For the purposes of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED SIGN.
(1) Any sign which pertains to a time, event or purpose which no longer pertains;
(2) Any sign which was erected for or by the owner, occupant or business on a property and is now unrelated to the present use of this property;
(3) Any sign, except a real estate sign, which is located on property which becomes vacant and unoccupied for a period of 3 months or more.
ADVERTISING MATTER. The placement on, anchoring of or suspension from any building, pole sign, sidewalk, parkway, driveway, lawn, area or parking area of any goods, wares, merchandise or other advertising object which is, but not limited to, light, inflatable objects, pennants, or flags for the purpose of calling attention to it.
AWNING. An architectural projection, which provides weather protection, identity or decoration, and is supported by the building to which it is attached. It is composed of a lightweight rigid or retractable skeleton structure over which another cover is attached which may be of fabric or other materials may be illuminated. Sign text and logos on awnings are included in the wall signage area, but only the area of the sign (not the entire awning area).
BALLOON. A non-porous, flexible inflated device using inert gas or air as advertising matter.
BANNER SIGN. A temporary sign intended to be hung either with or without a frame, possessing characters, letters, illustrations, or ornamentation's applied to paper, plastic, or fabric of any kind.
BILLBOARD. A sign displaying advertising copy that pertains to a business, person, organization, activity, event, place, service or product not principally located or primarily manufactured or sold on the premises on which the sign is located. These signs are generally located off-premise.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND APPEALS. A Board composed of members appointed by the City Council to hear and rule upon variance requested to this subchapter. All appeals from this subchapter and from the building code relative to materials shall be reviewed and a recommendation made to the City Council. The Commission’s recommendation is advisory only. The City Council shall consider the appeal after receipt of the recommendation from the Board during a meeting of the City Council. The City Council’s decision shall be final.
BUILDER’S DIRECTIONAL SIGN. A sign providing direction or instruction to guide persons to sites where new homes are under construction, usually off-premise.
BUILDING OFFICIAL. The officer or other persons with the City of Ferris charged with the administration and enforcement of this subchapter.
BUSINESS SIGN. An on-site sign which directs attention to, and/or used to identify a business, profession, organization, institution, commodity, service, activity, entertainment, or other non-residential use conducted, sold, or offered on these premises, (site) where such sign is located, or within the building to which such sign is affixed.
CANOPY. A roof like structure that shelters a drive lane use such as, but not restricted to, a gasoline pump island. A CANOPY is open on 2 or more sides and may be supported by either columns or by being attached to the building to which it is accessory.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN. A sign that is utilized year round, but the copy is changed periodically, advertising different specials associated with retail sales.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN. A temporary sign identifying individuals or companies involved in the design, construction, wrecking, or improvements of the premises where work is under construction.
DECORATIVE FLAG. A flag or banner that contains no name, initials, logos, insignia or similar items, used to attract attention. Colored flags only.
DEVELOPMENT SIGN. A temporary on-site sign providing identification on information pertaining to residential or commercial development to include the builder, property owner, architect, contractor, engineer, or mortgage and project name.
DILAPIDATED OR DETERIORATED CONDITION. Where structural support or frame members are visibly bent, broken, dented, deteriorated or torn sign copy materials and or paint must be to such an extent that a danger of injury to persons or property is created, or where the sign or the structure is not in compliance with the building code adopted by the city.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN. Any sign, other than a highway marker or any sign erected and maintained by public authority, which is erected for the purpose of directing persons to a place, structure or activity not located on the same premises as the sign.
DIRECTORY SIGN. A sign listing the occupants of a building, or group of buildings on the same parcel, and/or identifying the location of and providing directions to any establishment on the same parcel.
ENCLOSED FRAME/CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN. (See CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN.)
ERECT. To build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend or affix, and shall also include the painting of the signs on the exterior surface of a building or structure.
FLAG. A piece of cloth or fabric usually rectangular in shape, of distinctive color and design, used as a symbol, a standard or signal to attract attention. Exemptions to this are patriotic flags, i.e. U.S., state, and city flags.
FLASHING SIGN. An illuminated sign on which the artificial source of light is not maintained stationary or constant in intensity and color at all times when such sign is illuminated. For the purpose of this subchapter, any moving illuminated sign affected by intermittent lighting shall be deemed (to be) a FLASHING SIGN.
FRAMEWORK. A support structure which meets all existing wind and load requirements as stated in this Title 15, designed to secure a banner or an inter-changeable copy on all sides.
FREESTANDING SIGN. A sign not attached to a building. A FREESTANDING SIGN may be either a pole (pylon) sign or a monument sign.
GASOLINE PRICING SIGN. An outdoor advertising display with changeable copy letters and numerals that display the current price of fuel or gasoline for sale.
HEIGHT MEASUREMENT. The height of any sign shall be measured vertically at 90 degrees from the ground at the base of the sign.
ILLEGAL SIGNS. The Building Official or his or her designated representatives shall be authorized to abate or impound any temporary or permanent sign which is in violation of these regulations. Inclusive of advertising matter that constitutes a violation of this subchapter.
ILLUMINATED SIGN. A sign which has characters, letters, figures, or designs illuminated by electric lights, luminous/neon tubes or other means that are specifically placed to draw attention to, or provide nighttime viewing of, the subject matter on the sign face.
ILLUMINATION, INTERNAL. Lighting by means of a light which is within a sign having translucent background, silhouetting opaque letters or designs, on which are letters or designs, which are themselves made of translucent material.
ILLUMINATION, EXTERNAL. Lighting by means of an unshielded light source, (including neon tubing, etc.) which is effectively visible as an external part of the sign.
INCIDENTAL SIGN. Small sign, less than 2 square feet in surface area, of a non-commercial nature, intended primarily for the convenience of the public. Included are signs designating restrooms, address numbers, hours of operation, entrances to buildings, directions, help wanted, public telephones and so forth. Also included in this group of signs are those designated to guide or direct pedestrians or vehicular traffic to an area or place on the premises of a business building by means of a directory designating names and addresses only.
LIGHTED SIGN. (See ILLUMINATED SIGN.)
LOGO. Any design or insignia of an organization, individual, company, or product which is commonly used in advertising to identify that organization, individual, company or product.
MAINTENANCE. All signs and support structures, together with all their supports, braces, guys, and anchors, shall be kept in good repair and in proper state of preservation. The display surfaces of all signs shall be kept neatly painted or posted at all times. No sign will be allowed to become frayed, discolored or torn.
MENU BOARD. A sign displaying the menu for a drive up window for a food establishment.
MESSAGE BOARD SIGN. A sign composed of a matrix of individual bulbs or lights which are capable of displaying lights in a running or continuous fashion so as to provide transient pictures or information.
MONUMENT SIGN. A permanent ground sign generally constructed out of brick, stone, or cast concrete foundation across the entire base of the structure not to exceed 7 feet in height, measured from the finished grade to the top of the sign.
MOVABLE SIGN. (See PORTABLE SIGN.)
NONCONFORMING SIGN. Any sign lawfully constructed which fails to conform to the provisions of this subchapter.
OFF-PREMISE SIGN. A sign which is issued or intended to be used to attract attention to activities, commodities, services or other endeavors not offered on the premise on which the sign is located.
ON-PREMISE SIGN. A sign which promotes or advertises activities, commodities, services, or endeavors which are offered on the premise on which such sign is located.
PENNANT. A wind device usually made of a lightweight plastic, fabric or other material whether or not containing a message of any kind, usually triangular in shape and attached to a single cord.
POLE SIGN. A freestanding sign supported by a pole or poles having no guys or braces to the ground or to any other structure.
POLITICAL SIGN. A temporary sign pertaining to any national, state, county or local election. A sign that supports an announced candidate, a political party, or an issue of political significance.
PORTABLE (OR MOVEABLE) SIGN. Those signs that are not firmly attached to the ground, a building, or other structure, and those that can be easily moved or carried about and reused numerous times at different locations.
PRIMARY SIGNAGE WALL. The wall determined to be the primary signage wall, subject to its incorporating either the major entrance or the common street address.
PROJECTING SIGN. A sign that projects from a building or wall, to which it is affixed, by more than 12 inches.
READER-BOARD SIGN. A changeable copy sign with strips attached to the face of the sign to hold removable displays letters and numerals for the purpose of identifying products sold or services provided by the related business tenant on the same premise.
REAL ESTATE SIGN. A temporary sign pertaining to the sale, lease or rental of real property.
ROOF SIGN. A sign erected upon or above a roof or parapet of a building or structure.
SECONDARY SIGNAGE WALL. The wall of a building which is determined to be of secondary importance to the single business or establishment occupying the premises, and only facing onto a street, right-of-way or parking lot.
SETBACK. The distance from the property line or right-of-way line of all streets adjacent to the premises on which the sign is located.
SIGN. Every sign, name, number, identificatio n, description, announceme nt, declaration, demonstrati on, device, display, flag, banner, pennant, illustration, logo, balloon, streamer, valance, advertising display, poster, beacon, light or insignia, affixed directly or indirectly to or upon any building, window, door or outdoor structure, calling attention to any object, product, service, place, or activity.
SIGN AREA. Calculation means the area of the sign to be computed by drawing a line or lines around the sign in such a way as to form a rectangle oriented horizontally. The sum square footage of these figures shall be considered as the total area of the sign face. A sign face may be single-sided or double-sided, as with a typical pole sign; however, to calculate the area of a multi-sided sign, the sum of all sides of the sign shall not exceed twice the area specified for sign face.
SIGN BOX. The rectangle used to calculate the sign area.
TEMPORARY SIGN. Any sign constructed of cloth, canvas, plastic, light fabric, wallboard or other material with or without frames intended to be displayed for a limited period of time only.
VEHICULAR SIGN. Any sign attached to a trailer, skid, or similar mobile structure, where the primary use of such structure is to provide a base for such sign or constitute the sign itself.
VERTICAL BANNER. Any sign of a lightweight fabric or similar material that is mounted to a pole in a vertical fashion secured at top and bottom of banner.
WALL AREA. The area of the wall from the finished floor elevation (or top of foundation) to the top of the parapet wall or to the bottom of the eave, whichever is highest. This WALL AREA is as shown on the architectural elevation of the wall including glass area and recessed wall areas.
WALL AREA, MULTI-STORY BUILDING. The sign wall area calculation for multi-story buildings shall be based upon the height of the first story (including any mezzanine level).
WALL SIGN. A sign which is attached or affixed to the wall of a building or is an integral part of the wall of a building with the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to and not extending more than 12 inches from the wall. A WALL SIGN shall not extend above the wall/parapet to which the sign is attached. For the purpose of this section, awnings, canopy fascias, mansards extending along a building side shall be considered a part of the wall. The roof (including mansard and fake mansard roofs) and roof area are not included in the wall area.
WINDOW SIGN. A sign attached to, placed upon or painted on the window or door of a building which is intended for public viewing from the exterior of such building.
(Ord. O-12-743, passed 12-3-2012)