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CITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS CODE OF ORDINANCES
CHARTER of THE CITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS
VOLUME I
VOLUME II
VOLUME III
CHAPTER 51A DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE: ORDINANCE NO. 19455, AS AMENDED
ARTICLE I. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
ARTICLE II. INTERPRETATIONS AND DEFINITIONS.
ARTICLE III. DECISIONMAKING AND ADMINISTRATIVE BODIES.
ARTICLE IV. ZONING REGULATIONS.
ARTICLE V. FLOODPLAIN AND ESCARPMENT ZONE REGULATIONS.
ARTICLE VI. ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
ARTICLE VII. SIGN REGULATIONS.
Division 51A-7.100. Purposes and Definitions.
Division 51A-7.200. Provisions For All Zoning Districts.
Division 51A-7.300. Provisions For Business Zoning Districts.
Division 51A-7.400. Provisions for Non-Business Zoning Districts.
Division 51A-7.500. Special Provision Sign Districts.
Division 51A-7.600. Permit Procedures.
Division 51A-7.700. Non-Conformance and Enforcement Procedures.
Division 51A-7.800. Procedure For Changes and Amendments.
Division 51A-7.900. Downtown Special Provision Sign District.
SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR SIGNS WITHIN THE GENERAL CBD, MAIN STREET, CONVENTION CENTER, RETAIL, DISCOVERY, AND CHASE TOWER SUBDISTRICTS.
Division 51A-7.1000. West End Historic Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1100. Provisions for Uptown Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1200. Provisions for Arts District Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1300. Provisions for Deep Ellum/Near East Side Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1400. Jefferson Boulevard Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1500. Provisions for McKinney Avenue Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1600. Farmers Market Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1700. Provisions for Victory Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1800. Provisions for Southside Entertainment Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1900. Provisions for West Village Sign District.
Division 51A-7.2000. Provisions for the West Commerce Street/Fort Worth Avenue Sign District.
Division 51A-7.2100. Provisions for the Arts District Extension Area Sign District.
Division 51A-7.2200. Parkland Hospital Sign District.
Division 51A-7.2300. Southwestern Medical District Sign District.
ARTICLE VIII. PLAT REGULATIONS.
ARTICLE IX. THOROUGHFARES.
ARTICLE X. LANDSCAPE AND TREE CONSERVATION REGULATIONS.
ARTICLE XI. HISTORIC PRESERVATION TAX EXEMPTIONS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
ARTICLE XII. GAS DRILLING AND PRODUCTION.
ARTICLE XIII. FORM DISTRICTS.
CHAPTER 51 FORMER DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE
CODE COMPARATIVE TABLE
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SEC. 51A-7.1602.   PURPOSE.
   The purpose of this division is to promote signage that is compatible with the architectural character and design guidelines of the Farmers Market Planned Development District while encouraging artistic, creative, and innovative signs that are reflective of themes that have grown and developed in Farmers Market area. (Ord. Nos. 22097; 29233)
SEC. 51A-7.1603.   DEFINITIONS.
   (a)   In this division:
      (1)   ARTWORK means any pictorial or image presentation or design.
      (2)   BANNER means a sign attached to or applied on a strip of cloth.
      (3)   CANOPY SIGN means a sign attached to or applied on a canopy or awning.
      (4)   DISTRICT IDENTIFICATION SIGN means an attached or detached sign identifying the Farmers Market.
      (5)   FLAT ATTACHED SIGN means an attached sign projecting 18 inches or less from a building and parallel to the building facade.
      (6)   KIOSK means a detached multi-sided structure for the display of premise and non-premise signs.
      (7)   MARQUEE SIGN means a sign attached to, applied on, or supported by a permanent canopy projecting over a pedestrian street entrance of a building, and consisting primarily of changeable panels or words.
      (8)   MONUMENT SIGN means a detached premise sign applied directly onto a grade-level support structure (instead of a pole support) with no separation between the sign and the ground, or mounted on a fence or masonry wall.
      (9)   PROJECTING ATTACHED SIGN means an attached sign projecting 18 or more inches from a building.
      (10)   ROOF SIGN means a sign that is attached to or supported by the roof of a building constructed after December 11, 2013.
      (11)   SUPERGRAPHIC SIGN means a large attached premise or non-premise sign on a mesh or fabric surface, or a projection of light image onto a wall face without the use of lasers.
      (12)   THIS DISTRICT means the Farmers Market Sign District.
      (13)   VIDEOBOARD SIGN means a flat screen that is capable of displaying moving images similar to television images, by light-emitting diode or other similar technology and that is mounted to the exterior of a building.
      (14)   WINDOW SIGN means a sign painted or affixed onto a window.
   (b)   Except as otherwise provided in this section, the definitions in Sections 51A-2.102 and 51A-7.102 apply to this division. If there is a conflict, this section controls. (Ord. Nos. 22097; 29233)
SEC. 51A-7.1604.   SIGN PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
   (a)   No person may alter, place, maintain, expand, or remove a sign in this district without first obtaining a sign permit from the city. This section does not apply to government signs described in Section 51A-7.207.
   (b)   Except as otherwise provided in this division, the procedure for obtaining a sign permit is outlined in Section 51A-7.505.
   (c)   Section 51A-7.602 does not apply to signs in this district. (Ord. Nos. 22097; 29233)
SEC. 51A-7.1605   SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR ALL SIGNS.
   (a)   Signs may be located within the right-of-way subject to the licensing requirements of Chapter XIV of the City Charter, Article VI of Chapter 43 of the Dallas City Code, the Dallas Building Code, and all other applicable laws, codes, ordinances, rules, and regulation.
   (b)   Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (c), the maximum effective area of all signs combined on a premise is 10 percent of the total area of all building facades facing public right-of-way that is adjacent to the premise.
   (c)   When more than 50 percent of the total effective area of all signs combined on a premise is devoted to artwork, the maximum effective area of all signs combined on a premise is 15 percent of the total area of all building facades facing public right-of-way that is adjacent to the premise.
   (d)   All signs must be premise signs or convey a noncommercial message.
   (e)   Special purpose signs may be erected on a premise no more than once each calendar year. The maximum number of consecutive days that a special purpose sign may be maintained is 15.
   (f)   The use of neon or single incandescent bulbs is permitted.
   (g)   No portions of a sign other than the words themselves may be illuminated by back-lighting.
   (h)   No portion of a sign may have a luminance greater than 200 footlamberts.
   (i)   The following materials are suggested, but not required, for signs in this district:
      (1)   Metal.
      (2)   Glass.
      (3)   Wood. (Ord. Nos. 22097; 29233)
SEC. 51A-7.1606.   SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR ATTACHED SIGNS.
   (a)   In general. The regulations relating to the erection of attached signs in this district are expressly modified as follows:
   (b)   Attached signs in general.
      (1)    No portion of an attached sign may be located:
         (A)   more than 10 feet from the facade to which it is attached; or
         (B)   less than two feet from the back of a street curb.
      (2)   Although not required, the use of three-dimensional projecting attached signs is encouraged.
   (c)   Banners.
      (1)   Banners are permitted in this district to promote cultural events or activities.
      (2)   If the cultural event or activity has a sponsor, no more than 10 percent of the effective area of the banner may be used for sponsor identification.
      (3)   No portion of a banner may be used to advertise a specific product or service other than the cultural event or activity.
   (d)   Canopy signs. Canopy signs must be flat-attached or painted directly onto the surface of the canopy.
   (e)   Marquee signs.
      (1)   No premise may have more than one marquee sign.
      (2)   The length of a marquee sign must not exceed two-thirds of the length of the facade to which it is attached.
      (3)   Marquee signs may incorporate moving patterns or bands of light, except that the use of illumination to produce apparent motion of a visual image, such as expanding or contracting shapes, rotation, or similar effects of animation, is prohibited.
   (f)   Window sign. No window sign may cover more than 25 percent of the window surface area.
   (g)    Camden Sign Subdistrict.
      (1)   No more than four attached signs are permitted in this subdistrict.
      (2)   No attached sign may exceed 50 square feet in effective area.
      (3)   Each attached sign may contain a maximum of eight words, except that words consisting of characters less than four inches in height may be used without limit.
      (4)   No more than two signs may be attached to any one facade.
   (h)   Attached movement control signs in the Camden Sign Subdistrict.
      (1)   No more than four attached movement control signs are permitted in this subdistrict.
      (2)   No attached movement control sign may exceed four square feet in effective area.
      (3)   No attached movement control sign may identify the name or logo of more than one occupant of the premise. (Ord. Nos. 22097; 24424; 29233)
SEC. 51A-7.1607   SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR DETACHED SIGNS.
   (a)   In general. The regulations relating to the erection of detached signs in this district are hereby expressly modified as follows:
      (1)   Except as otherwise provided in this section, no premise having an attached sign of any type, except for banners, may have a detached sign.
      (2)   A premise that has no attached signs other than banners, and that has frontage along more than one street, may have one detached sign along each street frontage.
      (3)   No detached sign support may be located in the public right-of-way.
   (b)   Detached signs in the Camden Sign Subdistrict.
      (1)   No more than four detached signs are permitted in this subdistrict.
      (2)   Each detached sign must be:
         (A)   an integral part of the fence or wall; and
         (B)   constructed of masonry, stone, or similar material with metal letters and symbols.
      (3)   No minimum setback is required for each detached sign, except that each detached sign must comply with all visibility obstruction regulations.
      (4)   No detached sign may exceed 30 square feet in effective area.
      (5)   No detached sign may be closer than 200 feet from another detached premise sign on the same premise.
      (6)   A detached sign may be located on a premise that has an attached sign.
   (c)   Detached movement control signs in the Camden Sign Subdistrict.
      (1)    No more than two detached movement control signs may be erected in this subdistrict.
      (2)   No detached movement control sign may exceed seven square feet in effective area.
      (3)    No detached movement control sign may exceed four feet in height.
      (4)   A detached movement control sign must have a minimum setback of four feet.
      (5)   No detached movement control sign may identify the name or logo of more than one occupant of the premise.
      (6)   A detached movement control sign may be located within a visibility triangle, as defined in Section 51A-4.602(d), if the director finds that the sign will not pose a traffic hazard. (Ord. Nos. 22097; 24424; 25047; 28073; 29233)
SEC. 51A-7.1608.   SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR THE MARKET CENTER SIGN SUBDISTRICT.
   (a)   In general.
      (1)   Except as otherwise provided in this section, the regulations in Sections 51A-7.1601 through 51A-7.1607 apply to the Market Center Sign Subdistrict. If there is a conflict between this section and Sections 51A-7.1601 through 51A-7.1607, this section controls.
      (2)   Permit applications are reviewed using the director procedure in Section 51A-7.505.
      (3)   Signs may be located within the right-of-way subject to the licensing requirements of Chapter XIV of the City Charter, Article VI of Chapter 43 of the Dallas City Code, the Dallas Building Code, and all other applicable laws, codes, ordinances, rules, and regulation.
   (b)   Special provisions for attached signs.
      (1)   Except district identification, roof, supergraphic, and videoboard signs, all attached signs must be premise signs.
      (2)   Attached signs may cover up to 50 percent of a building’s total facade area.
      (3)   Attached signs may not cover doors or windows.
   (c)   Special provisions for detached signs.
      (1)   Except detached movement control signs, district identification, and kiosk signs, all detached signs must be monument premise signs.
      (2)   Detached signs may be located on a premise with attached signs.
      (3)   A detached movement control sign is not a monument sign.
   (d)   District identification signs.
      (1)   A maximum of five district identification signs are permitted.
      (2)   Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, district identification signs may only be located over and span across the rights-of-way at the following locations:
         (A)   Marilla Street and Pearl Street;
         (B)   Taylor Street and Cesar Chavez Boulevard;
         (C)   Taylor Street and Harwood Street; and
         (D)   Cesar Chavez Boulevard and Farmers Way.
      (3)   Minimum clearance for a district identification sign located over and spanning across a right-of-way must be determined by the director of the department of transportation before a district identification sign permit may be issued.
      (4)   A district identification sign that is located over and spanning across a right-of-way may not resemble or obstruct any traffic control devices.
      (5)   One district identification sign may be located on top of a building at the southeast corner of Farmers Way and Pearl Street. Maximum height of the district identification sign on top of a building at the southeast corner of Farmers Way and Pearl Street is 30 feet.
      (6)   Maximum effective area of a district identification sign is 1,000 square feet.
      (7)   A district identification sign may not be located in or visually obstruct a visibility triangle as defined in the visual obstructions regulations in Section 51A-4.602(d).
   (e)   Kiosks.
      (1)   A maximum of 10 kiosks are permitted.
      (2)   Except city kiosks, kiosks may not be located in the rights-of-way.
      (3)   Kiosks must be spaced at least 50 feet from another kiosk.
      (4)   Kiosks may not be illuminated by a detached independent external light source.
      (5)   Kiosks may not exceed 10 feet in height and 100 square feet in effective area.
   (f)   Monument signs.
      (1)   A maximum of five monument signs are permitted.
      (2)   Maximum effective area of a monument sign is 50 square feet.
      (3)   Maximum height of a monument sign is 15 feet.
      (4)   No monument sign may be closer than 200 feet from another monument sign on the same premise.
   (g)   Roof signs.
      (1)    A maximum of two roof signs are permitted.
      (2)   A roof sign may not be located on the same building as another roof sign.
      (3)   A roof sign may not exceed 1,200 square feet in effective area.
      (4)    At least 15 percent of the effective area of a roof sign must identify the Farmers Market.
      (5)   A roof sign must comply with the Dallas Fire Code and must be approved by the fire marshal before a sign permit may be approved by the director.
   (h)   Supergraphic signs.
      (1)   In general.
         (A)   Two supergraphic signs are permitted in addition to the number of supergraphic signs permitted in Section 51A-7.930.
         (B)   Supergraphic signs may be located on the facade of any building.
      (2)    Visual display and coverage.
         (A)   Except as provided in this subparagraph, a supergraphic sign must have one large visual display with a minimum of 80 percent non-textual graphic content (no more than 20 percent text).
            (i)    Multiple displays giving an appearance of multiple signs are prohibited.
            (ii)   The effective area of text is the sum of the areas within minimum imaginary rectangles of vertical and horizontal lines, each of which fully contains a word.
         (B)   Supergraphic signs are intended to be creative and artful and not strictly a representation of an advertised product. It is the intent of this provision to:
            (i)   encourage the use of illustrative images or other non-repetitive design elements;
            (ii)    encourage visually interesting, vibrant, and colorful designs;
            (iii)   discourage use of solid colors or repetitive design elements; and
            (iv)   discourage an image of a single product or product logo without other graphic elements.
         (C)   Supergraphic signs may be internally or externally illuminated. If internally illuminated, a supergraphic sign may consist of translucent materials, but not transparent materials.
      (3)   Extensions.
         (A)   Except as otherwise provided in Subparagraph (B), a supergraphic sign may not extend beyond the edge of the face of the building to which it is attached.
         (B)   A supergraphic sign may wrap around the edge of a building if:
            (i)   both building facades to which the supergraphic sign is attached are otherwise eligible facades; and
            (ii)   the supergraphic sign is one continuous image.
      (4)   Message duration. A supergraphic sign location may not display the same message for more than four consecutive months in any 12-month period.
      (5)   Hardware fasteners. All hardware fasteners for a supergraphic sign must comply with the Dallas Building Code and all other ordinances, rules, and regulations of the City of Dallas.
      (6)   HBA signs prohibited. No supergraphic sign may be a Highway Beautification Act (HBA) sign as defined in Section 51A-7.102.
   (i)   Videoboard signs.
      (1)   In general.
         (A)   A maximum of two videoboard signs are permitted.
         (B)   Videoboard signs must have a vertical orientation with height exceeding the width at a minimum 16:9 height-to-width ratio.
         (C)   Videoboard signs may project a maximum of 12 feet into the right-of-way:
            (i)   subject to review by the traffic engineer to ensure that the sign will not pose a traffic hazard or visibility obstruction; and
            (ii)   provided that no videoboard sign may be project closer than two feet to a vertical plane extending through the back of a street curb.
         (D)   Videoboard signs must have a minimum clearance of 15 feet above the sidewalk and a maximum clearance of 35 feet above the sidewalk.
         (E)   Videoboard signs must have videoboard displays on both sides of the sign.
         (F)    Videoboard signs may have a maximum 150 square feet in effective area.
      (2)    Display.
         (A)   All videoboard signs must:
            (i)   contain a default mechanism that freezes the image in one position in case of a malfunction;
            (ii)    automatically adjust the sign brightness based on natural ambient light conditions in compliance with the following formula:
               (aa)   the ambient light level measured in luxes, divided by 256 and then rounded down to the nearest whole number, equals the dimming level; then,
               (bb)   the dimming level, multiplied by .0039 equals the brightness level; then,
               (cc)    the brightness level, multiplied by the maximum brightness of the specific sign measured in nits, equals the allowed sign brightness, measured in nits. For example:
                  32768   =    ambient light in luxes
               ÷    256
                   128    =    dimming level
               x    0039
                  . 4992    =    brightness level
               x     9000    =    (maximum brightness of the example sign)
                  4492.8   =    allowed brightness in nits;
               (dd)   be turned off between 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Monday through Friday and 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday; and
               (ee)   not display light of such intensity or brilliance to cause glare, impair the vision of an ordinary driver, or constitute a nuisance.
         (B)   Videoboard signs must:
            (i)    have a full color display able to display a minimum of 281 trillion color shades; and
            (ii)    be able to display a high quality image with a minimum resolution equivalent to the following table:
 
Videoboard Sign Resolution Chart
100 s/f to 125 s/f
16 mm
Greater than 126 s/f
19 mm
 
      (3)   Light intensity. Before the issuance of a videoboard sign permit, the applicant shall provide written certification from the sign manufacturer that the light intensity:
         (A)   has been factory programmed to comply with the maximum brightness and dimming standards in Provision (j)(2)(A)(ii)(cc); and
         (B)   is protected from end-user manipulation by password-protected software, or other method satisfactory to the building official.
      (4)   Change of message. Except as provided in this paragraph, changes of message must comply with the following:
         (A)   Each message must be displayed for a minimum of eight seconds.
         (B)   Changes of message must be accomplished within two seconds.
         (C)   Changes of message must occur simultaneously on the entire sign face.
         (D)   No flashing, dimming, or brightening of message is permitted except to accommodate changes of message.
      (5)   Streaming information. If a special events permit has been issued for subdistrict activities, streaming video and audio is permitted, except that ticker tape streaming is permitted at all times when the videoboard sign is operating. Ticker tape streaming must be located within the bottom 10 percent of the effective area.
      (6)   Malfunction. Videoboard sign operators must respond to a malfunction or safety issue within one hour after notification.
   (j)   Detached movement control signs in the Market Center Sign Subdistrict.
      (1)   A maximum of five detached movement control signs may be erected in this subdistrict.
      (2)   No minimum distance is required between a detached movement control sign and any other sign in this subdistrict.
      (3)   Maximum effective area is 24 square feet on each sign face.
      (4)   Each face of a detached movement control sign may have a maximum of six panels and a minimum of three panels.
      (5)   Maximum height is eight feet. Maximum width is three and a half feet.
      (6)   No maximum letter size.
      (7)   Maximum number of words on a panel is five.
      (8)   A detached movement control sign may identify businesses and uses within this subdistrict and may include district identification.
      (9)   Minimum clearance for pedestrian access on the sidewalk must be determined by the director before a detached movement control sign permit may be issued. (Ord. Nos. 29233; 29557; 30802)
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