Long Beach Municipal Code § 21.44.900 Signs on public property.
21.44.900 - Signs on public property.
A. Applicability. No person, except a public officer or employee performing a public duty, shall place any sign on, above, along or within any public property. This prohibition does not apply to:
1. Temporary promotional activity signs in public parks in connection with activities or uses approved by the City;
2. Street banners, temporary holiday season decorations, and other street decorations on or suspended from lamp poles or other public structures shall be permitted when approved by the Director of Public Works and the City Manager;
3. Signs authorized by the City inside publicly owned places of assemblage such as convention halls, auditoriums, sports arenas or stadiums which are used in a proprietary capacity;
4. Wall signs for on-premises advertising on buildings used by concessionaires or other private commercial users or lessees of public property, when authorized by departments or agencies of the City in their proprietary capacity, and provided that any such signs comply with the provisions of Section 21.44.120 pertaining to wall signs;
5. Painting of house numbers upon curbs in compliance with the requirements of this Code;
6. Residential neighborhood and commercial district identification signs (see Section 21.44.240) provided:
a. The signs are located in parkways or in the median island of divided highways;
b. The signs shall comply with the established design guidelines in this chapter; and
c. The applicant has a written construction and maintenance agreement approved by the Director of Public Works.
7. Advertising, advertising displays or donor recognition permitted pursuant to Chapter 16.55.
B. Permit Required. Any person who intends to place a private sign on public property as permitted by Subsection 21.44.900.A shall first obtain a permit from either the Director of Public Works or in the case of public property used in a proprietary capacity, from the department or agency of the City in charge of such property. A permit application form shall be provided by the City. The City Council, by resolution, may establish permit fees and may authorize rental rates or other appropriate charges for this permitted use of public property.
C. In the Coastal Zone:
1. On the sandy beach, the placement of private freestanding signs is prohibited.
2. Prior to the placement of any private sign on public property located adjacent to the sandy beach, a coastal development permit shall be approved for a comprehensive sign plan. A comprehensive sign plan shall include specific standards for the size, number and location of proposed signs. A coastal development permit for a comprehensive sign plan shall be approved only if a positive finding is made that the sign or signs included in the plan do not:
a. Obstruct public views to or along the coast;
b. Adversely impact public access to and use of the water;
c. Adversely impact public recreational use of a public park or beach; or
d. Otherwise adversely affect recreation, access or the visual resources of the coast.
3. A coastal development permit shall be required for any sign placed on public property in the Coastal Zone, except that a coastal development permit shall not be required for: wall signs; signs on the interior of structures; signs comprised solely of paint on existing structures; temporary banners, and flags displayed for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days; warning signs; traffic safety signs; and public service signs less than four (4) square feet that identify public conveniences (e.g., restrooms, telephones, hours of operation, government ordinances). A coastal development permit for a sign on public property shall be approved only if a positive finding is made that the sign design and scale does not:
a. Obstruct views to or along the coast from publicly accessible places;
b. Adversely impact public access to and use of the water;
c. Adversely impact public recreational use of a public park or beach; or
d. Otherwise adversely affect recreation, access or the visual resources of the coast.
D. Removal of Signs. Any sign permitted on public property shall be removed by the party responsible for its posting immediately after the conclusion of the advertised event or by the removal date established by ordinance, regulation, contract or event. If such sign is not removed by that time, it shall be deemed abandoned and may be summarily removed by the City. The person or entity responsible for posting said sign shall be liable for the City's costs incurred in the removal of such sign, and the City Manager or his/her designee is authorized to collect said costs.
E. Illegal Signs. Any sign placed on public property in violation of the provisions of this section is declared a public nuisance and may be summarily removed by the City. The person or entity responsible for such illegal posting shall be liable for the City's costs incurred in the removal of such sign, and the City Manager or his/her designee is authorized to collect said costs.
(ORD-13-0014, § 19(Att. A), 2013)