A. New and replacement signs. All new and replacement signs shall conform to the requirements of this ordinance. Plans, details, elevations and samples must be submitted for administrative review and approved by the following officials:
1. Plan Reviewer: reviews submittals for compliance with the Building Code and sign regulations in the Code of Ordinances, decisions of this official may be appealed to the Building Board of Appeals.
2. Zoning Administrator: reviews submittals for compliance with the specific requirements of the Zoning Ordinance, decisions of this official may be appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
3. Director of Economic and Community Development or their designee: review of submittals for compatibility with the building and its surroundings per the standards of this article, decisions of this official may be appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
B. Face changes or relocations. Face changes or relocations of existing signs on the same building or site are allowed subject to permitting and administrative approval by the Director of Economic and Community Development or their designee on the basis that the sign is in safe and serviceable condition and the new sign face is consistent with the intent and requirements of this Article to the extent feasible. A denial under this provision may be appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
C. General requirements.
1. All signs in the district shall also comply with the general sign requirements in the Code of Ordinances of the City of Dearborn (Chapter 5, Article XII - Signs).
2. All signs and sign-lighting fixtures shall exhibit ornamental features consistent with the examples shown in the design review manual.
3. Every sign shall be part of the architectural concept. Size, color, lettering, logo, graphics, location, materials, and arrangement shall be harmonious with the building design and its surroundings, and shall be compatible with signs of adjoining buildings.
4. All signs shall be constructed of durable materials capable of resisting the deleterious effects of weather exposure. Plywood, fiberboard, plastic sheeting, EFIS or similar materials are prohibited.
5. Colors shall be used harmoniously and with restraint. Fluorescent, brilliant, or optical colors are prohibited.
6. Address numbers shall be a maximum of eight (8) inches in vertical dimension and should be separate from the main signage. Phone numbers and other secondary text such as "dine-in or carry-out" are discouraged as they serve limited useful communication purposes and unnecessarily contribute to visual clutter in the district.
7. The vertical drip of an awning may be stenciled with signage a maximum of eight (8) inches in vertical dimension by any horizontal length. No signage shall be permitted on the shed portion.
8. Lighting: Signs may be internally or externally lit. Sign lighting shall be considered part of the design of the sign and evaluated per the standards in this Article. Sign lighting shall be decorative or hidden from view. Signs with exposed luminaries of any type (including neon, LEDs, and similar) are prohibited.
9. Businesses are permitted one (1) sign for each frontage facing a street or parking lot.
10. Businesses with service entrances may identify these with one (1) sign not exceeding two (2) square feet.
11. Permanent window or door signs/graphics (stenciled, etched, silk screened, hand painted, vinyl letters/images, or similar) are permitted provided the following standards are met:
(a) Such signs shall comply with the seventy (70) percent transparency requirement in the architectural standards of this Article.
(b) Approval by the ECD Director as permanent signage or façade treatment.
12. Temporary banners and window signs shall be regulated per the provisions of the sign requirements in the Code of Ordinances of the City of Dearborn (Chapter 5, Article XII - Signs).
13. Art installations: Installation of art pieces (sculpture, murals, posters, or paintings) on the exterior of a building or on the grounds of such a building may be allowed at the discretion of the ECD Director. Discretion is based on the goal of permitting such art installations to beautify the district and community with a wide variety of high-quality art projects. The presence of artwork in developments creates a competitive edge by attracting people who are curious about the artwork. Residents and visitors may pause to enjoy the artwork's surprising and esthetic delights and may return to experience it again while shopping or conducting business. However, if such an installation is primarily for the purpose of advertising a particular brand or business and not in the common good and public interest, then it shall be treated as commercial signage and subject to the requirements of this section governing such.
D. Wall signs.
1. Prohibited wall signs. Box or cabinet signs and signs painted directly onto any exterior wall or surface are prohibited. The latter shall not include art installations permitted by Paragraph C.13. above.
2. Sign bands. A single external sign band or zone may be applied to the façade of a building between the first and second floors, provided that it shall be a maximum of two and one-half (2½) feet in vertical dimension by any horizontal dimension. The sign band or zone may contain multiple individual signs, but all must refer to a tenant of the building.
3. Board signs. Signs consisting of opaque letters permanently applied to an opaque background, anchored as a single unit to a building façade. Board signs shall meet the following requirements:
(a) Text shall be raised or routed from the background by not less than three-quarter (¾) inch, nor more than two (2) inches.
(b) Text shall be of a contrasting color from the background (painted on text is prohibited).
(c) Text shall be six (6) inches minimum height, and twenty-four (24) inches maximum height.
(d) The background shall be framed by a finished edge.
(e) Logos, graphics, and features other than text are encouraged and may be painted directly on the background.
4. Halo illuminated letter signs. Signs consisting of individual, internally illuminated letters with opaque face and sides. Halo illuminated letters are characterized by indirect illumination, with all illumination projecting from the rear of each letter onto the background surrounding the letters. Halo illuminated letter signs shall meet the following requirements:
(a) The face and sides of letters shall be opaque.
(b) Sides of letters shall not be greater than three (3) inches.
(c) Text shall be six (6) inches minimum height, and twenty-four (24) inches maximum height.
(d) All lights, transformers, fasteners, spikes, zappers and connections shall be concealed from view.
(e) Raceways shall have a maximum depth of four (4) inches.
5. Internally illuminated letter signs. Internally illuminated letter signs shall be defined as individual, internally illuminated letters with a translucent face and opaque sides. Internally illuminated letter signs shall meet the following requirements:
(a) The face of the letters shall be translucent (transparent faces are prohibited and the light element shall not be visible).
(b) The sides of the letters shall be opaque.
(c) Sides of letters shall not be greater than three (3) inches.
(d) Text shall be six (6) inches minimum height, and twenty-four (24) inches maximum height.
(e) All lights, transformers, fasteners, spikes, zappers, connections or other similar devices shall be concealed from view.
(f) Raceways shall have a maximum depth of four (4) inches.
6. Dimensional letter signs. Dimensional letter signs shall be defined as individual letters with opaque face and sides, pin mounted to the building façade. Dimensional letter signs shall meet the following requirements:
(a) The face and sides of letters shall be opaque.
(b) Sides of letters shall not be greater than three (3) inches.
(c) Text shall be six (6) inches minimum height, and twenty-four (24) inches maximum height.
(d) Letters shall be fabricated of metal or acrylic (wood is prohibited) designed to resist the deleterious effects of weather exposure.
(e) Letters shall be mounted to the building façade using stainless steel anchors to prevent staining.
7. Electronic signs. Electronic signs shall be permitted in the as secondary signage to serve a message board function; they are not to serve as the primary signage for a commercial or institutional use. Electronic signs shall be defined and regulated per the requirements of Section 5-1337 of the Code of Ordinances, except that the following additional requirements shall apply:
(a) The electronic sign shall be part of or accessory to a primary permitted sign identifying the business or institution.
(b) Color: single color/monochrome only.
(c) Resolution (minimum pixel pitch/spacing): Seventeen (17) millimeters.
(d) Shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet in area.
(e) Prohibited electronic signs:
i. Projecting signs.
ii. Wall signs mounted on the front of a building perpendicular to a public road, as these signs serve limited useful communication purposes and unnecessarily contribute to visual and lighting clutter in the district. This does not apply to signs mounted facing a street on the side of a building on a corner lot.
E. Ground signs. Ground signs shall be any freestanding sign supported by and anchored directly to the ground on privately owned property. Ground signs shall include pole and monument signs. Ground signs shall meet the following requirements:
1. Ground signs shall meet the requirements for one of the approved types of wall signs described above.
2. Cabinet style ground signs may be approved at the discretion of the ECD Director if they comply with the general sign ordinance, meet the general requirements for downtown signs and are designed to mimic one of the approved types of wall signs described above.
3. Kiosk signs. Kiosk signs shall be defined as ground signs (maximum twelve (12) square feet) placed on public or private property for the purposes of providing directions or other information regarding the location, nature, or schedule of activities conducted within a specific property or district. Kiosk signs may be approved by the ECD Director if they meet the requirements of the sign ordinance, general requirements for downtown signs and are determined to be necessary to aid the public in navigation and use of the property or district in question.
F. Projecting signs. Signs which project outward from the face of the building shall meet the following requirements:
1. Pedestrian level projecting signs.
(a) Shall be mounted perpendicular (ninety (90) degrees) to the building façade.
(b) Shall be located entirely between twelve (12) and eight (8) feet above the pedestrian walkway. Shall not project above the roof line.
(c) Shall be securely mounted using ornamental brackets attached to either the building façade or from permanent overhanging canopies (chain or hinge mounting is prohibited). If wall mounted, the sign shall be located a maximum of six (6) inches from the wall.
(d) Shall not exceed six (6) square feet per side not including the brackets.
(e) Shall be double sided, having text or images on two (2) sides.
(f) Text shall be raised or routed from the background by not less than three-quarter (¾) inch, nor more than two (2) inches.
(g) Text shall be of a contrasting color from the background (painted on text is prohibited).
(h) The background shall be framed by a finished edge.
(i) Logos, graphics, and features other than text are encouraged and may be painted directly on the background. Icon-style signs are allowed.
(j) Shall not be an electronic sign.
2. Upper level projecting signs.
(a) Shall be mounted perpendicular (ninety (90) degrees) to the building façade.
(b) Shall be located entirely between twelve (12) and the uppermost point of the building façade. Shall not project above the roof line.
(c) Shall be securely mounted to the building façade.
(d) Shall be double sided, having text on two (2) sides.
(e) Shall be located a maximum of one (1) foot from the wall.
(f) Shall not exceed three (3) feet in width or four (4) feet in height.
(g) Shall not be an electronic sign.
(Ord. 19-1634, - -2019)