Article III — GENERAL PROVISIONS

It shall hereafter be unlawful for any person to erect, place, or maintain a sign in the city of South Lake Tahoe except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 1145 § 1)

The following types of signs are prohibited in all districts:

• A. Pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners, festoons, search lights, or other moving or fluttering devices;

• B. Signs imitating or resembling official traffic or government signs or signals;

• C. Snipe signs, when located in the public right-of-way;

• D. Off-premises parked motor vehicle signs;

• E. Portable signs not specifically permitted by this chapter;

• F. Animated signs;

• G. Inflatable signs;

• H. Sound producing signs;

• I. Illegal signs;

• J. Off-premises signs, except for temporary signs allowed under SLTCC § 6.40.080(E) ;

• K. All signs not specifically noted;

• L. Freestanding signs in clear zones that have height between three feet and 10 feet from grade, or with pole/base support larger than 12 inches in diameter;

• M. Signage for prohibited uses;

• N. Signs not in compliance with this chapter;

• O. Handheld signs for commercial use in public rights-of-way. (Ord. 1145 § 1)

Unless otherwise provided by this chapter, all signs shall require a planning permit and payment of fees as described in Article VI of this chapter. (Ord. 1145 § 1)

The following types of signs and activities are exempt from permit requirements but shall be in conformance with all other standards of this chapter:

• A. Maintenance or cleaning of a sign.

• B. In residential areas, (1) identification signs, (2) names on mailboxes or newspaper tubes, (3) private property parking or warning the public against trespassing or danger from animals, provided they do not exceed two square feet.

• C. Signs not readable from a public street, recreation area, bicycle trail, or Lake Tahoe, such as window placards denoting community special events.

• D. Temporary signs located on private property not greater than 12 square feet in area, not internally illuminated, and not displayed for more than 30 days in a calendar year, except that for 60 days preceding a general or special election more than one such sign may be placed on each parcel, provided they are removed immediately after the election. Any sign larger than the limits described shall be counted as either freestanding or building sign area as appropriate.

• E. Off-premises temporary signs in residential areas as permitted by California Civil Code Section 713 , provided the following standards are met:

  1. The signs shall not exceed three square feet. Within the three square feet, all copy shall be placed including arrows, logos, name of real estate office, address and the like. The height of sign shall not exceed three feet. For the purpose of this provision, the three-foot-high signs may be placed on top of a snow berm.

  2. All signs shall not be located within the public right-of-way.

  3. The signs shall not be allowed within the Tahoe Keys Boulevard median, the 15th Street median and parkway, or the Loop Road median and parkway.

  4. The maximum number of signs per individual or activity shall be limited to three.

  5. The signs shall be either freestanding, mounted on a stake, or an "A-frame." The location and/or size of such signs shall not create a traffic hazard.

  6. The signs shall be removed at the conclusion of the activity.

• F. On-premises temporary signs as permitted by California Civil Code Section 713 , provided the following standards are met:

  1. Residential.

     • a. The maximum number of signs shall be limited to one per frontage.

     • b. The standards for all signs shall be:

       • i. If freestanding, the sign area shall not exceed three square feet. Should the sign be mounted on a stake, the stake shall not exceed five feet in height. The sign or its supports shall not encroach into the public right-of-way and shall not create a traffic hazard or encroach into a clear zone area. Said sign may be double-faced;

       • ii. If a wall sign, the area shall not exceed three square feet;

       • iii. Shall not be illuminated;

       • iv. Shall not contain more than two sign riders, each a maximum size of six inches by 18 inches; and

       • v. Shall not contain more than one flier box.

     • c. The sign shall be removed at the conclusion of the activity.

  2. Commercial.

• a. One sign per premises unless the property has both a front and rear street frontage, in which case, two signs are permitted;

  - b. The standards for all signs shall be: 
  
     - i. If freestanding, the sign area shall not exceed 32 square feet; shall not exceed six feet in height. The sign or its supports shall be a minimum of five feet from all property lines and shall not encroach into a clear view area. Said sign may be double-faced; 
  
     - ii. If a wall sign, the area shall not exceed 32 square feet; 
  
     - iii. Shall conform to the design standards contained in SLTCC § **6.40.340** and § **6.40.350** ; and 
  
     - iv. Shall not be illuminated. 
  
  - c. The sign shall be removed at the conclusion of the activity. 
  

• G. Motor vehicle signs used for business, company, or government identification, or motor vehicle signs on nonstationary motor vehicles. Motor vehicle signs may not be used in a manner to augment approved signage for a business as opposed to normal operation or parking of the vehicle.

• H. Window signage that does not exceed five percent of the window area.

• I. Banners and sandwich board signs in compliance with the following standards:

  • i. May be displayed only during weekends (Friday at 8:00 a.m. through Sunday at 5:00 p.m.) and holidays (December 24th at 8:00 a.m. through New Year's Day at 5:00 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day) or during city-sanctioned community events;

  • ii. Not within a street right-of-way, sidewalk, bicycle path, pedestrian walkway, designated parking space, ADA-accessible zone or path, or clear zone; and

  • iii. Not impede pedestrian or bicycle circulation.

Banners and sandwich boards are limited to one per parcel.

• J. Signs constructed, placed or maintained by the federal, state or local government or a sign that is specifically authorized or required to be constructed, placed or maintained by law. Signs

constructed, placed or maintained by the city are also exempt from all other requirements in this chapter.

(Ord. 1145 § 1)

All signs shall be properly maintained. Exposed surfaces shall be clean and painted if paint is required. Defective parts shall be replaced. The city shall have the right to order the repair or removal of any sign which is defective, damaged, or substantially deteriorated as defined in the Uniform Building Code.

(Ord. 1145 § 1)

Unless otherwise prohibited by this chapter, all signs may be illuminated consistent with this chapter. (Ord. 1145 § 1)

No person shall engage in the business of erecting, altering, relocating, constructing or maintaining signs without a valid contractor's license and meeting the provisions for all required state and federal licenses (unless said maintenance does not require a state or federal license) or meets the Uniform Building Code "owner/builder" section.

(Ord. 1145 § 1)