1141.02 DEFINITIONS.

   For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

   (1)   ABANDONED SIGN: A sign associated with an abandoned use, a sign that remains after the termination of the business, or a sign or its immediate premises not adequately maintained and not repaired with the specified time under Section 1141.09.

   (2)   ANIMATED SIGN: Any sign that uses movement or change of artificial or natural lighting or noise to depict action or create a special effect or scene.

   (3)   ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTION: Any projection that is not intended for occupancy and that extends beyond the face of an exterior wall of a building, but that does not include signs as defined herein. See all "Awning", "Backlit Awning", and "Canopy, attached and freestanding".

   (4)   ATM (AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE): An electronically operated device used to conduct financial transactions on site, by means of direct computerized access. Such device may be accessible by automobile and/or pedestrians.

   (5)   AWNING: An architectural projection or shelter projecting from and supported by the exterior wall of a building and composed of a covering of rigid or non-rigid materials and/or fabric on a supporting framework that may be either permanent or retractable, including structures that are internally illuminated by fluorescent or other light sources.

   (6)   AWNING SIGN: A sign displayed on or attached flat against the surface or surfaces of an awning.

   (7)   BACKLIT AWNING: An awning with a translucent covering material and a source of illumination contained within its framework.

   (8)   BANNER: A flexible substrate on which copy or graphics may be displayed.

   (9)   BANNER SIGN: A sign utilizing a banner as its display surface.

   (10)   BENCH SIGN: Any sign painted on, located on, or attached to any part of the surface of a bench, seat, or chair placed adjacent to a public roadway.

   (11)   BILLBOARD: An off-premise sign owned by a company or person for the purpose of renting ad space to a specific business, product, service, entertainment or other activity sold, offered, or conducted off-site.

   (12)   CANOPY (ATTACHED): A multisided overhead structure or architectural projection supported by attachments to a building on one or more sides and either cantilevered from such building or also supported by columns at additional points. The surface(s) and/or soffit of an attached canopy may be illuminated by means of internal or external light sources. Also referred to as a marquee.

   (13)   CANOPY (FREE-STANDING): A multisided overhead structure supported by columns, but not enclosed by walls. The surface(s) and/or soffit of a free-standing canopy may be illuminated by means of internal or external sources of light.

   (14)   CANOPY SIGN: A sign affixed to a visible surface(s) of an attached or free-standing canopy. Also referred to as a marquee sign.

   (15)   CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN: A sign or portion thereof with characters, letters, or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged by mechanical, electronic or manual means.

   (16)   COMMUNITY EVENT OR ACTIVITY: An event or activity that is sponsored, managed or conducted by a government agency or a public, private nonprofit or religious organization. Charitable events sponsored by for-profit organizations are also considered community activities. Examples of a community event or activity include school plays, church bazaars, a park district festival or an election.

   (17)   COPY: Those letters, numerals, figures, symbols, logos and graphic elements comprising the content or message of a sign.

   (18)   DEVELOPMENT SIGN: A temporary sign indicating such things as the names of the architects, engineers, landscape architects, contractors, or similar artisans, and the owners, financial supporters, sponsors and similar individuals or firms having a role or interest with respect to the development, structure, or project. This includes both private and public projects.

   (19)   DIRECTIONAL SIGN: A temporary or permanent sign that provides information regarding location, instructions for use, or functional/directional data.

   (20)   ELECTRONIC SCOREBOARD: An electronically-controlled changeable copy sign used to display scoring information for sporting events. Such signs are located on the sports field.

   (21)   ENTRY FEATURE SIGN: An on-premise ground mounted sign that graphically identifies a residential subdivision and/or multifamily development. For commercial properties, see Joint Identification Sign.

   (22)   ESTABLISHED GRADE LINE: The average finished grade for that area of the site where the sign is located provided however that the height of the sign shall not be artificially increased by the use of mounding. All references to sign height are from the established grade line unless otherwise noted.

   (23)   FLAG: Any fabric or bunting containing the officially recognized and adopted colors, patterns, or symbols used as the official symbol of a government, political or corporate entity.

   (24)   FLASHING SIGN: Any directly or indirectly illuminated sign that exhibits changing natural or artificial light or color effects by any means whatsoever.

   (25)   FREE-STANDING SIGN: Any sign that is physically attached to a foundation. These are commonly known as ground, pole, pylon, or monument signs.

   (26)   GAS INFLATABLE SIGN/DEVICE: Any device that is capable of being expanded by any gas and used on a permanent or temporary basis to attract attention to a product or event. This definition includes both hot and cold-air balloons tethered or otherwise anchored to the ground.

   (27)   GOVERNMENTAL SIGN: A sign erected and maintained pursuant to and in discharge of any governmental functions as required by law, ordinance, or other government regulation.

   (28)   GROUND SIGN: See Free-Standing Sign.

   (29)   ILLUMINATED SIGN: Any sign lighted by or exposed to artificial lighting either by light on or in the sign or directed toward the sign.

   (30)   INFORMATION SIGN: A sign displaying necessary information for the convenience and safety of residents and visitors, and containing no advertising.

   (31)   JOINT IDENTIFICATION SIGN: A sign that identifies the name, through type, graphics, or other symbols, of a shopping center, office park, industrial park, or other building complex containing three or more uses on the same lot, allowed in addition to the permitted signs of the individual occupants.

   (32)   MENU BOARD: A free-standing sign orientated to the drive-through lane for a restaurant that advertises the menu items available from the drive-through window, and which has no more than twenty (20) percent of the total area for such a sign utilized for business identification.

   (33)   MONUMENT SIGN: A sign attached to a wall or a base constructed specifically for the display of the sign.

   (34)   NON-CONFORMING SIGN: A pre-existing legal or illegal sign that does not conform to the standards set forth in this chapter.

   (35)   OFF-PREMISE: Signs that are off the business premise.

   (36)   OPEN HOUSE: A temporary public showing of a structure available for sale, rental, or lease.

   (37)   PENNANT: A flag or banner longer in the fly than in the hoist, usually tapering to a point.

   (38)   PERMANENT SIGN: Any permitted or legal nonconforming sign intended to remain in place until a change of occupancy occurs. A permanent sign must be securely attached or installed upon a building, structure, or the ground.

   (39)   POLE SIGN: See Free-Standing Sign.

   (40)   PORTABLE SIGN: Any sign that is designed to be or capable of being moved or transported, and not permanently affixed or attached to any building, structure, or grounds.

   (41)   PRODUCT SIGN: A Sign typically located in a window, advertising a product or service offered by a business.

   (42)   PROJECTED IMAGE: An image projected onto a building, structure, or sign.

   (43)   PROJECTING SIGNS: A sign other than a wall sign that is attached to or projects more than eighteen (18) inches from a building face or wall, or from a structure whose primary purpose is other than the support of a sign.

   (44)   PROMOTIONAL SIGNS: A temporary sign that provides information regarding time, place, and the like of a special event, community activity or similar activity.

   (45)   PYLON SIGN: See Free-Standing Sign.

   (46)   REAL ESTATE SIGN: A temporary sign advertising the sale, lease or rental of the property or premises upon which it is located.

   (47)   REFACING: Any alteration to the face of a sign involving the replacement of materials or parts. Refacing does not refer to replacing the entire sign structure or the removal of the sign.

   (48)   ROOF LINE: The uppermost line or point of the facade or parapet of a flat roof structure, or the lower edge of an eave, gable or rake of a sloped roof structure.

   (49)   ROOF SIGN: Any sign erected on or above the roof line of a building.

   (50)   SANDWICH BOARD SIGN: A sign with two hinged boards that can be placed on the ground.

   (51)   SIGN: A sign is defined as any name, number, symbol, identification, description, display, illustration, object, graphic, sign structure, or part thereof, whether permanent or temporary, which is affixed to, painted on, or represented directly or indirectly upon, or projected onto a building, structure, lot, or other device, whether mobile or affixed to the ground, and which directs attention to any object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization or business. This definition includes all signs visible from any public right-of-way or adjacent property, including interior signs oriented towards the exterior facade of any building or structure as well as back-lighted translucent panels or strip lighting affixed to any wall or roof where any such panels or lighting serves to identify a business and attract attention rather than to illuminate space for human activity.

   (52)   SIGN FACE: The surface intended for the display of information on the sign.

   (53)   SIGN SETBACK: The distance from the property line and/or right-of-way to the nearest part of the applicable building, structure, or sign, measuring perpendicularly to the property line and/or right-of-way line.

   (54)   SIGN STRUCTURE: The supporting unit of a sign face, including but not limited to frames, braces and poles.

   (55)   STREAMER: A ribbon-shaped or cord-like rope that may have pennants and/or banners attached and which is stretched or hung between two or more supports.

   (56)   TEMPORARY SIGN: A sign intended to display either commercial or noncommercial messages of a transitory or temporary nature. Any sign not permanently embedded in the ground, or not permanently affixed to a building or sign structure that is permanently embedded in the ground, is considered a temporary sign.

   (57)   TRAILBLAZER SIGN: A government sign identifying company logos for lodging, gasoline stations, restaurants and other such establishments.

   (58)   TRAILER SIGN: Any sign that is attached to, supported by, or part of a structure that is designed to move on trailer wheels, skids, or other similar devices, or transported, pushed, or pulled by a motor vehicle.

   (59)   UNDER CANOPY OR UNDER MARQUEE SIGN: A sign attached to the underside of a canopy or marquee.

   (60)   WALL SIGN: Any sign attached to or erected against the inside or outside wall of a building or structure, with the exposed display surface of the sign in a plane parallel to the plane of the building or structure and extending less than eighteen (18) inches from the building or structure.

   (61)   WINDOW SIGN: Any signs, posters, symbols and other types of identification or information about the use of premises directly attached to the window of a building or erected on the inside of the building and visible from any public right-of-way or adjacent property.
(Ord. 1045. Passed 10-14-14.)