OFF-PREMISE SIGNS

Fort Worth City Code ch. 29, art. V

in effect

Fort Worth City Code ch. 29, § 5.01 REGISTRATION OF OFF-PREMISES SIGNS

SECTION 5.01: REGISTRATION OF OFF-PREMISES SIGNS 5.01 REGISTRATION OF OFF-PREMISE SIGNS. (a) (1) The owner of any off-premises sign existing within the City of Fort Worth on November 5, 1997, shall register such sign with the building official and pay the registration fee as required in Table 5.01 on or before January 2, 1998. The owner of any off-premises sign in the extraterritorial jurisdiction shall register such sign with the building official and pay the registration fee as required in Table 5.01 on or before October 1, 2000. (2) Exceptions: Signs listed in § 6.402 of the zoning ordinance or § 5.02.2 and signs subject to a unified sign agreement shall be exempt from the registration requirements. (b) (1) The owner of any off-premise sign installed after November 5, 1997, shall submit an application for registration simultaneously with the sign permit application. This initial registration shall be exempt from the registration fee as required in Table 5.01. If the sign permit is approved and the sign constructed, this initial registration shall expire three years after the date of permit application. (2) Exceptions: Signs listed in § 6.402 of the zoning ordinance and signs subject to a unified sign agreement shall be exempt from the registration requirements. (c) (1) Registrations approved under subsections (a) and (b) above and all renewals shall expire after three years. Before such registration or renewal expires the registration must be renewed and the registration fee must be paid in accordance with Table 5.01. It is the owner’s responsibility to monitor expiration dates and to renew the registration in a timely manner. (2) Exceptions: Based upon staffing and work loads, the building official may adjust expiration dates to be less than three years as long as the fees are appropriately prorated. (d) (1) Registration shall be applied for on forms provided by the building official. The building official may require the filing of plans or other pertinent information when, in his or her opinion, such information is necessary to ensure compliance with this section. (2) Whenever information on the form changes, including but not limited to names and addresses, a new registration form shall be filled out by the owner and submitted to the building official within 30 days, along with a change of record fee as required by Table 5.01. (e) (1) A late fee shall be assessed against the owners of off-premises signs who fail to register as required by this section. The late fee as shown in Table 5.01 shall be assessed if the registration fee is not received within ten calendar days after the due date. (2) Failure to register or renew registration of a sign within 30 calendar days after the due date in accordance with the provisions of this section shall constitute a violation of this code. Table 5.01 Sign registration, per 3 years | $337.50 Late fee | $56.25 Change of record | $28.12

Fort Worth City Code ch. 29, § 5.02.1 GENERAL.

5.02.1 GENERAL. Off-premises signs in the extraterritorial jurisdiction shall comply with this code, with the exception of exempt signs identified in § A01.3. This code does not apply to on-premises signs in the extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Fort Worth City Code ch. 29, § 5.02.2 CONSTRUCTION OF OFF-PREMISES SIGNS PROHIBITED IN EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION.

5.02.2 CONSTRUCTION OF OFF-PREMISES SIGNS PROHIBITED IN EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION. The construction of off-premises signs is hereby prohibited in the extraterritorial jurisdiction, with the following exceptions, which may be constructed in the extraterritorial jurisdiction without obtaining a permit pursuant to Chapter C. (a) Subdivision directional signs are permitted, subject to the following. (1) Signs shall be a maximum size of 64 square feet. (2) Signs may placed only on unimproved property, with the permission of the owner. (3) Signs must be placed at least 100 feet from any other subdivision or developer signs. (4) Signs may be erected for a maximum of one year unless an additional one-year extension is given by the city council. The city council may approve a maximum of two one-year periods. (b) Homebuilder signs are permitted, subject to the following. (1) Signs will be allowed between noon Friday and noon Monday only. (2) Signs shall not exceed 24 inches by 30 inches in size, nor shall they be installed more than four feet above grade. (3) Signs shall have a minimum separation of 25 feet and signs for any one advertiser must be at least 200 feet apart. (4) Signs shall not be located closer than 40 feet to street intersection. (5) Signs shall not be located in the public right-of-way. (6) Signs shall not be located more than three miles from the subject property. (7) Signs shall be rigid, two-dimensional displays that advertise only new one- and two-family properties for sale. (8) Written permission shall be obtained from owners of property where sign is located. (c) Temporary public interest signs, including portable signs and banners, announcing activities or other events of a public, civic, philanthropic or religious organization, are permitted, subject to the following. (1) Signs shall be a maximum of 60 square feet. (2) Only one such sign shall be allowed per platted lot per street frontage. (3) No piggy-backing of signs is allowed. (4) No temporary sign shall be located within 100 feet of another temporary signs. (5) Temporary signs shall be maintained for no more than three weeks.

Fort Worth City Code ch. 29, § 5.02.3 ALTERATION OF OFF-PREMISES SIGNS IN EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION.

5.02.3 ALTERATION OF OFF-PREMISES SIGNS IN EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION. Off-premises signs in the extraterritorial jurisdiction may be altered only as follows. (a) Advertising copy, including letters, symbols, or other matter on the sign, may be changed, including the exchange of display faces that are designed to be interchangeable to facilitate the display of advertising copy; provided, however, display faces that are designed to be permanently attached to the supporting sign structure may be replaced only with display faces composed of like materials, e.g., a plywood display face may be replaced only with a plywood display face. Display faces may be replaced only with display faces that are the same size or smaller than the size initially registered in accordance with § 5.01, plus cut-out extensions that do not exceed 20% of the registered sign area. The temporary use of a sign with a display face that is smaller than the size that was initially registered shall not bar the replacement of the display face with a larger display face, provided that it shall not exceed the size reflected in the initial registration. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, vinyl, paint or pasted paper may be affixed to a display face composed of any material. (b) A sign which has been blown down or otherwise destroyed by wind, fire or damages from any other source, may be repaired, provided that the cost of repairing the sign is 60% of the cost of erecting a new sign of the same type at the same location, or less. If the cost of repairing the sign is more than 60% of the cost of erecting a new sign of the same type at the same location, the sign may not be altered, reconstructed, repaired or replaced, and the owner shall remove the sign or bring it into compliance with this chapter and all other applicable ordinances. (c) (1) Maintenance operations may be performed on the sign. (2) For purposes of this section, MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS means the process of keeping a sign in good repair. (3) Maintenance operations include: a. Cleaning; b. Painting; c. Repair of parts with like materials in a manner that does not alter the basic design or structure of the sign, provided that the cost of all repairs performed during any consecutive 365-day period is not more than 60% of the cost of erecting a new sign of the same type at the same location; and d. Replacement of parts with like materials in a manner that does not alter the basic design or structure of the sign, provided that the cost of all replacement of parts performed during any consecutive 365-day period is not more than 60% of the cost of erecting a new sign of the same type at the same location. (4) The 365-day period limitation shall not apply to a sign that has been blown down or otherwise destroyed as described in subsection (b) above. (5) Examples of actions that are not maintenance operations and are therefore prohibited include, without limitation: a. Converting a sign from a multiple pole structure to a monopole structure; b. Replacing wooden components with metal components; c. Increasing the area or height of a sign, except for increases in area permitted under subsection (a) above; d. Adding illumination to a non-illuminated sign; e. Adding additional display faces; and f. Converting a sign to utilize animated display or moveable copy technology, including but not limited to signs featuring tri-vision technology. (6) If a sign is dismantled for any purpose other than an alteration or maintenance operation permitted hereunder, the sign may not be altered, reconstructed, repaired or replaced, and the owner shall remove the sign or bring it into compliance with this chapter and all other applicable ordinances. (d) All other alterations of any nature whatsoever in connection with nonconforming signs are prohibited. If any such alteration is performed, the owner shall remove the sign or bring it into compliance with this chapter and all other applicable ordinances. The cost of any accessory use to a sign, including without limitation a communication antenna and support facilities, shall not be included in calculating the cost of erecting a new sign at the same location pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) above.

Fort Worth City Code ch. 29, § 5.03 RELOCATION OF CERTAIN OFF-PREMISES SIGNS.

SECTION 5.03: RELOCATION OF CERTAIN OFF-PREMISES SIGNS. 5.03 RELOCATION OF CERTAIN OFF-PREMISE SIGNS. Certain legal nonconforming detached off-premises signs located on or overhanging a parcel of land acquired by Texas Department of Transportation for the I-35W Segment 3A Corridor (see attachment A, attached to Ord. 21163-03-2014 and adopted by reference as if codified herein) or (extending from I-30 to Loop 820NE) may be relocated subject to the following restrictions. (a) Location and size standards. (1) To qualify for relocation, a sign must be legally registered with the city; (2) To qualify for relocation, a sign must be able to be relocated to a non-designated scenic area or corridor in an industrial zoning district within the I-35W Segment 3A Corridor; (3) Maximum sign face area is limited to the original sign face area or 672 square feet, whichever is less; and (4) Maximum sign height is limited to the original sign height or 50 feet, whichever is greater. (b) Calculation of credits for relocation of off-premise signs. (1) Each sign structure with one or two faces counts as one sign; (2) In order to relocate one off-premises sign with the I-35W Segment 3A Corridor, the owner of the sign must remove at least four off-premises signs and the associated structures, which are separate from the sign to be relocated. The signs may be removed from the I-35W Segment 3A corridor or from any designated scenic area or scenic corridor as identified in the zoning ordinance. Credit will not be given for signs that have not been registered in accordance with § 5.01; and (3) The total square footage of the sign faces to be removed must equal four times the square footage of the sign face to be relocated. (Ord. 15953, § 1, passed 4-13-2004; Ord. 16166, § 1, passed 10-12-2004; Ord. 16765, § 1, passed 1-19-2006; Ord. 17205, § 1, passed 9-26-2006; Ord. 17522, § 5, passed 4-24-2007; Ord. 17960, § 1, passed 1-29-2008; Ord. 20427-09-2012, § 6, passed 9-25-2012, eff. 11-5-2012; Ord. 20428-09-2012, § 6, passed 9-25-2012, eff. 11-5-2012; Ord. 21149, § 1, passed 3-4-2014, eff. 3-11-2014; Ord. 21163-03-2014, § 1, passed 3-18-2014, eff. 3-25-2014; Ord. 21189-04-2014, § 6, passed 4-1-2014, eff. 4-8-2014; Ord. 22372-08-2016, § 6, passed 8-30-2016; Ord. 22523-12-2016. § 7, passed 12-6-2016, eff. 12-18-2016; Ord. 22837-08-2017, § 8, passed 8-15-2017; Ord. 23569-02-2019, § 2, passed 2-12-2019, eff. 2-23-2019; Ord. 24448-09-2020, § 2, passed 9-22-2020, eff. 4-1-2021; Ord. 25772-09-2022, § 1, passed 9-27-2022, eff. 10-1-2022; Ord. 27191-09-2024, § 1, passed 9-24-2024, eff. 10-1-2024)

Fort Worth City Code § 29-2 EFFECT OF CONFLICT WITH OTHER ORDINANCES.

§ 29-2 EFFECT OF CONFLICT WITH OTHER ORDINANCES. This chapter shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances of the code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), affecting sign code provisions, as amended, and shall not repeal any of the provisions of such ordinances, except in those instances where provisions of such ordinances are in direct conflict with the provisions of this ordinance. (Ord. 15953, § 1, passed 4-13-2004)

Fort Worth City Code § 29-3 PENALTY FOR VIOLATION.

§ 29-3 PENALTY FOR VIOLATION. Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000 for all violations involving fire safety, or public health and sanitation in accordance with § 1-6(c) and shall be fined not more than $500 for all other violations of this ordinance. Each day or any portion thereof during which any violation of this ordinance occurs or continues shall be deemed a separate offense and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable as herein provided. (Ord. 15953, § 1, passed 4-13-2004; Ord. 23569-02-2019, § 2, passed 2-12-2019, eff. 2-23-2019)

Source: City of Fort Worth, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Zoning Ordinance (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ftworth/latest/ftworth_tx/0-0-0-27977Fetched: 10/26/2026