Trinity County Municipal Code Ch. 15.08 Sign Ordinance

This chapter shall be known and cited as the "sign ordinance of the county of Trinity."

(Ord. 325 §1, 1969)

For the purpose of this chapter, certain terms are defined as follows:

A. "Appurtenant signs" means signs which carry only advertisements incidental to a lawful use of the premises on which they are located, including a sign or sign devices indicating the business or service transacted at or product produced on the premises, including the name of the person or firm occupying the premises.

B. "Directional and informational signs" means signs which direct the reader to the location of the facility or group of facilities for which the sign is erected and which may describe the characteristics and services available at such facility or group of facilities, and which are necessary to direct or inform the public of the following type of facilities: publicly owned structures or areas; community; historical points of interest; institutions such as churches, schools and colleges; and commercial areas providing services commonly used by motorists while traveling but not containing the brand name of any product or the name of any individual establishment.

C. "Nonappurtenant signs" means signs which carry advertisements which are not strictly incidental to the lawful use of the premises upon which they are located, or indicating businesses or services transacted or produced on the premises.

D. "Outdoor advertising signs or structures" means signs advertising a service or product and which are not located on the site upon which such service or product is being offered or sold.

E. "Sign" means a representation by means of words, diagrams, symbols or models situated in a place visible to the general public and intended to publicize any activity, person or thing.

(Ord. 325 §2, 1969)

It shall be unlawful for any person to paint, post, put up or display any sign, bill, poster, picture, lithograph, map, plat, sample, or any other device for advertising purposes of any kind, upon any outdoor advertising structure, fence, post, pole of tree within the limits of the county except as follows:

A. Expressed permission of the occupant, owner, lessee or person having possession thereof must be obtained in writing.

B. Such device shall be fixed or located on the place of business and used solely for advertising said business or the sale of said property upon which said signs are placed, except in cases permitted by the county zoning ordinance, subject to the restrictions that are provided therein.

C. These provisions shall not be construed to prohibit or include any notice or advertisement prescribed or required by law in any case, or any notice posted by a lawful officer.

D. No sign shall be constructed, installed or erected which does not comply with all of the provisions of this chapter, or which has less horizontal or vertical clearance from energized electric power lines and prescribed by the California Penal Code Section 385, Regulations of the California Public Utilities Commission, and the orders of the Division of Industrial Safety, state of California. Calculations of design for any sign shall be submitted when required by the building inspector.

E. No flat signs, projecting signs, outdoor advertising structures, bulletin boards or other advertising devices shall be erected in any of the residential districts of the county; provided, however, that this shall not prevent a person from placing nonilluminated signs less than twelve inches square on the outside of windows on premises in residential districts, denoting approved uses under the zoning ordinance; provided further, that churches and quasipublic organizations may, upon obtaining a use permit from the planning commission, affix display signs on the premises which display devices which shall not exceed twenty square feet in area, and may be constructed of wood; provided further, that the provisions of this section shall not be deemed to prohibit the fixing of signs on real property in the residential districts advertising the said property for sale, providing that no lot will have more than one such sign and no such sign shall exceed the area set out in Section 15.08.070. Signs for subdivisions shall be permitted as set out in Section 15.08.070.

(Ord. 325 §3, 1969)

No freestanding sign shall be erected in the county of an area more than prescribed in the regulations set out in Section 15.08.070 and shall not exceed thirty-five feet in height from the ground level. The sign shall be securely attached to posts or other supporting structures, and shall be located entirely within the lot lines. All such signs shall be constructed of metal or wood and shall advertise only the products and/or services for sale on the premises; such signs shall not be designed for posting of advertising copy.

When adjacent to a street or road line, independent freestanding signs may project one foot from the property line and must have a clearance of at least ten feet above adjacent ground, otherwise signs must be located entirely within the lot lines. Independent freestanding signs may be double-faced and are limited to the dimensions set out in the following regulations on each face in the area. Sign supports must be set in concrete and the entire sign designed to resist thirty pounds per square foot when pressured. All signs shall be constructed to support dead loads as required by the building code. Calculations or designs shall be submitted when required by the building inspector.

(Ord. 325 §4(a), 1969)

No outdoor advertising structures shall be erected in the county except in compliance with the provisions of this section and the regulations in Section 15.08.070.

A. Nonappurtenant outdoor advertising structures shall be spaced an average of one thousand feet apart on each side of the freeway. However, no such structures shall be closer than eight hundred feet to any other structure on each side of any freeway or state highway, and there shall be a maxi- mum of five structures per mile on each side of any freeway or state highway.

B. All such nonappurtenant outdoor advertising structures shall maintain a setback of twenty feet from the right-of-way line.

C. All such nonappurtenant outdoor advertising structures shall be either twelve feet by twenty-five feet or twelve feet by forty feet in overall dimensions.

* Setback from centerline of highway, road or street.

D. When nonappurtenant outdoor advertising structures are proposed to be located on each side of the freeway or state highway they shall be approximately parallel. The establishment of such structure on one side of the freeway or state highway shall determine the location of such structure on the other side.

E. Nonappurtenant outdoor advertising structures may be permitted with closer spacing than that set out above provided such signs are located within one mile of a community through which the highway traverses or travels adjacent to, and subject to approval of the planning commission as prescribed in the sections following.

F. Nonappurtenant outdoor advertising structures shall not be permitted on any land abutting an interstate highway or an F.A.P. except in the H-C district.

G. When the designation of any freeway or highway is changed to a landscaped designation, all such nonappurtenant outdoor advertising structures designed to be seen from the freeway shall be removed within one year from the date of such change.

H. All lighting shall be effectively shielded as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed on the main traveled way of any highway, street or road.

I. No sign shall be permitted which attempts or appears to attempt to direct traffic or which interferes with, imitates or resembles any official traffic device.

J. The road commissioner shall approve the location of all nonappurtenant outdoor advertising structures which are less than one hundred feet from any intersection of any street or road.

(Ord. 325 §4(b), 1969)

The planning commission is given authority and directed under the following conditions: to issue temporary permits for the erection, construction or maintenance of decorative flags, emblems, banners, buntings, shrubbery or other similar devices upon public sidewalks, streets, roads and other public places in conjunction with or pertaining to a festival, spectacle or other similar event of a general, civic or public nature conducted within an area of the county.

Such decorative flags, emblems, banners, buntings, shrubbery or other similar devices shall be so erected, constructed or maintained as to not interfere with traffic or with the safety of persons or property in such manner as the commission shall determine.

Such temporary permits shall designate the dates during which such decorative flags, emblems, banners, buntings, shrubbery or other similar devices may be erected, constructed and maintained, and such time shall be for more than fifteen days before and not more than five days after the period during which such festival, spectacle or other civic event is produced in any area of the county.

(Ord. 325 §5, 1969)

A. Offsite Community Directional Signage, Reader Boards, and Grouped Service Club Signage. Offsite community directional signage, reader boards, grouped service club signage, as well as directional and advertising signage for businesses located within a community or general plan area may be erected in accordance with the following provisions upon adoption of a resolution by the board of supervisors stipulating that all or part of the provisions of this section apply after review and recommendation by the planning commission. The placement of on-site signage within areas so designated shall be in accordance with Sections 15.08.030, 15.08.060, 15.08.070 and 15.08.080 of this chapter.

B. Public or Private Directional Signage. Community service signs indicating the type of service such as, but not limited to, public institutions, churches, service stations, recreational destinations, marinas, grocery stores, etc. may be located on arterial roads leading into a community under the county's encroachment permit process. Such signs must incorporate and/or allow more than one such service to be so identified. Only one such sign may be located within two hundred feet of the intersection of arterial roads with other arterial roads or state highways. Each sign must adhere to the following standards:

1. Sixty-four square feet shall be the maximum square footage;

2. Fourteen feet shall be the maximum height unless special site conditions warrant additional height as stipulated in the encroachment permit;

3. Twelve inches shall be the maximum lettering;

4. All services so identified shall be limited to the name of their service or business only. No description of goods or services available shall be mentioned;

5. The distance, in miles, to the service shall be noted;

6. All such signage shall be painted an earthtone brown background and shall utilize white lettering;

C. Community Reader Boards and Grouped Service Club Signage. Community reader boards indicating businesses, recreational sites, area maps, etc. may be located on a maximum of three sites throughout the community and shall be subject to the following requirements:

1. Sixty-four square feet shall be the maximum square footage;

2. Fourteen feet shall be the maximum height unless special site conditions warrant additional height as stipulated in the permit;

3. The site specific location of each sign shall be subject to the administrative review and approval of the director of transportation and planning. Such review shall be limited to ensure adequate set back from county or private roads is provided;

4. It is required that all such signs be grouped or placed on common posts;

5. All such signage shall be reviewed by the community's or the county chamber of commerce or other public entity prior to final plans being submitted to the director of transportation and planning.

Community identification signs may be located on state highways and arterial roads approaching a community in accordance with these requirements as well.

D. Offsite Directional and Advertising Signage. Offsite directional business and service signs indicating businesses or services available in the community may be only located within one thousand feet of the center point of the intersections as identified in the board of supervisors resolution. The size, placement, and other standards which must be adhered to when placing signs are as follows:

1. Thirty-six square feet shall be the maximum square footage;

2. Fourteen feet shall be the maximum height unless special site conditions warrant additional height as stipulated in the permit;

3. If placed within road right-of-way, a county encroachment permit and Caltrans offsite permit shall be required;

4. If placed on private property, a directors use permit and a Caltrans offsite permit shall be required;

5. A maximum of only ten such signs may be permissable in only one location;

6. Such signs must be maintained in a reasonable fashion. If such sign is not well maintained, then the director of transportation and planning shall give notice to the business owner. If such sign is not repaired within sixty calendar days after the date of such notice, then the director shall cause the sign to be removed and removal costs shall be charged to the business owner;

7. No sign shall be placed within ten feet of the traveled roadway. No sign shall be placed within twenty feet of another sign or obstruct the visibility of another sign;

8. All such signs shall be double-faced or otherwise treated so that both sides of the sign have a finished appearance;

9. No such signs shall be allowed where there exists a potential for obstructing driver or pedestrian safety.

(Ord. 325-1 §1, 1992)

(1) No such signs may be permitted when property abuts any Interstate Highway or F.A.P. P.C. = Planning commission

P.C. = Planning commission

P.C. = Planning commission

P.C = Planning commission

P.C. = Planning commission

P.C. = Planning commission

P.C. = Planning commission

P.C. = Planning commission

(Ord. 325 §6, 1969)

A. The planning commission may grant exceptions from the regulations and requirements of Sections 15.08.060 and 15.08.070 and no others. Application for any such exception shall be made by petition of either the owner or sign company and shall not exceed ninety-six square feet.

B. The planning commission may hold a public hearing at its discretion. The planning commission shall find the following facts before granting any exception:

1. That the granting of the exception will not be detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to any other property in the vicinity;

2. That the granting of the exception will not constitute a traffic hazard;

3. That the granting of the exception will not be contrary to the intent of this chapter.

(Ord. 325 §7, 1969)

It shall be the duty of the building inspector to enforce the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 325 §8, 1969)

Any person, as principal, officer, agent, clerk or employee, whether acting for himself or for any other person who shall violate any provision of this chapter, shall be deemed to be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(Ord. 325 §9, 1969)