 5, 3-18-91)