The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the following street graphics, and the area of such graphics shall not be debited against the total graphics area allowance for any establishment:
(A) Traffic or other municipal street graphics such as railroad crossing signs, legal notices and such temporary emergency signs as may be authorized by the City Council;
(B) Signs of public utility companies indicating danger or which serve as an aid to public safety or which show the location of underground facilities or of public telephones;
(C) Directional, informational or public service signs not exceeding two square feet in area, erected for the convenience of the public, such as signs identifying entrances, exits, parking areas, no parking areas, restrooms, public telephones, walkways and similar features or facilities;
(D) House numbers and/or name of occupant signs located on the lot to which the sign is appurtenant and not exceeding three square feet;
(E) Signs located in the interior of any building or within an enclosed lobby or court of any building or group of buildings, which signs are designed and located to be viewed exclusively by the patrons of such buildings;
(F) No trespassing signs or other such signs regulating the use of a property, such as no hunting, no fishing and the like of no more than two square feet in area;
(G) Graphics advertising a public entertainment or event. Such graphics shall be displayed only at locations and only during the time period approved by the City Council. Said time period shall not be longer than 14 days before and two days after the event;
(H) On-Premises signs of a professional such as a physician, dentist, lawyer, accountant, architect, engineer, minister and the like, which sign shall be limited to two square feet in area and have no commercial advertising;
(I) Flags of any country, state or unit of local government;
(J) Real estate signs not extending outside the property line and not more than six square feet per face in area which indicate the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which said signs are located. No more than one real estate sign per street side shall be placed on any lot;
(K) Residential development identification structures at major entrances designed to identify a residential subdivision or planned unit development and containing no commercial advertising;
(L) Construction signs identifying the architects, engineers, contractors and other individuals or firms involved with the construction, and/or announcing the character of the building enterprise, or the purpose for which the building is intended, but not advertising any product. Such signs shall not exceed 20 square feet in area, shall be confined to the site of the construction and shall be removed within ten days after the beginning of the intended use of the project;
(M) Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or inlaid so as to be part of the building or when constructed of bronze or other incombustible material;
(N) Signs of historical societies containing no advertising and not more than five square feet in area;
(O) Bulletin board not over 20 square feet in area for a public, charitable or religious institution, when located on the premises of such institution and not obstructing the vision of motorists;
(P) Holiday decorations such as Christmas lights and ornaments; provided that, such decorations shall be removed within a reasonable time after the holiday;
(Q) Temporary graphics advertising a sale or similar temporary activity; provided that, said graphics shall not be displayed longer than seven days at any one time, nor more than four times in any calendar year;
(R) Political campaign signs that announce or support political candidates or issues in connection with any national, state or local election, including only those signs specifically advocating on behalf of a person, or a position on a question, to be considered by voters on a ballot that has been certified in accordance with the state’s Election Code; and
(S) Political message signs, other than a political campaign sign, that express a non-commercial message regarding an issue of political or public concern.
(1960 Code, § 53-2-9) (Ord. 3427, passed 3-7-1977; Ord. 7749, passed 2-18-2014) Penalty, see § 155.999