(a) Findings. The City Council makes the following findings regarding the need to prohibit certain signs in all zoning districts:
(1) The placement and accumulation of temporary and permanent signs in public rights-of-way, on traffic and utility devices, and upon the public sidewalks or sidewalk easements can present dangerous conditions to free and safe pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow. Such areas should be reserved for government signs, public signs, public utility signs, and traffic control devices to ensure safe traffic flow;
(2) The accumulation of signs on publicly-owned property and buildings present an intrusion and blight on public property that interferes with and diminishes the purpose for which the public space has been reserved and disrupts the aesthetic qualities of such property;
(3) The placement and accumulation of signs on such natural features as trees, shrubs and rocks degrade the aesthetic qualities of such features;
(4) The experience of this and surrounding communities establishes the unsightly visual clutter caused by portable signs. Such portable signs also present unique safety problems. Their lightweight design and common placement along streets and sidewalks present hazards to the safe use of public streets and sidewalks;
(5) Large, temporary, and permanent balloon signs on buildings, roofs and sites present unique aesthetic concerns to the community. The experience of this city in allowing such large balloon signs temporarily in the past is that it has not achieved the aesthetic goals of the City Council. The balloons have been commonly thought to be obtrusive and have resulted in commercial enterprises exceeding the prescribed signage limits of this sign code; and
(6) The installation and maintenance of roof signs can negatively affect roofing materials. Roof signs may also be unwarranted and unsightly additions to the overall clutter of streets and thoroughfares.
(b) Prohibited signs. The following signs are prohibited in all sign districts:
(1) Signs or sign structures, whether temporary or permanent, placed on or within the public right-of-way, except for government signs, public signs, public utility signs, or traffic control devices, unless expressly permitted in this sign code.
(2) Signs or sign structures placed upon any public lighting system, public bridge, public drinking fountain, public emergency response or safety equipment, traffic control device, utility apparatus, public retaining or noise-barrier wall, or public fence, unless the sign is a government sign, public sign, or public utility sign.
(3) Signs or sign structures that prevent a person operating a vehicle from having a clear and unobstructed view of any official traffic control device or approaching or merging traffic.
(4) Signs or sign structures that attempt or appear to attempt to direct the movement of traffic, or which imitate, resemble, or interfere with or obstruct the view of a traffic control device.
(5) Signs that display any rotating beam, beacon or flashing illumination resembling any emergency light, unless the sign is a government sign, public sign, public utility sign, or traffic control device.
(6) Signs or sign structures greater than three feet in height and located in the clear view triangle area, as defined by § 19.03, or otherwise located in such a manner as to materially impede the view of any street or highway intersection or in such a manner as to materially impede the view of the intersection of a street or highway with a railroad crossing.
(7) Signs or sign structures located in a manner that could impede traffic on any street, alley, sidewalk, bikeway, trail, or other pedestrian or vehicular travel way.
(8) Signs painted on, attached to, or maintained upon trees, shrubs, rocks, or other natural features.
(9) Signs that fluctuate in light intensity or use intermittent, strobe, or moving lights that do not fall under the definition of video signs, electronic changeable copy signs, or electronic graphic display signs.
(10) Abandoned signs.
(11) Balloon signs.
(12) Flashing signs.
(13) Off-site advertising signs, unless expressly allowed by this sign code.
(14) Roof signs.
(15) Shimmering signs.
(16) Rotating signs.
(17) Portable signs, unless expressly allowed by this sign code.
(18) Vehicle signs.
(19) Unlawful signs.
(c) Any sign erected that is not identified as a permitted sign by this sign code or any sign located in a sign district where the sign is not permitted by this sign code is prohibited.
(Ord. 2024-4, passed 2-26-2024)