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<br />DRAFT
<br />
<br />ORDINANCE NO.
<br />
<br />f:attomeylordworklcurrentlBillboard Moratorium-revised
<br />May 9, 2007
<br />
<br />AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS,
<br />TEXAS, IMPOSING A NINETY (90) DAY MORATORIUM ON THE
<br />ERECTION, CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION, AND
<br />PLACEMENT OF BILLBOARDS, ELECTRONIC SIGNS, AND OFF-
<br />PREMISES SIGNS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF
<br />PARIS, TEXAS; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY
<br />ATTORNEY TO DEVELOP NEW REGULATIONS FOR BILLBOARDS,
<br />ELECTRONIC SIGNS AND OFF-PREMISES SIGNS TO BE PRESENTED
<br />TO THE CITY COUNCIL; PROVIDING A VARIANCE AND APPEAL
<br />PROCESS FOR PERSONS AGGRIEVED BY THIS ORDINANCE;
<br />PROVIDING A PENALTY CLAUSE, SAVINGS CLAUSE, REPEALER
<br />CLAUSE, SEVERABILITY CLAUS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE
<br />DATE.
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Paris, Texas, finds and determines that the
<br />sign regulations of the City of Paris, as contained in Chapter 28 of the Code of Ordinances as
<br />they relate to the erection, construction, and placement of billboards and other off-premise signs
<br />were originally codified in 1970 and have not been substantially reviewed or revised since 1986;
<br />and,
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, due to continuing growth and development in the City of Paris, changes in
<br />federal and state laws applicable to sign regulations and changes in the advertising and sign
<br />industry, the City Council has determined that it is necessary to review, study, revise and update
<br />the City's sign regulations as they apply to billboards, electronic signs and off-premises signs;
<br />and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, since the adoption and amendment of the Sign Ordinance, technology has
<br />advanced considerably in the area of electronic signs, and the City's current regulations provide
<br />little or no guidance or rules pertaining to electronic signs; further, due to the ability of
<br />electronic signs to change the size, type, color and presentation of their message at varying
<br />speeds, electronic signs can be more distracting to the general public and potentially more
<br />dangerous to the public safety as they distract the attention of motor vehicle operators as they are
<br />driving on the public roadways; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Council further finds and determines that the unregulated proliferation
<br />of "off-premises signs," defined herein as, "signs used or intended to be used to advertise,
<br />identifY, direct or attract the attention of the public to a business, institution, product, service,
<br />organization or event offered or located some place other than upon the same lot, tract or parcel
<br />of land where the sign is located," in the City of Paris would create visible clutter and blight,
<br />would adversely affect property values and would otherwise negatively impact the public health,
<br />safety and welfare of the citizens of the City of Paris, Texas; and
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