A. Applicability: The following regulations apply to all signing and/or to the specific type of sign hereinafter indicated:
1. Any sign support which has been abandoned and no longer contains a sign must be removed in accordance with section 10-15-10 of this chapter.
2. In all instances, any sign erected within the city must comply with the provisions of the building code.
3. Every sign shall be maintained in a safe, presentable and good structural material condition at all times, including the repair and replacement of defective parts, painting, repainting, cleaning or other acts required for the maintenance of said sign, as determined by the planning, zoning and adjustment board. If the sign does not comply with adequate safety standards, the city shall require its removal in accordance with sections 10-15-10 and 10-15-11 of this chapter.
4. No persons shall maintain or allow to be maintained on any premises owned or controlled by him, any sign which is in a dangerous or defective condition.
B. General Standards: The following standards apply to all signs unless specifically exempted in other parts of this chapter:
1. Unique Shapes: Curvilinear, circular, and other unique shapes that incorporate graphics are encouraged.
2. On Premises Sign Area Measurement Provisions: The measurement of the area of signs shall be determined as follows:
a. Measurement Of Internally Illuminated Signs And Signs Consisting Of A Permanent Structure With Removable Panels: The area of internally illuminated signs and signs consisting of a permanent structure with panels designed to be removed and/or replaced for periodic maintenance or change of tenant(s) shall be computed as the smallest rectangle that will encompass the extreme limits of the illuminated or changeable panels and structure less than three inches (3") wide, regardless of sign shape and whether or not open spaces exist. Any cutouts or extensions shall be included in the area of the sign. In the case of separate signs sharing a common structure, the open spaces between the panels shall not be counted as sign area.
b. Area Of Multifaced Signs: Signs constructed back to back, with faces in approximately parallel planes (such as both sides of a single panel), shall count as only one sign both in number and area. All other signs having multiple faces, including cylinders, shall have all surfaces included in the calculations for sign area. If a sign is V-shaped, with an angle of thirty degrees (30°) or greater between the two (2) faces, its areas shall be computed by adding the areas of the two (2) faces together. If the angle between the two (2) faces is less than thirty degrees (30°), its area shall be computed in the same manner as for a double faced sign.
c. Area Of Multi-Tenant Signs, Changeable Copy Signs, Or Electronic Message Boards: The face and frame of a portion of a sign that includes the names of individual tenants or an area for changeable or electronic copy shall count toward the total area of the sign.
d. Measurement Of All Other Signs: Sign area for all other signs shall consist of the smallest rectangle or sum of contiguous rectangles which completely encompasses the sign message, including letters, words, and graphic elements. This method of measurement shall also apply to words and graphic elements painted onto windows, awnings and canopies.
3. Off Premises Signs:
a. Temporary A-Frame Signs:
(1) Organizations and businesses (profit or nonprofit) may place temporary A-frame signs off premises under the following regulations:
(A) Must complete application and obtain permit from the city of Cody. No fees shall be charged for application and permitting process for temporary A-frame signs.
(B) Each organization and/or business may receive one permit per year and each permit will be valid for seven (7) consecutive days.
(C) No more than five (5) permits will be issued for the same seven (7) day period. Permits will be issued on a first come, first served basis.
(D) No applicant is allowed to place more than six (6) temporary A-frame signs within the city.
(E) All temporary A-frame signs must conform to the definition of A-frame signs as defined within this chapter.
(F) Each applicant shall be responsible for ensuring that each temporary A-frame sign is securely grounded so as to avoid signs being blown by wind to any other location not authorized by the permit, in addition, applicant must monitor each sign on a daily basis during the seven (7) day permit period to ensure the signs are in compliance with the application approved.
(G) The city of Cody shall reserve the right to remove any and all signs which are not in the location approved by the permit process or any sign that has become a safety hazard to traffic and/or pedestrians.
(H) All signs must be placed in preapproved locations as follows:
(i) Public Property: No signs shall be placed within the public right of way except for as otherwise allowed by this code.
(ii) Private Property: No signs shall be placed on private property without the express written consent of the property owner, and such written consent is presented to the city of Cody with the application.
4. Attached, Projecting And Marquee Signs: The following rules and regulations shall apply to attached, projecting and marquee signs:
a. The area of an attached sign where the sign consists of letters, numerals or symbols painted on or affixed to a wall shall be the entire area within a continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the message delineated by the letters, numerals or symbols.
b. The area of an attached or suspended sign where the letters, numerals or symbols are on a sign surface which is hung or affixed to a structure shall be the total area of the hung or affixed surfaces. If a sign has two (2) or more display faces, the area of all faces and all noncontiguous surfaces is included in determining sign area.
c. The background area of a sign shall not be included in the sign area only when such background is an integral part of the building.
5. Measurement Of Allowable Sign Area For Uses With More Than One Street Frontage: Signs may be located on any side of the building involved, but the total sign area of all signs may not exceed the total cumulative allowable square footage for all street frontages.
6. Location: The following rules and standards shall apply in establishing the location of signs within the city of Cody:
a. No portion of a sign, except exempted signs, shall be located within the city or state right of way or sight distance triangles except as permitted through the application process which must have approval by both the city of Cody governing body and the Wyoming department of transportation. Signs placed on city streets other than state highways must submit an application to the city of Cody. Persons wishing to place a sign which encroaches upon a state highway must complete an application and obtain approval from the state of Wyoming highway department. Those forms can be picked up in the planning department at city hall or at the Wyoming department of transportation. Hand carried signs will be allowed within the right of way as long as it is not a hazard to the community.
Signs are considered structures and must observe setback requirements for each zoning district as delineated in the city zoning code.
b. No sign shall be located in a manner that impairs ingress and egress through windows, doors, or other means of entering or exiting from a structure or building.
c. No sign shall be placed as to impede the sight distance and vision of motorists. (Ord. 2011-04, 6-7-2011)
d. No sign, awning or other obstruction shall be suspended from any building into or over any sidewalk, street or alley, so as to obstruct or interfere with the pedestrian traffic or vehicle traffic, nor shall any sign, awning or other obstruction be suspended in or over any portion of the street beyond the sidewalk. Projecting signs located over public pedestrianways shall be placed not less than eight feet (8') from the travelway to the bottom of the sign. The projecting edge of the sign shall be at least two feet (2') back from any curb line. (Ord. 2011-26, 11-15-2011)
7. Illumination: The following rules and standards shall apply in establishing the type of illumination which may be used for signs within the city of Cody:
a. Submit Plans For Lighting: At the planning department's discretion, any proposed external, internal, backlit or indirect lighting application may be required to submit professionally prepared plans depicting the types of lighting to be used.
b. Electrical Wiring: All signs containing electrical wiring shall be subject to the provisions of the electrical code in place at that time and electrical plans and specifications shall be submitted to the building official for review, approval and building permit issuance.
c. Flashing Lights: A sign with blinking, chasing, flashing or moving effects; or a sign displaying intermittent or flashing lights similar to those used in governmental traffic signals or used by police, fire, ambulance, or other emergency vehicles are prohibited. Such signs include beacons, spotlights, searchlights, or reflectors and signs which revolve, or rotate or swing by mechanical means.
d. Exterior Illumination: Exterior illumination shall be allowed, provided that the following criteria are satisfied: Any externally illuminated sign shall be shielded so as not to cast direct light onto any residential district and as not to create a safety hazard.
e. Internally Illuminated: Internal illumination may be allowed, provided that the following criteria are satisfied: The proposed light source shall not be visible from the exterior of the sign, which shall include the back, edges, and sides.
f. Backlit Or Indirectly Illuminated Signs: Backlit/indirectly illuminated signs may be allowed, provided that the following criteria are satisfied: Signs shall be illuminated from a source mounted on the structure behind the proposed sign and shall not be visible through the sign. Lighting shall be visible only along the edges of the sign and light shall not extend more than three inches (3") beyond the sign edges.
8. Structural And Safety Considerations: All electrical services for sign lighting shall be provided with underground or hidden devices or otherwise in compliance with the international electrical code as is currently adopted by the city.
9. Billboards: Billboards as defined in subsection 10-15-2B of this chapter shall be allowed only in zoning districts D-3 and E. (Ord. 2011-04, 6-7-2011)
10. Electronic Message Boards And Animated Signs:
a. Not more than one electronic message board sign may be permitted per zoning lot.
b. Electronic message boards and animated signs shall not display off premises commercial advertising.
c. Electronic message boards and animated signs are not permitted in residential sign districts.
d. The leading edge of the sign must be a minimum distance of one hundred feet (100') from an abutting residential zoning district boundary.
e. Electronic message boards must utilize an automatic dimmer control so as to not exceed a maximum luminance of five thousand (5,000) nits (candelas per square meter) during daylight hours (from sunrise to sunset), and a maximum luminance of five hundred (500) nits (candelas per square meter) from sunset to sunrise.
f. The use of audio speakers is prohibited in association with a sign.
g. Electronic message boards and animated signs shall be permitted only in the following sign districts: D-2, D-3, and E industrial. In addition, electronic message boards and animated signs may be permitted in the downtown business district, but must have special approval by the planning and zoning board. Approval will be based on consideration of adjacent signage, the size of the proposed signage, and compliance with applicable sign requirements of the Wyoming department of transportation.
(Ord. 2013-17, 10-15-2013; amd. Ord. 2021-02, 3-3-2021)