For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
BUILDING FRONTAGE. The building side or sides which face upon a public street or parking area between such building and the street where access to the building is provided from such frontage. If a building is curved or triangular, the BUILDING FRONTAGE shall be the shortest distance between the points on the outside extremity of the building measured parallel to the public street or parking area upon which the building fronts.
PARCEL OF LAND and PARCEL. Any separate parcel of property as shown on the latest available County Tax Map; provided that when structures on separate parcels are abutting and/or have common walls, such parcels shall be considered as one PARCEL of property; and provided, further, that where one tenant, business, or enterprise occupies two or more contiguous PARCELS, it shall be considered as one PARCEL of property.
PRINCIPAL STREET. That single public street which provides the most access and/or the predominant business exposure for a particular business.
SHOPPING CENTER. A group of at least three businesses which function as an integral unit on a single parcel or on contiguous parcels under the same ownership and which utilize common off-street parking and access.
SIGN.
(1) Any name, identification, description, illustration, symbol, statue, or device, illuminated or nonilluminated, which is visible from any public place or is located on private property and exposed to public view from outside the property where it is located and which directs attention to a product, service, place, activity, person, institution, business, or solicitation, or any emblem, painting, banner, pennant, placard, or temporary sign designed to advertise, identify, or convey information, including any landscaping wherein letters or numbers are used for the purpose of directing the public’s attention to a product or location. For the purpose of removal, SIGNS shall also include all sign structures.
(2) The word SIGN does not include a flag, pennant, insignia, or temporary sign of any nation, state, city, or other political unit, or of any educational, charitable, philanthropic, civic, professional, or religious organization, or advertising a campaign, drive, movement, or event; commemorative plaques approved by Council; any nameplate sign in residential areas; any board, sign, or surface used to display any official notices issued or posted by any court or public officer in the performance of a public duty; window displays; signs within a stadium, shopping center, residential complex, arena, or other use, which cannot be viewed from any public street; any signs for control of traffic and other regulatory purposes, governmental identification signs, street signs, warning signs, railroad crossing signs, and signs of public service companies for the purpose of public safety. All SIGNS excluded herein shall meet any applicable building or structural requirements.
(3) The following are types of SIGNS.
(a) ADVERTISING SIGN. A billboard, as defined herein.
(b) BILLBOARD. Any sign painted on or affixed to any structure or erected as free-standing sign, which advertises a person, product, or service not located on the same parcel of record as the sign. This definition shall not include subdivision tract directional signs, but does include poster panels.
(c) BULLETIN BOARD. A structure containing a surface upon which is displayed the name of a religious institution, school, library, auditorium, stadium, athletic field, or area of similar use, for the announcement of services or activities to be held therein or at some other place.
(d) BUSINESS SIGN. A sign which directs attention to a business commodity, service, industry, or other activity which is sold, offered, or conducted on the premises upon which such sign is located or to which it is affixed or which displays the identifying name and address of a future comparable business or industrial establishment.
(e) CANOPY, AWNING, OR MARQUEE SIGN. A sign that is mounted on, painted on, or attached to a canopy, awning, or marquee.
(f) CONSTRUCTION SIGN. A sign indicating the names of architects, engineers, contracts, owners, and similar persons involved in the design and construction of a structure or project.
(g) DIRECTIONAL SIGN. A sign without advertising directing vehicular or pedestrian movement onto a premises.
(h) FLASHING SIGN. A sign which contains or is illuminated by lights which are intermittently on and off, scintillate, move, change color or appear to change color, change in intensity, or create the illusion of flashing in any manner such as by rotating a light source.
(i) FREE-STANDING SIGN. A sign suspended or supported by one or more uprights, braces, poles, or other similar structural components when utilizing earth, rock, the ground, or any foundation set in the ground, as a primary holding base and not attached to or enclosed by any building.
(j) GATEWAY. A sign placed by the village on a thoroughfare within 1,000 feet of the village limits noting the village boundary.
(k) GOOD CONDITION. A sign that is maintained so as to be readable, structurally sound, mechanically working as it was designed to do, with no chipping, fading, or other maladies and having an overall appearance similar to the original state of the sign.
(l) GROUND SIGN. A sign placed upon a foundation or a slab or placed upon or attached to an ornamental wall and not supported by any uprights, braces, poles, or other similar structural components taller than three feet.
(m) ILLUMINATED SIGN. A sign that is lighted by an artificial light source.
(n) MOVING SIGN. Any sign which, in whole or in part, rotates, revolves, oscillates, tilts, or otherwise is in motion at any time. This includes indexing multiprism units whose speed exceeds one complete revolution in less than 20 seconds.
(o) NONCONFORMING SIGN. A sign which has been issued a valid permit at the time it was erected but does not now accord or comply with the requirements of this chapter and was made nonconforming by annexation, rezoning, or ordinance amendment.
(p) ON-SITE SIGN and ACCESSORY SIGN. A business sign as defined herein.
(q) PORTABLE SIGN and MOVEABLE SIGN. Any sign which is not permanently affixed to the ground or a building in accordance with the provisions of the County Building Code or any sign which is intended to be movable or capable of being moved from place to place, whether or not wheels or other special supports are provided. This definition includes searchlights.
(r) POSTER PANEL. An advertising structure on which posters are displayed. See BILLBOARD as set forth in this section.
(s) PROJECTING SIGN. A sign suspended from or supported by a building, structure, or building column and extending horizontally therefrom more than 12 inches.
(t) REAL ESTATE SIGN. A sign pertaining to the sale or lease of the lot or tract of land on which the sign is located or to the sale or lease of one or more structures or a portion thereof located on such lot or tract of land.
(u) ROOF SIGN. Any sign which is erected over the roof or parapet above the roofline and/or which receives any or all of its support from the roof structure.
(v) TEMPORARY SIGN. A banner, pennant, poster display, or illustration which is affixed to or painted upon or represented directly or indirectly upon a building, structure or piece of land and which directs attention to an object, product, place, person, institution, organization, or business, and which is constructed of cloth, canvas, plastic sheet, cardboard, or other like materials, and which is intended to be displayed for a limited period of time, such as a grand opening.
(w) WALL SIGN. A sign which is affixed, painted on, or attached to the wall of a building or other wall or structure and which extends not more than 12 inches from the face of the fence or wall.
(x) WARNING SIGN. Any sign indicating danger or a situation which is potentially dangerous.
(y) WINDOW SIGN. Any sign printed on, painted on, attached to, glued on, or otherwise affixed to or behind a window and designed to be viewed from adjoining streets, walkways, malls, or parking lots available for public use.
SIGN AREA. The entire area within a single contiguous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of writing, presentation, emblem, or any other figure of similar character, together with any frame or other material or color forming an integral part of the display or used to differentiate such sign from the background against which it is placed. In the case of a double-faced sign, where both faces are on opposite sides of a single flat surface, the area formula shall apply to the dimensions of one side only. The AREA OF A SIGN having more than two display surfaces shall be computed as the total of the exposed exterior display surface areas. In the event a sign is of irregular shape, calculations of SIGN AREA shall be made by superimposing a single imaginary regular geometric figure, i.e. a square, rectangle, triangle, trapezoid, circle, or ellipse, large enough to enclose the entire sign, over the sign and measuring the appropriate dimensions and making the necessary calculations. The necessary supports or uprights on which such sign is placed, not being advertising matter, shall not be included in the computation of surface area.
SIGN FACE. The surface of the sign upon, against, or through which the message of the sign is exhibited.
SIGN HEIGHT. Shall be measured from the lowest horizontal surface grade immediately within ten feet of the base of the sign to the top of its highest element, including any structure element.
SIGN STRUCTURE. The supports, uprights, bracing, poles, or framework for signs.
STREET FRONTAGE. The linear frontage of a parcel of property abutting the principal street.
(Prior Code, § 1284.01) (Ord. 79-15, passed 11-12-1979)