For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED SIGN. Any sign and/or its supporting sign structure which remains without a message or whose display surface remains blank for a period of six months or more, or any sign which pertains to a time, event or purpose which no longer applies, shall be deemed to have been ABANDONED. Signs applicable to a business temporarily suspended because of a change in ownership or management of the business shall not be deemed abandoned unless the property remains vacant for a period of one year or more. Any sign remaining after demolition of a principal structure shall be deemed to be ABANDONED. Signs which are present because of being legally established non-conforming signs or signs which have required a conditional use permit or a variance shall also be subject to the definition of ABANDONED SIGN. Signs for which permit fees have not been paid shall be classified as abandoned.
AWNING. A roof-like cover, often of fabric, plastic, metal or glass designed and intended for protection from the weather or as a decorative embellishment, and which projects from a wall or roof of a structure primarily over a window, walk or the like. Any part of an awning which also projects over a door shall be counted as an AWNING.
AWNING SIGN. A building sign or graphic printed on or in some fashion attached directly to the awning material.
BALLOON SIGN. A sign consisting of a bag made of lightweight material supported by helium, hot or pressurized air which is greater than 24 inches in diameter.
BANNER. A sign constructed of a strip of durable fabric or material on which a message is printed.
BILLBOARD. See OFF-PREMISES SIGN.
BUILDING SIGN. Any sign attached or supported by any building.
CANOPY. A roof-like cover, often of fabric, plastic, metal or glass on a support, which provides shelter over an entrance or window.
CANOPY SIGN. Any sign that is part of or attached to a canopy, made of fabric, plastic or structural protective cover over an entrance or window. A CANOPY SIGN is not a marquee and is different from a canopy and related signage over a fuel station service area.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN. A sign or portion thereof that has a reader board for the display of text information in which each alphanumeric character, graphic or symbol is defined by objects not consisting of an illumination device and may be changed or rearranged manually or mechanically with characters, illustrations, letters or numbers that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or surface of the sign structure.
COMMERCIAL SPEECH. Speech advertising a business, profession, commodity, service or entertainment.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN. A sign designed to guide or direct pedestrian or vehicular traffic to an area, place or convenience and may include incidental graphics such as trade names and trademarks.
DYNAMIC DISPLAY SIGN. A sign or portion thereof that displays electronic information in which each alphanumeric character, graphic or symbol is defined by a small number of matrix elements using different combinations of light emitting diodes (LEDs), fiber optics, light bulbs or other illumination devices within the display area. The signs include computer programmable, microprocessor controlled electronic displays. The signs include projected images or messages with these characteristics onto buildings or objects.
ELECTRONIC CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN. See DYNAMIC DISPLAY SIGN.
ELEVATION. The view of the side, front or rear of a given structure(s).
ELEVATION AREA. The area of all walls that face any lot line.
ERECT. Activity of constructing, building, raising, assembling, placing, affixing, attaching, creating, painting, drawing or any other way of bringing into being or establishing.
FLAG. Any fabric or similar lightweight material attached at one end of the material, usually to a staff or pole, so as to allow movement of the material by atmospheric changes and which contains distinctive colors, patterns, symbols, emblems, insignia or other symbolic devices.
FLASHING SIGN. A directly or indirectly illuminated sign or portion thereof that exhibits changing light or color effect by any means, so as to provide intermittent illumination that changes light intensity in sudden transitory bursts and creates the illusion of intermittent flashing light by streaming, graphic bursts showing movement or any mode of lighting which resembles zooming, twinkling or sparkling.
FREESTANDING SIGN. Any sign which has supporting framework that is placed on, or anchored in, the ground and which is independent from any building or other structure.
GRADE. The final ground elevation after construction. Earth mounding criteria for landscaping and screening is not part of the final GRADE for sign height computation.
GROUND SIGN. Any freestanding sign with its sign face mounted on the ground or mounted on a base at least as wide as the sign and which has a total height not exceeding eight feet.
HEIGHT OF SIGN. The height of the sign shall be computed as the vertical distance measured from the base of the sign at grade to the top of the highest attached component of the sign.
ILLUMINATED SIGN. Any sign which contains an element designed to emanate artificial light internally or externally.
MARQUEE. Any permanent roof-like structure projecting beyond a building or extending along and projecting beyond the wall of that building, generally designed and constructed to provide protection from the weather.
MARQUEE SIGN. Any building sign painted, mounted, constructed or attached in any manner, on a marquee.
MULTI-VISION SIGN. Any sign composed in whole or part of a series of vertical or horizontal slats or cylinders that are capable of being rotated at intervals so that partial rotation of the group of slats or cylinders produces a different image and when properly functioning allows on a single sign structure the display at any given time one of two or more images.
MULTIPLE TENANT SITE. Any site which has more than one tenant, and each tenant has a separate ground level exterior public entrance.
NON-COMMERCIAL SPEECH. Dissemination of messages not classified as commercial speech which include, but are not limited to, messages concerning political, religious, social, ideological, public service and informational topics.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN. A commercial speech sign which directs the attention of the public to a business, activity conducted or product sold or offered at a location not on the same lot where such sign is located. For purposes of this subchapter, easements and other appurtenances shall be considered to be outside the lot and any sign located or proposed to be located in an easement or other appurtenance shall be considered an OFF-PREMISES SIGN.
OFFICIAL SIGN. Signs of a public non-commercial nature including public notification signs, safety signs, traffic signs, direction to public facilities when erected by or on behalf of a public official or employee in the performance of official duty.
ON-PREMISES SIGN. A commercial speech sign which directs the attention of the public to a business activity conducted, or product sold or offered at a location on the same lot where the sign is located.
OWNER. In the case of a lot, the legal owner of the lot as officially recorded by the county, and including fee owners, contract for deed purchasers and ground lessees. In the case of a sign, the OWNER of the sign including any lessees.
PENNANTS. A sign constructed of a durable fabric which may or may not contain a printed message.
POLE SIGN. See PYLON SIGN.
PORTABLE SIGN. Any sign which is manifestly designed to be transported, including by trailer or on its own wheels, even though the wheels of the sign may be removed and the remaining chassis or support is converted to another sign or attached temporarily or permanently to the ground since this characteristic is based on the design of such a sign; a temporary sign.
PROJECTING SIGN. Any sign which is affixed to a building or wall in a manner that its leading edge extends more than two feet beyond the surface of the building or wall face.
PUBLIC NOTICES. Official notices posted by public officers, employees or their agents in the performance of their duties, or as directed by the officers, employees or agents.
PUBLIC STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY. The entire right-of-way of any public street.
PYLON SIGN. Any freestanding sign which has its supportive structure(s) anchored in the ground and which has a sign face elevated above ground level by pole(s) or beam(s) and with the area below the sign face open.
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. Any district zoned for residential uses.
ROOF. The exterior surface and its supporting structure on the top of a building or structure. The structural make-up of which conforms to the roof structures, roof construction and roof covering sections of the International Building Code.
ROOF LINE. The upper-most edge of the roof or in the case of an extended facade or parapet, the upper-most height of the facade.
ROOF SIGN. Any sign erected and constructed wholly on and above the roof of a building, supported by the roof structure and extending vertically above the highest portion of the roof.
ROOF SIGN, INTEGRAL. Any building sign erected or constructed as an integral or essentially integral part of a normal roof structure of any design, so that no part of the sign extends vertically above the highest portion of the roof and so that no part of the sign is separated from the rest of the roof by a space of more than six inches.
ROTATING SIGN. A sign or portion of a sign which turns about on an axis.
SHIMMERING SIGN. A sign which reflects an oscillating sometimes distorted visual image.
SIGN. Any letter, word or symbol, poster, picture, statuary, reading matter or representation in the nature of advertisement, announcement, message or visual communication, whether painted, posted, printed, affixed or constructed, including all associated brackets, braces, supports, wires and structures, which is displayed for informational or communicative purposes.
SIGN FACE. The surface of the sign upon, against or through which the message of the sign is exhibited.
SIGN STRUCTURE. Any structure including the supports, uprights, bracing and framework which supports or is capable of supporting any sign.
SITE. A lot or combination of contiguous lots which are intended, designated and/or approved to function as an integrated unit.
SUSPENDED SIGN. Any building sign that is suspended from the underside of a horizontal plane surface and is connected to this surface.
TIME AND TEMPERATURE SIGN. A sign that displays only current time and temperature information.
TOTAL SITE SIGNAGE. The maximum permitted combined area of all signs allowed on a specific lot.
VIDEO DISPLAY SIGN. See DYNAMIC DISPLAY SIGN.
VISIBILITY TRIANGLE. The visibility triangle shall be determined as follows; starting at the intersection of the property lines along the intersecting streets, measure away from the point of intersection a distance of 30 feet along both property lines. Connect these points with an imaginary line. The VISIBILITY TRIANGLE shall be the triangle defined by the two property lines and the imaginary line.
VISIBLE. Capable of being seen by a person of normal visual acuity (whether legible or not) without visual aid.
WALL. Any structure which defines the exterior boundaries or courts of a building or structure and which has a slope of 60 degrees or greater with the horizontal plane.
WALL SIGN. Any building sign attached parallel to, but within two feet of a wall, painted on the wall surface of, or erected and confined within the limits of an outside wall of any building or structure, which is supported by the wall or building, and which displays only one sign surface.
WINDOW SIGN. Any building sign, pictures, symbol, or combination thereof, designed to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity, event, sale or service, that is placed inside a window or upon the window panes or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window.
(Ord. passed 3-20-2002, § 27, sub. 2)