(a) As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates;
(1) "Awning" means a projection from a building wall intended primarily for shelter or ornamentation and which can be retracted, folded or collapsed against the face of the supporting building.
(2) "Billboard" means a sign directing attention to a specific business, product, service, entertainment or other activity sold, offered or conducted elsewhere than upon the lot on which the sign is located.
(3) "Bulletin board sign" means an announcement sign directing attention and located on the premises of a public or semi-public institution or church.
(4) "Business sign" means a sign which directs attention to a business, profession, commodity or entertainment conducted, sold or offered upon the same lot.
(5) "Canopy" means a projection from a building wall intended primarily for shelter or ornamentation and typically constructed to include a top element (or cover) and front or side overhangs.
(6) "Erect" means to build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend or affix, and also includes the painting of wall signs.
(7) "Facing" and "surface" means the surface of the sign upon, against or through which the message is displayed or illustrated on the sign.
(8) "Foreign attachments" means any sign made of paper, cardboard, wood, plastic or any similar substance on which advertising of a product, announcement of an event, including a garage sale or any other sale, a sign announcing the candidacy of a person or persons running for public office, or carrying a message regarding an issue in forthcoming election or primary.
(9) "Garage sale sign" means a sign advertising a public sale of personal property in the City.
(10) "Ground sign/planter sign" means any sign supported by uprights or braces attached to the ground and not attached to any building.
(11) "Hanging sign" means a hinged sign installed on an arm or spar, which sign is not, in addition, permanently fastened to an adjacent wall or upright pole.
(12) "Height" means the height above finished grade and refers only to ground (pole) signs unless otherwise indicated.
(13) "Illuminated sign" means any sign which has characters, letters, figures, designs or outline illuminated by electric lights or luminous tubes as a part of the sign proper.
(14) "Marquee" means a projection from a building wall intended for the display of signs and, secondarily, for shelter or ornamentation, and typically constructed to include a top element (or cover) and a bottom element (or soffit) connected by vertical faces on three sides.
(15) "Other advertising structure" means any marquee, canopy or awning as further defined in subsections (a)(1), (5) and (14) hereof.
(16) "Pole sign/free standing sign" means a sign erected on a pole, poles or posts, which is wholly independent of any building for support which exceeds ten feet clearance above ground.
(17) "Political sign" means any sign, as defined herein, for the purpose of endorsement, support, advocacy or opposition to a candidate, or candidates, for political office or cause and/or issues at any general, primary or special election, on all levels of government.
(18a) "Portable sign" means any freestanding temporary sign which is designed to be moved and is not permanently attached to any part of a building or to the ground.
(18b) "Portable read-a-board sign" means any freestanding temporary sign which is designed to be moved and is not permanently attached to any part of a building; with or without wheels or on legs, with or without an arrow, with changeable letters.
(19) "Projecting sign" means a display sign which is attached directly to the building wall and which extends more than twelve inches from the face of the wall.
(20) "Real estate and development sign" means a sign directing attention to the promotion, rental, sale or lease of property on which it is located, or a sign indicating the name, owner or manager of a development.
(21) "Roof sign" means any sign erected, constructed and maintained wholly upon or over the roof or parapet wall of any building, with the principal support on the roof structure.
(22) "Seasonal sign/special display" means signs such as Christmas decorations or those used for an historic holiday, and installed for a limited period of time.
(23) "Sign" means any visual communication designed to be seen from an outdoor location and used to convey a message.
(24) "Sign panel" means a structural object or portion of structural object, including painted surfaces, designed to form a distinct background area or frame for display of a sign's information. However, an architectural frame or space integral to a building's design and not differentiated from the wall by color shall not be considered a sign panel.
(25) "Structural trim" means the molding, battens, cappings, nailing strips, latticing and platforms which are attached to the sign structure.
(26) "Temporary sign" means a sign intended for use for a limited period of time, including signs which announce special events or sales, political positions and the sale, rental or development of property.
(27) "Unit of a building" means a space occupying a portion of the ground floor of a building, containing an exclusive entrance from the building exterior, and separated from all other ground floor spaces by a party wall or walls. (Regulations referring to "building or unit thereof" shall apply to the building only if such building is not divided into units.)
(28) "Utility pole" means a pole or post with base in the ground, made of wood, metal or any other substance, owned by any utility or corporation franchise or contract with the City and which is used to carry cables or wires made of any substance or elements within the City.
(29) "Wall sign" means any sign painted on, attached to or erected against the wall of a building or structure, with the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to the plane of the wall.
(30) "Window sign" means any sign lettered directly on a window or placed on the inside of a window so as to be read from the outside. (The glass or clear plastic portion of an exterior door shall be considered a window for purposes of this definition.)
(31) "Zoning districts" herein refer to the districts established in the Zoning Code.
(2004 Code)