Source: https://www.ecode360.com/15415138
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 05:42:26
Document Index: 96677952

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 12', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715', '§ 715']

Village of Argyle, WI Signs, Canopies, Awnings and Billboards
Ch 715 Art VII Signs, Canopies, Awnings and Billboards
§ 715-52 Purpose of sign, canopy and awning regulations.
§ 715-53 Definitions.
§ 715-54 Required permits for signs, canopies, awnings and billboards.
§ 715-55 Signs not requiring a permit.
§ 715-56 Residential signs requiring a permit.
§ 715-57 Commercial and industrial signs requiring a permit.
§ 715-58 Special sign requirements.
§ 715-59 Awnings and canopies.
§ 715-60 Prohibited features.
§ 715-61 Prohibited or restricted signs.
§ 715-62 Nonconforming signs.
§ 715-63 Dangerous and abandoned signs.
§ 715-64 Construction and maintenance regulations for signs.
§ 715-65 Variances or exceptions.
§ 715-66 Violations and penalties.
Article VII Signs, Canopies, Awnings and Billboards
Chapter 715 Zoning Article VII Signs, Canopies, Awnings and Billboards
The purpose of this article is to establish minimum standards to safeguard life and property and promote public welfare and community aesthetics by regulating the appearance, construction, location and maintenance of all signs, awnings, canopies and billboards. The provisions herein contained shall be binding alike upon every owner of a building, every tenant and every person in charge or responsible for or who causes the construction, repair, relocation or alteration of any outdoor sign and other advertising structures in the Village of Argyle; painting, posting and general maintenance are excepted.
The following definitions are used in this article. (Note: Not all types of signs defined herein are permitted under this article.)
A sign which no longer correctly advertises a bona fide business, owner, landlord/tenant, product or activity conducted, or product available on the premises where the sign is displayed or elsewhere.
The entire area within a single continuous perimeter composed of squares or rectangles which encloses the extreme limits of an advertising message, announcement or decoration.
The area is the perimeter which forms the outside shape, but excluding the necessary supports or uprights on which the sign may be placed unless they are designed as part of the sign. If the sign consists of more than one section or module, all areas will be totaled. The area of an irregularly shaped sign shall be computed using the actual sign face surface.
A movable hood or cover which projects from the wall of the building, which can be retracted, folded or collapsed against the face of a supporting structure. For purposes of this article, an "awning sign" is any awning. Decorative awnings without lettering or imagery are not considered signs.
A banner sign is generally constructed of a flexible nonrigid material (i.e., canvas, cloth, plastic, etc.) upon which goods, events or advertising has been placed, mounted to a pole or a building by a permanent frame at one or more edges. National flags, state or municipal flags, or the official flag of any institution or business shall not be considered banners.
A flat surface, as of a panel, wall or fence, on which signs are posted advertising goods, products, facilities or services not necessarily on the premises where the sign is located or which directs persons to a different location from where the sign is located.
The horizontal, linear dimension of that side of a building which faces a street, a parking area, a mall, or other circulation area open to the general public; and having either a main window display of the enterprise or a public entrance to the building. (In industrial districts, a building side with an entrance open to industrial employees also shall qualify as a building front.)
Any structure of canvas, other fabric, plastic, metal or wood or other material which is permanently attached to any exterior building wall in any manner, intended to shield any wall, window, door, sidewalk or roadway from sun, rain or any other element, and which is not retractable such as an awning.
Any sign attached to or constructed in, on or under a canopy for the purpose of this article; canopy signs shall be controlled by the rules governing projecting signs.
A sign such as a manual, electronic- or electric-controlled time-and-temperature sign message center or a reader board, whether electronic or manual, where copy changes. Any sign may be, or include as part of it, a changeable message sign.
The display surface is the area made available by the sign structure for the purpose of displaying the advertising message or which is intended to draw attention to the advertising message.
Any sign whose message may be changed by electronic process, including such messages as copy, art, graphics, time, date, temperature, weather or information concerning civic, charitable or the advertising of products or services for sale on the premises. This also includes traveling or segmented message displays.
See definition for "wall signs."
FREESTANDING (GROUND AND/OR PYLON SIGN)
The area of a sign determined by using the outside perimeter dimensions of the sign. If the sign consists of more than one module or section, their areas will be totaled. If the modules are formed in the shape of letters or symbols, the rules for area of copy apply.
The vertical distance measured from the mean center-line street grade to the highest point of the sign. If sign and sidewalk are not in essentially parallel planes, then measured vertically at the horizontal midpoint of the sign.
Any sign which carries only the name of the firm, major enterprise, institution or principal products offered for sale on the premises, or combination of these.
An internally illuminated canopy or one which is backlighted as to appear to illuminate the canopy sign.
A sign which serves a common or collective identification for two or more businesses or industrial uses on the same lot. Such sign may contain a directory to said uses as an integral part thereof.
Any sign which was already in existence and displayed on the effective date of this article, which met Code requirements when originally installed, but not meeting the requirements and limitations of this article.
Signs painted directly onto a building wall.
Any object or device or part thereof situated outdoors or indoors which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event or location by any means, including words, letters, figures, designs, symbols, fixtures, colors, motion, illumination or projected images.
Any person, partnership or corporation engaged, in whole or in part, in the business of erection or maintenance of signs, excluding the business which the sign advertises.
That person charged with the responsibility to see that signage in the community is installed and maintained in compliance with this article. In the Village of Argyle, the sign inspector will be the Zoning Administrator or Building Inspector.
A building permit issued for the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, moving, improvement, removal, conversion or demolition of any sign, issued pursuant to this article and the Building Code of the Village of Argyle.
Any supports, uprights, braces and framework of the sign which does not include any portion of the sign message.
An electrically controlled sign displaying time and temperature for public service information and may be incorporated into a business identification sign.
Any sign located completely within an enclosed building and visible from a public way. For purposes of this article, a window sign shall not include any sign permanently attached in the window or directly painted on the glass.
Except those specified in § 715-55, no sign, billboard, awning or canopy, as defined in this article, shall hereafter be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted or structurally altered without a sign permit and without being in conformity with the provisions of this article.
Signs also shall meet all other structural requirements of other applicable codes and ordinances of the Village of Argyle.
The name and address of the owner or owners of the premises upon which the sign is to be attached or erected, including written proof of consent from the property owner upon which the sign(s) are to be erected and maintained.
A legible scaled drawing with description and dimensions of the sign(s) to be erected or maintained under that permit and the sign's proposed location on the building or site.
Any other item of information that may be reasonably required by the Zoning Administrator or other Village officials for the purpose of application evaluation.
If the sign is larger than six square feet, the sign shall be reviewed by the Plan Commission, except those signs designated in § 715-58.
Whether the sign is designed, installed and maintained to promote the surrounding environment desired by the general public, pursuant to the objectives of proper design and zoning criteria.
Whether the sign is designed, constructed, installed or maintained in such a manner that it does not endanger public safety or traffic safety.
Whether the sign is legible, readable and visible in the circumstances in which it is to be used.
Whether the sign is in compliance with the provisions of this Code relating to traffic safety, traffic visibility setbacks, historic preservation and zoning.
Sign design review guidelines. In addition to the criteria established in Subsection D above, the following sign review guidelines shall be used by the Plan Commission in acting on sign permit applications and by the Zoning Board of Appeals in acting on appeals or variance requests:
All signs should be designed to fit the zoning and status character of the surrounding area. Special consideration should be made where proposed signage is located on or adjacent to locally identified historic structures or publicly owned recreation and conservancy areas. Signage in special planning areas, such as the downtown or historic preservation areas, will be required to conform to the planned dominant architectural theme of the area. Signage in or abutting residential properties should be designed and located so as not to create a residential nuisance.
As a general guidelines and where feasible, ground-mounted, freestanding signs larger than six square feet shall be located at least 100 feet apart.
Permit issuance/denial.
All sign permit applications shall be reviewed by the Zoning Administrator, who shall deny or grant such applications or refer the application to the Plan Commission within 10 business days of receipt of the complete application and payment of fee. If the sign meets the requirements of this article, all other ordinances of the Village and the approval of the Plan Commission as established herein, the Zoning Administrator shall issue a permit therefor.
Standards for Board of Appeals in reviewing appeals. The Board of Appeals may authorize upon appeal, in specific cases, issuance of a sign permit when such decision will not be contrary to the public interest, where owing to special conditions a literal enforcement of the provisions of this article will result in unnecessary hardship and so that the spirit of this article shall be observed and substantial justice done. No Board of Appeals' appellate decision shall have the effect of allowing in any district uses prohibited in that district or permit standards significantly lower than those required by state law or this article.
Stay of proceedings during appeals. An appeal shall stay all legal proceedings in furtherance of the action appealed from, unless the Zoning Administrator certifies to the Board of Appeals that, by reason of facts stated in the certificate, a stay would, in his/her opinion, cause immediate peril to life or property. In such cases, proceedings shall not be stayed otherwise than by a restraining order, which may be granted by the Board of Appeals or by a court of record on application, on notice to the Zoning Administrator and on due cause shown.
Signs in historic districts. In addition to these sign regulations, all signs within any historic district shall be subject to the provisions of the Village's Historic Preservation Code.[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 350, Historic Preservation.
Permit validity. Any sign permit issued by the Zoning Administrator shall be null and void and automatically revoked in the event that construction, installation or manufacture of the sign has not been commenced within 180 days from the date of the issuance of such permit. If work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of 90 days any time after the work is commenced, the original permit shall become null and void. A new permit shall first be obtained to complete the work, and a new permit fee shall be required.
The following signs may be erected and maintained in all zoning districts, except where noted, without a permit and without being deducted from gross sign surface area permitted.
Memorial signs. Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface, or inlaid so as to be part of the building.
Governmental notices. Official governmental notices and notices posted by governmental officers in the performance of their duties; governmental signs to control traffic or for other regulatory purposes or to identify streets or to warn of danger.
Traffic and service signs on private premises. Traffic and parking signs and devices, privately owned and on private premises and containing messages such as "exit only," "restricted for _____," and the like, the sole purpose of which is to direct and control traffic on the premises and which does not exceed 10 feet in height nor contain more than 12 square feet per face. Signs designating entrances, exits, service areas, parking areas, rest rooms and other such signs relating to functional operation of the building or premises shall be permitted without permit under this exception.
Real estate signs. One sign per street frontage may be placed on the offered property and shall not be more than seven square feet in size for residential property and not more than 32 square feet in area for nonresidential property. The sign may only advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which it is located and contain the name and/or logo of the real estate company or individuals and their respective addresses and telephone numbers posting the sign. Such signs shall be removed within 30 days after sale, rental or lease of the property.
Signs in display windows. Signs in the display window of a business which relate to services or products offered therein. This display sign exception is only permitted for properties in the following zoning districts: B-1 General Commercial District and B-2 Highway Commercial District. The window sign must direct attention to a business or profession conducted on the premises or to a product, service or entertainment sold or offered on said premises. Window signs shall be placed only on the inside of commercial buildings and shall not exceed 35% of the glass area of the pane upon which the sign is displayed.
On-premises temporary and portable signs in residential districts. Temporary or portable signs under 20 square feet for the purpose of an on-site open house, model home demonstration, special event such as a birthday or anniversary, and for five days thereafter, but may not exceed a total period of 30 days per twelve-month period.
Civic event temporary signs. Temporary off-premises signs not exceeding four square feet in residential or public land districts, or 32 square feet in the B-1, B-2, B-3 and I-1 Districts, pertaining to drives or events of civic, philanthropic, educational, religious or nonprofit organizations, provided such signs are posted not more than 30 days before said event and removed within seven days after the event.
Political signs. Political message, public election or referenda signs during an election campaign, as defined in § 12.04(1), Wis. Stats., limited to one per premises per candidate or referenda question. Political signs may be posted 60 days before an election and must be removed within seven days after said election. Said sign shall be a maximum of 16 square feet.
Rummage/garage sale signs. Rummage or garage sale signs not to exceed eight square feet in area, but use of this type of sign shall be limited to 72 hours per sale. Rummage or garage sale signs may only be located on the day of the garage sale within street right-of-way lines between the private property line and the pavement edge with the permission of the adjoining private property owner or renter in a location which does not create a visibility or traffic hazard (as determined by the Zoning Administrator or a law enforcement officer).
Open/close signs. Illuminated and nonilluminated signs not exceeding 10 square feet in area, announcing that a business is open or closed.
In addition to those permitted signs not requiring a permit pursuant to § 715-55, the following nonflashing, nonilluminated signs (except as otherwise provided) are permitted under the conditions specified in all residential, mobile home, and agricultural districts, and planned unit developments (residential) established by the Village's Zoning Code.
Location. The location of any such sign shall be at the discretion of the Zoning Administrator based upon the character of the area, the type and purpose of the sign.
Area and number. There shall be not more than one sign per lot, except that, on a corner lot, two signs (one facing each street) shall be permitted. No sign shall exceed 32 square feet in area nor be closer than five feet from any lot line.
Projection. No sign shall project beyond the property line into the public right-of-way.
Area and number. There shall not be more than one sign per lot street frontage. No sign shall exceed 16 square feet in area. Such sign shall have a 10 feet setback from a public right-of-way or lot line.
Home occupation/professional home office, subject to the following:
Content. The sign shall bear only the name, address, hours and other pertinent information regarding the on-site home occupation or professional home office maintained in compliance with this chapter.
Permitted signs. The following signs shall require a permit to be issued by the Village of Argyle. Signs may be permitted in specific zoning categories, subject to the following restrictions.
Directory signs. Directory signs advertising a business or activity conducted, an area of interest, or a service available at a specific location are permitted in the B-1, B-2, B-3 and I-1 Districts when a part of a Village-sponsored directory sign program. Such signs shall be not more than 24 square feet in gross area. There shall not be more than two such signs relating to any one such use in the approaching direction along any one highway. Such signs may be placed at the right-of-way line of the highway. A larger number of signs may be permitted by the Plan Commission if the Plan Commission shall find it necessary for directing the traveling public. The Plan Commission shall designate a uniform sign design for such directory signs.
Wall signs. Wall signs are permitted in the B-1, B-2, B-3 and I-1 Districts. Wall signs placed against the exterior walls of buildings shall not extend more than 16 inches outside of a building's wall surface nor extend above or beyond the wall itself. Total sign area (including multiple business/tenant signs on a single property) shall not exceed one square foot for each lineal foot of the building parallel with the main street frontage. Rear or side entrance signs are subject to the same size restrictions as that found at the principal (front/main) entrance to the building. Signs on other building facades (i.e., nonentrance side facades) are limited to 1/2 square foot per lineal foot of such facade. All signs attached or affixed to a building shall not exceed 20 feet in height above the mean center-line street grade.
Projecting signs. Projecting signs fastened to, suspended from, or supported by a building or structure shall not exceed in gross area for any one premises: 40 square feet on each of two faces in the B-2 Highway Commercial District or B-3 Business Park District, and 40 square feet on each of two sides in an industrial district. With the exception of existing marquee signs of historic interest, permits shall not be issued for new projecting signs in the B-1 General Commercial District. Such signs shall not extend into any public right-of-way; shall not exceed a height of 20 feet above the mean center-line street grade; and shall not be less than 10 feet above a pedestrian walk nor less than 15 feet above an alley or driveway.
Ground signs. Ground signs and their supporting structure shall comply with all setback requirements of the district in which they are located, except that ground signs in a B-2 Highway Commercial District may be located up to a public right-of-way. Ground signs shall not exceed in gross area for any one premises: 40 square feet on each side in a B-1 General Commercial District; 120 square feet on each side in a B-2 Highway Commercial District; or 160 square feet on each side in an I-1 or B-3 Industrial District. Such signs shall not exceed at their highest point 20 feet in height above mean center-line street grade. One ground sign is permitted on a street frontage, provided there is no pylon sign on that side. Any ground sign in a B-2 Highway Commercial District, B-3 Business Park District or I-1 Industrial District shall have a minimum landscaped area of 16 square feet around the base of the ground sign.
Pylon signs. Pylon signs shall not exceed 30 feet in height in a B-2 or B-3 Business District or I-1 Industrial District. Pylon signs shall not be placed in the B-1 General Commercial District. Height is measured above the mean center line of street grade. The sign shall be completely within the property upon which it is located. One pylon sign per street frontage is permitted. Size is limited to 100 square feet for one side or 200 feet for all sides. When there exists a property zoned in a B-2 Highway Commercial District with continuous road/highway frontage in excess of 300 feet, the size is limited to 200 square feet per side or 400 square feet for all sides. Any pylon sign shall have a minimum landscaped area of 16 square feet around the base of the pole.
Off-premises third-party signs. Off-premises third-party signs are prohibited, except that a business in a B-2 Highway Commercial District may have an off-premises pylon or ground sign shared with a physically adjacent business on the adjacent business property. Such a shared sign shall comply with the dimensional requirements of Subsections D(4) and (5) above, except that the secondary sign's dimensions shall not exceed 50% of the primary sign's maximum allowable dimensions. Such signs shall share the same pylon or ground sign mountings.
Shopping center/industrial park directory signs. In a shopping center or industrial park, one freestanding identification/directory sign for each street upon which the development fronts may be permitted, showing the name of said center or park and represented business or industries. Directory signs for shopping centers or industrial parks are permitted as an alternative to ground signs or projecting signs for individual stores in the shopping center or business in the industrial park. The top of a directory sign shall not exceed 32 feet in height above the mean center-line street grade and the bottom of the sign shall not be less than 10 feet above the sidewalk and not more than 16 feet above a driveway or alley. Double supporting pylons shall not be greater than 10 feet apart. That portion of the directory sign which advertises the shopping center or industrial park name shall not exceed 100 square feet for one side and a total of 200 square feet for all sides. That portion of the directory sign which advertises the individual store/business name shall not exceed 16 square feet for one side and a total of 32 square feet for all sides. Directory signs shall meet all yard requirements for the zoning district in which they are located.
Portable signs/message boards. Such signs shall be limited in use to seven days at a time following approval by the Zoning Administrator; provided, however, that the Zoning Administrator shall not give approval for placement of a portable sign/message board if it presents a vision obstruction; such signs shall not be displayed more frequently than four times per calendar year at any one location and not more than seven days each time. The maximum size of a portable sign/message board shall be 10 square feet on each face, back to back. Portable signs/message boards shall not be located in any public rights-of-way and shall be securely fastened to prevent any hazardous condition.
Sandwich signs. In instances where the property owner or business tenant in a B-1 General Commercial District or B-2 Highway Commercial District wishes to erect a sandwich board, there is a limit of one sandwich board per business tenant, and such sign shall not exceed four feet in height and eight square feet per side display area. Sandwich signs may be placed only after issuance of a sign permit and shall be placed in a manner so as not to present a hazard.
On-site banner signs. On-site banner signs, whether permanent or temporary, shall not be erected for over 60 days.
Over-the-street banners. Over-the-street banners are not permitted except for civic activities.
Awning extension from curbline. No entrance awning shall extend beyond a point eight feet into the right-of-way.
Support. The structural support of all canopies shall be properly designed and be approved by the Zoning Administrator as in compliance with the Building Code of the Village. All frames and supports shall be designed to withstand a wind pressure as provided in this article. All canopies and awnings shall be attached to a building, and no supports shall exist beyond the setback line between the canopy and/or awning and the sidewalk or ground below.
Canopy extension from curbline. No entrance canopy shall extend beyond a point eight feet from the face of a wall or building.
Advertising. No advertising shall be placed on any canopy, except that the name and logo of the establishment may be painted or placed in a space not exceeding 24 inches in average height on the front and side edges. Such name may be so painted or placed irrespective of any prohibition otherwise applicable hereunder; providing, however, that if such canopy shall contain more or other than the name of the establishment in letters more than eight inches high on the front and side edges, it shall be considered as a sign and be subject to all the provisions hereof.
Landscape features such as plant materials, berms, boulders, fencing and similar design elements unincorporated or in conjunction with freestanding signs are encouraged and shall not be counted as allowable sign area. The base of signs shall be landscaped so as to conceal footings, mountings, brackets and related structural elements.
Moving or flashing signs. No sign shall be erected which has any flashing, rotating or brilliant intermittent parts or lights, bare reflecting-type bulbs, or which utilizes a spot or beacon light to illuminate a sign, except those giving public service information such as time, date, temperature, weather or similar information. Public information display signs require approval by the Plan Commission. No signs, billboards or other advertising media which create a hazard or dangerous distraction to vehicular traffic or a nuisance to adjoining residential property shall be permitted in any district.
Billboards. No new billboards shall be permitted in the Village of Argyle after the original effective date of this article. Billboards located upon property annexed to the Village and existing as of the effective date of this article are permitted to remain unless the owner structurally alters such billboard in any manner. If damaged, or if structural alteration is made/required, such billboard shall be permanently removed. However, any billboards existing as of the effective date of this article must be removed permanently within three years following annexation and with such removal being agreed to in writing by the owner/lessor/lessee thereof in writing prior to such annexation.
Painted wall and other prohibited signs. Painted wall signs are signs which are painted directly onto the surface of the building; painted wall signs are prohibited in the Village of Argyle. No person shall paste or otherwise fasten any paper or other material, paint, stencil or write any number, sign, name or any disfiguring mark within any street right-of-way, on any sidewalk, curb, gutter, street, post, fire hydrant, pole or tree, any other sign, building, fence or other structure, nor shall any of said objects be defaced in any manner. No signage shall be used except those types specifically permitted by this article.
Immoral sign subjects. Signs which bear or contain statements, words, pictures or symbols of obscene, pornographic or immoral subjects are prohibited.
Roof signs. Roof signs are prohibited in the Village of Argyle.
Third-party signs. Third-party signs and billboards are prohibited, except as provided in § 715-57D(6).
Advertising vehicle sign configuration. No persons shall park any vehicle or trailer on a public right-of-way or on private properties, so as to be seen from a public right-of-way, which has attached thereto or located thereon any sign or advertising device for the basic purposes of providing advertisement of products or directing people to a business activity located on the same or nearby property or any other premises. Business vehicles containing typical business signage and which are actively used on a daily basis for business purposes are exempt from this prohibition.
Signs which are not effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of the traveled ways of a public right-of-way and which are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle, or which otherwise interfere with any driver's operations of a motor vehicle, are prohibited.
No sign shall be so floodlighted or illuminated that it interferes with the effectiveness of or obscures an official traffic sign, device or signal.
New signs not permitted. Business signs on the premises of a nonconforming use or building may be continued per this section, but new signs for such uses shall not be allowed, nor shall expand in number, area, height or illumination. New signs, not to exceed the maximum allowable aggregate sign area, may be erected only upon the complete removal of all other signs existing at the time of adoption of this article.
Removal of nonconforming signs after amortization period. The Village Board finds that the Village's development and increased competition among various businesses located in the Village has significantly increased the number of signs. The result has been an excessive number of signs, which tend to increase public confusion, interfere with other signs, distract operators of motor vehicles, and cause visual blight. The Village Board has determined that it is in the public interest to eliminate legal nonconforming signs. The Village Board also recognizes that owners of signs may have property interests of value in such nonconforming signs that may be amortized over time and thus is adopting a reasonable phase-out period. All legal nonconforming signs which could not be erected under the standards of this article shall be removed, at the cost of the property owner, within 10 years of the effective date of this article.
Removal upon business termination. Nonconforming signs shall be removed when the principal structure located on the premises undergoes a change of use or shall be removed per § 715-66. Closing businesses must remove their signs within 30 days of closing.
Maintenance exception. Altering a sign does not include maintaining the existing appearance of the sign; replacing the sign face or the supporting structure with identical materials, colors and messages; changing the message of a marquee sign; or changing the face of an off-premises advertising sign.
If said sign is damaged by fire, flood, explosion, earthquake, vandalism, war, riot or act of God or structurally altered in any way, except for normal maintenance and repair, the sign may be reconstructed and used as before if it is reconstructed within three months after such calamity, unless the damage to the sign is 50% or more of its replacement value, in which case the constructed sign shall comply with the provisions of this article.
Legal nonconforming sign maintenance and repair. Nothing in this article shall relieve the owner or use of a legal nonconforming sign or the owner of the property in which the sign is located from the provisions of this article regarding safety, maintenance and repair of signs. However, legal nonconforming signs shall not be reinstalled, reconstructed or have their useful life extended.
Removal of dangerous signs. All signs shall be removed by the owner or tenant of the premises upon which the sign is located if, in the judgment of the Zoning Administrator, such sign is so old, dilapidated or has become so out of repair as to be dangerous or unsafe, whichever occurs first. If the owner or tenant fails to remove it, the Zoning Administrator may remove the sign at cost of the owner, following adequate written notice. The owner may appeal the decision of the Building Inspector to the Board of Appeals.
Abandoned signs. Except as otherwise herein provided, all sign messages shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the premises upon which an off-premises sign is located when the business it advertised is no longer conducted where advertised. If the owner or lessee fails to remove the sign, the Zoning Administrator shall give the owner 60 days' written notice to remove said sign, and thereafter upon the owner's or lessee's failure to comply may remove such sign, any costs for which shall be charged to the owner of the property or may be assessed as a special assessment against the property, and/or the Zoning Administrator may take any other appropriate legal action necessary to attain compliance.
Violations. All signs constructed or maintained in violation of any of the provisions of this article after the date of adoption are hereby declared public nuisances within the meaning of the Village of Argyle Code. In addition to the penalty provisions for violations of this article, the Zoning Administrator or Village Board may bring an action to abate the nuisance in the manner set forth in the Wisconsin Statutes or Village ordinances.
Prohibited mounting. No signs shall be painted on, attached to or affixed to any trees, rocks or other similar organic or inorganic natural matter, including utility poles or apparatus.
Maintenance. All signs, including supports and attachments, shall be properly maintained and have an appearance that is neat and clean. All signs shall be kept in good structural condition, well painted, and clean at all times, and the immediate premises shall be maintained in a clean, sanitary and inoffensive condition and kept free and clear of all obnoxious substances, rubbish and weeds.
Variances or exceptions to these sign regulations may be granted by the Board of Appeals, following a recommendation from the Zoning Administrator, pursuant to the procedures of the Village Zoning Code.
Construction without permit. Any person, firm or corporation who begins, erects, improperly alters or completes the erection or construction of any sign, awning or canopy controlled by this article prior to the granting of a sign permit shall pay a penalty double the amount of the permit otherwise required.
If the Zoning Administrator finds any sign, awning or canopy regulated herein unsafe or insecure or is a menace to the public, or has been improperly erected, altered or maintained, he shall give written notice to the sign owner and to the property owner.
Violations and penalties. Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this article shall be subject to a penalty, which shall be as follows:
Any person found guilty of violating any part of this article who has previously been notified of being in violation, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a forfeiture as prescribed by § 715-94.
Each violation and each day a violation continues or occurs shall constitute a separate offense. Nothing in this article shall preclude the Village from also maintaining any appropriate action to prevent or remove a violation of any provision of this article.