(a) Upon the receipt of a completed building permit application and upon payment of the appropriate building permit fee by the applicant, the building official shall promptly conduct an investigation of the application, the proposed sign and the premises. If prior approval is received from the community appearance board, the building official shall grant or deny the building permit application within 20 days from the date the completed application with application fee was filed with the city.

(b) If, after review and investigation as required herein, the building official determines that the application meets the requirements contained in this chapter and determines the proposed sign will not violate any building, electrical or other adopted codes of the city, the building official shall issue the permit. If the work authorized by the permit has not been completed within six months after the date of issuance, the permit shall become null and void.

(c) If, after review and investigation as required herein, the building official determines that one or more reasons for denial exist, the permit shall be denied and the building official shall make a written report of the denial and the reasons therefore. A copy of the report shall be sent by certified mail to the designated return address of the applicant on the application. The application for a permit shall be denied if one or more of the following conditions are found to exist:

(d) Any person denied a building permit for signs may file as a matter or right a written notice of appeal to the construction board of adjustment within ten calendar days after rendition of the denial pursuant to the provisions of section 94-33. The construction board of adjustment shall hold a hearing and decide the appeal within 30 calendar days from the date the notice is received by the construction board of adjustment. The decision of the construction board of adjustment shall be final. No further exhaustion of administrative remedies shall be necessary for judicial review of the administrative action. An applicant whose application is denied by the construction board of adjustment may immediately appeal as a matter of right to a court of competent jurisdiction, which court shall promptly review said application. The record of the hearing shall consist of the complete record of the proceedings before the construction board of adjustment.