A. Pole Signs:
1. Materials: All pole signs shall have a surface or facing of incombustible material; provided, however, that combustible structural trim may be used thereon.
2. Construction: All letters, figures, characters, or representations in cutout or irregular form, maintained in conjunction with, attached to, or superimposed on any sign shall be safely and securely built or attached to the sign structure.
3. Setback: No pole sign shall be constructed closer than five feet (5') from any property line. The setback distance shall be measured from the outermost portion of sign to the property line. Where a public sidewalk is constructed over a property line, the setback shall be five feet (5') measured from the outermost portion of sign to the nearest edge of the sidewalk.
4. Supports: All ground signs shall be securely built, constructed and erected upon posts and standards sunk at least three feet (3') below the natural surface of the ground, and shall be supported and braced in the rear thereof, extending from the top thereof to a point in the ground of at least a distance equal to one-half (1/2) the height of such sign, measured along the ground, from the posts or standards which the same is erected.
B. Monument Signs:
1. Materials: All monument signs shall have a surface or facing of incombustible material; provided, however, that combustible structural trim may be used thereon.
2. Construction: All letters, figures, characters, or representations in cutout or irregular form, maintained in conjunction with, attached to, or superimposed on any sign shall be safely and securely built or attached to the sign structure.
3. Setback: No monument sign shall be constructed closer than five feet (5') from any property line. The distance shall be measured from the outermost portion of the sign to the property line. Where a public sidewalk is constructed over a property line, the setback shall be five feet (5') measured from the outermost portion of the sign to the nearest edge of the sidewalk.
4. Supports: All ground signs shall be securely built, constructed and erected in conformance with the city's building code.
C. Wall Signs:
1. Materials: All wall signs shall have a surface or facing of incombustible material; provided, however, that combustible structural trim may be used thereon.
2. Projection Above Sidewalk And Setback: No wall sign shall be permitted to extend more than fifteen inches (15") from the face of the wall and shall not extend past the top of the wall, nor extend beyond the ends of the wall to which the signs are attached.
3. Supports: All wall signs shall be safely and securely attached to the building wall. The method of attachment must be in accordance with all applicable sections of this chapter and the city's building code, details of which must be shown on the permit plans and approved by the zoning administrator.
4. Location: No wall sign shall cover wholly or partially any wall opening, nor project beyond the ends or top of the wall to which it is attached.
D. Awnings:
1. Materials: Awnings may be constructed of cloth or metal; provided, however, all frames and supports shall be of metal.
2. Projection Above Sidewalk And Setback: All awnings shall be constructed and erected so that the lowest portion thereof shall be not less than eight feet (8') above the level of the sidewalk or public thoroughfare. No awning shall be permitted to extend beyond a point two feet (2') inside the curb line.
3. Supports: Every awning shall be securely attached to and supported by the building. Posts or columns beyond the building line shall not be permitted for awnings. No awning shall be attached to the wood jambs, frames or other wood members of a building (frame buildings excepted) when such building is less than ten feet (10') from public property.
E. Canopies:
1. Materials: Canopies may be constructed of cloth or metal hood; provided, however, all frames and supports be of metal.
2. Projection Above Sidewalk And Setback: All canopies shall be constructed and erected so that the lowest portion thereof shall be not less than eight feet (8') above the level of the sidewalk or public thoroughfare. A canopy shall not extend more than four feet (4') beyond the front of a building or three feet (3') into the public right of way. No canopy shall be permitted to extend beyond a point two feet (2') inside the curb line.
3. Supports: The framework of all canopies shall be designed by an architect or structural engineer and approved by the zoning administrator and in compliance with the city's building code.
F. Temporary Signs:
1. Duration: No temporary sign shall be erected and maintained for a period in excess of 60 days, except as set forth in subsections below and pursuant to section 12-11-6 of this chapter. At the expiration of said 60 days, or other applicable duration, no sign shall be erected or maintained on the premises for a period of 30 days.
a. Construction related and available space signs: For new developments or existing properties with either (i) two thousand (2,000) square feet of commercial space available for sale or rent; or (ii) more than twenty-five (25) residential units located in the same development or subdivision are offered for sale or for lease. Such signage must be located on the property on which the new development or building available units or commercial space are located. Two (2) construction related and available space signs may be installed from the date a building permit for construction of the new development, units, or space is issued by the city until the date a certificate of occupancy is issued for the development, units, or commercial space by the city. After a certificate of occupancy is issued, developments or existing properties with either (i) two thousand (2,000) square feet of commercial space available for sale or rent; or (ii) more than twenty-five (25) residential units located in the same development or subdivision shall only be allowed one (1) construction related and available space sign.
b. Seasonal retail signs: For approved seasonal sales pursuant to a valid temporary event seasonal retail license issued in accordance with section 4-3-4 of the municipal code. Such signage shall be located on the licensed property and shall be allowed from the date the temporary event seasonal retail license is issued to the last date of the sale or ninety (90) days, whichever comes first.
2. Weight Limitation: Any temporary sign, regardless of exempt status, weighing in excess of fifty (50) pounds must be approved by the zoning administrator and conform to the requirements of the city's building code.
3. Projection Above Sidewalk And Setback: No temporary sign shall extend over or into any street, alley, sidewalk, or other public thoroughfare a distance greater than four inches (4") from the wall upon which it is erected, and shall not be placed or project over any wall opening.
4. Construction: Every temporary sign shall be securely fastened to a wall, building, other support structure by means of wire, cable, string, rope or other suitable material.
5. Limitation: The advertisement contained on any temporary sign shall pertain only to the business industry or pursuit conducted on or within the premises on which such sign is erected or maintained. This provision shall not apply to signs of a civic, political or religious nature. Temporary signs are permitted if they are in conjunction with a grand opening, special sale, promotion or similar type event.
G. Electronic Message Boards:
1. Electronic Message Board Requirements And Limitations: Electronic message boards shall be permitted only when incorporated within a new or existing pole sign or monument sign (this shall not include billboards except as permitted in accordance with subsection H of this section) or when embedded within an electric vehicle charging port. The overall sign must comply with all existing standards and regulations as set forth in this chapter. Electronic message boards incorporated into an approved sign shall be subject to the standards and regulations as set forth in section 12-11-6 of this chapter.
2. Electronic Message Board Standards: Monument or pole signs containing electronic message boards shall be subject to the same standards as set forth in subsections A, "Pole Signs", and B, "Monument Signs", of this section.
3. Permitted Types: Video display signs.
4. Prohibited Types: The following types of electronic message boards shall be prohibited:
a. Animated sign.
b. Flashing sign.
5. Permitted Districts: Electronic message boards shall be permitted in the following districts under the following conditions:
a. C-1 Neighborhood Shopping District as a conditional use only.
b. C-2 Limited Office Commercial District as a conditional use only.
c. C-3 General Commercial District as a permitted use.
d. C-4 Regional Shopping District as a permitted use.
e. C-5 Central Business District as a conditional use only.
f. C-6 Casino District as a localized alternative sign regulation plan.
g. M-1 Limited Manufacturing as a permitted use.
h. M-2 General Manufacturing as a permitted use.
i. M-3 Special Manufacturing as a permitted use.
j. I-1 Institutional as a permitted use.
k. R-1 Residential as a permitted use when on school property, City-owned property, or Park District-owned property, subject to the standards found in subsection 12-11-6B of this chapter.
6. Variations: All electronic message boards shall meet all requirements stated above and where variations are requested, the following standards shall apply:
a. Variations for overall height, setback and size of the monument or pylon pole signs, shall be subject to the same standards set forth in section 12-11-7, "Variations", of this chapter,except that no governmental agency shall be limited to a maximum variation request for electronic message board portions of proposed signs when it is to be used for the conveyance of public information. All signs shall remain subject to all other applicable sign standards and regulations relating to the applicable sign type and district.
7. Qualified EMB Property Exception: In lieu of any electronic message board allowed under the other provisions of this subsection G, one electronic message board shall be allowed as a conditional use pursuant to section 12-3-4, "Conditional Uses", of this title on any qualified EMB property subject to development standards for "electronic message boards for qualified EMB property" as written in subsection 12-11-6B of this chapter:
a. Occupies a parcel of land of not less than fifteen (15) acres zoned C-2 or C-3 or contiguous parcels of land of not less than fifteen (15) acres zoned C-2 or C-3 with either vehicular cross access easements or shared parking agreements that are recorded with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds;
b. Is improved with multi-story, multi-tenanted office building(s) that have more than four hundred thousand (400,000) square feet of rentable space;
c. Has a combined frontage of at least two hundred (200) linear feet on I-90 or I-294.
H. Electronic Message Board Billboard: A new electronic message board billboard may be permitted subject to the standards and regulations for both billboards generally and electronic message board billboards set forth in section 12-11-6 of this chapter. The static billboard panels of a qualified billboard may be converted to electronic message board panels only pursuant to an electronic message board billboard permit issued by the City, and subject to the standards and regulations for electronic message board billboards set forth in section 12-11-6 of this chapter. For the purposes of this subsection, a qualified billboard must meet the following criteria:
1. The billboard was erected prior to the effective date of this subsection. If the billboard is relocated in accordance with subsection 12-11-10C of this chapter, the date the billboard was originally erected, prior to relocation, will be determinative.
2. The billboard must be a legally conforming billboard. For the purposes of this subsection only, an applicant for an electronic message board billboard permit may establish that the existing billboard is legally conforming by either:
a. Providing proof that the existing billboard was erected pursuant to a valid permit issued by the City; or
b. Providing documentation to show that the existing billboard conforms with all of the standards and regulations as set forth for billboards in section 12-11-6 of this chapter except for the permit requirement.
c. Notwithstanding section 12-11-10 of this chapter, if a billboard is not legally conforming in accordance with subsection H2a or H2b of this section, the removal and replacement of the sign in the same location for the sole purpose of converting the static panels to electronic message board panels is permitted only as a conditional use pursuant to section 12-3-4 of this title, and subject to the standards and regulations for electronic message board billboards as set forth in section 12-11-6 of this chapter.
3. The billboard must have a valid IDOT sign permit.
4. The billboard must be located within six hundred sixty feet (660') of I-90 or I-294.
I. Portable A-Frame Signs:
1. Materials: A-frame signs shall be constructed of durable plastic, metal, wood, or other approved non-combustible materials. The sign shall be constructed so as to not blow away.
2. Location: An A-frame sign shall be located no farther than fifteen (15) feet from the main customer entrance of the business advertised on the A-frame sign and within such business' tenant frontage. A-frame signs located within the public right-of-way shall only be approved when a license agreement is executed between the sign owner and the zoning administrator. The A-frame sign shall not be located within a path required for ADA accessibility and all A-frame sign elements shall be located at least three (3) feet away from the curb of any roadway.
3. Time and Duration: An A-frame sign shall only be displayed during the hours of business operation. A sign permit is required for each A-frame sign and each permit is valid for one (1) year.
J. Marquee Signs:
1. Materials: Marquee signs shall be constructed of metal, aluminum or other durable, non-combustible materials and shall be attached to the primary structure.
2. Location: A marquee sign shall be constructed above the main customer entrance of a commercial theatre.
3. Projection Above Sidewalk and Setback: Marquee signs may be allowed to project onto the public right-of-way subject to the approval of the zoning administrator, but the edge of the sign shall be setback at least one foot (1') from the curb of the roadway. (Ord. Z-24-05, 8-29-2005; amd. Ord. Z-10-11, 5-2- 2011; Ord. Z-8-14, 4-7-2014; Ord. Z-14-15, 7-6-2015; Ord. Z-9-16, 6-6-2016; Ord. Z-21-17, 9-18-2017; Ord. Z-17-2018, 6-18-2018; Ord. Z-17-19, 7-1-2019; Ord. Z-16-20, 8-3-2020; Ord. Z-55-21, 12-6-2021; Ord. Z-36-2022, 11-21-2022; Ord. Z-52-21, 12-6-2021)