(A) Required signage. Signs erected and maintained pursuant to and as required by law, any governmental function, ordinance, or governmental regulation shall be excluded from the requirements of this subchapter.
(B) Number of signs. There shall be no more than one permanent free-standing plus one permanent wall sign per lot, excluding directional signs.
(C) Fire escapes. No sign of any type shall be installed, erected, or attached in any form to a fire escape.
(D) Sign identification and maintenance. All free-standing and wall mounted signs, except for directional signs, shall be plainly marked with the name of the person, firm, or corporation responsible for maintaining the sign. Should any sign be or become unsafe or in danger of falling, the owner thereof or the person maintaining the same shall put the sign in a safe and secure condition or remove the sign.
(E) Signs in public rights-of-way. No sign shall be placed in any public right-of-way except publicly owned signs, such as traffic control and directional signs. Regulation of signs along interstate and primary highways shall conform to the requirements of R.C. Chapter 5516 and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
(F) Measurement of sign area. The surface area of a sign shall be computed including the entire area within a regular, geometric form or combinations or regular, geometric forms comprising all of the display area of the sign and including all of the elements of the matter displayed.
(G) Sign illumination. Any illuminated sign or lighting device shall employ only light emitting constant intensity, and no sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating or moving light or lights. In no event shall an illuminated sign or lighting device be placed or directed so as to permit the beams and illumination to be direct or beamed so as to cause glare or reflection that may constitute a nuisance or a traffic hazard. Temporary signs shall not be illuminated.
(H) Nonconforming signs. The continuance of an existing sign that does not meet the regulations and requirements of this subchapter shall be deemed a nonconforming sign, which may not be replaced or substantially repaired unless conforming with the requirements of this subchapter.
(I) Abandoned signs. Abandoned signs shall be promptly removed by the owner or the person responsible to maintain the sign. A sign shall be considered abandoned when the sign is associated with an abandoned use, and/or the sign remains after a business has been closed to the public for at least 90 consecutive days (seasonal businesses are exempt from this determination).
(Ord. 1227-98, passed 1-12-1999) Penalty, see § 153.999