§ 702. Purposes.

The purposes of this article are to promote and protect the public health, safety, general welfare, and aesthetics, specifically including but not limited to the following:

(a)

To provide for the expression of commercial and noncommercial speech by citizens and businesses in the county, and to afford adequate opportunity for self-expression through free speech;

(b)

To reduce clutter and to improve the general attractiveness of the county;

(c)

To enable the public to locate goods, services, and facilities in the county without difficulty and confusion;

(d)

To ensure the reasonable, orderly, and effective display of signs;

(e)

To reduce the probability of traffic accidents due to signs obstructing or confusing the vision of drivers, bicyclists, or pedestrians;

(f)

To ensure that signs are compatible with their surroundings and to protect property values;

(g)

To facilitate and aid in the identification and location of businesses in the county in the event of police, fire, or other emergencies and to avoid confusion and delay in response to such emergencies;

(h)

To insure proper maintenance, for safety and structural soundness, as well as the appearance and functionality of signs; and

(i)

To balance the rights of individuals to convey their messages through signs with the rights of the public to be protected against the unrestricted proliferation of signs.

(Ord. No. 17-003 , § 1, 10-2-2017)