§ 155.102 SIGNS PERMITTED IN COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS.
   (A)   Wall and projecting business signs shall be permitted, provided that the total area of such signs for any one building wall shall not exceed one-third of the surface area of that wall.
   (B)   One freestanding business sign shall be permitted for each separate street frontage of an establishment. The area of any such sign shall not exceed one and one-half square feet of surface area for each lineal foot of lot frontage on the street. In the case of more than one establishment per lot, the area of individual freestanding signs shall be based on the street frontage of that portion of the lot used by each establishment. In no case shall the total area in freestanding business signs on a lot exceed one and one-half square feet for lineal foot of lot frontage.
      (1)   Total sign shall not exceed eight feet above ground level.
      (2)   The height of a sign shall be computed as the distance from the base of the sign at normal grade to the top of the highest attached component of the sign.
         (a)   Normal grade shall be construed to be the lower of:
            1.   Existing grade prior to construction; or
            2.   The newly established grade after construction, exclusive of any filling, berming, mounding, or excavating.
         (b)   In cases in which the normal grade cannot reasonably be determined, sign height shall be computed on the assumption that the elevation of the normal grade at the base of the sign is equal to the elevation of the nearest point of the crown of a public street, or the grade of the land at the principal entrance to the principal structure on the lot, whichever is lower.
      (3)   Lighting for the sign is indirectly illuminated (no flood, spot, or other light source directed at the sign).
   (C)   One suspended business sign, not to exceed six square feet in surface area, shall be permitted for each entrance to a building.
   (D)   Roof business signs shall be permitted, provided no portion of such signs extends beyond the edge of any exterior wall, the height of the sign above the roof does not exceed one-third of the height of the building on which it is located, and the free passage from any part of the roof to any other part is not prevented.
   (E)   Outdoor advertising signs (billboards) shall be permitted, provided such signs are not located within 100 feet of any residential district or within 300 feet of each other. Further, the face of any billboard shall be limited to 400 square feet.
(1996 Code, § 155.102) (Ord. passed 5-21-1984; Ord. passed 11-21-2005)