(A) Purpose.
(1) The purpose of this section is to provide standards for the use and display of signs. It is recognized that signs serve an important function and, therefore, reasonable and adequate display of signs is permitted under the provisions of this section. At the same time, this section recognizes that there is a definite need to regulate the display of signs as signs utilize the visual element of the public right-of-way to bring messages to the public. Limitations and standards are established herein consistent with the type of the district and the uses and activities in the district.
(2) Any sign placed on land or on a building for the purposes of identification or protection of the same or for advertising a use conducted thereon or therein shall be deemed to be accessory and incidental to such land, building, or use. It is the purpose of this section to place such limitations on the display of all signs as will assure that they will be appropriate to the land, building, or use to which they are appurtenant and be adequate, but not excessive, for the intended purpose of identification, protection, or advertisement.
(B) General requirements. Except as otherwise provided by this section, signs as defined in § 151.004, where permitted, shall comply with the following requirements.
(1) Location. No sign shall be placed in or extended over any public right-of-way in any district except the B-l Central Business District. Pre-existing signs which violate required setbacks and/or encroachment of rights-of-way shall be considered as non-conforming structures. Signs in street right-of- way shall be eight feet above grade line. In no case shall signs create any traffic sight hazards.
(a) Pre-existing signs which violate required setbacks and/or encroachment or rights-of- way shall be considered as non-conforming structures.
(b) No sign shall be erected to project above the roof or parapet wall line of any building except by conditional use permit.
(c) Wall signs integral with, painted on, or attached flat against the face of the building and/or structure shall not extend more than 24 inches from such a structure.
(d) No temporary sign shall be attached to a light standard or the supporting pylon of a freestanding sign.
(2) Measuring. For multi-faced signs. Each display face shall be measured except in the case of two-sided signs that are identical on both sides.
(3) Traffic hazard. No sign shall be erected near or at any intersection of any streets in such manner as to obstruct free and clear vision, or at any location where by reason of position, shape, or color, it may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device.
(4) Marquees, canopies, and awnings. Signs attached to a marquee shall not extend beyond the face or vertical surface of such marquee. No sign or sign structure, except as mentioned above, shall be placed on the roof of a marquee. No advertising shall be placed on any awning or canopy except the name of the owner and/or business conducted on the premises.
(5) Freestanding signs. Freestanding signs shall not exceed 27 feet in height above the ground on which they rest. No part of any sign may be within five feet of any property line.
(6) Roof sign. Roof-mounted signs are not permitted.
(7) Wall signs. Wall signs placed or painted on the exterior walls of buildings shall not extend beyond 24 inches of the wall surface. Wall signs attached to and projecting from the exterior walls of buildings shall not extend beyond 24 inches of the wall surface and shall not cover more than 15% of that business’ wall.
(8) Illumination. The light from any illuminated sign or from any light source, including interior of a building, shall be so shaded, shielded, or directed that the light intensity of brightness shall not adversely affect surrounding or facing residential districts, or adversely affect safe vision of operators of vehicles moving on public or private roads, highways, or parking areas. Light shall not shine or reflect on or into residential structures.
(9) Maintenance of signs. All signs shall be kept in good repair.
(10) Other identification signs in business centers.
(a) If a canopy or other building overhang is used, each business may have an under- canopy identification sign not exceeding four square feet.
(b) Each business may have an identification sign on its door not exceeding three square feet.
(C) Sign standards by zoning districts.
(1) General. The following sign standards by zoning district shall apply to every existing zoning district and new zoning district hereafter created unless otherwise expressly provided in such zoning districts. Only signs as described herein shall be permitted. Municipal signs are exempt.
(2) Signs permitted in all zoning districts. Subject to the other conditions of this chapter, the following signs shall be permitted in any zoning district within the city. Signs in divisions (C)(2)(a) to (C)(2)(d) shall be considered temporary. These signs and those described in division (C)(2)(g) shall be allowed to be placed in any required yard setback, not including boulevards or public right-of-way.
(a) Construction signs. One non-illuminated temporary sign facing each bordering street, identifying all parties engaged in the construction of a building, provided that the sign shall not exceed 35 square feet in area, does not obstruct the vision in the public right-of-way, and is removed within 30 days following occupancy of the building.
(b) Real estate signs. One non-illuminated real estate sign not over 5% of the wall to which it is attached advertising the sale, rental, or lease of only the building or premises on which it is located, or 12 square feet per side if freestanding.
(c) Political signs. All non-commercial signs of any size may be posted from August 1 in a state general election year until ten days following the state general election, and in the case of a special election, from 30 days before the special election to ten days after a special election.
(d) Portable signs. Portable signs are not permitted on highway frontage per M.S. §§ 173.01 and 173.02, as they may be amended from time to time. Portable signs may not be erected or placed for more than 30 days at a time.
(e) Owner-occupant sign. One residential name sign not to exceed two square feet per sign side in area, identifying only the name of the owner or occupant of a residential building.
(f) Home occupation sign. One non-illuminated identification sign, not to exceed four square per sign side in area, for the following permitted uses: residential professional offices, home occupations, and boarding-lodging houses.
(g) Billboards. Billboards are not permitted in any district, except billboards may be permitted only by conditional use permit in AG and B-2 Districts. Billboards are any permanent nongovernmental sign with not more than two sides advertising product services, commodities, entertainment, or other activity not offered at the location of the sign, or not exclusively related to the premises on which the sign is located. A billboard is a freestanding sign having an area of up to 200 square feet.
1. Billboards are not permitted within 500 feet of residential districts.
2. No permit shall be granted for any proposed billboard if it is within 1,500 feet of any existing billboard. Existing billboards shall be defined as any billboard located within or outside the city’s municipal boundaries.
3. No billboard shall be erected on any roof of a building.
4. Billboards must be landscaped around the base of the sign.
5. A billboard may not be a principal use.
6. No billboard structure shall contain more than two signs per facing.
7. The maximum height of any portion of the sign, including trim and extensions, shall be not more than 30 feet.
(h) Off-premises signs. Off-premises signs are not permitted except with special permission of the City Council.
(3) Signs permitted in residential districts. Subject to the other conditions of this chapter, the following signs shall be permitted in residential districts.
(a) Subdivision plat signs. Temporary signs advertising a new subdivision plat, provided such signs do not exceed 48 square feet in aggregate surface area per sign side, identifying only the plat in which they are located, are nonilluminated, and are erected only at dedicated street entrances to the plat. Such signs shall be removed if construction of subdivision improvements is not in progress on the plat within 60 days following the date of the sign erection or as soon as 80% of the lots are developed and sold.
(b) Club, lodge, and office signs. One illuminated or non-illuminated identification sign not to exceed 40 square feet per sign side in area for the following uses: clubs, lodges, fraternities, and professional offices where permitted.
(c) Civic/religious organizations and other permitted nonresidential uses. One illuminated or non-illuminated identification sign or bulletin board not to exceed a total of 40 square feet in area for the following uses: public schools, parochial schools, colleges, public libraries, museums, social and recreational buildings, parks, playgrounds, hospitals, sanitariums, charitable and religious institutions, churches, cemeteries, and governmental office buildings.
(d) Vacancy signs. Vacancy signs within residential districts are limited to four square feet.
(4) Signs permitted in highway commercial, agricultural, and industrial districts. The following signs shall be permitted in the B-2, AG, and CI Districts.
(a) Signs as permitted in residential districts. Signs as permitted and regulated for the uses in the residence districts.
(b) Business signs.
1. Name plate signs and business signs are permitted, provided the aggregate square footage of sign space per lot shall not exceed the sum of four square feet per front foot of such lots. The maximum allowable being 200 square feet.
2. The maximum height of a freestanding sign shall not exceed 27 feet.
(5) Signs permitted in the B-1 Central Business District. Name and business signs are permitted, provided the aggregate square footage of sign per lot shall not exceed the sum of two square feet per front lineal foot of building. On corner lots, two front foot calculations are allowable provided such side contains a major building entrance. Signage shall be designed to enhance and complement the character of buildings within the district. All new signs, the replacement, alteration, painting, and so forth of an existing sign, requires a design review application.
(D) Prohibited signs. The following described signs are hereby declared a nuisance and shall be prohibited in all districts of the city.
(1) Revolving and flashing signs. Signs which revolve or flash or consist of lights which revolve or flash are prohibited with the exception of devices which inform the public of time and/or temperature. Moving message type signs shall be permitted as an exception when their messages consist primarily of news, public announcements and the like, or a non-advertising nature.
(2) Signs imitating official signs. Signs which imitate an official traffic sign or signal or which contain the words “stop”, “go slow”, “caution”, “danger”, “warning”, or similar words.
(3) Confusing signs. Signs which are of a size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination which may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device; or which hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal: or which obstruct the view in any direction view at a street or road intersection. Any sign that does or would interfere with the ability of drivers or pedestrians to see any traffic sign or signal or any crosswalk or otherwise constitute a public hazard.
(4) Roof sign.
(5) Other temporary signs. Signs which are pasted or attached to utility poles, trees, fences, or other signs.
(Prior Code, § 151.106) (Ord. passed - -; Ord. 149, passed 3-9-1998)