For the purpose of this Chapter, certain terms, phrases, words, and their derivatives shall be construed as specified hereinafter.
"Abandoned sign." Any sign which advertises a business, use or service which has been discontinued for a period of more than 90 calendar days.
"Accessory sign." A permanently mounted sign that has a purpose secondary to the use of the lot on which it is located. Examples may include signs that inform of an ATM, an entrance, or a "loading only" zone.
"Active building board sign." A type of temporary development sign that is made of a rigid material such as plywood or corrugated plastic, which may be displayed only on the site of a building under construction, and only during the time period in which the building permit is valid.
"Advertising vehicle sign." A sign that is attached to or painted on a vehicle that is licensed and operable.
"A-frame sign." A freestanding sign usually hinged at the top, or attached in a similar manner, and widening at the bottom to form a shape similar to the letter "A," which is made out of wood or metal (not plastic).
"Animated sign." A sign which uses movement, lighting, or special materials to depict action or create a special effect; but not including wind actuated elements such as flags and/or banners, and non-animated digital advertising signs, or hand-held signs.
"Banner sign." A type of temporary sign that is made of flexible material, such as cloth or vinyl, and is supported along one or more sides or at two or more corners by wires, ropes, string, nails, or other removable fastening materials, pinned on or hanging from any structure, staff, pole, line, framing, or vehicle.
"Billboard." Any off-site sign which is erected or used for advertising an establishment, message, merchandise, product, service, or entertainment, which is not sold, produced, manufactured, or furnished at the property on which the sign is located.
"Business complex." A building or group of buildings on one or more lots or building sites containing more than one commercial or industrial occupant which use common vehicular and pedestrian access and parking facilities.
"Comprehensive sign program." A coordinated comprehensive program of two or more signs for an individual building, building complex(es), or commonly associated development, and the site upon which the development occurs. The combination of lots covered by a "comprehensive sign program" shall be treated as a single site with the comprehensive sign program governing the entire site.
"Development or subdivision entry sign." A freestanding sign at the entrance to a subdivision and/or homeowners' association that provides identification therefor.
"Digital advertising sign." A non-animated, non-flashing static electronic sign that digitally transitions between images.
"Directory sign." A special type of freestanding or attached sign that lists, indicates, or identifies a business building, business complex, or two or more business activities conducted on the premises and the location thereof.
"Fascia." An architectural feature generally comprising a trim panel attached to the eaves and immediately below the roofing material.
"Freestanding sign." A sign permanently resting on or supported by a slab, pedestal, post, pylon, or any other form of base located on the ground.
"Frontage." The horizontal lineal measurement of any side of a building at ground level.
"Governmental/public sign." A sign placed by local, state, federal, or other public agencies for health, safety, and welfare purposes, including but not limited to traffic signs, identification on public vehicles, including:
(1) Signs required by Federal, State, or City statute, not to exceed the maximum size permitted thereby;
(2) Memorial signs and plaques, not to exceed two square feet, installed by a civic or non-profit organization;
(3) Official and legal notices issued by a court or governmental agency and posted in compliance with law;
(4) Official flags of the United States, the State of California, County and City, not to exceed 100 square feet per flag; and
(5) Signage providing directions.
"Hand-held sign." A sign held by a person.
"Inflated sign." A sign consisting of a flexible envelope of nonporous materials that gains its shape from inserted air or other gas, including but not limited to balloons.
"Legally-required sign." A sign required to be posted pursuant to State or Federal law. Examples would include signs required to be displayed on fuel pumps, such as fuel identification and station logo.
"Legal nonconforming sign." A sign legally established under old Chapters which does not conform to the regulations of the current Chapter.
"Monument sign." A sign supported from ground level to the bottom of the sign with the appearance of having a solid base and which does not exceed a height of eight feet.
"Mural." An original work of visual art produced by hand that is tiled or is glass, metal, or painted directly upon, or affixed directly to an exterior wall of a structure or a paved surface, which does not advertise an institution, organization, business, product, service, and/or event. "Murals" do not include mechanically- produced or computer generated prints or images including but not limited to digitally printed vinyl, or electrical or mechanical components or changing images.
"Non-profit organization." An organization as defined by the Federal Internal Revenue Service under Section 501(c).
"Off-site sign." Any sign or sign subsection erected or used for advertising an establishment, message, merchandise, product, service, event, or entertainment, which is not sold, produced, manufactured, or furnished at the property or complex on which the sign is located. An "off-site sign" often provides direction to a primary location.
"On-site directional sign." A sign that includes a directional arrow or symbol that directs people to a specific destination within a development or site. If the name, logo, or symbol of the destination is included on the on-site directional sign, the name, logo, or symbol must be less than one square foot.
"Projecting sign." Any sign, other than a wall or fascia sign, which projects perpendicular from and is supported by a wall of a building or structure.
"Pylon." A freestanding sign designed and constructed of masonry and metal reinforcement projects.
"Roof sign." A sign erected, constructed, or placed upon or over a roof or parapet of a building or structure, including a mansard roof and which is wholly or partly supported by such buildings.
"Sign." Any object, device, display or structure, or part thereof, situated outdoors or indoors, which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event or location by any means, including words, letters, figures, design, symbols, fixtures, colors, illumination or projected images.
"Sign area." The entire single-side face of a sign including the surface and any framing, projections, or molding, but not including the support structure. Individual letters mounted or painted on a building shall be measured by the area enclosed by four straight connecting lines outlining the message. The area of a freestanding sign shall be determined from the sign face.
"Single use." A single use shall be a site or building occupied by one commercial, industrial, or organizational use.
"Site." One or more contiguous parcels of land identified by the assessor's records and for which a building or building complex exists or has been proposed.
"Special event." An event that qualifies as a "special event" under Chapter 11.25 of the Canyon Lake Municipal Code.
"Street frontage." The length of a lot or parcel of land along or fronting on a street or streets.
"Temporary." Lasting for only a limited period of time, not permanent.
"Temporary sign." A sign intended to be displayed for a certain limited period of time.
"Time and temperature devices." A mechanical or electrical device that indicates time and temperature placed on a commercial building or property.
"Under canopy sign." A type of on-building sign that is double-sided and directly affixed (via bolts, brackets, or similar method) underneath a rigid permanent canopy which is mounted to, or adjacent to, the facade of the building.
"Wall or fascia sign." Any sign attached parallel to, but within six inches of, a wall, painted on the wall surface, or erected and confined within the limits of an outside wall of any building or structure, which is supported by such wall or building, and which displays only one sign surface.
"Wearable displays." A sign worn by a person.
"Window sign." A type of sign that is either painted onto a window, attached to the inside face of an exterior window, or located inside a building within three feet of a window and intended to be viewed from the exterior of the building. Window signs may face toward the outside, or both the inside and the outside.
"Yard sign." A freestanding and mounted sign placed on-site, on one or two stakes or posts, that do not have footings, including arm and post signs (either with a bracket arm extending outward to support a hanging sign, with the sign attached directly to the side of the post, or with a sign mounted between two posts) or stake sign (erected upon one or more metal wires or wood, metal, or plastic stakes no more than three inches wide).
(Ord. 221, passed 7-6-2022)