Santa Barbara County Municipal Code § 35-32 Generally

Any sign which was lawfully erected and maintained prior to the effective date of this article, May 28, 1970, or the effective date of any applicable amendment to this article, but which does not conform with the provisions, other than the certificate of conformance, of this article, or any amendments thereto, is a nonconforming sign. "Lawfully erected" shall include: signs erected before any sign regulations were applicable to the property, signs erected in conformance with the then applicable sign regulations, but not including the requirement for a land use permit or a zoning clearance, and signs erected pursuant to a variance, a conditional use permit, or an approved development plan. "Lawfully maintained" shall include: signs maintained in conformity with the applicable sign regulations existing immediately before the effective date of this article, including signs maintained pursuant to variances, conditional use permits, and approved development plans; and signs maintained as nonconforming signs with or without a termination date under an operative amortization period. Nonconformance may include, but is not limited to, sign use, type of sign, length, location, number, size and failure to conform with an approved overall sign plan for a shopping center. Nonconformance does not include failure to obtain either a zoning clearance or a land use permit or a certificate of conformance.

(Ord. No. 2116, § 1; Ord. No. 2077, § 1)

All nonconforming signs may be continued and maintained for a reasonable nine-year period of amortization from the effective date of this article, or any amendment thereto, rendering them nonconforming. At the end of this nine-year amortization period, such nonconforming signs lose their status as nonconforming signs and become illegal signs in violation of the provisions of this article and shall be removed or brought into conformance with this article or any amendment thereto, by obtaining a certificate of conformance, a variance, a conditional use permit or approved modification.

(Ord. No. 2077, § 1)

1. Outside of Shopping Centers and for Service Stations. In all districts, except for nonservice station uses in shopping centers, during a nine-year amortization period for nonconforming signs on any parcel, signs may be erected, installed, affixed, altered, relocated, applied and projected as an image and copy may be changed on that parcel, provided:

a. The signs will be in conformance with this article, and

b. When added together, the nonconforming and conforming signs on the parcel will not exceed either the total number of signs nor the total sign area for all signs permitted by this article, and

c. A certificate of conformance is issued by the planning department.

2. Within Shopping Centers, Except for Service Stations.

a. If no overall sign plan has been adopted for a shopping center, during a nine-year amortization period for nonconforming signs in the shopping center, signs may be erected, installed, affixed, altered, relocated, applied and projected as an image and copy may be changed in the shopping center, and such signs or copy may be maintained for the remainder of the amortization period, provided:

1. A certificate of conformance effective for the remainder of the nine-year amortization period is issued by the planning department, and

2. The signs, except for the nonconformance to an overall sign plan, will be in conformance with this article, and

3. When added together, the nonconforming and conforming signs on the premises, either the premises of an individual business or those of the management controlled common premises, will not exceed either the total number of signs nor the total sign area for all signs permitted by this article.

b. If an overall sign plan has been adopted for a shopping center, during a nine-year amortization period for nonconforming signs in the shopping center, signs may be erected, installed, affixed, altered, relocated, applied and projected as an image and copy may be changed in the shopping center, provided:

1. A certificate of conformance is issued by the planning department, and

2. The signs will be in conformance with this article, and

3. When added together, the nonconforming and conforming signs on the premises, either the premises of an individual business or those of the management controlled common premises, will not exceed either the total number of signs nor the total sign area for all signs permitted by this article.

(Ord. No. 2077, § 1)