19.23.010 Purpose and intent.

(A) Purpose. The purpose of these sign regulations is to:

(1) Encourage the effective use of signs as a means of communication in the city while avoiding visual clutter;

(2) Maintain and enhance the aesthetic environment and the city's ability to attract sources of economic development;

(3) Protect and improve pedestrian and traffic safety;

(4) Minimize the possible adverse effect of signs on nearby public and private property; and

(5) Enable the fair and consistent enforcement of these sign restrictions and implement the goals and policies of the general plan and further the purposes of the zoning ordinance.

(B) Intent. The intent of this chapter is to:

(1) Establish a permit system to allow a variety of types of signs in commercial and industrial districts, and a limited variety of signs in other districts, subject to the standards and the permit procedures of this chapter;

(2) Allow certain signs that are small, unobtrusive, and incidental to the principal use of the sites on which they are located, subject to the substantive requirements of this chapter, but without a requirement for permits;

(3) Prohibit all signs not expressly permitted by this chapter;

(4) Abate nonconforming signs; and

(5) Provide for the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.