Applicable Sign Regulations in L.A.

IT’S NOT EASY to decipher the City’s sign ordinances and how they apply to Mishkon. This post makes an attempt.…

Temporary Signs

Banners, posters, and signs that are not permanently affixed to the ground or building are allowed only if they are “maintained for a limited duration, not to exceed 30 days.” Furthermore,

· ALTERNATING MONTHS.  The sign shall be removed within 30 days of installation and shall not be reinstalled for a period of 30 days of the date of removal of the previous sign.

· TOTAL DURATION.  The installation of temporary signs shall not exceed a total of 90 days in any calendar year.

· SIZE.  Combined area of all temporary signs shall not exceed 2 square feet for each foot of street frontage. (Which means that for our 50 ft of street frontage, the total maximum size of our temporary signs is 100 sq ft.)

Materials

The City building code references the state building code that requires the use of “approved plastic” (a matter of how combustible it is). This is something to ask the sign company about: we should ensure that our sign is made of an approved material.

Permit Requirement

A permit is required for the following categories: New sign; Alterations to an existing sign; Removal of an existing sign; or a Temporary sign or banner.

A permit is NOT required for: 

• Static signs not exceeding 20 square feet in area, placed upon the surface of the ground, no part of which extends more than 6’6” above the ground. 

• Temporary signs containing a political, ideological, or other noncommercial message.

A permit would cost about $50, or with an expedited plan check, about $70. See the fee calculator HERE.

Permit process:

1. Complete a “B” Building Permit Application.

2. Provide fully dimensioned and detailed plans.

3. Obtain a plan check review and permit issuance

Zoning

Some of the city’s special restrictions are a function of zoning. However, Mishkon is in an area zoned M1 = Limited Industrial, which is one of the least restrictive zoning categories. There are no specific sign regulations for such a zone (unlike for some of the more restrictive ones). I.e., Mishkon falls only under the general requirements. 

Source:  Dept. of Building and Safety INFORMATION BULLETIN / PUBLIC – BUILDING CODE DOCUMENT NO.: P/BC 2017-078

https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/lapz/0-0-0-23603