Ordinance No. 60-66-1 v ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1
AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE LOCATION, CONSTRUCTION,
SIZE AND MAINTENANCE OF SIGNS, BILLBOARDS, MARQUEES
CANOPIES AND AWNINGS IN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH,
DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA; PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE
OF PERMITS AND FEES THEREFOR; PROVIDING PENALTIES
FOR VIOLATIONS OF PROVISIONS HEREIN; REPEALING ALL
ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HERE-
WITH; AND PROVIDING FOR SEPARABILITY OF THE PROVI-
SIONS HEREOF.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA:
SECTION I . SHORT TITLE
This Ordinance shall hereafter be known and cited as the
"Sign Ordinance".
SECTION II . EXEMPTIONS
(A. )The following signs are expressly excluded from the opera-
tion of this Ordinance:
1. Decals affixed to or signs , painted on store windows,
store equipment, fuel pumps, or other type of vending
equipment used for dispensing retail products.
2. Signs wholly within a building.
3. Memorial signs, tablets, or plaques, or name of building
and date of erection, when the same are cut into any masonry
surface or when constructed of bronze or other incombustible
material.
4. Small professional name plates for physicians, surgeons,
dentists, musicians, lawyers, architects, teachers and other
like professional persons placed on the premises occupied
by such person or persons, and not exceeding more than one
square foot in area, in all areas except business or indus-
trial zones.
5. Occupational signs denoting only the name and profession
of an occupant in a commercial building or public institutional
building, placed flat against the exterior surface of the
building and not exceeding three (3) square feet in area.
6. Not more than one real estate sign advertising sale, rental
41/ or lease of only the premises on which it is maintained.
Such sign shall not be more than four square feet in area and
shall conform to set back lines. •
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• ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1 Page #2
7 . Signs noting the architect, engineer or contractors when
placed upon work under construction, providing such sign
shall be removed within fifteen (15) days of completion of
construction. Such signs shall not be larger than necessary
to display the names of persons or firms performing labor
or supplying materials to the premises.
8. Traffic signs, legal notices, danger signs and temporary
emergency or non-advertising signs, erected by the City,
County, State or Federal Authorities.
9. "No trespassing" and "Private property" signs not exceed-
ing sixty-six (66) square inches in area.
10. "Vacancy" or "No Vacancy" signs not exceeding sixty-six
(66) square inches in area.
CL0( I`�
11 . Directional signs of any religious, charitable, fraternal
or civic organization within the City having a meeting place,
club house or other situs within the City for the purpose
of indicating the place where such club house, meeting place
or situs is located in the City. Such directional signs �9
shall not exceed four (4) square feet in area. All such
directional signs shall be provided and erected by the organiza-
tion desiring the same, under the direction and supervision of
the City Manager and only at specific locations designed by
the City Manager.
12. Bulletin Boards not over fifteen (15) square feet in area
for public, charitable or religious institutions when the same
are located on the premises of said institutions.
13 . Signs announcing the candidacy of a candidate for public
office not exceeding four (4) square feet in area. Such signs
shall be limited to four locations within the City for each
candidate, and written authorization from the property owner
for placing any such sign shall be obtained and filed with the
City Manager by the candidate or his agent. The placing of
such signs on public property is expressly prohibited and all per-
mitted signs will be removed by the Candidate within seventy-two
(72) hours after final election.
14. Signs erected at entrances to sub-divisions or new develop-
ments which contain not less than ten (10) houses or lots, said
sign not to exceed twenty-four (24) square feet in area.
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• ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1 Page #3
SECTION III. SIGNS PERMITTED (Other than those exempted under
Section 2 hereof) .
(A) Signs displayed or erected which advertise the particular
building or property on which the sign is located, or some
merchandise or service dispersed or rendered on the same premises
on which the sign is located are hereby permitted subject to
Section 3 (b) and Section 4 provided herein. No other bill-
boards, signs, marquee, canopy, or awning signs of any kind,
except those signs specifically exempted in section 2 here-
of, shall be displayed or erected in the City of Atlantic
Beach.
(B) Descriptions and restrictions of Signs Permitted (other
than those exempted under Section 2 hereof) .
FLAT SIGNS
Shall mean any sign erected parallel to the face of, or on
the outside of any building and supported through its length
by such wall or walls, or any sign in any way applied flat
against a wall. Such signs shall not in any case project
more than twelve (12) inches from the face of the building,
nor shall they extend above the adjoining eave line on
a building with a pitched roof. No portion of any such sign
which extends over City property shall be less than eight
(8) feet above the sidewalk grade of any street or avenue,
or fifteen (15) feet above the crown grade where such sign
is located parallel to and abutting on an Alley. No flat
sign shall utilize or occupy an area greater than fifteen
(15) percent of the side of the building to which such
sign is attached.
HORIZONTAL PROJECTING SIGNS
Shall mean any sign projecting at an angle from the outside
wall or walls of any building and which has its greatest
dimension in a horizontal plane. Such signs shall not have
more than sixty (60) square feet of horizontally projected
area, as calculated from any angle. There shall be not
over twelve (12) inches of clear space adjacent to the
building wall and such signs shall not extend or project
from the face of the building more than ten (10) feet.
No part of such sign shall extend above the top of the
adjoining parapet wall on a building with a flat roof or
above the adjoining eave line on a building with a pitched
roof; and no part of such sign shall be closer than eight
(8) feet to any sidewalk or pedestrian walkway, no closer
than twelve (12) feet to any street, alley or highway where
vehicular traffic may move. All such signs shall be
anchored to a wall and shall in no manner be connected to
or suspended from the roof of any building.
ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1 Page #4
VERTICAL PROJECTING SIGNS
Shall mean any sign projecting at an angle from the outside
wall or walls of any building and which has a vertical
dimension equal to or exceeding the horizontal dimension.
Such signs shall not have more than ninety (90) square feet
of horizontally projected area, as calculated from any angle;
and shall not project more than four (4) feet from the
building to which they are attached, nor shall the vertical
height of such sign exceed eighteen (18) feet. No part of
such sign shall extend more than six (6) feet above the top
of the adjoining parapet wall or a building with a flat roof,
no more than six (6) feet above the adjoining eave line on
a building with a pitched roof. All such signs shall be
anchored to the wall and not connected to or suspended from
the roof of any building.
ROOF SIGNS
Shall mean any sign erected completely over the roof of any
building. Such signs shall have not more than one hundred
eighty (180) square feet of horizontally projected area as
calculated from any angle. The overall height above the
roof shall not exceed fourteen (14) feet and such signs shall
4111 clear space immediately above the roof over not less than seventy-
five (75) percent of its length. Roof signs shall be so placed
that the least distance from any building line measured perpen-
dicular to the face of the sign shall not be less than the
total height above the roof. No roof sign shall extend
horizontally past the building lines of the roof.
POLE SIGNS
Shall mean any sign erected on a pole or poles and which is
wholly or partially independent of any building for support.
Such signs shall have not more than one hundred eighty (180)
square feet of horizontally projected area as calculated from
any angle and shall be limited to one (1) square foot of area
for each lineal foot of frontage of the lot on which such
signs are placed. The height of any self-supporting sign shall
not exceed thirty-five (35) feet. One such pole sign shall be
allowed on the street side of each lot, provided however, that
where a lot faces on more than one street, then one such sign
shall be permitted on each street side of such lot.
Where a pole sign is located on property used as a shopping
center, such pole sign shall be limited in area to one (1)
square foot of area for each lineal foot of frontage of the
lots or parcel of land upon which such shopping center is
located and on which such pole signs are placed; provided,
however, that no pole sign for such shopping center shall
exceed three hundred (300) square feet of horizontally
ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1 Page #5
projected area as calculated from any angle. For the purposes
411 of this Ordinance, a shopping center is defined as a group of
stores or businesses, two or more in number, which are housed
in a building or buildings which are set back from the street
or highway on which such building or buildings shall have
their maximum frontage, a distance of not less than one hundred
(100) feet, and on which set-back area, motor vehicle parking
is permitted for customers of the business carried on on such
premises.
MARQUEE OR AWNING SIGNS
Shall mean any sign placed flat along and on the edge of a
marquee or an awning. Such signs shall have a minimum clearance
of eight (8) feet above any area where pedestrians may walk and
such signs shall not extend below the bottom edge of the marquee
or awning.
SECTION IV.GENERAL PROVISIONS
(A) Permits Required:
It shall be unlawful for any person to install, alter, or
relocate any sign,marquee, canopy, awning or other adver-
tising structure as permitted under Section 3 herein with-
out first obtaining a permit from the City Manager and
• making payment to the City Clerk of the fee as required by
the schedule of fees established herein.All illuminated
signsshall in addition, be subject to the provisions of the
Electrical Code, and any permit fees required thereunder.
(B) Application For Erection Permit:
Application for erection permits shall be made upon blanks
provided by the City Manager, and shall contain or have
attached thereto the following information:
1. Name, address and telephone number of the applicant.
2. Whether applicant is "owner " or "lessee", and if
latter, show authority of owner.
3. Location of building, structure, or lot to which
or upon which the sign or other advertising
structure is to be attached or erected.
4. Plot plan showing position of the sign or other
advertising structure in relation to nearby
buildings or structures.
5. A blueprint or ink drawing of the plans and
specifications and method of construction
and attachment to the building or in the ground.
6. Name of person, firm, corporation or association
erecting structure.
7 . Any electrical permit required and issued for
said sign.
ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1 Page #6
)4r.. 8. Registered Engineer ' s drawings must be submitted with
applications for roof signs over fifty (50) square
feet in area, and for any sign, the top of which 'S \9
is more than seventeen (17) feet above the ground
ti
or weighing more than one thousand (1, 000) pounds, V
or any solid sign of area more than thirty (30)
square feet, showing that such sign will be erected ) 1
to withstand a wind pressure of at least fifty (50)
pounds per square foot and that the weight of such
sign will be amply supported by the roof of the
building or the ground support on which it is to be
erected.
9. Such other information as the City Manager shall require
to show full compliance with this and all other laws
and ordinances of the City of Atlantic Beach.
10. When a permit shall be issued for the erection or mainte-
nance of any sign which is to be located on the right-
of-way of any state highway in the City, it shall be
understood that such permit does not waive any require-
ments of state law or rules and regulations of the State
Road Department with reference to maintaining signs
within any State Highway right-of-way.
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(C) FEES FOR PERMITS
Fees to be paid for permits for the erection of signs,
awnings, and marquees shall be as follows:
1. Neon and Electric Signs:
15 square feet or fraction thereof $3.00
Over 15 square feet to 30 square feet 4. 50
Over 30 square feet to 45 square feet 6. 00
Over 45 square feet to 60 square feet 10.00
Over 60 square feet 15.00
Vertical signs with ladder 25.00
2. Non-Electric Detachable Signs and Pole
and Self-Supporting Signs:
First 6 square feet or fraction thereof $1.00
Over 6 square feet to 12 square feet,
inclusive 2.00
Over 12 square feet to 20 square feet,
inclusive 3.00
Each additional square foot or fraction
per square foot .10
ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1 Page #7
3. Marquee and/or Awnings-
Per lineal foot $. 20
Minimum fee 3.00
4. Neon Display and Outline Lighting
Including Transformers:
Up to and including three (3)
Transformers $3 . 00
Each additional transformer 1.00
5. Painted Wall Signs on Buildings:
Up to and including 100 square
feet $1. 50
Each additional 100 square feet,
or fraction thereof 1. 50
(D) Signs erected or maintained in the City shall be subject
to the following regulations:
1. NOT TO INTERFERE WITH PUBLIC
The sign must not create a traffic or fire hazard,
or be dangerous to the general welfare or inter-
fere with the free use of public streets or side-
walks.
2. IMMORAL NATURE
No sign shall display any statement, word or
character or illustration of any obscene, indecent
or immoral nature.
3 . KE'T IN GOOD REPAIR
All signs must be kept in good condition, neat
appearance and good state of repair. Any sign
at least twenty-five percent destroyed must be
immediately removed at the owner 's expense and a
new permit secured before the sign is replaced.
If not repaired within thirty days after written
notice from the City Manager, the sign shall
constitute a public nuisance and shall be re-
moved.
4. OBSTRUCTION OF DOORS, WINDOWS AND FIRE ESCAPES
No sign shall be attached to or placed against
a building in such a manner as to prevent ingress
or egress through any door or window of any build-
ing, nor shall any sign obstruct or be attached
to a fire escape.
ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1 Page #8
5 . POSTING OR TACKING NOTICE AND SIGNS
No person shall paint, paste, print, nail or
fasten in any manner whatsoever any banner, sign,
paper, or any advertisement or notice of any kind
whatsoever, or cause same to be done, on any
curbstone, flagstone, pavement, or any other
portion or part of any sidewalk or street or
upon any tree, lamp-post, private wall, window,
door, gate, fence, telephone or telegraph pole,
hydrant, workshop, or tool shed or upon any
structure within the limits of any streets within
the City, unless otherwise permitted hereunder.
Legal notices required by law to be so posted are
hereby excepted.
6. PROJECTING SIGNS OVER SIDEWALKS OR STREETS
No sign of any kind shall be permitted to extend into
or above or be anchored or placed in any portion of
the right-of-way of a City street or public sidewalk
(except official City, State and County signs) unless
such sign be permanently attached to an existing build-
ing and be located more than eight feet above the side-
walks or finished grade, and extend not more than eight
feet in a horizontal direction from the building to
which attached, and in no case closer than one foot
to curb line.
7. BLINKER, BEACON AND SPOT LIGHTS
The use of flashing, revolving or blinker-type outdoor
lights of any type, within one hundred fifty feet of
any right-of-way conducting vehicular traffic within
the corporate limits of the City of Atlantic Beach,
Florida is hereby prohibited. No spot, beacon or flood
light shall be permitted except where such beacon, spot
or flood light is non-revolving and in a fixed position,
and shines only on the owner ' s premises and away from any
street or roadway. All police vehicles, ambulances and
other official safety vehicles are exempt from the
provisions of this Section IV (D) 7 .
8. SIGNS TO BE FIRMLY SECURED
All signs permitted to be erected under this Ordinance
shall be firmly secured to the ground or structure upon
which same are placed.
ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1 Page #9
9 . OTHER SIGNS AND BANNERS PROHIBITED
All other signs and banners not specifically provided
for herein shall not be permitted within the corporate
limits of the City.
10. PROXIMITY TO ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR
No sign shall be erected closer than five (5)
feet to any overhead electrical conductor, where
the difference in potential between any two con-
ductors or between one conductor and ground,
exceed four hundred and eighty volts.
11. STATIC ELECTRICITY
No sign shall be constructed or maintained of which
all or any part causes static electricity or other-
wise interferes with radio or television reception.
12. BUILDING AND ELECTRIC CODES
All advertising signs must meet all setback
requirements of the City building or zoning
Ordinances and all neon and electric signs must
meet the provisions of the Electric Code of the
City and have electric permit for construction.
13 . MISLEADING STATEMENTS ON SIGNS
It shall be unlawful for any person to display
untrue, false or misleading statements upon signs,
billboards, or other public places, calculated to
mislead the public as to anything sold, any services
to be performed, or information disseminated. The
fact that any such sign or display shall contain
words or language sufficient to mislead an ordinary
person in reading same shall be prime facie
evidence of a violation of this provision by
persons displaying such signs, or permitting same
to be displayed at their residence, establishment
or place of business. Any person violating this
provision shall, upon conviction be punished as
provided in Section 5.
14. SIGNS NOT TO CONSTITUTE TRAFFIC HAZARD
No sign or other advertising structure as regulated
by this Ordinance shall be erected at the intersection
of any street in such a manner as to obstruct free
and clear vision; or at any location where, by
ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1 Page #10
reason of position, shape or color, it may interfere with,
obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized
traffic, sign, signal or device; or which makes use of any
word or words commonly used on traffic control signs or
signals.
15. CONCEALING REAR OF SIGNS
Where the rear of any sign structure is visible from any
street or from any adjoining district in the City, all
exposed structural members of any such sign shall be con-
cealed by painting, lattice work or as otherwise agreed
to with the City Manager.
16. PRIMARY WIRING FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS AMD NEON LIGHTING
All electrical wiring, electrical connections, and
electrical appurtenances pertaining to the installation
and maintenance of neon lighting and electric signs of
all types must be installed by an electrician licensed by
the City of Atlantic Beach, Florida.
SECTION V. PENALTY FOR VIOLATION
Any person violating any of the provisions of this Ordinance shall,
upon conviction thereof in the Municipal Court of the City, be
punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) ,
or imprisonment in the City jail for not more than thirty (30) days,
or either or both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of
the Municipal Judge.
SECTION VI. SECURITIES, BOND OR INSURANCE
(A) Bond. The owner or person in control of any sign what-
soever, suspended over or extending into any public right-
of-way more than one foot beyond the property line, and the
owner of any and all signs described in Section IV, paragraph
B-8 hereof, shall execute a bond in the sum of ten thousand
dollars ($10, 000.00) , with sureties approved by the City
Manager, indemnifying the City against all loss, cost,
damage or expenses incurred or sustained by, or Judgments
recovered against the City, or by any of its officers,
employees, appointees or servants, by reason of the construc-
tion or methods of any signs whatsoever; and also conditioned
to indemnify any person for any injury sustained by reason
of such construction or maintenance.
(B) Insurance. In lieu of the bond required in subsection
(A) above, there may be substituted therefor public liability
and property damage insurance by any insurance company
authorized to do business in the State of Florida, in the
same amounts and with the same conditions as required by
subsection (A) .
r
ORDINANCE NO. 60-66-1 Page #11
SECTION VII . LICENSES REQUIRED TO ENGAGE IN BUSINESS OF INSTALLING
SIGNS
No person who is engaged in the sign business, shall under the
provisions of this Ordinance, construct or erect any sign within
the city without first having obtained an occupational license
for such occupation. This section shall not apply to those
employed by a person or firm who is licensed in the City for such
business. �..
SECTION VIII . NON-CONFORMING SIGNS
All signs within the City limits which by enactment of this
Ordinance are made non-conforming must be removed by the owner 4,
within two (2) years from the effective date of this Ordinance. b
The City reserves the right to remove any such sign, if the owner 1
thereof fails to comply with this requirement. Removal will be
at the expense of the owner.
SECTION /X. REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES OR PARTS THEREOF
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith, in-
cluding Chapter XXIII of the Southern Standard Building Code, are
hereby repealed.
SECTION X. SEPARABILITY OF PROVISIONS
If any section, part of section, sentence, clause or phrase of
this Ordinance shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the
remaining provisions hereof shall nevertheless remain in full
force and effect.
SECTION XI. This ordinance shall be and become effective on
final reading.
**********
Passed by the City Commission on first reading on March 28, 1966.
Passed by the City Commission on second and final reading on
April 11, 1966.
Attest:
/g -
Adele S. Grage, City Clerk
(SEAL) This is to certify that the above orai n nce '� Co v - /
was posted '-f - 0-'676 at t ;- C. 1 1 fol �7,v.i;1F its final
passage on 'f- // - 6,4
GSC ?_
Adele S Gre e. City C1A