Santa Fe Springs Municipal Code Ch. 98 Signs

The purpose of this chapter is to protect the visual environment and public safety by prohibiting private signage on public property in a manner consistent with First Amendment freedoms. This chapter is intended to do the following:

(A) Protect and enhance the visual appearance of the city, increase property values, and preserve and advance the quality of life for residents of the city.

(B) Promote only those signs that create a high-quality visual environment and that are complimentary in scale and proportion with surrounding buildings and harmonious with surrounding neighborhoods.

(C) Ensure that signs do not proliferate to such extent that they create confusion and visually dominate the setting in which they are located.

(D) Ensure that signs are designed and located so as to not create a hazard to the safety and movement of vehicles and pedestrians.

(E) Protect the freedom of speech by establishing only content-neutral reasonable regulations on the time, place, and manner of such signage, and allowing sufficient alternate grounds for communication.

(F) Establish regulations which are content-neutral, and which regulate solely the time, place or manner of signage.

(G) Ensure that there are sufficient alternate grounds of communication.

(Ord. 1114, passed 10-22-20)

The City Council makes the following findings regarding signs:

(A) Negative consequences of signs. Although signs can serve important governmental interests (e.g., directional or warning signs), signs also tend to add to visual clutter in a manner contrary to the public welfare. Often, signs placed by private parties on public property are placed in locations most likely to draw the eye, and therefore the most likely to cause visual impact. Often, signs placed by private parties are placed without regard to how the sign corresponds to the existing environment. By limiting signs to only those signs installed by, or at the request of, or with the authorization of a relevant governmental entity, and to those signs required by law, allows the city to strike the proper balance between the need for signs which serve the public interest, and the need to limit the number of signs in public places.

(B) Benefits of regulation. Limitations on private parties placing signs on public property will decrease the safety hazards caused by the placement of signs. For example, prohibiting signs being placed in a right-of-way will ensure improved visibility of those using the right-of-way, as an excessive number of signs can make it more difficult for drivers and pedestrians to see each other. Signs can also block the visibility of objects entering the right-of-way or block the ability to see traffic at intersections. Signs can also cause distractions for drivers. Signs placed upon public property can be improperly installed, designed in an inherently dangerous manner, or be installed in locations which are themselves dangerous, or in locations which cause danger elsewhere. Although certain signage can be useful, absent limitations on the placement of signs in rights-of-way and other public locations, signs installed by private parties would proliferate, and unnecessarily cause safety hazards and visual blight.

(C) Compelling need. A compelling need exists for a reasonable system of regulation of signs that are placed upon public places and in the public rights-of-way.

(Ord. 1114, passed 10-22-20)

For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

City Manager. The City Manager or the City Manager's designee.

Sign. Any bill, poster, placard, handbill, flyer, painting, mural, statute, wall design, balloon, flag, inflatable tube man, or other similar object in any form whatsoever which contains printed or written matter in words, symbols or pictures, or in any combination thereof which is used or intended to be used to attract attention to, or identify, or advertise a business, product, service, activity, or location, or to provide information or opinion or to convey a message.

(Ord. 1114, passed 10-22-20)

(A) General prohibition. Except as stated in division (B) of this section, no person may post, place, or affix any sign on any property owned or controlled by a governmental entity. This prohibition includes (but is not limited to) placement on, above, or under any of the following:

(1) Government owned property. Any government owned or controlled property such as parks, recreation areas, schools, open space, parking lots, landscaped areas, public rights-of-way, or any other location owned by a governmental entity, including any structure within such property, such as a pole or drinking fountain.

(2) Rights-of-way/easements. In any portion in, under, or above, any government controlled property, including any easements or rights-of-way. This includes (but is not limited to) all of the following, if they are in, under or above any government-controlled easement, such as a right-of-way: sidewalks, crosswalks, curbs, curbstones, parkways, hydrants, trees, shrubs, tree stakes or guards, railroad trestles, posts, signs, light poles, telephone poles, traffic signals, and public bridges.

(3) Leased property. Property under the control of the governmental entity via lease, license, or other means.

(B) Exceptions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this section shall not prohibit the installation of any of the following signs:

(1) Governmental sign. Any sign placed or installed upon property owned or controlled by a governmental entity if the governmental entity has caused or authorized the installation of that sign.

(2) Required signs. Any sign which is legally required to be placed or installed in that location or which placement or installation the city cannot legally prohibit.

(3) Emergency. Any sign which is necessary to be placed or installed during the time of an emergency. At the termination of the emergency need for such sign, such sign shall be promptly removed by the person who placed the sign.

(4) Tenant/licensee. If property is leased or licensed from a governmental entity, and the lease or license allows the installation or placement of the installed sign.

(C) Interpretation.

(1) No preemption. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as granting authority to install or place a sign if another provision of the code prohibits such installation or placement. For example, if the sign may only be installed if an encroachment permit has been issued, then it shall be illegal to install such sign without first having obtained an encroachment permit.

(2) Holding sign. Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted as prohibiting any person from holding a sign while on public property.

(3) Handing out flyers. Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted as prohibiting any person from handing out flyers directly into the hands of another person.

(Ord. 1114, passed 10-22-20)

(A) Removal. The City Manager shall cause the removal of any sign violating this chapter and shall keep a record of the location from which the sign was removed.

(B) Storage. The City Manager shall store any sign in a safe location for at least 30 days, and shall immediately notify by telephone the person suspected of owning the sign, indicate the fact of removal, and the location where it may be retrieved. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City Manager is not required to store any sign that has de minimis value, such as a handwritten sign written on cardboard or other non-permanent material.

(C) Repayment. The City Manager shall establish a procedure consistent with due process requirements to allow the owner of the sign(s) to reclaim the sign(s) after payment of a fee to defray the city's reasonable and actual costs of collection and storage of the sign(s). The procedure shall also allow the owner of the sign(s) to obtain the sign(s) without making any such fee payment if the sign was improperly impounded or if requiring the property owner to make a payment in exchange for the sign would otherwise be prohibited by law.

(Ord. 1114, passed 10-22-20)

The placement of signs in violation of this chapter is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and may be abated by the city.

(Ord. 1114, passed 10-22-20)

When the City Manager or his agents find that a political campaign sign has been posted in violation of § 98.03 and is in any way a hazard to motorists, pedestrians or cyclists using the public right-of-way, the said sign shall be summarily removed. Otherwise, when the City Manager or his agents find that a political campaign sign has been posted in violation of §§ 98.03 or 98.04, he shall attempt to contact the candidate, committee or person responsible for the posting of such sign. If successful, he shall give 24 hours advance telephone notice of his intention to remove the sign, indicating the nature of the violation and the location of the sign. If, after such notification, the illegal sign remains in violation, the City Manager or his agents shall remove said sign and store it in a safe location. If, after reasonable diligence, the City Manger is unable to contact the candidate, committee, or person responsible for the sign, he may dispense with the notice requirement and remove the sign, storing it in a safe location.

('64 Code, § 19-126; Ord. 570, passed 11-20-79)

If the City Manager or his agents remove any political campaign sign, he shall keep a record of the location from which the sign was removed. He shall store the political campaign sign in a safe location for at least 30 days, and shall immediately notify by telephone the candidate, committee, or person responsible for the posting of the sign, indicating the fact of removal and the location where it may be retrieved. If the City Manager is unable to make telephone contact, he shall provide written notice, if the address of the candidate, committee, or person is known or can reasonably be ascertained.

('64 Code, § 19-127; Ord. 570, passed 11-20-79)

In cases where unusual effort is needed to remove a sign, such as the cutting or removal of supporting structures, use of aerial devices, towing of "trailer signs," or other unusual situations, the city shall collect from the person responsible a sum sufficient to cover the costs of equipment and hourly wages of employees or outside contractors so utilized.

('64 Code, § 19-128; Ord. 570, passed 11-20-79)

In a campaign for political office, the candidate for such office shall be deemed the person responsible for the posting of political campaign signs, unless he first notifies the City Clerk and the City Manager of another person who is responsible. In such case, the candidate shall provide the name, address, telephone number, and signed consent of such other responsible person. In a campaign regarding a ballot measure, the president or chief officer of the committee supporting or opposing such ballot measure shall be deemed responsible, unless he first notifies the City Clerk and the City Manager of some other person responsible, in the manner described above. The candidate, or in the case of a ballot measure, the committee president or chief officer or other responsible person if so designated, shall be liable to pay any fees or costs for the removal and storage of illegal signs, as set out herein. Further, such candidate, committee president or chief officer, or other designated person, shall be subject to criminal prosecution for violation of § 98.03 or § 98.04.

('64 Code, § 19-129; Ord. 570, passed 11-20-79)

(A) Political campaign signs in violation of §§ 98.03 or 98.04 are hereby declared to be public nuisances, and may be abated by the city. The collection of removal fees shall not preclude the city from criminally prosecuting any person in violation of said sections.

(B) Violation of this section shall be deemed an infraction.

('64 Code, § 19-130; Ord. 570, passed 11-20-79)