§ 18.6. Licenses, permits and fees
6.1. Filing plans and specifications and applications for permits:
a. Before any permit is granted for the erection of a sign or outdoor display structure, plans and specifications shall be filed with the building and safety engineering division showing the dimensions, materials and required details of construction including loads, stresses, and anchorage.
b. Application for sign permits shall be made upon forms provided for this purpose and shall be filed, along with the plans and specifications, in the office of the building and safety engineering division.
6.2. Issuance of permits:
a. No new sign shall hereafter be erected, constructed, altered or maintained except as herein provided and until after a permit has been issued by the building and safety engineering division. No permit shall be issued unless the sign complies with all of the requirements of this appendix and all requirements of law and codes and ordinances of the city.
b. Permits for the erection of a sign shall only be issued to persons, firms or corporations licensed and qualified to carry on such work under all the provisions of this appendix.
6.3. Licenses for sign erectors:
a. Every person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of erecting, altering or removing or installing signs for which permits are required by this appendix shall be licensed to conduct such operations.
b. The license to engage in the business of erecting signs shall be known as a sign erector's license and shall only be issued to those persons, firms or corporations which show sufficient knowledge and experience to satisfy the building and safety engineering division as to their ability to erect signs in a safe and substantial manner in accordance with the provisions of this appendix.
c. Insurance certificates: Before a permit is issued for the erection of a sign, the installing company shall submit for filing with the building and safety engineering division, a certificate of insurance, approved by the city's risk management division, for public liability in the amount of $100,000.00 for injuries to one person and $300,000.00 for injury to more than one person, and property damage insurance in the amount of $25,000.00 for damage to any property due to the actions of himself or any of his agents or employees.
d. Lapsing of insurance: At any time the insurance of any licensed sign erector is permitted to lapse, his right to hold a license and obtain permits shall automatically be revoked.
e. Bond required for sign erectors: Prior to issuance of a sign erector's license, the person desiring such a license shall file with the administrator of the building and safety engineering division, or his/her designee, a good and sufficient surety company bond running to the city in the penal sum of $50,000.00 to indemnify, save, and keep harmless the city from any and all costs, damages, or expenses of any kind whatsoever which may be suffered by the city or which it may be put to, or which may accrue against it by charging to or recovering from the city from or by reason of the granting of permission to erect the signs, or by reason of any such acts or things done under or by authority or permission granted to erected such signs in the city or by reason of the negligence, failure, or refusal of any person to comply with all the provisions of this article applicable to such signs.
6.4. Application for licenses:
a. Every person, firm or corporation desiring to erect signs for which permits are required shall apply to the administrator of the building and safety engineering division, or his/her designee for a sign erector's license and shall furnish the name and address of the proprietor, president or other senior officer in charge and such other pertinent information as may be requested. The administrator of building and safety engineering shall examine the qualifications of each applicant and shall certify in writing his approval or rejection of such license. All sign erector's certificates of insurance must be approved by the city risk management office. Sign erector's licenses shall expire on December 31. The administrator of the building and safety engineering division, or his/her designee, may decline to approve a license for any of the reasons set forth in section 1-24 of the Code, and in the case of disapproval of an application by the administrator, the provisions of section 1-24 of the Code regarding the right of hearing before the city council shall apply.
b. Holders of sign erector's licenses shall notify the building and safety engineering division of any change in the management or address of the firm or corporation.
c. Revoking of licenses: In case the holder of a sign erector's license shall fail to comply with any notice relative to the improper construction or erection of any sign, the administrator shall notify the senior officer in charge of such firm or corporation to appear before him at a stated time and show cause why his firm's license shall not be revoked. The notice to appear shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the address shown upon his records. After such hearing, or if the license holder shall fail to appear the administrator of the building and safety engineering division, or his/her designee, may recommend to the city council that it commence and pursue proceedings for the suspension or revocation of the license in accordance with the provisions of section 1-24 of the Code.
6.5. License for maintaining signs:
a. License required: No sign for which a permit is required herein shall be maintained unless the owner thereof shall have a license therefore.
b. Permit to be original license: The permit required herein for erecting a sign shall also be a license to maintain such sign until the expiration of license in the following license period for that particular address as regulated by chapter 8 of the Code, as follows:
Street address beginning with the letters:
A through F expire March 31.
G through M expire June 30.
N through R expire September 30.
S through Z expire December 31.
c. Subsequent licenses: At the expiration of the original license, the owner of every sign shall renew his license to maintain such sign annually. All the owners of signs now maintained and not licensed shall obtain a license, as herein provided.
d. No license shall be issued for any sign that does not comply with all requirements of this appendix and applicable laws or codes and ordinances of the city.
6.6. Fees for permits and license, and requests for refunds:
a. The fees for a sign or display structure permit, special inspections, overtime inspectors and fees for license for maintaining signs shall be established by the city council resolution.
b. In case where permit fee refunds are requested and made, due to contracts no being executed, a change of contractors or for any other valid reason, administrative fees, as determined by the building and safety engineering division, shall be deducted from the total amount of the permit fee. The administrative fee shall be based on the cost to the city of issuing, inspecting, and administering the permit or license in questions.
6.7. Expired licenses:
a. Signs retained after the expiration of maintenance licenses shall be removed. Failure to remove such a sign shall be a violation of the ordinance for which the property owner shall be responsible, and the occupant shall also be responsible, if the occupant is responsible for the sign. If such a sign is not removed by the owner or person responsible, the administrator of the building and safety engineering division, or his/her designee, shall issue a written notice to the owner indicating that such sign shall be removed within ten days, and giving notice that if it is not so removed, it will be removed by the city at the expense of the owner or responsible party shall be billed for the cost of removal. If the obligation is not a paid in full within 30 days for the date of the bill, in such case the city may assess any portion of the obligation that is unpaid, plus the administrative costs of the city for removal, billing, and assessing the costs against the parcel of property where the sign was located, as a special assessment, in accordance with the procedure set forth in chapter 2, article 5, section 2-80 through 2-82 of the Code.
6.8. Identification of signs:
a. Signs of every class which come within the provision of this appendix, must carry the imprint of the licensed erector in clearly legible letters, as follows:
1. On projecting signs, flat signs, pole signs, and all types of ground signs, the imprint of the licensed erector may be applied in the border thereof in color or by metal tag substantially and permanently attached to each and every sign in such a place on sign as can be seen from the sidewalk or street below such signs after they are erected.
2. On all roof signs, marquees, and billboards the imprint of the licensed erector may be applied in the border thereof in color, or on a separate metal panel attached to the framework of such erection.
3. In case of re-hanging or re-erection of any such sign as is required to carry the imprint of the erector, the new erector, if he be different than the original, must remove the imprint of the former erector and place his own imprint on the sign.
(Ord. No. 2169, § 1, 2-11-04)