§ 21.44.250. Historic signs.

Any sign designated by City ordinance as a Historic Landmark, or granted historic designation by the California State Historic Preservation Office, or the United States Secretary of the Interior, or any sign that is a historic element of such a designated building or site, shall be considered a historic sign. Historic signs shall be exempt from the requirements of this chapter as to height, illumination, location, movement, sign area, and materials, and may be maintained as legally conforming signs subject to the following conditions:

A.

All parts of the exempted historic sign including neon tubes, incandescent lights and shields, and sign faces shall be maintained in a functioning condition as historically intended for the sign to the greatest degree possible.

B.

Parts of historic signs originally designed to flash or move may be allowed to continue to flash or move. There shall be no alterations to the historic pattern, speed, or direction of flashing or moving elements.

C.

The wording or image of a historic sign may be altered only if the alterations do not substantially change the historic dimensions, height, scale, style, character, or type of materials of the historic sign.

D.

Failure to maintain a historic sign as required above shall be grounds for disallowing an exemption from the requirements of this chapter. The Cultural Heritage Commission shall be authorized to make a determination of revocation of exemption. The sign shall thereafter be brought into compliance with the requirements of this chapter to the satisfaction of the Director of Development Services.

E.

Full reconstruction or major alteration of a historic sign shall require approval of the Site Plan Review Committee, and the Cultural Heritage Commission in the case of a City-designated Historic Landmark.

( ORD-13-0014 , § 19(Att. A), 2013)