(A) Signs.
(1) No sign shall hereafter be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted, or structurally altered without a permit unless no permit is required pursuant to division (B) below. The signs must be in conformity with the provisions of this section.
(2) Signs pertaining to or advertising products sold on the premises of a non-conforming building or use may be continued only when the non-conforming use is permitted to continue. Such signs must not be expanded in number, area, height, or illumination. New signs not to exceed 35 square feet in aggregate area may be erected only afer all other signs existing at the time of the adoption of this section have been removed. New signs in conformity with the above may have illumination on 1 face of the sign, but flashing, intermittent or moving illumination is not permitted.
(Am. Ord. passed 10-1-2007)
(B) Exempted signs; no permit required. The following signs need no permit, but shall conform to the requirements of this section:
(1) Signs for 1- or 2-family dwellings identifying the occupant or street address, provided that the signs are less than 1 square foot in area;
(2) Pedestrian vehicular-traffic and parking directional signs in parking lots, provided the signs are less than 8 square feet in area and 6 feet in height;
(3) Public signs, street signs, warning signs, or signs of public companies for the purpose of safety;
(4) Signs denoting the architect, engineer, contractor, or owners when placed upon a work site. The signs shall be removed within 10 days after completion of construction;
(5) Signs designating candidates seeking public political office, provided that the election sign shall not exceed 8 square feet in size. The signs shall be located on private property, shall not be located so as to obstruct vehicular lines of sight and shall be removed in accordance with state guidelines after the election is held;
(6) Flags, badges, or insignia of any government, governmental agency, or any civic, religious, fraternal, or similar organization;
(7) Emergency signs required by any governmental agency;
(8) Temporary real estate signs pertaining only to the sale, rental, or development of the lot upon which displayed. The signs shall not exceed 6 square feet for residential property or 24 square feet for other property. One sign shall be permitted for each lot and must be removed within 10 days following the sale, lease, or development;
(9) Banners placed on private property for advertising a special sales event or grand opening. The banners shall contain no advertising;
(10) Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into or attached to any masonry surface or incombustible material;
(11) Home occupation signs, non-illuminated, attached to the wall of a dwelling, and not exceeding 1.5 square foot in area; and
(12) Temporary real estate development signs pertaining to the sale, rental, or development of the premises upon which displayed. One sign is permitted per development. Each sign shall not exceed 32 square feet. Signs shall be properly maintained and removed when 80% of the project is sold, rented, or developed.
(C) Prohibited signs. The following signs are prohibited by this section:
(1) Signs that by reason of position, shape or color would interfere with the proper function of a traffic sign, signal or be misleading to vehicular traffic;
(2) Signs within a public right-of-way or easement, except for signs installed by governmental subdivisions;
(3) Signs that resemble any official marker erected by a governmental agency or that displays the words as “stop” or “danger” which are not erected by legal authority;
(4) Signs attached to trees or utility poles;
(5) Signs with rotating beams or flashing illumination;
(6) Rotating signs; and
(7) Signs painted or attached to vehicles where the vehicle is parked on a property and not intended to be moved.
(D) Permitted signs. The following signs are permitted in the R-1, R-2, and A-1 Districts:
(1) Signs over show windows or doors of a nonconforming business establishmentshall be governed by the provisions contained in division (A)(2).
(Am. Ord. passed 10-1-2007)
(2) Name, occupation, and warning signs not to exceed 2 square feet located on the premises;
(3) Bulletin boards for public, charitable, or religious institutions not to exceed 20 square feet in area located on the premises;
(4) Religious uses, public institutions, non-residential and residential development identification signs not exceeding 32 square feet in area. The identification signs may be wall or ground mounted or combination thereof. A ground sign shall not exceed 15 feet in height. There may be a second sign if the use abuts 2 or more public streets; and
(5) All signs shall be set back 5 feet from the property line.
(E) Permitted uses. The following signs are permitted in the B1, B-2, and I-1 Districts.
(1) Signs that are placed on the exterior walls of buildings shall not extend more than 18 inches from a building’s wall surface, shall not exceed 250 square feet in area for any 1 premises, and shall not exceed 30 feet in height above the mean centerline street grade. This provision shall not apply to agricultural structures or structures in the industrial district.
(2) Ground signs which do not exceed 30 feet in height above the main centerline street grade, shall meet all yard requirements for the district in which it is located, shall not exceed 100 square feet on 1 side nor 200 square feet on all sides for any 1 premises.
(3) Roof signs which do not exceed 10 feet in height above the roof shall meet all the yard and height requirements for the district in which it is located, and shall not exceed 300 square feet on all sides for any 1 premises.
(4) Window signs that are placed only on the inside of commercial buildings.
(5) A combination of any of the above signs which shall meet all the requirements for the individual sign except when the signs are located in the industrial district.
(6) Projecting signs which provide a minimum undersign clearance of at least 10 feet and shall not project more than 48 inches over a sidewalk.
(7) Off-premise advertising signs (billboards) shall only be permitted in the B-1, B-2, or I-1 Districts and shall be spaced no closer than 300 feet. These signs shall not exceed 55 feet in length nor 750 square feet in total area. Maximum allowable signage shall be computed on the basis of 1 side of any double-faced sign. Billboards shall meet all setback requirements and shall not be located within 100 feet of any residential zone, church, school, or designated recreation area.
(F) General regulations. No sign shall be erected, relocated, or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window, or fire escape, and no sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
(G) Nonconforming signs. Signs lawfully existing at the time of the adoption or amendment of this chapter may be continued although the use, size, or location does not conform with the provisions of this chapter. However, it shall be deemed a nonconforming use or structure and the provisions of § 150.17 shall apply.
(Ord. 106, passed 3-13-1995) Penalty, see § 150.99