(A) General.
(1) Signs within the Downtown Historic District shall also be subject to the design guidelines, approval procedures and other requirements of the city as set forth in this section.
(2) A permit is required for all such signs.
(3) A permit will only be issued when the conditions outlined in this section are fulfilled.
(4) The Downtown Historic District shall be defined as all properties within the boundaries up to, but not including, properties fronting State Highway 6 (Avenue G) to the west, Avenue C to the east, Live Oak Street to the north and 7th Street to the south.
(5) All signs in the Downtown Historic District shall be designed, constructed and affixed so as to promote and not visually obscure the significant architectural features of the district, its buildings and the historic lamp posts.
(B) Special restrictions. The following special restrictions shall apply in the Downtown Historic District in the city.
(1) No sign shall be displayed from the parapet or roof of any building.
(2) No sign shall be erected, constructed, placed, attached, located or displayed unless the sign relates to or advertises a bona fide business conducted in or on the premises to which the sign adjoins.
(3) The light source for exterior illumination shall be a steady light concealed by a hood or other acceptable method of indirect lighting.
(4) Sandwich signs may be placed outside only on days when the business is open and must be properly anchored or weighted against the wind. The maximum height of any sandwich sign is 48 inches and a minimum clearance of six feet must be maintained on the sidewalk for pedestrian access. No other portable signs are permitted.
(5) Awning and canopy signs must be painted or applied flat against the awning or canopy surface and may not use over 70% of the lineal footage of the awning or canopy.
(6) (a) Permanent signs painted on glass windows shall cover no more than 25% of the total glass area of the window upon which they are placed, and may not contain words or characters greater than 12 inches in height.
(b) For purposes of this division (B)(6), the area of any such sign shall be calculated as the area of an imaginary square or rectangle that encompasses the entire sign and its graphics.
(7) Daylight fluorescence pigmented materials or paints are prohibited.
(8) Advertising on planters, trash receptacles, park benches or other street amenities is prohibited, with the exception of donor plaques.
(C) Temporary signs.
(1) Signs painted on glass windows, exterior banners and pennant flags, when placed on a building in connection with special events, promotions and holidays, are considered temporary and may be placed for a period not to exceed 30 consecutive days.
(2) Any such temporary signs shall be removed within ten days of expiration of the special event, promotion or holiday.
(3) Banners may not exceed 30 square feet in area.
(4) Temporary signs are excluded from the maximum allowable sign area per building.
(D) Size and number of signs.
(1) No building shall have more than two signs per street facade.
(2) Buildings with rear public entrances not facing a street may also have one sign oriented to the rear of the building.
(3) The maximum allowable size of all signs affixed to any one building facade shall be two square feet of sign surface area for each 50 square feet of building facade surface area; provided, however, that, in no event shall the maximum allowable sign area per building exceed 90 square feet, nor may any individual sign have a surface area exceeding 45 square feet.
(4) Excluded from the maximum allowable sign area per building are permanent signs painted on glass, sandwich signs, temporary signs and rear entrance signs where permitted.
(5) For purposes of this section, each side of a sign hung perpendicular to a building shall be considered separately.
(E) Permits; variance procedure.
(1) With the exception of real estate signs or other temporary signs, it shall be unlawful for any person to erect or substantially alter any signage in any historic district without obtaining the proper permit and/or variance.
(2) Application for sign permits and variances within the historic district shall be made upon
forms provided by the city. Permit, inspection and variance fees shall be the same as provided for elsewhere in this chapter.
(3) The city must first approve all sign permits in any historic district. Should approval not be granted, the applicant may appeal to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, and then to the City Council, which shall have the final say in the matter.
(4) All requests for a variance from the historic sign requirements must be submitted in writing to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
(F) Sign maintenance and removal; non-conformance.
(1) All signs and all components thereof shall be kept in a good state of repair.
(2) If a business, service or other enterprise shall cease activity or use of a sign for a period of over ten days, any signs at said location shall be deemed to be abandoned and the sign owner, business owner or property owner shall remove any sign identifying or advertising said business or activity or any product sold thereby within 30 days of such abandonment.
(3) Removal shall mean to remove the face of the sign, paint over the message of the sign in a neat manner or to otherwise remove in a satisfactory and safe manner the advertising or message contained by said sign.
(4) The city or its representative may inspect every new and existing sign of any type at such intervals as may be required. In the event of a change or alteration in a sign beyond normal maintenance and upkeep, the entire sign must be brought into conformance.
(2012 Code, § 18-214) (Ord. 191002, passed 10-8-2019)