(A) Motor fuel stations. Signs for motor fuel stations shall be regulated by the single occupancy business structure sign provisions for the zoning district in which the station is located. In addition, motor fuel stations may also display signs which identify current fuel prices and car wash facilities. The signs shall be limited to a maximum size of 16 square feet and a maximum height of ten feet each.
(B) Wall, canopy or marquee signs in business, industrial and institutional zoning districts. Where freestanding signs are not used and where principal structures have a front yard setback in excess of that which is required under the applicable zoning district regulations, the maximum property signage percentage limitation or maximum square feet restriction may be increased 1% for every five feet of additional setback beyond the zoning district front yard setback requirement. This increase shall be limited to a 25% maximum and shall be applied only to signs located in the year for which the calculation was made.
(C) Multiple occupancy business and industrial buildings. When a single principal building is devoted to four or more businesses, or industrial uses, a comprehensive sign plan for the entire structure shall be submitted and shall be of sufficient scope and detail to permit a determination as to whether or not the plan is consistent with the following regulations. The plan shall be subject to the approval of the Council. No permit shall be issued for an individual use except upon a determination that it is consistent with the approved comprehensive sign plan.
(1) The maximum individual sign sizes for multiple occupancy structures and individual uses which may display signs shall not exceed the maximum provisions for single or double occupancy structures in the same zoning district. The bonus provided in division (B) above of this section shall not apply in calculating maximum sign size.
(2) Multiple occupancy structures may display an area identification sign consistent with the applicable district provisions of § 152.354 of this subchapter. Individual freestanding signs identifying the tenants' business shall not be displayed.
(3) Except as provided in division (C)(4) below of this section, individual tenants of multiple occupancy structures shall not display separate business signs unless the tenants' business has an exclusive exterior entrance. The number of signs shall be limited to one per entrance, and each sign shall be limited to the maximum wall size sign permitted in the district. The signs shall be located only on exterior walls which are directly related to the use being identified.
(4) In any multiple occupancy structure qualifying as a shopping center, directory signs shall be permitted for each common public entrance. Each directory sign area shall not exceed a total of 50 square feet and shall be located within 50 feet of the common public entrance being served. The size of individual business identification signing within the directory shall be established during the site plan review process. Attention shall be given to the possible number of tenant or occupancy bays which may be served by the common public entrance for which the directory sign is intended.
(D) Shopping centers and industrial parks containing more than 20 acres. Where shopping center facilities or industrial parks cover more than 20 acres of land, two area identification signs may be displayed in accordance with the maximum sign size provisions per area identification sign of the applicable zoning district. Additional signs may be displayed subject to approval of the City Council.
(E) Highway area directional signs. Within the area immediately adjacent to U.S. 52, directional signs indicating business identification and access routing signs may be allowed by approval of the City Council. These signs shall be in compliance with the maximum sign size provisions of the district.
(F) Schools, athletic complexes or other public or semi-public institutions.
(1) For facilities occupying an area of five acres or more, an identification sign not larger than 96 square feet may be permitted upon approval of a permit by the City Council.
(2) Temporary signs, banners and displays for church, school, institutional or civic events are permitted but must be located on property owned or controlled by the church, school, institution or civic organization and may be displayed only during a period commencing 60 days prior to the scheduled event and ending three days after closing date of the scheduled event.
(3) For city parks and city athletic complexes, sponsorship signage if approved by the City Council.
(G) Projecting signs. These signs, including those projecting into the public right-of-way, may be allowed by a conditional use permit approved by the Council in the B-2 Zoning District, provided that:
(1) The sign conforms to the uniform character and design guidelines established for the area;
(2) The owner assumes all liability for the signs; and
(3) The signs conform to the size and height limitations of the respective district.
(H) Murals. Public art murals are allowed within the Historic Downtown Overlay District by a conditional use permit approved by the Council, provided that:
(1) Business identification signs for a commercial building may be separate from the wall mural or integrated into the wall mural. The business identification sign will be limited in size to 10% of the cumulative wall area of the facades facing a public street;
(2) Wall murals must be located on a side building facade facing either a public street or a parking area and not on the front building facade so as to preserve the historic character of the buildings;
(3) Wall murals shall not contain material which is obscene;
(4) The wall mural shall be maintained in presentable condition at all times. The property owner shall be responsible for repainting, cleaning and other acts required for maintenance purposes;
(5) The wall mural is a private venture. Should a building which includes a mural be sold, the new property owner takes on all maintenance responsibilities. Should the new owner choose not to maintain the mural as required, the owner(s) must return the building facade to its original state. Should the new owner(s) choose to change the mural in any fashion, an amendment to the approved conditional use permit is required; and
(6) The applicant must submit examples of the proposed mural design and dimensions to be reviewed by staff, the Downtown Committee, the Planning Commission and the City Council.
(I) Business wall signs; temporary. Within the B-1 and B-2 Districts, two business wall signs per building frontage are permitted without a permit and may be displayed for a maximum period of 60 days. The size of each sign may not exceed 32 square feet.
(J) (1) Dynamic displays on signs are allowed only on monument and pylon signs for schools, athletic complexes or other public or semi-public institutions pursuant to § 152.355(F) and for permitted (§ 152.646) and conditional (§ 152.648) uses within the B-2, Highway Business District. Within the B-1, Central Business District, a dynamic display sign is allowed as a wall sign only on structures that are not designated as a contributing property by the National Register of Historic Places (January 7, 2000).
(2) Signage for the display of current fuel prices for permitted Motor Fuel Stations is regulated by § 152.355(A) and is not considered to be a dynamic display sign.
(3) Except within the B-1, Central Business District, dynamic displays may occupy no more than 35% of the total allowable sign area that is permitted by the Sign Code. Only one contiguous dynamic display area is allowed on a sign face.
(4) A dynamic display may not change or move more often than once every five minutes, except one for which changes are necessary to correct hour-and-minute, date or temperature information. Time, date or temperature information is considered one dynamic display and may not be included as a component of any other dynamic display.
(5) The images and messages displayed must be static and the transition from one static display to another must be instantaneous without any special effects.
(6) Dynamic displays must be designed and equipped to freeze the device in one position if a malfunction occurs. The displays must also be equipped with a means to immediately discontinue the display if it malfunctions and the sign owner must immediately stop the dynamic display when notified by the city that it is not complying with the standards of the Sign Code.
(7) Dynamic displays must comply with the brightness standards contained in § 152.352(I).
(8) Dynamic display signs shall be allowed in the R-B, Residential Business District so long as the property the sign serves is a commercial use by definition, found in § 152.021 of the City of Cannon Falls zoning ordinance. The signage shall be allowed pursuant to all regulations and restrictions presented in Chapter 152 of the City of Cannon Falls City Code.
(Prior Code, § 11-24-6) (Ord. 258, passed 5-4-2006; Ord. 331, passed 8-6-2013; Ord. 353, passed 6-13-2017; Ord. 367, passed 10-1-2019)