17.60.070 Specialized signs | Bakersfield Municipal Code

17.60.070 Specialized signs.

A. Off-Site Residential Subdivision/Project Directional Kiosk Sign Program. The following is intended to provide for the administration of a uniform, coordinated sign program of kiosks that offer developers of new residential subdivisions means of providing direction to their projects. The kiosk signs will minimize confusion among prospective purchasers of new homes to find those developments, promote traffic safety by removing competing signs from busy streets, and reduce visual blight of incompatible sign types in residential neighborhoods. No such off-site directional sign other than those in conformance with this chapter shall be erected or maintained within the city.

a. Kiosks shall be permitted in all zone districts except on a lot developed with a single-family residence. They may be permitted on private land or public right-of-way that is maintained by the property owner provided the property owner’s permission has been granted in writing. Signs may also be permitted within the public right-of-way or parkway that is maintained by the city of Bakersfield or as contracted by the city subject to approval and issuance of an encroachment permit by the city. All other location restrictions in Section 17.60.050 shall remain in full force and effect.

b. Kiosks shall be constructed of wood or similar product with individual panels provided for placement of subdivision or project names and direction.

c. Kiosk locations shall be approved by the building director or appointed designee. A kiosk shall not be placed closer than one thousand feet from an existing kiosk or approved site where a kiosk is to be constructed. The building director or appointed designee may reduce the distance between kiosks where:

i. Kiosks are located at different corners of an intersection and face different directions.

ii. The street intersection where the kiosk is proposed is less than one thousand feet away from a street intersection that contains a kiosk and it is necessary to provide direction to subdivisions or projects to which that street provides the most direct or only access.

iii. Kiosks (two maximum) are necessary to be placed adjacent to one another because the number of subdivisions or projects that are being identified exceeds the number of panels allowed on one kiosk.

d. Architectural design, color, letter style, and any other design elements of the kiosk shall be approved by the planning commission and city council. All kiosks and other off-site residential directional signs allowed by Section 17.60.060(B)(1)(d)(ii) that are installed within the city limits shall be in accordance with adopted design criteria.

e. Kiosks shall not exceed a height of twelve feet and a width of six feet. When a kiosk is sited immediately adjacent to a residential development, it shall not exceed a height of eight feet. An individual panel shall be limited to a maximum width of six feet and a height of ten inches. No more than eight individual name panels shall be permitted on a kiosk.

f. Kiosks may have more than one face. Multiple faces are encouraged where the kiosk can be sited to serve traffic traveling in opposite directions, or where it would reduce the amount of kiosks needed to provide adequate direction to residential subdivisions. Multiple faced kiosks shall be approved by the building director or appointed designee.

g. A name panel shall be limited to a single line of text that may contain only the subdivision, project, builder or developer’s name, or combination thereof. All panels shall include a direction arrow pointing in the direction of the identified project. Name panels shall conform to all design elements as approved in accordance with subsection (A)(1)(d) of this section.

h. Tag signs, streamers, banners, balloons, devices, display boards, or other appurtenances shall not be added, placed upon or erected adjacent to or within a one-hundred-foot radius of any existing kiosk.

i. Kiosks shall not be illuminated.

j. Kiosks shall not obstruct the use of sidewalks, walkways, bicycle or hiking trails, and shall not obstruct the free and clear vision of motor vehicle operators, cyclists, pedestrians, or visibility of traffic control signs and lights as determined by the public works director or appointed designee.

k. Kiosks shall be set back a minimum of twenty-five feet from side and rear property lines. No setback shall be required from street frontages or those kiosks located within public rights-of-way.

a. Any builder or developer of a new recorded residential subdivision which contains approved lots or homes which have never been sold, may apply for a permit to install a kiosk or to place a name panel on an existing kiosk to provide direction to their subdivision.

b. Applications for a kiosk or name panel (including name changes to an existing name panel) shall be made on forms provided by the building director or appointed designee, be signed under penalty of perjury by the applicant, and shall require at minimum, the following information:

i. The name, mailing address, title, telephone number of the property owner, subdivider and developer/builder of the specific development;

ii. The name and location of the specific development;

iii. A plot plan showing the exact location of the proposed kiosk, or the existing kiosk(s) where the panel(s) will be attached;

iv. A statement that the development contains approved lots or new homes which have not yet been sold;

v. If the permit is for a new name panel or a name change to an existing name panel, the copy proposed for the panel;

vi. If the permit is for a new kiosk that is proposed to be located within a public road right-of-way, a copy of the approved encroachment permit issued by the city of Bakersfield public works department.

c. The building director or appointed designee may issue a permit if:

i. The application is complete and truthful;

ii. The applicant is the permit or entity selling new lots or new homes;

iii. The development is located entirely within the Metropolitan Bakersfield 2010 General Plan area;

iv. The kiosk or panel meets all of the design criteria within this section;

v. The permit is for a name panel and available space exists on the kiosk(s); or if there is no space available, the applicant has agreed to be placed on a waiting list for future placement on a kiosk(s);

vi. If the permit is for a kiosk, the location criteria in this section has been satisfied;

vii. Appropriate fees have been paid.

a. The city may delegate portions of or the entire administration of the directional kiosk program to another entity by contract that includes, but is not limited to, installation and maintenance of kiosks, and issuance of permits for kiosks and name panels.

b. Kiosks and sign panels permitted in accordance with this section shall be continuously maintained in good condition by the permit holder. Upon approval by the city, sign maintenance may be assumed by a responsible party other than the permit holder.

c. Kiosks shall be sited based on demand and where they will provide the best direction to residential subdivisions where homes/lots are being sold.

d. Sign panels shall be available to all developments selling new homes on a first-come first-served basis. Sign panels shall be placed on a kiosk beginning with the highest position on the kiosk and progressing downward. Panels shall be grouped based on the direction of travel with the priority of placement from top to bottom as follows:

i. Left turn;

ii. Right turn;

iii. Straight ahead.

e. Waiting lists shall be established for each kiosk (existing or proposed) for new name panels on a first-come first-served basis of applications that have met the requirements of subsection (A)(2)(c) of this section.

f. When a panel name is changed or a panel is removed from a kiosk, all lower panels within each directional group as defined in subsection (A)(3)(d) of this section shall be moved upwards so that any new panel is placed on the bottom of its respective directional group on the kiosk.

g. All panel changes shall be approved by the building director or appointed designee through the permit process.

h. A specific project or builder is limited to one panel for each kiosk. Multiple panels shall not be combined to identify or provide information regarding the same specific project or builder. There shall be no limit on the number of kiosks on which a specific project may be identified.

i. Within ten days after selling the last lot or home or within two years after recordation of the final map for the subdivision of which the project is located, whichever occurs first, panel signs that identify said project shall be removed from all kiosks. Two extensions of time may be granted by the administrator of the kiosk program not to exceed one year for each request if the extension is needed to complete any sales in that project. If administration of the program is delegated to an entity other than the city and that entity denies the extension, the permit holder may appeal the denial within five days of the decision in writing to the building director. The building director shall render a decision on the appeal within ten days of receiving the appeal which shall be final and conclusive.

j. Any kiosk shall be completely removed by the permittee whenever any of the following occur:

i. The kiosk is no longer needed at the location;

ii. The permittee has been notified by the city of Bakersfield public works department to remove or relocate the kiosk on the basis of public safety or necessity, or because of planned road improvements.

k. For any kiosk erected within the public road right-of-way, a performance bond in an amount sufficient to remove the structure shall be approved by and posted with the city of Bakersfield public works department.

a. Off-site residential subdivision/project directional signs that were legally permitted as of June 1, 1997, shall continue to remain for a period of six months from said date. After that time, signs not in conformance with this section shall be removed by the owner at the owner’s cost. Any signs not removed within the required period shall be subject to summary abatement by the city in accordance with Section 17.60.110. This subsection shall not apply to existing kiosk programs that were legally established and maintained by a private entity where that program contains five or more kiosks.

b. Existing kiosk sign programs that were legally established as of June 1, 1997, that are owned and maintained by a private entity where that program contains five or more kiosks, may continue as a nonconforming kiosk program. These kiosks may be maintained but shall not be replaced except with a kiosk that conforms to this section. A nonconforming kiosk shall be removed if it is no longer necessary at the location, or no longer meets the separation requirements of subsection (A)(1)(c) of this section regarding kiosk separation due to placement of a conforming kiosk. A nonconforming kiosk that is required to be removed shall be done by the owner at the owner’s cost. Any nonconforming kiosk not removed as required, shall be subject to summary abatement by the city in accordance with Section 17.60.110.

c. Any permit issued in accordance with this section shall be immediately revoked by the building director if it has been found that the permit holder has erected and maintained any sign in violation of this section. The building director shall order any panel currently in place on a kiosk identifying the builder’s/developer’s specific development to be removed immediately after the appeal period has expired if no appeal has been filed, and that builder/developer shall be prohibited from having any off-site directional signs or name panels on any kiosk for that specific development for a period of one hundred eighty days. After the one-hundred-eighty-day period, the builder/developer may be allowed kiosk panels but they shall be placed at the bottom of any waiting list and/or kiosk hierarchy as described in subsections (A)(3)(d) through (A)(3)(f) of this section.

d. Any order of the building director shall be made in writing, addressed to the permit holder, and shall set forth the findings for revoking any permits and the method to appeal the decision. If no appeal is filed, the decision of the building director shall be final and conclusive.

e. If the city is not the administrator of the kiosk program, the administrator shall immediately notify the building director regarding any violations in accordance with subsection (A)(4)(c) of this section and the building director shall notify the party in violation in accordance with subsection (A)(4)(d) of this section.

a. Should any permit holder be dissatisfied with the decision of the building director to revoke a permit, then the permit holder may, no later than ten days after notice of such decision was deposited in the United States mail, make written objection, subject to the required appeal fee, to the board of building appeals in care of the building director, setting forth the grounds for dissatisfaction. The board of building appeals shall hear the objections at a regular meeting no later than thirty days following the filing of the objection. The permit holder shall be given written notice of the hearing no later than three days prior to the hearing. The building board of appeals may sustain, suspend, or overrule the decision of the building director, which decision shall be final and conclusive.

b. Pending hearing before the building board of appeals, all signs, kiosks and/or name panels in dispute may remain in place until a final decision rendered.

B. Special Event Signs. Special event signs may be approved by the building director as a means of publicizing events such as grand openings, carnivals, parades, charitable events, community holiday activities, and other such events. This section does not include events promoted by the city of Bakersfield pursuant to Section 17.60.080(O). Special event signs shall be limited to the following provisions:

1. Signs shall be limited for each business to sixty days a calendar year. This time may be utilized in any combination of durations; however, the number of special events shall not exceed eight a calendar year, and no single event shall exceed a duration of fifteen consecutive days.

2. Balloons and inflated devices provided they do not exceed a height of one hundred feet, search lights, beacons, pennants, flags, banners and streamers may be allowed subject to approval by the building director. Flags for model homes/tract sales offices are not subject to this subsection.

3. Copy on a banner or balloon shall not exceed an area of one hundred square feet, and may include the name, symbol or logo of the business or sponsor, but in no event shall such name or logo exceed one-quarter of the total permitted copy area.

4. Signs may be illuminated and contain movement upon approval by the building director provided they do not adversely affect neighboring properties or motorists.

C. Noncommercial Signs. Signs expressing political, social, religious or other noncommercial message. These signs are subject to the following regulations:

1. Signs shall not be placed on private property without the consent of the property owner. No such sign, either freestanding or posted on any object, shall be placed or erected on public property, within the public right-of-way, or any maintained parkway/landscape area.

2. Signs shall not exceed an area of eight square feet and a height of six feet.

3. Signs shall not be illuminated.

4. In residential districts, each parcel of property may display one sign in compliance with this chapter. However, during the period of time beginning ninety days before a general, special, primary, or runoff election, and ending ten days after such election, each property may display two signs in compliance with this chapter.

5. In the commercial, industrial, and agricultural districts, each parcel of property or commercial center may display one sign in compliance with this chapter. However, during the period of time beginning ninety days before a general, special, primary, or runoff election, and ending ten days after such election, each property may display four signs in compliance with this chapter, except that signs may be up to an area of thirty-two square feet and a height of eight feet.

6. Signs may only be displayed for ninety days and must be removed for at least thirty days before being displayed again.

7. Signs shall not block line of sight for intersections, driveways/entrances, sidewalks and multi-use paths.

D. Freeway Oriented Signs. Freeway oriented signs identify premises where food, lodging and places of business engage in supplying goods and services essential to the normal operation of motor vehicles, and which are directly dependent upon an adjacent freeway. These signs shall be subject to the following regulations:

1. Signs shall be within the C-1, C-2, C-C, PCD, M-1, M-2 or M-3 zone districts; and shall also be within one of the rectangular areas two thousand feet in width and three thousand feet in length, the center of which is concentric with the intersection point between the centerline of the freeway and accessible surface street, said intersections identified as follows:

a. State Highway 99 and Olive Drive;

b. State Highway 99 and Airport Drive, except that said rectangular area shall extend south to Gilmore Avenue;

c. State Highway 99 and State Highways 58/178 (Rosedale Highway/24th Street), except that said rectangular area shall extend north to Gilmore Avenue;

d. State Highway 99 and California Avenue;

e. State Highway 99 and Ming Avenue;

f. State Highway 99 and White Lane;

g. State Highway 99 and Panama Lane;

h. State Highway 99 and Hosking Avenue;

i. State Highway 99 and State Highway 119 (Taft Highway).

(Note: Refer to the maps at the end of this chapter.)

2. Only one of the allowable on-site pylon signs permitted in the zone districts specified in this section shall be allowed to exceed both the area and height limitations imposed by the particular zone district provided no such sign exceeds an area of three hundred fifty square feet and a height of seventy-five feet. All other sign regulations of the particular zone district shall apply to this sign and the specific business.

3. The building director shall determine if the location of the business and the service offered satisfy the criteria and intent of this section and the definition of a freeway oriented sign.

E. Outdoor Advertising Signs (Billboards). All outdoor advertising signs are regulated as follows:

1. Signs are permitted in the C-2, M-1, M-2 and M-3 zone districts, in addition to that permitted in those respective districts.

2. Signs shall not exceed an area of three hundred square feet, excluding cutouts or extensions provided they do not exceed thirty square feet in area.

3. Signs shall not exceed a height of thirty-five feet in the C-2 district, or fifty feet in the M-1, M-2 and M-3 districts.

4. Signs shall not be located less than one thousand feet from another such sign, or one hundred feet from any other freestanding sign.

5. Signs shall not be located in nor project over public property or public right-of-way.

6. Multifaced signs are allowed, provided the faces are placed back-to-back, are no more than two feet apart, and are equal in size and configuration.

7. Signs shall be set back a minimum of three hundred feet from any property zoned residential or developed with residential uses.

8. Signs shall not project over or be placed upon any building or structure.

9. Signs shall be set back twenty-five feet from adjacent property lines except those fronting public streets where no setback is required.

10. Signs may be illuminated provided no lighting is directed onto adjacent properties or public rights-of-way.

11. Electronic message displays as defined in Section 17.04.547 are permitted.

F. Skyline Building Signs. Wall signs for a building that is three or more stories may be permitted that exceed the height limits delineated by the zone district in which it is located, to provide long distance visual identification of a building or its primary tenant, subject to the following regulations:

1. Signs are permitted in the C-O, C-1, C-2, C-C, C-B, PCD, M-1, M-2, and M-3 zone districts.

2. Signs may be installed on all elevations of the building.

3. Signs shall be located on the top story or between the top story and the top of the building.

4. Signs shall be comprised solely of individual letters or logos installed a minimum of three inches and a maximum of twelve inches from the surface of the wall on which they are located. Illumination may be provided by indirect reverse lighting or internal illumination as approved by the building director. Floodlighting shall be prohibited.

5. Signs shall not have a horizontal dimension exceeding one hundred feet or seventy percent of the horizontal dimension of the building elevation where the sign is placed, whichever is less.

6. The property owner shall designate in writing or on the sign plan the primary tenant of the building if such tenant is to be identified by the sign.

7. Signs shall not have letters exceeding the following heights:

Building Height (feet)	Maximum Letter Height ¹ (inches)	Capital Letter² (inches)	Logo ³ (inches)
35—59	24	36	48
60—69	36	54	72
70—79	48	72	96
80—89	60	90	120
90—99	72	108	144
100—119	84	126	168
120 or more	96	144	192

1Letter height is if all letters used are capital letters.

2Maximum height of a capital letter (one and one-half times maximum height) if used in conjunction with lower case letters. Lower case shall not exceed maximum height.

3Maximum height of a logo (two times maximum height).

8. All signs shall be limited to two lines of letters and/or logo.

9. Pylon signs shall not be permitted on the site if skyline signs are utilized; only monument signs in this instance would be permitted subject to the regulations of the zone district in which they are located.

10. All other wall signs permitted by this chapter which are placed on a building with a skyline sign pursuant to this section shall not exceed sixty percent of the area which would otherwise be allowed in the particular zone district, a height of twenty feet from grade, and letters that are taller than the skyline letters.

11. Comprehensive sign plans may permit skyline signs to be more or less restrictive than the requirements of this section.

1. Only retail development exceeding fifty thousand square feet, or shopping centers encompassing five acres or more, are permitted use of an electronic message display on a pylon sign.

2. Only one of the allowed pylon signs permitted along a street frontage may include an electronic display.

3. If a pylon sign contains an electronic message display and monument signs are also permitted for the center, only one of the allowed monument signs along a street frontage may contain an electronic message display. If a pylon sign does not contain an electronic message display and monument signs are permitted for the center, only two of the allowed monument signs along a street frontage may contain an electronic message display.

4. Pylon signs that contain an electronic message display shall be set back a minimum of one hundred fifty feet from any R, PUD, or OS zone, and fifty feet from any interior property line not within that center.

5. Electronic message displays are not permitted on pylon signs located on properties that do not contain retail development exceeding fifty thousand square feet or are shopping centers less than five acres as noted in subsection (G)(1) of this section. However, one of the allowed monument signs along each street frontage is permitted to contain an electronic message display.

6. Electronic message displays shall not be permitted on building walls or in windows.

7. All other sign regulations that pertain to the particular zone district and specific business shall apply.

8. Outdoor advertising signs (billboards) may contain electronic message displays subject to the regulations in subsection E of this section.

1. Projecting business identification signs are only permitted within the following areas:

a. Central District Area as defined in Section 10.08.020(A), except that projecting signs shall not be permitted along the street frontages of State Route 178, State Route 204, and any street south of the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railroad. Where the Central District boundary follows a street, permitted projecting signs shall be allowed for business frontages along both sides of that street.

b. Baker Street Frontage Between Truxtun Avenue and Monterey Street. Projecting signs are also permitted along the frontages of the intersecting streets and alleys with Baker Street one block in either direction, except that projecting signs shall not be permitted along the street frontages of Truxtun Avenue and Monterey Street.

2. In addition to other signs as allowed by this chapter, one projecting sign is permitted for a ground floor business along each street it fronts. A second floor or basement business may have a projecting sign only if it has its own dedicated public street entrance and the sign is located above or within five feet of that entrance.

3. A sign shall not project more than five feet beyond its supporting building. Within an alley where vehicles will pass underneath a sign, that sign shall not project more than three feet beyond its supporting building. An encroachment permit from the city is required for any signs that project into the public right-of-way.

4. A sign shall not be placed higher than fifteen feet on a building wall or above the first floor of a multiple story building. Within an alley where vehicles will pass underneath a sign, that sign shall not be placed higher than twenty feet above the alley surface.

5. A sign shall not exceed an area of sixteen square feet.

6. A sign shall not be closer than ten feet to another projecting sign or to a freestanding sign, or five feet from an interior property line or line dividing two separate business frontages. A sign shall be at least two feet from the face of the street curb.

7. A sign shall not be less than eight feet above the surface over which it projects. Within an alley where vehicles will pass underneath a sign, that sign shall not be less than fifteen feet above the alley surface.

8. A sign shall not exceed a maximum thickness of twelve inches.

9. Internally illuminated signs shall have opaque face panels so that only the letters, logos, numbers, and/or symbols appear illuminated at night; use of bulbs or neon for such lettering and symbols is allowed subject to the provisions of this chapter. Electronic message displays and flashing signs are prohibited.

10. A sign shall not project above the roof or an apparent eave or parapet, including the eave of a simulated hipped or mansard roof. A sign shall not be attached to the sloping face of mansard overhangs or other architectural features intended to resemble or imitate roof structures.

11. A two-dimensional fabric banner suspended perpendicular to a wall may be displayed in lieu of a projecting sign provided the banner is anchored to not hang freely and meets all of the requirements of this subsection for a projecting sign.

12. Businesses that occupy a space with public access from only an alley or courtyard may share one directory sign as defined by this code along each public street to direct pedestrians to those businesses. A directory sign shall not exceed a maximum height of eight feet or an area of six square feet; only indirect external illumination is allowed.

13. A single vertical projecting sign may be installed along each street frontage on a building that is three or more stories tall that identifies the building name or use, or that of a major tenant. The sign is subject to all provisions of this subsection except that there is no minimum sign area; it must be mounted at the second floor or higher, and is limited to a single line of text. (Ord. 5095 § 1, 2022; Ord. 5006 § 4, 2020; Ord. 4953 § 4, 2018; Ord. 4829 § 1, 2015; Ord. 4729 §§ 1, 9, 10, 2013; Ord. 4659 § 1, 2011; Ord. 4605 § 2, 2009; Ord. 4489 §§ 7—9, 2008; Ord. 3964 § 46, 2000; Ord. 3870 §§ 6, 7, 1998; Ord. 3835 § 36, 1998; Ord. 3755 § 3, 1997; Ord. 3586 § 2, 1994)