For the purposes of this chapter, signs within the city shall be classified in accordance with one or more of the following definitions:
ADVERTISING STRUCTURE. A structure of any kind or character erected or maintained for outdoor advertising purposes upon which any poster, bill, printing, painting, or other advertising device must be placed. For purposes of this definition, a wall of a building may be considered an advertising structure if it is used for sign purposes.
ANIMATED SIGN or MOVING or ROTATING SIGNS. Any sign designed to attract attention through movement or the semblance of movement of the whole or any part, including, but not limited to, signs which swing, twirl, revolve, move back and forth or up and down; or signs which change color or shades of color; or any other method or device which suggests movement, but not including flags, banners, or time or temperature signs.
ANNOUNCEMENT or BULLETIN BOARD SIGN. Any sign permanent in character designed to accept changeable copy, handbills, posters, or matters of a similar nature.
BANNER SIGNS, FLAGS, STREAMERS, and PENNANTS. Any publicly visible advertising display made of cloth, paper, plastic, cardboard, metal, or any other usually flexible material, affixed to a freestanding pole or attached to an advertising structure which may indicate the identity of or give or ask information about or convey a message, either directly or indirectly, about a person, entity, business, commodity, service, or idea, and which may move or appear to move with air currents.
BUSINESS SIGN. Any sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, service, industry or other activity which is sold, offered, or conducted on the lot or parcel upon which sign is located, or to which it is affixed. Nothing contained in this definition shall be construed to permit the erection or construction of a off-site advertising sign unless said off-site advertising sign is otherwise permitted.
CENTER IDENTIFICATION SIGN. Any freestanding sign which advertises or directs attention to a shopping center or area having three (3) or more separate businesses located on a single parcel or lot but which does not identify individual businesses or activities therein.
CHANGEABLE COPY. Copy for temporary use which copy is changed at periodic intervals which may be utilized on freestanding, wall, bulletin board, or announcement signs.
COMPREHENSIVE SIGN PROGRAM. A complete set of site specific sign criteria for a multi-tenant development which demonstrates compatibility between building and signage in terms of architectural treatment, design, materials, and color.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN. Any sign stating the names of those individuals or businesses, such as architects, engineers, contractors, or owners, directly connected with a construction project and/or the name of the project, the address of the business, and emergency telephone numbers.
COPY. The text material of a sign including, but not limited to, letters, words, logos, and emblems.
COPY HEIGHT. The vertical measurement of the sign copy.
COPY LENGTH. The horizontal measurement of the sign copy.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN. Any sign erected for the purpose of informing the viewer of the approximate route, direction or location of a given activity but shall not include signs used specifically for advertising on-site activities.
DOUBLE-FACED SIGN. Any sign with two faces only, with each face oriented ninety to one hundred eighty degrees (90°-180°) from the other, to include "V" shaped and "Ball" type signs.
ELECTRONIC SIGN. A sign, building face, and/or any building or structural component that displays still images, scrolling images, or moving images, including video and animation, through the use of grid lights, cathode ray projections, light emitting diode displays, plasma screens, liquid crystal displays, fiber optics, or other electronic media or technology that is either independent of or attached to, integrated into, or projected onto a building or structural component, and that may be changed remotely through electronic means.
FACE OF BUILDING. The wall of a building fronting on a street, excluding any appurtenances, such as projecting fins, columns, pilasters, canopies, marquees, showcases, or other architectural decorations but not including any parapet wall required by building or other similar locally adopted codes.
FLASHING SIGN. Any sign which contains or is illuminated by lights or devices which are intermittently on and off, change in intensity, or which creates the illusion of flashing in any manner.
FREE STANDING SIGN. Any self-supporting sign standing on the ground and in no way attached to any building or building extension. Freestanding signs include, but are not limited to:
1. Directory signs. Multi-tenant directory signs advertising two or more businesses or tenants within small and midsize development projects. On large projects, a maximum of one (1) directory sign shall be permitted. No more than six (6) businesses or tenants shall be advertised on a multi-tenant directory sign.
2. Monument signs. Monument signs are low-profile freestanding signs not exceeding six (6) feet in height. Such signs may include, but are not limited to:
a. Major tenant identification signs are street-oriented monument signs identifying a single major tenant in a development on a midsize lot, such as a supermarket, bank, or department store.
b. Commercial and industrial center identification signs are street orientated monument signs identifying the project (development) name only.
c. Marquee signs are characterized by changeable copy.
3. Ground signs. Ground signs are freestanding signs from six (6) to twelve (12) feet in height. The base structure-to-sign area proportion shall be a minimum of one-half (½) the length of the sign area. These signs may advertise a combination of major tenant(s) and center identification.
4. Directional signs. Directional signs are signs which inform the viewer of the approximate route, direction or location of a given activity.
FREEWAY ORIENTED OFF-SITE ADVERTISING SIGN. An off-site advertising sign located within 500 feet of the SR-57 freeway right-of-way.
1. ELECTRONIC FREEWAY-ORIENTED OFF-SITE ADVERTISING SIGN. A freeway-oriented off-site advertising sign that employs digital message technology on at least one (1) display face and is capable of changing the static message or copy on the sign electronically, such that the alphabetic, pictographic, or symbolic informational content of which can be changed or altered on a fixed display surface composed of electronically illuminated or electronically actuated or motivated elements can be changed or altered electronically. This includes billboards with displays that must be preprogrammed to display only certain types of information (i.e., time, date, temperature) and freeway oriented off-site advertising signs whose informational content can be changed or altered by means of computer-driven electronic impulses. This includes, without limitation, signs also known as digital billboards or LED billboards.
FRONTAGE. As utilized in this chapter, shall mean the length of a lot along each street or other public thoroughfare, but not including such length along an alley, railroad, or freeway.
HEIGHT OF SIGNS. The vertical distance from the uppermost point of the sign including any proposed or existing ornamentation to the ground or grade level immediately below such point or to the level of the upper surface of the nearest curb of a street or alley, whichever measurement permits the greater elevation of the sign.
ILLUMINATED SIGN. Any sign upon which a source of light is used in order to make readable the message. This definition shall include internally and externally illuminated signs and reflectorized, glowing, or radiating signs.
LANDSCAPE PLANTER. An area specifically designated for plant materials which may be at, below, or above grade.
LARGE PROJECT. A development located on a lot or parcel with greater than two hundred fifty (250) lineal feet of street frontage.
LOCATION. A lot site or premise, building, wall or any place whatsoever upon which a sign is erected, constructed or maintained.
LUMINOUS. That which emits light.
MAJOR TENANT. A business occupying a substantial percentage of the total leasable square footage in a commercial and/or industrial development. The major tenant determination is made by the City Planner. Signage for no more than three (3) major tenants shall be permitted within a single development.
MARQUEE (CHANGEABLE COPY) SIGN. Any sign which is characterized by changeable copy whether said sign is a freestanding or a wall sign or whether said sign projects from or is supported by a building.
MIDSIZE PROJECT. . A development located on a lot or parcel with one hundred (100) to two hundred fifty (250) lineal feet of street frontage.
NAMEPLATE. Any sign naming the occupant of the premises, his business and/or address.
OFF-SITE ADVERTISING SIGN. Any sign which advertises or displays in any manner information about any business, industry, service, product, event, or pursuit not conducted on the parcel or lot on which the sign is erected or maintained. Such sign is commonly known as billboard signs.
PAINTED SIGN. Any sign painted directly on the exterior surface of a building or structure which has no raised borders, letters, characters, decorations, or illuminating appliances.
PARCEL or LOT. As utilized in this chapter, shall mean:
1. A parcel of real property which is shown as a single lot in a lawfully recorded subdivision approved pursuant to the provisions of the Subdivision Map Act (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code, §§ 11500, et seq.); or
2. A parcel of real property, the dimensions and boundaries of which are defined as a single lot by a lawfully recorded Record of Survey map; or
3. A parcel of real property shown on a parcel map as a single lot lawfully recorded pursuant to the provisions of the Subdivision Map Act (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code, §§ 11500, et seq.); or
4. Two (2) or more parcels of real property which are combined by an appropriately recorded written instrument or by common fee ownership and usage.
POLE SIGN. A freestanding sign where the sign area is supported by one (1) or more braces.
POLITICAL SIGN. Any sign advocating the election of a specific candidate or candidates for political office or advocating a position with respect to a ballot issue or issues.
PORTABLE SIGN. Any sign not designed to be attached to a building or anchored to the ground, including "A" boards, sandwich signs, fence signs, and vehicle mounted signs.
POSTER SIGN. Any portable sign or advertising device, temporary or otherwise, which is attached to or placed on the ground in any manner and may be visible from adjacent streets, highways, or neighboring property.
PROJECTING SIGN. Any sign which is suspended from or supported by a building or wall and which projects more than twelve (12) inches from the building or wall.
REAL ESTATE SIGN. Any sign and/or sign structure relating to the sale, lease, or other disposition of the real property on which the sign is located and which is temporary in nature.
ROOF SIGN. Any sign erected, constructed, and maintained upon, or connected to, the roof of any building.
SIGN. Any visible display of illumination or material which, either directly or indirectly, advertises, informs, or identifies persons, businesses, commodities, services, or ideas, including all forms of flags, streamers, pennants, banners, and all window signing.
SIGN AREA. The area in square feet of the smallest rectangle enclosing the total exterior surface of a sign having but one (1) exposed exterior surface; should the sign have more than one (1) surface, the sign area shall be the aggregate area of all sign surfaces measured as above.
SIGN STRUCTURE. Any supports, uprights, bracings, guy rods, cables, and frame work of a sign.
SMALL PROJECT. A development located on a lot or parcel with less than one hundred (100) lineal feet of street frontage.
SNIPING. Posting, sticking, tacking, affixing or placing of cloth, paper or cardboard bills, cards or posters of metal, plastic or other material to or upon fences, posts, trees, buildings or other structures or surfaces, other than approved advertising structures with or without the written consent of the owner, holder lessee, agent or trustee thereof on which such sniping is performed. SNIPING shall not include any sign or notice issued by any court or public office or postings by a public officer in the normal performance of a public duty nor a private person serving legal notice.
TEMPORARY SIGN.
Any non-illuminated sign constructed of paper, cloth, canvas, or other similar lightweight material, with or without frames, including painted windows, flags, streamers, pennants, banners and other signs not designed to be attached to a building or anchored to the ground, intended to be displayed for a period not to exceed forty-five (45) days.
TENANT. A business which occupies a commercial and/or industrial building. The tenant may own, lease, or rent the space which it occupies or intends to occupy within an existing or new development.
UNDER CANOPY SIGN. Any illuminated or non-illuminated sign attached to the underside of a projecting canopy or a separate freestanding canopy which is attached perpendicular to the building frontage.
WALL-AFFIXED SIGN. A sign which is attached to an exterior wall of any building or which is attached to any structure attached to the building. Wall-affixed signs include, but are not limited to:
1. Awning signs. Signs attached to, painted on, or applied to an awning or awning canopy.
2. Marquee signs. Signs characterized by changeable copy.
3. Parapet signs. Signs attached to a parapet, which is a low wall used to protect the edge of a roof from view.
4. Projecting signs. Signs which are suspended from or supported by a building or wall and which projects more than twelve (12) inches from the building or wall.
5. Wall signs. Signs which have one (1) display surface placed on or parallel to and in front of any exterior wall of the building, and which projects not more than twelve (12) inches from the wall or structure to which it is attached.
WINDOW SIGN.
Any sign painted, attached, glued, or otherwise affixed to a window or otherwise easily visible from the exterior of the building.
(Ord. 425, passed 10-14-68; Am. Ord. 877, passed 11-21-89; Am. Ord. 1241, passed 8-15-23)