A. Residential Districts, Including The MH-1 Mobile Home Park District: It shall be unlawful for any person to construct or maintain a sign in any residential district or the MH-1 Mobile Home Park District, except as follows:
Sign Type | Number, Area, Height, And Other Limitations |
Sign Type | Number, Area, Height, And Other Limitations |
Exempt | See subsection 12-11-3G of this chapter. |
Construction related and available space signs, temporary | Two signs are permitted for new developments or existing properties with more than 25 residential units located in the same development or subdivision, construction related and available space signs may be installed as specifically permitted by section 12-11-5.F of this chapter. Each sign shall not exceed 64 square feet in area and six feet in height. If such signs are affixed to a building, then the signs shall not be located above the second floor of the primary building and shall not cover any opening. Such signage shall not be externally or internally illuminated. One sign is permitted in instances as identified in section 12-11-5.F of this chapter. |
Seasonal retail sign, temporary | One sign is permitted per the approved seasonal retail sales license. The sign shall not exceed 64 square feet in area and six feet in height. Such signage shall not be externally or internally illuminated and are subject to additional regulations set forth in section 12-11-5.F of this chapter. |
Monument - entrance | 1 sign. |
The sign shall consist of no more than 65 square feet in area and a height of no more than 5 feet. Such signage shall not be externally illuminated. Internally illuminated signs shall comply with section 12-12-10 of this title. | |
Permitted for single-family residential developments. | |
Monument - identification | 1 sign. |
The sign shall consist of no more than 65 sq. ft. in area and a height of no more than 5'. | |
Permitted for places of worship, multi- family residential buildings or complexes. | |
B. Commercial, Manufacturing And Institutional Districts: It shall be unlawful for any person to construct or maintain a sign in any commercial district, manufacturing district, or the I-1 Institutional District, except as follows. A property may incorporate both wall and monument signs or wall and pole signs. The use of monument signs in conjunction with pole signs is prohibited; provided, however, if a property is eligible to contain two pole signs or two monument signs, then the property may construct a combination of a pole sign and a monument sign as long as each sign is at least 200 feet apart.
Monument or pole signs containing electronic message boards shall be subject to the same standards as set forth in this subsection, except that only one electronic message board will be permitted per lot. In the event that a single business exists on multiple lots or in the case of a business park or retail center, only one electronic message board will be permitted overall.
Sign Type | Number, Area, Height, And Other Limitations2 |
Sign Type | Number, Area, Height, And Other Limitations2 | ||
Awnings | Awnings may display signage on up to 25% of the area of the front of the awning. The sign area of each awning sign shall be included in the calculation of the maximum wall sign area permitted on the building on which the awning sign is installed, as set forth in this section. Awning signs shall not be internally illuminated. If an awning is installed on a building that is located adjacent to a residential zoning district, any awning sign installed on a non-street facing facade of the building that faces the residential zoning district shall not be externally illuminated. | ||
Billboards | Billboards shall be permitted only within the C-1, C-2, C-3, C-6, M-1, M-2 and I-1 Districts and located within 660 feet of I-90 and I-294 toll roads. | ||
Structure must be in compliance with the Illinois Department of Transportation regulations and a valid current IDOT permit must be presented with the application for city permits. | |||
In the C-6 District, the number of permits issued for billboards pursuant to subsection 12-11-3.C.3, "Billboard Permits", of this chapter is specifically limited to one. In all other districts of the City combined, the total number of permits for billboards under subsection 12-11-3.C.3, "Billboard Permits", of this chapter is specifically limited to 13; provided, however, the 13th billboard permit may be issued by the City only in accordance with Ordinance Z-53-21. | |||
In the C-6 District, a billboard may have three faces; provided, however, that two of the three faces shall not exceed 1,200 sq. ft., the third face shall not exceed 600 sq. ft, and the total sign face area shall not exceed 3,000 sq. ft. In all other districts of the City, the total surface area of the signs shall not exceed 1,200 sq. ft. per face and 2,400 total square feet for a double faced sign. | |||
Height of the sign shall not exceed 99 feet from the base of the pole to the top of the structure or 65 feet from the surface of the pavement of the lane closest to the structure, except as otherwise provided by a limited variation ordinance adopted by Council. | |||
All billboards must meet the spacing requirements as required by the Illinois Advertising Control Act. | |||
No portion of a billboard shall be allowed within 300 feet of a residential property line. This distance shall be measured at ground level from a line perpendicular to the closest part of the billboard to the residential property line. | |||
A billboard for which a permit record does not exist but otherwise meets all of development standards for billboards as set forth in this subsection B is a legally conforming billboard for the purposes of this chapter. | |||
Canopies | 1 sign not exceeding 12" in height shall be permitted on the front and side portions of any canopy. Freestanding canopies, such as those found at a gasoline service station, may only display signage on the vertical portion of the canopy. The sign area of canopy signs attached to a building shall be included in the calculation of the maximum wall sign area permitted on the building, as set forth in this section. If a canopy is installed on a building that is located adjacent to a residential zoning district, or if a freestanding canopy is located adjacent to a residential zoning district, any canopy sign installed on a non-street facing facade of the building or of the freestanding canopy that faces the residential zoning district shall not be illuminated. | ||
Drive-Through Menu Board Sign: | Two drive-through menu board signs are permitted adjacent or leading up to each ordering point for any lawfully established drive-through facility. The combined sign area of the drive through menu board signs shall not exceed 60 square feet. A drive-through menu board sign may not exceed six feet in height. A two-foot radius of landscaping shall be provided around the base of each a drive-through menu board sign. | ||
Electronic message board billboards | The electronic message board panel must not exceed the square footage of the static panel replaced by the electronic message board panel or 1,200 sq. ft., whichever is less. | ||
The electronic message board panel must face away from and may not direct light onto any residentially zoned lot or lot improved with residential structure. | |||
The electronic message board must be adequately screened from any residential zoning district. | |||
The electronic message board panel may only face the I-90 or I-294 rights-of-way. | |||
The applicant must submit an affidavit stating that all required permits or approvals from IDOT, the FAA, or any other government or regulatory agency or body with proper jurisdiction, have been obtained for the proposed electronic message board billboard. | |||
The images and text displayed on the electronic message board may be changed no more frequently than once every 10 seconds or as established by Federal or State guidelines for digital signage along an interstate, whichever is greater. Each change must be completed in 1 second or less. | |||
Sounds, animation, moving video, flashing, blinking, spinning, or any other appearance of movement are prohibited. | |||
The sign must possess an ambient light sensor and utilize automatic dimming capabilities so that the maximum luminescence level is not more than 0.3 foot candle over ambient light levels measured as close to perpendicular to the sign face as possible and measured from the appropriate distance as set forth in the table below: | |||
Sign Face Size | Distance From Which To Measure | ||
Under 300 sq. ft. 300 - 385 sq. ft. 386 - 680 sq. ft. 681 - 1,200 sq. ft. | 150' 200' 250' 350' | ||
The applicant, with written permission from the landowner, must apply for and obtain the following permits from the City prior to performing any alterations to the existing billboard: 1) a building permit for the electronic message board panels and support structure; and 2) an electronic message board billboard sign permit. Plans prepared by a licensed structural engineer must be submitted with the permit application. | |||
City sponsored messages must be made available for display on the electronic message board on a regular rotation, as determined by agreement between the City and the applicant. City sponsored messages include without limitation Amber Alerts, FBI wanted messages, weather alerts, and messages promoting City sponsored events. The City sponsored messages will be displayed at no cost to the City. | |||
Electronic message boards | Electronic message boards shall not exceed 50% of the total sign area. When embedded within an electric vehicle charging port, an electronic message board may not exceed six square feet. Electronic message boards may comprise up to 100% of the total sign area of a drive-through menu board sign; provided, however, the sign must comply with the maximum sign area allowance for drive-through menu board signs. | ||
Excluding those electronic message boards embedded within electric vehicle charging ports and drive-through menu board signs, only 1 electronic message board will be permitted per lot. In the event that a single business exists on multiple lots or in the case of a business park or retail center, only 1 electronic message board will be permitted overall. | |||
Location: The animated face of an electronic message board sign shall be a minimum of 250' away from a residence in the R-1, R-2, and R-3 Residential Districts and shall be arranged to prevent direct glare onto any adjacent properties. | |||
1. Institutional District is exempt from this standard. | |||
2. LED illumination of the numerical pricing component of gasoline station signs are exempt from this location standard. | |||
Video display signs are permitted. | |||
The changeable copy shall be specific to the business in which the sign was intended. | |||
No sounds will be permitted. | |||
Automatic dimming: Electronic message board signs shall be equipped with light sensing devices or a scheduled dimming timer which automatically dims the intensity of the light emitted by the sign during ambient low light and nighttime (dusk to dawn) conditions. The signs shall not exceed 500 nits of intensity as measured at the sign surface during nighttime and low light conditions and 5,000 nits during daytime hours. | |||
Electronic message boards for qualified EMB property | Digital electronic message board displays shall not exceed 500 sq. ft. per side and shall not be more than 45' in height. | ||
Only 1 electronic message board will be permitted per qualified EMB property. | |||
The changeable copy may not be animated, however graphics of stationary objects with no movement or animation shall be allowed. The copy may be changed no more than once every 7.5 seconds or as established by Federal or State guidelines for digital signage along an interstate, whichever is greater. | |||
The changeable copy shall be specific to the businesses or organizations residing on the qualified EMB property. For this purpose, a "tenant" is a person(s) or entity with a lease for a term of at least 3 years, actually occupies space and has a fully functioning office of at least 500 sq. ft. | |||
The changeable commercial copy may be substituted at any time, without any approval of the City, with a noncommercial message. The purpose of this section is to prevent any inadvertent favoring of commercial speech over noncommercial speech or favoring of any particular noncommercial speech over any other noncommercial speech. This section prevails over any more specific provision to the contrary. | |||
No sounds will be permitted. | |||
Structure must be in compliance with the Illinois Department of Transportation regulations and if required a valid current IDOT permit must be presented with the application for City permits. | |||
Electronic message boards must be located between I-90 or I-294 and the structures on the qualified EMB property. | |||
Electronic message board displays must be screened from any residentially zoned property. | |||
Exempt | See subsection 12-11-3G of this chapter. | ||
Interstate highway wall sign | Buildings located on lots with frontage on an interstate highway shall be allowed a maximum of 1 sign, of up to 150 sq. ft., per building face that is visible from the interstate highway. | ||
No more than 2 interstate highway wall signs are allowed per building and both signs on a single building shall be limited to identifying either the principal building tenant or identification of the building or group of buildings. | |||
Interstate highway wall signs must be individual letter signs. | |||
Marquee | Only one marquee sign shall be allowed on a commercial theatre. Signage shall be allowed on each of the three projecting faces of the marquee sign; however, the front-facing main entrance sign panel shall not exceed 300 square feet and the side face panels shall not exceed 150 square feet. Electronic message board sign panels are allowed on all three sign faces, but shall not exceed 30 percent of the respective sign face. Such signs are only allowed on commercial theaters located in C-3 and C-5 Districts. The maximum height of the marquee sign above finished grade shall be 30 feet and shall have a minimum height clearance of eight feet from finished grade. Marquee signs are subject to additional regulations set forth in section 12-11-5.J of this chapter. | ||
Menu Board Wall Sign: | Each lawfully established Class A Restaurant, Class B Restaurant, Tavern, Brewpub and Brewery may have one menu board wall sign. A menu board walls sign must be located within six horizontal feet of the main customer entrance of the subject establishment and shall not exceed five square feet in area. The menu board wall sign shall be attached to the subject building wall and be encased with permanent materials such as tempered glass, wood and metal. Such sign shall only be internally illuminated. | ||
Monument: | |||
Lots having more than 75' of street frontage on a single street or highway | Maximum number: 1 sign. | ||
Maximum sign area: 80 sq. ft. for monument signs. | |||
Maximum height: 5'. | |||
Lots having more than 120' of street frontage on a single street | Maximum number: 1 sign. | ||
Maximum sign area: The area of a sign may be increased by 1 sq. ft. for every 1' of street frontage over 12', provided, the maximum sign area shall not exceed 100 sq. ft. | |||
Maximum height: 5'. | |||
Lots having more than 300' of street frontage on a single street or highway | Maximum number: 2 signs. | ||
Maximum sign area: The area of a sign may be increased by 1 sq. ft. for every 1' of street frontage over 300' provided, the maximum sign area does not exceed 120 sq. ft. for any 1 sign or 200 sq. ft. for both signs. | |||
Maximum height: A height allowance of 1' for every 3 additional feet of setback provided may be allowed provided, the maximum height does not exceed 10'. | |||
Where a lot fronts on 2 streets and the frontage of the shortest side and 1/2 of the longest side exceeds 300' | Maximum number: 2 signs. | ||
Maximum sign area: The area of a sign may be increased by 1 sq. ft. for every 1' of street frontage over 300' provided, the maximum sign area does not exceed 120 sq. ft. for any 1 sign or 200 sq. ft. for both signs. | |||
Maximum height: A height allowance of 1' for every 3 additional feet of setback provided may be allowed provided, the maximum height does not exceed 10'. | |||
Lots of 5 acres or more and having 300' of street frontage on a single street or highway | Maximum number: 3 signs. | ||
Maximum sign area: The maximum sign area shall not exceed 200 sq. ft. for any 1 sign or 350 sq. ft. for all signs. | |||
Maximum height: A height allowance of 1 sq. ft. for every 3 additional feet of setback provided may be allowed provided, the maximum height does not exceed 10'. | |||
Pole: | |||
Lots having more than 75' of street frontage on a single street or highway | Maximum number: 1 sign. | ||
Maximum sign area: 75 sq. ft. | |||
Maximum height: 20'. | |||
Lots having more than 120' of street frontage on a single street | Maximum number: 1 sign. | ||
Maximum sign area: The area of a sign may be increased by 1 sq. ft. for every 1' of street frontage over 120', provided, the maximum sign area shall not exceed 90 sq. ft. | |||
Maximum height: 20'. | |||
Lots having more than 300' of street frontage on a single street or highway | Maximum number: 2 signs. | ||
Maximum sign area: The area of the sign may be increased by 1 sq. ft. for every 1' of street frontage over 300' provided, the maximum sign area does not exceed 110 sq. ft. for any 1 sign or 200 sq. ft. for both signs. | |||
Maximum height: A height allowance of 1' for every 3 additional feet of setback provided may be allowed provided, the maximum height does not exceed 28'. | |||
Minimum separation: 200' apart. | |||
Where a lot fronts on 2 streets and the frontage of the shortest side and 1/2 of the longest side exceeds 300' | Maximum number: 2 signs. | ||
Maximum sign area: The area of the sign may be increased by 1 sq. ft. for every 1' of street frontage over 300' provided, the maximum sign area does not exceed 110 sq. ft. for any 1 sign or 200 sq. ft. for both signs. | |||
Maximum height: A height allowance of 1' for every 3 additional feet of setback provided may be allowed provided, the maximum height does not exceed 28'. | |||
Minimum separation: 200' apart. | |||
Lots of 5 acres or more and having 300' of street frontage on a single street or highway | Maximum number: 3 signs. | ||
Maximum sign area: The maximum sign area shall not exceed 200 sq. ft. for any 1 sign or 550 sq. ft. for all signs. | |||
Maximum height: A height allowance of 1' for every 3 additional feet of setback provided may be allowed provided, the maximum height does not exceed 35'. | |||
Minimum separation: 200' apart. | |||
Portable, A-Frame | A-frame signs shall be no more than three feet in height and no more than six square feet in area per face. The maximum allowable number of faces allowed per sign shall be two. Only one A-frame sign shall be allowed per business located on the ground floor of a building. Multiple businesses that share the same address shall either share the sign area within the one allowed A-frame sign or the A-frame permit issuance shall be based on a first-come-first-serve basis. Such signs are only allowed in C-3, C-4 and C-5 Districts and are subject to additional regulations set forth in section 12-11-5.I of this chapter. | ||
Temporary: | No more than 1 sign may be erected at 1 location at any given time and no more than 4 signs may be erected at 1 location over the course on any calendar year, except as provided in the subcategories below. No temporary sign shall exceed 64 sq. ft. | ||
Construction and related and available space signs, temporary | Two signs are permitted where new developments or existing properties with either (i) 2,000 square feet of commercial space available for sale or rent; or (ii) more than 25 residential units located in the same development or subdivision, construction related and available space signs are permitted as set forth in section 12-11-5.F of this chapter. Each sign shall not exceed 64 square feet in area and six feet in height. If such signs are affixed to a building, then the signs shall not be located above the second floor of the primary building and shall not cover any opening. Such signage shall not be externally or internally illuminated. One sign is permitted in instances as identified in section 12-11-5.F of this chapter. | ||
Seasonal retail sign, temporary | One sign is permitted per the approved seasonal retail sales license. The sign shall not exceed 64 square feet in area and six feet in height. Such signage shall not be externally or internally illuminated and are subject to additional regulations set forth in section 12-11-5.F of this chapter. | ||
Wall signs1: | |||
Non-street facing wall signs | Building elevations that do not face a street or public highway may have 1 wall sign. If a building is located adjacent to a residential zoning district, any wall sign installed on a non-street facing elevation of the building that faces the residential zoning district shall not be illuminated. The total sign area (including the area of any awning or canopy signs) permitted on any non-street facing elevation shall not exceed 1 sq. ft. of sign area per linear foot of horizontal building face. The total sign area (including the area of any awning or canopy signs) permitted on an entire building (including all elevations) shall not exceed 125 sq. ft. unless the building is a shopping center or office building containing three or more businesses. Shopping centers may exceed 125 square feet in signage, but each tenant shall not exceed 125 square feet in total sign area. Office buildings containing three or more businesses are permitted to have up to 200 square feet of wall signage for the entire building (for all elevations); provided however that no wall signs located on an office building shall face an abutting residentially zoned property. The total maximum number of wall signs permitted on an office building containing three or more businesses is three. | ||
Street facing wall signs | Building elevations that face a street or public highway may have up to 2 wall signs. The total sign area (including the area of any awning or canopy signs) permitted on any street facing elevation shall not exceed 3 sq. ft. per linear foot of horizontal building face. The total sign area (including the area of any awning or canopy signs) permitted on an entire building (including all elevations) shall not exceed 125 sq. ft. unless such building is a shopping center or office building containing three or more businesses. Shopping centers may exceed 125 square feet in signage, but each tenant shall not exceed 125 sq. ft. in total sign area. Office buildings containing three or more businesses are permitted to have up to 200 square feet of wall signage for the entire building (for all elevations). The total maximum number of allowed wall signs on an office building containing three or more businesses is three. | ||
Window (permanent) | 2 signs per window. Total sign area not to exceed 50% of window surface area. | ||
Notes:
1. In the case where there are multiple uses in a single structure (i.e., commercial strip shopping center) 1 wall sign is permitted for each business, however the aggregate total square footage of all signs shall not exceed the limits set forth in this section.
2. On parcels less than 5 acres, the total square footage area of all signs shall not exceed 600 square feet; provided, however, that the calculation of the maximum sign area shall not include the area of any static and electronic message board billboards on the parcel."
(Ord. Z-24-05, 8-29-2005; amd. Ord. Z-11-07, 3-19-2007; Ord. Z-23-07, 9-17-2007; Ord. Z-10-11, 5-2-2011; Ord. Z-27-11, 9-19-2011; Ord. Z-17-14, 8-4-2014; Ord. Z-32-14, 12-15-2014; Ord. Z-14-15, 7-6-2015; Ord. Z-9-16, 6-6-2016; Ord. Z-29-16, 12-5-2016; Ord. Z-21-17, 9-18-2017; Ord. Z-17-19, 7-1- 2019; Z-4-20, 1-21-2020; Ord Z-16-20, 8-3-2020; Ord. Z-52-21, 12-6-2021; Ord. Z-55-21, 12-6-2021; Ord. Z-33-22, 11-7-2022; Ord. Z-36-22, 11-21-2022)