For the purposes of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED SIGN. A sign accessory to or associated with a use that has been discontinued or terminated for more than 30 days.
BILLBOARD OR NON-ACCESSORY SIGN. A sign that does not pertain to the primary use of the premises, or that advertises one or more businesses, products, services, facilities or events not sold, distributed or furnished on the premises on which the sign is located.
BUILDING FRONTAGE. Where sign area is based on the lineal feet of building frontage, the measurement shall be taken from the façade of the building facing the main roadway and shall be measured from exterior side-wall to exterior side wall of the building or in the case of a tenant space from interior side wall to interior side wall.
BUILDING-MOUNTED SIGN. Display sign that is painted on, adjacent to or attached to a building wall, door, and window or related architectural feature. Such signs would include, but are not limited to the following:
(1) BUILDING DIRECTORY. A wall sign where individual occupants of a building may display information directing visitors to their portion of the building.
(2) CANOPY SIGN. A sign that is painted on or attached to an awning or canopy.
(3) NAMEPLATE. A wall sign denoting the name of the occupant in a residential dwelling unit or denoting only the name and profession of the occupants in a commercial, public or other institutional building.
(4) PROJECTING SIGN or MARQUEE SIGN. A display sign attached to or hung from a structure projecting from and supported by the building and extending beyond the building wall, building line or street right-of-way line.
(5) WALL SIGN. A display sign that is painted on or attached to a building wall, door, window or related architectural feature and projecting not more than 18 inches from the wall.
(6) WINDOW SIGN. A sign affixed to a window or so as to be observable from the opposite side of the window to which such sign is located or affixed.
CLEARANCE. The vertical distance between the surface grade beneath the sign and the lowest point of the sign, including framework and embellishments.
DAMAGED SIGN. A sign or supporting structure that is torn, defaced, dented, smashed, broken, vandalized or destroyed.
DECORATIVE DISPLAY. A decorative, temporary display designed for the entertainment or cultural enrichment of the public and having no direct or indirect sales or advertising content.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN. A sign that uses arrows or words like “enter” and “exit” to regulate on-site traffic and parking.
ENTRANCE SIGN/ENTRY FEATURE WITH SIGNAGE. A sign located at the entrance to the development from a thoroughfare or collector road and bearing the name, management organization or contact information for a residential subdivision, apartment community, condominium development, mobile home park, or office, business or industrial park.
FRONT FACE AREA. The area of the front wall, including doors and windows, of the principal building facing a public street where the address or primary public entrance is located. Buildings on corner parcels may have up to two front faces if each face satisfies the above criteria. If the building is devoted to two or more uses or businesses, the FRONT FACE AREA for each use or business shall be determined by the Zoning Administrator based upon the proportionate share of the building occupied by each use or business.
GARAGE SALE SIGN. A temporary sign for the sale of used tangible personal property and household personal belongings of the householder, conducted on an individual lot.
GROUND SIGN/MONUMENT SIGN. A freestanding sign extending up from a base or supported by one or more columns, uprights or braces in the ground surface.
ILLEGAL SIGN. A sign for which no valid permit was issued by the city at the time such sign was erected, or a sign that is not in compliance with the current zoning chapter and does not meet the definition of a nonconforming sign.
NONCOMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL. Any material that will not ignite at or below a temperature of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit and will not continue to burn or glow at that temperature.
NONCONFORMING SIGN. A sign for which the city issued a permit at the time such sign was erected, but which is not in compliance with current ordinance provisions for signs. Such signs must be located outside of any existing right-of-way, away from any public or private easement and wholly upon the parcel to which it is associated. Such signs must have all necessary structural and decorative parts, including, but not limited to supports, sign box or enclosure and electrical equipment. The sign face or sign copy area must be intact and illuminated signs must be capable of immediate illumination.
OPINION SIGN. A sign that addresses issues or otherwise expresses an opinion or point of view, but does not advertise any products, goods, services, or businesses.
PARCEL. For the purpose of this subchapter, a parcel shall consist of the main building or structure; included in a main building shall be a group of stores owned by one or more owners or individual tenant spaces connected by common walls. The main building or structure may occupy more than one city lot.
POLE SIGN. A type of freestanding sign that is elevated above the ground on poles or braces.
PORTABLE SIGN. A sign and sign structure that is not attached to a building and is capable of being moved within the zoning lot on which it is located or from one zoning lot to another (i.e. including but not limited to an A-frame, T-frame, or trailer sign).
ROOF SIGN. A display sign that is erected, constructed and maintained on or above the roof of the building, or that extends above the roofline.
SIGN. Any surface, fabric, device, display or visual medium, including the component parts, which bears writing, representations, emblems, logos, pictorial forms, sculptured matter or any figures of similar character, together with any frame, tower, or other materials, color or internally-illuminated area forming an integral part of the display to convey information or attract attention.
SIGN AREA. The gross surface area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of all sign copy or surface of any internally-illuminated sign, awning or canopy.
SIGN COPY. Writing, representations, emblems, logos, pictorial forms, sculptured matter or any figures of similar character, together with any frame, tower, or other materials, color or internally-illuminated area forming an integral part of a display to convey information or attract attention.
(1) ANIMATED COPY. Sign copy that flashes, moves, revolves, cycles or is otherwise altered or changed by mechanical or electrical means.
(2) CHANGEABLE COPY. Moveable letters or other forms of sign copy, not including animated copy that can be altered by natural, mechanical or electrical means without replacing the sign copy area.
SIGN HEIGHT. The vertical distance measured from the average grade at the sign location to the highest point of the sign.
TEMPORARY/EVENT SIGN. Display signs, banners, balloons, festoons or other advertising devices constructed of cloth, canvas, fabric, plastic or other light temporary material, with or without a structural frame, or any other sign intended for a limited period of display, but not including decorative displays for holidays or public demonstration.
(1) CONSTRUCTION SIGN. A temporary sign identifying architects, contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers for a development, or advertising available parcels or buildings in a new development.
(2) FESTOONS. A string of ribbons, tinsel, small flags or pinwheels.
(3) POLITICAL SIGN. A temporary sign that announces the candidacy of persons running for public office, addresses issues to be voted upon at an election, or otherwise expresses an opinion or point of view, but does not advertise any products, goods, services or businesses.
(4) REAL ESTATE SIGN. Signs advertising the rental, sale or lease of the property upon which they are located.
UNSAFE SIGN. A sign that is not properly secured; is in danger of falling or has otherwise been found to be in a condition that is hazardous to the public health, safety or welfare by the Building Inspector.
(Ord. 10-013, passed 1-11-10; Am. Ord. 17-001, passed 7-10-17; Am. Ord. 19-003, passed 2-25-19)