A. Short Title. This article shall hereafter be known and cited as the "City Sign Code."
B. Purpose and Intent. The purpose of this article is to set forth the regulations for the use of signs within the city's jurisdictional limits for site identification, communication, and advertisement. It is the intent of this article to promote the health, safety, convenience, aesthetics, morality, and general welfare of the city by regulating signs in order to meet the following objectives:
1. Identification. Promote and aid in the identification and location of an establishment, organization, or neighborhood;
2. Aesthetics. Preserve the beauty and unique character of the city by protecting it from visual blight and providing a pleasing environmental setting and community appearance, which is deemed vital to the attraction and retention of business and commerce;
3. Land Values. Protect property values by assuring the compatibility of signage with surrounding land uses;
4. Safety. Promote general safety and protect the general public from damage or injury caused by, or partially attributed to, the distractions, hazards, and obstructions that result from improperly designed, constructed, maintained, or located signs;
5. Compatibility. Ensure that signs are compatible with the surrounding built environment, including adjacent architecture and neighborhoods, and they compliment each other rather than detract from one another; and
6. Sustainability. To promote signage and support structures that employ sustainable designs and technologies with respect to their construction, maintenance, and operation (e.g. recycled materials, energy efficient, low energy usage bulbs, etc.).
C. Administration. The Development Director or designee shall have the authority to interpret and administer this article.
D. Applicability. The provisions of this article shall be considered the minimum standards and are applicable to all new signs constructed or displayed after the date of enactment of these Regulations or modification to signs which were permitted prior to the date of adoption of these Regulations. During a declared emergency by the City Manager, there may be temporary relief from the enforcement of this section.
E. Exemptions. The permitting requirements and/or standards of this article shall not apply to the following signs however, such signs may be subject to other provisions of these Land Development Regulations:
1. Address Sign. A non-illuminated sign, which indicates the address of the site, provided it does not exceed two (2) square feet in area. The sign shall comply with the standards of Section 4.A.9. below.
2. Residential Yard Sign. A non-illuminated sign with non-commercial copy located in any zoning district, provided it does not exceed three (3) square feet in area. If proposed as a freestanding structure, the sign shall not be greater than four (4) feet in height and must be located within five (5) feet of a building on a lot; or if there is no building on the lot, the sign must be located at least ten (10) feet from any property line. A Residential Yard Sign is prohibited on undeveloped property and on forward of the front setback line.
3. Nameplate or Identification Plaque. A non-illuminated nameplate or identification plaque provided it does not exceed two (2) square feet in area. The plaque shall comply with the standards of Section 4.C.16. below, except that those plaques used to identify historic properties as part of the City's Historic Preservation Program and plaques to identify public artworks and murals as part of the City's Public Art Program, are exempt from the standards of this section.
4. Temporary Real Estate Sign. A non-illuminated temporary real estate sign provided it is five (5) square feet or less in area. However, this sign shall comply with the standards of Section 4.B.1. below, which regulates the minimum required setback, allowable location, and maximum size and height. No temporary real estate sign is allowed within a public right-of-way because it would be considered an off-premises sign and is therefore prohibited pursuant to Section 3.K. below.
5. Temporary Political Sign. A non-illuminated temporary political sign provided it is less than thirty- two (32) square feet in area. However, this sign shall comply with Section 4.B.5. below, which regulates the minimum required setback, allowable location, and maximum size and height. No temporary political sign is allowed within a public right-of-way because it would be considered an off-premise sign and is therefore prohibited pursuant to Section 3.K. below.
6. Transit Shelter Sign. A sign located on a transit shelter provided it complies with Section 4.D.2. below and the Building Official determines that compliance with the Florida Building Code is not required.
7. Civic/Government General Informational Sign. A sign which is deemed necessary by an appropriate city department or public agency and consisting of non-commercial copy, intended for safety, welfare, or informational purposes. This sign typically includes 1) information pertaining to current or future public improvements and events; 2) traffic, railroad crossing, wayfinding, commemorative, and other governmental signage; 3) legal notices, public hearings, and other temporary and non-emergency related signage; and 4) signage identifying caution, danger, or emergency situations.
8. Municipal/Government Buildings & Facilities. Signs identifying temporary or fixed city administrative offices, civic buildings, emergency and utility/support facilities.
9. City Coordinated/Authorized Business Signage. This could include Industrial Subdivision signage that is in collaboration with the City and that furthers city economic development objectives or initiatives by promoting business retention and attraction. Signage may be placed on city or public property subject to applicable permitting requirements and agreements. Also see Section 4.C.14. for Industrial Subdivision Signage.
10. Civil Event Signage. Signs identifying temporary events held by or sponsored by the City or the Community Redevelopment Agency.
11. Changing the Copy of a Manual Changeable Copy Sign. Manual changeable copy signs may be allowed as an accessory component to a primary or secondary monument sign pursuant to Section 4.C.2.h. below. The changeable copy portion of a monument sign is exempt from the permitting requirements of this article, provided that such new copy complies with the standards of this article.
12. Sign Walkers. A sign held, worn, or operated for the purposes of advertising or otherwise drawing attention to an individual, business, commodity, service or product. A sign walker may also be referred to as a human sign. A permit is not required.
Note: In the event any word, sentence, clause, or other portion of this section is determined invalid, then any sign otherwise allowed by this section shall comply with the requirements set forth in this code as if this section was never enacted.
F. Terms and Definitions. See Chapter 1, Article II for all applicable terms and definitions which pertain to the regulations and standards contained herein.
G. Conflict. Whenever the regulations and requirements of this code conflict with any other lawfully enacted and adopted rules, regulations, ordinances, or laws, the most restrictive shall apply, unless otherwise stated herein.
H. Severability. Except as for otherwise provided in Section 1.G., Section 3, and Section 4, should any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or other part of this article be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of this article as a whole or any article, section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word thereof, other than that so declared to be invalid.
I. Relief from Standards. Unless described otherwise, any deviation from the sign standards contained herein shall require approval of a variance application, which is subject to review and approval by the City Commission. Any request for a variance shall be reviewed in accordance with Chapter 2, Article II, Section 4.D. No variance may be granted for any sign expressly prohibited by this article. The City Commission however, may grant a variance if it finds that the unusual shape or topography of the property or other mitigating factors (e.g., required landscape buffers), prevent signage allowable under the provisions of these Regulations from adequately identifying the business or other activity located on such property. The City Commission may only grant a variance to the following:
1. Required Setback. Allow a setback less than that required under the chapter;
2. Sign Area or Height. Allow the area and/or height of a sign to be increased by up to twenty-five percent (25%) of the maximum allowable height or area; or
3. Number of Signs. Allow the number of signs to be increased over the maximum allowed by this code.
J. Sign Standards for Overlay Zones. See Chapter 3. Zoning, Article III, Section 8 for additional standards applicable to business signage within the Overlay Zones of the redevelopment area. Such standards implement recommendations of the Community Redevelopment Plan and when in conflict with any standards in this Article, the overlay district standards shall prevail.
(Ord. 10-025, passed 12-7-10; Am. Ord. 21-031, passed 1-4-22)