The following signs are expressly prohibited in all zoning districts:
(A) Animated signs;
(B) Moving signs or signs that give the illusion of movement in any manner, including signs with moving, revolving or rotating parts or visible mechanical movement of any kind, including wind-activated, but not including clocks with movable hands;
(C) Flashing, blinking, mechanically moving, twinkling, scrolling or full-motion video elements or other lighting that does not provide constant illumination, including strobe lights, moving or fixed spotlights and floodlights;
(D) Wind-blown signs (e.g., feather flags), balloon signs, and signs painted on or attached to balloons or other inflatable devices (e.g., cars being sold in an auto dealership);
(E) Handwritten signs, pictures, symbols or lettering on window signs or displays;
(F) Banners or pennant flags that are intended to be temporary for 15 days but left in place indefinitely;
(G) Signs that cover any architectural elements or obstruct any ingress or egress, including doors, windows or fire escapes;
(H) Roof signs, except were allowed by special use permit in the U-TOD Sign Overlay District;
(I) Any sign that interferes with, obstructs the view of, or may be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device because of its position, shape or color, including signs illuminated in red, green or amber color to resemble a traffic signal;
(J) Signs which make use of words such as stop, look, “one way”, danger, yield, or any similar word, phrase or symbol or light so as to interfere with or confuse pedestrian or vehicular traffic;
(K) Signs displaying an obscene, indecent or immoral matter;
(L) Signs on benches, as well as benches located on private or public property that advertise a business, product, or service or contain any other type of message;
(M) Signs on trees;
(N) Signs on utility poles, other than signs installed by the city or other government agency or utility provider;
(O) Portable signs, including mobile advertising signs and signs attached to trailers or that are equipped for towing, and any commercial vehicle that displays business identification or any advertising that is viewable from the public right-of-way and that is not regularly used in the course of everyday business;
(P) Signs in the public right-of-way, unless otherwise provided by division (F) or elsewhere in this subchapter; and
(Q) Obsolete or abandoned signs, including any sign that advertises a business, product, service or activity that is no longer located on the premises where the sign is displayed;
(R) Off-premises signs that advertise a business not conducted on the premises where the sign is located or a product not sold on the premises where the sign is located;
(S) Signs placed or painted on a vehicle that is parked in a location such that the primary purpose is to advertise a product or service, or to direct the public to a business or activity located on or off the premises. Signs displayed on trucks, buses or other vehicles, which are being operated and stored in the normal course of a business, such as signs indicating the owner or business using the delivery trucks, moving vans and rental trucks, are allowed, provided that the primary purpose of such vehicles is not the display of signs. Such a truck must be parked or stored in an area appropriate to its use;
(T) Trailer and portable signs that are temporary or permanent signs resting on, or attached to, vehicles or trailers; and
(U) The list of prohibited sign types set out in this section is illustrative only. Any sign that is not exempt from this subchapter under § 165.109 and not established as a lawful non-conforming sign in accordance with § 165.127 or not expressly allowed under another section of this subchapter is a prohibited sign.
(Prior Code, § 166.110) (Ord. 2014-040, passed 7-8-2014; Ord. 2023-030, passed 5-23-2023) Penalty, see § 165.999