These sign regulations shall be administered as stated under the conditions as listed in Chapter 1143.
(a) Permit Required. No sign, unless exempted by this Chapter, shall be constructed, displayed, or altered without an approved permit. The permits shall be issued by the Zoning Inspector when the conditions of this Zoning Ordinance are met.
Each permit application shall be accompanied by the following:
(1) A drawing showing the design proposed.
(2) Dimensioned site plan showing the sign location in relation to property lines, buildings, walks, and drives.
(3) Dimensioned elevation drawing showing the size, sign type, height, illumination method, support or mounting method, and construction materials.
A sign for which a permit has been issued shall not be modified, relocated, altered or replaced unless a new permit or an amended permit is issued by the Zoning Inspector.
(b) Signs Requiring a Permit. Any sign erected, painted, posted or placed in any district within the City shall require an approved permit from the Zoning Inspector in conformance with Sections 1144.02-1144.05, except those signs identified as exempt from such permit. Sign structure, size, height, setback, location and number shall be determined by the requirements set forth in this Chapter. Changes or relocation of nonconforming signs require permits and any alterations must also meet the requirements set forth in this Chapter. See Section 1185.04(d) for nonconforming signs.
(c) Signs Not Requiring a Permit. The following signs are exempt and do not require a permit from the Zoning Inspector. To maintain an exempt status these signs must comply with restrictions as established in this Chapter.
(1) Political signs, Real Estate signs, and Civic Event signs when conforming to the requirements established under this Zoning Ordinance.
(2) Temporary signs painted on the outside of the windows for display on holiday or special occasions.
(3) Signs located inside a building or behind a window and not exceeding the prohibitions set forth in Section 1185.03(d)(8), do not require a permit.
(4) Memorial signs and plaques installed by recognized civic organizations.
(5) Official and legal notices and signs issued by governmental agencies.
(6) Official flags of all governmental and civic/fraternal organizations.
(8) Incidental signs for businesses like automobile services, gasoline service stations, automobile dealers with service repairs, motels and hotels provided that all of the following conditions exist: the signs are attached to a structure or building; the signs number no more than four (4) per street frontage, and no sign shall exceed an area per face of three (3) square feet. Copy applied to fuel pumps or dispensers such as fuel identification, station logo, and other signs required by law are permitted and not counted against the number allowed.
(9) Directional signs provided that such signs are located on-site, have a maximum area which does not exceed three (3) square feet per sign, have a maximum overall height of four (4) feet above grade, and are mounted on a monument or pole. Such signs may be located in a required setback provided that a minimum distance of five (5) feet from any property line is maintained.
(10) Garage and yard sale signs provided they conform to the regulations set forth in this Zoning Ordinance.
(d) Prohibited Signs.
The following signs are inconsistent with the sign standards established in this Chapter and are therefore prohibited. Permits cannot be issued for:
(1) Abandoned signs after 90 days of meeting the abandoned sign definition. The property owner will be responsible for removal.
(2) Animated, moving, flashing, blinking, reflecting, revolving or other similar signs, with the exception of permanently mounted Changeable Copy Signs and time and temperature displays as allowed in this Chapter.
(4) Roof signs
(5) Signs placed in, or overhanging, the public right-of-way. Signs with exception are: governmental signs and informational signs authorized by the Planning Commission and in conformance with state or federal regulations. Such informational signs shall not exceed two and a half (2-1/2) square feet in area and shall not be illuminated.
(6) Signs designed or constructed to resemble or imitate highway or traffic control signs or signals.
(7) Temporary signs, found not in conformance to the regulations set forth in this Ordinance. These signs may be confiscated by the Zoning Inspector, or his representatives, in addition to being subject to the conditions of Chapter 1199.
(8) Windows signs when they are located in a residentially zoned district are larger than the allowable signage for that district or are illuminated.
(e) Measurement Standards. The area of the sign is determined by the dimensions of the background structure, unifying background area, or by the maximum dimensions of the display area if posted on a common background. The following standards shall be used to determine the area and height measurements for all signs erected or posted within the City:
(1) The area of a sign shall be computed by means of the smallest square, circle, rectangle, triangle, or combination thereof that will encompass the exterior display limits of a sign, but not including the supporting frame or bracing.
(2) The area of a sign with more than one face shall be computed by adding together the area of all sign faces visible from any one point.
(3) In the case of irregularly shaped three dimensional signs, the area of the display surface shall be measured on the plane of the largest vertical cross section.
(4) The height of a sign shall be determined by measuring the vertical distance between the highest point of the sign to the ground elevation at the base of the sign. If mounding was used at the sign base, the ground elevation shall be determined as the average ground elevation of the developed site at the sign base prior to mounding.
(5) The setback of a sign shall be measured from the vertical projection of the property line or street right-of-way line to the closest part of the sign.
(6) Lots in B or M zones having frontage on more than one street shall have a maximum allowable sign area equal to twice that of its shortest frontage, not to exceed twice the maximum number of square feet otherwise allowed in the zone. These lots shall also be permitted twice the number of signs otherwise allowed in their zone; however, there shall be no increase in the number of free-standing signs allowed.
(f) Fees. A schedule of fees for permits shall be established and amended from time to time by City Council.
(Ord. 26-99-0. Passed 8-23-99.)
(g) Permits to Tenants and Property Owners to Occupy City Right of Way.
(1) The Safety-Service Director, or his Agent, is hereby authorized, after taking into consideration the necessity for issuance of such, a permit to tenants and/or property owners abutting upon a City right of way and who are desirous of using said right-of-way; the Director, or his Agent, must take into consideration the purpose of the use on said right of way, whether the same be a sign, canopy or such other object that may be over or upon said right-of-way; said permit shall be cancelable by the City upon sixty days notice by the Safety-Service Director or his agent.
(2) Before the Safety-Service Director, or his Agent, issues a special privilege permit, he, or his Agent, shall publish in a local newspaper a notice of an application for such permit stating the time and place for a hearing to consider the effect of the permit. Said notice shall be given fifteen days before the hearing and sent to each abutting property owner.
(3) No permit granted under this section shall exempt the permittee from the provisions of Zoning Ordinance and revisions thereto except as it relates to yard requirements.
(4) A onetime fee shall be paid upon the application for a special privilege permit. The fee to be paid shall be based upon the cost of advertising and granting the permit but shall not be less than thirty dollars ($30.00).
(5) The Director of Public Service and Safety or his agent shall periodically inspect the sign, canopy, or other object that has been placed upon the right-of-way to determine whether the same is safe; in the event it is determined by the Director, or his Agent, that the sign, canopy, or such other object is of an unsafe nature, it shall be incumbent upon the tenants and/or the property owners to forthwith remove and/or repair to the satisfaction of the Director, or his Agent,. Failure to make such repairs shall be cause for the Director, or his Agent, to cancel the special privilege permit. When any permit is cancelled the sign, canopy or other object shall immediately be removed.
(6) An existing sign, canopy or other object which now occupies City right of way shall be subject to this section except that they shall be deemed to have a permit with no fee being charged. Any tenant and/or property owner shall obtain a special privilege permit to change, replace, or alter any existing sign, canopy, or other object which now occupies City right of way.
(Ord. 29-13-0. Passed 6-24-13.)