1184.04 GENERAL PROVISIONS.
   (a)    Conformance to Codes. Any sign hereafter erected shall conform to the provisions of this ordinance and the pro- visions of the Ohio Building Code and of any other ordinance or regulation within the City.
   (b)    Signs in Rights-of-way. No sign other than an official traffic sign or similar sign shall be erected within two feet of the lines of any street, or within any public way, unless specifically authorized by other ordinances or regulations of the City or by specific authorization of the City Council.
   (c)    Projections over Public Ways. Signs projecting over public walkways shall be permitted to do so only subject to the projection and clearance limits either defined herein or, if not so defined, at a minimum height of nine feet from grade level to the bottom of the sign. Signs, architectural projections or sign structures projecting over vehicular access areas must conform to the minimum height clearance limitations imposed by the City for such structures.
   (d)    Traffic Visibility. No sign or sign structure shall be erected at the intersection of any street in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision, nor at any location where by its position, shape or color it may interfere with, imitate, or obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device.
   (e)    Computation of Frontage. If premises contain walls facing more than one property line or encompasses property frontage bounded by more than one street or other property usages, the sign area(s) for each building wall or property frontage will be computed separately for each building wall or property line facing a different frontage. The sign area(s) thus calculated shall be permitted to then be applied to permitted signs placed on each separate wall or property line frontage.
   (f)    Animation and Changeable Messages. Animated signs are not permitted unless specifically approved by the Planning Commission within a nonresidential zone. Changeable signs, manually activated or electrically activated, are permitted in all nonresidential zones.
FIGURE 1184.04(1)
GENERAL SIGN TYPES
FIGURE 1184.04(2)
COMPARISON - ROOF AND WALL OR FASCIA SIGNS
Notes: Sum of shaded areas only represents sign area. Sign constructed with panels or cabinets.
FIGURE 1184.04(3)
SIGN AREA COMPUTATION
METHODOLOGY
Notes: Sum of shaded area only represents sign area for code compliance purposes. Examples of signs consisting of individual letters, elements or logos placed on building walls or structures.
FIGURE 1184.04 (4)
SIGN AREA COMPUTATION
METHODOLOGY
   (g)    Maintenance, Repair and Removal. Every sign permitted by this ordinance shall be kept in good condition and repair. Where any sign becomes insecure, in danger of falling or is otherwise deemed unsafe by the code official, or if any sign shall be unlawfully installed, erected or maintained in violation of any of the provisions of this ordinance, the owner thereof or the person or firm using same shall, upon written notice by the code official forthwith in the case of immediate danger, and in any case within not more than ten days, make such sign conform to the provisions of this ordinance, or shall remove it. If within ten days the order is not complied with, the code official shall be permitted to remove or cause such sign to be removed at the expense of the owner and/or the user of the sign.
   (h)    Obsolete Sign Copy. Any sign copy that no longer advertises or identifies a use conducted on the property on which said sign is erected must have the sign copy covered or removed within thirty days after written notification from the code official; and upon failure to comply with such notice, the code official is hereby authorized to cause removal of such sign copy, and any expense incident thereto shall be paid by the owner of the building, structure or ground on which the sign is located.
   (i)    Nonconforming Signs. Any sign legally existing at the time of the passage of this ordinance that does not conform in use, location, height or size with the regulations of the zone in which such sign is located, shall be considered a legal nonconforming use or structure and shall be permitted to continue in such status until such time as it is either abandoned or removed by its owner, subject to the following limitations:
      (1)   Structural alterations, enlargement or re-erection are permissible only where such alterations will not increase the degree of nonconformity of the signs.
      (2)   Any legal nonconforming sign shall be removed or rebuilt without increasing the existing height or area if it is damaged, or removed if allowed to deteriorate to the extent that the cost of repair or restoration exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the replacement cost of the sign as determined by the code official.
      (3)   Signs that comply with either subsections (i)(1) or (2) need not be permitted.
   (j)    Illuminated Signs. The brightness of any internally illuminated or electronic sign shall not exceed 0.3 foot candles above ambient light, as measured using a foot candle meter at a pre-set distance. Electronic signs shall come equipped with technology that automatically adjusts the display's brightness based on ambient light conditions (Day versus Night.) Distances to measure the foot candle impact vary with the expected viewing distance of each size sign. Measurements should be taken perpendicular to the face of the sign. Measurement distance criteria is as follows:
 
FACE SIZE
MEASUREMENT DISTANCE
Up to 24 SF
49 FT
24 to 32 SF
57 FT
32 to 50 SF
71 FT
50 to 100 SF
100 FT
Measurement Distance =(sign area (SF) X 100)^0.5
(Ord. 16-20. Passed 3-17-20.)