Limitation and regulation of off-premises signs—Cap and replace.
Gulfport Code of Ordinances § 9-122
in effectSec. 9-122. - Limitation and regulation of off-premises signs—Cap and replace.
(a) Purpose. It is the purpose of this section to prevent the proliferation of off-premises signs in the city and to cap the current number of such signs at no more than existing inventories. In order that the total number of such signs currently located within the city not be increased, no person shall construct an off-premises outdoor advertising sign without first removing other such sign(s) located within the city as expressed in this section.
(b) Inventory of outdoor advertising signs. An inventory of all off-premises outdoor advertising sign structures, both conforming and legal nonconforming, shall be maintained by the planning administrator for the city and/or his or her authorized agents. The initial inventory shall reflect the total number of off-premises signs existing as of May 1, 2009. The inventory shall initially be compiled by registration of any and all off-premises signs, both conforming and legal nonconforming, existing as of May 1, 2009. Owners of any such signs will have a period of six (6) months after the effective date of this section to register all such signs for inclusion in the inventory. Any signs not registered on or before said deadline shall not be eligible for replacement under the provisions of this section.
(c) Cap and replace. After the effective date of the ordinance adopting and/or revising this section, all off-premises signs erected and/or converted, shall conform to the following:
(1) After said date of enactment and at the time of experiencing a loss and/or removal of any of inventoried off-premises sign, by whatever cause, the owner of said sign shall notify in writing the building official/planning administrator of the city, within 90 days of said loss or removal, showing the location and date of the loss of said billboard. Should there be mass damage by an act of God affecting multiple signs and sign locations, or for other good cause shown, the building official/planning administrator for the city has authority to extend the time period in which to file notice of loss, destruction or removal.
(2) Upon confirmation of loss or removal of an off-premises sign structure by the appropriate official, a credit certificate shall be issued by the building inspections department to the owner of said off-premises outdoor advertising sign structure for each such structure lost or removed. Said certificate shall be issued within fifteen (15) days of notice pertaining to applicable sign owner's loss or removal. The owner of the credit certificate may choose to hold the certificate, redeem it as necessary for a building permit to erect a new static or digital display billboard structure, redeem it as necessary to convert an existing static display billboard structure to a digital display billboard structure, or convey the certificate to a third party.
(3) Upon confirmation of loss or removal of an off-premises sign structure on U.S. Highway 90 by the appropriate official, four (4) credit certificates shall be issued by the building inspections department to the owner of said off-premises outdoor advertising sign structure. Upon confirmation of loss or removal of an off-premises sign structure on State Route 605, by the appropriate official, two (2) credit certificates shall be issued by the building inspections department to the owner of said off-premises outdoor advertising sign structure. Said certificates shall be issued within fifteen (15) days of written notice pertaining to applicable sign owner's loss or removal. The owner of the credit certificates may choose to hold the certificates, redeem the certificates as necessary for building permits to erect new static or digital display billboard structures, redeem the certificates as necessary to convert an existing static display billboard structure to a digital display billboard structure, or convey the certificates to a third party.
(d) Generally. Construction of new, or conversion of existing sign structure(s) to digital display sign structure(s) shall be subject to the following provisions:
(1) A new digital display sign structure shall adhere to those provisions as set forth in section 9-93 and all other provisions of this ordinance pertaining to such sign.
(2) Existing off-premises advertising signs (except for those located in a residential district addressed in section 9-89) may be converted to a digital display sign structure, subject to the provisions of this section, section 9-93 and sections 9-90 and 9-91 as applicable. The conversion of any existing billboard must be permitted by the building inspector.
(3) No off-premises digital display sign face shall be erected or static display sign face converted to an off-premises digital display sign face within three thousand (3,000) feet of any other off-premises digital display sign face facing the same such direction on the same street, highway, or interstate.
(4) In order that the total number of all off-premises outdoor advertising sign structures currently located within the city be decreased, no person shall erect an outdoor advertising sign structure containing digital displays or convert an existing outdoor advertising sign to a digital display sign, without first removing six (6) existing outdoor advertising sign structures. The collective square footage on two (2) of the six (6) existing outdoor advertising sign structures to be removed must be equal to, or greater than, the collective digital display copy area to be erected and/or converted. A sign that is converted shall not count toward the number of sign structures required to be removed in order for the conversion to be permitted. Sign owners/operators may relocate, reconfigure, and/or reinstall one (1) existing digital display sign face per year onto another existing sign structure without the necessity of removing any sign structures so long as the installation is in conformity with all other aspects of this section, section 9-93 and sections 9-90 and 9-91 as applicable, and the total number of sign structures located on U.S. Highway 49, Pass Road, Airport Road, and Interstate 10 within the city as of the date Ordinance No. 2686 is adopted [July 6, 2010] is not increased as a result. A permit shall be issued prior to relocation.
(5) A permit for the construction and/or erection of a new outdoor advertising sign structure containing digital displays or conversion of an existing static display sign structure to a digital display sign structure may be issued after the permanent removal of or forfeiture of credit for the removal of six (6) outdoor advertising sign structures.
(6) In addition to the subsections above and in order that the total number of all off-premises outdoor advertising sign structures currently located on U.S. Highway 49 and Pass Road not be increased, no person shall erect or convert a static display sign structure to an off-premises digital display sign structure on or within three hundred (300) feet of U.S. Highway 49 or Pass Road without first demonstrating the removal of two (2) existing outdoor advertising sign structures located on or within three hundred (300) feet of U.S. Highway 49, U.S. Highway 90, Highway 605 and/or Pass Road.
(e) Generally: Construction of new static display sign structure(s).
(1) A new static display sign shall adhere to all provisions of this chapter pertaining to such sign(s), including, but not limited to, the provisions relating to signs in the particular zoning district the sign is to be located in.
(2) In order that the total number of all off-premises outdoor advertising sign structures currently located within the city not be increased, no person shall construct a static outdoor advertising sign without first removing two (2) existing outdoor advertising sign structures. One (1) of the required two (2) sign structures to be removed shall have a collective copy area equal to or greater than the collective copy area on the static display to be erected. Erection of said sign(s) shall adhere to those provisions outlined in sections 9-90 and 9-91.
(3) Sign owners in possession of at least five (5) or more active credit certificates may erect, relocate, reconfigure, and/or replace as may be necessary up to two (2) static display sign structures per year. For each such sign structure erected, relocated, reconfigured, and/or replaced the sign owner shall remove or forfeit credit for their prior removal of one (1) outdoor advertising sign structure without the necessity of removing any other sign structures so long as the installation is in conformity with this section in all other aspects and sections 9-90 and 9-91, as applicable, and the total number of sign structures located on U.S. Highway 49, Pass Road, Airport Road, and Interstate 10 within the city as of the date Ordinance No. 2686 is adopted [July 6, 2010] is not increased as a result of said erection, relocation, reconfiguration, and/or replacement.
(4) A permit for the construction and/or erection of a static display sign structure, may be issued after the forfeiture of credit for the removal of two (2) outdoor advertising sign structures.
(5) In addition to the subsections above and in order that the total number of all off-premises outdoor advertising sign structures currently located on U.S. Highway 49, Interstate 10, and Pass Road not be increased, no person shall construct or locate an off-premises static display sign structure on or within three hundred (300) feet of U.S. Highway 49, Interstate 10, or Pass Road without first removing one (1) existing outdoor advertising sign structure on or within three hundred (300) feet of the particular highway or road that the new sign face will be within three hundred (300) feet of or located upon.
(f) Specific roadways: Construction of or conversion to Digital Display or Static Display sign structure on U.S. Highway 90, U.S. Highway 605, State Route 601, Dedeaux Road, or Airport Road.
(1) No off-premises outdoor advertising sign/structure shall be constructed/converted or located on or within three hundred (300) feet of either U.S. Highway 90, State Route 605, or State Route 601 (Canal Road—Port Connector).
(2) The total number of all off-premises outdoor advertising sign structures on Airport Road within the city shall not exceed four (4); furthermore, the total number of digital displays located on off-premises outdoor advertising signs on Airport Road shall not exceed two (2) at any given time.
(3) The number of all off-premises outdoor advertising sign structures on Dedeaux Road shall not exceed thirteen (13); furthermore, the total number of digital displays located on off-premises outdoor advertising signs on Dedeaux Road shall not exceed four (4) at any given time.
(g) Effect of annexation. In the event the city expands by annexation, the total number of off-premises signs permitted within the city shall be increased in an amount equal to the total number of existing off-premises signs located in the annexed area at the time of annexation.
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(Ord. No. 2686, § 15, 7-6-10)
Source: City of Gulfport, Mississippi, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ms/gulfport/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH9PLDE_ARTIVSI_S9-122LIREOEMSIAPREFetched: 11/1/2026