A. Billboards:
1. Billboards shall only be allowed within the "adjacent area", as defined in section 10-7-2 of this chapter.
a. The maximum area of a billboard face, whether a single billboard face or each face of two (2) back to back or V type billboards, shall not exceed seven hundred twenty (720) square feet, including border and trim, but excluding base and apron supports and other structural members, and provided further, that the maximum allowable extensions shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the total billboard area. The maximum size limitation stated in this subsection A1a shall apply to each side of a billboard structure, and billboards may be placed back to back, or in a V type construction (provided the angle shall not exceed 90 degrees), but not more than two (2) displays to each facing, and such billboard shall be considered as one billboard.
b. Billboards shall not be erected or maintained which are not effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of the traveled way of an interstate highway, of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or impair the vision of the operator of any motor vehicle, or which otherwise interfere with any driver's operation of a motor vehicle, are prohibited.
c. Outdoor billboards shall not be erected or maintained which shall be so illuminated that they interfere with the effectiveness of or obscure any official traffic sign, device or signal.
2. No billboard shall be erected closer to any other such billboard on the same side of the same interstate highway facing traffic proceeding in the same direction than one thousand feet (1,000').
3. All billboards shall comply with the minimum principal building setback requirements provided in the applicable zoning district.
4. The maximum height of any billboard shall be thirty feet (30') from the ground.
5. The maximum length of any billboard shall be sixty feet (60').
6. No billboard shall be erected or maintained on any lot or parcel of land unless the lot or parcel of land is within the area zoned as commercial or industrial districts under the Albertville zoning ordinance.
7. No billboard shall be erected or maintained in that part of the city which lies south of County State Aid Highway 37 and west of the bridge over Interstate Highway 94 (202 bridge).
8. Electronic changeable billboards shall only be permitted on legal conforming billboards with the following requirements:
a. The graphic display may not change or move more often than once every eight (8) seconds.
b. The images and messages displayed must be static, and the transition from one static display to another must be instantaneous without any special effects.
c. All changeable billboard signs shall be equipped with automatic dimming devices. Light cast upon adjacent rights of way (as measured from curb line) or residential zoning districts (as measured from the property line) shall not exceed five-tenths (0.5) foot-candle (meter reading) above ambient light.
d. Billboards shall have the vertical support structure of the sign (such as pole) concealed with architectural embellishments consisting of natural stone, brick, masonry panels, stucco, or synthetic material that has the appearance of natural stone, brick or stucco over eighty percent (80%) of the exterior face on all sides of the structure.
9. No sign permit to erect a billboard on parcels or lots that are abutting city owned right of way intended for future interstate access improvements, shall be issued unless an acknowledgment and waiver of future damages is first signed by the applicant and all property owners and submitted to the city. Said acknowledgment and waiver shall be in the form approved by the city attorney, and shall acknowledge that future construction of CSAH 19/Interstate 94 and CSAH 37/Interstate 94 interchange improvements may impact the visibility of the proposed device/sign. The acknowledgment and waiver shall require the applicant and property owners to hold the city harmless and waive all damage claims arising as a result of such improvements, including, but not limited to, claims arising from the obstruction of the view of any billboard installed on the permitted property pursuant to a sign permit issued by the city. Said acknowledgment and waiver shall not apply to damages resulting from the physical occupation of the applicant's real property by the city. Said acknowledgment and waiver shall be submitted to the city with the application for a sign permit. Failure to submit such acknowledgment and waiver shall result in a denial of the requested sign permit or the refusal of the city to process the application due to its incomplete status.
10. Every permit issued by the city shall be assigned an identification number. The city shall also issue with each permit an identifying number which shall be attached by the permittee to the billboard in a conspicuous place. The permittee shall also have his name plainly marked on each billboard.
B. Temporary And Portable Signs: In all districts temporary and/or portable signs or banners may be permitted subject to the following: (Ord. 2016-03, 5-2-2016)
1. Permit Requirements:
a. Permit Application: Temporary and/or portable signs or banners shall not be permitted without a permit. A temporary sign application fee, as established in section 3-1-3 of this code, shall be submitted to the city building official. Each sign shall require a separate permit. The application shall be signed by both the business requesting the sign and the property owner of the site where the sign is to be located. The sign application shall include information that identifies the type of sign, sign size, sign location and the dates when the sign will be in place and the date of the sign removal. The city building official is authorized to review and approve permits for temporary signs and/or portable signs or banners, ten (10) days prior to the special event. (Ord. 2017-01, 1-3-2017)
b. Duration Of Permit; Expiration; Sign Removal Required: All permits issued hereunder shall be for a maximum duration of fourteen (14) days and shall automatically expire after said period. Upon expiration, the applicant shall cease to display any and all signage permitted by the permit unless the applicant has received a new permit for said signage.
c. Limitations On Permits:
(1) The number of temporary and portable signs shall be limited to four (4) permits per calendar year per property. Shopping centers and multiple-tenant buildings shall be counted as one property.
(2) If two (2) or more permits are obtained in succession by any applicant, these permits shall be counted for the purpose of determining the yearly limitations of this subsection B1c.
2. Maximum Size: Maximum banner sign size shall be limited to thirty two (32) square feet. Maximum portable sign size shall be limited to forty eight (48) square feet.
3. Temporary Sign Location Standards:
a. Except as allowed in subsection B6 of this section, all temporary signs shall be located on the property of the business with the special event.
b. Signs may not be placed in the right of way and must be set back a minimum of five feet (5') from all property lines.
c. Where multiple signs have been located, they shall be a minimum of one hundred feet (100') apart.
4. Dangerous Signs Prohibited; Anchors Required: Signs must not be unsafe or dangerous; they must be securely anchored.
5. Electronic Signs: Electronic changeable copy signs shall be prohibited as temporary or portable signs.
6. Nonprofit Or Charitable Organization Signs:
a. Nonprofit and charitable organizations as defined by internal revenue code 501(C3) or 501(C4) may have temporary off premises signs provided:
(1) All temporary signs require permits; permit applications must include the property owner's permission to locate the sign on their property.
(2) Special events are limited to no more than six (6) in a calendar year.
(3) Signs from a nonprofit or charitable organization shall not be counted against the number of temporary sign permits allowed to the property owner.
(4) Nonprofits and charitable organizations may have up to three (3) temporary signs per permit.
(5) Nonprofit and charitable organization temporary signs shall comply with sign location standards of subsection B3 of this section. These signs may be located on vacant lots with the written permission of the property owner.
7. Violation: Temporary off premises signs erected without a permit or in violation of this subsection B may be subject to immediate removal and/or be subject to an administrative fine per title 1, chapter 6 of this code. After one notice of a violation of this section the city shall levy administrative fines for subsequent violations or repeat offenses without additional notices. Failure to abide by the approved permit or the provision of this code will be grounds for denial of additional permits for six (6) months following notice of violation.
C. New Business Temporary Signs: New businesses in the B, PUD, or I districts shall be allowed additional temporary sign permits during the first three (3) months of the opening of a new business. These "new business temporary signs" shall not exceed three (3) signs consisting of a combination of portable signs, banners, pennants, and flags. Only one of said signs may be a "portable sign", as defined in section 10-7-2 of this chapter. Display of said signs shall not exceed a period of thirty (30) days. No such additional sign will be allowed if it interferes with the use of adjacent property or constitutes a danger to public health, welfare or well being, or if it does not conform to the other provisions of this chapter.
D. Comprehensive Sign Plan:
1. Introduction: Mixed use, commercial, and industrial multiple occupancy buildings, PUD developments, or single occupancy buildings requesting more than two (2) signs shall submit an application and receive approval of a comprehensive sign plan. Any building devoted to two (2) or more uses shall be a multiple occupancy building and shall require a comprehensive sign plan. Upon approval of a comprehensive sign plan, no permit shall be issued for an individual use except upon a determination that it is consistent with a previously or concurrently approved comprehensive sign plan. The effect of said comprehensive sign plan is to allow and require the owner of multiple occupancy structures to determine the specific individual sign requirements for the tenants of his building. As sign locations, size and other sign details may be of some significant importance in lease arrangements between owner and tenant, it is the city's intention to establish general requirements for the overall building only, thus providing a building owner with both the flexibility and responsibility to deal with his individual tenants on their specific sign needs. Comprehensive sign plan applications or amendments require approval of an administrative permit.
2. Comprehensive Sign Plan Information: The applicant shall prepare a written and graphic comprehensive sign plan for submission to the city. Said plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
a. Sign locations, wall signs, awning signs, traffic control signs, and freestanding signs, etc.
b. Sign area.
c. Sign height.
d. Scaled building elevations.
e. Scaled floor plan that outlines tenant bays.
f. Identification of sign design.
g. Sign construction drawings (sections).
h. City staff may request additional information from the applicant concerning the application or may retain expert opinions at the expense of the city, or may require as a condition of proceeding with its consideration that the applicant furnish expert opinion and data at the expense of the applicant.
3. Sign Types, Cumulative Area, And Location: Through an approved comprehensive sign plan, the site may have building identification wall signs, individual tenant wall signs, awning signs, canopy signs, marquee signs and directory signs. The cumulative sign area of the aforementioned signs shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the building facades on which they are located. These signs shall be located on building facades fronting on public streets or city approved private streets or parking lots.
4. Multiple Occupancy Buildings:
a. Wall Signs:
(1) Maximum Area: The total allowable sign area for a multiple occupancy structure shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the combined wall surfaces on walls which abut streets in business or industrial zoning districts.
(2) Building Identification Signs: No multiple occupancy structure may display more than two (2) overall building identification signs. The total area of individual tenant wall signs, awning signs, canopy signs and marquee signs shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the building facade of the individual tenant bay.
(3) Tenant Signs: Individual tenants located within multiple occupancy structures shall be permitted to display individual signs, if they have separate exterior entrances to their use or they are tenants in a shopping center. A tenant occupying a corner location fronting two (2) streets may display signs to both street frontages.
(4) Location Of Tenant Signs: Except for subsection D4a(5) of this section, tenant wall, awning, and banner signs shall be located on the building facades of the tenant bay occupied by the business.
(5) Tenant Sign Location Exception: The property owner may identify through a comprehensive sign plan up to four (4) tenants per building within the multiple occupancy building that will be eligible to locate wall signs on the building at locations beyond their occupied tenant bays.
(6) Illuminated Wall Signs: The location of all wall signs and awning signs shall be established through an approved comprehensive sign plan. No illuminated wall signs shall be located on the side of a building where the lot directly abuts a residential zoning district.
(7) Individual Sign Permits Required: Individual sign permits shall be required prior to the installation of any wall signs or awning signs.
b. Tenant Directory Signs: Multiple story/multiple occupancy buildings with tenants served by a common building entrance may have, in addition to the wall signs, one tenant directory sign as either a wall sign or freestanding sign located at each common entrance provided the tenant directory sign meets the following standards:
(1) An individual tenant directory sign shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet in area.
(2) An individual tenant directory sign shall be located within fifty feet (50') of the common building entrance.
(3) A freestanding individual tenant directory wall sign shall not exceed ten feet (10') in height. Individual tenant directory wall signs shall not be located above the building floor where the common entrance is located.
5. Freestanding Signs:
a. Shopping Centers: Shopping centers containing more than four (4) separate distinct occupancies may erect one freestanding sign per street frontage, not to exceed two (2) freestanding shopping center signs per site (single or double faced). Each ground sign may not exceed the district standards in sign area, nor thirty feet (30') in height.
b. Other Multiple Occupancies: Multiple occupancy structures other than shopping centers, or shopping centers having four (4) or less separate and distinct occupancies, may erect one ground sign in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and may identify each separate and distinct occupancy on said ground sign.
c. Changeable Copy Wall Signs: Changeable copy wall signs are permitted subject to the provisions of section 10-7-6 of this chapter.
6. Traffic Control/Directional Signs: The city may approve a traffic control/directional sign plan for a commercial, industrial, and planned unit development site including signs not to exceed four (4) square feet in area. (Ord. 2016-03, 5-2-2016)