(a) Signs Requiring a Permit. A permit shall be required for all permanent signs exceeding one square foot and all temporary signs exceeding five square feet of sign area, except as stated in division (c) below.
(1) The Zoning Enforcement Officer and Planning Coordinator shall review and act on sign applications for all signs pursuant to criteria set forth in this Chapter 1290.
(2) Signs advertising upcoming community events shall be permitted upon written request and approval of the Zoning Enforcement Officer and Planning Coordinator. One on-site sign of 32 square feet shall be permitted. Off-site signs shall not exceed 6 square feet each. Signs shall not be located on trees, utility poles or in the right-of-way. No sign specified herein shall be displayed for a period exceeding 30 days from the date of the Mayor's approval.
(b) Sign Permit. A sign permit shall be valid for a 12-month period, during which time the sign shall be erected. The permit may be extended by the Zoning Enforcement Officer an additional 12 months for good cause shown.
(c) Signs Not Requiring Permit. The erection of the following signs shall not require a permit, provided that all applicable regulations of this chapter are complied with:
(1) Temporary signs for single-family and two-family dwellings.
(2) Nameplates.
(3) Temporary window signs.
(4) A traffic or other Municipal sign, legal notices, railroad crossing signs, danger signs and such temporary emergency or non-advertising signs as may be approved by Council are exempt from these requirements.
(d) Master Sign Plan. For multi-tenant buildings and development projects with multiple buildings in Business, Office, and Industrial Districts, the Planning Commission may approve basic sign parameters that set forth the location, size and style of each tenant sign. Such sign parameters may be established when the Planning Commission reviews development plans for new buildings or at the time that a specific sign application is made for an identification sign for an existing building. Whenever the Planning Commission has approved such sign parameters, the Zoning Enforcement Officer shall be authorized to review and approve any subsequent sign application submitted for a tenant of the development or building that complies with such sign parameters.
(e) Application Requirements. Applications for permits to erect, place, paint or alter a sign shall be made by the applicant and shall be submitted on forms furnished by the Zoning Enforcement Officer. Each application shall be made separately. Each application shall be accompanied by the following:
(1) A complete site plan, showing the exact location of the sign and its relationship to the building, the locations and square footage of all existing signs on site, the lot frontage, the adjacent parcels and parking lots, drives and sidewalks;
(2) The design and layout of the proposed sign, drawn to scale and including the total area of the sign and the size, character and color of letters, lines and symbols;
(3) Details and specifications for construction, erection and attachment as may be required by the applicable building code;
(4) A permit fee for each sign application, pursuant to the fee schedule as listed in the most current edition of the Fee Ordinance; and
(5) The method of illumination if any.
(Ord. 58-01. Passed 5-29-01; Ord. 186-01. Passed 1-28-02; Ord. 77-02. Passed 5-28-02; Ord. 191-03. Passed 9-8-03.)