Chapter 19.74
SIGNS
Section:
19.74.010   Purpose
19.74.020   Applicability
19.74.030   General Provisions
19.74.040   Definitions
19.74.050   Sign review
19.74.060   Exemptions from sign approval
19.74.070   Comprehensive sign program
19.74.080   Prohibited signs
19.74.090   Nonconforming signs
19.74.100   Abandoned signs
19.74.110   General provisions for all signs
19.74.120   Standards for specific types of signs
19.74.130   Portable signs
19.74.140   Sign standards by zoning district
19.74.010   Purpose.
   The purpose of this chapter is to provide minimum standards to safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare, and to preserve the character of the City by regulating the size, height, design, quality of materials, construction, location, lighting, and maintenance of all signs and sign structures not enclosed within a building, to accomplish the following:
   A.   To protect and enhance the character of residential neighborhoods and business areas, open views and vistas, and property values by prohibiting obtrusive and incompatible signs;
   B.   To provide a reasonable and comprehensive system of sign controls;
   C.   To encourage signs which are well-designed, balanced, and pleasing in appearance, and to provide incentive and latitude for variety, good design relationship, spacing, and location;
   D.   To encourage a desirable urban character while minimizing clutter and while recognizing the need for signs as a major form of communication;
   E.   To provide for fair and equal treatment of sign users;
   F.   To provide for a reasonable period of time for the elimination of nonconforming signs;
   G.   To promote public safety by providing that official traffic regulation devices be easily visible and free from any nearby visual obstructions, including blinking signs, excessive number of signs, or signs that in any way resemble official signs;
   H.   To eliminate traffic safety hazards to pedestrians and motorists posed by off-site signs bearing commercial messages;
   I.   To generally limit commercial signage to on-site locations in order to protect the aesthetic environment from the visual clutter associated with the unrestricted proliferation of signs while also providing adequate channels of communication to the public;
   J.   To allow the communication of information for both commercial and non-commercial purposes without regulating the content of non-commercial messages;
   K.   To allow the expression of political, religious, and other non-commercial speech at all times;
   L.   To protect the investment in property made by persons who choose to live, work or conduct business within the City;
   M.   To maintain the peace and tranquility of residential zones and neighborhoods by generally forbidding commercial signs at private residences while allowing residents the opportunity, within reasonable limits, to express political, religious, and other non- commercial messages from their homes; and
   N.   To accommodate the need for signs to direct members of the public to various destinations and places, activities, and uses, in order to provide for maximum public convenience.
Ord. 2443
19.74.020   Applicability.
   A.   The sign standards provided in this chapter are intended to apply to signs in every zoning district in the City except the TND Zoning District. Signs in the TND Zoning District are regulated by Chapter 19.92. Only signs authorized by this chapter shall be allowed in the zoning districts indicated unless otherwise expressly provided in this chapter.
   B.   If a new zoning district is created after the enactment of this chapter, the Director shall have the authority to make determinations as to the applicability of appropriate sign regulations in compliance with Chapter 19.02 (Interpretation of Regulations) until this chapter is amended to govern the new zoning district.
   C.   Signs shall be considered during the City's site design and architectural review process (Chapter 19.18) to ensure that all signs are well-designed, compatible with their surroundings, and do not detract from the overall visual quality of the City.
Ord. 2443
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