A. Large Temporary Commercial Signs/Banners. Large temporary commercial signs and/or banners not meeting the exemption criteria in Section 19.74.060(C) may be displayed on nonresidential property for a limited period of time, subject to approval of a permit from the Department. Such signage may consist of balloons, buntings, portable or mobile signs, banners, flags, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers, and similar articles, and are subject to the following conditions:
1. Such signage shall only be permitted on nonresidential properties;
2. Such signage shall only be permitted for a maximum of four time periods in any calendar year with such signage permitted for no more than 10 consecutive days per time period. Provided, however, that each time period shall be separated by a minimum of 30 days and that such signage may be permitted for no more than a total of 20 days in any calendar year;
3. Such signage shall be installed or displayed on-site;
4. Such signage shall not be installed or displayed so as to obstruct any required sight distance area, block any required path of travel, or otherwise create a safety hazard;
5. Balloons and other inflatable devices authorized by this section shall not exceed three feet in any single dimension;
6. No part of the signage shall exceed the maximum height of buildings on the site; and
7. Prior to installation or display of such signage, a permit shall be obtained from the Department. Up to four time periods may be authorized by a single permit.
B. Awning signs. Awning signs may be placed on the face of an awning in a flat position, in a plane approximately parallel to the plane of the building wall to which the awning is attached. Awning signs may project over the public right-of-way to the same extent that the awning projects over the public right-of-way.
1. Signs on awnings shall only be located on building frontages, including those fronting a parking lot or pedestrian way.
2. Signs on awnings are limited to ground-level occupancies only.
3. All internal illumination for awnings shall only be directed downward.
C. Freestanding Signs.
1. Signs are allowed only for frontages adjoining a public or private street.
2. There shall be a minimum of 75 feet between any two freestanding signs on adjoining sites to ensure adequate visibility for all signs. The Director may waive this requirement in situations where its enactment would be impractical due to the locations of existing signs on adjacent properties.
3. Signs shall not project over public property, vehicular easements, or rights-of-way. Signs shall not obstruct traffic safety sight areas.
4. Landscaping shall be provided at the base of the supporting structure equal to twice the area of one face of the sign. For example, 30 square feet of sign area equates to 60 square feet of required landscaped area.
D. Marquee Signs.
1. Signs shall be mounted only on the front and sides of a marquee, or suspended below.
2. Signs shall not project more than 6 inches from the face of the marquee.
3. Signs shall not extend more than 18 inches above the top of the marquee.
4. A clear distance of 8 feet shall be maintained from the lowest part of a suspended sign to the ground below.
E. Off-Site Directional Signs. Off-site directional signs are intended to provide identification for access to property that does not abut a public or private street and relies on an easement over adjacent property for access. In these cases, one off-site directional sign may be allowed subject to the approval of a sign permit and the following limitations:
1. Signs shall not exceed four square feet per face and not more than two sign faces where the access serves a single parcel or occupant;
2. Signs shall not exceed six square feet per face and not more than two sign faces where the access serves two or more parcels or occupants;
3. Signs shall not exceed three feet in height;
4. Signs shall be placed within the limits of the access easement serving the property and only if authorized by the easement or underlying property owners;
5. Any illumination of off-premises directional signs shall be indirect;
6. Signs shall contain only the property address, project name (if any) or name of occupants, and directional symbols; and
7. Signs shall be located so as to not interfere with clear sight distances required for safe access.
F. Projecting Signs and Three-Dimensional Expressions.
1. Signs shall only be located on ground-level building frontages with customer access.
2. Signs shall be double-faced or otherwise detailed on all sides visible to the public.
3. Consideration shall be given to existing signs on adjoining businesses so that visibility is not blocked.
4. No sign shall project above the edge of the roof of a structure or a sill of a second-story window.
5. All signs shall have a minimum vertical clearance of eight feet from the ground to the bottom of the sign or sign structure.
6. No sign shall project within two feet of a curb line.
7. The maximum thickness of a projecting sign shall not exceed that required for construction purposes.
8. Signs may be illuminated by indirect light sources only which shall be shielded to limit the spread of light only to the sign surface.
9. Three-dimensional, sculptural, or similar artistic structures that express a theme or message may be approved by the Board in addition to or in lieu of other signage in compliance with size and lighting regulations of the underlying zoning district.
G. Theater Signs.
1. Theater Identification Signs. Theaters and other approved assembly uses may be provided with identification signs of the same type, design, height, and size as the identification signs authorized by this chapter for the particular zoning district in which the theater is located.
2. Cases For Temporary Signs. Theaters and other approved assembly uses may also display temporary signs in permanently-mounted glass cases or other similar enclosures. Such cases shall count as part of the maximum allowed permanent sign area as established for that zoning district.
H. Wall Signs.
1. Signs shall be located only on building frontages unless specifically approved by the Director.
2. Signs shall not project from the surface upon which they are attached more than required for construction purposes and in no case more than 12 inches.
3. Signs shall not project above the edge of the roof of a structure.
I. Window Signs.
1. Signs shall be allowed only on windows located on the ground level and second story of a building frontage.
2. Signs shall be permanently painted or mounted on the inside of windows and doors.
3. Signs shall not occupy more than 25 percent of the window area of any one window including permanent and temporary signs. In the DN and DS zoning districts, signs may not occupy more than 10 percent of the area of any one window.
J. Automobile Dealership Business Identification Signs.
1. One ground-mounted business identification sign not exceeding 20 feet in height is permitted per automobile dealership, subject to compliance with all other design standards in Section 19.74.120(C).
2. The sign area shall not exceed 100 square feet for one face, or 200 square feet for two or more faces. This sign area shall count against the maximum sign area for the dealership as established in 19.74.140.
K. Changeable Copy Signs, Reader Boards, and Digital Reader Boards.
1. Such signs shall only be allowed on nonresidential property which contains an approved assembly use, when specifically allowed by state or federal law, or in the CS zoning district.
2. The area of such signs shall count towards the maximum allowed sign area for the site, and meet other applicable sign standards provided in Table 5-8 (Sign Standards by Zoning District).
3. Any digital reader boards shall display static (unanimated) images and/or copy. For the purposes of this section, static images and/or copy shall be defined as those which are changed no more than once per ten seconds.
4. Digital reader boards shall not be brighter than the illumination limit recommended by the International Sign Association (ISA) for Electronic Message Center signs, or 0.3 footcandles above ambient light when measured at the recommended distance as set forth by the ISA. Digital reader boards shall be equipped with a photocell, timer, or other similar device which automatically dims the display during nighttime hours to prevent glare impacts to motorists.
(Ord. 2443; Ord. 2503 §2)