The following outdoor signs are permissible without a permit or payment of permit fees provided the standards and restrictions in this section are met.
(A) Development signs.
(1) On-site residential. One temporary on- site development sign shall be permitted for each subdivision in any residential zoning district (including multiple dwelling) under the following conditions:
(a) The sign shall only be permitted for a residential subdivision after a final plat has been filed;
(b) The sign shall be located at least 50 feet from any existing or to be occupied dwelling unit;
(c) The sign shall be removed when the residential subdivision is 95% sold out or the multiple dwelling project is 75% sold or rented; and
(d) Where more than one builder is involved in a residential subdivision, there still shall be only one sign as described above, which may list the builders for the subdivision.
(2) On-site commercial and industrial. One temporary on-site development sign shall be permitted in any commercial or industrial zoning district under the following conditions:
(a) The sign shall only be permitted after the final plat has been filed;
(b) The sign shall not be located upon a developed lot and shall be removed within three months after the lot upon which it is located is developed, whereupon it may be moved to another vacant lot within the subdivision without paying a new fee; and
(c) The sign shall be removed when 95% of the lots in the subdivision are built upon.
(3) Construction signs.
(a) One temporary construction sign shall be permitted upon each property, in any zoning district during construction, in addition to any development signs on site.
(b) This sign shall only be permitted after a building permit has been issued and shall be removed before the building or any part thereof is occupied.
(B) Informational signs.
(1) Informational signs, attached to a building, shall be permitted in order to locate building functions such as a car wash bay or drive-in window.
(2) Informational signs shall meet building sign requirements for maximum height, shall be allowed for each bay, door, or window at a size not to exceed six square feet in area each, and shall be in addition to any other business signs permitted by this chapter.
(C) Directional signs.
(1) On-site directional signs, not exceeding a maximum of two square feet per sign and a maximum number of four signs per site, shall be permitted in any commercial, industrial or institutional zoning district for the purpose of directing vehicular or pedestrian traffic in a safe and convenient manner.
(2) Off-site directional signs may be permitted by the City Council to direct the public to emergency facilities.
(D) Real estate signs.
(1) One temporary sign per street frontage advertising buildings for rent and for sale shall be permitted in the front yard or front side of the building. The sign shall be removed within ten days after the property is rented or the closing of the sale.
(2) Open house signs, which state that a particular house will be open for inspection by the public for a limited number of hours on a specific day, may be placed in the city boulevard area only during the open house hours. Signs may be placed within a six block radius of the open house except as noted in division (D)(3). Signs must be set back a minimum of five feet from the curb and may not be placed on any sidewalk.
(3) Open house and for sale signs may not be placed on the following described street rights-of- way, easements, roadway surface, sidewalks, medians and decorative surfaces and are hereby determined to be in violation of the sign regulations. Any sign so placed, according to Appendix A, is a nuisance and traffic hazard.
(E) Civic event sign. In promotion of a special school, city or other civic event, celebration or festival, two ground signs not exceeding 32 square feet in area, for each sign, are permissible no more than 45 days before the first day of an event, celebration or festival and shall be removed immediately upon the completion of the event, celebration or festival. Signs permitted under this provision may be located in any zoning district subject to the permission of the property owner.
(F) Pump island signs. A double faced or a single face sign with a single side not in excess of three square feet shall be permitted on each gasoline sales pump island, not to exceed ten feet in height.
(G) Pedestrian awning or canopy sign. A business sign, limited to one foot in height and six feet in length, may be located upon the front of a building or canvas awning provided the awning is attached to the building and meets the minimum building setbacks of the city’s zoning chapter. A pedestrian awning or canopy sign may be placed under the canopy, perpendicular to the pedestrian walkway, provided it is at least eight feet above the pedestrian walkway.
(H) Wall coverage. The total area of all signs on any side of a building shall not exceed 20% of the total area of that particular side of the building as measured from the ground to the bottom edge of the roof. Inside window signs shall be excluded from the wall coverage computation but shall not exceed 50% of the coverage of the window area along any side of a building.
(I) Rear entrance identification signs. Rear entrance identification signs not exceeding six square feet in copy area shall be permitted as building signs located adjacent to the rear entrance to individual businesses to clearly identify the location for “deliveries.” The identification sign shall not be considered in computing the maximum permitted sign area for a business.
(J) Political signs.
(1) Temporary political signs may be put up no earlier than 100 days prior to an election and shall be removed within ten days after the election for which they were applicable.
(2) Each sign shall show the name and address of the person responsible for the placement of the sign, who shall be deemed prima facie the person who placed the sign and is responsible for its removal.
(3) In all cases where campaign signs are not removed within the time limit allowed or after notice to be removed by the city, the city may cause the signs to be removed and the costs of removal shall be charged to the person named on the sign.
(4) The size is limited to 32 square feet, except as prescribed by state statutes.
(K) Non-commercial signs. In any residential district, one sign per lot, up to 32 square feet is allowed. This sign may be in addition to any real estate signs on the property.
(L) No trespass/no hunting signs. No trespass, no hunting and similar restrictive signs, not to exceed two square feet in area may be placed upon private property by the owner.
(M) Garage sale signs. Signs advertising garage sales shall be limited to a maximum of three days for each sale. There shall be no more than three sales each calendar year for a household and signs shall not exceed three square feet in area.
(N) Bench sign. Signs painted upon or otherwise attached to or a part of a sitting bench at an MTC or MVTA designated bus stop shall be permitted in any district.
(O) Signs erected by the city, county or state.
(P) Park and ride site sign(s). The Metropolitan Transit Commission or Minnesota Valley Transit Authority shall be permitted to erect on-site signs to identify park and ride site locations and bus stops with suitable signs provided permission for the signage has been obtained from the property owner.
(Q) Minnesota zoo signs. Signs within the Minnesota Zoological Garden that are not within 100 feet of a public street or road.
(R) Address numbers. Address numbers less than six square feet in total copy area shall not be subject to the maximum sign area provisions of this chapter.
(S) Public interest landmark signs. Public interest landmark signs (such as downtown entry gateways, park signs, plaza areas) may be erected on property which is owned or controlled by the city and must be approved by the City Council.
(T) Table of temporary sign size regulations. Regulation concerning size requirements shall be as detailed in Appendix B of this chapter.
(‘81 Code, § 6-104) (Ord. 495, passed 9-20-90; Am. Ord. 501, passed 12-13-90; Am. Ord. 555, passed 5-13-93; Am. Ord. 645, passed 4-9-98; Am. Ord. 711, passed 4-25-02; Am. Ord. 1091, passed 6-10-21) Penalty, see § 10.99