(a) For the purpose of this chapter, certain terms and words are hereby defined.
Words used in the present tense include the future; the singular number includes the plural and the plural the singular; and the word "shall" is mandatory and not directory.
(1) “Billboard or poster panel” means a sign structure especially built for the display of characters, lettering, or illustration produced on paper sheet, or otherwise applied to the surface or sign structure.
(2) “Building Official” means the Building Inspector, or his/her designated representative, of the City established pursuant to ordinances of the City and State statutes.
(3) “Business center” means a group of two or more contiguous stores or an industrial park developed as a planned complex.
(4) “Business center sign” means a sign which gives direction and identification to a group of two or more contiguous stores or an industrial park developed as a planned complex.
(5) “Business sign” means a sign which directs attention to a business or profession conducted or to a product service activity sold or offered upon the premises where such sign is located.
(6) “District” means a zoning district specified in the Zoning Code of the City of Amherst, Ohio.
(7) “Edge of roadway” means the private property line of the edge of the roadway pavement or curbing inside or outside of the right-of-way.
(8) “Electronic changeable message sign” means a sign whose alphabetic, graphic or symbolic informational content or display, either in whole or in part, composed of electrically illuminated or mechanically driven changeable segments, may be changed or altered by means of electrical, electronic or computerized programming.
(9) “Entrance way sign” means a sign that designates the entranceway to a residential, commercial or industrial subdivision.
(10) “Excessive brightness” means any sign that emits more than ten (10) foot-candles of light as calculated or measured with a foot candle light meter at a distance of one (1) meter (approximately 3'-3") measured perpendicular from the center of any sign face or which produces light as measured at the boundary line of any residential lot in proximity to the sign of 0.5 lumens.
(11) “Flashing sign” means any illuminated sign on which the artificial light is not maintained stationary or constant in intensity and color at all times when such sign is in use.
(12) “Freestanding sign” means a portable sign not permanently anchored or secured to either a building or the ground, such as, but not limited to, “A” frame, poles temporarily driven into ground, T shaped or inverted T shaped sign structures.
(13) “Ground pole sign” means a sign supported by one or more uprights, poles or braces placed in or upon the ground surface, and not attached to any building.
(14) “Identification sign” means a sign that identifies the business name, owner or resident and/or the street address and which sets forth no other advertisement.
(15) “Illuminated sign” means a sign that provides artificial light by either emission or reflection.
(16) “Lineal foot of ground floor business” when used in determining area of a sign, means the length of the interior dimension of the first floor business frontage.
(17) “Marquee sign” means an identification or business sign attached to a marquee, canopy or awning projection from the building.
(18) “Off-premises advertising sign” means a sign which contains a message unrelated to a business or profession conducted or to a commodity, service or activity, sold or offered upon the premises where such sign is located.
(19) “Painted window sign” means any lettering, numbers, logo, design, etc., painted or adhered directly to the interior or exterior of window glass.
(20) “Portable sign” means a freestanding sign not permanently anchored or secured to either a building or the ground, such as but not limited to “A” frame, poles temporarily driven into ground, T shaped, or inverted T shaped sign structures.
(21) “Premises” means property, or contiguous parcels of property which is at least fifty percent (50%) owned by an individual, individually through stock ownership, land contract or lease.
(22) “Projecting sign” means a sign which is affixed to any building or structure other than a marquee and projects in such a way that the message is not parallel to the wall to which it is attached.
(23) “Required setback” means the minimum setback required for the respective district as specified in the Zoning Code of the City of Amherst, Ohio. Setback when used in determining sign area shall be the distance the sign is from the property line.
(24) “Right-of-way” means the roadway, shoulders, berm, ditch and slopes extending to the right-of-way limits under the control of the State or local authority.
(25) “Sandwich board Sign” means a portable sign not permanently attached to either a building or the ground consisting of a top hinged “A” frame design.
(Ord. 16-05. Passed 2-22-16.)
(Ord. 16-19. Passed 5-23-16.)
(27) “Sign” means a name, identification, description, display, device, structure or illustration which is affixed to, or painted, or otherwise represented directly or indirectly upon a building, structure or parcel of land, and which directs attention to an object, project, place, activity, person, institution, organization or business.
(28) “Sign outdoor display structure” means a device designed or used to display, incorporate, hold or otherwise exhibit an outdoor advertising sign.
(29) “Special event sign” means a sign erected temporarily for the purpose of notifying the general public of an upcoming public event, function, etc.
(30) “Surface area” means the entire area within a circle, triangle, a parallelogram or any other configuration enclosing the extreme limits of writing, representation, emblems or any figure of similar character together with any frame or other material or color forming an integral part of the display or used to differentiate the sign from the background against which it is placed, excluding the necessary supports or uprights on which such sign is placed. Where a sign has two or more faces, the area of all faces shall be included in determining the area of the sign.
(31) “Temporary sign” means a sign, banner or other advertising or informational device with or without a structural frame intended for a limited period of display including, but not limited to, displays for holidays or public events.
(32) “Vending machine” means a currency operated machine for selling small articles or services.
(33) “Wall sign” means a sign which is attached directly to or painted upon a building wall which does not project more than twelve inches therefrom. The exposed face of the sign must be in a plane parallel to the building wall or structure (such as a water tower). The sign must not extend above the height of the building wall or structure.
(Ord. 16-05. Passed 2-22-16.)