§ 16.5-13. Nonconformance and exceptions.

(a)

Purpose. It is the declared purpose of this chapter that in time, all privately-owned signs shall conform to the provisions of this chapter and its amendments, no presently illegal sign shall be deemed to have been legalized unless such sign complies with all current standards under the terms of this chapter and all other ordinances of the City of Copperas Cove. Any sign which does not conform to all provisions of this chapter shall be a nonconforming sign if it legally existed as a conforming or nonconforming sign, as the case may be. It is further the intent and declared purpose of this chapter that no offense committed, and no liability, penalty or forfeiture, either civil or criminal, incurred prior to the time this chapter was adopted shall be discharged or affected by such passage, but prosecutions and suits for such offenses, liabilities, penalties or forfeitures may be instituted, and causes presently pending may proceed.

(b)

Condemnation. Notice—Signs adjudged by the building official to be structurally unsafe or to be more than sixty (60) percent destroyed or dilapidated (based upon reconstruction value) may be condemned. A condemnation letter will be sent to the owner of the property stating that the sign must be demolished within fifteen (15) days of the receipt of the letter. If the sign is not removed within the period allotted, the city may remove the sign at the property owner's expense.

(c)

Nuisances. All of the following signs shall be considered a public nuisance and the city may, without notice, remove and impound any of the following signs:

(1)

Any sign erected or existing that constitutes a traffic hazard;

(2)

Any sign erected without a permit, either prior to or after the adoption of this chapter, if a permit was required;

(3)

Any sign erected in violation of the provisions of this chapter;

(4)

Any sign erected in or over a public right-of-way, either prior to or after the adoption of this chapter.

(d)

Relocation of certain nonconforming signs, when required. A nonconforming sign that is required to be relocated, due to public street widening or similar government action, may be replaced with a new sign as long as the area of the new sign does not exceed the area of the existing sign.

(e)

Repair or renovation of nonconforming signs. No nonconforming sign shall be enlarged. Normal periodic maintenance or repair is permitted as limited by paragraph (b) above.

(f)

Recovery of impounded signs. Signs impounded from within the street right-of-way may be recovered by the owner within fifteen (15) calendar days of the date written notice received of impoundment by paying a fee as follows:

(1)

A fee of five dollars ($5.00) for signs which are thirty-two (32) square feet or less in area.

(2)

A fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) for signs which are larger than thirty-two (32) square feet in area.

(g)

Disposal of impounded signs. Signs not recovered within fifteen (15) calendar days of impoundment may be disposed of by the city in any manner it shall elect.

(Ord. No. 2010-20, §§ 1, 2, 5-18-10; Ord. No. 2015-33, § 1(c), (d), 9-1-15)