Wasco Municipal Code Ch. 15.16 SIGNS1

Sections: 15.16.010 Sign defined. 15.16.020 Residential district--Prohibited where. 15.16.030 Contractor--Compliance with provisions--State license required. 15.16.040 Erection--Permit--Application--Specifications. 15.16.050 Compliance with national regulations required. 15.16.060 Projection beyond curbline or property line. 15.16.070 Protection above alley. 15.16.080 Flashing sign. 15.16.090 Wind-pressure requirement. 15.16.100 Erection--Name of erector required.

“Sign,” as used in this chapter, is defined as any structure or device which is constructed and/or maintained and used for outdoor advertising purposes, or to which is attached or fastened, or on which is painted or printed any advertising matter, but “sign” does not include official notices or informational or warning notices required by law. (Ord. 26 §1, 1946).

It is unlawful to erect, place or construct any sign in a residential district within the city, except, that signs advertising professional offices or apartment buildings upon which such signs are located, or advertising for rent or sale the premises upon which such signs are located, shall be permitted in such districts, provided such signs have a surface area of not over six square feet. (Ord. 26 §2, 1946).

No person shall engage in or carry on the business of electrical sign contracting without first complying with all the provisions of ordinances governing electrical construction for which an electrical permit is required; nor shall any person engage in or carry on the business of sign contracting without first obtaining and having a California sign contractor’s license, as provided for in the Outdoor Advertising Act of 1941. (Ord. 26 §3, 1946).

A. No person shall erect, install or construct any sign or add to any existing sign, or move any sign from one location to another location in the city without first obtaining a permit from the city clerk; provided, however, that installing or erecting signs of the type permitted in residential districts by Section 15.16.020 shall not require a permit.

B. Any person making application for such permit shall present to the building inspector detailed plans and specifications of the sign to be erected or installed, and such specifications shall indicate to the satisfaction of the building inspector full conformance with all the terms of this ordinance. (Ord. 26 §4, 1946).

All safety measures and restrictions on construction and maintenance set out in the National Electrical Code and in the Regulations of the National Board of Fire Underwriters shall be fully complied with in all sign construction, installation and maintenance in the city. (Ord. 26 §5, 1946).

No person shall erect or maintain a sign which projects beyond the curbline, or beyond the property line in excess of ninety-six inches; nor shall the lowest portion of the bottom edge of any sign which projects beyond the property line be less than nine feet above the sidewalk. (Ord. 26 §6, 1946).

No person shall erect or maintain a sign above any alley which projects in excess of twenty-four inches beyond the property line; nor shall the lowest portion of the bottom edge of any sign above any alley be less than nine feet above said alley. (Ord. 26 §7, 1946).

No sign which flashes on and off shall be so located that it flashes directly into any living quarters. (Ord. 26 §8, 1946).

No person shall erect or maintain any sign which is not designed and built to withstand a wind pressure of twenty pounds per square foot of exposed surface. (Ord. 26 §9, 1946).

No person shall erect or maintain any sign unless the names of the person erecting said sign legibly appears in a conspicuous place thereon. (Ord. 26 §10, 1946).

No person shall erect or construct any sign which simulates or imitates or could be confused with any traffic sign. (Ord. 26 §11, 1946).

No person shall erect, construct or maintain any sign which is, according to contemporary community standards, patently offensive, appeals to prurient interests, sexually explicit, or is offensive to the moral sense of the community. (Ord. 234 §1, 1978; Ord. 26 §12, 1946).

No person not authorized to do so by the city council shall erect, install or maintain any sign upon any public property or over any street. (Ord. 26 §13, 1946).

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Ord. 26 §14, 1946).

1 For statutory provisions regarding advertising displays adjacent to interstate or primary highways, see Bus. and Prof. Code § 5226 et seq.