The New City Sign Ordinance

It is with great pleasure that I share with you the new City ordinance dealing with random signs placed within our fair city. This copy came from SG member, Linda Wells, who also worked tirelessly to get this finally passed. Now, let's all volunteer to help the city enforce this! I am going to start sending the enforcement folks (I am pretty sure that would be Larry Baldock lbaldock@glasgow-ky.com) plenty of pictures of signs on the road right of way right now. I think I counted four within the short drive between my office and my house! Cleaning this mess up will go a long way toward making our community more attractive and enjoyable to live in.

AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE PLACEMENT OF SIGNS,

DIRECTIONAL SIGNS, OUTDOOR ADVERTISING DISPLAYS,

AND SPECIAL EVENT SIGNS

THAT, WHEREAS, the City of Glasgow is re-focusing its efforts to enforce the placement of signage throughout the City for both safety and aesthetic concerns; and

WHEREAS, the City’s existing Ordinances do not sufficiently address the matter;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY ORDAINED by the City of Glasgow as follows:

Section No. 1. This Ordinance shall not apply to any sign located on the property to which it relates, but shall apply only to off-premises signs as defined below.

Section No. 2. The following definitions shall apply for the purposes of this Ordinance unless the context indicates or requires a different meaning.

A. "Directional Sign." A sign conveying directions to a premises other than the premises on which the sign is located.

B. "Outdoor Advertising Display." Any advertising display identifying, describing or illustrating, and which directs attention to a product, person, business, service or sale.

C. "Special Events Signs." Signs or advertising displays which relate specifically to a scheduled special event. Special events shall be defined as not to exceed thirty (30) days.

D. "Signs." Any type of sign described in subparagraphs A, B and C above, as well as any other publicly displayed placard, banner, board or marker bearing information, or advertising.

Section No. 3. No sign shall be erected or placed on any right-of-way, whether it is a City street, way, or alley, or a State highway, which specifically includes the placing of a sign, by any means, upon any street, sidewalk, curbing, or upon any utility pole, tree or post along and adjacent to the streets and alleys of the City.

A. However, any licensed real estate agent or real estate auctioneer, after first obtaining express permission from the Code Enforcement Officer, shall be permitted to place an auction sign within the City’s right-of way, so long as the sign is removed within twenty-four (24) hours of the conclusion of the auction sale. This exception shall not apply to any other rights-of-way but City rights-of-way.

Section No. 4. No sign shall be erected or placed in such a fashion or in such a location as to obstruct the flow or view of traffic.

Section No. 5. Special events signs shall be removed within five (5) calendar days from the final day of the event and all special events signs shall contain the event date on the sign itself.

Section No. 6. No directional sign or outdoor advertising display shall be erected or placed in any residential zone, with the exception of real estate signs advertising the sale, rental or lease, and signs relating to home occupations, which are governed by §158.078 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, or signs for permanent identification for the dwelling (i.e., house number).

Section No. 7. All signs as defined herein shall be kept and maintained in a good state of repair.

Section No. 8. With the exception of billboards, which may only be erected adjacent to the rights-of-way of U.S. Highway 31-E, Kentucky Highway 68-80, Kentucky Highway 90, and the Cumberland Parkway pursuant to §111.20, et. seq., of the City’s Code of Ordinances, all signs, as defined herein, shall not exceed six (6) feet in height and ten (10) feet in width, inclusive of all mounting apparatus, unless another Ordinance, relating to a specific application or circumstance, provides otherwise.

Section No. 9. So long as it complies with all other provisions of this Ordinance, and so long as it is constructed and placed with the express permission of the property owner, a permanent, off-premises, free-standing, directional sign or outdoor advertising display relating to a business, or grouping of businesses, whose offices, stores or facilities are at another location, may be larger that the dimensions set forth in Section No. 8 above, but shall not exceed twelve (12) feet in height and twenty (20) feet in width and shall comply with all other applicable planning and zoning regulations. All permanent, off-premises, free-standing, directional signs or outdoor advertising displays shall be constructed with substantial, permanent, weather-resistant materials.

Section No. 10. Any sign located, or left remaining, in violation of this Ordinance shall be immediately removed by the City’s Code Enforcement Officer, or his designee, if the sign’s removal may be accomplished by simply pulling it from the ground or removing it from a pole, tree, post, etc., and any such sign shall be temporarily retained at the City Landfill for a period of fourteen (14) days to allow the rightful owner an opportunity to reclaim it. After fourteen (14) days, the sign shall be disposed of at the City Landfill. In the event the sign is affixed by a more permanent means, and its owner can be readily identified, the Code Enforcement Officer shall notify the owner, in writing, of the violation, and further notify the owner that the sign must be removed within ten (10) days from the receipt of the written notification and it shall be assumed that the notification is received within five (5) days from the date affixed to the notification. If the sign’s owner cannot be readily identified, or if the sign is not so removed by the owner within the prescribed time period after written notification, the Code Enforcement officer, or his designee, shall remove the sign by all necessary means and the owner, if readily identifiable, shall be liable to the City for the costs associated therewith, including the cost of labor.

Section No. 11. Any person violating this Ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a violation and shall be fined, upon conviction, not less than fifty dollars ($50.00), nor more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00), with each day that any violation or failure to comply occurs, or is continued, constituting a separate offense.

Section No. 12. The provisions of this Ordinance are severable. If any provision of this Ordinance or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application. Further, this Ordinance is intended to be read in harmony with other Ordinances addressing similar matters and the provisions of this Ordinance supersede prior Ordinances only to the extent that they directly conflict with one another.

Section No. 13. This Ordinance shall take effect upon its passage and publication according to law.