(A) For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ACCESS-CONTROLLED HIGHWAY. Any roadway, which has only limited access points, which are determined by the Transportation Cabinet.
ADDRESS. The numeric reference of a use or building to a street name.
AREA OF SIGN. The total area of the sign face, which is used to display a message, not including its supporting poles or structures. Computation of AREA OF SIGN is addressed in § 155.363 of this chapter.
AWNING. A shelter projecting from and supported by the exterior wall of a building.
BUILDING. A structure, which has a roof by columns, walls or air for the shelter, support or enclosure of persons, animals or personal possessions.
CANOPY BUILDING. A rigid multi-sided structure, which has a roof covering of fabric, metal or other material and supported by a building at one or more points and by columns or posts at the other points, may be illuminated by means of internal and/or external sources.
CANOPY, FREE-STANDING. A rigid multi-sided structure, which has a roof covering of fabric, metal or other material supported by columns or posts, may be illuminated by means of internal or external sources.
DEVELOPMENT IDENTIFICATION. A sign, which indicates the name of the development or shopping center, which is located within the planned mixed, planned residential or planned commercial zone districts.
ELEVATION. A geometric projection of a building on a vertical plane.
GRADE. The average level of the finished surface of the ground adjacent to a sign or to the exterior wall of the building to which a sign is affixed.
HEIGHT. As applied to a sign, shall be measured as the vertical distance between the highest part of the sign or its supporting structure, whichever is higher, and a level plane going through the centerline of the nearest improved public right-of-way, other than an alley. In the event a sign is equidistant from more than one improved public right-of-way, none of which are alleys, the highest point shall be used.
INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS UNIT. A business, which is located in a structurally independent building, which has its own entrance and exit.
INTERSECTION. The junction of the centerlines of any two public rights-of-way, other than alleyways, crossing at grade or where the crossing is separated at grade, the intersection shall be the point at which expressway travel pavements converge or diverge or the point at which any expressway interchange ramp intersects the expressway travel pavement.
MANSARD-STYLE ROOF. A mansard-style roof is a decorative structure, which is attached to the fascia of the building, but is not structurally integrated into the building. See the attached diagram.
MEASUREMENTS ALONG THE WAY. The measurement taken along the centerlines of a public right-of-way or sequence of intersecting centerlines, but in no event an alley. If the measurement is from a zoning boundary, then it shall be taken from any point where the zoning district boundary line touches the centerline to the first point on the public right-of-way centerline which is perpendicularly opposite any point on the sign. The line from the sign shall be perpendicular to the public right-of-way and shall always be taken to the public right-of-way nearest the sign.
OCCUPANCY. The purpose for which a building is used or for which it is intended to be used. The term shall also include the building or room housing such use. Change of OCCUPANCY is not intended to include change of tenants or proprietors.
PREMISES. Any lot or unplatted tract or any combination of contiguous lots or unplatted tracts held under single ownership.
READER BOARD. A sign, or portion thereof, with characters, letters or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or the surface of the sign. READER BOARDS that are not part of a fascia, monument or pole sign shall be considered “special purpose signs”.
SETBACK. The required distance between any point on private land and the nearest point at the edge of the nearest public right-of-way, other than an alley. Where a public way crosses a railroad right-of-way, the SETBACK DISTANCE is to be measured from the public right-of-way line extended across the railroad right-of-way.
SIGN. Any object, device, display or structure, or part thereof, situated outdoors, which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event or location, by any means, including words, letters, figures, designs, symbols, fixtures or images, but excluding striping not integral to the sign.
SIGN, ATTACHED. Any sign attached to, applied on or supported by, any part of a building such as a wall, roof, window, canopy, awning, arcade or marquee which encloses or covers usable space.
SIGN, AWNING. A sign painted on, printed on or attached flat against the surface of an awning.
SIGN, BENCH. A sign painted on or affixed to any portion of a bench or seating area at bus stops or other such pedestrian areas.
SIGN, BILLBOARD. Any off-site sign, available for rent, on a permanent structure on which the copy is periodically changed and which is not located on the premises to which such advertising copy pertains.
SIGN, BUILDING-MOUNTED. A sign, which is connected to a building. This includes, but is not limited to, a wall, building canopy, projecting or awning sign. See also SIGN, ATTACHED.
SIGN, CHANGEABLE COPY/READER BOARD. A sign or portion thereof with characters, letters or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or the surface of the sign. A sign on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of time or temperature shall be considered a “time and temperature” portion of a sign and not a CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN for purposes of this subchapter.
SIGN, DETACHED. Any sign connected to the ground, which is not an attached sign, inclusive of signs on movable objects, except signs on vehicles, which are moving or are parked only temporarily and are incidental to their principal use for transportation.
SIGN, DIRECTIONAL. A non-premises sign whose content is limited exclusively to the identification of a specific premises or occupancy location, and which tells the location of or route to that premises or occupancy.
SIGN, DIRECTORY. A sign, which lists the names of the occupants of a multiple occupancy building.
SIGN, ELECTION. Any type of non-premises sign, which refers only to the issues or candidates, involved in a political election.
SIGN, FASCIA. Any sign attached to, applied on, or supported by, any part of a building such as a wall, roof, window, canopy, awning, arcade or marquee, which enclosed or covers usable space. No FASCIA SIGN shall be allowed to project further than 12 inches from the face of the building to which it is attached.
SIGN, ILLEGAL. A sign which was not in compliance with this, or the applicable ordinance, when it was erected, installed, altered or displayed.
SIGN, ILLUMINATED. Any sign, which is directly lighted by any electrical light source, internal or external. This definition does not include signs, which are illuminated by street lights, or other light sources owned by any public agency or light sources, which are specifically operated for the purpose of lighting the area in which the sign is, located rather than the sign itself.
SIGN, INCIDENTAL. A sign, generally informational, that has a purpose secondary to the use of the lot on which it is located, such as “No Parking”, “Entrance”, “Loading Only”, “Telephone” and other similar directives. No sign with a commercial message legible from a position off the lot on which the sign is located shall be considered incidental. The total area of any single INCIDENTAL SIGN shall not exceed one square feet.
SIGN, NON-CONFORMING. A sign that was erected, installed or displayed in compliance with previous sign regulations, but which is not in compliance with this subchapter, and which has not been reconstructed, altered or otherwise modified since the adoption of this subchapter, except to bring the sign into compliance with the provisions of this subchapter.
SIGN, OFF-PREMISES. A sign, which directs attention to a business not located on the same lot where the sign is displayed.
SIGN, ON-PREMISES. A sign, which directs attention to a business, or product or service, offered on the same lot where the sign is displayed.
SIGN, POLE. A sign that is set firmly in or upon the ground surface and is not attached to any building, canopy or other structure. See also GROUND-MOUNTED SIGN or POLE-MOUNTED SIGN.
SIGN, PORTABLE. A sign not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels, signs converted to “A” or “T” frames; menu and sandwich board signs; balloons used as signs; table umbrellas used for advertising; and signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public right-of-way.
SIGN, PROJECTING. Any sign, which is erected on a building wall or structure and extends beyond the building wall more than 12 inches.
SIGN, ROOF. A sign erected and constructed either wholly, or in part, upon, against, or above the roof of a building. For purposes of this subchapter, any portion of a building above or behind the fascia or parapet of a building shall be considered part of the roof.
SIGN, SPECIAL PURPOSE. A sign temporarily supplementing the permanent signs on a premise. Included in this classification are banners, streamers, flags, pennants and the like. The total square footage of these signs shall be counted in the maximum square footage allowed in Table 1.
SIGN, TEMPORARY. A sign, including paper, cardboard and fabric signs, which is used for a limited period of time and is not permanently mounted.
SIGN, TIME OR TEMPERATURE. A sign or portion thereof on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of time or temperature.
SIGN, WINDOW. A sign that is placed inside a window, or applied or attached to window panes or glass, and which is visible from the exterior of the window and is not permanently painted or otherwise permanently affixed to the window. Signs that are permanently painted or otherwise permanently affixed to the window shall be considered wall-mounted signs.
SIGN PACKAGE PLAN. A coordinated plan for developing signs for an individual building or a group of buildings.
SIGN SUPPORT. Any pole, post, strut, cable or other structural fixture or framework necessary to hold and secure a sign, providing that such fixture or framework is not imprinted with any picture, symbol or work using characters in excess of one inch in height, now is internally or decoratively illuminated.
STREET FRONTAGE. The distance along which a lot line adjoins a public street right-of-way from one lot line intersecting the street to the furthest distant lot line intersecting the same street. For purposes of this subchapter, a development project containing more than one lot along a street shall be considered to have only one STREET FRONTAGE on that street. Corner lots have at least two STREET FRONTS.
STRUCTURE. See BUILDING.
(B) For the purpose of this chapter, one word shall be deemed to be any of the following:
(1) Any word in any language found in any standard unabridged dictionary or dictionary of slang;
(2) Any proper noun or any initial;
(3) Any separate symbol or abbreviation, such as “%” and “Inc.”;
(4) Any telephone number, street number of commonly used combination of numerals and/or symbols such as “$5.00” or “50%”;
(5) Any symbol or logo that is a trademark, but which, in and of itself, contains no word or character; and
(6) Otherwise, each separate character is considered to be a word.
(Ord. 8, passed 10-23-1987, § 11.04)