23.55.014

A. Advertising Signs. 1. No advertising sign shall be erected, or constructed, unless an existing advertising sign is relocated or reconstructed at a new location. An advertising sign may be relocated or reconstructed if: a. The existing advertising sign was lawfully erected and after the effective date of the ordinances codified in this section, [10] is registered to pursuant to subsection F of this section; b. The advertising sign is located on a site or in a zone where it is not permitted, except as provided in subsection A.1.c of this Section 23.55.014 ; c. In each calendar year one advertising sign which is located on a site or in a zone where it is permitted may be relocated or reconstructed if a citizen submits a written request for relocation to the Director; d. The reconstructed or relocated advertising sign will be a permitted use and will conform with all ordinances of the City at its new location; e. The construction permit for the relocated or reconstructed advertising sign is issued during the pendency of the demolition permit for the existing sign; f. The advertising sign face does not increase in size; and g. The advertising sign is relocated to an area with the same or more intensive zoning. Areas in which advertising signs are allowed are listed below from least intense to most intense zoning, and zones listed on the same line are considered of the same intensity. Zones which do not allow advertising signs shall be considered less intense zones for the purpose of relocation. This list is for purposes of this criterion only. Downtown Mixed Residential/Commercial (DMR/C) Least intense Commercial 1 and 2 (C1 and C2) ↓ Downtown Zones (Except DMR/R and DMR/C ↓ Industrial Zones (I) Most intense h. The number of relocated advertising signs does not exceed 12 structure locations per year or 24 sign face locations per year, excluding relocations pursuant to subsection G of this Section 23.55.014 . 2. For purposes of relocation, sign owners maintain the right to relocation. 3. Wall signs cannot be relocated. 4. Maximum Sign Face Area. The maximum total area of any advertising sign in Commercial 1 and 2, Industrial and Downtown (except Downtown Mixed Residential/Commercial) zones shall be 672 square feet, with a maximum vertical dimension of 25 feet and a maximum horizontal dimension of 50 feet, provided that cutouts and extensions may add up to 20 percent of additional sign area. The maximum total area of any advertising sign in Downtown Mixed Residential/Commercial (DMR/C) zones shall be 300 square feet, except for visually blocked signs which may be a maximum of 672 square feet. 5. All advertising signs shall be located at least 50 feet from any lot in a residential zone, and at least 500 feet from any public school grounds, public park, or public playground, or community center, except for off-premises signs allowed under Section 23.55.032.G. For purposes of this section, a public park or public playground means a park or playground at least one acre in size and a community center must be publicly owned. 6. No variances shall be permitted from the provisions of this subsection A. B. Off-premises Directional Signs. The maximum area of any off-premises directional sign shall be 100 square feet, with a maximum vertical dimension of 10 feet and a maximum horizontal dimension of 20 feet, except for off-premises signs allowed under Section 23.55.032.G. C. The maximum area for each sign face for business district identification signs shall be that permitted for pole signs in the zone. D. The maximum area for each sign face for residential district identification signs shall be fifty (50) square feet. E. Development Standards Applicable to All Off-premises Signs. 1. Dispersion Standard. a. Directional Sign Faces and Business District Identification Signs. Not more than a total of four (4) off-premises directional sign faces, plus two (2) identification signs for a business district, shall be permitted on both sides of a street within a space of six hundred sixty feet (660'). There shall be a minimum distance of one hundred feet (100') between sign structures. b. Advertising Signs. (1) Not more than a total of five (5) advertising sign structures shall be permitted when counting both sides of a street within a linear distance of two thousand six hundred forty feet (2640'), one-half (½) mile). (2) There shall be a minimum distance of three hundred linear feet (300') between advertising sign structures on the same side of the street; a maximum of two (2) advertising sign structures within three hundred linear feet (300') when counting both sides of the street; and, a minimum distance of one hundred radial (100') between advertising sign structures. (3) Visually blocked advertising signs shall count as one-half (½) a structure, and may be within any distance from each other on the same side of the street as long as they are oriented in opposite directions. Visually blocked advertising signs oriented in the same direction or on opposite sides of the street are subject to the spacing criteria under subsection E1b(2) of this section. (4) There shall be a maximum of two (2) sign faces per advertising sign structure and a maximum of one (1) sign face per side of the advertising sign structure. 2. Off-premises signs shall not be roof signs. 3. Lighting. No off-premises sign shall be incandescently illuminated by more than one and one-quarter (1¼) watts of electrical power per square foot of sign area, or be fluorescently or otherwise illuminated by more than one (1) watt of electrical power per square foot of sign area. Off-premises signs that include lights as part of the message or content of the sign (chasing and message board advertising signs) are prohibited. 4. Sign Height. The maximum height limit for any portion of an off-premises sign (except in Industrial zones) is forty (40) feet or the height limit of the zone, whichever is less. The maximum height limit for any portion of an off-premises sign in an Industrial zone is sixty-five (65) feet or the height limit of the zone, whichever is less. F. Registration of advertising signs. Each owner of an off-premises advertising sign shall file a written report with the Director on or before July 1 of each year. The report shall be submitted on a form supplied by the Director. The owner shall identify the number and location of advertising signs maintained by the owner in the City at any time during the previous year and provide such other information as the Director deems necessary for the inspection of signs and for the administration and enforcement of this Section 23.55.014 . The owner shall pay a fee to the Director at the time the written report is filed. The amount of the fee is established by Section 22.900E.010 for each sign face identified in the report. SDCI shall assign a registration number to each sign face, and the sign number shall be displayed on the face of the billboard frame in figures which are a minimum of 8 inches tall. It is unlawful to maintain a sign face that has not been registered as required by this Section 23.55.014 . Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, any person who maintains an unregistered sign face is subject to an annual civil penalty of $5,000 for each unregistered sign face. G. Side-by-Side Advertising Signs. One (1) of the two (2) sign faces that comprise side-by-side advertising signs shall be removed within three (3) years of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section. 1 The sign face may be relocated if the sign will meet the requirements of subsections A1e, A1f and A1g of this section, provided that in lieu of relocation the two (2) side-by-side advertising signs may be replaced by one (1) six hundred seventy-two (672) square foot advertising sign at the same location. H. The provisions of this section do not apply to sign kiosks, except subsection A5, prohibiting advertising signs within five hundred (500) feet from any public school grounds. (Ord. 125272 , § 51, 2017; Ord. 124919 , § 144, 2015; Ord. 123543, § 1, 2011; Ord. 121477, § 36, 2004; Ord. 120388 , § 4, 2001; Ord. 116780 , § 1, 1993; Ord. 112830, § 10(part), 1986.)