1. General Regulations.

        a. All signs and their locations shall comply with the provisions of the city of Sioux City building ordinance, the National Electrical Code 1984 edition, as amended, and additional standards hereinafter set forth.

        b. All on-premises signs hereafter erected or remodeled shall bear a permanent legible identification plate containing a sign permit number and stating the name and address of the person, firm or corporation responsible for the construction and erection.

        c. All off-premises signs hereafter erected or remodeled shall bear a permanent, legible identification plate containing the sign permit number and stating the name of the owner of the sign or corporation responsible for the construction or erection.

        d. Signs shall not be erected, constructed or maintained so as to obstruct any fire escape, required exitway, window or door opening used as a means of egress to prevent free passage from one part of a roof to another part thereof or access thereto.

        e. Signs shall not be attached in any form, shape or manner which will interfere with any opening required for ventilation, except that such a sign may be erected in front of and may cover transom windows when not in violation of the provisions of the building or fire prevention codes.

        f. All signs shall maintain clearances from overhead electrical connectors as follows:

            (1) Under six hundred volt, insulated, three feet;

            (2) Under six hundred volt, bare, five feet;

            (3) Six hundred one volt to twenty-five hundred volt, five feet;

            (4) Two thousand five hundred one volt to nine thousand volt, six feet;

            (5) Nine thousand one volt to twenty-five thousand volt, nine feet;

            (6) Twenty-five thousand one volt to seventy-five KV, ten feet;

            (7) Above seventy-five KV, twelve feet.

        g. Signs shall not be suspended by chains or other devices that will allow the sign to swing, due to wind action.  Signs shall be anchored to prevent any lateral movement that could cause wear on supporting members or connections.

        h. Supports and braces shall be an integral part of the sign design.  Angle irons, chains, or wires used for supports or braces shall be hidden from public view to the extent technically feasible.

        i. Any advertising signs erected or maintained on any freestanding sign structure other than the principle sign for which the structure was designed must be compatible with the original design and meet all other requirements of the sign ordinance.

        j. Freestanding signs shall be self-supporting structures and be permanently attached to sufficient foundations.

        k. Building signs must derive their principle and total support from the building to which they are attached.

        l. Any arcade or under canopy signs shall not exceed a maximum of six feet in length, or in any case more than seventy-five percent of the width of the structure or canopy to which it is attached. No portion of said sign shall be less than eight feet above grade.

        m. All signs shall be constructed to withstand wind loads as follows for the height of the sign above grade:

            (1) Thirty pounds per square foot on the largest face of the sign and structure.

        n. All off-premises signs shall be constructed on steel supports.  All off-premises signs on wood supports are subject to the amortization schedule as provided in Section 4.36.180-4a.

        o. All projecting signs must be constructed so as to provide a minimum height above-grade as follows:

            (1) Eight feet above any pedestrian way;

            (2) Fourteen feet above any vehicular way.

        p. Final Inspection.  After any sign which requires a permit is constructed/erected, the sign contractor performing the work or service shall notify the inspection services division for final inspection of the sign.

    2. Electrical Standards.

        a. Electrical service to on-premises freestanding signs shall be concealed whenever possible.

        b. Electrical signs shall be marked with input amperes at full load.

        c. Each illuminated and/or electrical sign shall bear thereon a label or certification visible from the ground, from the Underwriter's Laboratories, Inc., or any other approved independent electrical inspection agency qualified to make such certification.

        d. No artificial light, of whatever type or nature used in conjunction with or the lighting of any sign, shall be constructed as to direct or reflect any artificial light onto any structure or to constitute a hazard to the safe and efficient operation of vehicles upon a street or highway.

        e. No sign lighted by any type of indirect lighting shall have any such lighting which exceeds sixteen hundred milliamps rated capacity, nor shall any sign lighted by neon or similar material have such neon or similar material which exceeds three hundred milliamps rated capacity.

    3. Maintenance Standards.

        a. Every sign, including, but not limited to those signs for which permits are required, shall be maintained in a safe, representable and good structural condition at all times, including replacement of defective parts (except when a weathered or natural surface is intended), repainting, cleaning and other acts required for the maintenance of such sign.