1141.02 EXEMPTIONS.

   The provisions of this Chapter shall not amend or in any way interfere with other rules or regulations governing traffic or public safety signs.  These regulations shall not be applicable to any signs erected by the City for public purposes.

(Ord. 2018-94.  Passed 10-21-19.)

1141.03 DEFINITIONS.

   (a)   Sign: "Sign" means a structure or part thereof, or any device attached to land, buildings or any object of any nature, which is displayed for purposes of advertisement, announcement, declaration, demonstration, identification, or expression or to direct attention to a person, institution, organization, activity, place, object, product or business.

   (b)   Signs are herein classified and defined according to the following:

      (1)   "Changeable Copy Sign" means a Sign designed to display multiple or changing messages whether by manual, mechanical or electronic means. Such Signs are characterized by changeable letters, symbols or numerals that are not permanently affixed to the structure, framing, or background allowing the letters, characters, or graphics to be modified from time to time manually or by electronic or mechanical devices. Electronically changed Signs may include either electronic message boards or digital displays.

      (2)   "Directional Sign" means a Sign indicating a direction or a location to which traffic, whether pedestrian or vehicular, is requested to move within the parcel for the purpose of traffic control and public safety.

      (3)   "Marquee Sign"  means a Sign attached to the underside, topside or face of a marquee roof over a walk or permanent awning.

      (4)   "Monument Sign"  means a Sign erected on a free-standing wall or monument not attached to a building with a solid continuous foundation. 

      (5)   "Pole Sign" means a Sign with not more than two faces which is supported wholly by a pole or poles and designed so as to permit pedestrian or vehicular traffic thereunder.

      (6)   "Projecting Sign"  means a Sign erected on or attached to the outside wall of a building and which projects out at an angle therefrom.

      (7)   "Temporary Sign"  means a Sign constructed of cloth, paper, wood, fabric, or other temporary material, with or without a structural frame, and intended or designed for a limited period of display.

      (8)   "Wall Sign"  means a Sign erected on, attached to, painted on the surface of, or integral with the wall of any building, located in a plane parallel to the plane of the wall, and supported by the building.

      (9)   "Wayfinding Sign"  means a Sign used to direct motorists or pedestrians to a specific location or uses.

      (10)   "Window Sign"  means a Sign painted on, attached or affixed to the interior or exterior surface of windows or doors of a building or otherwise intended to be seen through a window or door.

         (Ord. 2018-94.  Passed 10-21-19.)

1141.04 COMPLIANCE AND SIGN PERMIT REQUIRED.

   Signs shall be designed, erected, painted, repainted, posted, reposted, placed, replaced, hung, displayed, altered, reconstructed, moved or maintained, in whole or in part, only in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Chapter.  A Sign permit issued by the Building Commissioner shall be required prior to the erection, display, relocation, replacement, reinstallation, or alteration of any sign, including Temporary Signs, except as otherwise specifically exempted in Section 1141.07 hereof. 

(Ord. 2018-94.  Passed 10-21-19.)

1141.05 SIGN PERMIT APPLICATIONS.

   All applications for Sign permits shall be submitted to the Building Commissioner on forms furnished by the City, shall be signed by the owner or lessee of the property on which the sign is proposed, shall be accompanied by such fee as may be established by Council, and each application shall be accompanied by drawings to scale, showing:

   (a)   The design and layout proposed including the total area of the Sign, the size, materials, character and color of the letters, lines and surface symbols;

   (b)   The method of illumination, if any;

   (c)   The exact location of the Sign in relation to the building, property lines, and rights-of-way;

   (d)   Construction details and specifications as required by the Building Code; and

   (e)   And such additional information as the Building Commissioner may require in order to determine compliance with this Chapter.

      (Ord. 2018-94.  Passed 10-21-19.)

1141.06 REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF SIGN PERMITS.

   Each application for a Sign permit shall be referred to the Architectural Board of Review for consideration.  No Sign permit shall be issued without the approval of the Architectural Board of Review.  (Ord. 2018-94.  Passed 10-21-19.)

1141.07 PERMIT EXCEPTIONS.

   No Sign permit shall be required for:

   (a)   Periodic repair, repainting, or maintenance which does not alter the Sign including, but not limited to, the Sign face, design, or structure.

   (b)   Changing the lettering, graphic, or information on a sign specifically approved as a Changeable Copy Sign, whether automatic or manual.

   (c)   Legal notices, warnings, regulatory, informational, or Directional Signs erected by any public agency or utility.

   (d)   Traffic-control Signs not exceeding two (2) square feet in area directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property, such as Signs designating handicapped parking, reserved parking, visitor parking, and loading areas.

   (e)   Wall Signs not exceeding three (3) square feet in area which cannot be seen from a public street or right-of-way or from adjacent properties.

   (f)   Temporary Signs not exceeding four (4) square feet in area and four feet (4') in height, provided that not more than four (4) such signs shall be located on any lot or parcel, that such signs shall not be displayed for longer than thirty (30) days, and that such signs shall not be located less than feet (10') from the right-of-way of any street or any side lot line.

   (g)   Automobile agencies with new and used vehicles sales and service may place informational stick-on signs on the windshields of vehicles for sale provided that all such Signs displayed are of a consistent design, are placed in the upper right hand corner of the windshield, and do not cover more than one (1) square foot of area of the windshield.

   (h)   Two (2) permanent, non-illuminated Signs not exceeding one (1) square foot in area shall be permitted for each single-family or two-family dwelling, provided that such Signs shall be located not less than ten feet (10') from any side lot line of the premises and not less than two feet (2') from the paved roadway on the tree lawn.

      (Ord. 2018-94.  Passed 10-21-19.)

1141.08 MEASUREMENT STANDARDS.

   The following provisions shall apply to all Signs:

   (a)   The total area of all Signs permitted on a lot in accordance with regulations set forth in the following sections shall include the area of all of the Sign faces visible from a public right-of-way, including the area of Signs placed upon the surface of windows or doors, but shall not include Signs which are less than two (2) square feet in area directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property, or any Signs which cannot be seen from a public street, right-of-way, or adjacent properties.

   (b)   The area of a Sign shall be measured within a continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of such Sign including all text and graphics and any device used to attract attention provided, however, that structural elements lying outside the limits of such Sign and not forming an integral part of the display shall not be included as Sign area. 

   (c)   Monument Signs shall be limited to a maximum of two (2) faces.  Where the two faces of a Monument Sign are oriented one hundred eighty (180) degrees, or back to back, to one another the total Sign area of such sign shall be measured as if the sign had a single face.

   (d)   The height of a Monument Sign shall be measured from the finished grade at the base of the Sign to the highest point or element of the Sign.

   (e)   For the purposes of calculating permitted Sign area, the frontage of a building shall be the number of linear feet of the building wall or facade which faces the principal street or contains the main entrance as determined by the Building Commissioner.

      (Ord. 2018-94.  Passed 10-21-19.)