For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
(A) Generally.
SIGN. Any device, fixture, placard or structure, including its component parts, which draws attention to an object, product, place, activity, opinion, person, institution, organization or place of business, or which identifies or promotes the interests of any person and which may be viewed from the private property of another or from any public street, road, highway, right-of-way or parking area (collectively referred to as a “public area”). For the purposes of these regulations, the term SIGN shall include all structural members. The term SIGN for regulatory purposes shall not include the following objects: Grave yard and cemetery markers, vending machines, express mail and donation drop-off boxes, drive-thru menu boards, seasonal decorations visible, a building’s architectural features visible or a manufacturer’s or seller’s markings on machinery or equipment visible.
(B) Sign-related terms.
ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL/FEATURE/ELEMENT. Prominent or significant parts or elements of a building or structure including, but not limited to, cornices, belt courses, lintels, sills, pediments, columns or pilasters, rustications or base courses.
AUXILIARY DESIGN ELEMENTS. Terms which describe secondary characteristics of a sign, including its method of illumination and other features within the bounds of its basic shape.
AWNING. An architectural projection that provides weather protection, identity or decoration and is partially or wholly supported by the building to which it is attached. An AWNING is typically comprised of a lightweight frame structure over which a covering in attached.
BACKGROUND PANEL. An area distinctively painted, textured or constructed as a background for the sign copy or a distinctive background area which is used to differentiate such sign copy from where the sign is mounted, affixed or painted in a different color, material and the like from the structure it’s attached.
BALLOON. Any lighter-than-air, gas filled inflatable object attached by a tether to a fixed place or mounted on the ground or a building.
CABINET. A sign structure comprised of a frame and a sign face or faces. Though a cabinet sign may include electrical components or support structure, the cabinet refers only to the frame housing the sign face.
CANOPY. A permanent structure of rigid construction which a covering is attached that provides weather protection, identity or decoration. A CANOPY is structurally independent.
CLEARANCE. The distance between grade and the bottom edge of a sign.
COMMERCIAL BUILDING, MULTIPLE TENANT. A commercial building with two or more separate tenants having individual entrances and shared parking.
COMMERCIAL CENTER. A group or cluster of retail shops, offices, or employment buildings which share common parking, landscaping and/or frontage, and may have a property owners association and have a name which is generally understood by the public to refer to the group or cluster.
FRONTAGE. The length of a property line of any one premises abutting and parallel to a public street, private way or court.
ILLUMINATION. Lighting sources installed for the primary purpose of lighting a specific sign or group of signs.
(a) DIRECT ILLUMINATION. An external source of illumination that is not part of or attached to a sign, which directly illuminates the sign.
(b) INDIRECT ILLUMINATION. A source of illumination, not directly visible, which lights only the background upon which the sign or individual letter is mounted.
(c) INTERNAL ILLUMINATION. A light source entirely within a sign where the source of the illumination is not directly visible.
(d) NEON ILLUMINATION. Any illumination effects using neon or any other inert gas under low pressure, which glows in a distinctive color when exposed to a high voltage electrical current.
INDIVIDUAL LETTERS. A cutout or etched letter or logo which is individually placed on a wall or freestanding sign.
LOGO. A graphic symbol representing an activity, use or business. LOGOS are registered trademarks or symbols commonly used by a business and may include lettering in addition to graphic designs.
MASTER SIGN PLAN. A set of sign design standards established for a multi-tenant building, non-residential complexes with multiple buildings, multi-family building complexes, hospitals or large-scale mixed-use developments.
MARQUEE. A permanent roofed structure attached to and supported by a building and typically extends over public right-of-way.
PAN-CHANNEL LETTER. An individual three-dimensional letter constructed by means of a three-sided metal channel.
PERMITTED SIGN BUDGET. The permitted square feet of sign area allowed for signage on a premise.
PREMISES. A tract of one or more lots or sites which are contiguous and under common ownership or control.
RACEWAY. A structure used for wall-mounted signage with individual letters or characters, located upon the exterior wall surface between the wall and the letters or sign characters. RACEWAYS contain wiring, conduit, transformers and other electrical components.
SIGN COPY. Any combination of letter or numbers which is intended to inform, direct or otherwise transmit information.
SIGN FACE. The area of a sign on which words and images are placed.
SIGN STRUCTURE. The structural supports, monument base, foundation, uprights, braces, guides, anchors and framework of a sign.
VISION CLEARANCE TRIANGLE. The vision clearance triangle is described in § 151.196. For all intersections and intersections of arterial streets.
(C) Sign types.
ABANDONED SIGN. A sign, including sign face and supporting structure, which refers to a discontinued business, profession, commodity, service or other activity or use formerly occupying the site; or which contains no sign copy on all sign faces for a continuous period of six months.
ATTACHED SIGN. A sign which is structurally connected to a building or depends upon that building for support.
AWNING SIGN. A sign painted, installed, attached or otherwise applied to or located directly on an awning.
BANNER SIGN. A temporary sign composed of cloth, canvas, plastic, fabric or similar lightweight, non-rigid material that is attached to a structure, building or fence with cord, rope, cable or similar method. Detached banner signs are defined as “freestanding yard signs.”
BALLOON SIGN. A sign supported by a balloon.
BILLBOARD. See the definition of “outdoor advertising signs.”
BLADE SIGN. A portable, stand-alone sign comprised of light fabric that moves with the wind and is supported by a pole structure and a base.
BLINKING SIGN. See the definition of “flashing sign.”
BUILDING MARKER. See the definition of “integral sign.”
BUSINESS IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign which pertain to the business, service and/or retail uses and may also include multi-tenant residential uses and other information relative to the conduct of the use located on the premises.
COMMERCIAL CENTER IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign which identifies the name of a commercial center or commercial building with multiple tenants in single ownership or control, sharing parking and access.
CANOPY SIGN. A sign painted, installed, attached, or otherwise applied to or located directly on a canopy.
CHANGING MESSAGE SIGN. A sign designed to permit change of copy manually.
DETACHED SIGN. A sign which is self-supporting and structurally independent from any building.
DIRECTORY SIGN. A sign showing the locations of tenants in a multi-tenant commercial, office, employment complex or tenants in a multi-family residential project.
DOUBLE-FACED SIGN. A sign consisting of no more than two parallel or near parallel faces supported by a single structure. The angle created by the two faces of a DOUBLE-FACED SIGN shall not exceed 15 degrees.
DRIVE-THROUGH LANE SIGN. A sign oriented to occupants of vehicles utilizing a drive-through lane at an establishment that offers transactions through a window, with or without ordering capability.
ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SIGNS. On-premises signs which use an array of electrically illuminated lights, generally controlled by a computer or other electronic programming device, to display information or supporting graphics. Information may include news, events or information about businesses or attractions.
ELECTRONIC CHANGEABLE MESSAGE SIGN (ECMS). An outdoor advertising sign that changes the message, advertisement or copy on the sign face by electronic or mechanical device or process, either automated or remote, regardless of the process used.
FLAG SIGN. Signs which are emblazoned on a flag, with non-commercial emblems or insignias and are intended to be displayed in a free-flowing manner.
FLASHING SIGN. Any illuminated sign, on which the artificial source of light is not maintained stationary or constant in intensity and color at all times when such sign is illuminated. For the purposes of this definition, any moving illuminated sign affected by intermittent lighting shall be deemed a FLASHING SIGN.
FREESTANDING YARD SIGN. Any temporary detached sign placed on the ground or attached to a supporting structure, posts or poles that is not attached to any building and not placed on sidewalks, driveways or parking lots.
GROUND SIGN. A detached on-premises sign built on a freestanding frame, mast or pole(s) with a clearance no greater than three feet.
HANDHELD SIGN. A sign carried by persons, which may include persons dressed in costume, for the purpose of advertising a business, service, product, event or activity.
HISTORIC MARKER. A marker commemorating a recognized historic person or event, or identifying a historic place, structure or object.
INFLATABLE SIGN. A sign that is an air inflated object, which may be of various shapes, made of flexible fabric, resting on the ground or a structure and equipped with a portable blower motor that provides a constant flow of air into the device. INFLATABLE SIGNS are restrained, attached or held in place by a cord, rope, cable or similar method; may also be referred to as “air-activated sign.”
INTEGRAL SIGN. A sign which includes the name of a building, date of erection, monumental citation, commemorative tablet or other similar sign when carved into stone, concrete or other building material or made of bronze, aluminum or other permanent type of construction and made an integral part of the structure to which they are attached.
MARQUEE SIGN. A sign painted, installed, attached or otherwise applied to or located directly on a marquee.
MONUMENT SIGN. An on-premises freestanding sign with the appearance of a solid base.
MOVING SIGN. A sign designed or made to move freely in the wind or designed or made to move by an electrical or mechanical device.
MURAL-ADVERTISING. See the definition of “painted wall sign.”
NON-CONFORMING SIGN. A sign that was legally erected prior to the adoption of this chapter, but which violates the regulations of this chapter.
NUMERIC DISPLAY SIGNS. On premises signs which display numeric information only. Typical examples include time and temperature displays and fuel price displays. The numeric information may be changed electronically or manually.
OBSOLETE SIGN. Sign that advertises an activity, business, product or service no longer conducted on the premises on which the sign is located.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN. A sign displaying advertising copy that pertains to a business, person, organization, activity, event, place, service or product not principally located or primarily manufactured or sold on the premises on which the sign is located.
ON-PREMISES SIGN. A sign that advertises or otherwise directs attention to a business, person, organization, activity, event, place, service or product that occurs on the same parcel where the sign is located.
OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS. A panel for the display of information relating to a business, product, event or other subject of advertising or publicity. OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS may advertise on-premises or off-premises businesses or products, also referred to as a “billboard.”
PAINTED WALL SIGN. A sign painted directly onto the exterior wall of a building containing a logo, business name or advertisement. May also be referred to as a “mural-advertising.”
PERMANENT SIGN. A sign constructed of durable materials, attached to the ground or a building in a manner provided by the building code.
POLE SIGN. An on-premises sign built on a freestanding frame, mast or pole(s) with a clearance greater than three feet.
PORTABLE SIGN. A sign not permanently attached to, mounted upon or affixed to a building, structure or the ground, and which is easily moved. Examples include A-frame signs, T-frame signs and signs on wheels. PORTABLE SIGN does not include a temporary sign carried by a person or animal.
PORTABLE MESSAGE CENTER SIGN. A sign not permanently affixed to the ground, building or other structure, which may be moved from place to place, including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels. Such signs may include changeable copy.
PROJECTING SIGN. A sign other than a wall sign that is attached to and projects from a building face.
PUBLIC SIGN. A sign of a noncommercial nature and in the public interest, erected by or upon the order of a public officer in the performance of his or her public duty, such as safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, traffic signs, memorial plaques and other similar signs, including signs designating hospitals, libraries, schools and other institutions or places of public interest or concern. This includes all signs erected by the city for government purposes.
ROOF SIGN. Any sign or part of sign erected upon, against or directly above a roof or on top of or above the parapet or cornice of a building.
(a) INTEGRAL ROOF SIGN. A roof sign positioned between an eave line and the peak or highest point on a roof, substantially parallel to the face of a building.
(b) ABOVE-PEAK ROOF SIGN. A roof sign positioned above the peak of a roof or above a parapet or cornice.
ROTATING SIGN. A sign that revolves or turns or has external sign elements that revolve or turn. Such sign may be power-driven or propelled by the force of wind or air.
SIDEWALK SIGN. A portable, stand-alone sign comprised of panel(s) or face(s) that act as a frame or stand on a base. May also be referred to as “sandwich board sign,” A-frame sign or T-frame sign.
SNIPE SIGN. A sign made of any material when such sign is tacked, taped, nailed, posted, pasted, glued, or otherwise attached to or placed on public property or in the public right-of-way such as, but not limited to, a utility pole, street sign, utility box, fire hydrant, tree, street furniture or items located on public property; except for A-frame and T-frame signs.
STREET POLE BANNER SIGN. A display containing changeable copy which is mounted from brackets perpendicular to a street light pole or other freestanding armature structure.
TEMPORARY SIGNS. Any sign constructed of cloth, canvas, fabric, plywood or other light materials and intended for display for a short period of time.
TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE SIGN. Any government sign located within the right-of-way that is used as a traffic control device and that is described and identified in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and approved by the Federal Highway Administrator as the national standard. A TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE sign includes those government signs that are classified and defined by their function as regulatory signs (that give notice of traffic laws or regulations), warning signs (that give notice of a situation that might not readily be apparent) and guide signs (that show route designations, directions, distances, services, points of interest and other geographical, recreational or cultural information).
UNLAWFUL VEHICLE SIGN. A sign which covers more than 20 square feet of the vehicle and/or equipment which identifies a business, products or services, and which is attached to, mounted, pasted, painted or drawn on a motorized vehicle or piece of equipment, and is parked and visible from the public right-of-way; unless said vehicle or piece of equipment is used for transporting people or materials in the normal day-to-day operation of the business.
WALL SIGN. A sign permanently fastened to a wall or parapet of a building or structure in such a manner that the wall or vertical surface of the structure is the supporting structure. For a sign that is painted on a wall, see the definition of “painted wall sign.”
WINDOW SIGN. A sign applied or attached to a window or visible through a window from the public right-of-way. WINDOW SIGNS do not include merchandise in a window display.
(Ord. 23-09, passed 8-21-2023)