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(a) Permanent attached signs. The only permanent attached signs permitted in this subdistrict are signs provided for in this subsection.
(1) Number of permitted signs.
(A) Except as provided in this paragraph, each premise or non-residential occupancy is entitled to one attached sign per facade.
(B) In addition to the signs allowed in Subparagraph (A), each non-residential occupancy located wholly within Subarea D-2 is allowed:
(i) one projecting attached sign per facade;
(ii) one marquee sign, canopy sign, or awning sign per facade; and
(iii) one additional attached sign per facade.
(C) For a facade located partially within Subarea D-2 and partially outside of Subarea D-2:
(i) The maximum number of attached premise signs per non-residential occupancy located on that part of the facade located within Subarea D-2 is four, limited to four attached premise signs total for the entire facade.
(ii) The maximum total number of attached premise signs per non-residential occupancy on a facade wholly or partially located in Subarea D-2 is four.
(2) Number of words or characters.
(A) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, no person may erect a sign which contains more than 10 words consisting of any characters of a height equal to or exceeding four inches on any building facade. Words consisting of characters less than four inches in height may be used without limit.
(B) There is no limit as to the number of words containing characters of a height equal to or exceeding four inches on a marquee or other changeable message sign.
(3) Premise and non-premise signs. All attached permanent signs in this subdistrict must be premise signs or convey a noncommercial message.
(4) Effective area limitations for certain attached signs.
(A) With the exception of a marquee sign, the maximum effective area of a changeable message sign is 1,000 square feet.
(B) The maximum effective area of a marquee sign is 250 square feet.
(C) The maximum effective area of an awning or canopy sign is 150 square feet.
(D) There is no maximum effective area for a parapet sign.
(E) The maximum effective area for a roof sign is 800 square feet.
(F) The maximum effective area for all other projecting attached signs is 250 square feet.
(5) Cumulative effective area limitations for all attached signs. The cumulative effective area of all permanent attached signs on a building facade may not exceed 20 percent of the total area of the building facade on which the signs are located.
(6) Signs overhanging or projecting into the public right-of-way.
(A) Attached signs overhanging the public right-of-way are permitted as long as each sign is a minimum of 10 feet above the sidewalk grade.
(B) No portion of a marquee sign may:
(i) project more than eight feet into the public right-of-way; or
(ii) be located less than two feet from the back of a street curb.
(C) For all other projecting attached signs, no portion of the signs may:
(i) project more than four feet into the public right-of-way; or
(ii) be located less than two feet from the back of the street curb.
(7) Parapet signs. Parapet signs are permitted in this subdistrict. No parapet sign may project more than four feet above the edge of the roof, regardless of whether the sign is attached to a parapet wall or the roof's edge.
(8) Roof signs. A maximum of two roof signs are permitted in Subarea D-2 only.
(A) A roof sign may only be erected on the roof of a main building.
(B) One roof sign per building is permitted.
(C) Roof signs may not exceed a height of 30 feet above the building or one-third of the building height, whichever is less, measured from the highest point of the roofline of the building upon which the sign is attached.
(D) The support for a roof sign must be constructed of open, exposed metal framing. The metal must be painted or coated, or be composed of a material that will not rust or corrode.
(E) A roof sign may not be a changeable message sign.
(9) No limitation on projecting attached signs. Projecting attached signs are permitted on premises with detached signs.
(10) Limitation on changeable message signs.
(A) A premise is entitled to only one marquee sign per facade, except that one additional marquee sign is permitted on that facade if the width of the facade is more than 300 feet.
(B) A premise is entitled to two additional changeable message signs per facade as long as the signs are not marquee signs.
(C) No portion of a changeable message sign is permitted at a point on the facade above 66 feet in height.
(11) Signs projecting over the roof line. A projecting attached sign, other than a roof sign in Subarea D-2, may project up to a maximum of five feet above a building. No changeable message sign may project above a building.
(b) Permanent detached signs. The only permanent detached signs permitted in this subdistrict are signs provided for in this subsection.
(1) Kiosks. Kiosks are permitted subject to the following regulations:
(A) No more than 20 kiosks are permitted in this district.
(B) Kiosks within the same block face and within 20 feet of the right- of-way line of a public street must be spaced at least 50 feet apart.
(C) No kiosk may be illuminated by a detached independent external light source.
(D) Kiosks may not be located on sidewalks unless a minimum unobstructed sidewalk width of 10 feet is maintained. If, however, a greater unobstructed sidewalk is required in the ordinance establishing Planned Development District No. 582, then that greater unobstructed sidewalk width requirement must be maintained.
(E) Kiosks must be securely anchored to the ground.
(F) No kiosk may exceed ten feet in height, measured from the ground at the base of the kiosk, or 100 square feet in effective area.
(G) Kiosks may display premise or non-premise signs. If the sign displayed is a non-premise non-changeable message sign or a non-premise non-digital changeable message sign, 30 percent of the effective area of the sign must identify a district activity. If the sign displayed is a non-premise digital changeable message sign, the sign must identify a district activity 30 percent of the time measured on a 24-hour basis.
(2) Monument signs. Each premise fronting on a public street or private access easement may have one monument sign. Premises which have more than 250 feet of frontage along a public street or private access easement, other than an alley, may have not more than one additional monument sign for each additional 250 feet of frontage or fraction thereof. No monument sign may exceed 250 square feet in effective area or 10 feet in height.
(3) All other detached signs. The following additional detached signs are permitted:
(A) Non-premise detached signs may be located in private access easements. No such sign may exceed 30 feet in height or have a sign face that exceeds six feet in height. Each such sign must have a minimum clearance of 14 feet above the ground. Signs permitted under this subparagraph must be spaced at least 250 feet apart.
(B) The owner or operator of a parking lot or parking garage (regardless of whether the parking garage stands alone or is part of a building that houses another use) may erect one non-premise detached sign in Subarea D-2 only, which may be a changeable message sign for each vehicular entrance to the parking lot or parking garage, and one additional non-premise detached sign for each 40,000 square feet of parking surface. Signs permitted under this subparagraph:
(i) may not exceed 30 square feet in effective area or 20 feet in height;
(ii) must be spaced at least 100 feet apart; and
(iii) must be located at least five feet from the lot line or public right-of-way line, whichever creates the greater setback.
A minimum of 30 percent of the effective area of each sign must identify a district activity.
(4) Vent stack signs prohibited. No sign may be located on a vent stack in this subdistrict.
(c) Temporary signs. The only temporary signs permitted in this subdistrict are special purpose signs, temporary protective signs, temporary signs on construction fencing, and “for sale,” “for lease,” “remodeling,” and “under construction” signs. These temporary signs are in addition to all other signs permitted in this ordinance.
(d) Special purpose signs.
(1) Illumination. Special purpose signs may be externally illuminated, and, except for banners, may be internally illuminated or “back-lighted.”
(2) Premise special purpose signs.
(A) Attached premise special purpose signs. An occupancy may have one attached premise special purpose sign up to four times within any twelve-month period as long as the sign:
(i) is displayed for no more than 45 days each time during the twelve-month period; and
(ii) has no more than 10 words that contain any character equal to or exceeding four inches in height.
(B) Detached premise special purpose signs.
(i) An occupancy may have a detached premise special purpose sign no more than three times each calendar year for no more than 38 consecutive days each time. No detached premise special purpose sign may be erected at an occupancy during the 30-day period immediately following the removal of a detached premise special purpose sign from that occupancy.
(ii) Detached premise special purpose signs must:
(aa) be located at least 100 feet apart;
(bb) not exceed eight feet in height; and
(cc) not exceed 50 square feet in effective area.
(iii) No more than one detached premise special purpose sign may be erected on each street or private access easement that the premise fronts on.
(4) Non-premise special purpose signs.
(A) In general. Non- premise special purpose signs are permitted subject to the following regulations:
(i) Except as provided below, non-premise special purpose signs may only display promotional and welcome messages.
(ii) Up to 10 percent of the effective area of a non-premise special purpose sign may contain commercial advertisement. The name of the event or activity identified in a promotional message is not considered commercial advertisement even if the event or activity is named after the sponsor.
(iii) A non- premise special purpose sign may not be erected more than 30 days before the beginning of the advertised activity or event, and must be removed no later than 10 days after the activity or event has ended.
(iv) The sign hardware for a banner may be left in place between displays of a banner.
(B) Attached non- premise special purpose signs. Attached non- premise special purpose signs are prohibited in this subdistrict.
(C) Detached non- premise special purpose signs. The only detached non-premise special purpose signs permitted in this subdistrict are as follows:
(i) Banners on street light poles. Banners are permitted on street light poles as long as the banners and their hardware:
(aa) meet the sign construction and design standards contained in the Dallas Building Code;
(bb) are at least 12 feet above grade, unless they overhang a roadway, in which case they must be at least 15 feet above grade;
(cc) do not project more than three feet from the pole on which they are mounted;
(dd) do not exceed 50 square feet in effective area; and
(ee) are made out of weather-resistant and rustproof material.
(ii) Other banners crossing the public way. Banners may be displayed over and across the public way. No portion of a banner may be located more than 35 feet above grade, or less than 14 feet above any street, sidewalk, or other pedestrian area. The height of a sign face may not exceed six feet. All banners must be spaced at least 100 feet apart.
(e) Other temporary signs.
(1) Temporary protective signs. In addition to the other protective signs permitted under Section 51A-7.1718, temporary protective signs may be erected anywhere on a construction site at anytime during construction. There is no limit on the number of these signs, but no sign may exceed 20 square feet in effective area or eight feet in height. Temporary protective signs may be illuminated, but no lighting source may project more than three inches from the vertical surface of, or six inches above the top of, the sign. All temporary protective signs must be removed upon completion of the construction.
(2) Temporary signs on construction fencing. Temporary signs may be erected on construction fencing subject to the following provisions:
(A) The signs must be spaced at least 50 feet apart.
(B) No sign may exceed 128 square feet in effective area or eight feet in height.
(C) No sign may project more than three inches from the vertical surface of, or six inches above the top of, the fence.
(D) The signs may be illuminated.
(E) The signs may only identify the project under construction and its owners, developers, future tenants, lenders, architects, engineers, project consultants, and contractors.
(F) The signs must be removed upon completion of the construction.
(3) “For Sale,” “For Lease,” “Remodeling,” and “Under Construction” signs. Signs that relate exclusively to the sale, lease, construction, or remodeling of the premises on which they are located are permitted. There is no limit to the number of attached signs permitted. Detached signs are limited to one for each 100 feet of frontage on a public street or private access easement. If attached to a window, the maximum effective area of the sign is 16 square feet; if attached to other portions of a facade, the maximum effective area is 32 square feet. No detached sign may exceed 128 square feet in effective area or 16 feet in height.
(f) Additional signs in Subarea D-1: Parking structure screening signs.
(1) Visual display and coverage.
(A) The maximum effective area of text may not exceed 20 percent. 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) Multiple displays giving an appearance of multiple signs are prohibited.
(C) A parking structure screening sign must be at least 10 feet above adjacent average grade.
(D) A parking structure screening sign may be internally or externally illuminated. If internally illuminated, a parking structure screening sign may consist of translucent materials, but not transparent materials. Illumination must 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.
(E) Minimum permitted effective area of a parking structure screening sign is 750 square feet.
(2) Location and construction.
(A) The sign may not be an HBA sign.
(B) A parking structure screening sign may only be located on a blank wall face or on the facade of a parking structure facing north, east, or south.
(C) The parking structure must comply with the Dallas Building Code parking structure ventilation requirements.
(D) No parking structure screening sign may cover any window or architectural or design feature of the building to which it is attached.
(a) Purpose of section. It is the declared purpose of this division that, in time, all privately owned signs shall either conform to the provisions of this division or be removed. By the passage of this ordinance and its amendments, no presently illegal sign shall be deemed to have been legalized unless such sign complies with all current standards under the terms of this ordinance and all other ordinances of the city of Dallas. Any sign which does not conform to all provisions of this ordinance shall be a nonconforming sign if it legally existed as a conforming or nonconforming sign under prior ordinances; or an illegal sign if it did not exist as a conforming or nonconforming sign, as the case may be. It is further the intent and declared purpose of this ordinance that this division, and not the provisions of Article IV, shall exclusively govern how non-conforming signs in this district are treated. It is further the intent and declared purpose of this ordinance that no offense committed, and no liability, penalty or forfeiture, either civil or criminal, incurred prior to the time this ordinance was adopted shall be discharged or affected by such passage, but prosecutions and suits for such offenses, liabilities, penalties or forfeitures may be instituted, and causes presently pending may proceed.
(b) Removal and maintenance of certain non-conforming signs.
(1) A sign erected without a permit, either prior to or after the adoption of this division, is an illegal sign if a permit was required for its erection according to the law in effect at the time the sign was erected. It shall be unlawful to maintain any illegal sign. It is a defense to prosecution under this subsection if the sign has been made to comply with the provisions of this division so that a permit may be issued.
(2) No person may repair a nonconforming sign if the cost of repair is more than 60 percent of the cost of erecting a new sign of the same type at the same location, unless that sign is brought into conformity with this chapter. No person may alter or repair a nonconforming sign where the effect of such repair shall be to enlarge or increase the structure of the nonconforming sign. For purposes of this section, mono-pole, metal, and wood are each an example of a “type” of sign and the term “repair” does not include maintenance or changes of words or other content on the face of a sign.
(c) Board of Adjustment authority.
(1) The board of adjustment may, in specific cases, take the following actions and authorize the following special exceptions with respect to the provisions of this division.
(2) The board of adjustment may waive any filing fee for an appeal under this division when the board finds that payment of the fee would result in substantial financial hardship to the applicant. The applicant may either pay the fee and request reimbursement as part of his appeal or request that the matter be placed on the board’s miscellaneous docket for predetermination. If the matter is placed on the miscellaneous docket, the applicant may not file his appeal until the merits of the request for waiver have been determined by the board.
(3) The board of adjustment may hear and decide appeals that allege error in any order, requirement, decision, or determination made by the building inspection division in the enforcement of this division.
(4) The board of adjustment may require a nonconforming sign to be brought into immediate conformity with all current standards of all ordinances of the city, or to be removed when, from the evidence presented, the board finds the sign to be hazardous to the public or to have been abandoned by its owners.
(5) Where a permit was required for a sign’s erection according to the law in effect at the time the sign was erected and where the building inspection division finds no record of a permit being issued, the board of adjustment may authorize the issuance of a replacement permit when, from the evidence presented, the board finds either that a permit was issued or that arrangements were made with a sign company to obtain the permit.
(d) Determination of non-commercial message.
(1) Findings. The city council finds that it may be necessary in the enforcement of this division to determine whether the message displayed upon a sign is a commercial message or a noncommercial message.
(2) Hearing. If a person receives a notice of violation or is cited for maintaining an illegal sign, and the person notifies the city attorney in writing within 10 days of receiving the notice or citation that he believes the sign displays a noncommercial message and is, therefore, not in violation of this division, the city attorney shall postpone prosecution of the case and shall have the matter placed on the agenda of the board of adjustment for appeal under Section 51A-7.1730(c)(3) of this section. The board shall give the person maintaining the sign 10 days written notice of a public hearing on the matter. After hearing the evidence, the board shall decide whether the message displayed on the sign is commercial or noncommercial. No fee may be charged for this appeal.
(3) Judicial Review. If the board decides that the message is commercial and that the sign is illegal, the person maintaining the sign may within 10 days of the board’s decision file a notice of nonacceptance of the decision with the city attorney. Within three days after receiving notice of nonacceptance, the city attorney shall initiate suit in the district court for determination that the sign is commercial and for an injunction to prohibit display of the sign in violation of this article. The city shall bear the burden of showing that the sign is commercial. In computing the three-day time period, Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays are excluded. (Ord. Nos. 24348; 25918)
(a) A special provision sign district is hereby created to be known as the Southside Entertainment Sign District. For purposes of this article, the boundaries of the Southside Entertainment Sign District are that portion of Planned Development District No. 317 (the Cedars Special Purpose District), that is enclosed between the centerlines of Interstate Highway 30, the Dallas Area Rapid Transit right-of-way, Belleview Road, and the MK&T railroad right-of-way.
(b) This division incorporates by reference the provisions of Divisions 51A-7.100 through 51A-7.800 of CHAPTER 51A, “PART II OF THE DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE,” as that division exists today and as it may be amended in the future. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this division and Divisions 51A-7.100 through 51A-7.800, this division controls.
(c) Any portion of the property described in Subsection (a) that was formerly part of the Downtown Special Provision Sign District is no longer considered to be part of that district. This division completely supersedes Division 51A-7.900 with respect to the property described in Subsection (a). (Ord. 24760)
(a) The purpose of these sign regulations is to regulate the construction of new signs and the alteration of existing signs to promote economic growth in this district as an entertainment district.
(b) These sign regulations have been developed to achieve the following objectives in this district:
(1) To create a vibrant entertainment environment while ensuring that signage does not obscure architecturally significant features of the buildings in this district.
(2) To help create an aesthetically pleasing environment that promotes economic growth in this district. (Ord. 24760)
(1) ARCADE SIGN means a sign that is mounted under a canopy or awning and is perpendicular to the building to which the canopy or awning is attached. This sign is intended to be read from the pedestrian walkway that the canopy or awning covers.
(2) AREA INFORMATION SIGN means a sign providing information about any of the following:
(A) The name, trade name, or logo of the owner or occupant of any premise within this district.
(B) The identification of any premise within this district.
(C) Any accommodations, services or activities offered, or conducted, other than incidentally, on any premise within this district.
(D) The sale, lease, or construction of any premise within this district.
(3) ATTACHED SIGN means a sign that is attached to, applied on, or supported by: any part of a building (such as a wall, parapet, roof, window, canopy, awning, arcade, or marquee) that encloses or covers usable space; mounted antennas; water reservoirs on buildings; chimneys; or visual screens that surround roof-mounted equipment.
(4) AWNING means a fabric or vinyl surface supported by a metal (or other similarly strong material) structure, which is applied to the face of a building.
(5) AWNING SIGN means a sign attached to, painted on, or otherwise applied to an awning.
(6) BANNER means a sign applied on a strip of cloth, vinyl, or similar material and attached to a building or structure. Awning, canopy signs, and flags are not banners.
(7) CANOPY means a permanent, non-fabric architectural element projecting from the face of a building.
(8) CANOPY SIGN means a sign attached to, applied on, or supported by a canopy, with no changeable message area.
(9) CHANGEABLE MESSAGE means the portion of a sign composed of Light Emitting Diode (LED)/Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) elements, “Diamond Vision” technology, slide lettering, slated rotating surfaces, or other changeable message technology that displays different designs or advertisements.
(10) DISTRICT or THIS DISTRICT means the Southside Entertainment Sign District.
(11) EFFECTIVE AREA means:
(A) for a detached sign, or a marquee sign, the area within a minimum imaginary rectangle of vertical and horizontal lines that fully contains all extremities of the sign excluding its supports. The rectangle is calculated from an orthographic projection of the sign viewed horizontally. The viewpoint for this projection that produces the largest rectangle must be used. If elements of the sign are moveable or flexible, such as a flag or a string of lights, the measurement is taken when the elements are fully extended and parallel to the plane of view;
(B) for a sign placed on an awning, canopy, fence, construction barricade, non-enclosing wall, planter, or other similar structure that is designed to serve a separate purpose other than to support the sign, the entire area of such structure may not be computed, and the effective area must be measured by the rule for effective area for an attached sign; and
(C) for an attached sign other than a marquee sign, the sum of the areas within minimum imaginary rectangles of vertical and horizontal lines, each of which fully contains a word. If a design, outline, illustration, or interior illumination surrounds or attracts attention to a word, then it is included in the calculation of the effective area.
(12) EVENT SIGN means a temporary sign advertising any event at a sports, musical, or arts venue in this district, including, but not limited to, indoor motion picture theaters, theaters for live musical or dramatic performances, indoor and outdoor concert halls, galleries, and exhibition halls.
(13) FACADE means a separate face of a building, such as: a parapet wall; an omitted wall line; any part of a building which encloses or covers usable space; a chimney; roof-mounted equipment; a mounted antenna; or a water tower. Where separate facades on a building are oriented in the same direction or in directions within 45 degrees of one another, they are to be considered as part of a single facade. A roof is not a facade or part of a facade. Multiple buildings on the same lot have separate facades from each other.
(14) FLAT ATTACHED SIGN means an attached sign that projects 18 inches or less from a building, and has a face parallel to the building facade.
(15) GENERIC GRAPHICS means a pattern of shapes, colors, or symbols that does not commercially advertise.
(16) LANDSCAPE SIGN means a sign that is a part of a single landscape design that creates a base for the sign in conjunction with a retaining wall or an open space created with the use of water or planting material.
(17) 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, words, or characters.
(18) MESSAGE AREA means the area within the effective area of a sign that provides a specific commercial or noncommercial message and that excludes all extremity and intra-areas associated with the sign fixture.
(19) MONUMENT SIGN means a detached sign applied directly onto a grade-level support structure (instead of a pole support) with no separation between the sign and grade.
(20) MOVEMENT CONTROL SIGN means a sign that directs vehicular and pedestrian movement within this district.
(21) OCCUPANT means a person, group of people collectively, association, partnership, corporation, or other entity to whom a single certificate of occupancy has been issued by the building official.
(22) PROJECTING ATTACHED SIGN means an attached sign projecting more than 12 inches from a building at an angle other than parallel to the facade.
(23) ROOF SIGN means a sign that is attached to or supported by the roof of a building.
(24) SIGN HARDWARE means the structural support system for a sign, including the fastening devices that secure a sign to a building facade or pole.
(25) SPECIAL SIGN DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE means that committee created by Section 51A-7.504 of the Dallas Development Code, as amended.
(26) TEMPORARY SIGN means a sign erected for a limited time that identifies an event or activity of limited duration. Examples include signs advertising the sale or lease of property, construction activity in progress, or a concert or other cultural event.
(27) WELCOME MESSAGE means a message that identifies and greets heads of state, foreign dignitaries, groups using city property in accordance with a contract, license, or permit, or government organizations.
(28) WINDOW SIGN means a sign painted or affixed to a window.
(29) WORD: For purposes of this division, each of the following is considered to be one word:
(A) Any word in any language found in any standard unabridged dictionary or dictionary of slang.
(B) Any proper noun or any initial or series of initials.
(C) Any separate character, symbol, or abbreviation such as “&”, “$”, “%”, and “Inc.”
(D) Any telephone number, street number, or commonly used combination of numerals and symbols such as “$5.00" or “50%.”
(E) Any Internet website, network, or protocol address, domain name, or universal record locator.
(F) Any symbol or logo that is a registered trademark but which itself contains no word or character.
(G) A street address is not considered to be a word.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the definitions in the Dallas Development Code apply to this division. In the event of a conflict, this section controls. (Ord. 24760)
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