A. Applicable Regulations: In addition to the provisions of this chapter, all signs must conform to the regulations and standards of all other applicable chapters of this code.
B. Commercial Message Location: A sign which displays a commercial message is permitted only on the premises where the business, profession, accommodation, commodity, service, entertainment, or other commercial activity represented on the sign is located.
C. Obstruction To Doors, Windows, Or Fire Escapes: No sign or advertising structure shall be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent or inhibit free ingress to, or egress from, any door, window or fire escape, or inhibit the use of fire protection systems. No sign or advertising structure shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape. No sign shall interfere with any opening required for ventilation.
D. Glass Limitation: Any glass forming a part of any sign shall be safety glass or its equivalent as approved by the building inspector, and of such thickness as required to withstand wind loads.
E. Movable Sign Parts: No sign or its parts shall be permitted to be movable or rotating, nor shall any sign have illuminated effects which convey the illusion of movement.
F. Items Secured: All manually movable items on a sign, such as covers to service openings, shall be secured by latches.
G. Location:
1. No freestanding sign shall be located within a triangular area established at the intersection of two (2) streets or a street and a driveway in which nothing is erected, planted, placed, or allowed to grow so as to limit or obstruct the sight distance of motorists. Such a triangle shall have legs of twenty five feet (25') along the rights of way when two (2) streets intersect, and ten feet (10') along the right of way and driveway when a street and driveway intersect.
2. No sign shall be allowed to encroach upon the public right of way or public property, except as permitted under section 10-9-14 of this chapter.
3. No sign facing the side or rear lot line of an abutting residentially zoned lot shall be located within fifty feet (50') of that residential lot line.
H. Illuminated Signs: All illuminated signs shall be subject to the following requirements:
1. Signs shall be shaded wherever necessary to avoid casting bright light upon property located in any residential district or upon any public street or park. Any illuminated sign located on a lot adjacent to or across the street from any residential district, which sign is visible from such residential district, shall not be illuminated between the hours of twelve o'clock (12:00) midnight and seven o'clock (7:00) A.M.
2. Internally illuminated signs shall permit light to shine fully through only the lettering and graphic elements of the sign. The background for such lettering and graphics shall be opaque or translucent and shall transmit light at a level substantially less than that transmitted through the lettering and graphics.
I. Traffic Safety: In order to ensure reasonable traffic safety, it shall be unlawful to erect or maintain any fluttering, undulating, swinging, rotating, blinking, or flashing sign or attention gathering device. No sign or advertising structure shall be erected, installed or maintained in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision, or as to distract the attention of the driver of any vehicle by reason of position, shape, color or lighting thereof.
No sign or advertising structure shall be erected or maintained in such a manner as to be likely to interfere with, obstruct the view of, or imitate, resemble, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device. Accordingly, no sign or advertising structure shall make use of the words "stop", "go", "slow", "look", "caution", "warning", "danger", or any similar word, phrase, symbol, or character, or employ any red, yellow, orange, green or other colored lamp or light, in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic.
J. Sign Area Bonus: The replacement of nonconforming signs shall be encouraged through a bonus of ten percent (10%) applied to the allowable area for individual signs if permits for the replacement of all legal nonconforming signs on a premises are requested and approved prior to January 1, 2001.
K. Landscape Requirements: The following requirements must be included on plans that are submitted as a part of a sign permit application:
1. For every one square foot of gross sign area, there shall be provided one square foot of landscape area adjacent to the sign.
2. The required landscape area shall complement the sign and consist of plantings such as deciduous or evergreen shrubs, flowering plants, and ground cover. Sodded or seeded areas shall not qualify as part of the landscaped area.
3. All landscape areas shall be mulched to conserve moisture and minimize weed growth.
4. It shall be the duty of the property owner to maintain all such landscaped areas in a neat and proper manner. (Ord. 2001-08A, 4-2-2001)