609.14

SEC. 609.14. IN THE NORTHEAST WATERFRONT SPECIAL SIGN DISTRICT. Any lawfully existing Sign that does not conform to Section 608.15 of this Code shall be removed or altered to conform to that Section within five years after the effective date of Section 608.15 or such later date as the sign becomes nonconforming. (Added by Ord. 59-08, File No. 031034, App. 4/10/2008; amended by Ord. 217-16, File No. 160424, App. 11/10/2016, Eff. 12/10/2016) AMENDMENT HISTORY Section header and section amended; Ord. 217-16, Eff. 12/10/2016. SEC. 610. VIOLATION OF GENERAL ADVERTISING SIGN REQUIREMENTS. (a) General. The penalties and methods of enforcement set forth in this Section 610 are in addition to those set forth in Section 176 of this Code and any other penalties or methods of enforcement authorized by law. In light of the findings of Proposition G, approved by the voters in March of 2002, a violation of the Code's general advertising sign requirements is deemed to be a public nuisance. (b) Administrative Penalties. The Director of Planning may impose administrative penalties for violations of the regulations governing General Advertising Signs set forth in this Article 6. These administrative penalties are cumulative to and do not foreclose any criminal or civil penalties that may apply under state or local law. Administrative penalties shall be imposed in accordance with the following procedures: (1) Notice of Violation. (A) Upon the Planning Department’s determination pursuant to Section 176 of this Code that a general advertising sign has been erected, installed, expanded, intensified, relocated, or otherwise operated in violation of the requirements of this Code or has been denied an in-lieu identifying number pursuant to Section 604.1(c) of this Code, the Director shall send a written notice of violation to the Responsible Party for delivery by first class mail, hand-delivery, or electronic mail. The notice of violation shall describe the violation(s), state that the Responsible Party has five calendar days from the date postmarked on the notice or three calendar days from the date of hand-delivery or electronic mail delivery of the notice to: (i) file an application for a permit to remove the general advertising sign; (ii) correct the violation(s) pursuant to subsection (c); or (iii) request reconsideration pursuant to subsection (d). An electronic mail message shall be considered delivered on the same day that it is sent. (B) Responsible Party. For the purposes of this Section 610, "Responsible Party" shall mean the owner(s) of the real property on which the general advertising sign is located, as listed in the Assessor's record, and the current leaseholder(s) or owner(s) of the general advertising sign, if different from the owner(s) of the real property. If the identity of the person or business entity that installed or operates the general advertising sign is unknown, the notice of violation shall be posted as close as practicable to the location of the sign; once the identity of the person or business entity is known, notice of violation shall be sent to such