CITY OF HOUSTON BUILDING CODE CHAPTER 46 HOUSTON SIGN CODE NOTE: ALTHOUGH THIS SIGN CODE CONSTITUTES CHAPTER 46 OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON BUILDING CODE (BASED UPON THE 2006 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE), IT IS SEPARATELY PUBLISHED. Current through Ordinance No. 2020-669 Effective July 29, 2020 Compiled by the City of Houston Legal Department CONTENTS SECTION 4601--SCOPE ...................................................................................... 1 (a) General ................................................................................................. 1 (b) Toll Road Signs .................................................................................... 1 SECTION 4602--DEFINITIONS ............................................................................ 3 SECTION 4603--CLASSIFICATIONS ................................................................ 11 (a) On-premise Signs and Off-premise Signs .......................................... 11 (b) Types of Signs .................................................................................... 11 (c) Special Function Signs ....................................................................... 11 (d) ............................................................................................................ 13 SECTION 4604--SIGN ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT ................... 15 (a) Sign Administrator .............................................................................. 15 (b) Enforcement Responsibility ................................................................ 15 (c) Powers of Sign Administrator ............................................................. 15 (d) Violations and Penalties ..................................................................... 17 (e) Appeals .............................................................................................. 17 (f) Sign Advisory Council .......................................................................... 18 SECTION 4605--SIGN PERMITS AND FEES .................................................... 21 (a) Permit Required ................................................................................. 21 (b) Exceptions .......................................................................................... 21 (c) Application Procedure ......................................................................... 23 (d) Renewal of Operating Permit ............................................................. 23 (e) Existing Signs--Operating Permits ...................................................... 24 (f) Subterfuge ........................................................................................... 26 (g) Identification of Signs ......................................................................... 26 (h) Construction Permit Effectiveness--Renewal Permit .......................... 26 (i) Fees ..................................................................................................... 26 (j) No Refund of Fees............................................................................... 26 (k) Deposit or Bond .................................................................................. 26 (l) Electrical Signs .................................................................................... 27 SECTION 4606--SIGN COMPANIES ................................................................. 29 (a) License Required................................................................................ 29 (b) License Fee ........................................................................................ 29 (c) Address and Agent for Service of Process ......................................... 29 (d) Insurance ............................................................................................ 29 (e) Removal Bond .................................................................................... 29 (f) Electrical Sign Contractor .................................................................... 29 (g) Vehicle Identification........................................................................... 29 SECTION 4607--MAINTENANCE, SAFETY, REMOVAL ................................... 31 (a) Maintenance ....................................................................................... 31 (b) Unsafe Signs ...................................................................................... 31 (c) Unlawful Signs .................................................................................... 31 (d) Removal of Signs ............................................................................... 31 (e) Signs Not in Use and Abandoned Signs ............................................. 32 SECTION 4608--MISCELLANEOUS SIGN PROVISIONS ................................. 33 (a) Displays and Certain Banners ............................................................ 33 (b) Special Event Banners ....................................................................... 33 (c) Signs on Public Rights-of-way ............................................................ 33 (d) Signs on Private Property................................................................... 34 (e) Signs Resembling Official Signs ........................................................ 34 (f) Signs on Traffic Islands ....................................................................... 34 (g) Signs Not to Obstruct ......................................................................... 34 (h) Signs Employing Motion Picture Machines ........................................ 34 (i) Signs Not to Create Easements .......................................................... 35 (j) Reserved ............................................................................................. 35 (k) Signs Obscuring or Interfering with View ............................................ 35 (l) Proper Shielding of Lighted Signs--Interference with Drivers of Motor Vehicles ........................................................................................ 35 (m) Spectacular Signs ............................................................................. 35 (n) Visibility Triangle ................................................................................ 35 (o) Flag Signs .......................................................................................... 35 (p) Limited Use Banner Sign.................................................................... 35 (q) Temporary Banners for Businesses Adjacent to Light Rail Construction Projects ......................................................................................... 36 SECTION 4609--STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS .......................................... 37 (a) Design ................................................................................................ 37 (1) General .............................................................................. 37 (2) Wind loads ......................................................................... 37 (3) Vertical design loads .......................................................... 37 (4) Working stresses ................................................................ 37 (b) Construction ....................................................................................... 37 (1) General .............................................................................. 37 (2) Materials ............................................................................ 37 (3) Nonstructural trim ............................................................... 38 (4) Anchorage .......................................................................... 38 (5) Signs attached to masonry ................................................. 38 (6) Wooden blocks................................................................... 38 (7) Unbraced parapet wall ....................................................... 38 (8) Display surfaces ................................................................. 38 (9) Glass thickness .................................................................. 39 (c) Electrical Requirements...................................................................... 39 (d) Use of Plastic Materials ...................................................................... 39 (e) Height and Size Limitations ................................................................ 40 (f) Method of Determining the Area of a Sign .......................................... 43 (g) Clearances ......................................................................................... 43 (h) Fire Prevention Requirements ............................................................ 43 (i) Ground Signs ...................................................................................... 44 (j) Wall Signs ........................................................................................... 44 (k) Roof Signs .......................................................................................... 45 (l) Projecting Signs .................................................................................. 45 (m) Marquee Signs .................................................................................. 46 (n) Portable Signs .................................................................................... 46 ii (o) Signs of V-type or Back-to-back Construction .................................... 47 (p) Flag Signs .......................................................................................... 47 SECTION