Signs shall be designed so as to be similar in character, with regard to materials, color and size, to conforming signs designed or located on the same building and on adjoining buildings in order to equalize the attention they are meant to attract, and to produce an overall unified effect, all in accordance with the other requirements of this Chapter.
(a) Electronic Message Center. Electronic Message Center signs are permitted only within the Business and Industrial Districts. The following provisions apply to electronically controlled changeable copy signs, signs referred to as electronic message center signs in this Chapter.
(1) A default message shall be programmed to automatically freeze in one static position, or shall be turned off, once a malfunction occurs.
(2) Electronic message centers shall not exceed a maximum illumination of 5000 nits (candelas per square meter) during daylight hours and a maximum illumination of 500 nits (candelas per square meter) between dusk to dawn as measured from a sign face at maximum brightness. The applicant shall provide a certificate of maximum illumination before a sign permit application is officially approved.
(3) The use of streaming video or full-motion video on any electronic message center sign is prohibited.
(4) The electronic display color, lettering, logos, pictures, illustrations, symbols, and any other electronic graphic shall not change at intervals less than five seconds.
(5) Except for permitted transition from one static frame to another static frame, electronic message center signs shall not change color, blink, flash, rotate, scroll, change in illumination intensity, or otherwise change in outward appearance; contain visual effects such as fading dissolves; or use any frame entrance, exit or hold effects or background animation.
(6) Electronic message center signs located within 150 feet of any residential zoning district shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area, or thirty percent (30%) of the total sign area, whichever is less.
(b) Directory Signs.
(1) One directory sign may be located at each entrance provided that the directory sign is not legible from a road right-of-way.
(2) One additional directory sign may be located near each principal entrance to a parking lot or at principal intersection within a development for every ten additional businesses, tenants or structures.
(3) Directory sign letters shall not be more than four (4) inches in height.
(4) Such sign may not exceed twelve (12) square feet in area and six (6) feet in height.
(c) Entranceway Sign.
(1) One entranceway sign is permitted located at each primary entrance leading into a residential, office or industrial subdivision and multi-family development.
(2) A landscaping area equal to the sign area shall be provided around the sign base. The landscape area shall include living plants aesthetically located and maintained.
(3) Any illumination of entranceway signs shall be from an external illumination source. Internally illuminated signs are not permitted.
(4) Entranceway signs shall match or surpass the construction materials and architectural style of the housing units or buildings located within the subdivision.
(5) Residential entranceway signs shall not exceed twelve (12) feet in height or 150 square feet in area.
(6) Non-residential entranceway signs shall not exceed fifteen (15) feet in height or 200 square feet in area.
(d) Free-standing Signs.
(1) Any establishment may display one free-standing sign of the area and height indicated within the respective district sign standards, provided that:
A. The establishment is accessible by automobile and has off street parking on the premises; and
B. The edge of the building or structure in which the establishment is located is set back at least fifteen (15) feet from the edge of the adjacent street or highway right-of-way. The height of a freestanding sign shall be measured from the grade at the edge of the right-of-way.
(2) A free-standing sign which is ten (10) square feet or more in area may be displayed only on a frontage of 100 feet or more, and may not be closer than forty (40) feet to any adjacent property.
(3) Free-standing signs for industrial establishments are subject to the following special area and height requirements, provided that the industrial establishment has a frontage of at least 200 feet and a setback of at least fifty (50) feet:
A. The area of the free-standing sign may be no larger than the signable area of the building;
B. The maximum height of the free-standing sign shall be five (5) feet when the sign is located within 500 feet of institutional or residential uses and ten (10) feet otherwise.
(4) One oversized free-standing sign may be displayed by any industrial, commercial or institutional establishment, provided that:
A. The establishment has a minimum frontage of 1,000 feet on the street or highway to which the sign is displayed; and
B. The oversized sign is located in a well landscaped area free of any building or structure for a minimum of 150 feet in all directions.
(5) Oversized free-standing signs are subject to the following restrictions:
A. The area of the sign shall not exceed 400 square feet.
B. The maximum height limit is twelve (12) feet in industrial or commercial areas.
C. Oversized signs must be at least 500 feet apart.
D. Oversized signs must be set back at least seventy-five (75) feet from the property line.
(6) Advertising signs are permitted only within Industrial Zone, subject to the following restrictions:
A. One sign per premises in industrial ownership.
B. Structure may be wall or free-standing.
C. The face of the sign shall be not greater than eighteen (18) feet in vertical dimension nor greater than fifty-five (55) feet in horizontal dimension and contain no more than one advertising sign.
(e) Identification Signs. Identification signs shall be permitted at the main entrance of a multi-tenant building, subject to the following additional regulations:
(1) No more than one identification sign shall be permitted
(2) Individual letters and/rows of text shall not exceed two (2) inches in height.
(3) The total directory sign area shall not exceed six (6) square feet.
(4) The sign material shall have a professional appearance and be made of cast metal or other approved durable material.
(5) No signs shall project higher than one story or fifteen (15) feet above curb level, whichever is lower.
(f) Nameplates. Nameplates shall subject to the following standards:
(1) Single-Family Residential. There shall be not more than one nameplate, not exceeding two (2) square foot in area, for each dwelling unit. On a comer lot, two such nameplates for each dwelling unit, one facing each street, shall be permitted.
(2) Multi-Family Residential. For multi-family buildings, a single identification sign, not exceeding twenty-four (24) square feet in area may be displayed. On a corner lot, two (2) such signs, one facing each street, shall be permitted.
(g) Signs Associated With Nonconforming Uses. In the case of legal, nonconforming land uses (such as a business located in a residentially zoned district), the total sign area of all signs associated with such land use shall be no greater than that which would be allowed if the nonconforming use was located in the most restrictive zoning district allowing such land use. Further, no new signs associated with nonconforming land uses may be erected, except replacements which are the same or smaller in size than the sign being replaced. In the event that a sign associated with a nonconforming land use is moved, its new location must conform to the setback requirements of the district in which it is located as if it were a building.
(h) Signs Over a Pedestrian Walkway. No sign projecting or hanging over a public or private pedestrian walkway may, at its lowest point, be less than ten (10) feet above the sidewalk or ground level.
(i) Wall Signs.
(1) Wall signs shall be limited in area to one (1) square foot of area for each horizontal linear foot of building wall upon which the sign or signs are to be located.
(2) Such signs shall not extend above the top of the wall or extend beyond the ends of the wall or extend more than twelve (12) inches from the surface to which they are attached.
(3) Such signs shall not cover any window or part of a window.
(4) Such signs shall be limited in number as follows: One sign for each street frontage of the lot on which the primary permitted use is located, except that where a complex of buildings is so constructed and maintained that said complex of buildings is an attached shopping complex or an attached group of buildings, only one such sign shall be permitted for each individual separate business building. A separate business building shall be construed to mean space allotted to the operation of one firm, company or corporation having a separate rental or lease. A professional office building within such a complex, if permitted within the district under consideration, shall not be considered as containing separate businesses for this purpose, but shall have only one such sign regardless of how many firms, companies or corporations have separate ownership, rental or lease within said office building.
(j) Window Signs.
(1) Permanent window signs.
A. Subject to the requirements of this section, any industrial, commercial or institutional establishment may display permanent window signs. Permanent window signs are not permitted in a residential area.
B. If an establishment displays no wall sign, then no window shall contain more than thirty percent (30%) or thirty (30) square feet of permanent window signs, whichever is less.
C. If an establishment displays a wall sign, then no window shall contain more than twenty percent (20%) or twenty (20) square feet of permanent window signs, whichever is less.
(2) Temporary window signs.
A. Subject to the requirements of this section, any commercial or industrial establishment may display temporary window signs. Temporary window signs are not permitted in an institutional or residential area.
B. No window shall contain more than twenty percent (20%) or ten (10) square feet of temporary window signs, whichever is less.
(Ord. 2018-11. Passed 8-13-18.)