SEC. 91.6201. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

(Amended by Ord. No. 171,175, Eff. 7/25/96.)

91.6201.1.General. Section H101.1 of Appendix H of the CBC is adopted by reference.

91.6201.2. Sign Permits. (Amended by Ord. No. 179,416, Eff. 12/20/07, Oper. 1/ 1/08.)

A building permit shall be obtained from the Department in accordance with the provisions of Section 91.106 of this Code for any sign (including a temporary sign) and/or sign alteration, other than changes or replacement of copy, that are regulated by this division or by Chapter I of the LAMC. Where signs are illuminated by electric lighting, an electrical permit shall also be obtained as required by the Electrical Code.

EXCEPTIONS: (Amended by Ord. No. 184,692, Eff. 12/30/16.)

a. Signs not exceeding 20 square feet (1.85 m 2 ) in area, place upon the surface of the ground, no part of which extends more than 6 feet 6 inches (1981.2 mm) above the underlying ground, which have no mechanical or moving parts or to which no electricity or other source of illumination or power are attached to or used to illuminate the sign;

b. Boards and signs, not to exceed 6 square feet (.557 m 2 ), used exclusively to display official notices issued by any court or public officer in the performance of a public duty or by a private person in giving legal notice;

c. Temporary signs conforming to the requirements of Article 4.4, Chapter I of the Los Angeles Municipal Code which contain political, ideological, or other noncommercial messages.

(Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Prior to the issuance of a building permit(s) for temporary signs on temporary construction walls, and/or solid wood fences surrounding vacant lots pursuant to LAMC Section 14.4.17, the applicant shall post with the Department a bond in the amount of $10,000.00, guaranteeing compliance with all conditions of the permit and the provisions of this ordinance. The applicant may post a surety bond, cash bond or negotiable United States Treasury Certificates of the kind approved by law for securing deposits of public money in accordance with the requirements of LAMC Section 91.8305, et seq. Only one bond shall be required of each applicant regardless of the number of locations for which the applicant has requested a building permit for a temporary sign on temporary construction fences or fences surrounding vacant lots.

For purposes of this subsection, the term "applicant" shall mean the owner of the sign company or, if there is no sign company, the owner of the property.

The Department may revoke any sign permit as provided in LAMC Section 98.0601(a).

91.6201.3. Sign Permit Priority Status.

To maintain location, area, frontage, or spacing status, signs must be installed within six months of issuance of a building permit or prior to expiration of any permit extension granted by the Department.
Where more than one permit has been issued and the effect of those permits when considered together results in a violation of this division, all permits except the permit with the earlier date and time of issuance shall be invalid.

91.6201.4. Violations. It shall be unlawful for any person to erect, construct, install, enlarge, alter, repair, move, remove, convert, demolish, use or maintain any sign or sign support structure or cause or permit those actions to be done, in violation of any of the provisions of this division.

Any person who violates or causes or permits another person to violate any of the provisions of this division is guilty of a misdemeanor.

91.6201.5. Penalties. Any person convicted of a misdemeanor under the provisions of this division shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period of not more than six months, or by both fine and imprisonment. Each violation of the provisions of this division and each day during which a violation is committed or continues is a separate offense.

Any person convicted of violating any provision of this division may be required to pay restitution to the City of Los Angeles for all costs expended to investigate and/or enforce the provisions of this division.

91.6201.6. Modifications.

91.6201.6.1. Authority. In addition to its authority to grant slight modifications pursuant to LAMC Section 98.0403.1, the Board shall have the authority to grant significant modifications from these sign regulations.

91.6201.6.2. Basis. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Before granting a significant modification, the Board must find (1) that a special, individual reason makes the strict letter of the ordinance impractical and (2) that the requested modification is in conformity with the spirit and purposes of the objectives set forth in LAMC Subdivision 91.6201.6.6.

91.6201.6.3. Procedure.

91.6201.6.3.1. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Requests for modifications in individual cases shall be made in accordance with the procedure established in LAMC Sections 98.0403.1 and 98.0403.2.

91.6201.6.3.2. The Department shall determine whether an application is for a slight modification or a significant modification. The Department's determination that a proposed modification is significant shall be final and may not be appealed to the Board.

91.6201.6.3.3. An application for a request for significant modification shall be made to the Board. The applicant, in their request, shall state the special, individual reason that makes compliance with the strict letter of the provisions in question impractical and shall show that the modification requested is in conformity with the spirit and purpose of this division.

On the date of receipt of filing of the application, the file of the Department shall be forwarded to the Board. Upon receipt of the application, the Board shall set the matter for hearing and give notice by mail not less than ten days before the hearing of the time, place and purpose of the hearing to the applicant, to the owners of the property involved, and to the owners of all property within or outside of the City that is within a 300-foot radius of the property on which the sign is to be placed as shown on the records of the City Engineer, or in the case of property outside the City, the records of the County Assessor. (Amended by Ord. No. 181,595, Eff. 4/10/11.)

91.6201.6.4. Board Referral. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) The Board may refer a request for a significant modification to the Sign Advisory Committee (LAMC Subsection 91.105.4) for evaluation and recommendation before it renders a decision.

91.6201.6.5. Fees. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Processing fees for significant modifications are the same as those set forth for appeals to the Board in LAMC Section 98.0403.2. Significant modifications may also be subject to the fees set forth in LAMC Subsection 91.105.4 and LAMC Section 19.05.

91.6201.6.6. Purpose. The purpose of this division is to promote public safety and welfare by regulating signs in keeping with the following objectives:

That the design, construction, installation, repair and maintenance of signs will not interfere with traffic safety or otherwise endanger public safety; and
That both the public and sign users will benefit from signs having improved legibility, readability and visibility.