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provide a copy to the City prior to approval of the permit. 1220.03 Review Process. The City Administrator or their designee shall approve or deny the sign permit application in an expedited manner, no more that thirty (30) days from the receipt of the completed application, including applicable fees. All permits not reviewed within thirty (30) days shall be deemed approved. Applicants shall be notified in writing if the application is denied, including the reasons for denial. 1220.04 Appeals Process. Appeals shall be made to the Planning Commission in writing within fifteen (15) days of the confirmed delivery of the denial letter for the sign permit application. The Planning Commission shall hold a hearing as soon as practicable but not more than forty-five (45) days after confirmed receipt of the appeal to review the appeal and make a recommendation to the City Council. The City Council shall review the Planning Commission's recommendation as soon as practicable but not more than forty-five (45) days after the Planning Commission's recommendation. 1220.05 Fees. Sign permit fees and the impoundment fee shall be set by the City Council by ordinance on an annual basis. 1220.06 Inspection & Enforcement. Subd. 1 Inspection Authority. All signs shall be subject to inspection by the City Administrator or their designee, who is hereby authorized to enter upon any property of premise to ascertain whether the provisions of this Chapter are being obeyed. Such entrance shall be made during business hours unless an emergency exists. Subd. 2 Signs in Disrepair. The City Administrator or their designee may order the removal of any sign that is not maintained in accordance with the maintenance provisions of this ordinance. Upon failure to comply with such notice within the time specified in such order, the City Council may declare the sign to be a public nuisance, impound it, and assess the cost of removal to the sign owner or the sign owner's agent. Subd. 3 Impoundment of Signs on Public Property or Within Public Right-of-way. The City Administrator or their designee may, at any time and without notice, impound signs that have been installed on public property, within a public right-of way, or within a public easement that are in violation of this Chapter. The sign owner or their agent may retrieve an impounded sign subject to the following rules: A. Payment of an impoundment release fee. Any subsequent impoundment(s), within one calendar year, for a particular property or sign owner will require payment of double the initial impoundment release fee. B. Any impounded sign may be retrieved from the impound area within three (3) business days of the impoundment or the City Administrator or their designee may dispose of it. The impound area can be located by contacting City Hall. Any cost incurred by the City for disposal of an impounded sign may be assessed to the sign owner or the sign owner's agent. C. The City shall have no obligation to notify a property owner that it has impounded a sign. D. The City shall not be held liable for any damage to an impounded sign. Section 1230 - Exempt and Prohibited Signs 1230.01 Exemptions. All signs shall require an approved sign permit prior to placement except for the signs specifically noted in this section. Exempted signs shall not reduce the permitted signage for a property. These exemptions shall not relieve the owner of the sign from the responsibility of its maintenance and its compliance with the provisions of this Chapter or any other law or ordinance regulating the same. Subd. 1 Government Signs. All governmental signs, including but not limited to traffic control and other regulatory purpose signs, street signs, identification signs, informational signs, danger signs and railroad crossing signs. Subd. 2 Non-commercial Signs in an Election Year. In years where a federal, state or local government election is conducted within the city, non-commercial signs may be posted no more than 70 days prior to that election. These non- commercial signs shall be placed in accordance with Section 1230.02 and 1250.03 Subd 2, 3, and 4. Those responsible for posting the signs shall remove any signs within 10 days following an election. Subd. 3 Address Signs. Address identification not exceeding four (4) square feet in area for each structure or portion of a structure with an assigned address. Street identification numbers are required in all sign districts and should be clearly visible from the street. Subd. 4 Exempt Residential Signs. Properties in Sign Districts 1 and 3 shall be allowed up to eight (8) square feet of signage provided that a single sign is no larger than six (6) square feet, the signs are not illuminated, and freestanding signs are at least five (5) feet from any property line. Subd. 5 Temporary Off-premise Signs. Temporary off-premise signs as designated in Section 1250.03. Subd. 6 Portable Signs. Portable A-frame, T-frame, sandwich , or other similar signs that do not exceed six (6) square feet in size, are not illuminated, are located within fifteen (15) feet of the primary entrance to a building, and are displayed only during the hours of business operation. No more than two of these signs shall be in place at any given time.