(A) Types of signs. The following signs are exempt from the permit requirements of this section and are not counted towards the allowable sign area or number of signs:
(1) Address and nameplate signs. Street, apartment, unit, suite numbers, and nameplates, not greater than four inches in height for residential uses, and not greater than six inches in height for commercial uses.
(2) Commemorative plaques. One commemorative plaque identifying a building name, date of construction, or similar information that is cut into, carved, or made of stone, concrete, metal, or other similar permanent material. Commemorative plaques may not be illuminated.
(3) Decorations. Holiday and cultural observance decorations on private property which do not include any commercial advertising.
(4) Sandwich board signs on private property. Non-digital sandwich board signs on private property, not to exceed a vertical or horizontal dimension of four feet. Sandwich board signs within the public right-of-way must comply with the requirement of § 155.340.070(F) (Sandwich Board Signs).
(5) Directional signs. On-site directional signs located entirely on the property to which they pertain, identifying direction to parking, restrooms, and similar public facilities, each not exceeding five feet in height and five square feet in area for non-residential uses, and two square feet for residential uses.
(6) Directory signs. One directory sign per street frontage as follows:
(a) Maximum area: one square foot per tenant.
(b) Maximum height: six feet if freestanding.
(c) Internal illumination prohibited.
(7) Home occupation. One single, non-illuminated, wall-mounted outdoor sign of not more than two square feet in area.
(8) Vacation rental. Each lot containing a vacation rental use may display one single, non-illuminated, wall-mounted outdoor sign of not more than two square feet.
(9) Flags. Flags bearing noncommercial messages or graphic symbols.
(10) Government signs. Signs installed or required by a governmental agency, including signs advertising community activities and local nonprofit, civic, or fraternal organizations.
(11) Informational signs. Signs with information for the safety and convenience of the public such as address, hours and days of operation, whether a business is open or closed, and no smoking notices, up to three square feet per sign and ten square feet in total. Excludes internally illuminated window signs.
(12) Internal signs. Signs within a building, or on the premises of a building, that are not visible from the public right-of-way and are intended for interior viewing only.
(13) Window signs. Window signs consistent with Table 340-2 (Window Signs, Non-Illuminated) and Table 340-3 (Window Signs, Internally Illuminated). Signs may not move or appear to move, change intensity, color, or pattern at any time, and may not create a public nuisance or hazard due to glare or halo effect.
(14) Equipment signage. Signs manufactured as a standard, integral part of a mass-produced product accessory to a commercial or public or semipublic use, including but not limited to telephone booths, restrooms, vending machines, automated teller machines, gasoline pumps, drive-thru restaurant menu boards, and other signs of an instructive nature.
(15) No trespassing signs. "No trespassing" signs, each not more than one square foot in size, placed at each corner and each entrance to a property, and at intervals of not less than 100 feet, or in compliance with the requirements of state or federal law.
(16) Non-commercial bulletin boards. One bulletin board on a parcel occupied by a non-commercial place of public assembly, with a maximum area of 12 square feet.
(17) Real estate listings. Real estate listings posted in the window of a real estate office, with a maximum area of 25% of the total window area.
(18) Restaurant menu signs. Restaurant menu signs attached to a building.
(19) Fuel price signs. Fuel price signs as required by state law. (See Cal. Business and Professions Code § 13530). Fuel price signs may include digital displays; however, the digital display may change no more than once a day. Digital displays must comply with brightness limitations in Table 340-9 (Digital Signs).
(B) Routine maintenance. The painting, cleaning, repair and normal maintenance of a legally-established sign in conformance with § 155.340.080(E) (Maintenance) is allowed by-right, without a zoning clearance or other form of Department approval.
(C) Murals and decorations. Murals, decorations and design elements on the exterior of a building that do not advertise a product, business or service are not considered signs and are not subject to the requirements of this section. Advertisement includes text displaying the name of a business, text displaying the name of a product, text publicizing a service, business-specific logos and product-specific logos. Murals do not require a permit.
(Ord. 885-C.S., passed 5-21-19; Am. Ord. 902 C.-S., passed 8-18-20; Am. Ord. 951-C.S., passed 10-17-23)