(a) Sign Area or Dimension.
(1) For a wall sign that is framed, outlined, painted, or otherwise prepared and intended to provide a background for a sign display, the area of the sign shall be the area that encompasses the entire background or frame.
(2) For a sign comprised of individual letters, figures or elements on a wall or similar surface of a building or structure, the area of the sign shall be the area that encompasses the perimeter of all the elements in the display.
(3) The area of the sign shall be measured by using not more than three (3) geometric shapes, which form, or approximate the perimeter of all elements in the display.
(4) For ground signs:
A. The area shall be computed by the measurement of one (1) of the faces when two (2) identical display faces are connected back-to-back or, alternatively, may be in a V-shape not to exceed an angle of thirty (30) degrees at the apex. (The apex of such sign shall at no time be directed so as to point upward.)
B. No more than two display faces shall be permitted for a ground sign.
C. Bracing, framing and supports for a ground sign shall not be included in the computation of sign area, provided, however, that all of the bracing, framing and supports do not exceed twelve (12) square feet per side.
(b) Sign Height. The height of a ground sign shall be measured from the established grade line to the maximum height of the sign including display area, bracing, framing, supports and decorative features. As used in this section, “established grade line” means the finished grade for the area between the principal building and the right-of-way line. Grade level at the site of a sign shall not be increased artificially by the use of mounding.
(c) Building Frontages.
(1) Building Unit. The building unit is equivalent to the tenant space. The frontage of the tenant space on the first floor shall be the basis for determining the permissible area for wall signs and ground signs.
(2) Primary and Secondary Frontages. The frontage of any building unit shall include the elevation(s) facing a public street, facing a parking area for the building or tenants, or containing the public entrance(s) to the building or building units.
A. The primary frontage shall be considered the portion of frontage containing the primary public entrance to the building or building units.
B. The secondary frontage shall include those frontages containing secondary public entrances to the building or building units, and all building walls facing a public street or primary parking area that are not designated as the primary building frontage by subsection “A” above.
(d) Length of Building Frontage. The length of any primary or secondary building frontage, shall be the sum of all wall lengths parallel, or nearly parallel, to such frontage, excluding any such wall length determined by the Zoning Administrator as clearly unrelated to the frontage criteria.
(e) Building Unit for Multi-Occupant Buildings. For multi-occupant buildings, the portion of a building that is owned or leased by a single tenant shall be considered a building unit. The building frontage for a building unit shall be measured from the centerline of the party walls defining the building unit.
(f) Determining Window Area. The window area of a building shall be the total glass area of windows on the building frontage.
(Ord. 2010-059. Passed 3-7-11; Ord. 2020-037. Passed 7-13-20.)