HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 14255c~
ORDINANCE NO (~ °~ S~
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY OF FORT WORTH, BEING ORDINANCE NO. 13896, AS
AMENDED, CODIFIED AS APPENDIX "A" OF THE CODE OF THE
CITY OF FORT WORTH (1986), BY AMENDING SECTION 6.402,
"EXEMPT SIGNS", TO REPEAL PRE-ELECTION TIME LIMITS ON
POLITICAL SIGNS, ESTABLISHING DEADLINES FOR REMOVAL OF
REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION SIGNS, PERMITTING UP TO
FOUR SIGNS TOTALING A MAXIMUM OF SIXTEEN SQUARE FEET
IN AREA ON RESIDENTIAL LOTS FOR THE DISPLAY OF
NONCOMMERCIAL COPY; EXEMPTING TEMPORARY SEASONAL
OR HOLIDAY SIGNS, PROVIDING THAT ANY SIGN AUTHORIZED
TO CONTAIN COMMERCIAL COPY MAY CONTAIN
NONCOMMERCIAL COPY; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE
SHALL BE CUMULATIVE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE,
PROVIDING A PENALTY CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE;
AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
WHEREAS, temporary residential signs are an important and distinct medium for
expression of political, religious, or personal messages,
WHEREAS, speech concerning public elections is entitled to special protection under
±he First Amendment;
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes and respects the First Amendment protection
afforded political, religious and personal messages, particularly with regard to citizens' right to
display such messages at their own residences,
WHEREAS, however, if left completely unregulated, temporary signs can create visual
clutter and can become a threat to public safety as a traffic hazard and a detriment to property
values and the City's overall public welfare;
WHEREAS, by enacting this ordinance the City Council intends to
• balance the rights of individuals to convey messages through temporary signs and
the right of the public to be protected against the unrestricted proliferation of
signs,
• protect. the public health, safety, and welfare,
• reduce traffic and pedestrian hazards,
• minimize visual clutter; and
• protect property values by minimizing the possible adverse effects caused by
temporary signs.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, AS FOLLOWS
SECTION 1.
Section 6 402, "Exempt Signs", of Ordinance No 13896, Subsection (A)(5) relating to
political signs, is hereby amended to repeal pre-election time limits, as follows.
5 Political signs refernng to the candidates or issues involved m a public election,
subject to the following conditions
a. Signs not exceeding eight square feet m area maybe erected m any zoning
distract.
b Signs not exceeding 32 square feet in area may be erected only in "E",
"FR", "F", "G", "I", "J" and "K" Distracts.
c A sign shall be removed within 30 days after the general or run-off
election to which the sign pertains.
SECTION 2.
Section 6 402, "Exempt Signs", of Ordinance No 13896, Subsection (A)(12) is hereby
amended to require that real estate signs be removed within 30 days after sale or occupancy of
the property, as follows
] 2 One non-illuminated real estate sign, temporary m nature, advertising the sale or
lease of real property on which the sign is located or announcing contemplated
improvements of real property on which the sign is located, provided, however,
that said sign shall not exceed eight square feet m area m any one- or two-family
dwelling disinct or 60 square feet m area and eight feet m height m any other
distract; provided, further, however, on corner lots and through lots, one such sign
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shall be allowed for each street on which the lot has frontage. The sign shall be
removed within 30 days after the sale or occupancy of the property
SECTION 3
Section 6 402, "Exempt Signs", of Ordinance No 13896, Subsection (A)(13) •is hereby
amended to require that construction signs be removed within 30 days after completion of the
project, as follows
13 One construction sign, not exceeding four square feet m area m any one- or two-
family dwelling district or 40 square feet m area and 12 feet m height m any
other distract, denoting the owner, architect, financial institution, general
contractor, subcontractor or any statement pertaining to the project on the real
property on which the sign is located, provided, however, on corner lots and
through Lots, one such sign shall be allowed for each street on which the lot has
frontage. The sign shall be removed within 30 days after completion of the
prod ect.
SECTION 4
Section 6 402, "Exempt Signs", of Ordinance No 13896, is hereby amended to add a
new subsection (A)(15) to allow the erection of up to four noncommercial signs totaling 16
square feet in area on any lot used for residential purposes, as follows
15 Noncommercial residential signs. In addition to the other noncommercial signs
permitted by this article, a maximum of four signs not exceeding a total of 16
square feet m area may be erected on any lot used for residential purposes and
may contain noncommercial copy No one sign shall exceed eight square feet
m area.
SECTION 5.
Section 6 402, "Exempt Signs", of Ordinance No 13896, is hereby amended to add a
new subsection (A)(16) to exempt holiday or seasonal signs that are displayed for not more than
45 consecutive days, as follows.
16 Signs depicting or relating to a national, local or religious holiday or season if
installed, maintained or displayed for not more than 45 consecutive days.
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SECTION 6.
Section 6 406, "Noncommercial Sign Copy", of Ordinance No 13896, as amended, is
hereby amended to read as follows
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, any sign authorized under this
Article to contain commercial copy may contain noncommercial copy m lieu of
commercial copy
SECTION 7.
Any sign m violation of this ordinance shall be brought into compliance or removed
within thirty (30) days after the effective date. Failure to do so shall be a violation of this
ordinance
SECTION 8.
This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances and of the Code of the
City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are
m direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such Code, m which event
conflicting provisions of such ordinances and such Code are hereby repealed.
SECTION 9.
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs,
sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase, clause,
sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid
judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not
affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this
ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the
incorporation m this ordinance of any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph
or section.
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SECTION 10.
Any person, firm or corporation who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects or refuses to
comply with or who resists the enforcement of any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be
fined not more than Two Thousand Dollars {$2;000 00) for each offense Each day that a
violation exists shall constitute a separate offense.
SECTION 11.
All rights and remedies of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, are expressly saved as to any
and all violations of the provisions of Ordinance No 3011, Ordinance No 13896 or any other
ordinances affecting zoning which have accrued at the time of the effective date of this
ordinance, and, as to such accrued violations and all pending litigation, both civil and criminal,
whether pending in court or not, under such ordinances, same shall not be affected 'by this
ordinance but may be prosecuted until final disposition by the courts
SECTION 12.
This ordinance shall be m full force and effect from and after its passage and publication
as required by law, and rt is so ordained.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
ss Stan `City Attorney
ADOPTED ~ 1 ~ 2- C~ ~C~
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