The following words and terms, wherever they occur in this sign code shall be construed as herein defined:
ABANDONED/OBSOLETE SIGN: A sign which no longer identifies or advertises a bona fide person, business, lessee, owner, product, activity, place, idea, institution or service, and/or for which no legal owner can be found.
AWNING: Any structure made of cloth, metal or other material attached to a building when the same is so erected as to permit it being raised or retracted to a position against the building when not in use. When an awning contains, embodies or displays any verbiage, trademark, logo or similar representation, it shall be considered a "wall sign" under the provisions of this sign code.
BILLBOARD: A sign structure advertising an establishment, business, organization, event, person, place, merchandise, service, or entertainment which is not sold, produced, manufactured or furnished at the property on which said sign is located, e.g., "off-premises sign" or "outdoor advertising sign". See definition of Sign, Advertising.
BUILDING FRONTAGE: The linear length of the outside building wall facing the public right of way or the linear length of the outside building wall facing a parking area which serves as the primary access for the subject use.
BUILDING WALL: The wall area in one plane or elevation of a building.
CANOPY: A structure other than an awning, made of cloth, metal or other materials with frame attached to a building, and carried by a frame supported by the ground or sidewalk. When a canopy contains, embodies or displays any verbiage, trademark, logo, or similar representation, it shall be considered a "wall sign" under the provisions of this sign code.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN: A temporary sign identifying an architect, contractor, subcontractor and/or material supplier participating in construction on the property on which the sign is located and the general nature of the proposed use on the property.
COPY: The wording on a sign surface in either permanent or removable letter form.
CORNER LOT: A lot situated at the junction of and abutting on two (2) or more intersecting street rights of way.
DIRECTOR: The Director of Building and Zoning of the City of Darien.
FRONTAGE: All property fronting on one side of the street between the two (2) nearest intersecting streets, as measured along the line of the street, or if the street is dead ended, then all of the property abutting on one side of the street between an intersecting street and the dead end of the street.
GRADE: The average elevation or level of the ground within an area that is six feet (6') of the point, or points, at which the sign or support structure meets the ground.
HIGHWAY ADVERTISING CONTROL ACT OF 1971: An act relating to the control of signs on lands adjacent to the Federal Aid Primary System and the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways in Illinois, as amended.
INTERSECTION: An intersection of two (2) or more streets.
LOT: A parcel or tract of land indicated as such on a plat recorded in the Office of the DuPage County Recorder.
MAINTENANCE: For the purposes of this sign code, the cleaning, painting, repair, or replacement of defective parts of a sign in a manner that does not alter the basic copy, design or structure of the sign.
NAMEPLATE: A nonilluminated, single-faced sign, not more than two (2) square feet in size, identifying only the name and/or address and occupation of the occupant, or the name of the premises, and is mounted to the principal building or mailbox.
OCCUPANT: Any person who owns, rents, or leases and occupies a portion of a building or a premises for a given use.
OWNER: Any person, group of persons, partnership, corporation or other legal entity holding legal or other equitable title to real estate located within the City of Darien, including, but not limited to, contract purchasers and all of the beneficial owners under a land trust. For the purposes of this sign code, the owner of the property on which a sign is located is presumed to be the owner of the sign unless facts to the contrary are officially recorded or otherwise brought to the attention of the Building Department Director, e.g., a sign leased from a sign company.
PERSON: Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
PREMISES: The area occupied by a business or other enterprise. When more than one business occupies a single building on the ground floor, each business area shall be considered a separate premises. Businesses or other enterprises which occupy other floors shall be considered separate premises. When the context requires, the term "premises" can also mean the lot upon which a sign is located or applied for.
PROJECTING SIGN: A sign supported by a building or other structure which projects over any street, sidewalk, alley, or public way or easement; or which projects more than twelve inches (12") from the face of any building, structure or supporting wall.
ROOF SIGN: A sign, constructed and supported in whole or in part upon or over the roof of a building or structure. A sign which is attached to a mansard roof and protrudes wholly or partially above the roofline of the building or structure to which the mansard roof is attached shall be considered a roof sign.
ROOFLINE: The top edge of a roof or building parapet, whichever is higher, excluding any cupolas, pylons, chimneys or minor projections.
SHOPPING CENTER: A group of commercial establishments under single, joint or separate ownership with common off-street parking areas.
SIGN: A name, identification, description, display or illustration which is affixed to or painted or represented directly or indirectly upon a building, pole or other outdoor surface or piece of land including pennants, which directs attention to an object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization, or business. The definition shall not include any display or official court or public office notices nor shall it include a flag, emblem or insignia of a nation, political unit, school or religious group. A sign shall not include a sign located completely within an enclosed building unless the context shall be exposed to view from a street.
SIGN, ADVERTISING: Any advertising device, billboard, poster, notice, or display which directs attention to an object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization or business that is not located on the property where the sign is located or is intended to attract attention including any structure and all lighting or other attachments used in connection therewith, but not including a temporary sign or a sign advertising the activity being conducted upon the property upon which it is located.
SIGN AREA: Unless otherwise specified, the area of the smallest triangle, rectangle or circle which can wholly enclose the surface area of the sign face. In the event of an "individual letter sign" where the letters or insignia vary significantly in size, the sign area may be computed using not more than two (2) triangles, rectangles, or circles per word or insignia.
SIGN, BUSINESS: A sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, service, activity, idea, slogan or entertainment conducted, sold, offered or available upon the premises where such sign is located or to which the sign is affixed.
SIGN, CHANGEABLE COPY: A sign on which message copy can be changed through the use of attachable letters and numerals which are changed manually or automatically on a lampbank or through mechanical means, e.g., "electrical" or "electronic time and temperature units" and/or "message centers".
SIGN, DIRECTIONAL: An on-premises sign designed and erected solely for the purpose of traffic or pedestrian direction and contains no advertising copy.
SIGN, DIRECTORY: A sign listing the names and locations of various activities conducted within a building or group of buildings.
SIGN, FLASHING: Any directly or indirectly illuminated sign which exhibits changing natural or artificial light or color effects by any means whatsoever. Time and temperature signs are excluded from the category of flashing signs.
SIGN, FREESTANDING: A sign which is ground mounted or supported by one or more columns, uprights, or braces in or upon the ground, not attached to or forming part of a building.
SIGN, GARAGE SALE: A freestanding sign announcing a garage sale. Said signs shall not be attached to any utility pole or structure, to any traffic-control sign, nor located within the public road right of way.
SIGN, GROUND (MONUMENT): A freestanding sign where the size of the sign support components are not less than seventy five percent (75%) of the total width of the sign, with no more than three feet (3') of clear space between the bottom of the face of the sign and the grade beneath the sign face.
SIGN HEIGHT: The vertical distance of a sign measured from the grade to the top of the sign.
SIGN, IDENTIFICATION: A wall sign used to display and identify the name of the individual, business, profession, organization, or institution occupying the premises upon which such sign is located.
SIGN, ILLUMINATED: Any sign which has characters, letters, figures, design or outline illuminated by internal or external electric lights or luminous tubes, or which gives the appearance of illumination, as a part of the sign proper.
SIGN, INDIVIDUAL LETTER: A wall sign made of self-contained letters that are affixed to the face of a building which does not project above the top of the parapet wall, does not project above any portion of the roofline, and which does not project above or below a marquee.
SIGN, NONCONFORMING: Any sign legally existing or under construction on the effective date of this sign code and which does not conform with the provisions of this sign code.
SIGN, PERMANENT: Any sign which is not a temporary sign.
SIGN, POLE: Any business sign having a support structure with a size less than twenty five percent (25%) of the total width of the sign with more than ten feet (10') of clear space between the bottom of the face of the sign and the grade beneath the sign.
SIGN, POLITICAL: Signs or posters announcing candidates seeking political office and/or political issues, and data pertinent thereto.
SIGN, PORTABLE: A sign not permanently attached to the ground, building, or to any other structure; a sign designed to be moved from place to place.
SIGN, PUBLIC SERVICE: A sign posted on public or quasi-public property, the function of which is to promote items of general interest to the community.
SIGN, REAL ESTATE: A temporary business sign placed upon a property advertising that particular property for sale, rent or lease.
SIGN, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT: A sign placed at the major entrances to a subdivision or a planned unit development identifying that subdivision or planned unit development.
SIGN STRUCTURE: A structure which supports, has supported, or is capable of supporting a sign, including decorative cover. Any angle iron or main support is to be enclosed in a wood, plastic, or metal form such that the angle iron is not visible.
SIGN, TEMPORARY: A sign intended to be displayed for thirty (30) days or less.
SIGN, UNLAWFUL: A sign which contravenes this sign code or which the director may declare as unlawful if it becomes dangerous to public safety by reason of dilapidation or disrepair or a nonconforming sign for which a permit required under this sign code has not been obtained.
SIGN, VEHICLE: Any sign painted on, attached to, or mounted upon any operable vehicle.
SIGN, WALL: A business sign attached directly to a building wall which does not extend more than twelve inches (12") therefrom, nor extend above the roofline or top of building edge. Such sign shall not be posted, painted or plastered directly on the surface of the walls or roof of a building.
SIGN, WINDOW: Any sign, picture, symbol, or combination thereof, designed to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity, event, sale, or service that is placed inside a window or upon the windowpanes or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window. (Ord. 0-38-94, 9-6-1994; amd. Ord. 0-18-98, 9-21-1998; Ord. 0-29-08, 7-7-2008)