(A) Intent. The purpose of this section is to protect and promote the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the city through the establishment of a comprehensive and impartial set of regulations governing the erection, display and use of signs serving as a visual media to persons on public or private properties within the city. These regulations are intended to:
(1) Preserve and protect property values and civic duty, and not allow signs which detract from this objective due to excessive size, height, number, visual impact, undesirable location, maintenance or lack thereof, spacing or elimination;
(2) Provide for signs which are compatible with their surroundings and appropriate to the type of activity to which they pertain;
(3) Control signs which invade privacy, constitute a public nuisance or increase the likelihood of accidents by distracting attention or obstructing vision;
(4) Establish standards which will permit businesses a reasonable and equitable opportunity for effective communication, but will avoid excessive and unreasonable visual competition among sign displays;
(5) Allow a reasonable freedom of choice, while promoting a concern for the visual amenities of those persons assigning, displaying, erecting or utilizing signs in the city; and
(6) Assuring that the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the city is preserved.
(B) Prohibited signs. The following signs shall be prohibited:
(1) Signs, that by reason of position, shape or color, would interfere with the proper functioning of a traffic sign or signal;
(2) Signs, that resemble any official marker erected by a governmental agency, or that display the words “Stop” or “Danger”;
(3) Flashing signs;
(4) Signs or sign structures that obstruct any window, door, fire escape, stairway or opening intended to provide light, air, ingress or egress from any building or structure. Signs painted on windows and doors are excepted;
(5) Billboards. Except as otherwise provided herein, outdoor advertising structures and billboards which advertise products or businesses not connected with the site or building on which they are located shall not be permitted; and
(6) Roof signs.
(C) Permitted signs. The following signs shall be permitted:
(1) Residential or business name plate signs;
(2) The temporary signs as authorized by resolution of the Council from time to time;
(3) Except as may be prohibited above, signs specifically advertising the business on the site upon which the sign is located;
(4) Within the C-1 Highway/Auto Commerce, I-1 Limited Industry and I-2 General Industry, only on property located adjacent to U.S. Trunk Highway 212, Minnesota Trunk Highways 23 and 67, and Chippewa County State Highways #38 and #5 within the defined districts, the following types of signs:
(a) Specific service signs used to direct travelers to lodging, campground, resort, restaurant, rural agricultural or other tourism oriented business(es) or place(s) of worship. The signs shall be constructed as slat or stacked groupings of signs;
(b) Directional signs located off the right-of-way which provide directional information about public places owned or operated by governmental entities or public or privately-owned natural phenomena, historic, cultural, scientific, educational and religious sites or areas of natural beauty or outdoor recreation; and
(c) The specific service signs (stacked signs) and directional signs provided for herein shall be non-advertising in nature. The signs shall not exceed four by eight feet in size. The same shall be not closer than 300 feet apart on the same side of the road. The signs shall not be closer than 300 feet from any intersection with cross highways. The minimum setback from the highway right-of-way shall be ten feet. The bottom of any sign shall have a maximum elevation of seven feet above the level of the existing grade of the adjacent highway. The height of the signs shall not exceed 12 feet.
(5) The exposed uprights, super structure and/or backside of all signs shall be painted or of a neutral color such as light blue, gray, brown or white, unless it can be illustrated that the part of the sign designed or painted in another manner is integral to the overall design of the sign. Signs not properly maintained, or which become structurally unsafe, may be removed by the city at the expense of the individual or firm owning the property on which the structure is located. Landscaping adjacent to the sign shall be maintained in a neat and orderly manner, and in a functional yet decorative manner, lending itself to minimum maintenance and the withstanding of vandalism.
(D) Nonconforming signs; sign removal.
(1) Nonconforming signs. Nonconforming signs which lawfully existed on the effective date of this division (D)(1), and which do not meet the requirements of this division (D)(1), shall be allowed to continue in use for a period of not more than five years thereafter.
(2) Sign removal. All conforming signs, and sign structures not used by a tenant or owner shall be removed by the owner of the premises after one year of non-use. The Building Inspector may also, in conjunction with the Council, call for the immediate removal of any sign which is deemed structurally unsafe, or in disrepair. Signs not so removed by the owner as required hereunder shall be removed by the city at the owner’s expense.
(E) Permit. Signs authorized under this division (E) shall be maintained only upon the securing of a permit from the Planning Commission upon payment of a fee as may be designated by resolution from time to time, and the following of the application process as required by the city and applicable MNDOT signing regulations.
(2003 Code, § 9.51-9) (Ord. 35, passed 6-29-1992)