For purposes of this chapter the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. All other words and phrases shall be given their common, ordinary meaning unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"ACCESSORY BUILDING." A building that is structurally independent and detached from, located on the same lot as, and customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal building or use.
"ADMINISTRATOR." The Sign Administrator shall be appointed by the Mayor of the City of Bardstown or his/her designated representative.
"ADDRESS SIGN." The numeric reference of a use or building to a street name.
"AREA OF SIGN." See "SIGN AREA".
"ATTACHED SIGN." See "BUILDING SIGN".
Illustration 5-1: Attached Sign
"AWNING." A shelter projecting from and supported by the exterior wall of a building.
"AWNING SIGN." A sign painted on, printed on, or attached flat against the surface of an awning.
Illustration 5-2: Awning signs
"BANNER." A temporary sign made of cloth, plastic, or other soft material.
Illustration 5-3: Banner
"BENCH SIGN." A sign painted on, attached to, or affixed to any portion of a bench or seating area at bus stops or other such pedestrian areas.
"BILLBOARD SIGN." Any off-site sign, available for rent, on a permanent structure on which the copy is periodically changed and which is not located on the premises to which such advertising copy pertains.
"BUILDING." As defined in the Zoning Regulations.
"BUILDING CANOPY." A rigid multi-sided structure covered with fabric, metal or other material, supported by a building at one or more points and by columns or posts at the other points, and either internally or externally illuminated.
"BUILDING SIGN." A permanent sign which is connected to, painted on, attached to, or otherwise affixed to a building and includes, but is not limited to, a wall, facade, building canopy, projecting, attached, or awning signs.
"CAMPUS."
(1) A business situated on 50 or more acres of land, comprised of two or more buildings for separate but related commercial purposes, and zoned I2 according to the Joint City-County Planning Commission zoning map; or
(2) Any school building or school athletic facility and its surrounding land, whether a public or private institution, regardless of the number of acres of land, which is being used as a school building and/or school athletic facility.
"CAMPUS DIRECTIONAL SIGN." "Gift shop", "parking", "deliveries", "entrance", and the like. Any sign which serves the sole purpose of guiding visitors to an intended destination and which contains no branding elements including, but not limited to, logos, insignias, company names, slogans, photographs or other graphic depictions which signify a brand. For the purposes of these regulations, colors and text fonts do not constitute branding elements. Campus Directional Signs are not to exceed four square feet. If Campus Directional Signs do contain elements of branding, they are considered "Campus Wayfinding Signs."
"CAMPUS MASTER SIGN PLAN." For a campus, a document which lists and illustrates all proposed signs and sign locations for the entire campus development, including wall-mounted signs, ground-mounted signs, directional signs, campus wayfinding signs, and all other visual and branding elements.
"CAMPUS WAYFINDING SIGN." Any sign located on a campus which serves the sole purpose of guiding visitors to an intended destination and which contains branding elements including, but not limited to, logos, insignias, company names, slogans, photographs, or other graphic depictions which signify a brand. For the purposes of These guidelines, colors and text fonts do not constitute branding elements. Campus wayfinding signs are not to exceed four square feet.
"CANOPY, BUILDING." See "BUILDING CANOPY."
"CANOPY, FREESTANDING." See "FREESTANDING CANOPY".
"CANOPY SIGN." A sign painted on, printed on, or attached flat against the surface of a canopy.
Illustration 5-4: Canopy signs
"CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN." A sign or portion thereof with characters, letters, or illustrations that can be manually or electronically changed or rearranged without altering the face or the surface of the sign. A sign on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of time or temperature shall be considered a "time and temperature" portion of a sign and not a changeable copy sign for purposes of this Ordinance. Also known as "reader board", "bulletin board", or "message center."
"CONSTRUCTION SIGN." A sign used to identify the persons, businesses, professions, or trades engaged in an "in-progress" construction project of a building on the site.
"CORPORATION FLAG." A flag used to advertise a business, institution, organization, or facility located on or at the site and/or the product or service offered on or available at the same lot where the flag is displayed.
"DEVELOPMENT." A principal building or use or combination of principal buildings and uses, under a common plan with a common or shared identity as indicated by commonality of design and appearance and/or by a commonality of function and use.
"DIRECTIONAL SIGN." On-site permanent sign with no commercial message, logo, or symbol and used only to direct pedestrians or vehicular traffic. Directional signage shall include, but not be limited to, signs for entrances, exits, parking areas, and drive-thrus. See also "INCIDENTAL SIGN".
Illustration 5-5: Directional signs
"DIRECTORY SIGN." A building or freestanding sign which lists the names of the occupants of a multiple occupancy building or site.
"ELECTION SIGN." A temporary sign directly associated with national, state or local elections.
"ELEVATION." A geometrical projection of a building on a vertical plane.
"FACADE SIGN." See "BUILDING SIGN".
"FREESTANDING CANOPY." A rigid multi-sided structure covered with fabric, metal or other material and supported by columns or posts and either illuminated internally or externally.
"FREESTANDING SIGN." A permanent sign that is set firmly in or upon the ground surface, is not attached to any building or other structure. Freestanding signs include, but are not limited to, ground-mounted, monument, or pole signs.
Illustration 5-6: Freestanding signs
"GRADE." The average level of the finished surface of the ground adjacent to a sign or to the exterior wall of the building to which a sign is affixed.
"GROUND-MOUNTED SIGN." A freestanding sign with a solid base.
Illustration 5-7: Ground-mounted sign
"HEIGHT OF SIGN." See "SIGN HEIGHT".
"HISTORIC OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT." A district, landmark, or landmark site that has been designated as having historical, architectural, social, or geographical significance to the community and shall comply with the adopted Design Guidelines and Article 15 of the Zoning Regulations.
"ILLEGAL SIGN." A sign which was not in compliance with this, or the applicable ordinance or regulation which it was erected, installed, altered or displayed.
"ILLUMINATED SIGN." A sign with an artificial light source incorporated internally or externally for the purpose of lighting the sign.
"INCIDENTAL SIGN." A sign that has a purpose secondary to the use of the lot on which it is located and is intended merely to provide directions or information. Incidental signs include, but are not limited to, "no parking", "entrance", "loading only", "telephone", and other similar directives. No sign with a commercial message, logo, or symbol and legible from a position off the lot on which the sign is located shall be considered incidental. See also "DIRECTIONAL SIGN."
"INDIVIDUAL PRINCIPAL USE." A principal use located in a structurally independent building and separated with its own building entrance and exit. An accessory use does not constitute an individual business use.
"LANDMARK SIGN." A permanent sign or visual element that is designated by the Historic Review Board as having historic and/or architectural significance. A landmark sign shall be at least twenty (20) years old unless the Historic Review Board makes a finding that a newer sign with historic and/or architectural significance should be designated to protect it.
"MONUMENT SIGN." A permanent freestanding sign mounted on the ground and designed with a continuous structural element of approximately the same dimension from the ground to the top of the sign.
Illustration 5-8: Ground-mounted sign
"NIGHTTIME DELIVERY VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION SIGN." An internally-lit sign that can be mounted on the roof of a vehicle during the times that such vehicle is delivering goods for a business that must regularly deliver its products after dark and therefor, for security reasons, have their vehicles identifiable from a distance, in the dark. Examples are vehicles that deliver pizza, salads, etc; and taxicabs.
"NON-CONFORMING SIGN." A sign that was erected, installed, or displayed in compliance with previous sign regulations but which is not in compliance with this chapter and which has not been reconstructed, altered, or otherwise modified since the adoption of this chapter except to bring the sign into compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
"OFF-SITE SIGN." A permanent sign used to identify, display, advertise, or otherwise direct attention to any business enterprise, commodity, service, or entertainment conducted, sold, or offered at a location other than the premises on which the sign is located. Also referred to as "off-premise sign."
"ON-SITE SIGN." A permanent building sign which identifies or directs attention to a place, activity, business, office, institution, facility, organization, profession, trade, or occupation located at or on the site and/or a product, good, or service offered on or available at the same lot where the sign is displayed. On-site signs shall include, but are not limited to, attached signs, building signs, window signs, freestanding signs, projecting signs, and awning signs. Also referred to as "on-premise sign."
"OPEN/CLOSED WINDOW SIGN." A sign which serves the function of displaying the open or closed status of a business and is mounted, placed, applied, painted, attached, or otherwise affixed inside a window or to a windowpane or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window.
"PERMITTED USE." A use which is specifically authorized by right in a particular zoning district, as set forth in the Zoning Regulations.
"PERMANENT SIGN." A non-temporary sign designed and intended for long-term use.
"PORTABLE SIGN." A temporary sign which is not permanently attached or anchored to the ground or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported including, but not limited to, signs converted to A or T frames, menu or sandwich board signs, balloons or visual elements used as signs, umbrellas used for advertising, and signs attached to or painted on vehicles which extend beyond the original surface of the vehicle, and are parked and visible from the public right-of-way. Exemption: Nighttime delivery vehicle identification signs, which may be used at any time that the vehicle is making deliveries, regardless of the time of day or night, for businesses that routinely make deliveries after dark.
Illustration 5-9: Portable signs
"POLE SIGN." A permanent freestanding sign mounted on the ground, where the structural element is significantly more narrow than the sign.
Illustration 5-10: Pole sign
"PRINCIPAL BUILDING." A building or combination of buildings of primary importance or function on a site. In general, the primary use of the site is carried out in a principal building.
"PRINCIPAL USE." The primary or predominant use of any lot, as distinguished from accessory uses and buildings.
"PROJECTING SIGN." A permanent building sign which is mounted, erected, or otherwise affixed on a building wall or structure, projecting generally perpendicular to the wall, and extending beyond the building wall more than 12 inches. Projecting signs also include suspended signs.
Illustration 5-11 Projecting sign
"PUBLIC INSTITUTION." Any building used exclusively for public purposes by any department or branch of government, such as schools, libraries, post offices, police, emergency, and fire stations, and utilities and services.
"READER BOARD." See "CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN."
"ROOF SIGN." A sign erected and constr ucted wholly or in part upon, agains t, or above the roof of a buildi ng. For purposes of this Ordina nce, any portion of a building above or behind the fascia or parape t of a building shall be consid ered part of the roof.
Illustration 5-12: Roof signs
"ROOF-INTEGRAL SIGN." Any building sign erected or constructed as an integral or essentially integral part of a normal roof structure of any design, so that no part of the sign extends vertically above the highest portion of the roof and so that no part of the sign is separated from the rest of the roof by a space more than six inches. For purposes of this chapter, any portion of a building above or behind the fascia or parapet of a building shall be considered part of the roof. See also "Building Sign."
Illustration 5-13: Roof-integral sign
"SEMI-PUBLIC INSTITUTION." Any building of an institutional nature and serving a public need, such as churches, hospitals, schools, and museums.
"SIGN." Any device, structure, fixture, display, emblem, picture, placard, visual element, or any parts or combinations thereof using graphics, symbols, and written copy for the primary purpose of identifying, providing directions to, drawing attention to, or advertising any activity, place, business, office, institution, facility, organization, profession, trade, occupation, product, good, or service.
"SIGN AREA." The total area of the sign face which is used to display a message, not including its supporting poles or structures.
"SIGN HEIGHT." The distance from the base of the sign at normal grade to the top of the highest attached component of the sign.
"SIGN PLAN." A coordinated plan for developing signs for an individual building or a group of buildings.
"STREET/ROAD FRONTAGE." The distance along which a lot line adjoins a public street or road right-of-way from one lot line intersecting the street to the furthest distant lot line intersecting the same street.
For purposes of this chapter, a development project containing more than one lot along a street shall be considered to have only one street frontage on that street. Corner lots have at least two (2) street fronts.
"STRUCTURE." As defined in the Zoning Regulations.
"SUBDIVISION IDENTIFICATION SIGN." A sign used to identify a residential subdivision on site.
"TEMPORARY SIGN." A sign that is made of paper, cardboard, cloth, plastic, fabric, wood or other materials, which is used for a limited period of time, as set forth in this chapter, and which is not permanently mounted. Temporary signs include, but are not limited to, A-frame, banner, wind sign, special event sign, etc.
"TIME OR TEMPERATURE SIGN." A sign or portion thereof on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of time or temperature.
"VEHICLE SIGNS." Signs displayed on trucks, buses, trailers or other motor vehicles which are being operated in the normal course of a business, such as signs indicating the name of the owner or business which are affixed or painted onto moving vans, delivery trucks, contractors' vehicles and equipment, rental trucks and trailers, and the like; provided that such signs are flat, two dimensional signs, painted, placed magnetically or otherwise attached, (glued/wrapped) to the original surface of the vehicle, and are clearly incidental to the use of the vehicle, in conjunction with a bona fide business and are not for the purpose of display of signs. Exemption: Nighttime delivery vehicle identification signs, which may be used at any time that the vehicle is making deliveries, regardless of the time of day or night for businesses that routinely make deliveries after dark.
"VISUAL ELEMENT." A visual element is a substitute for additional signs consisting of temporary and/or permanent device intended to attract attention to any activity, place, business, office, institution, facility, organization, profession, trade, occupation, product, good, or service or to convey message concerning any activity, place, business, office, institution, facility, organization, profession, trade, occupation, product, good, or service.
"WALL SIGN." Any permanent building sign attached parallel to, but within two feet of a wall, painted on the wall surface of, or erected and confined within the limits of any outside wall of any building, which is supported by such wall or building, and which displays only one sign surface. Also see "BUILDING SIGN".
"WINDOW." The combined area of glazing within a wall opening.
"WINDOW SIGN, EXTERIOR." A sign which is mounted, placed, applied, painted, attached or otherwise affixed on the exterior of a window or to a window pane or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window. Exterior window signs are considered permanent building signs.
Illustration 5-14: Window signs
"WINDOW SIGN, INTERIOR." A sign displayed in a window which is not permanently mounted, placed, applied, painted, attached or otherwise affixed to the window, window pane, or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window. Temporary window signs are not considered permanent building signs. Changeable copy signs and signs which feature internal illumination may not be considered interior window signs. Also see "OPEN/CLOSED WINDOW SIGNS".
(Ord. B2008-13, passed 8-12-08; Am. Ord. B2014-25, passed 9-12-14; Am. Ord. B-2018-03, passed 2-13-18; Am. Ord. B2020-12, passed 9-22-20)