Sections:
25.04.010 Findings.
25.04.020 Restrictions applicable to signs on public property.
25.04.030 Exemptions.
25.04.010 FINDINGS. In enacting this chapter the City Council finds:
(a) If carefully regulated, the placement of signs on city sidewalks by private individuals can provide a useful outlet for the expression of ideas and the communication of information related to beneficial commercial activity, including, but not limited to, the advertisement of real estate open house events.
(b) It is the desire of the City Council to enact standards that would allow for the regulated use of city sidewalks for these communication purposes.
(c) In enacting these regulations it is not the intention of the City Council to regulate the content of messages on signs to be placed on city sidewalks, but, instead, it is the City Council’s intention to enact reasonable time, place and manner restrictions aimed at insuring the safety of those using the public sidewalks and those driving on adjacent streets, and to achieve the city’s aesthetic interests by reducing visual clutter that would result from the unregulated posting of signs on sidewalks. (Ord. 2009-2 § 1 (part), 2009).
25.04.020 RESTRICTIONS APPLICABLE TO SIGNS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter it shall be unlawful for any person to place a sign on public property where such sign fails to comply with any of the restrictions stated in this section.
(b) Restrictions applicable to signs
(1) No sign shall exceed thirty-six inches in height.
(2) No sign shall exceed six square feet in area.
(3) All signs shall be constructed or anchored to prevent movement of the sign by the wind, except that an anchoring shall not be permanent and shall not damage the property on which the sign is placed.
(c) Restrictions applicable to the placement of signs
(1) No sign shall be placed during hours of darkness.
(2) No sign shall be placed within the median of any public street.
(3) No sign shall be attached to, or leaned against, any street furniture, utility facility (including poles and boxes), street light, building, fence, or any other sign.
(4) No sign shall be placed within 50 feet of any other sign placed under the provisions of this chapter, except that as many as 4 signs may be placed on sidewalks within 50 feet of the intersection of public streets on each corner of such intersections.
(5) No sign shall be placed in such a manner as to reduce the unobstructed path of travel on any sidewalk to less than 36 inches, and if the existing unobstructed path of travel of a sidewalk is 36 inches or less, no sign shall be placed on that sidewalk.
(6) No sign shall be placed within a curb cut or ramp installed to provide improved access to a sidewalk to the disabled.
(7) No sign shall be placed upon any public property other than a public sidewalk, except that signs may be placed in unimproved right-of-way with the consent of the owner of the adjoining property.
(8) No sign shall be placed upon public property within the areas bounded by Baldwin Avenue to the north, Railroad Avenue to the east, Fifth Avenue to the south, and El Camino Real to the west.
(d) No person shall display a sign that would otherwise be in violation of any of the standards provided in subsections (b) and (c), by placing upon, attaching to, or leaning such sign against, a vehicle parked within a public street. This prohibition shall not apply to vehicles upon which advertising or other messages are painted, or to signs that are placed within the interior of the vehicle. (Ord. 2009-2 § 1 (part), 2009).
25.04.030 EXEMPTIONS. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the following signs are permitted:
(a) Signs being held by one or more persons on public property.
(b) Traffic safety signs placed on public property by private persons as directed by a public official as part of the authorization to perform work on public property, or in connection with an event taking place on public or private property.
(c) Signs placed by a public officer or employee acting in their official capacity, including such signs as traffic signs, public transit signs, public restroom signs, public parking signs, warning signs, or signs identifying the location of emergency centers, public facilities or places of public interest.
(d) Banners placed in the following manner in the following locations:
(1) Banners announcing events or activities sponsored by the City or its Redevelopment Agency either alone or in concert with another organization may be placed on city light standards within the City’s redevelopment project areas, or within any commercial area designated by council resolution.
(A) No banner authorized under this subsection shall exceed 25 square feet in area, unless it is to be hung between light standards in which case it shall not exceed 90 square feet.
(B) No banner authorized under this subsection shall be placed for more than 30 days.
(e) Banners may be placed on the Central Parking Garage span across San Mateo Drive and Ellsworth Avenue by a private nonprofit organization exempt from tax under section 501(c)(3) or 501 (c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code to announce events open to the public to be held by the organization within the City of San Mateo.
(1) No banner authorized under this subsection shall exceed 90 square feet.
(2) No banner authorized under this subsection shall be placed for more than 30 days in a twelve month period.
(3) No organization may place a banner in this location more than twice during a twelve month period.
(4) Organizations shall deliver the banner to be placed to the Department of Public Works and the Department shall install the banner, unless it authorizes the organization to do so.
(5) Organizations requesting the installation of a banner under this subsection shall pay a fee to be established in the City Fee Schedule. (Ord. 2009-2 § 1 (part), 2009).