Wheatland Municipal Code Ch. 19.25 Prohibitions and General Regulations

All freestanding signs shall be located within a landscaped planter planted as per city architectural review requirements, and protected by raised six inch concrete curbing, providing a minimum of two feet of separation between the outermost edge of any sign or sign structure and the edge of the landscape planter. Signs shall maintain a minimum ten-foot setback from all street property lines. A minimum ten-foot setback shall not apply to signs permitted in the CBD in accordance with Section 19.40.030. Roof signs are prohibited in the city.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

A. Except as otherwise allowed by Sections 19.10.070 and 19.10.080, and central business district signage as provided in Chapter 19.40:

1. No sign shall be permitted in the city unless the sign designates, identifies or indicates the name or business of the owner or occupant of the premises upon which the sign is located or advertises the business conducted, services available or rendered, or the goods produced, sold, or available for sale, upon the premises where the sign is located, or provides notice of active construction projects at the designated site of construction.

2. Off-site signs are prohibited.

B. Signs shall not project or extend over the public right-of-way except as allowed by this title and as may be authorized by an encroachment permit approved by the city.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

No sign or other structure provided for in this chapter shall be erected, maintained, used, displayed, or permitted when any of the following provisions are applicable thereto:

A. When the location of any sign is such as to constitute a hazard to person, traffic or property;

B. In violation of any federal, state or local law;

C. If within a public right-of-way, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

No merchandise shall be displayed and no person shall mark, post, paste, print, paint, nail, tack or otherwise fasten or leave a card, banner, handbill, sign, sticker, poster or advertisement or notice of any kind or cause the same to be done, on any city-owned real or personal property including, but not limited to, any public right-of-way, fence, post, tree, pole, hydrant, bridge, or other structure, except as required by law. Any of the above-named items erected upon city property in violation of the provisions hereof may be removed and destroyed summarily by any city officer or employee.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

For nonconforming nonresidential uses legally existing in residential "R" zones, signs shall be permitted in accordance with Chapter 19.45, Commercial Districts, and other provisions of this title that apply to signage in a commercial zone, subject to the following: no single sign shall exceed forty square feet; no freestanding sign shall exceed six feet high; and, no sign shall be illuminated.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

Illuminated (internal and external) signs shall be permitted within C, commercial zones, and on properties with at least one public street frontage along SR 65. Illuminated signs shall not incorporate flashing or animated lights. Illuminated signs are prohibited in all other zones and areas of the city.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

It is unlawful for any person to maintain any sign or lighting in any area that creates a glare nuisance to surrounding or adjacent private and public property. No sign shall be illuminated so that the unshielded source of light is visible from any neighboring parcel. In no instance shall the lighting intensity of any sign, exceed seventy-five foot-candles when measured with a standard light meter perpendicular to the face of the sign from a distance equal to the narrowest dimension (height or length) of the sign.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

A. Central Business District. Illuminated signs shall be turned off no later than 11:00 p.m. or at close of business, whichever is later.

B. City-Wide. Illuminated signs in other areas of the city shall be turned off between 11:00 p.m. and sunrise, except for the following exceptions:

1. Internally or externally illuminated on-premises signs may be illuminated while the business facility is open to the public.

2. Outside sales, commercial, assembly and repair, and industrial areas may be lighted when such areas are actually in use.

C. Outdoor recreational facilities may remain lighted to complete recreational activities that are in progress and under illumination in conformance with this title at 11:00 p.m.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

All signs, together with their supports, braces, guys, anchors, and surrounding landscaped planter shall be kept in good, safe and clean condition and repair. The display surface of all painted signs shall be kept neatly painted at all times. There shall be no nails, tacks or wires protruding from the sign or other sign structure. The surface of the landscaped planter under and about every freestanding sign shall be kept clear of weeds, rubbish and waste material. It is unlawful for any person constructing, owning or controlling any sign within the city to fail, refuse or neglect to remove, or cause to be removed, at all times, all weeds, rubbish or other waste material from beneath or about the base of any such sign. The planning director and building official may declare a sign abandoned if, after ninety days written notice to the permit holder, the permit holder has failed or refused to maintain the sign. Upon such declaration, the sign may be considered abandoned and abated as provided in Section 19.25.100.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

No person shall erect, construct or maintain any sign or sign structure on any property or building without the written consent of the owner, lessee or agent.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

No person shall fly or cause to be placed into the sky above the city any kite, captive balloon or streamer tethered from any point within the city, which has attached thereto any advertising sign, message, image, figures or letters visible from the ground.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)

Any sign advertising a business, use, occupancy or product that has not existed for a period of ninety consecutive days shall be deemed abandoned. The planning director/building official shall, upon determining that a sign is abandoned, give notice to the owner(s) of the sign, the occupant of the premises where the sign is located, and the owner of the premises where the sign is located, that such sign is obsolete or abandoned, and shall order that such sign and its supports, poles and structure be removed. It is unlawful for any sign owner, the occupant of such premises, or the owner of any such premises to fail or refuse to remove an abandoned or obsolete sign or sign support, pole or structure following the planning director's/building official's order to do so. Upon failure to comply with such notice within the time specified in such order, the planning director/building official is authorized to cause removal of such sign and any expense incident thereto shall be paid by the owner of the building or structure to which the sign is attached, or if the sign is not attached to a building, then such expense shall be paid by the owner of the sign.

(Ord. 405 § 4 (Exh. A), 2007)