This is the current Palm Springs Real Estate Sign Ordinance

First, my comments

This time of year, April through June, is probably the best time for real estate sales in Palm Springs. It is also the time of year that the City aggressively starts enforcing the Real Estate sign ordinance.

At least week’s Board of Realtors meeting a number of members related stories of their “open house” signs being picked up by the Cities code enforcement department. This has been on the increase in the last few weeks.

If you go to City Hall the next morning you can retrieve your signs, otherwise they are destroyed and these signs aren’t cheap.

In this slow market Realtors and Sellers are doing everything they can to attract buyers to their property. While many claim that open houses don’t work and it is only for the benefit of the Realtor who is trying to find buyers my experience has been that it does work.

I sold a high end home in the Mesa area last December from an open house. The buyer walked in and decided that he just had to have it. It was out of his price range, but he was able to come up with the money to complete the purchase. He would have never seen this home if it had not be open as the Realtor would only have shown homes in his price range.

Like the antiquated sign ordinance for downtown the real estate sign ordinance should be immediately suspended until a newer, more current ordinance can be established. Such things as only one rider per sign and only one open house sign per property do not allow enough exposure in this competitive market.

I would like to point out that I do try to follow the current rules and have not had any signs confiscated, at least not yet.

See my blog at the Desert Sun, click here for a direct connection to the local newspaper.

This is the Ordinance, I have highlighted the main issues

93.20.07 Permitted signs—Real estate.
1. Sale.
Lease or Exchange Signs Not Including Single-family Property. During the period of time when realty is offered for sale, lease or exchange, one (1) sign so indicating may be located on the property by the owner or his/her authorized agent, subject to the following provisions:
a. Except as otherwise specified in this section, the size of the sign shall not exceed six (6) square feet for properties up to one (1) acre in size, or twelve (12) square feet for properties in excess of one (1) acre. No sign shall be longer than four (4) feet in any direction.
i. The size of the sign for properties. located adjacent to Interstate 10 shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet.
b. The distance from the ground to the bottom edge of the sign shall not exceed four (4) feet and the sign face shall be parallel with the street.
c. The information displayed on the sign shall include the following:
i. That the property is for sale, lease or exchange by the owner or his/her agent; and
ii. The owner’s or broker’s and/or agent’s name; and
iii. The owner’s or broker’s and/or agent’s address or telephone number.
d. Multi-tenanted Buildings.
In addition to the signage allowed under Section 93.20.07(1), one (1) sale, lease or exchange sign shall be permitted for each space or unit in a multi-tenanted building subject to the following provisions:
i. Such sign shall be placed in the windows of the space or if there is no window, adjacent to the door. The sign shall not exceed three (3) square feet.
ii. The information displayed on the sign shall include the following:
(A) That the property is for sale, lease, or exchange by the owner or his/her agent; and
(B) The owner’s or broker’s and/or agent’s name; and
(C) The owner’s or broker’s and/or agent’s address or telephone number.
iii. Such signs shall not be visible from the public right-of-way unless located at least fifty (50) feet from such right-of-way.
2. Sale.
Lease or Exchange Signs for Single-family and Condominium Property. During the period of time when realty is offered for sale, lease or exchange, one (1) sign so indicating may be located on the property the owner or his/her authorized agent, subject to the following provisions:
a. The size of the sign shall not exceed three (3) square feet.
b. The bottom edge of the installed sign shall not be more than three (3) feet from the ground, and the sign face shall be parallel with the street.
c. The information displayed on the sign shall include the following:
i. That the property is for sale, lease or exchange by the owner or his/her agent; and
ii. The owner’s or broker’s and/or agent’s name; and
iii. The owner’s or broker’s and/or agent’s address or telephone number.
d. One (1) added sign, commonly referred to as a “rider” sign, not to exceed three (3) inches times the width of the “main” sign, may be attached to the bottom of the above sale/lease/exchange sign indicating the following; provided, such information does not duplicate that of the “main” sign:
i. BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
ii. DO NOT DISTURB
iii. FOR LEASE OR RENT
iv. SOLD
v. RADIO REALTY INFORMATION
vi. TYPES OF AMENITIES
e. A metal or plastic box, not to exceed two hundred seventy (270) cubic inches or nine (9) inches by twelve (12) inches by two and one-half (2½) inches in size, may be attached to the “main” sign or its post. The top of the box may contain the agent’s name and/or telephone number and the face of the box may contain only the word “brochure” printed in letters no larger than one and one-half (1½) inches in height.
f. Condominium Properties Without Public Access.
During the period of time when such realty is offered for sale, lease or exchange, one (1) sign so indicating, in addition to the sign allowed in subsections (2)(a) through (2)(e) of this section, may be located on the common-interest property at the entrance to the common-interest subdivision from a public street by the homeowners’ association, subject to the following provisions:
i. The size of the sign shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet;
ii. The height of the sign shall not be more than five (5) feet from the ground, and the sign face shall be parallel with the street;
iii. The information displayed on the sign shall include the following:
(A) That there are properties for sale, lease or exchange within the subdivision; and
(B) The owner’s or broker’s/agent’s name and address or telephone number;
iv. No “rider” sign nor other attachment may be used as part of this sign;
v. The design of the sign shall not detract from any main sign and shall be compatible with the site architecture and landscape; and
vi. This sign shall contain only the advertisement of real property within the common-interest subdivision.
3. Open House Signs.
In addition to the real estate sale/exchange signs in subsections 1 and 2 of this section, one (1) “Open House” sign may be permitted only during the time an owner or owner’s agent is on the premises, subject to the following provisions:
a. Such signs shall be permitted only during the hours from eight a.m. until sunset;
b. The size of the sign shall not exceed three (3) square feet per face;
c. The sign may be double-faced;
d. The bottom edge of the installed sign shall not be more than three (3) feet from the ground;
e. The sign shall be located on the property being offered for sale only.
4. Vacant Lots and Land Not Including Single-family Property.
During the period of time when realty is offered for sale, lease or exchange, one (1) sign so indicating may be located on the property by the owner or his authorized agent, subject to the following provisions.
a. The size of the sign shall be governed by the size of the property as follows:
i. For lot sizes less than forty thousand (40,000) square feet, the size of the sign shall not exceed six (6) square feet.
ii. For lot sizes forty thousand (40,000) square feet or greater, the size of the sign shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet.
iii. For lots located adjacent to Interstate 10, the size of the sign shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet.
b. The information displayed on the sign shall include the following:
i. That the property is for sale, lease or exchange by the owner or his/her agent; and
ii. The owner’s or broker’s and/or agent’s name; and
iii. The owners or broker’s and/or agent’s address or telephone number.
5. Land Subdivision/Model Building Complex Signs.
In-lieu of, but not in addition to any other sale, lease, or exchange sign permitted under the sign ordinance, signs advertising land subdivisions/model building complexes shall be permitted upon recordation of the final subdivision map subject to the following provisions:
a. One (1) double-faced sign which shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet per side (forty-eight (48) square feet if the land is adjacent to Interstate 10), and may be perpendicular to the street; or
b. Two (2) single-faced signs as follows:
i. The size of each sign shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet (forty-eight (48) square feet if the land is adjacent to Interstate 10) and the signs shall be parallel to the street;
ii. Such signs shall be a minimum of two hundred (200) feet apart;
iii. Placement of such signs shall be approved by the director of planning and building.
c. Such signs shall not be illuminated.
d. In the case of land subdivisions, such signs shall be removed when property is no longer offered for sale, lease or exchange by an original owner. In the case of model building complexes, such signs shall be removed when on-site sales of structures cease.
6. The design and placement of temporary real estate open house directional signs are subject to the following provisions:
a. Such signs must be related to a single-family or individual condominium dwelling unit which is offered for resale purpose only.
b. The information, displayed on the sign shall include the words “Open House” together with a directional arrow, and may include the following:
i. That the property is for sale, lease or exchange by the owner or his/her agent; and
ii. The owner’s or broker’s and/or agent’s name; and
iii. The owner’s or broker’s and or agent’s address or telephone number.
c. Such sign shall be ground-mounted and the bottom edge of installed signs shall not be more than three (3) feet from the ground.
d. Such signs shall not be placed in the public right-of-way or on any public property, and shall only be placed on private property with the consent of the property owner.
e. Such signs shall only be in place during daylight hours.
f. No flags, banners, streamers, pennants or other adornment shall be permitted in association with the placement of such sign.
g. The size of such signs shall not exceed two (2) square feet.
h. Such signs may be double-faced and the colors shall be ivory and brown. Posts shall be brown, black or ivory in color.
i. Two (2) such signs shall be allowed for each unit offered for resale.
j. Only one (1) such sign shall be installed at any one location.
7. Off-site directional signs consisting of panels listing the names of residential tracts or developments where the original sale of new homes is being conducted shall be permitted within the public right-of-way; provided, they are erected as part of a city-sanctioned directional sign program and by the entity (such as the building industry association or the board of realtors) a party to such an agreement with the city which details the design criteria and other limitations and restrictions of the program and shall be subject to the following:
a. An encroachment permit shall be obtained;
b. There shall be only one (1) such sign per quadrant of a street intersection;
c. A sign shall not be allowed in any location which causes or tends to cause any conflict with the safety of vehicular or pedestrian traffic;
d. No sign shall be permitted beyond two (2) miles of the project it advertises except when the sign is located at city gateways, and at intervening directional changes between the gateway and the two (2) mile radius;
e. The sign message shall advertise the name of the project only, together with a directional arrow.
8. Colors.
Real estate signs permitted by this section shall consist of no more than four (4) primary or secondary colors. Such colors shall not be fluorescent or reflectorized or of other similar quality. (Ord. 1553 (part), 1998; Ord. 1516, 1995; Ord. 1391 (part), 1991; Ord. 1333 (part), 1989; Ord. 1294 (part), 1988)