§ 78-24. Enforcement and penalties.

The sign provisions of this chapter shall be administered and enforced by the director.

(1)

The director or designee may issue a citation for violation of this chapter by any person, including, if applicable, the owner, manager or tenant of the lot on which a sign is located; for a sign erected, altered, maintained, converted, or used in violation of this chapter; or in violation of any other applicable ordinance, including, but not limited to, building or electrical codes.

(2)

Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of an offense, and upon conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction, shall be subject to a penalty of not less than $25.00 nor more than $1,000.00, or by confinement in the county jail for a total time not to exceed 60 days, or both, and may not be stayed or suspended.

(3)

The county may seek affirmative equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to cause the removal or repair of any sign in violation of this or other county ordinances.

(4)

The director or his designee may remove any sign or structure illegally placed upon a public right-of-way without any notice and may dispose of said sign or structure by taking it to any landfill. Such removal and disposal of illegally placed signs shall not preclude the prosecution of any person for illegally placing such signs in the public right-of-way.

(Code 1994, § 86-121; Res. No. A-01-004, 8-28-2001)

State law reference

Magistrate courts, O.C.G.A. § 15-10-1 et seq.; violation of county ordinances, O.C.G.A. § 15-10-60 et seq.; punishment for misdemeanors, O.C.G.A. § 17-10-3; maximum punishments which may be imposed for violations of county ordinances, O.C.G.A. § 36-1-20(b); county responsibility for sentencing and maintenance of inmates, O.C.G.A. § 42-5-51(a).