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2072 ORD PROVIDING CODE OF ORDINANCES BE AMENDED BY ADDING NEW CHAPTER PROVIDING FOR REGULATION OF SIGNS AND BILLBOARDSORDINANCE NO. 2072 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PARIS, PARIS, TEXAS, PROVID- ING THAT THE-CODE OF ORDINANCES,-CITY-OF PARIS, PARIS, TFXAS, BE AMENDED BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER, PROVIDING FOR THE REGULA- TION OF-SIGNS AND BILLBOARAS; PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED -$200.00; REPEALING ALL ORDIlaTANCES -OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF MARCH 1,-1972. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS: Section 1. That the Code of Ordinances of the City of Paris, Paris, Texas, be amended by adding a new chapter to read as follows: "Chapter SIGNS AND BILLBOAR DS Article I. In General, Sections -1 through -24 Article II. Permits, Sections = 25 through = 31 Article I. In General Section -l. Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed: Alcoholic Beverage signs. Any sign advertising alco- holic beverages must not exceed four (4) square feet. Banner signs. Any sign made of canvas or other cloth with or without framework. Billboard. Any flat surface covered with wood or metal erected on framework on open space, or attached to posts, buildings, or other structures and used for the display of bills, posters and other advertising matters posted, tacked or painted thereon. Electric sign. Any sign, the letters or designs of which are outlined by electric lamps or tubes on which the letters or designs are painted, placed, or raised, and illuminated by interior or exterior lamps so placed as to make visible the letters or design on the sign. Billboards and ground signs which are illuminated as above shall be classified as electric signs and shall meet the requirements for wiring and electrical inspec- tions as for electrical. signs. Ground signs. Any advertising device or flat sur- face covered with wood or metal, erected on a framework on vacant property or other open space, upon which letters or designs are painted or permanently attached. Ground signs shall conform in every way to the require- ments for billboards. Open signs. Any sign constructed of open metal work or wire mesh secured to angle iron or other frame work, and the letters or designs fastened thereon. Nuisance sign. Any signcr billboard which annoys and disturbs one in possession of his property, render- ing its ordinary use or occupation physically uncomfort- able to him. Sign. Any device or surface on which letters, illustrations, designs, figures or any symbols are painted, printed, stamped, raised or in any manner outlined and used for advertising purposes. Sky sign. Any sign or billboard supported or attached wholly or in part over or above any wall, building or structure. Sky signs shall be constructed entirely of inetal, including the supports and braces for same, and no sky sign shall project beyond the building line. Section -2. Weight of signs. No sign that projects over public space shall have a greater weight than fifteen hundred (1500) pounds. Section -3. Construction of electric signs. All electric signs must comply with Section 11-93 of Code of Ordinances, City of Paris. All electric signs, within the fire limits, shall have a structural framework of iron, steel or other metal substance of equal strength and the body and other parts of such sign shall be of noninflam.mable material throughout. No threaded pipe or threaded pipe fittings will be permitted in any framework or standards for signs. The sign shall be of such strength as may be approved by the City Inspector. Section _ 4. Sign supports. All sign supports, brackets, guys, turnbuckles, bolts, anchors and fastenings shall be figured strong enough to safely hold and support all loads and other stresses which may come upon them. Signs shall be supported and guyed with steel angles, chains, standard cables, or wire. Chain supports shall have welded links of not less than three-sixteenths (3/16) inch diameter. No cable shall be tied or twisted around any anchor or other support, but shall be joined into a loop with an eyelet inserted and the loose end fastened to the standing part of the cable with approved clips, clamps, or standard cable splice. A turnbuckle shall be inserted in every cable or wire hanger or guy to keep them taut. Al1 cable, wire, brackets, strap iron, turnbuckles, anchors, bolts, and all other supports shall be galva- nized or given two heavy coats of protective noncorrosive paint. Section -5. Exits kept clear. No s i gn of an; be placed upon the as to obstruct any passageway leading nor shall the sign escape. ~ kind shall be attached to the wall or roof of any building in such a manner fire escape, door, window, or other to a fire escape or to a street exit, be f-astened in any manner to a fire Section -6. Fire walls kept clear. No sign shall be erected upon the fire wall or cop- ing of any building, nor shall it be anchored to such wall but shall be attached to and supported by other structural parts of the building. Section -7. Sky signs. Any sign erected upon or above the roof of any building shall have a maximum height to be determined by the City Inspector. When erected on flat roof's,th ere shall be maintained a three (3) foot passageway around the ends of the sign and between its lower edge and the roof. Section -8. Location and heights. No sign projecting over a sidewalk or other public space shall be so hung that the lowest point will be less than eight (8) feet above the sidewalk or ground level under the sign, and no sign shall extend any closer than two (2) feet of the curb line. No sign attached to the wall of axiy building or structure or supported by a support on the building line and extending outward therefrom shall project over a sidewalk or public space more than seven and one-half (72) feet. Al1 signs must be supported from a support on pri- vate property. No supports or obstruction will be per- mitted on sidewalk or public space. All signs in alleys prohibited where signs project over public space. No sign erected above the second story of any build- ing or multiple dwelling, shall extend beyond the walls of the building more than two (2) feet, or be so spaced as to obstruct any window or means of exit above the second flood of the building, Section -9. Prohibited signs. (a) Cloth an d banner signs. No person, partnership, firm or corporation shall suspend or project over or across any street, alley or other public space or portion thereof, cloth signs or banners advertising anything or for any purpose whatsoever. This chapter, however, shall not prohibit the dis- playing of flags and other emblems not otherwise prohi- bited by law, provided the flag or emblem, when sus- pended over a street, or public space, are securely fastened to the supporting cable by one edge only, and be allowed to swing free and further provided that per- mission to display the flags or emblems has been ob- tained from the City Inspector. The supporting cable shall be of sufficient strength and anchored so as to meet the approval of the City Inspector. The City Inspector may grant a temporary suspension of the second paragraph of this section at such times as they may deem expedient on special occasions, or while festivals, or celebrations are being held. (b) Swinging signs. Every sign shall be rigidly hung so that it will not swing or vibrate in a strong wind. (c) Wooden signs. No wooden signs shall be attach- ed to or fastened flat against the wall of any building, or hung in any other manner, inside the fire limits. (d) Movable signs, barber poles, etc. No movable signs, barber poles, etc., shall be placed on any public space. (e) Hazardous signs. No si gn which constitutes a hazard to vehicular traffic shall be placed in the City of Paris. (f) Nuisance signs. No sign shall be placed in such a manner as to constitute a nuisance as that term is defined herein. Section -10. Billboards and ground signs--Location. No billboard or ground sign shall be erected in or project over any street, alley or public space. No billboard or ground sign shall be erected within eight (8) feet of any residence or be so placed as to obstruct the lighting of any street, alley or public space, or interfere with any public utility service. No billboard shall be closer than six (6) feet to any building, nor to the side line of any lot, nor closer than fifteen (15) feet to any street line; fur- thermore, in all cases where the front line of any building within fifty (50) feet of the billboard is more than fifteen (15) feet from the street line, then the billboard shall not be nearer to the street line than the front line of the building is from the street line. This section shall. not apply where adjoining lots are used for business purposes, nor where two-thirds (2/3) of the buildings within three hundred (300) feet of the location on the same side of the street and with- in the same block are used for business purposes; pro- vided that there are three (3) or more buildings within the prescribed area used for business purposes. Section -11. Same--Construction. No billboard or ground sign constructed of wood or other combustible material shall be erected in thefire limits nor within fifty (50) feet of any frame building, nor within twenty-five (25) feet of any building having unprotected openings in the wall on the side nearest the billboard, provided, however, that posts and braces sup- porting a ground sign, and the skeleton frame of a bill- board not exceeding fifteen (15) feet in height above the curb level, may be wood; and there may also be a wood moulding or border, not over eight (8) inches wide around the edge of such structure. The lower edge of every such billboard shall be not less than three (3) feet above the ground, and the space between the lower edge of the billboard and the ground shall be left open or may be closed with lattice work which leaves at least .fifty (50) per cent of the space open. Section _-12. Temporary structures used for advertis- ing. Temporary structures, fences, and barricades placed around excavations or used during building opera- tions, whether on public or private property, may be used for advertising purposes during the necessary main- tenance of the barricades, so long as their use does not become a public nuisance. Section _ 13. Insp ection. Immediately after the erection of a sign board, billboard or electric sign, the Building Inspector shall be notified that the sign is ready for inspection. Section _ 14. Inspection by City Inspector. The City Inspector shall have access to and the right to inspect any and all signs and billboards, whe- ther installed prior or subsequent to this article, and if he should find any sign or billboard to be in an un- safe condition he shall immediately call it to the attention of the owner or other person in charge there- of. Upon receipt of such notice from the City Inspector, the owner or person in charge shall have ten (10) days thereafter to correct such unsafe condition and upon failure to correct the defect or defects called to his attention by the City Inspector he will be subject to the penal provision of this Code. Section = 15. Identification marking required. Al1 signs shall bear the name of the contractor and date of erection painted on or otherwise attached to the lower margin of the sign. Section -16. Sign contractor's license. No person shall install, erect, or maintain any sign, nor contract for such service, until such person has ap- plied to the Building Inspector for a license to install, erect, and maintain signs, and until such license has been approved and issued. The fee for such license shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per year payable on the first day of July of each year and an additional fee of ten dollars ($10.00) per year for each renewal thereof. The license of any sign contractor may be cancelled by the City Council, upon the recommendation of the Building Inspector, when such contractor persistently violates the requirements of this chapter. Conviction, whether appealed or not of three (3) such violations over a period of two (2) calendar years shall constitute evi- dence or persistent violation. Any license thus can- celled shall not be renewed for such contractor or any- one operating his shop until all such violations have been corrected. Upon correction of the violations, the contractor's license may be renewed upon furnishing the bond required by Section _ 17. Section -17. Sign contractor's bond and liability insurance. No license for the installation, erection and main- tenance of signs shall be issued to any person nor shall any person install, erect, or maintain any sign or medium of display or advertising, electric or otherwise, until such person has filed with the City Clerk a surety bond in the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). Such bond shall be approved by the City Manager and shall be conditioned for the installation an d erection of signs in accordance with the provisions of this Code, ordinances of the City and the laws of the State, and shall provide for the indemnification of the City for any and all da- mages or liability which may accrue against it by reason of faulty installation, erection, demolition, repair, re- moval or defects in, or collapse of, any sign for a period of one (1) year after erection and for such period of time that such sign is maintained or serviced by or under the direction of the maker of such bond. Such bond shall further provide for the indemnification of any per- son, who shall, while upon public property or in any pub- lic place, incur damage for which the principal named in the bond is legally liable. When any sign contractor's license has been cancelled as provided by Section = 16, such license shall not be renewed until the contractor furnishes an additional bond in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), guaranteeing compliance with the provisions of this chapter, which bond shall be for a period of two (2) years following renewal of the license. In addition to the above bond, each contractor shall carry public liability and property damage insur- ance, in a company to be approved by the City Council, in the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00), covering its or his operation hereunder. Section -18. Design. All signs shall be desi gned and constructed in accordance with Section 1602.6 of the National Building Code, 1967 edition, and all amendments thereto, which is hereby specifically adopted. Section -19. Chapter to regulate sign and billboard matters. Sections 1600 through 1602.5 of the National Building Code, 1967 edition, and all amendments thereto, relating to signs and outdoor displays are, in all things, repealed and all matters pertaining to signs and billboards shall be governed and regulated by Chapter _ of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Paris, Paris, Texas. Section -20. Erection of sign by owner. Any person may erect his own signs with his regular employees which advertise his own business or profession or product manufactured or sold by him without the ne- cessity of a license or bond, but all other provisions of the Code shall be complied with. The person erectin g the sign shall keep it in a good operating condition and shall remove it at his expense when requested by the City. Sections -21 through -25. Reserved. Article H. Permits Section = 26. Required. No signboard, billboard, or electric sign on any building or on the ground, except as otherwise provided for herein, shall be erected or reconstructed within the City unless a permit shall have been first secured from the City Insp ector. No permit for the erection of any sign shall be issued ta any person other than those li- censed and bonded as provided in this Chapter. Section _ 27. Permits not required. Subject to the pravision of the City's Zoning Ordinance, permits shall not be necessary for temporary signboards or billboards to be placed on buildings or vacant space, advertising the sale or renting of such buildings or property on which they are placed, when such signboards or billboards do not exceed sixty (60) square feet of area. Section -28. Application. All applications for permits required by the provi- sions of this Article shall be accompanied by such plans, specifications, drawings or descriptions as are necessary to fully advise the City Inspector as to the location, construction, weight, materials, and manner of securing of such proposed signboard, billboard or electrical sign. Section ~-29. Electrical permit required. Before any permit shall be issued under the provi- sions of this Chapter for an electric sign, an electri- cal permit shall be obtained from the City Electrical Inspector, and the same shall be wired in accordance with the requirements of the City's Electrical Code. Section -30. Fees. For the erection of all signs for which a permit is required by this section, the following schedule of per- mit fees shall apply: (1) Signs thirty-six (36) square feet in area and less, $3.00. (2) Signs exceeding thirty-six (36) square feet in area, $5.00. Section -31. Issuance. If the plans, specifications, drawings and descrip- tions of the work f'or which application for a permit under the provisions of this Article is made conform to the provisions of this Chapter, then the City Inspector shall issue the permit upon payment of the required fee. Section = 32. Permit to alter, repair, enlarge, etc. No sign shall be altered, rebuilt, enlarged, ex- tended, replaced or relocated, except upon the issuance of a permit by the Building Inspector, and all work done under such permit shall be in conformity with the re- quirements of this Chapter. Signs which have been erected in conformance with this Chapter and with the Zoning Ordinance, and which have been damaged by wind- storm or other natural causes, may be repaired without first securing a permit. The changing of movable parts of signs which are designed for changing, or the repainting of display matter, or the repairing of damaged neon tubing while a sign is in place shall not be deemed to be altera- tions, for the purpose of this section. The fee for a permit under this section shall be the same as prescribed by Section -30." Section 2. Any person violatin g any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon con- viction shall be fined in any sum not to exceed Tnro Hundred ($200.00) Dollars. Section 3. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in con- flict herewith are hereby repealed. Section 4. This ordinance shall become effective on March 1, 1972. Section 5. The provisions of this ordinance shall be in- cluded and incorporated in the Code of Ordinances of the City of Paris,Paris, Texas, as an additional chapter thereto and shall be appropriately renumbered to conform to the uniform numbering system of the Code. Passed and adopted this 14th day of February, 1972. s W. Farris, Mayor ATTFST : . • , ~ ~ H. C. Greene, City Clerk APP OVED O FORM: ~ /000e*/4 T. K. Hayn , City Attorney C'.1 . . . , r . . . . . . ~ G .