Permanent signs shall be subject to the following requirements:
(a) Wall Signs. Wall signs may be erected on any building wall or extension of a building wall which faces a street, parking lot or service drive. Wall signs may not extend beyond any building setback line. Wall signs shall be attached parallel to the building face and extend outward perpendicular from the building face a maximum of twelve (12) inches.
(b) Marquee, Canopy and/or Awning Signs. Signs may be painted on an awning area or attached to a canopy, marquee, or roof which projects beyond the building, provided that no part of such sign may extend above the roof line of the canopy or marquee. Canopy or marquee signs shall be a minimum of nine (9) feet above ground level. If a marquee, canopy or awning sign consist of two (2) faces facing two (2) directions and each face having the same message, it shall be considered as one (1) sign.
(c) Projecting Signs. Projecting signs shall not exceed eight (8) square feet in size, are placed not less than nine (9) feet above the sidewalk or ground level, and project not more than six (6) feet outward from the building face.
(d) Freestanding Signs. The location, height and other characteristics of freestanding signs must meet the requirements of this chapter. No portion of any freestanding sign shall be erected over the street right-of-way.
(e) Roof Signs. Roof signs shall be allowed in the GC, RC and DE Districts, subject to approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals. Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (l)(12) hereof, such sign shall be allowed in lieu of all freestanding, wall or projecting signs otherwise allowed. In addition, such sign shall be constructed to appear as an integral part of the supporting building, shall not project beyond the vertical boundaries of the wall with which it is associated, and shall not exceed a total of 100 square feet for all of its faces.
(f) Permanent Window Signs. Permanent window signs shall be limited to signs denoting the identification of the occupant, the address of the premises, and/or not more than one (1) logo for the product or services offered. The total area of all permanent window signs shall not exceed thirty-three percent (33%) of the total area of the window.
(g) Off-Premises Signs. Off-premises signs, not including billboards, shall be considered as an accessory use in all nonresidential districts. Not more than one (1) off-premises sign with a sign face area not exceeding twenty (20) square feet is permitted on a single lot. Off-premises signs shall conform to all applicable yard, setback and height restrictions for structures in the zoning district where they are located.
(h) Digital Display Signs. Digital display signs shall be considered a conditional use in the GC, RC and IP Districts and shall require specific approval of the Planning Commission. Digital display signs shall be allowed only on properties having direct frontage on federal highways as designated on the primary system as designated by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). Digital display signs which are also billboards shall meet the requirements of subsection (i) hereof. The above requirements shall apply to any existing billboard which is proposed to be converted to a digital display sign.
(i) Billboards. Billboards shall be considered as a conditional use in the GC, RC and IP Districts, and shall require specific approval of the Planning Commission. Billboards shall be allowed only on properties having direct frontage on federal highways designated as on the primary system as designated by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). The erection of all billboards shall comply with all federal and state requirements. In addition, all billboards shall comply with the following:
(1) Not more than one (1) billboard shall be allowed on any single property existing as of the effective date of this amendment.
(2) All billboards shall be no greater than forty-five (45) feet in height.
(3) The maximum display area for any billboard shall not exceed 300 square feet per side.
(4) Billboards shall not be located within 200 feet from the right-of-way of the highway, within 1,500 feet from any residence or district where single-family residences are a permitted use, within twenty (20) feet from any property line or within fifty (50) feet from any building. No billboard shall be erected within 1,000 feet from any other billboard.
(5) Nothing in this Ordinance shall prohibit the changing or alteration of the display surface of any otherwise lawful billboard, provided that the changing or conversion of an existing billboard to a digital display sign shall be subject to the requirements of this section.
(j) Electronic Message Boards. Electronic message boards, shall be considered as a conditional use in the GC, RC and IP Districts, and shall require specific approval of the Planning Commission. Such signs shall be located only along federal or state routes designated as arterial streets or thoroughfares.
(k) Vending Machine Signs. For the purposes of this chapter, vending machines with attached signs shall be treated as permanent signs. Vending machine signs shall not be included in the number of permitted signs pursuant to subsection (l)(12) hereof; however, vending machine signs shall meet the requirements for illuminated signs in subsection (l)(1) hereof. In addition, if a vending machine sign is located on a lot adjacent to any single-family residence, such sign shall be positioned or shielded so as not to be visible from such residence. (Ord. 27-11. Passed 3-14-11.)
(l) General Requirements.
(1) Illumination. Illuminated signs shall be permitted only in the RC, RO, LC, GC, DE, GI, IR and IP Districts. Illumination shall be from a concealed or indirect light source and shall not flash, blink, fluctuate in intensity, travel, move or in any manner fail to provide constant illumination, except for electronic message boards as otherwise set forth in subsection (j) hereof. Illuminated signs shall not create a hazard or visibility problem or interfere with or impair vehicular traffic. The level of illumination emitted from a sign shall not be of an intensity to constitute a safety hazard to vehicular movement on any street. Illuminated signs shall be constructed and maintained so that the source of illumination is shielded or otherwise prevented from beaming directly onto adjacent properties or streets.
(Ord. 59-18. Passed 7-23-18.)
(2) Pennants and/or Streamers. No permanent sign shall contain or consist of banners, pennants, ribbons, streamers, balloons or similar devices.
(3) Construction. All signs and parts thereof, including any electrical wiring, shall be erected, constructed, and maintained so as to not constitute a safety hazard. The construction and installation of all signs shall be subject to inspection and approval by the City.
(4) Location. No part of any sign shall be placed in, over, or extend onto any public right-of-way, except as otherwise set forth in subsection (l)(8) hereof.
(5) Changeable Copy Signs. Changeable copy signs shall be permitted in the LC, GC, RC, and GI Districts. The number, height and area of changeable copy signs shall be determined by the structural type of the sign, e.g., freestanding, wall, projecting, etc. as cited elsewhere in these regulations. The light and/or perceived movement from such sign shall not be of such intensity to constitute a safety hazard to vehicular traffic or shine directly on any residential property.
(6) Permanent Subdivision Identification Signs. Permanent subdivision identification signs shall be limited to wall mounted or freestanding signs only, with placement on walls, columns or similar architectural or landscaped entrance features used to denote the entrance to the subdivision. Such signs shall be not more than five (5) feet in height and shall be set back at least twenty (20) feet from the right-of-way of any street.
(7) Joint Identification Signs. Joint identification signs shall be permitted in the RO, LC, GC, RC, GI, IR, IP and PUD Districts. Pursuant to Section 1179.06(d), one (1) joint identification sign of not more than eight (8) square feet in area may be permitted without a sign permit. All additional joint identification signs shall be limited to wall or freestanding signs, and to premises where there are two (2) or more uses located on one (1) property (e.g., a shopping center) or two (2) adjoining properties on one (1) public street or at the corner of two (2) public streets. If the property fronts on one (1) public street, only one (1) joint identification sign is permitted. If the property fronts on two (2) public streets, two (2) joint identification signs shall be permitted. Each joint identification sign shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet in area and fifteen (15) feet in height in the GC, GI, IR or IP Districts, and not more than twenty (20) square feet in area and eight (8) feet in height in any other district where such signs are permitted.
(8) Signs in DE District. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Ordinance, a sign within the DE District may extend into the right-of-way, provided the applicant demonstrates that, due to characteristics of the lot and building, the erection of an alternative sign outside the right-of-way is not feasible. In addition, the applicant shall obtain a revocable permit for such encroachment from the City and shall certify that the sign shall be subject to subsequent removal at the owner's expense, if so required by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) or the City for purposes of public safety.
(9) Murals. Murals shall be allowed as a conditional use within the DE District, subject to approval by the Historic Design Review Board. Murals in other nonresidential districts require specific approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals. In such cases the Board of Zoning Appeals shall seek the recommendation by the Historic Design Review Board, although the final action of the Board of Zoning Appeals shall not be bound by such recommendation.
(10) Signs in PUD District. Signs in the PUD District shall reflect the standards for similar uses in other districts. The applicant shall submit a total signage plan for the proposed development as part of the Development Plan.
(11) Signs in the Design Review District(s). All permanent signs in the Historic Design Review District as designated by the City shall be subject to additional standards and approval by the Historic Design Review Board.
(12) Schedule of Sign Regulations. The Schedule of Sign Regulations as follows on TABLE I is hereby made a part of this Ordinance.
SECTION 1179.08 K 12 / TABLE I
PERMITTED NUMBER AND STRUCTURAL TYPE OF SIGNS
(PERMANENT ON-PREMISES SIGNS)
USE/DISTRICT | PERMITTED SIGN TYPES | MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SIGNS |
Residential | ||
Subdivision Identification Sign in all districts | Wall, freestanding (4 total) | 2 per entry |
Two- and Multi-Family Dwellings in all districts | Wall, freestanding | 1 |
Nursery Schools, Day Care in all districts | Wall, freestanding | 1 per frontage |
Commercial/Office/Institutional | ||
Schools, churches, and other public facilities in all districts | Wall, freestanding window | 1 per frontage |
Buildings housing Essential Services and similar public facilities | Wall, freestanding | 1 per frontage |
Permitted/conditional uses in RO District | Wall, freestanding | 1 per frontage |
Permitted/conditional uses in the LC District | Wall, freestanding, window | 2 per frontage (only one freestanding) |
Business/professional offices in the DE District | Wall, window, awning, marquee, projecting, canopy | 2 per frontage (only one freestanding) |
Other commercial uses in the DE District | Wall, window, awning, marquee, projecting canopy | 2 per frontage (only one freestanding) |
Permitted/conditional uses in the GC and RC Districts | Wall, freestanding, awning, window, projecting, canopy | 2 per frontage (only one freestanding) |
Industrial | ||
Permitted/conditional uses in the GI, IR and IP Districts | Wall, freestanding, window | 2 per frontage |
USE/DISTRICT | MAXIMUM SIGN AREA (SQ. FT.) | MAXIMUM HEIGHT (FEET) | MINIMUM DISTANCE FR. R.O.W.* |
Residential | |||
Subdivision Identification Sign | 20 | 5 | 20 |
Two-and Multi-Family Dwellings in all districts | 20 | 10 | 15 |
Nursery Schools, Day Care in all districts | 10 | 15 (wall) 6 (freestanding) | 10 |
Commercial/Office/Institutional | |||
Schools, churches, and other public facilities in all districts | 40 (all signs) 30 per sign | 20 (wall) 10 (freestanding) | 10 |
Buildings housing Essential Services and similar public facilities | 40 (all signs) 30 per sign | 15 (wall) 10 (freestanding) | 15 |
Permitted/conditional uses in RO District | 20 | 15 (wall) 6 (freestanding) | 10 |
Permitted/conditional uses in the LC District | 40 (all signs) | 15 (wall) 10 (freestanding) | 10 |
Business/professional offices in the DE District | 20 (all signs) | 20 (wall) 10 (freestanding) | - |
Other commercial uses in the DE District | 60 (all signs) | 20 (wall) 10 (freestanding) | - |
Permitted/conditional uses in the GC District | 1 per lineal foot of bldg. frontage; 100 S.F. maximum all signs | 25 (freestanding) 20 (other types) | 20 |
Permitted/conditional uses in the RC District | 1.5 per lineal foot of bldg. frontage; 300 S.F. maximum all signs | 30 (freestanding) 25 (other types) | 40 |
Industrial | |||
Permitted/conditional uses in the GI, IR and IP Districts | 1 per lineal foot of bldg. frontage; 100 S.F. maximum all signs | 15 (freestanding) 20 (other types) | |
* Distance from R.O.W. applicable to freestanding signs only
NOTES / TABLE I:
(a) For the purposes of calculating the number of permitted signs, "frontage" shall be interpreted as frontage on a publicly dedicated and improved street.
(b) Plans for signage in the SU and PUD Districts must be submitted with the required Development Plan; the Planning Commission may impose additional requirements.
(c) In all districts where so permitted, uses having drive-through facilities shall submit a specific site plan for signage, showing the type, size and location of all permanent signs, including directional signs and menu boards. Such site plan shall be subject to review by the Board of Zoning Appeals and shall be specifically approved prior to issuance of a zoning certificate. In evaluating such site plan, the Board of Zoning Appeals shall utilize the standards of this chapter.
(e) Not more than one (1) sign per business per street frontage in any district shall be a freestanding sign.
(f) Buildings or single developments with multiple business occupants sharing a common entrance from the street, i.e., shopping centers, shall be permitted one (1) joint identification sign in addition to signage permitted above. If such sign is a freestanding sign, no individual business within such center shall use a separate freestanding sign. Such joint identification sign shall meet the requirements of subsection (l)(7) hereof.
(g) In addition to the designated number of permitted signs, nonresidential uses along arterial or collector highways within the GC, RC and IP Districts shall be allowed a maximum of two (2) directional signs, each not exceeding two (2) square feet in area. Such directional signs shall clearly be for the purpose of designating entrances and/or exits and directing customers to the internal circulation network on the site.
(h) In the GC District, if the distance from the right-of-way to existing freestanding signs of the four (4) most proximate properties is less than twenty (20) feet, the applicant for a freestanding sign may construct one (1) such sign at the least of these distances.
(i) Freestanding signs in the RC District and within 1,000 feet from a limited access highway interchange shall be permitted increased height and size as follows:
(j) The maximum area of the freestanding sign shall be 200 square feet. Such area shall be in addition to the maximum sign area in the RC District as specified in TABLE I. The maximum height of such freestanding sign shall be sixty (60) feet.
(Ord. 27-11. Passed 3-14-11.)