A. Scope: The provisions of this section shall apply to all signs in the Village, unless a sign is specifically exempted by subsection G of this section. Every sign shall comply with all other applicable ordinances of the Village. In case of a conflict between the provisions of this section and other applicable provisions, the more restrictive shall govern. Any sign not specifically provided for herein as a permitted sign or a prohibited sign shall be designated as a permitted sign or a prohibited sign by the Building and Zoning Administrator in terms of section 10-15-1 of this chapter. If said sign is designated as a permitted sign, then said sign shall be subject to all limitations and provisions stated herein for a permitted sign which is most similar to said sign.
It shall be unlawful to erect, permit the erection of, display, or permit the display of any sign in connection with any nonresidential use or in a nonresidential zoning district unless such sign is expressly permitted by this section, subject to all of the limitations and provisions stated herein.
B. Classification Of Signs: Signs shall be classified as on premises permanent signs, temporary or incidental signs, and special purpose signs.
1. On premises permanent signs are as defined in section 10-15-2 of this chapter.
2. Temporary or incidental signs are limited to the following: paper signs, public service messages signs, temporary promotional displays, window signs, temporary election signs and temporary real estate signs.
3. Special purpose signs are limited to directory signs, parking direction signs, parking regulation signs, directional signs, shopping center identification signs, marquee signs, on site construction signs.
C. General Requirements: All signs shall comply with the following general requirements:
1. Sign Faces: When a sign is allowed two (2) sign faces, the sign faces shall be parallel to one another and not more than fourteen inches (14") apart unless specifically authorized to deviate from this requirement by an applicable portion of this chapter.
2. Projections: No sign shall project beyond a property line or into a public right-of-way, except traffic control signs as authorized pursuant to the Traffic Code.
3. Life Safety Code Compliance: All signs shall comply with all applicable Life Safety Codes, including the structural and fire safety provisions of the Building Code and the electrical provisions of the Electrical Code of the Village.
4. Obstruction To Exitways: No sign shall be erected, displayed, or maintained so as to obstruct any fire escape, any required exitway, window or door opening used as a means of egress, or to obstruct any other means of egress required by the Building Code of the Village.
5. Obstruction Of Ventilation: No sign shall be erected, displayed, or maintained in a manner that interferes with any opening required for ventilation under the Building Code of the Village.
D. Maintenance And Safety:
1. All signs and related structures shall be maintained in good repair, free of rust, peeling, flaking, fading, broken or cracked surfaces, and broken or missing letters.
2. All signs and related structures shall be maintained in a safe, clean and attractive condition. Whenever the Building and Zoning Administrator determines that a sign has become structurally unsafe or endangers life or property or is not being maintained in good repair, a notice shall be sent to the owner or person in charge of the sign that the sign be made safe, repaired or removed. The owner or person in charge of the sign shall have ten (10) days from receipt of such notice in which to comply.
E. Nonconforming Signs:
1. No new or existing sign may be constructed, altered in structure or copy, relocated, or replaced after the effective date of this title, unless the sign conforms to all the provisions of this chapter and a sign permit has been issued by the Building and Zoning Administrator, unless the sign is specifically exempted from the provisions of this chapter. Nothing in this subsection shall relieve the owner or user of a nonconforming sign from the provisions of this chapter regarding safety, maintenance, and repair of signs specified in subsection D of this section.
2. Any existing sign that is destroyed, deteriorated or damaged to the extent of fifty percent (50%) or more of its replacement cost, exclusive of the foundation, after the effective date of this title, shall not be rebuilt, repaired or replaced unless in conformity with the provisions of this title.
F. Prohibited Signs: The following types of signs are specifically prohibited in the Village:
1. Signs visible from a public right-of-way that imitate, blend or conflict with, or that may be confused with traffic signals and signs. Such signs shall include, but not be limited to, signs that are imitations of "stop", "go", "caution", "danger", or "warning" signs.
2. Signs that are of a size, location, movement or illumination as may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device or which might obstruct from view any traffic or street sign or signal.
3. Signs that advertise an activity, business, product or service no longer conducted on the premises upon which the sign is located. Such signs shall be removed within thirty (30) days of written notification to the owner.
4. Signs on public land, except those erected at the direction of or with the permission of an appropriate public authority.
5. Pennant signs.
6. Moving signs.
7. Strips or strings of lights used to call attention to a use or occupancy by outlining property lines, sales area, rooflines, doors, windows, wall edges, or other architectural features of a building site. Exempted from this provision are: a) lighting in residentially zoned districts displayed from November 1 through January 15; and b) lights which are an integral architectural feature of the original design of a structure as approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. (The use of exposed neon is governed by subsection H of this section.)
8. Snipe signs.
9. Unkempt or unsightly signs.
10. Roof signs.
11. Signs which project more than fourteen inches (14") from the face of the building.
12. Any sign structure which no longer supports a sign. Exempted from this subsection is a sign structure which is temporarily void of a sign due to a permitted alteration or repair. A sign permit or an application for a sign permit for this alteration or repair must be on file with the Department of Public Works, and said alteration or repair must be completed within one month of the issuance of the approved sign permit.
13. Permanent or temporary window signs above the second floor, including lettering painted or applied to glass, and temporary promotional displays.
14. Portable signs, including sign walkers.
15. Billboards.
16. Light pole artwork signs.
17. Signs in the public right-of-way. (Ord. 2019-06, 1-22-2019)
18. Any vehicle displaying permitted vehicular signs and representing a business operating within the Village limits shall park said vehicle behind the building in a designated parking space if said parking is available. In the event that no parking is available behind the building, then in that event said vehicle shall be parked behind the front building line within a properly designated parking space. Where such parking is not available, said vehicle shall be parked as far from the right-of-way and in the least visible area as possible. (Ord. 2019-21, 5-28-2019)
G. Exempted Signs: With the exception of subsections C, D and F of this section, the provisions and regulations of this chapter shall not apply to the following signs:
1. Governmental and official signs including, but not limited to, the following:
a. Public notices and official notices posted or authorized by government officials in the performance of their duties.
b. Signs for the control or direction of traffic and other appropriate public purposes.
2. "No parking" and "no trespassing" signs that are no larger than one square foot in gross sign area.
3. Identification signs not exceeding two (2) square feet in sign area, including, but not limited to, the following:
a. Nameplates attached to a structure and not exceeding two (2) square feet in area, used to identify a professional service or home occupation permitted in the Single-Family Residential Zoning District in which the sign is located.
b. Residential address number located on a sign not larger than one square foot in gross sign area.
c. Commercial address numerals, which are required to be prominently displayed on each building, not to exceed two (2) square feet in area. Larger address numerals may be permitted elsewhere in this chapter, and would be subject to the provisions and regulations of the particular section.
4. On site construction signs: Only one such sign per entire development denoting the owner, architect, engineer, consultant, developer, lender and/or contractor, not to exceed twelve (12) square feet in gross sign area, and not to exceed ten feet (10') in height from top of sign to top of grade or two feet (2') in height from bottom of sign to top of grade, shall be permitted. Such a sign shall not be erected in a public right-of-way and shall be removed ten (10) days after the receipt of an occupancy permit for a building or development.
H. Illuminated Signs: The following requirements shall apply to illuminated signs:
1. The light from any illuminated sign shall be so shaded, shielded and/or directed in such a manner that the light intensity or brightness will not be a substantial nuisance to the residents or occupants of surrounding areas.
2. No sign shall have blinking, flashing, or fluttering lights or other illuminating device of variable light intensity, brightness, or color; except such signs are permitted, provided that the gross sign area of such signs is not greater than twelve (12) square feet per face (maximum of 2 faces), the vertical dimension of any letter or number is not greater than twenty four inches (24"), and the color or intensity of light is constant except for periodic changes in the information display, which occur not more frequently than once every fifteen (15) seconds. Beacon lights are not permitted.
3. No colored lights shall be used at any location or in any manner so as to be confused with or construed as traffic control devices.
4. Neither direct nor reflected light from primary light sources shall create a hazard to operators of motor vehicles on public thoroughfares.
I. On Premises Permanent Signs:
1. Individual Business Or Use Within Shopping Center: Each individual business or use within a shopping center and located at ground floor level with its own entrance at street level or a second story retail business, either of which has "street frontage", as defined in section 10-15-2 of this chapter, may have one or more wall signs, window signs, or signs affixed or painted on canopies or awnings with a total gross sign area per street frontage not to exceed one square foot per linear foot of street frontage upon which the sign is to be located, up to a maximum of fifty (50) square feet in area; except, that the total gross sign area per street frontage may increase by twelve and one-half (12.5) square feet for each fifty feet (50') an individual business or use is set back from the edge of street pavement up to a maximum of one hundred twenty five (125) square feet in area, provided said individual business or use has the required street frontage to accommodate such an increase. A rear entrance to an individual or freestanding business used for delivery purposes may be identified by a sign not to exceed two (2) square feet in gross sign area. Such a sign shall be affixed directly to the rear entrance door. In locations where individual businesses or uses are grouped together in a shopping center, the on premises permanent signs shall maintain uniformity in location, height and general design, and shall be compatible in color.
2. Freestanding Business Or Use: Each freestanding business or use may have one or more wall signs, window signs, or signs affixed or painted on canopies or awnings with a total gross sign area per street frontage not to exceed one square foot per linear foot of street frontage upon which the sign is to be located, up to a maximum of one hundred (100) square feet; except that the total gross sign area per street frontage may increase by twelve and one-half (12.5) square feet for each fifty feet (50') a freestanding business or use is set back from the edge of street pavement up to a maximum of one hundred twenty five (125) square feet in area, provided said freestanding business or use has the required street frontage to accommodate such an increase. A rear entrance to an individual or freestanding business used for delivery purposes may be identified by a sign not to exceed two (2) square feet in gross sign area. Such a sign shall be affixed directly to the rear entrance door.
3. Office Building Signs:
a. Individual Business Or Use Within An Office Building: Each individual business or use within an office building and located at ground floor level with its own entrance at street level or a second story business, either of which has "street frontage", as defined in section 10-15-2 of this chapter, may have one or more wall signs, window signs, or signs affixed or painted on canopies or awnings with a total gross sign area per street frontage not to exceed one square foot per linear foot of street frontage upon which the sign is to be located, up to a maximum of fifty (50) square feet in area; except, that the total gross sign area per street frontage may increase by twelve and one-half (12.5) square feet for each fifty feet (50') an individual business or use is set back from the edge of street pavement up to a maximum of one hundred twenty five (125) square feet in area, provided said individual business or use has the required street frontage to accommodate such an increase. A rear entrance to an individual or freestanding business used for delivery purposes may be identified by a sign not to exceed two (2) square feet in gross sign area. Such a sign shall be affixed directly to the rear entrance door. In locations where individual businesses or uses are grouped together in an office building, the on premises permanent signs shall maintain uniformity in location, height and general design, and shall be compatible in color.
b. Freestanding Single- Or Multi-Tenant Office Building: Each freestanding single- or multi-tenant office building shall have one set of address numerals per building frontage. These numerals must be affixed flat against the facade of the building, and no part of the numerals shall project above the roof or parapet line of the building. The square footage shall be determined by measuring the rectangle formed by outlining the numerals. Each numeral shall not exceed two (2) square feet.
J. Sign Setbacks: All signs shall be set back from property lines according to the regulations specified in this chapter or as otherwise required by any other applicable Village ordinance. Temporary signs shall be located on private property and shall be located outside of the right-of-way of any Village, State or County road. (Ord. 2019-06, 1-22-2019)