No temporary or permanent sign or billboard to be installed or located within the corporate city limits shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed, relocated or placed within the city unless a permit shall have been first secured from the building official.
(Ordinance 2014-002, sec. 2, adopted 1/27/14; 1988 Code, sec. 28-30)
The following signs may be erected and maintained under the exceptions and conditions listed and shall not require a permit and no fees shall be charged for such signs, provided all other provisions of this article are met:
(1) 
Public signs.
Noncommercial signs erected by or at the direction of a public officer in furtherance of the public interest in the performance of his public duty.
(2) 
Temporary public, charitable, educational or religious signs.
Temporary signs announcing any public, charitable, educational, or religious event or function may be installed for a period of not more than thirty (30) days prior to the event and not more than seven (7) days after the event, with a total sign area of not more than twenty-four (24) square feet on each sign face. Such signage is prohibited over the public right-of-way.
(3) 
Integral signs.
Names of buildings, dates of erection, monumental citations, and commemorative tablets which are carved into stone, concrete, or similar permanent materials and constructed as an integral part of a structure.
(4) 
Nameplates.
One (1) nameplate per public entrance per business not exceeding three (3) square feet of sign area per face.
(5) 
Private signs.
Signs not visible beyond the boundaries of the lot or series of contiguous lots on which they are located or which are not visible from any public right-of-way.
(6) 
Garage sale signs.
Garage sales conducted in accordance with article 5.04 may be identified by one (1) sign not exceeding four (4) square feet in sign area for all sign faces which is installed on the lot or series of contiguous lots on which the garage sale is located; such sign shall be installed only during the days for which the garage sale is conducted.
(7) 
Menu boards.
Eating establishments with drive-through service are permitted two (2) menu board signs per premises, limited to thirty-six (36) square feet in sign area and six (6) feet in sign height.
(8) 
Window signs.
Window signs provided not more than thirty (30) percent of the transparent area of the storefront is covered at any one (1) time.
(9) 
Gasoline/service station signage.
Signs located beneath a canopy which do not advertise the premises, including but not limited to the following information: “self-service,” “full service,” “unleaded gasoline,” and “regular gasoline,” are exempt. Governmentally mandated signage and signage contained within the individual pumps are also exempt. In addition, ten (10) square feet of signage is permitted per side under the canopy per set of gasoline product dispensers. Signage located beneath the canopy which is intended to advertise to individuals using the gasoline product dispensers only, and not intended for advertisement to the public right-of-way, is exempt. Letters less than three (3) inches in height shall not be counted as part of the sign allowance.
(10) 
Government flag signs.
Government flag signs as defined herein when displayed on private property.
(11) 
Political signs.
Such signs must contain primarily a political message, be located on private real property with the consent of the property owner, and not be located within the public right-of-way. Political signs must conform to state law as to when they can be placed and removed before and after an election date.
(12) 
Real estate signs.
Such signs shall not be illuminated, shall not exceed six (6) square feet in sign area per face, and shall pertain to the sale or lease of the premises on which the sign is located.
(13) 
Agricultural signs.
One (1) sign, advertising agricultural uses, not exceeding thirty-two (32) square feet in sign area and eight (8) feet in sign height, shall be allowed per owner. On large tracts that exceed one-quarter (0.25) mile of public right-of-way frontage, said owner may have one (1) sign per one-quarter (0.25) mile or portion thereof.
(14) 
Vehicular signs.
Vehicular signs are allowed for the purpose of identifying a vehicle used for a bona fide business purpose (i.e., delivery service, professional and business, construction trailers, etc.). The vehicle shall be operable and currently registered and licensed to operate on public streets.
(15) 
Protective signs.
The occupant of any premises may erect two (2) protective signs in accordance with the following provisions:
(A) 
Each sign must not exceed two (2) square feet in sign area.
(B) 
Detached signs must not exceed two (2) feet in sign height.
(C) 
Letters must not exceed four (4) inches in height.
(16) 
Movement-control signs.
May be erected at any occupancy or any premises, other than a single-family or duplex premises, may be attached or detached and may be erected without limit as to number; provided that such signs shall comply with all other applicable requirements of this article. Such sign shall comply with the following requirements:
(A) 
Each sign must not exceed four (4) square feet in area and a maximum of six (6) feet in sign height.
(B) 
Each sign must convey a message which directs vehicular or pedestrian movement within or onto the premises on which the sign is located.
(C) 
Not more than fifty (50) percent of such sign may be used for advertising or identification.
(17) 
Holiday signs and decorations.
Signs and decorations, including inflatables, containing only holiday messages and no commercial advertising.
(18) 
Signs on persons or animals.
Hand-held signs or signs, symbols, or displays on persons or animals.
(Ordinance 2014-002, sec. 2, adopted 1/27/14; 1988 Code, sec. 28-31)
All applications for permits required by the provisions of this division shall be accompanied by such plans, specifications, drawings or descriptions as are necessary to fully advise the building official as to the location, construction, weight, materials, and manner of securing of such proposed sign.
(Ordinance 2014-002, sec. 2, adopted 1/27/14; 1988 Code, sec. 28-32)
For the installation, placement, or registration of all signs for which a permit is required by this article, the schedule of fees set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code shall apply.
(Ordinance 2014-002, sec. 2, adopted 1/27/14; 1988 Code, sec. 28-33; Ordinance adopting 2021 Code)
If the plans, specifications, drawings and descriptions of the work for which application for a permit under the provisions of this division is made conform to the provisions of this article, then the building official shall issue the permit upon registration of the sign contractor and payment of the required fee.
(Ordinance 2014-002, sec. 2, adopted 1/27/14; 1988 Code, sec. 28-34)
(a) 
Except as provided in this article, no sign shall be altered, rebuilt, enlarged, extended, replaced or relocated, except upon the issuance of a permit by the building official, and all work done under such permit shall be in conformity with the requirements of this article.
(b) 
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 alterations for the purpose of this section.
(c) 
The fee for a permit under this section shall be the same as prescribed by section 4.10.084.
(d) 
If the work authorized by a permit issued under the provisions of this article has not been completed within one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of issuance of the certificate of occupancy or the issuance of a sign permit, whichever is later, the permit shall become null and void. The building official is authorized to grant one or more extensions of time, for periods not more than one hundred eighty (180) days each.
(Ordinance 2014-002, sec. 2, adopted 1/27/14; 1988 Code, sec. 28-35)
(a) 
Deviation of maximum sign area and sign height.
The maximum sign area and sign height may be increased by a maximum of twenty (20) percent with prior approval by the building official. Deviations in excess of twenty (20) percent shall be subject to the approval of the board of adjustment as provided in this section.
(b) 
Authority of board of adjustment.
The board of adjustment (“board”) is authorized to hear all appeals, variances, and special exceptions brought under this article in accordance with powers, rules, and procedures applicable to the board of adjustment in section 16 of the zoning ordinance and V.T.C.A., Local Government Code chapter 211.
(c) 
Duties of board of adjustment.
The board of adjustment shall have the following duties:
(1) 
To hear and decide an appeal that alleges error in an order, requirement, decision, or determination made by an administrative official in the enforcement of this article.
(2) 
To hear and decide special exceptions to the terms of this article when this article requires the board to do so.
(3) 
To hear and decide requests for variances to the regulations of this article.
(d) 
Appeals.
Appeals to the board:
(1) 
Appeals may be brought by any person aggrieved by a decision of the building official in the enforcement of this article, or by any officer, department or board of the municipality affected by the decision of the administrative officer.
(2) 
The appeals shall proceed and be governed as all other appeals to the board of adjustment.
(e) 
Variances to sign regulations.
(1) 
Any person requesting a variance from the provisions of the sign regulations shall submit an application on a form provided by the city, containing the information and plans requested in the application, along with a nonrefundable processing fee as set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code. Payment of the processing fee does not take the place of or eliminate the permit fee if the request for a variance or exception is approved.
(2) 
The board shall act upon the variance request within a reasonable time. Notice of the hearing on the variance request shall be given in the same manner as other appeals to the board.
(3) 
The board may grant a variance from a requirement of this article if it finds that all of the following factors exist:
(A) 
Due to some unique condition or feature of the property which is not generally common to other properties, literal compliance with this article would cause unnecessary hardship;
(B) 
The granting of the variance will not violate the spirit or the intent of this article; and
(C) 
The condition or feature which creates the need for the variance did not result from the property owner’s own actions.
(4) 
The board shall not grant a variance to any applicant solely for personal convenience, financial hardship, or other reasons unrelated to the property. If the board grants a variance, the variance shall be granted only to the extent that it is reasonably necessary to remedy the hardship. The board may impose conditions relating to the use of the sign for which a variance is granted.
(5) 
All decisions of the board granting or refusing a variance shall be reduced to writing and signed by the chairperson. If a variance is denied, the decision shall state the conditions for the variance which were not met. If the board grants a variance, the decision shall state that all conditions for a variance were met, specify the degree to which the regulations are being varied, and be signed by the members voting in favor of the variance.
(f) 
Special exceptions.
(1) 
The board may grant a special exception from the provisions of this article for the setback or height of a sign, other than a portable sign, under the following circumstances:
(A) 
Visibility obstructions.
When fifty (50) percent or more of the effective area of a sign to be located in accordance with the setback or height requirements of this article would not be visible from at least one (1) “visibility point” because of an existing building or structure or the natural ground. As used herein, “visibility point” shall mean the viewing locations, at a height of six (6) feet, determined by extending the side yard setback lines of the property so as to intersect the curb line of the public street fronting the property, then measuring from the intersecting points along the curb line away from the property in each direction for a distance on one hundred (100) feet. If the street fronting the property is one-way, the visibility point in the direction from which traffic approaches the property shall be used to determine the visibility requirement.
(B) 
Medical emergency signs.
When signs located on the property of an emergency medical treatment facility would not, because of the setback or height requirements of this article, be readily visible from adjacent public streets. For purposes of this provision, “emergency medical treatment facility” shall mean any hospital, clinic, or other facility where medical aid is offered to a person or animal which suffers an injury or illness that requires immediate medical attention.
(2) 
In granting a special exception, the board shall specify by written order the setback or the height that will be allowed, but in doing so shall not allow deviation from the provisions of this article beyond what is minimally necessary to remedy the situation allowing for the special exception.
(g) 
Judicial review of board decisions.
Appeals from any decision of the board under this article may be made in accordance with the provisions applicable to all other appeals of the board of adjustment and in accordance with chapter 211 of the Texas Local Government Code.
(Ordinance 2014-002, sec. 2, adopted 1/27/14; 1988 Code, sec. 28-36; Ordinance adopting 2021 Code)