SCHOOL. Any child or day care facility, or an institution of learning for minors, whether public or private, offering instruction in those courses of study required by the California Education Code and maintained pursuant to standards set by the state Board of Education. This definition includes a nursery school, kindergarten, elementary school, middle or junior high school, senior high school or any special institution of education, but it does not include a vocational or professional institution of higher education, including a community or junior college, college or university.
SCREENING. The effect of locating an object behind a building, wall, façade, fence, landscaping, berm and/or other specially designed device so that view of the object from adjoining and nearby public rights-of-way and private properties is eliminated or minimized.
SECOND HAND STORE. A business involved in the retail sale of used goods and merchandise, whereby the sale of such used goods and merchandise comprise 25% or more of total monthly sales volume.
SECURITY BARS. Metal bars, including, but not limited to, wrought iron guards and sliding scissor
gates, attached to or covering a window or glass door which are intended to provide additional protection against vandalism and burglaries.
SELF-STORAGE FACILITY. A structure containing separate storage space that is designed to be leased or rented individually. Indoor storage shall mean that access to all storage spaces shall be from common interior corridors, and the facility has only shared loading areas. This use does not include outdoor storage of any kind. Further, such storage does not involve any manufacturing, retail or wholesale selling, office or business services, or human habitation in any storage space or anywhere on site.
SERVICE CLUBS. Any chapter, lodge or other local unit of an American National Fraternal Organization, which has been in continuous existence for at least 20 years, operates in at least 20 states of the United States and has a minimum of 175 local units in those 20 states.
SERVICE STATION. A business, engaged primarily in the sale of motor fuels and in supplying goods and services generally required for the operation and maintenance of automotive vehicles and the fulfilling of motorists’ needs. The same includes the sale of petroleum products, and may include the sale and servicing of tires, batteries, automotive accessories and replacement items; washing and lubrication services; performance of minor automotive maintenance and repair; and the supplying of other incidental and related customer services and products. Major automotive repairs, painting and body and fender work shall not be permitted as a part of service station use.
SETBACK. The minimum distance between the main building on a lot and the property lines of the lot, measured at a right angle from the designated property line.
SIGN. Any device for the visual communication, including, without limitation, any announcement, declaration, demonstration, display, illustration or insignia which
is used to advertise or promote the views, products or services of any person, business group or enterprise available on the lot where located and is intended to be visible from outside any building or structure containing or supporting it.
ABANDONED SIGN. A sign is abandoned where for a period of 90 days or more, there is no sign copy appearing on the sign or where the establishment to which the sign is attached has ceased operation and where it is clear that the sign has been forsaken or deserted.
ACCESSORY SIGN. Signs that display hours of operation, credit cards and time and temperature.
ANIMATED SIGN. A sign with action or motion, flashing or color changes requiring electrical energy, electronic or manufactured sources of supply, but not including electronic readerboard signs, time and temperature signs and wind activated elements such as flags, banners or specialty signs.
AWNING SIGN. A sign made of cloth, plastic or other nonstructural covering that either is permanently attached to a building or it can be raised or retracted to a position against the building when not in use.
BANNER SIGN. A sign that is composed on a lightweight material (vinyl, plastic or cloth) without frames.
CAN (BOX) SIGN. A sign that contains all text and/or logo symbols within a single enclosed cabinet which may or may not be illuminated.
CANOPY SIGN. Any sign that is part of or attached to an awning, canopy or other material, or structural protective cover over a door, entrance, window or service area.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN. A sign such as a marquee or electronic readerboard sign that is designed so the characters, letters or illustrations may
be rearranged without altering the surface or face of the sign.
COMMERCIAL MESSAGE. Any sign wording, logo or other representation that directly or indirectly names, advertises or calls attention to a business, product, service or other commercial activity, or which proposes a commercial transaction, or relates primarily to commercial interests.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN. A sign that identifies the architects, engineers, financial institutions or contractors involved in a project.
DIRECTORY SIGN. A sign or set of similarly designed individual signs, placed or displayed in sequence to list all or part of the businesses within a building or shopping center.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN. Freestanding, ground, monument or wall signs designed to guide or direct pedestrian or vehicular traffic to a given location.
DISPLAY BOARD SIGN. A permanently installed panel (bulletin board or display case) provided for the posting of temporary advertisements and/or messages on which manually changeable messages are displayed.
ELECTRONIC READERBOARD SIGN. A sign which incorporates changeable messages which may be changed by electronic processes or by remote control.
FREESTANDING SIGN. A sign that is permanently supported by structures or supports in or upon the ground independent from support from any building.
GOVERNMENTAL/CIVIC SIGN. Any temporary or permanent sign erected and maintained by or required by the city, county, state or federal government for traffic direction, city entrance or for designation or direction to any school, hospital, historical site, public service, property or facility.
HOLIDAY SIGN. A temporary sign that is for the purpose of publicizing events during the holidays.
ILLUMINATED SIGN. A sign which uses an artificial source of light in order to make readable the message and includes internally or externally lighted signs, reflectorized, glowing or radiating signs.
INCIDENTAL SIGN. A sign, emblem or decal informing the public of goods, facilities or services available on the premises, including but not limited to a restroom and phone sign, credit card sign or a sign indicating hours of business. INCIDENTAL SIGNS also include signs prohibiting trespassing and soliciting, as well as neighborhood watch/alarm signs.
INFLATABLE SIGN. A balloon or other object inflated with lighter than air gaseous elements for buoyancy, which is attached or anchored to any building or the ground and shall include all parts, portions, units and materials composing the same, including the support or anchor therefor.
MENU/ORDER BOARD SIGN. A sign on the site of a drive-thru restaurant, either detached or attached to the building, displaying the type and price of food and beverages sold in connection with and oriented towards the drive-thru lane.
MONUMENT SIGN. A sign that is permanently supported by structures or supports in or upon the ground independent from support from any building.
NAME PLATE SIGN. A sign that displays only the name of the property owner or occupant and/or the address of the site.
NONCOMMERCIAL SIGN. Any sign that does not bear a commercial message, including, by way of example and limitation, commentary on social, political, educational, religious, scientific, artistic, philosophical or charitable subjects. Also includes
signs regarding fund raising or membership drive activities for noncommercial or nonprofit concerns.
OFF-SITE SIGN. A sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service, entertainment or other product or activity offered at a location other than the site on which the sign is located. This definition does not include real estate signs, temporary signs or directional signs approved pursuant to this chapter.
ON-SITE SIGNS. A sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service, entertainment or other product or activity offered at the site on which the sign is located.
PAINTED SIGN. A sign that is affixed to the exterior surface of a building or structure which has no raised borders, letters, characters, decorations or illuminating appliances.
PENNANT. A piece of fabric or canvas, usually rectangular or triangular in shape and designed to be attached to or flown between a pole or poles, that includes a commercial message or other advertising material that directs attention to a business, commodity, service, entertainment or other product or activity offered at the site on which the pennant is located.
PERMANENT SIGN. Every sign except temporary signs as defined in subchapter 153.170.
POLITICAL SIGN. A noncommercial sign related to a forthcoming public election.
PORTABLE SIGN. Any sign not permanently attached to the ground or a building or designed to be attached to the ground nor building. A-frame, sandwich signs and vehicle mounted signs are considered PORTABLE SIGNS.
POSTER SIGN. A sign printed, written or painted on paper, cardboard or similar material which is generally displayed in windows.
PROJECT IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign which states the name of the building or its owner.
PROJECTING SIGN. A sign that is affixed at an angle or perpendicular to the wall of any building in such a manner to read perpendicular or at an angle to the wall on which it is mounted.
REAL ESTATE SIGN. A sign indicating that the lot on which the sign is located, or any building or structure located thereon, is for sale or lease.
ROOF SIGN. A sign erected upon or above the roof of a building and supported solely on the roof structure.
TEMPORARY SIGN. Any sign constructed of paper, cloth, canvas or other similar lightweight material, with or without frames; or erected by driving a stake or other support into the ground (e.g. common “For Sale” signs).
WALL SIGN. A sign and/or sign structure painted on or attached to the face of the outside wall of any building including but not limited to projecting signs, awning signs and marquee signs.
WINDOW SIGN. A sign that is placed inside or upon a window facing the outside and which is intended to be seen from the exterior (temporary or permanent).
SIGN FACE AREA. The square footage of a sign made up of letters, words and/or symbols within a frame shall be determined from the outside edge of the frame itself. The square footage of a sign composed only of letters, words and/or symbols shall be determined from imaginary straight lines (not to exceed 8 lines) drawn around the entire copy or grouping of such letters, words, and/or symbols. Only those portions of the construction elements that are an integral part of the sign itself shall be considered in the allocation of the square footage allowed. An obvious border designed as an integral part of the sign shall be calculated in the total square footage allowed. The SIGN FACE AREA of a double-faced sign shall
be computed as including only the maximum single display surface which is visible from any ground position at one time upon which the message is placed.
SIGN HEIGHT. The vertical distance measured from the average finished grade of the lot upon which the sign is located to the highest point of the sign.
SINGLE-LOADED. A type of site planning that is identifiable by showing residential planned development units along only one side of a public street.
SITE. Any lot or parcel of land, or combination of contiguous lots or parcels of land, used or intended for a particular use or group of uses.
SITE PLAN. A plan drawn to scale, showing uses and structures proposed for a property as required by the applicable regulations, including lot lines, streets, grades, building sites, reserved open space and other specific development proposals.
SOLAR PANEL. Any solar collector or other polar device, or any structural design feature of a building whose primary purpose is to provide for the collection, storage and distribution of solar energy for space heating or cooling, for water heating or for electricity.
SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT (SCAQMD). The regional authority appointed by the California State Legislature to meet federal standards and to otherwise improve air quality in the South Coast Air Basin (the non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, and Orange County).
SPECIFIC PLAN. Under Cal. Gov’t Code §§ 65450 et seq., a legal tool for detailed design and implementation of a defined portion of the area covered by a General Plan. A SPECIFIC PLAN may include detailed regulations, conditions, programs and/or proposed legislation which may be necessary or convenient for the systematic implementation of any General Plan element.
STORY. That portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of the floor next above, except that the topmost story shall be that portion of a building included between the upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above. STORY includes a basement.
STREET. A public thoroughfare or right-of-way, or approved private thoroughfare or right-of-way determined by the city to be adequate for the purpose of access, which affords the principal means of access for abutting property including avenue, place, way, drive, land, boulevard, highway, road or any other thoroughfare. The word STREET shall include all major and secondary highways, traffic collector streets and local streets.
STREET TREE. Any tree located in a place or area under ownership or control of the city, including but not limited to streets, parkways, open space, parkland, and including city-owned property under the operational control of another entity by virtue of a lease, license, operating or other agreement.
STRUCTURE. Anything constructed or erected, which requires a fixed location on the ground, or is attached to a building or other structure having a fixed location on the ground.
STUDIO. Establishments engaged in industrial or scientific research, inlcuing product testing. Includes electronic research firms or pharmaceutical research laboratories. Excludes manufacturing, except of prototypes, and medical testing and analysis. Also includes production studios for filmmakers and motion picture processing studios.
SWAP MEET. Any event at which two or more persons offer personal property, new and/or used, for sale or exchange and at which a fee is charged for the privilege of offering or displaying personal property for sale or exchange, and/or at which a fee is charged to prospective buyers for admission to the area where personal property is offered or displayed for sale or exchange.
(Ord. 1346, passed 5-2-12; Am. Ord. 1402, passed 11-15-17)