1331.03 GENERAL SIGN REGULATIONS.
(a) Building Signs.
(1) Wall or panel signs. Wall or panel signs shall not project more than twelve inches (12") from the building wall and shall be setback from the end of the building at least three feet (3') and shall not project above any building wall or coping of a mansard roof. Maximum sign face area shall be 1.5 times the business-building frontage (ex., 50 foot-long building frontage would be allowed a 75 square foot sign). An industrial use wall sign shall be allowed one identification wall sign for each separate use or business occupying the building with a maximum wall sign for each business or use of 50 square feet. Signs placed on either side or the rear of the building cannot exceed the dimension of the sign on the frontage.
(2) Projecting signs. Projecting signs shall be attached to the outside building wall and project at a 90 degree angle, shall not extend more than three feet from the face of the building and must be at least eight feet above the finished grade of the ground or any sidewalk. If located over pavement or ground used for any vehicular traffic, the projecting sign must be seventeen feet above the finished grade or pavement. Projecting signs shall have a maximum sign area of nine square feet and may not extend over the curb line of the roadway.
(3) Canopy signs. Canopy signs shall be attached to the soffit or fascia of a canopy, covered entrance or permanent awning or marquee and shall not project beyond the edges of the same with only one sign for each business use. Vertical dimension of the sign shall not exceed eighteen inches with the lowest portion eight feet above the sidewalk grade. The maximum single face sign area shall not exceed ten square feet.
(4) Window signs. Window signs shall be attached or painted on the inside of the window or doors of a building. Temporary window signs may be placed on the inside of windows, if such signs do not exceed 50% of the window area and are not displayed more than 30 days.
(5) Temporary advertising signs. Temporary advertising signs secured to surfaces other than windows of a main building shall not be displayed for more than 60 days in any calendar year.
(b) Freestanding Signs.
(1) Portable temporary signs. Portable temporary signs are semi-transparent ground signs with removable lettering. These signs are permitted only as announcement signs for churches, schools and philanthropic organizations. These signs cannot be used for a period of more than ten consecutive days, and should be removed and stored at a suitable location after the completion of the event that it was used for. In no instance is a portable temporary sign to be used at a business, commercial, industrial or residential location for any amount of time. Signs may not be placed off premises or on any City right of way or City sidewalk area and shall not be allowed in the area of the triangle formed between points on the street right of way and the nearest edge of an intersecting drive within 15 feet of an intersection. Small sandwich board style signs not exceeding eight square feet are not considered portable temporary signs and are permitted in business districts only. Small sandwich signs are purpose built and self-standing signs. Only one sandwich sign per business per street frontage.
(2) Ground signs. Ground signs in a business district shall not exceed seven feet in height and two feet above grade. Maximum sign face area shall be fifty square feet on each side and the sign shall be set back fifteen feet from any lot line, twenty-five feet from any residential district line, five feet from any street right of way, and shall not be allowed in the area of the triangle formed between points on the street right of way and the nearest edge of an intersecting drive within fifteen feet of an intersection. If there is a traffic or pedestrian visibility question that arises at the intersection, the Building and Zoning Codes Administrator shall have discretion to increase the setback from the intersection.
(3) Real estate ground signs. Real estate ground signs are temporary signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of a property and shall not exceed eight square feet and shall not be more than five feet in height. These signs shall be set back at least five feet from any right of way. The real estate ground sign shall not be illuminated. After sale or lease, the sign must be removed within fourteen days.
(4) Temporary project ground signs. Temporary project ground signs for a construction project shall not exceed thirty-two square feet in face area, exceed seven feet in height, be no closer than five feet from any right of way and lot line, and shall not be used in excess of one year unless granted permission by the Building Administrator.
(5) Permanent subdivision ground signs. Permanent subdivision ground signs shall not exceed thirty-two square feet in face area, exceed seven feet in height, and, unless in an island, shall be setback at least five feet from the right of way and lot line. These signs may be illuminated from a ground source.
(6) Public, charitable, religious or educational facility ground signs. Public, charitable, religious or educational facility ground signs shall not exceed fifty square feet in face area, exceed seven feet in height, and shall be set back at least five feet from any right of way and lot line.
(7) Directional ground signs. Directional ground signs are entrance and exit signs only, shall not exceed three square feet, not exceed three feet in height, and shall be set back no closer than five feet from any right of way and lot line.
(8) Identification ground signs. Identification ground signs indicate the name of a facility, shall not exceed thirty-two square feet in face area, shall not exceed seven feet in height and shall not be within five feet of a right of way and lot line.
(9) Contractor advertising sign. Signs are permitted in front yards areas for contractors performing work at residences, such as siding, landscaping, etc. Signs are not to exceed eight square feet in area and must be removed no later than one week after the job has been completed at that location.
(c) B-1, B-2, and M-1 and M-2 Signs: B-1 Local or Community Shopping Center, B-2 Highway or General Business, M-1 Restricted Industrial and M-2 General Industrial signs in excess of 7' in height shall require a zoning certificate. Allowance for all freestanding signs in excess of seven feet in height shall be applied for, reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission in accordance with the Master Sign procedure as follows:
(1) The applicant shall prepare and submit to the Planning Commission a Master Sign Program, which shall set forth the design intent of such Program and shall govern all signs at the subject business center. The Master Sign Program shall include:
A. A drawing at appropriate scale of the site plan of the total retail business center and/or portions or phases of same showing:
1. The sizes, shapes, locations and major physical features of all buildings, malls, arcades, canopies, grade wells, fences and other construction.
2. The location and configurations of all roadways, drives, walks, parking areas and paving, including existing and proposed signals, designated turn lanes, drive-through lanes, truck wells, handicapped parking, ramps and crosswalks;
3. All earth forms or berms, and the locations, quantities and types of landscaping;
4. The location of all proposed free-standing signs; and
5. The identity of the tenant business within each building or building unit.
B. Drawings at appropriate scale of the complete exterior elevations in color of any building for which a sign is proposed, with the proposed signs properly placed, scaled and rendered to reflect all proposed exterior materials, finishes, colors and lighting of each sign.
C. A tabular listing of all proposed signs for the subject business center, including for each sign:
1. The content of the sign, including copy and graphics;
2. The type of sign (ground, wall, canopy, etc.) sign dimensions and area; and
3. The sign color(s) and method(s) of lighting.
D. Detailed sign construction and/or fabrication drawings at appropriate scale of each proposed sign, indicating sign design and layout, dimensions, area, materials, finishes, colors, type styles, graphics, methods of illumination, numbers and types of lamps, lens materials and colors, construction details, erection and mounting details.
(2) The Planning Commission, as part of its review, may request a formal presentation of the Master Sign Program by the applicant and may approve, modify and approve or deny the application without further Council action.
(Ord. 27-18. Passed 7-2-18.)
(d) Temporary Signs. Temporary signs or banners made of canvas or other cloth material, not exceeding three feet in width, may be suspended over and across the streets, avenues and public places of the City upon obtaining a permit from the City. The Mayor shall charge a fee of one dollar ($1.00) for each banner to be displayed, and no permit shall be issued for a period longer than ten days, nor shall any permit allow more than three banners. The signs shall be hung at such places, constructed, and suspended in such manner and for such length of time, not exceeding ten days, as shall be approved by the Mayor and stated in the permit.
All signs for which a permit is issued under this section shall be kept in repair during the period of the permit and shall be removed after the expiration of ten days. All signs erected under this section shall have a clearance of not less than fourteen feet above the surface of the street and in no event shall they be of a height as to obstruct the view of either pedestrians or motorists who may be using the street over which the signs are hung.
(e) Other Considerations.
(1) Illumination of signs. Light sources to illuminate signs shall be shielded from all adjacent residential buildings and streets and shall not be of such brightness to cause glare hazardous to pedestrians or auto drivers or to cause reasonable objection from adjacent buildings and uses.
(2) Relation to traffic devices. Signs cannot obstruct sight lines, cannot contain an arrow or words "stop", "go", etc., and movement, content, and coloring cannot resemble traffic control signals.
(3) Movement restrictions. Advertising signs cannot revolve, rotate, spin, flash, scroll, etc, to attract attention. There shall be a minimum thirty- second period between static sign messages for electronic message (digital) displays. Permanent banners, ribbons, streamers, strings of lights, air balloons and like advertising are prohibited. These restrictions will enhance motorist and pedestrian safety.
(Ord. 34-15. Passed 10-5-15.)
(4) Public service signs. Public service signs may only show time and temperature or a similar service. Permanent banners, ribbons, streamers, strings of lights, air balloons and like advertising attracting attention are prohibited.
(5) Continuity. Continuity of signs and their placement shall be considered in relation to their surroundings. They shall have continuity of design if in a series on a building wall or walls.
(6) Style and color. Style and Color shall be consistent throughout a particular building or group of buildings and limited to no more than four colors in addition to white and black. Style and color should be compatible with the building façade and be submitted to and approved by the Building and Zoning Codes Administrator with a right to appeal to the Architectural Review Board, if any, or the Board of Zoning Appeals. Graphics, materials and structural design shall be considered.
(7) Building wall or nameplate. One wall or panel nameplate may be placed on each building in a Business District. A nameplate may identify service entrances to a retail business or lettering on a door on the building not exceeding two square feet in sign face area. Manufacturing and warehouse facilities shall be permitted a nameplate or wall plate not exceeding four square feet.
(8) Theatre canopy signs. Theatre canopy signs shall have the size and design characteristics determined by the Planning Commission.
(9) Service station island signs. Service station island signs are permitted as are information signs at fuel pumps and other service islands and are limited to information essential in directing and instructing the motoring public. Number, area, height and design shall be determined by the Planning Commission.
(10) Painted signs applied to a building exterior. Painted signage applied to building surfaces is prohibited, with the exception of recreations of historic painted signage on building surfaces, which shall be treated as art. The Architectural Review Board is to have approval authority for art, such as murals, as applied to building surfaces.
(11) Adult entertainment signs and exterior displays. No adult entertainment business shall erect signage or publicly displayed advertising in any manner that permits the observation of any material depicting, describing, or relating to sexual activities, by display, decorations, signs, show window, or other opening from any public view. Further, any advertisements, signs, or other exhibits depicting adult entertainment activities placed within the interior of building or premises shall be arranged or screened to prevent public viewing from outside the building or premises.