(a) The Director of Planning and Development shall order the removal of any sign maintained in violation of the provisions of this Article for which removal procedures are herein prescribed, accordingly: the Director of Planning and Development shall give ninety (90) days written notice to the owner or lessee to remove the sign or to bring it into compliance with this Article. If the owner or lessee fails to remove the sign within ninety (90) days after the ninety (90) day written notice has been given, the Director of Planning and Development, or his duly authorized representative, may institute removal proceedings according to the procedures specified in G.S. 160A-175.

(b) Any temporary or portable sign erected in violation of the provisions of Section 27-167 may be removed immediately, at the direction of the Department of Planning and Development. Any sign so removed shall be retained at a designated municipal facility until recovered by the sign owner following payment to the City of Washington of a five dollar ($5.00) fee per sign. Any sign not recovered within ten (10) days shall be destroyed.

(c) Upon the discontinuance of a business or occupancy of an establishment for a consecutive period of one hundred eighty (180) days, the Department of Planning and Development shall require the removal of the on-premises sign(s) advertising or identifying the establishment. The Department of Planning and Development shall give thirty (30) days notice to the property owner to remove the sign(s). Failure to remove the sign(s) within the thirty (30) day period shall constitute a violation of this Chapter and shall be remedied in accordance with Article XXI, Administration, Enforcement, Penalties.

(Ord. No. 03-8, 3-10-03)

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