Sec. 49-437. - Temporary signs.
(a) Permission may be granted by the manager of transportation and infrastructure for the erection, on or over the public property, of temporary display banners or other cloth decorations or signs for special occasions, including, but not by way of limitation, religious, charitable, civic and festive occurrences; for conventions, for Christmas decorations; in celebration of some event of religious, national, state or civic significance; and in honor of a visit from a person of note. Such sign, when extended over a public street, shall maintain a minimum clearance of fourteen (14) feet, six (6) inches. No advertising of a commercial nature shall appear in connection with any such decoration. A sign removal bond in the form of a certified check in a proper amount corresponding to a schedule on file in the office of the manager of transportation and infrastructure shall be posted before any such banner or decorations is erected. All such signs, banners or decorations shall be satisfactorily removed as required by the permit issued therefore; otherwise, the removal bond shall be forfeited.
(b) The manager of transportation and infrastructure may grant permission for the placement on or above the public right-of-way of one (1) or more temporary signs stating that valet parking services are available at one or more businesses if:
(1) The sign is contains only white letters stating "Valet" on a background of federal green;
(2) The sign is made entirely of cloth, square in shape, two (2) feet by two (2) feet, and in a shape, form and style approved by the manager of transportation and infrastructure.
(3) The sign is mounted on an existing sign pole at least seven (7) feet from the surface of the right-of-way as measured from the midpoint of the sign;
(4) The repeated placement, movement, and removal of the sign does not damage the sign pole;
(5) The sign is mounted above the sidewalk portion of the public right-of-way or no more than three (3) feet out into the portion of the right-of-way normally used for vehicular traffic;
(6) The sign is placed no more than five (5) feet from a valet drop-off location approved as part of a valet parking plan at a valet client business which is licensed as or has hired a licensed valet operator holding a valet location license for that location under chapter 55 article XV;
(7) A licensed valet operator or a valet attendant hired by a licensed valet operator is present at the valet drop-off location at all times that the sign is present in the public right-of-way; and
(8) The sign is placed, kept or left in the right-of-way only when valet parking services are actually provided at the valet client business.
(c) The city traffic engineer may authorize the city to install special guide signs for shared valet drop-off locations only, under chapter 55 article XV, stating only "Valet Stand Ahead" and indicating the direction.
(d) The manager of transportation and infrastructure or his designee ("manager") may grant permission for the placement of a temporary sign in the public right-of-way.
(1) Temporary signs may be permitted in the right-of-way provided:
a. The sign is located in any business, main street, industrial, R-MU-20, R-MU-30 or T-MU-30 zone district, except the CCN (Cherry Creek North) district, as defined and determined by chapter 59, Denver Revised Municipal Code;
b. The sign is placed between a building front and the curb line;
c. The sign is at least two (2) feet behind the curb line;
d. The sign does not obstruct the sidewalk and complies with any applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act;
e. The sign is not made to look like, and does not contain any representation of, a traffic control device or sign;
f. The sign is not more than three (3) feet above grade at its tallest point and is no wider than thirty (30) inches at its widest point;
g. The sign has sign faces no larger than thirty (30) inches by three (3) feet and has no more than two (2) faces;
h. The sign may only advertise the establishment it is placed in front of and products and services sold or provided by that establishment. The sign may also have noncommercial messages;
i. There is no more than one (1) such sign per street level business with direct street level access, per street front;
j. The sign is neither flashing nor animated;
k. The sign may be illuminated provided the power supply for the illumination does not in any way impede pedestrian traffic and provided the illumination does not, in the opinion of the manager, interfere in any way with safe traffic or pedestrian movement;
l. The sign is anchored to the ground in a manner approved by the manager;
m. The sign is removed from the right-of-way whenever the business it is located in front of is closed;
n. The sign in no way causes any safety issues with traffic. This would include, but is not limited to, line of sight issues at intersections and access points or obstruction of vision of traffic control devices or other traffic;
o. The exact location of the sign must be as shown on the approved permit; and
p. No sign shall be approved if the property is not in compliance with the Denver Zoning Code, as it relates to signs ("Denver Sign Code"). If, after receiving a permit, the property fails to remain in compliance with the Denver Sign Code, the permit shall be revoked and shall not be reissued for one (1) year.
(2) Such temporary signs, when properly approved by the manager, shall not be considered nonconforming signs under the provisions of subsection 49-438(a) nor shall they be subject to the termination provisions of subsection 49-438(c).
(3) The applicant shall file a written statement with the manager in a form satisfactory to the city attorney, whereby such permittee agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the city, its officers, and employees, from any loss, liability, or damage, including expenses and costs, for bodily or personal injury, and for property damage sustained by any person as a result of the installation, use, or maintenance of a sign permitted under this subsection 49-437(d).
(4) Effective January 1, 2010, applicants shall pay a permit fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) annually for each sign permitted.
(5) Business improvement districts (BIDs) may notify the manager, in writing, that they do not want to have such signs permitted anywhere in their district, or that they do not want such signs on any pedestrian mall in their district. If such notification is made, the manager shall not permit signs in those BIDs or pedestrian malls.
(6) The manager shall issue permits for one (1) year; however, the permits may be revoked earlier at the manager's discretion. Such permits shall be renewable yearly, provided all the provisions of this section are met.
(Code 1950, § 332.6-3; Ord. No. 493-01, § 3, 6-18-01; Ord. No. 738-02, § 10, 9-16-02; Ord. No. 170-09, § 1, 3-16-09; Ord. No. 39-20, § 135, 2-3-20)
