This section describes the permitted conditions and applicable standards for each permanent sign type listed within Table S.
(A) Attached or wall-mounted signs. Attached or wall mounted signs are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(1) Attached or wall-mounted signs shall be counted as a portion of the total aggregate sign area.
(2) Attached or wall mounted signs shall be supported solely by the façade or exterior building face.
(3) One attached sign per street frontage is permitted per business in all non-residential zoning districts.
(4) Attached or wall mounted signs may project no more than 12 inches from the surface of the wall to which it is attached or for halo illuminated signs must not exceed a 1.75 inch separation from the wall.
(5) Attached or wall mounted signs shall not extend above the wall, parapet, or fascia upon which it is placed.
(6) Attached or wall mounted signs are permitted on a roof surface if the roof is within 25 degrees of vertical.
(7) Attached or wall mounted signs shall not exceed 25 feet in height.
(8) Residential subdivisions and multi-family developments shall be allowed one attached or wall mounted sign not to exceed 24 square feet per subdivision/development entrance or six square feet per multi-family building.
(9) For all non-residential uses, attached or wall mounted signs shall not exceed more than the total aggregate sign area allowed as determined by § 154.131.
(10) Multi-tenant building wall mounted identification signs are permitted in the MU, UC, TD, CP and EI zoning districts subject to the conditions identified below:
(a) The use of a multi-tenant building wall mounted identification sign shall take the place of single business wall mounted signs and shall be counted as a portion of the total aggregate sign area.
1. The maximum number of multi-tenant signs for each building shall be limited to one sign per street frontage.
2. The maximum area of the multi-tenant sign shall not exceed the greater of 50 square feet or 1.5 square feet per lineal foot of combined building frontage for each business, but in no case more than 300 square feet per multi-tenant sign.
(B) Awning/canopy sign. Awning/canopy signs are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(1) Awning/canopy signs shall be counted as a portion of the total aggregate sign area.
(2) Sign copy, including logos, shall not exceed 1.5 square feet per lineal foot of building frontage.
(3) Such a sign shall only be displayed on ground floor awnings.
(4) If encroaching over an abutting city right-of-way line, a revocable city encroachment permit or other City Council–granted authorization approved by the City Engineer and the City Attorney shall be required.
(C) Billboards and off-premise signs.
(1) Billboards are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(a) Billboards may be approved by conditional use permit along Olive Avenue or Northern Avenue (Parkway), and along El Mirage Road and Dysart Road, south of Peoria Avenue, but no more than two billboards shall be approved on Olive Avenue, El Mirage Road or Dysart Road and no more than five billboards on Northern Avenue (Parkway) without Council approval of a variance or development agreement.
(b) Billboards shall not exceed 400 square feet in area or a height of 40 feet above the nearest curb or 60 feet above grade along Olive Avenue.
(c) New digital or static billboards installed along Northern Avenue (Parkway) shall not exceed 672 square feet per face, per direction in area or a height of 65 feet above the nearest curb or grade.
(d) Graphics shall not include animated, flashing, scrolling, intermittent, or full motion video elements. There shall be a minimum rotation time of eight seconds between images.
(e) The signs shall have the City of El Mirage logo integrated within the design. The appropriate application and amount of city identification is subject to city approval via the conditional use permit process.
(f) Network time of one image for at least eight seconds shall be made available to the city for messaging on four digital sign faces.
(g) No new billboards shall be permitted within 1,000 feet in any direction from an existing billboard. All permits for billboards must receive prior written approval from Luke Air Force Base and other governmental entities if applicable.
(h) A one-time fee of $6,000 per site will be assessed with approval of a digital board and payable to the city.
(2) Off-premise signs are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(a) Off-premise signs shall require approval of a conditional use permit.
(b) Off-premise signs shall only be permitted in the EI zoning district.
(c) Off-premise signs shall be limited to placement at arterial to arterial or arterial to collector intersections and shall be located within 60 feet of the intersection right of way line.
(d) Off-premise signs shall be limited to one sign per each leg of an intersection.
(e) Off-premise signs shall not exceed 32 square feet in area or eight feet in height. No off-premise sign shall be located in public rights-of-way or block the sight visibility triangle of any intersection or drive.
(D) Directional sign. Directional signs are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(1) Non-residential uses shall be allowed a maximum of one directional sign permitted per drive or parking entry with a maximum area of six square feet and a maximum height of three feet.
(E) Directory sign. Directory signs to assist the public, law enforcement and emergency personnel locate a particular address or individual unit are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(1) Properties occupied by three or more buildings shall have an internally illuminated directory that shows the street address, layout of the complex, the location of the viewer and the unit designations within the complex.
(2) Shall not exceed a maximum height of six feet or sign area of 24 square feet
(3) Shall not include any advertising signage.
(F) Electronic message center. Electronic message center (EMC) signs with intermittent, scrolling or flashing illumination, are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(1) EMC signs shall be counted as a portion of the total aggregate sign area.
(2) Signs must be entirely located on-site.
(3) There shall be no moving or flashing green or red features that could be mistaken as traffic control devices.
(4) Digital message portion of the sign shall not exceed 50% of sign area.
(5) Sign shall be installed at least 150 feet from a designated crosswalk.
(6) Sign shall not be installed within 350 feet of a residential structure.
(7) EMC signs shall be separated from other EMC signs by a minimum of 1,000 feet.
(8) All continuous loop image progression occurring on the face or copy of the sign must have a minimum interval time of eight seconds.
(9) Illumination of EMC signs during daylight operations shall not exceed 3.85-watt wedge base lamps, and shall not exceed 1.925-watt base wedge lamps during nighttime operation.
(10) All EMC signs shall have automatic dimming controls, either by photocell (hardwired) or via software settings, to reduce the illumination intensity of the sign as ambient lighting conditions change.
(11) EMC signs shall not be illuminated more than 30 minutes before the operation is open to the public or more than 30 minutes after the time at which the operation is closed to the public or 10:00 p.m., whichever is later.
(G) Freestanding/monument signs. Freestanding/Monument signs are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(1) For single use buildings, freestanding/monument signs shall be counted as a portion of the total aggregate sign area. For single or multi-building developments with multiple tenants, freestanding/monument signs shall not be counted as a portion of the total aggregate sign area.
(2) Single use buildings, complexes, or centers on a single lot are allowed one freestanding/monument sign per street frontage, or one freestanding/monument sign for every 200 feet of street frontage, whichever is greater. The second sign must be at least 100 from the first.
(3) Single use buildings, complexes, or centers on a single lot, less than five acres in net site area, the maximum height of the sign, including any supporting structures shall be eight feet, maximum area shall be 48 square feet.
(4) Single use buildings, complexes, or centers on a single lot, five acres in net site area or greater, the maximum height of the sign, including any supporting structures shall be eight feet, maximum area shall be 60 square feet.
(5) A portion of the sign may have changeable copy, which shall not exceed 50% of sign area.
(6) Shall have monument-type base of masonry construction or other architectural grade material with an aggregate width of at least 50% of the width of the sign.
(7) Freestanding or monument signs located in the TROD district shall either be located on low planter walls or incorporated with distinctive elements of the building’s architectural style and scale.
(8) Address numerals shall be included on all freestanding sign structures. The numerals shall be at least six inches in height.
(9) No portion of the sign shall be located within three feet of the front property line or six feet of a side or rear property line.
(10) Freestanding/monument signs for residential uses in RA, SN, MP zoning districts shall be limited to residential subdivisions or multi-family developments only, subject to the conditions identified below:
(a) The maximum height shall be six feet and the maximum area shall be 24 square feet.
(b) A maximum of one sign shall be located at each non-local street access to the identified subdivision or multi-family development.
(c) The text area of the sign may be back-lit such that the source of illumination is not visible; provided, however, that back-lit, non-opaque panels are not permitted.
(d) The text area of the sign may be illuminated by fully shielded ground mounted directional lighting.
(H) Gas filled signs. Gas filled signs (neon, argon, krypton, and the like) are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(1) Gas filled signs are limited to interior window display only (may not be used on the exterior of a building).
(2) The total area of gas filled signage for any one business shall be six square feet.
(3) No more than two gas filled signs shall be allowed for any one business.
(I) Projecting signs. Projecting signs are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(1) Such signs shall be included in the total aggregate sign area.
(2) One projecting sign is permitted for each business front and shall be adjacent to the business it identifies.
(3) Such signs shall only be permitted if they are affixed to a building and shall not project into the public right-of-way unless within the TROD.
(4) The maximum area for each projecting sign for any one business shall be 14 square feet unless amended through the conditional use permit process.
(5) The maximum distance between the wall and the outer edge of the sign shall be four feet, or if a paved public sidewalk is below, 50% of the width of the sidewalk, whichever is less.
(6) Such signs shall be located so that the base edge of the sign is not less than seven feet, six inches from the sidewalk or ground.
(7) Such signs shall require both a city sign permit and, if encroaching over an abutting city right-of-way line, a revocable city encroachment permit or other City Council–granted authorization is approved by the City Engineer and the City Attorney.
(J) Window signs. Window signs are permitted as identified in Table S, subject to the conditions identified below:
(1) Window signs that are permanent shall be included in the total aggregate sign area.
(2) Permanent window signage shall be limited to 25% of the total window area in which it is placed.
(3) Permanent window signs shall be prepared by a professional sign company.
(Res. R22-05-08, passed 5-3-2022; Ord. O22-05-02, passed 5-3-2022)