No permit shall be required for exempted signs. Such exceptions, however, shall not be construed to relieve the owner of the sign from responsibility for its erection and maintenance in a safe manner. Exempted signs include the following:
(A) Indoor signs.
(1) Indoor signs not visible from the exterior.
(2) Any signs visible from the exterior through a glazed window, panel or door comprising of less than 25% of the area of that single piece of glass as viewed from the exterior.
(3) Any signs visible from the exterior through a glazed window, panel or door comprising of more or less than 25% of the area of that single piece of glass as viewed from the exterior and located more than six feet from that glass.
(B) Store signs. Non-illuminated signs not exceeding one square foot in area, erected over a show window or over or beside the door of a store or business establishment which announce only and without elaboration the name of the proprietor and the nature of the business conducted therein.
(C) Sale or rent signs. Signs erected to announce the sale or rent of commercial property, provided such signs are not over four feet in height and 32 feet in area and when supported by upright(s), pole(s), or column(s) have a height above the ground of less than six feet. Signs erected to announce the sale of residential property, provided such signs are not over three feet in height and 12 feet in area and when supported by upright(s), pole(s), or column(s) have a height above the ground in excess of five feet. Such signs must be removed within two weeks following the “close” of the transaction to which the same applied. “Sold” signs may be affixed to an earlier erected “Sale” sign after the close of the sale, but shall also be removed within two weeks from the closing date. No such sign may be affixed or anchored in any manner to any pole, post or other fixture owned or maintained by any governmental agency or public utility company.
(D) Transit directions. The erection and maintenance of a sign designating the location of a transit line, railroad station, or other public carrier when not more than three square feet in area.
(E) Government body signs. Signs erected by the city, the county, the state, or public utility, for the health, safety, welfare, or convenience of the public.
(F) Construction signs.
(1) One or more signs identifying persons or business firms (including architects and engineers) engaged in the construction of a building on site, are allowed, provided that each sign shall not exceed 12 square feet in area or five feet above ground in height. There shall be no more than one such sign per person or firm.
(2) In the alternative, one sign identifying all persons or business firms engaged in construction of a building on site is allowed, provided the sign shall not exceed 30 square feet in area or eight feet above ground in height.
(3) Such signs may be erected only when construction of the project begins. Such signs shall be removed within ten days of the completion of the project to which such signs refer. For the purpose of this section, COMPLETION means a sufficient degree of completion which would enable the occupier or user of the completed project to commence occupancy or use of same.
(G) Special displays. Special decorative displays, used for holidays, public demonstrations, or promotion of civic welfare or charitable purposes, when authorized by the City Commission on which there is no commercial advertising, provided the city is held harmless for any damage resulting therefrom.
(H) Political signs.
(1) Political campaign signs are not to exceed 32 square feet in area and are to be removed by person or organization placing such sign within one week following the election to which they apply.
(2) No such sign, when supported by an upright(s), pole(s) or column(s) may have a height above the ground in excess of six feet.
(I) Signs upon a vehicle. Provided that any such vehicle with a sign face of over two square feet is not conspicuously parked so as to constitute a sign; nothing herein prevents such a vehicle from being used for bona fide delivery and other vehicular purposes.
(J) Numerals. Displayed on and denoting the address of a building or property which are not part of an otherwise existing attached or freestanding sign.
(Ord. 91-5, passed 12-27-91)