(A) Setback requirement. No part of a ground sign or ground sign structure shall be closer than five feet to a paved street, a driveway, a sidewalk, the nearest easement line, the nearest property line, or the nearest right-of-way line.
(B) Height regulations.
(1) Ground signs. The maximum height of any portion of a permitted ground sign or ground sign structure shall be determined as follows:
(a) For lots with street frontage of 150 feet or less: 15 feet;
(b) For lots with street frontage of more than 150 feet and less than 300 feet: one foot of height for each ten feet of street frontage;
(c) For lots with 300 feet or more of street frontage: 30 feet; and
(d) If a lot has frontage on more than one street: the calculation shall be based on the largest frontage.
(2) Wall signs. No maximum height applies to wall signs which do not project in any part above the roof line. Any sign so projecting shall be subject to the height regulations for ground signs, and such shall be measured from the uppermost portion of the sign to ground level.
(C) Surface area regulations.
(1) The gross surface area (see definition of AREA OF SIGN) of all signs (whether ground signs, wall signs, or projecting signs) excluding exempt signs as set forth in § 153.17, signs permitted pursuant to § 153.16(B), real estate signs, and other signs permitted on a lot or building shall not exceed three square feet of sign area for each one linear foot of building frontage, subject to the further limitation in division (C)(1)(b) below.
(a) For purposes of calculation, each side of a building which abuts upon a public way shall be considered separate building frontage; however, the surface area of signage attributable to each frontage must face such frontage.
(b) For any one business or venture, three square feet of sign area for each one linear foot of building frontage or 132 square feet, whichever is less. For purposes of the 132 square feet limitation for one business or venture, if such business has frontage on more than one public way, it shall have up to 132 square feet for each public way provided that the signage attributable to each frontage must face such frontage.
(2) A business or activity with no ground floor frontage is not prohibited from displaying signage; however, the total area of all signs on the building shall not exceed that calculated on the basis of the ground floor.
(D) Projection regulations.
(1) No sign shall project more than 45 inches into the public way, sidewalk, or dedicated public easement all as determined, in case of dispute, by a registered surveyor. Any such projecting sign shall be oriented so that the face surfaces of the sign are perpendicular to the face of the wall from which they project; provided, however, that a sign projecting from a point at which two walls meet to form a corner may be oriented in any direction. Such projecting signs shall not exceed one and one-half inches in thickness.
(2) Subject to the limitations set forth herein, projecting signs are permitted, provided that the building is set back a minimum of 20 feet from the public right-of-way.
(3) If permitted, projecting signs shall meet the following requirements:
(a) A maximum of one projecting sign per building or building lot (except that for buildings or building lots with more than one business or professional user, each user may have one such projecting sign);
(b) The lowest part of such sign or structure encasing such sign is a minimum of eight feet above ground level;
(c) The projection from the building shall not be more than six feet (or 45 inches pursuant to division (D)(1) above) if the sign projects over a public right-of-way or sidewalk;
(d) No part of the sign shall be closer than 12 inches from a line extended vertically from the curb of a public street or alley; and
(e) The surface area of any sign shall not exceed eight square feet.
(E) Illumination regulations. If a sign is illuminated by light beamed or reflected upon it, direct rays of light shall not beam upon any part of any existing residential area nor into a residential district, nor into a street. A sign in direct line of vision of a traffic signal shall not be red, green, or amber in color. Illuminated signs are permitted. (See the definition of ILLUMINATED SIGN.)
(F) Unified shopping centers. If the premises have three or more occupants each with a distinct business name, as in a unified shopping center under single ownership or control, one additional ground sign is permitted containing the name of the premises, the occupants thereof, and, if desired, a changeable copy sign. Such ground sign shall not exceed one square foot of sign area for each one linear foot of building frontage, but in no event shall the total surface area of such ground sign exceed 100 square feet. Such sign shall be in addition to the maximum surface area for such premises as set forth in division (C) above.
(G) Large commercial buildings. For individual buildings (i.e., not in a unified shopping center) one additional ground sign is permitted if the following conditions are met:
(1) The premises have a minimum of 1,500 square feet of usable floor space;
(2) The building is set back from any street a minimum of 30 feet; and
(3) The sign does not exceed 40 feet in surface area. Such sign shall be in addition to the maximum surface area for such premises as set forth in division (C) above.
(H) Off-premises signs. Subject to § 153.16 and other prohibitions set forth in this chapter, off-premises billboards, posterboards, or panels are permitted provided that:
(1) No such sign shall exceed 100 square feet in surface area;
(2) No part of such sign shall be closer than 300 feet from any part of any other sign, whether such other sign is an off-premises or on-premises sign.
(2011 Code, § 153.09) (Ord. 2004-01, passed 4-5-2004) Penalty, see § 153.99