The following are exempt from the provisions requiring a permit under this chapter:
A. Flags or emblems of a government or of a political, civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organization, displayed on private property; provided, however, any emblem shall be used only as an identifying symbol;
B. Signs located on or above public property, not exceeding sixteen (16) square feet in area, owned and installed by a duly constituted governmental body, including cities, counties, states, federally recognized tribal governments, and the government of the United States, including any trust or agency thereof. Such signs include traffic control signs; signs for designation of or direction to any school, hospital, historical site, or public service, property, or facility; and similar governmental signage;
C. Signs located on private property, not exceeding thirty two (32) square feet in area, and required by law to be posted, such as change of zoning notices, designation of fire lanes, handicapped parking designations, notices of nuisance abatement, etc., or which cannot be viewed from a public street;
D. Signs serving a public safety or protective function such as warnings at railroad crossings; warnings of health hazards; prohibitions against trespassing, swimming, dumping or hunting; construction site warnings on public or private property (including a sign erected on the lot on which construction is taking place or on a building undergoing tenant or occupant change that advises the public of pertinent information regarding the construction, management, leasing and future tenants of the building(s)); warnings on pressurized pipelines; and other similar signs;
E. Memorial signs and tablets displayed on private property, commemorating historic events or the death of individuals, including memorial signs on tablets containing the names of buildings and date of erection, when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other incombustible material, shall be exempt from these regulations;
F. Address numerals and other signs that are required to be maintained by law or governmental order, not exceeding two (2) square feet in area, and the names of subdivisions substantially as specified on the recorded plat of the subdivision, if made part of the perimeter fencing of the subdivision and located near the entrance to the subdivision, using letters no more than twelve inches (12") high;
G. Window displays and temporary on site signs placed in or upon windows of commercial or industrial buildings, whether painted or attached from the inside;
H. Signs designed as an integral part of vending machines and dispensing equipment, signs that are an integral part of merchandise display racks, and similar merchandise and advertising displays. All such signs included in this exception shall be located adjacent to and within four feet (4') of the building and not on municipally owned right of way; provided, however, such signs located on service station properties may also be located on, or immediately adjacent to, the service islands. This provision shall in no way be deemed to permit the display or storage of merchandise, vending machines or equipment not otherwise permitted by the provisions of this code;
I. Signs physically painted or permanently affixed on the exterior of a truck, bus, trailer or other vehicle while operated in the normal course of a business which is not primarily the display of such signs, provided that the vehicle is mechanically and legally capable of being driven on the public streets;
J. Scoreboard structures in athletic stadiums, owned and operated by any public or private educational institutions where physical education is part of the curriculum, or owned and operated by any unit of local government where physical education and sport is part of the park program. Provided that the scoreboard structure shall be oriented to serve the sports participants and any associated audience;
K. Any sign within and oriented to be read from the interior of a building or vehicle;
L. Any sign while actually being carried by an individual human being, so long as vehicular or pedestrian traffic is not impeded;
M. A sign not exceeding six (6) square feet, placed on a residential parcel by the owner or occupant thereof, or by their authorized agent, if placed outside of any public right of way or easement;
N. Business identification signs consisting solely of the legally protected name or trademark or address of the business, if located on or parallel to the exterior wall of the building in which the business is located and which sign:
1. Projects more than twelve inches (12") from the wall,
2. Does not block any windows, entrances, or architectural features of the building, and
3. Does not extend above the lower edge of the roof at that part of the building; provided that the total area of the business identification sign shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the area of the wall on which it is located;
O. Seasonal decorations located on private property and pertaining to any recognized national, state and local holidays or religious observances; provided that such decorations shall not be erected earlier than five (5) weeks prior to the holiday or observance and shall be removed no later than two (2) weeks after said holiday or observance;
P. Mural containing artistic merit and consisting exclusively of paint applied to the wall of a commercial, office, or industrial building or alternate surface without application of any other material or framing, that depict a scene or scenes that are based on an accurate historical research of a local person or event, or are painted areas that are designed and intended as a decorative or ornamental feature. A mural shall not be considered a sign if it contains no advertising, logos, trademarks, or references to any information, products or services whatsoever, either on or off premises;
Q. Real estate sign:
1. In residential zoning:
a. Shall advertise only the sale or lease of premises on which the sign is placed;
b. Shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet of display surface area and four feet (4') in height;
c. Shall not be illuminated;
d. No more than one sign per street frontage;
e. Shall be removed within ten (10) days of sale, lease or rental of the property;
f. In the case of a special event such as an annual or semiannual "parade of homes" or a neighborhood association housing tour, a single sign for the event may be placed on a property included in the event; provided the sign shall not exceed thirty two (32) square feet of display surface area and shall not remain on the property longer than twenty one (21) days, and the event may not be held more often than annually.
2. In office, commercial or industrial:
a. Shall advertise only the sale or lease of premises on which the sign is placed;
b. Shall not exceed sixty four (64) square feet of display surface area and eight feet (8') in height;
c. Shall be limited to property already zoned for office, commercial or industrial districts, provided that property in the A zoning districts may be advertised for commercial or industrial use if the sign shall have placed on it letters of at least eight inches (8") in height which state "PRESENTLY ZONED Agricultural";
d. Shall not be illuminated;
e. One sign per street frontage;
f. Shall be removed within ten (10) days of sale, lease or rental of the property. (Ord. 2007-06, 4-2-2007)