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A special provision sign district is hereby created to be known as the West Village Sign District. For purposes of this article, the boundaries of the West Village Sign District are that portion of the West Mixed Use Subzone of the Planned Development District No. 305 (commonly known as the Cityplace PD) that is enclosed within the following boundaries set forth in Exhibit 7.1900A, which is attached to and made a part of this ordinance, and generally described as the property bounded by the centerlines of Cole Avenue, Blackburn Street, McKinney Avenue, and Lemmon Avenue, and including a 1.1028 acre tract fronting approximately 357 feet on Blackburn Street, fronting approximately 118 feet on McKinney Avenue, and fronting approximately 118 feet on Cole Avenue. (Ord. 24974)
(a) This district is hereby divided into two subdistricts: Subdistricts A and B.
(b) Subdistrict A is that area of this district within the following described boundaries: all building faces that front on Cole Avenue, Blackburn Street, McKinney Avenue, and Lemmon Avenue.
(c) Subdistrict B is that area of this district that is not in Subdistrict A. (Ord. 24974)
(a) The purpose of this division is to regulate both the construction of new signs and the alterations of existing signs to create a unique, lively and commercially-active environment that is bright and safe, and that incorporates diverse, state-of-the-art graphic technologies to promote an urban mixed use environment in this district.
(b) These sign regulations have been developed to achieve the following objectives in this district:
(1) To create an aesthetically pleasing environment that promotes an atmosphere of vitality appropriate for a place where thousands of citizens gather for entertainment and celebration.
(2) To encourage the use of signs that are innovative, colorful, and entertaining, and that bring a distinctive character to this district.
(3) To identify and promote special events and cultural activities that will occur in this district.
(4) To encourage signs with a style, orientation, and location that take into consideration the high number of pedestrians expected within this district.
(5) To communicate clear directions to and through this district.
(6) To promote the economic success of businesses in this district. (Ord. 24974)
In this division:
(1) ARCADE SIGN means any sign mounted to the underside of a canopy or awning intended to be read from the pedestrian walkway that the canopy covers.
(2) ATTACHED SIGN means any sign 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.
(3) AWNING means a fabric or vinyl surface supported by a tubular metal structure, which is applied to the face of a building.
(4) AWNING SIGN means a sign that is attached or applied to or painted on an awning.
(5) BANNER means a sign attached to or applied on a strip of cloth, vinyl, or similar material and attached to a building or structure. Awning signs and flags are not banners.
(6) CANOPY means a permanent, non-fabric architectural element projecting from the face of a building.
(7) CANOPY SIGN means a sign attached to, applied on, or supported by a canopy, with no changeable message area.
(8) CHANGEABLE MESSAGE SIGN means an electronic sign whose contents can change periodically and that can show animated messages.
(9) DISTRICT means the West Village Special Provision Sign District.
(10) EFFECTIVE AREA means:
(A) For a detached sign, other than outlined in (B) below, the area within a minimum imaginary rectangle of vertical and horizontal lines that fully contains all extremities of the sign, excluding its supports. This 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 signs placed on a fence, 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 shall not be computed. In such cases, the sign area shall be computed as the entire area within a single continuous rectilinear perimeter of not more than eight (8) straight lines enclosing the extreme limits of writing, representation, emblems, or figures together with all material, color or lighting forming an integral part of the display or used to differentiate the sign background against which it is placed.
(C) For an attached 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 effective area.
(D) An awning or canopy is not included in the calculation of the effective area.
(11) ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX means an entertainment facility with a seating capacity of at least 100 persons for showing motion pictures or staging theatrical performances to an audience or where the audience views and participates in events and performances including, but not limited to, theatrical, musical and dramatic performances, and meetings and assemblages.
(12) FACADE means any separate face of a building, including parapet walls and omitted wall lines, or any part of a building which encloses or covers usable space, chimneys, roof-mounted equipment, mounted antennas, or water towers. Where separate faces 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 will each be deemed to have separate facades.
(13) FLAT ATTACHED SIGN means an attached sign projecting 18 inches or less from a building, the face of which is parallel to the building facade.
(14) FREEWAY LOOP means the area of the city inside the District, within 100 feet of an Expressway right-of-way.
(15) GENERIC GRAPHICS means any pattern of shapes, colors, or symbols that does not commercially advertise.
(16) KIOSK means a multi-sided structure or cylindrical structure for the display of premise signs. It does not mean vending and sales carts.
(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. LED, LCD or other electronic message technology may be used.
(18) MONUMENT SIGN means a detached sign applied directly onto a grade-level support structure.
(19) MOVEMENT CONTROL SIGN means a sign that directs vehicular and pedestrian movement within this district.
(20) NEWSSTAND means an enclosed kiosk that displays premise signs and is manned by a vendor that sells newspapers, magazines, other periodicals and other small retail items such as candy, tobacco etc.
(21) ONE SIGN means any number of detached sign parts structurally connected at, or above grade.
(22) PARAPET SIGN means a permanent projecting attached sign erected on or attached to the eaves or edge of the roof or on a parapet. A parapet sign is not a roof sign.
(23) PREMISE means the property in this District.
(24) PREMISE SIGN means any sign the content of which relates to the premise on which it is located and refers exclusively to:
(A) the name, trade name, or logo of the owner or occupant of the premise or the identification of the premises;
(B) accommodations, services, or activities offered or conducted on the premise; or
(C) the sale, lease, or construction of the premise.
(25) PROJECTING ATTACHED SIGN means an attached sign projecting more than 18 inches from a building at an angle, other than parallel, to the facade.
(26) PROMOTIONAL MESSAGE means a message that identifies, promotes, or advertises a cultural activity taking place in this district, any special event being conducted in this district, any event being conducted, in whole or in part, in an entertainment complex in this district, or any other event that will benefit the city that will take place in this district. Benefit to the city is established by:
(A) Use of city property in accordance with a contract, license, or permit;
(B) The receipt of city monies for the activity or event; or
(C) An ordinance or resolution of the city council that recognizes the activity or event as benefiting the city.
(27) PUBLIC AREA means any publicly or privately owned outdoor area that is accessible to the public.
(28) ROOF SIGN means a sign that is attached to or supported by the roof of a building.
(29) SPECIAL SIGN DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE means that committee composed and established in Section 51A-7.504 of the Dallas Development Code.
(30) STOREFRONT means an identifiable portion of the premise for which a separate certificate of occupancy has been issued.
(31) 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.
(32) WELCOME MESSAGE means a message that identifies and greets people who are expected to visit this district, such as heads of state; foreign dignitaries; groups using city property in accordance with a contract, license, or permit; or government organizations.
(33) WINDOW ART DISPLAY means an exhibit or arrangement placed within a storefront window of a building and designed to be viewed from a street or public area.
(34) WINDOW SIGN means a sign painted or affixed to a window.
(35) 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 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.
A street number is not considered to be a word. (Ord. 24974)
(a) Premise signs. All signs in this district must be premise signs or convey a noncommercial message.
(b) Applicable divisions of Article VII. Except as otherwise provided in this division, all signs in this district must comply with Article VII. Divisions 51A-7.300 and 51A-7.400 do not apply in this district. In the event of a conflict between this division and other requirements set forth in Article VII that are not mandated by state or federal law, the requirements set forth in this division apply.
(c) Permit and certificate of appropriateness requirements.
(1) Sign permit required. A person shall not alter, place, maintain, expand, or remove a sign in this district without first obtaining a sign permit from the city. It is a defense to prosecution that the person was replacing a banner overhanging the public right-of-way using the existing sign hardware. A sign permit is required to install sign hardware for a banner.
(A) Sign permit procedures. Except as provided below, the procedures for obtaining a sign permit in Sec. 51A-7.505 apply in this district.
(B) Determination of procedure. Upon receipt of an application, the director shall determine whether it is to be reviewed under the director procedure or committee procedure. The proposed sign must be reviewed under the director procedure if the sign is:
(i) an attached premise sign of less than 50 square feet effective area and is not located within a historic overlay district; or
(ii) a detached premise sign with less than 50 square feet effective area, less than 25 feet in height, and not located within a historic overlay district; or
(iii) streetlight pole banners or facade mounted banners.
If the proposed sign does not meet the requirements for the director procedure, it must be reviewed under committee procedure.
(2) Certificate of appropriateness. All signs in this district are required to obtain a certificate of appropriateness, except for:
(A) any non-illuminated temporary banners of 20 square feet or less; or
(B) any non-illuminated attached premise sign of less than 20 square feet; or
(C) streetlight pole banners or facade mounted banners.
(d) Signs over the right-of-way. Signs may be located in or project over the public right-of-way, including, but not limited to, sidewalks, subject to the licensing and franchise requirements of Chapter XIV of the City Charter, Article VI of Chapter 43 of the Dallas City Code, as amended, Chapter 45 of the Dallas Building Code, and the requirements of all other applicable laws, codes, ordinances, rules, and regulations. The traffic engineer shall review the location of any sign located in or overhanging the public right-of-way to ensure that the sign will not pose a traffic hazard or visibility obstruction.
(e) Other codes not in conflict. All signs erected or maintained pursuant to the provisions of this division shall be erected and maintained in compliance with all applicable state laws and with the building code, electrical code, and other applicable ordinances of the city. Except as indicated in Subsection (b), in the event of conflict between this division and other laws, the most restrictive standard applies.
(f) Noncommercial messages.
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this ordinance, any sign that may display a commercial message may also display a noncommercial message, either in place of or in addition to the commercial message, so long as the sign complies with other requirements of this ordinance that do not pertain to the content of the message displayed.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this ordinance, any sign that may display one type of noncommercial message may also display any other type of noncommercial message, so long as the sign complies with other requirements of this ordinance that do not pertain to the content of the message displayed.
(g) Highway Beautification Acts. For purposes of applying the Federal and Texas Highway Beautification Acts, this district is considered to be a commercial zoning district.
(h) Streamers, pennants, and inflatable signs. Streamers, pennants, and inflatable signs, including, but not limited to, balloons are prohibited in this district.
(i) Setback. Except as provided in the spacing requirements for kiosks and newsstands, there are no setback requirements for a sign in this district.
(j) Illuminated signs.
(1) Except for changeable message signs, no illuminated sign that has an effective area of 150 square feet or less may have a luminance greater than 300 footlamberts, nor may any such sign have a luminance greater than 300 footlamberts for any portion of the sign within a circle two feet in diameter. No illuminated sign which has an effective area greater than 150 square feet may have a luminance greater than 200 footlamberts, nor may any such sign have a luminance greater than 200 footlamberts for any portion of the sign within a circle of two feet in diameter. The measurements of luminance are taken from any other premise or from any public right-of-way other than an alley.
(2) Except for changeable message signs, no illuminated sign nor any illuminated element of any sign, may turn on or off, or change its brightness, if:
(A) the change of illumination produces an apparent motion of the visual image, including but not limited to illusion of moving objects, moving patterns or bands of light, expanding or contracting shapes, rotation or any similar effect of animation;
(B) the change of message or picture occurs more often than once each three seconds for those portions of a sign which convey time or temperature, or once each 20 seconds for all other portions of a sign; or
(C) a portion of the sign, within a circle of two feet in diameter, has a luminance greater than 200 footlamberts when all elements of the sign are fully and steadily illuminated.
(k) Sign movement. Except for changeable message signs, no sign or any part of any sign may move or rotate at a rate more often than once each 10 seconds, or change its message at a rate more often than once each 20 seconds. Except for changeable message signs, no sign may move, rotate or change its message at any rate if any of its elements or any illuminated portion within a two-foot circle has a luminance greater than 200 footlamberts. (Ord. Nos. 24974; 28424)
(a) Detached signs in general.
(1) A premise may have one or more detached signs.
(2) Detached signs may not exceed 20 feet in effective area.
(3) Detached signs may not exceed 5 feet in height if an attached sign is located on any storefront on the lot where the detached sign is located; otherwise, detached signs may not exceed 15 feet in height.
(4) Detached signs may only be:
(A) monument signs;
(B) an architectural, water or landscape composition that identifies the premise; or
(C) signs on public improvements;
(D) banners on streetlight poles;
(E) special purpose signs; or
(F) district identification signs.
(b) Signs on public improvements. An unlimited number of signs that only identify the name or logo of this district may be located on or incorporated into manhole covers, street light poles, sidewalks, benches, trash receptacles and other improvements in public areas. No such sign, however, may exceed one square foot in effective area.
(c) Banners on streetlight poles.
(1) Banners must display a promotional message, a welcome message, or generic graphics.
(2) No more than 10 percent of the effective area of a banner may contain a welcome message that identifies and greets a group using city property in the district in accordance with a contract, license, or permit.
(3) No more than 10 percent of the effective area of a banner may contain the word(s) or logo(s) that identify a sponsor of a cultural event or activity taking place in the district.
(4) A banner having either a promotional message or a welcome message may not be erected more than 90 days prior to the beginning of the advertised activity or event, and must be removed no later than 15 days after that activity or event has ended. The sign hardware for a banner may be left in place between displays of a banner.
(5) A banner and its hardware must:
(A) be mounted on a streetlight pole;
(B) meet the sign construction and design standards in the Dallas Building Code;
(C) be at least 12 feet above grade, unless it overhangs a roadway, in which case it must be at least 15 feet above grade;
(D) be made out of weather-resistant and rust-proof material;
(E) not project more than three feet from the pole onto which it is mounted; and
(F) not exceed 20 square feet in effective area. (Ord. 24974)
(a) In general.
(1) Attached signs must be securely attached.
(2) Attached signs overhanging the public way are permitted, except that no sign may project closer than two feet to the vertical plane extending through the back of a street curb.
(3) The maximum combined effective area of all signs attached to a facade may not exceed 30 percent of the total area of the facade.
(4) Except as provided in paragragh (5), attached signs may have a maximum of eight words, which contain any character of a height equal to or exceeding four inches and pertain to any premise or occupancy. Words consisting of characters less than four inches high may be used without limit.
(5) A storefront that is used as an entertainment complex may have attached signs with up to 10 words per facade of 4 inches or greater, which may be located at any height on the storefront.
(6) No sign may be painted onto the roof of a building, and no flat attached sign is permitted on the roof of a building.
(7) No sign may project more than four feet above the edge of the wall to which it is attached; if the wall to which the sign is attached has a parapet wall, no sign may project above the parapet wall.
(b) Awning signs.
(1) No awning sign may:
(A) project horizontally more than two inches from the surface of the awning;
(B) be lower than 10 feet above grade; or
(C) project vertically more than two inches above the surface of the awning.
(2) The maximum size of each awning sign is six square feet.
(3) The maximum combined effective area permitted for all awning signs on a facade is 150 square feet.
(4) There is no limit to the number of awning signs permitted on a premise.
(c) Arcade signs.
(1) No arcade sign may exceed six square feet in effective area.
(2) The minimum linear distance between any two arcade signs in this district is 10 feet.
(3) There is no limit to the number of arcade signs permitted on a premise.
(4) No arcade sign may be lower than 10 feet above grade.
(d) Canopy signs.
(1) No canopy sign may:
(A) exceed 100 square feet in effective area;
(B) project horizontally more than two inches from the surface of the canopy; or
(C) be lower than 10 feet above grade.
(2) Canopy signs may project vertically above the surface of the canopy. The maximum height of the projection may not exceed 15 percent of the overall length of the sign.
(3) Canopy signs erected pursuant to this section are permitted on canopies that overhang the public right-of-way, except that no canopy sign may project closer than two feet from the back of the curb.
(e) Marquee signs.
(1) Marquee signs are allowed only on a storefront that is used as an entertainment complex.
(2) The maximum effective area of a marquee sign is 150 square feet.
(3) Marquee signs must be parallel to the surface to which they are attached, and may not project less than two feet from back of curb.
(4) No building may have more than one marquee sign per street frontage.
(5) Marquee signs may use LED, LCD or similar electronic technology.
(f) Projecting attached signs.
(1) No projecting attached sign on a premise may be closer than five feet from another projecting attached sign.
(2) No projecting attached sign may exceed 100 square feet in effective area, or project more than 3 feet into the public right-of-way.
(3) No projecting attached sign may be lower than 12 feet above grade.
(4) No projecting attached sign may project vertically more than four feet above the edge of the wall to which it is attached; if the sign is attached to a wall with a parapet wall, it may not project vertically above the parapet wall.
(5) No projecting attached sign shall have its lower end more than 25 feet above grade.
(g) Window signs.
(1) A window sign may only be a premise sign or contain a promotional message.
(2) Window signs are allowed only in ground level windows.
(3) Up to 10 percent of the effective area of a window sign may contain the word(s) or logo(s) that identify a sponsor of a cultural event or activity taking place in the district.
(h) Changeable message signs.
(1) Changeable message signs may only be attached signs.
(2) The maximum number of changeable message signs within this district is two.
(3) Changeable message signs may not exceed 150 square feet in effective area.
(4) Changeable message signs are not permitted in Subdistrict A. (Ord. 24974)
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