Special Regulations with Respect to Advertisement Structures and Boards. Shanghai, March 20, 1934. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3267 (1180).

(1) No person shall erect any advertisement structure or board of any kind to be used for advertising purposes without a permit first obtained from the Municipal Council. All applications shall be made upon forms specially provided for the purpose, which may be obtained at the office of Public Works Department free of charge. The Council reserves to itself the right at its discretion of refusing to issue a permit in any particular case.

(2) Every person shall at the time of making application for a permit, submit such plans and specifications, showing the locations, dimensions, materials, details of construction, and method of securing the proposed advertisement structures or boards as the Commissioner of Public Works may require.

(3) Every advertisement structure or sign shall have painted thereon or affixed thereto the name of the applicant for the permit, together with the date of such permit, which shall be in such positions and of such size as can be easily seen and read at all times.

(4) No portion of any advertisement structure or board other than a skeleton sky sign shall be at any point more than 24 feet above the ground or 20 feet above the level of the roof immediately below such structure, and the lowest part of all such structures shall be at least 18 inches above the level of the ground or 2 feet above the parapet or level of the roof immediately below such structure.  The intervening space below such structure shall be kept open or filled in only with approved lattice work. Skeleton sky signs may be of such height dependent upon the circumstances of each as may be approved by the Commissioner of Public Works.

(p.2/2) Advertisement signs erected on walls or buildings shall be exempt from the height limitations of this Regulation provided

• (a) that the signs are fixed close against the walls and
• (b) that no portion of the signs project above or beyond the walls to which they are affixed.

(5) Should any advertisement structure or board be or become in the opinion of the Commissioner of Public Works insecure or in danger of falling, or otherwise unsafe,  the holder of the permit for such structure shall upon notice of the Commissioner of Public Works forthwith secure the same in an approved manner, and should such structure not be secured to his satisfaction the Commissioner of Public Works within the time specified in such notice he may cause such portion or portions as he may consider to be insecure or in danger of falling or otherwise unsafe, to be fortwith removed, and all fees whatsoever which may have been paid in respect with such portion or portions of such structures shall be liable to be forfeited. The omission to send or the non-receipt of such notice shall not affect the Council with any liability and the person to whom the permit is issued shall at all times be respectable for any damage resulting from such structure and shall indemnify the Council in the event of any liability it may incur by reason thereof.

(6) The Council shall have the right to order the removal of any advertisement structure or board at any time should any money payable to the Council in respect thereof not be paid on due date.

(7) In the case of advertisement structures above the ground level such permanent access shall be provided in each case as the Council may approve except in specific cases where in the Council’s opinion satisfactory means of access and inspection already exists.

(8) Advertisements painted on walls or roofs shall be subject to all the conditions of the permit herein in so far as the said conditions are applicable.

(9) An advertisement structure in connection with a building site shall not at any point project over the public way to a greater distance than the projection allowed by No. 3 of the Building Rules applicable to fencing, hoardings, scaffoldings, provided that cornices to hoardings, if at a height of not less than 10 feet above the ground, may project not more than 6 inches beyond these distances. Advertisements may be allowed upon the face of gantries subject to such conditions as may be approved in each case by the Commissioner of Public Works.  Save as aforesaid no portion of any advertisement structure shall project beyond the Municipal road line provided that cornices if at a height of not less than 10 feet above the ground may project not more than 6 inches beyond these distances.

(10) The Council shall have the right to order the removal of any advertisement structure erected in connection with a building site at any time whether the same does or does not project over a public way

• (a) should such structure not be removed with due despatch upon completion of the building, or
• (b) should completion of the building, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Public Works, be unduly delayed. A permit for the erection of hoardings or boards projecting over the public way shall only be issued when the building permit in connection with the site affected is granted.  

(11) Regulations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 do not apply in the case of boards or similar structures of a reasonable size advertising the names of the architect, contractor and sub-contractors. (p.4/4)

(12) Should any advertisement structure or board, either during erection, or at any time after completion, be found to contravene there Regulations, the holder of the permit shall, upon notice from the Commission of Public Works, alter such structure or board to comply with these Regulations, or alternatively to remove the same, and should such not be altered to his satisfaction within the time specified in such notice the commissioner of Public Works may cause such structure or board to be forthwith removed, and all fees whatsoever which may have been paid in respect of such structure or board shall be liable to be forfeited.