A. Permitted Signs: Signs allowed by permit in all zoning districts. The following signs are allowed in all zoning districts, subject to these regulations and issuance of a sign permit, except as prohibited in section 11-16-4 of this chapter: (Ord. 549, 8-20-2002)
1. Civic Event Sign: Signs announcing a civic event within the city of a general public nature for not more than thirty (30) days before and not more than five (5) days after the period during which the event takes place.
2. Construction Sign: One temporary nonilluminated sign, advertising the various construction trades participating in the project. On a site less than one acre, the sign shall not exceed thirty two (32) square feet in sign area or six feet (6') in height. On a parcel of land of one acre or more, the sign shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet in sign area or six feet (6') in height. The sign shall be allowed to remain until the last unit is sold, rented, or leased.
B. Directional Sign: Signs necessary for public convenience and safety, not exceeding four (4) square feet in size or three feet (3') in height, containing information including "entrance", "exit", or directional arrows designed to be viewed by on site pedestrians or motorists.
1. Temporary Subdivision Sign: A temporary subdivision sign declaring a group of parcels, dwellings or occupancies within a subdivision for rent, lease, or sale shall be permitted subject to the following conditions:
a. One on site sign shall be permitted for each street frontage;
b. The sign area shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet, or exceed six feet (6') above the level of the street;
c. The sign shall be unlighted;
d. The sign shall not interfere with the traffic safety visibility area of the parcel; and
e. The sign may remain on the property until the last unit is sold.
2. Temporary Grand Opening Banners, Balloons, Flags, Streamers: "Temporary" means for a maximum period of two (2) weeks. Gas filled balloons shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet in total aggregate surface. Gas filled balloons shall be securely tethered on the premises of the business. Tethered height of the gas filled balloon shall not exceed thirty five feet (35') above the ground surface of the premises. Gas filled balloons shall not be positioned so that they may become a public hazard, encroach on adjoining property or public right of way, or have the potential to make contact with any public utility pole or suspended transmission line or facility. (Ord. 527, 8-4-1997)
3. Garage Sale Signs: Garage sale signs are not allowed on public property or in the public right of way and must be removed from all permitted locations within twenty four (24) hours after sale. (Ord. 549, 8-20-2002)
C. Computations Of Sign Area:
1. For signs attached to business structures, including module letters and/or logo symbols, the effective sign area shall mean any area enclosed by the minimum imaginary rectangle or parallelogram of vertical and horizontal lines which fully contains all the extremities of each word and/or logo symbol of the sign. Each word and/or logo symbol shall be measured separately in computing the total sign area.
2. For projecting signs and freestanding detached signs containing letters and/or logo symbols, the effective sign area shall mean the area enclosed by the minimum imaginary rectangle or parallelogram of vertical and horizontal lines which fully contains all the extremities of the sign, exclusive of its supports and/or ornamental and decorative trim. For freestanding and projecting signs intended to be read from one frontage only, both sides of the sign shall be counted in computing the total sign area for that frontage. Where such signs are placed at an angle to be read from two (2) different frontages, the sign area facing each frontage shall be counted in computing the total sign area for each frontage. If elements of the sign are movable or flexible, as a flag or string of lights, the measurements shall be taken when the elements are fully extended and parallel to the plane of view.
3. The effective sign area of a ball or sphere shall be eighty percent (80%) of the surface area of the ball or sphere.
D. Signs Allowed By Permit In Specific Zoning Districts: The following signs are permitted in the individual zoning districts, subject to compliance with all provisions of this section. See figure 1 at the end of this section for examples of the different types of signs described in this subsection D and the measurement of sign area, and figure 2 at the end of this section for the measurement of sign height and width.
1. Sign Program Required: A sign program shall be required for all new commercial, office, and industrial centers consisting of three (3) or more tenant spaces at the time of site plan review required in chapter 20 of this title. The purpose of the sign program shall be to integrate signs with building and landscaping design to form a unified architectural statement. This shall be achieved by:
a. Using the same background color, and allowing signs to be of up to three (3) different colors and up to two (2) type styles per multitenant center.
b. Using the same type of cabinet supports, or method of mounting for signs of the same type, or by using the same type of construction material for components, such as sign copy, cabinets and supports.
c. Using the same form of illumination for all signs.
d. Major tenants will be permitted to deviate from the sign program to accommodate national trademarks or logos.
2. Signs Attached To Buildings: Signs attached to buildings shall be installed parallel to the building with no more than a fourteen inch (14") projection from the wall, except where permitted below and/or attached directly to the vertical or sloped face of the marquee.
3. Marquee Or Awning Signs: Signs may be attached vertically to marquee or awning facades with less than a forty five degree (45°) slope provided the height of letters or logos does not exceed twelve inches (12"). Where the marquee or awning is attached at a slope of forty five degrees (45°) or greater, signs may be affixed to the sloped portion above the horizontal extension of the marquee or awning. Signs shall be limited to name and address of business.
Signs may be erected perpendicular to the face of the building under a marquee or awning, provided that such signs shall not project beyond the limits of the overhang. (Ord. 527, 8-4-1997)
4. Portable Signs: Portable signs, including, but not limited to, vehicle mounted, mobile, movable freestanding, tire stack, and wind signs, shall be permitted but shall in no case be placed on public property or a public right of way or within thirty feet (30') of a street intersection. See subsection 11-16-4G of this chapter for prohibited locations.
Sandwich board and A-board signs are allowed in the public right of way, within the boundaries of the storefront under the following conditions:
a. That the sign must advertise merchandise within the store and not that of a temporary vendor.
b. That the sign does not cover more than one-half (1/2) the width of the sidewalk and does not restrict pedestrian travel.
c. That no sign shall interfere with the line of sight of pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists.
d. That no sign shall be larger than eight (8) square feet per side and not more than four feet (4') in height.
e. That the owner of said sign(s) agrees to hold harmless the city of Corcoran and its officers and employees and harmless of any form of claims by any person involving said sign. (Ord. 549, 8-20-2002)
E. Sight Triangle: No sign permitted by this section shall be placed within thirty feet (30') of a street intersection (intersecting curb lines) unless placed so that the top of the sign is at a maximum of three feet (3') above the ground or unless the bottom of the sign is a minimum of ten feet (10') above the ground level.
F. Brand Name Advertising: Within the CN, CH, CC, CT, and CO districts, up to thirty percent (30%) of the signing allowance for any frontage may be devoted to the advertising or identification of an individual brand or brands of products. This provision shall not apply to the identification of one primary brand name identifying a service station.
G. Interference With Utility Easements: No sign or outdoor advertising structure shall be located within a utility easement, or erected or located in a manner which will reduce the vertical or horizontal clearance from communication or energized electric power lines as required by laws, rules and regulations of the state and agencies thereof. (Ord. 527, 8-4-1997)
H. Billboard Signs:
1. Maximum Height: To be established by the planning commission but not to exceed thirty feet (30') measured from crown of highway (facing perpendicular to site of sign) when crown of highway is above ground level of sign, otherwise sign height is measured from ground level at the site of sign.
2. Maximum Area: Not to exceed five hundred (500) square feet.
3. Calculation Of Area: As a guideline only two and five- tenths (2.5) square feet of area per linear foot of parcel frontage facing towards highway.
4. Permitted Zones: CH, LI, and HI.
5. Sign Permit Needed: Yes.
6. Conditional Use Permit Needed: Yes.
7. Location: Limited to within three hundred feet (300') of Highway 43 right of way and at least three hundred feet (300') apart.
8. Compliance: It is the responsibility of the applicant to comply with the provisions of the state of California outdoor advertising act.
I. Restrictive Regulations To Apply: In the event a sign falls under more than one sign definition, the more restrictive sign regulations found in this chapter shall apply. (Ord. 549, 8-20-2002)
Figure 1: Signs Permitted In Residential Zones (RA, R, RM):