The following signs are permitted and can be placed on property occupied by a theater.
(A) Exempted signs.
(B) Permitted permanent identification signs.
(1) Freestanding sign. Regulations of a freestanding sign are determined by the classification of the road on which the freestanding sign is located as defined in Exhibit A, as amended from time to time, as well as the square footage of the associated building. For the purpose of this chapter, a freestanding sign shall include all signs that are supported by either a masonry base or two six-by-six or four-by-four wood supports not exceeding a height of two feet.
(a) Number: One freestanding sign is permitted per public right-of-way frontage.
(b) Location: No freestanding sign shall project into, over or otherwise encroach upon a public right-of-way. All freestanding signs must maintain a setback of 25 feet from the property line. Each freestanding sign must be surrounded with a landscaped bed of living plant material in accordance with the landscape ordinance as amended from time to time. Only one freestanding sign may be located per public right-of-way frontage.
(c) Illumination: Freestanding signs may be internally illuminated or illuminated via spot lighting or similar external forms. Internally illuminated signs shall have an opaque background with
only letters and logo illuminated. All sign illumination must comply with § 151.003. Internally illuminated box signs are prohibited.
(d) Materials: All materials of any freestanding sign shall be compatible and harmonious with the materials of the building identified by the sign.
(e) Color: All colors of any freestanding sign shall be compatible and harmonious with the color of the building identified by the sign. Furthermore, text on a freestanding sign is limited to three colors.
(f) Items of information: The items of information for a freestanding sign shall include only the name, address, telephone number, and or business logo.
(g) Height: The maximum height of a freestanding sign for a theater is determined by the classification of the road on which the development is located. The height of the freestanding sign may be increased 10% to allow for ornamental features. The height of the sign for a theater is defined in the following table (Table A).
Table A — Maximum Height of Theater Signs
Road Classification | Sign Height |
Regional Arterial | 7 feet |
Community Arterial | 6 feet |
Major Collector | 5 feet |
Neighborhood Collector | 4 feet |
(h) Area: The maximum area for a freestanding sign of a theater is defined in Table B.
Table B - Maximum Area For Theater Signs
Total Building Size | Area of Sign Face |
0 to 9,999 | 15 square feet |
10,000 to 24,999 | 20 square feet |
25,000 to 49,999 | 30 square feet |
50,000 to 99,999 | 40 square feet |
100,000 to 174,999 | 50 square feet |
175,000 and up | 75 square feet |
(i) Text size: The minimum height of the text is determined by the classification of the road on which the sign is located. Text height will be measured using the lower case height (or shortest character height) of the font chosen. Table C defines the minimum text height for theater signs.
Table C - Minimum Text Height for Theater Signs
Road Classification | Minimum Text Height |
Regional Arterial | 12 inches |
Community Arterial | 10 inches |
Major Collector | 8 inches |
Neighborhood Collector | 7 inches |
(2) Wall signs. Regulations of a wall sign are determined by the linear frontage of the building on which the sign is erected.
(a) Location: No wall sign shall project into, over or otherwise encroach upon a public right-of-way. No wall signs shall cover, wholly or partially, any wall opening, nor project beyond the ends, top or bottom of the wall to which it is affixed. No sign shall project more than one foot from the wall on which it is displayed. Only one wall sign shall be permitted to be located per building frontage.
(b) Number: One wall sign is permitted per roadway frontage provided that the frontage is adjacent to a public right-of-way or adjacent to a main point of ingress or egress into a development. For the purpose of this chapter, a theater may erect a flag containing corporate identification or business logo, which cannot measure greater than three feet by five feet. Any flag containing corporate identification will be included in the total square footage of the allowable wall sign.
(c) Illumination: Wall signage shall consist of internally illuminated lit channel letters, reverse channel lit letters, spot lighting or similar external forms of illumination. Internally illuminated signs shall have an opaque background with only letters and logo illuminated. All wall sign illumination must comply with § 151.003.
(d) Color: No more than three colors shall be used for all wall signage pertaining to each business. If a wall sign is mounted on a raceway, the color of the raceway shall match the color of the exterior of the building.
(e) Items of information: The items of information for a wall sign shall be limited to the business name, logo, or a combination of name and logo.
(f) Height: The maximum height of a wall sign is seven feet.
(g) Area: The area for wall signage may not to exceed one square foot for every linear foot of the principal structure's frontage which includes both text and logos. The maximum area of a wall sign is 200 square feet, the minimum area is 20 square feet.
(3) Accessory signs to theaters. Permanent accessory signs to theaters are defined as theater posters that display current forthcoming movies or performances and show times.
(a) Location: Accessory signs to theaters shall be affixed flat to the wall along the front of the building.
(b) Number: One accessory sign is permitted for each stage or movie screen.
(c) Illumination: Accessory signs to theaters may be illuminated via spot lighting or similar external forms. All sign illumination must comply with § 151.003.
(d) Materials: An accessory sign to theaters must be enclosed in a locked and vandal proof case, which does not project more than three inches from the wall on which it is displayed.
(e) Items of information: Items of information for an accessory sign to theaters shall be limited to display posters for current or forthcoming movies or performances and show times. The show times may be changeable copy.
(f) Area: The maximum area of an accessory sign to theaters is 15 square feet.
(Ord. 2243, passed 11-21-05)