9.29.230 Prohibited Signs

(a) Unless expressly permitted elsewhere in this chapter, the following signs are prohibited:

(1) Any off-site or outdoor advertising sign or structures placed for the purpose of advertising a business not on the property upon which the sign is placed.

(2) No commercial sign shall be erected within or encroach upon any public property or within any public right-of-way.

(3) Flashing, moving, pulsating, or intermittently lighted signs, electronic reader boards, time and temperature signs, laser lighting, and searchlights.

(4) Signs which conflict with or imitate any traffic control device due to color, wording, design, location or illumination, or which interfere with the safe and efficient flow of vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic.

(5) Animals, or human beings, live or simulated, designed or used so as to attract attention to the premises.

(6) Loudspeakers, or signs which emit sound, odor, or visible matter.

(7) Signs with mechanical movement.

(8) Roof signs.

(9) Projecting signs.

(10) Pole signs.

(11) Signs on the rear of buildings or oriented toward a freeway unless approved by the commission.

(12) Changeable copy signs, including electronic reader boards, except theater marquees specifically approved by the director.

(13) Banners, flags, kites, pennants, balloons, or other such advertising devices or displays.

(14) Signs which constitute a nuisance or hazard due to their intensity of light.

(15) Signs which no longer identify a bona fide business conducted on the premises. Such signs shall be removed by the owner of the sign within 60 days of the business' closing date.

(16) Vehicle signs, trailer signs, signs affixed to automobiles, trucks, trailers, or other vehicles parked on any property within the city for the principal purpose of advertising or display. The following shall constitute a prima facia violation of this section:

a. The advertising medium utilized on the vehicle is a sign, device, or structure separate from the vehicle.

b. The copy is readily changeable, including but not limited to repainting such sign, device, or structure.

c. The sign, devise, or structure exceeds nine square feet in area and the vehicle is parked on the street or on the business premises to which the advertising relates or in reasonable proximity thereto and the location of the advertising is reasonably calculated to direct an observer towards the business. It shall be considered that advertising was the principal purpose of the parking of the vehicle, notwithstanding the fact that the vehicle is driven to and from the business premises on a daily basis.

(17) Except for open/closed signs permitted pursuant to Section 9.29.225(j) of this chapter, exposed neon conduit or tubing, interior or exterior neon window signs, interior or exterior LED signs, or lighting displays inside or outside the building so as to be visible from streets, parking areas or site boundaries, unless approved as part of a planned sign program.

(18) Signs projecting in or on any public property or public right-of-way except as otherwise authorized by this chapter.

(19) Window signs, except as expressly permitted by this division, or as required by law.

(20) Price signs, except as required by law and approved by the director of community development.

(21) Off-site garage sale signs, circular, poster or other such sign or displays unless exempted by a special event permit.

(22) Any other sign not expressly permitted by this division unless approved by a planned sign program.

(23) Any sign continuously outlined with individual light bulbs or string of lights.

(24) Canopy signs unless approved by the director.

(25) Portable signs.

(26) Signs which have less horizontal or vertical clearance from authorized communication or energized electrical power lines than that prescribed by the laws of the State of California.

(27) Signs installed, relocated, or maintained in a manner which prevents free ingress to or egress from any door, including signs attached to a stand pipe except those signs as required by City Code or ordinance.

(28) Signs located in the public right-of-way except governmental or traffic signs.

(29) Painted-on-the-wall signs, signs constructed of cloth, canvas, fabric, cardboard, wallboard, or other light flimsy material with or without frames.

(30) Multitenant directory sign unless approved by the city in a planned sign program.

(31) Banners advertising the lease or rent of units in any residential apartment complex.

(b) Any person who erects or causes to be erect any prohibited sign without express approval by the city is subject to penalties as set forth in section 9.29.130.

(Ord. No. 98-193, §§ 1--4, 10-19-98; Ord. No. 07-248, §§ 26--28, 4-2-07)