1145.01 General restrictions; exclusions for Historical Preservation Area.
1145.02 Definitions.
1145.03 Purpose and construction.
1145.04 Construction requirements.
1145.05 Removal of prohibited signs.
1145.06 Prohibited signs.
1145.07 Permit.
1145.08 Utility line restriction.
1145.09 Electrical sign inspection.
1145.10 Maintenance.
1145.11 Improper installation or maintenance.
1145.12 Attachment to other structures.
1145.13 Sign in public right-of-way or right-of-way easements.
1145.14 Signs permitted in Grove City, which do not require a permit.
1145.15 Portable signs.
1145.16 On-premise signs.
1145.17 Highway signs.
1145.18 Signs for public or semi-public purposes.
1145.19 Off-premises signs.
1145.20 Nonconforming signs.
1145.21 Registration required; fee.
1145.22 Sign landscaping.
1145.23 Banners.
1145.99 Penalty.
CROSS REFERENCES
Power to regulate fences, billboards and signs - see Ohio R.C. 715.27
Power to regulate advertising - see Ohio R.C. 715.65
Advertising on State and interstate highways - see Ohio R.C. 5516
Unauthorized traffic signs; hiding or advertising on traffic control devices - see TRAF. 313.07
Advertising provisions - see GEN. OFF. 541.09
Garage sale advertising - see BUS. REG. 713.04
Necessary signs installed before issuance of certificate of occupancy - see BLDG. 1309.03(b)
Plumbing and sewer work signs - see BLDG. 1331.10(c)
Signs in residential districts - see P. & Z. 1135.11
No sign or outdoor advertising structure or any classification shall be permitted except as provided in this chapter. However, the Historical Preservation Area, as described in Section 1138.02 of this Code of Ordinances, shall be subject to the sign regulations as stated in Chapter 1138, entitled Historical Preservation Area and Sign Code.
(Ord. C85-01. Passed 12-3-01; Ord. C58-05. Passed 7-5-05.)
As used in this chapter, certain terms are defined as follows:
(a) “Banners” means signs of flexible materials suspended by rope, wire, line, string, or fastened directly to posts or other structures.
(b) “Bench sign” means any sign painted on, located on or attached to any part of a bench.
(c) “Bus shelter sign” means any sign painted or affixed to any bus shelter.
(d) “Changeable copy sign” means a sign or portion thereof with characters, letters or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged manually or electronically.
(e) “Directional sign” means a temporary or permanent sign that provides information regarding location, instructions for use or functional/directional data.
(f) “Flags” means noncommercial flags or any flags displayed from flagpoles or staffs that do not display any commercial advertisement and are not considered to be signs.
(g) “Flashing sign” is any directly or indirectly illuminated sign that exhibits changing natural or artificial light or color effects by any means.
(h) “Free-standing signs” means signs supported by or suspended from posts, pillars, columns or other similar structures or signs supported by or mounted on buildings in such a manner that such sign is not parallel to and flush with such wall.
(i) “Frontage” (building) means the length of a single exterior building wall or structure of a single premise orientated to the public way.
(j) “Highway sign” refers to an on-premises advertising sign above the maximum height limit. New construction or reconstruction of these signs is not permitted.
(k) “Informational sign” means signs used by businesses to promote new products, sales or seasonal products, placed in windows or on the premises.
(l) “Interior sign” means any sign placed within a building, but not including “window signs” as defined by this chapter. Interior signs, with the exception of window signs as defined, are not regulated by this chapter.
(m) “Marquee sign” means a permanent roofed structure attached to and supported by the building and projecting beyond the building line or over public property. A marquee sign is attached or constructed in a marquee.
(n) “Monument sign” means a free-standing sign having fifty percent (50%) or more of the bottom of the sign in contact with the ground or supporting structure.
(o) “Off-premises sign” means any outdoor device or display designed to inform or convey messages to the public about persons, products or services available principally at a site removed from the location of the sign. This could include, but shall not be limited to, ground signs, bus shelters, bench advertising, trash receptacles, flags, banners, posts, and inflatable devices.
(p) “Outdoor advertising structure” means any structure or device designed to hold, stabilize or maintain a sign.
(q) “Pole sign” means a free-standing sign having more than fifty percent (50%) of the sign separated from the ground by air.
(r) “Political sign” means a sign having reference to a candidate for elective public office or a public question or issue to be submitted to the electorate at any election.
(s) “Portable sign” means a sign with fixed type or that which is designed to allow for adding and removing letters and numbers to the sign face and which can be moved from one location to another without any change to its structure or components. This includes trailer signs, A-frame signs, self-supporting signs, streamers, and air activated devices.
(t) “Projecting sign” means any sign that extends perpendicular from a structure, suspended above ground level. Maximum area is eight square feet (8').
(u) “Public or semi-public signs” means signs for a church, school, community or other public or semi-public institutional building not exceeding forty square feet (40') in area and located on the premises.
(v) “Real estate sign” means a sign offering real estate for sale, lease or rent or indicating property has been sold, leased or rented. Sign shall not be illuminated. Sign to be removed ten days or less after conveyance of property. Sign is not to exceed eight square feet (8') in area, nor more than four feet (4') in height above ground level; located no closer than ten feet (10') to the right-of-way along the street or streets on which the lot or parcel fronts; City may enforce, at its discretion, greater distance to achieve safe view for traffic. One (1) sign shall be permitted on each lot or parcel of property for which conveyance is intended. No permit needed.
(w) “Roof sign” means a sign mounted on, and supported by, the main roof portion of a building, or above the uppermost edge of a parapet wall of a building and which is wholly or partially supported by such a building. Signs mounted on a mansard facade, pent eaves and architectural projections such as canopies or marquees shall be considered to be rooftop signs.
(x) “Roofline” means the top edge of a peaked roof or in the case of an extended facade or parapet, the uppermost point of the facade or parapet.
(y) “Sign” means any device visible from a public place that displays either commercial or noncommercial messages by means of graphic presentation of alphabetic or pictorial symbols or representations.
(z) “Streamer” means a ribbon-shaped or cord like rope, which may have pennants and/or banners attached and which is stretched or hung between two (2) or more supports.
(aa) “Temporary signs” means signs not exceeding forty total square feet (40') announcing special events, construction of buildings, the architect, or building, contractor, and may be erected for a period of sixty days (60) in one (1) calendar year on sites which a building permit has not been obtained or until building construction is completed. Real estate signs shall be excluded as a temporary sign. See subsection (e) hereof for definition of Real Estate Sign.
(bb) “Window sign” means a sign, graphic, poster, symbol or other identifications, which is within six feet of the interior side of the window and conveys a message to the exterior.
(Ord. C85-01. Passed 12-3-01; Ord. 58-05. Passed 7-5-05.)
It is the declared purpose of the provisions of this chapter to regulate, control and limit the size, location, manner or construction and maintenance, safety and quality of all signs within the City insofar as sign regulation, control and limitation shall be inconsistent with and superceded by the construction and laws of the United States, the State of Ohio or the Charter of the City. The invalidation or repeal of any portion of the provisions of this chapter either expressly or by implication shall not invalidate or repeal the remainder.
(Ord. C85-01. Passed 12-3-01; Ord. C58-05. Passed 7-5-05.)
(a) No part of a projecting sign shall be supported from an unbraced parapet wall. All metal parts used in sign or structure, including pole or pylon, metal, supports and braces, shall be galvanized or of corrosive-resistant material or painted with approved corrosive-resistant paint. When existing poles or structures are used for new sign installation, all parts shall be brought to like-new condition and shall be painted with approved rust and corrosion-resistant paint. Existing pole and installation of pole shall be approved before being used in new sign installation.
(b) When a sign is removed for any reason, a new permit for future installation of the sign shall be obtained, or all mast arms, cable, guys of any nature, clips, brackets and all structures of the old sign shall be removed with the sign.
(c) No equipment such as cable to support electric circuits, light fixtures, guys, etc. may be added to sign structure or supports other than as approved by the Building Inspector in the sign permit. Brackets, wires, switches, etc., required to illuminate the sign may be added. When sign structure or supports are used in any manner other than outlined above, certification by a licensed engineer shall be obtained to show the structure is capable of supporting the load.
(d) Projecting signs, such as marquee signs, shall not be installed on a building or structure unless the support has been designed specifically for the purpose of supporting a sign and approved by the Building Inspector. Projecting sign surface area is limited to eight square feet and must be at least 10 feet above ground level, but are not permitted to extend over streets, easements or rights of way.
(e) No sign or outdoor display structure shall be erected, constructed or maintained so as to create a traffic hazard by obstructing or confusing the view of traffic lights, railroad crossing lights or warning signs. No sign or outdoor display structure shall be of such character or with such inscription or marking that it may be mistaken for a highway sign or marker. No sign of any description shall be installed, erected or constructed in such a manner as to obstruct any fire escape or any door or window giving access to any fire escape, nor shall a sign be attached in any form, shape or manner to a fire escape.
(f) No revolving or flashing lights or beacons of any kind shall be used on any type sign.
(g) All electrical signs shall be plainly marked on the bottom edge of the sign using 3/4 inch minimum letters with the erector's name, the voltage, amperes or watts, and the date of installation. All signs shall be grounded.
(h) All wiring, fittings and materials used in the construction, connection and operation of electrically illuminated signs shall be in accordance with the provisions of the National Electric Code. Electric sign wiring shall be maintained in weather-proof condition during erection or alteration by use of permanent or temporary cover.
(i) Pole size for monument signs shall be of sufficient size to support a thirty-pound (30) per square foot wind pressure against face of sign. The Central Ohio Sign Association's most current specification charts and tables for determining size of supporting steel and concrete foundation of ground-supported signs is hereby adopted as minimum requirements.
(j) No sign is to be erected until the excavation for foundation or foundations has been inspected and a permit application with drawing to comply with the table for depth has been submitted and approved.
(k) Materials for the primary base and supporting structures for all new, replacement, or reconstructed monument signs will consist of brick, stone, or other masonry material approved by the Building Department, or a treated wood accepted by the Building Department.
(Ord. C85-01. Passed 12-3-01; Ord. C58-05. Passed 7-5-05.)
Portable or temporary signs in existence at the effective date of this section which do not comply with the provisions of this chapter and all other signs heretofore erected or displayed without legal authorization or to which a nonconforming use has not been established, shall be removed within ten days after the delivery of written notice to that effect by the Building Inspector to the owner or occupant of the premises on which such signs are located. This section does not apply to sign in public rights-of-way or easements as set forth in Section 1145.13.
(Ord. C85-01. Passed 12-3-01; Ord. C58-05. Passed 7-5-05.)
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