For the purpose of this chapter, words used in the present tense include the future, the singular number includes the plural, the word "shall" is mandatory and not directory and the word "building" includes "structures" other than "sign structures". Defined terms are not required to be capitalized within the text of this chapter to retain the definitions provided below:
BANNER: A piece of cloth or similar material on which a sign is placed and which is stretched across a street or other area.
BUSINESS: All of the activities carried on by the same legal entity on the same premises and includes charitable, fraternal, benevolent, religious, educational and social organizations. Such "legal entity" includes individual proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, nonprofit corporations, associations or joint stock companies.
CANOPY: A permanent roofed structure which may be freestanding or partially attached to a building for the purpose of providing shelter to patrons, but does not mean a completely enclosed structure.
COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING SIGN: Any sign, display, light, emblem, device, figure, mannequin, painting, drawing, place card, poster or other thing that is designed, used or intended to advertise goods, products, businesses or services which are sold, manufactured or distributed on or from the property or facilities located on the property on which the sign is located, and includes the sign structure, display area and all other components of the sign.
CUTOUT: Every type of display in the form of letters, figures, characters, representations or other in cutout or irregular form attached to or superimposed upon an advertising sign.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN: An on premises sign designed to be read by a person already on the premises and used only to identify and locate an office, place or activity, entrance, exit, motor vehicle route, parking area or similar place, service or route.
DISPLAY AREA OR DISPLAY SURFACE: The area made available by the sign structure for the purpose of displaying a message including every type of display in the form of letters, figures, characters, representations or others in cutout or irregular form attached to or superimposed upon a sign, and including any extension of the display area which protrudes beyond the internal square footage for the sign, and includes all nonstructural trim including moldings, batten, caps, nailing strips, lattice, cutouts or any other items attached to a sign or a sign structure.
ERECT: To construct, paint, place, affix or otherwise bring into being.
EXTENSION: The area of any sign that protrudes beyond the permitted footage for signs and is on the same plane as the display surface; and includes cutouts in the form of letters, figures, characters, representations or others in cutout or irregular form attached to or superimposed upon an advertising sign; and includes nonstructural trim attached to the display area and/or sign support structure.
FLOTATION TYPE ATTENTION GETTING DEVICES: Any flotation type attention getting device inflated with heated air or any lighter than air gas, and floated at the end of a tether for the purpose of advertising or drawing attention.
LOCATOR SIGN: An on or off premises sign giving direction to motorists or pedestrians seeking the location of a public school, college, charitable or religious institution.
MAINTAIN: To allow to exist or continue.
MARQUEE: A permanent roofed structure attached to or supported by a building.
MONUMENT SIGN: A sign that is not affixed to any building, is erected perpendicular to the horizon, has a base affixed to the ground which measures at least two-thirds (2/3) of the horizontal length of the sign, and is used for the purpose of identifying the structure, business or type of activity conducted on the premises, or serves as an entry/gateway monument at certain boundaries of the city. For purposes of measuring the sign area, the base shall not be included.
PENNANT: A piece of cloth or similar material not to exceed fifteen (15) square feet, which is attached at one or more points to a support.
PERMANENT SIGN: Any sign other than a temporary sign.
PERSON: Any individual, business, corporation or other entity erecting a sign, and any property owner, business, corporation or entity upon whose premises a sign is erected.
PORTABLE DISPLAY SURFACE OR PORTABLE SIGN: A display surface temporarily affixed to an outdoor structure which is, or is intended to be, regularly moved from structure to structure at periodic intervals including signs that provide information by means of sequential illumination of lights contained in or upon the sign.
PRINCIPAL SIGN: The primary permanent on premises sign designed to identify or advertise a business or facility to motorists or pedestrians approaching the business or facility and shall include marquee signs, roof signs and projecting signs.
PROJECTING SIGN: A sign other than a wall sign which projects beyond the building face to which it is attached.
ROOF SIGN: A sign erected upon the roof of a building, roof structure or flat canopy or marquee roof.
SECONDARY SIGN: An incidental, permanent, on premises attached wall sign or sign on the face of ends of a marquee or canopy or on a wall facade for signs. Secondary signs may include freestanding pole signs when so designated herein.
SIGN AREA: Any constructed sign structure or monument holding the sign, the total area of a sign, including all decorative or structural trim, facing, announcement, demonstration, display, illustration, cutout, extensions or other attention getting device, exclusive of essential structural supports. Where the sign is of a three-dimensional, spherical, cubic or irregular solid shape, each surface shall be used in computing the sign area. Whenever a sign is made of letters or numbers located individually upon a surface which is not a wall, the area of the sign shall be determined by adding together the square feet of each letter and number.
SIGN STRUCTURE: A permanent structure, monument or edifice which is primarily built to constitute or be used for the display for a message or to support or hold the display area. No part of the sign structure shall be used for sign display message or other information.
SIGN SUPPORTS: Freestanding piles or braces, together with supports that hold signs or from which signs are hung.
STANDARDIZED OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN: A rigid assembled outdoor sign, display or device permanently affixed to the ground or permanently attached to a building or other permanent structure constituting or used for the display of a commercial message, related to any use or activity on the property on which the sign is located. For purposes of this definition "commercial messages" shall include all direct or indirect advertisements for any transaction for profit involving merchandise, goods, commodities, articles or services.
TEMPORARY SIGN: A sign, banner, pennant, valance or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, plywood, wood, wallboard, plastic, sheet metal or other similar light materials, with or without frames, which is not permanently affixed to any sign, sign structure or building. Temporary sign includes, but is not limited to:
Temporary Nonprofit Sign: A sign identifying a nonprofit civic, charitable or benevolent event.
Temporary Political Sign: A sign advertising a candidate seeking public office or promoting the passage or defeat of a measure on the ballot.
Temporary Promotional Sign: A sign that advertises a single event or promotion.
Temporary Real Estate Directional Sign: A temporary sign advertising an open house and located off the premises advertised.
Temporary Real Estate Sign: A sign advertising the sale, rent or lease of the building, structure or premises to which it is attached.
Temporary Sign For Work Under Construction: A sign denoting only the architects, landscape architects, contractor, engineers, financial institution and/or development itself.
Temporary Subdivision Sign: On premises sign advertising homes under construction or property for sale in a subdivision including signs located on lots in the subdivision identifying the lot as being for sale.
WALL SIGN: A sign which is attached to or painted upon a wall of a building and does not extend beyond the corners of the building face to which the sign is attached.
WINDSOCK: A cone made of cloth or similar material which is open at both ends and is attached at one or more points to a support.
ZONING ORDINANCE: The zoning act(s) of the city as established in and set out in title 9 of this code, and as amended from time to time. (Ord. 193, 8-12-2003; amd. Ord. 197, 12-2-2003; Ord. 265, 4-15-2014)