Simi Valley Municipal Code Art. 9 Subdivision Directional Signs

* Article 9 entitled "Temporary Tract Directional Signs," consisting of Sections 7-1.901 through 7-1.905, codified from Ord. No. 568, effective May 16, 1984, amended in its entirety by Ord. 941, effective January 21, 1999.

For purposes of this article, the following terms are defined as follows:

(a) "Developer" shall mean an individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation, estate, trust, syndicate, district or political subdivision that offers for sale, lease or rent a residential project consisting of at least five (5) dwellings, including condominiums or single-family dwellings.

(b) "Licensee" shall mean a person, persons, firm or corporation authorized by a license agreement to design, erect and maintain multi-project subdivision directional signs within the City.

(c) "Multi-project subdivision directional signs" shall mean a freestanding structure containing panels whose main purpose is to direct vehicular traffic to a new residential development projects by means of directional arrows and which have been permitted by granting a license pursuant to this article.

(d) "Person" shall mean an individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation, estate, trust, syndicate, district or other political subdivision, or any other group acting as an independent unit.

(e) "Subdivision directional sign" shall mean any off-site sign which gives motorists directions to the location of new residential development projects.

(§ 2, Ord. 941, eff. January 21, 1999)

Notwithstanding any other provisions in the Simi Valley Municipal Code, including but not limited to Sections 9-1.1002(a) and (b) relating to temporary signs, subdivision directional signs, other than those on-site, are prohibited except as provided in this article.

(§ 2, Ord. 941, eff. January 21, 1999)

The City Council may, but a duly executed contract granting a nonexclusive license, authorize the placement of multi-project subdivision directional sign structures within the City streets rights-of-way, or on other City property. Such licenses shall be limited to specified persons or entities based upon findings that such action will result in better coordination of directional signage or increased efficiency of administration by the City. No persons shall erect or maintain any subdivision directional sign or multi-project subdivision directional sign within the City without having first obtained a license. Nothing herein shall prevent a person from erecting or placing signage on-site, subject to compliance with all other applicable provisions of the Simi Valley Municipal Code.

The City Council may by resolution, delegate its authority to grant licenses pursuant to this section to the City Manager or his or her designee provided that the form of such license contracts have been approved by the City Council and the licenses otherwise comply with all provisions of this article.

(§ 2, Ord. 941, eff. January 21, 1999)

Multi-project subdivision directional sign structures:

(a) Shall not obstruct the use of sidewalks, walkways, bike or multi-use trails;

(b) Shall not obstruct the visibility of vehicles, pedestrians, traffic signs or traffic signals;

(c) Shall not be installed in the immediate vicinity of street intersections.

(§ 2, Ord. 941, eff. January 21, 1999)

Licenses for multi-project subdivision directional signs shall contain the following terms and conditions:

(a) Except as otherwise expressly permitted as part of an approval plan, sign structures shall be wood. Individual sign panels shall have uniform design and color throughout the City limits.

(b) Sign structures shall not exceed ten (10′) feet in height.

(c) The width of sign structures and sign panels shall not exceed six (6′) feet.

(d) Signs shall not be illuminated.

(e) Sign structure installation shall include the Caltrans Standard "break away" design features where required by the Public Works Director, or his or her designee, in right-of-way areas.

(f) Licensee(s) shall maintain all signs in a neat, clean and orderly manner. Broken, damaged or defaced signs shall be repaired and the immediate area of the sign shall be maintained in a weed-free condition.

(g) Licensee(s) shall accept liability for all signs and shall provide insurance naming the City as additional insured in a form and with a company acceptable to the City Attorney.

(h) All violations of the license contract are to be corrected within forty-eight (48) hours (two (2) days).

(i) All signs erected on private property must have written consent from the property owner with the City to have a right to enter property to remove any signs not in conformance.

(j) The City, and its officers and employees, shall be held free and harmless of all costs, claims and damages levied against them arising out of licenses for multi-project subdivision directional signs.

(k) No attachments, tags, signs, streamers, devices, display boards, pennants, flags or other appurtenances or devices shall be attached to any sign.

(l) Placement of signs must be in accordance with encroachment permit specifications from the City's Public Works Department and each sign placement shall be reviewed and approved by the City.

(m) All signs within public right-of-way must have an encroachment permit.

(n) All nonconforming subdivision directional signs associated with the project in question must be removed prior to the issuance of a new sign permit.

(o) For housing projects within a recorded tract such signs on approved sign structures shall be allowed for a maximum period of time concurrent with the approved time limit of the structure location or until the associated subdivision is sold out, whichever occurs first.

(p) All signs placed on a private property must receive written consent of the property owner, which shall be filed with the Public Works Department prior to issuance of a permit.

(q) A sign location plan shall be prepared showing the site of each directional sign and shall be submitted to the Public Works Department for approval prior to the issuance of a sign permit.

(§ 2, Ord. 941, eff. January 21, 1999)

Licensee(s) shall make directional sign panels available to all persons or entities selling subdivisions (hereinafter referred to as "subdividers") on a first-come, first-service basis. Licensee(s) shall maintain a separate waiting list for each sign structure.

(§ 2, Ord. 941, eff. January 21, 1999)