17-12-1201-A Regulations and Standards. The following regulations shall apply to city digital signs, which, except as regulated hereby, are exempt signs under Section 17-12-0506.
1. Number, Area And Height Standards. The provisions of Section 17-12-1003 shall not apply to city digital signs. The maximum height of a city digital sign shall be 100 feet, measured from the lowest point of the ground directly below the city digital sign structure to the highest point on the sign or sign structure.
2. Dynamic Image Display Signs. The sign face of a city digital sign may not exceed 1,200 square feet.
3. Flashing Signs. City digital signs must not be wall signs, awning signs, flashing signs, high-rise building signs, marquee signs or video display signs.
4. Separation from R and DR Districts. Subject to Section 17-12-0904, city digital signs are prohibited within 125 feet of any R and DR district, provided, however, that such separation requirement may be reduced by 25% if (a) the city digital sign is not operated from 12:00 A.M. to 5:00 A.M., except for emergency purposes, and (b) either (i) the sign face is not visible from the front yard of residences in the abutting R or DR district, or (ii) the sign face is angled to primarily face an expressway or toll road, as designated by the Chicago Department of Transportation. For purposes of testing such proximity restriction, property that is zoned as an R or DR district but which consists of land or public way owned by the city or a federal, state, local or other unit of government, in whole or in part, and which is not improved with any residential buildings, shall not be regarded as an R or DR district for purpose of such proximity restriction.
5. Separation from Residential Buildings in D Districts. City digital signs are prohibited entirely within 100 feet of a residential building located in a D district.
6. Separation from Waterways. City digital signs are prohibited within 100 feet of a waterway described in Section 17-12-1006-C.
7. Separation from Public Parks. City digital signs are prohibited within 100 feet of a public park of two acres or more (other than a linear park that is more than one mile in length and is primarily located within the public way, as to which no proximity restriction shall apply) if the sign face is legible from the subject park.
8. Lakefront Protection District. City digital signs are prohibited within the boundaries of the Lake Michigan and Chicago Lakefront Protection District.
9. Separation from Designated Major Streets and Roads. City digital signs are prohibited within the following boundaries:
(a) within 500 feet of Lake Shore Drive;
(b) Michigan Avenue, between Oak Street on the north and Roosevelt Road on the south.
For purposes of clarity, the proximity restriction in Section 17-12-1006-F.1(b) applicable to expressways or toll roads, as designated by the Chicago Department of Transportation, shall not apply to city digital signs, and the separation between sign requirements set forth in Section 17-12-1006-F.2 shall not apply to city digital signs, except as to signs described in Section 17-12-1201-A(10).
10. Separation from Other Off-Premises Signs. City digital signs shall be subject to the separation requirement in Section 17-12-1006-H, provided, however, that such separation requirement shall only apply to off-premises signs lawfully established with and operated pursuant to a current and valid permit, including, without limitation, the correct ownership information, the payment of all fees and other amounts due the city, and the operation of the sign within the limitations (e.g., size, height, type of sign) included in the approved permit for such signs, or otherwise applicable.
11. Flashing and Video Display Elements. City digital signs may not contain flashing elements or video displays.
12. Overlay Districts. City digital signs are prohibited in overlay districts established pursuant to Chapter 17-7.
13. Special Sign Districts. City digital signs are prohibited in special sign districts established pursuant to Section 17-12-1100.
14. Planned Developments and Planned Manufacturing Developments. City digital signs may be located on land or public way owned by the City and located within planned developments, so long as the underlying zoning for such planned development is not predominantly residential, and, notwithstanding Section 17-6-0403-F, on land or public way owned by the city and located within a planned manufacturing district.
(Added Coun. J. 12-12-12, p. 44485, § 6; Amend Coun. J. 4-30-14, p. 80382, § 5)