(A) (1) All signs are required to have a permit issued by the city and to be permanently affixed to a building or in the case of ground signs, pole signs, post signs set in a permanent foundation. Temporary on premises signs are only permitted upon issuance of a sign permit and shall be issued for a maximum of 60 days per calendar year for each business establishment. On-premises banner signs are permitted for each business establishment. Animated or moving signs are not permitted within the zoning jurisdiction the city. Signs shall not be located on the public right-of-way.
(2) The area of a permitted sign is calculated by including the entire face of a sign, including the advertising surface and any framing, trim or molding, but not including the supporting structure. In the event a sign has more than one face or advertising surface, the combined area of each face or advertising surface shall be less than, or equal to the total allowable area of the sign. Except a sign which is back to back, double faced and directly opposite each other of the same size, then only one side shall be calculated for allowable area.
(3) The erection or maintenance of any advertising sign, display, or device which is visible to the traveled way of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways and the System of Federal-Aid Primary roads of the state, as defined by the state’s Department of Roads, is hereby prohibited unless in compliance with the regulations set forth within Rules and Regulations Relating to the Control of Advertising In Area Adjacent to the Interstate and Federal-Aid Primary Highways, as amended, adopted and published by the state’s Department of Roads. A copy of these zoning regulations are on file in the office of the City Administrator.
(B) (1) Permitted signs in A Agricultural Districts. The specific regulations in the A Zoning Districts are as follows:
(a) Residential premises: one on-premises wall sign not to exceed two square feet of sign area, non-illuminated and non-reflecting, used to identify home occupations;
(b) Non-residential premises: one on-premises ground sign or wall sign per frontage not exceeding 32 square feet in area announcing the business or activity being conducted on the premises. Ground signs shall be spaced a minimum of 150 feet apart along any street frontage. No ground sign shall exceed eight feet in height; and
(c) The city shall not allow signs along any state or federal aid highways prior to the applicant obtaining a permit from the state’s Department of Roads.
(2) Permitted signs; R, R-1, R-3 and MH Districts. The specific regulations in these zoning districts are as follows:
(a) Residential premises: one on-premises wall sign, not to exceed two square feet of sign area, non-illuminated and non-reflecting, used to identify home occupations;
(b) Uses, other than dwellings, permitted in the district: One on-premises wall sign, not to exceed 32 square feet of sign area per building facade or, one on-premises ground sign not exceeding 32 square feet in area for each main building limited to identifying the building or activity being conducted on the premises. Such signs may be illuminated;
(c) Ground signs in this section shall not exceed four feet in height;
(d) The city shall not allow signs along any state or federal aid highways prior to the applicant obtaining a permit from the state’s Department of Roads; and
(e) Uses, schools and churches, permitted in the district: as a conditional use authorized by the Planning Commission: one on-premises pole sign, not exceeding 32 square feet in area and being a maximum height of 25 feet, for the main building. Limited to identifying the building or activity being conducted on the premises. Such signs may be illuminated.
(3) Permitted signs; R-2 Districts (Multiple-Family Districts). The specific regulations in the R-2 Districts are as follows:
(a) All uses: one on-premises wall sign, not to exceed two square feet of sign area, non-illuminated and non-reflecting, used to identify home occupations;
(b) For multiple-family dwellings:
1. One on-premises wall sign or ground sign, not to exceed six square feet of sign area, non-illuminated and non-reflecting, identifying the name and use of the building (ground signs not exceeding six feet in height); and
2. One on-premises wall sign or ground sign, not to exceed one square foot in sign area, non-illuminated and non-reflecting, identifying the quarters of an on-premises building manager or custodian (ground signs not exceeding six feet in height).
(c) Uses, other than dwellings, permitted in the district: one on-premises wall sign, not to exceed 32 square feet of sign area per building facade or, one on-premises ground sign not exceeding 32 square feet in area, or six feet in height, for each main building limited to identifying the building or activity being conducted on the premises. Such signs may be illuminated;
(d) The city shall not allow signs along any state or federal aid highways prior to the applicant obtaining a permit from the state’s Department of Roads; and
(e) Uses, schools and churches, permitted in the district as a conditional use authorized by the Planning Commission: one on-premises pole signs, not exceeding 32 square feet in area and being a maximum height of 25 feet, for the main building. Limited to identifying the building activity being conducted on the premises. Such signs may be illuminated.
(4) Permitted signs in C-1 and C-3 Commercial Districts. The specific regulations in the C-1 and C-3 Zoning Districts are as follows:
(a) One on-premises pole sign or one on-premises ground sign per business, per frontage is permitted. Such signs shall be spaced a minimum of 50 feet along any street frontage. In those instances where only a single business is conducted on the premises and the premises has a frontage along any one street of 150 feet or more, it may have a maximum of two ground or pole signs as otherwise permitted in this section on any such frontage with a minimum spacing of 100 feet. If such sign is located in a required front yard, it shall not exceed 100 square feet of area, and a pole sign shall have a maximum height of 25 feet, and a ground sign shall have a maximum height of eight feet. If such sign is located outside the required front yard, it may have a maximum area of 100 square feet and a maximum height of 50 feet. If such sign is a combination of the two signs of over 150 feet frontage, it may be increased to 150 square feet in area and 45 feet in height; provided, it is 50 feet from other premises;
(b) On-premises wall signs are permitted. The sign area of such wall signs per building facade shall not exceed 30% coverage of the wall face, or a total of 500 square feet, whichever is lesser. Any marquee sign shall not exceed three feet in height or the height or vertical thickness of the marquee, whichever is greater. One pedestrian marquee sign per entrance not exceeding one foot in height and six square feet in area is permitted;
(c) Where more than one business is located on the lot, the on-premises signs permitted in the required front yard, pursuant to subsection (B)(4)(a) above may be combined. If the combined sign is located in a required front yard, it shall not exceed 50 square feet in area. If the combined sign is a pole sign, it shall have a maximum height of 25 feet, and if the combined sign is a ground sign, it shall have a maximum height of eight feet. If the combined sign is located outside the required front yard, it may have a maximum area of 150 square feet. If the combined sign is a pole sign, it shall be spaced a minimum of 75 feet from an adjoining premises;
(d) No off-premises signs are allowed (billboards);
(e) In lieu of sign permitted in subsection (B)(4)(a) above, one on-premises projecting sign is permitted. Said projecting sign may project from a building a maximum of six feet six inches and may project into a required front yard, but it shall not extend above the roof line or top of a cornice wall. Such sign shall have a minimum ground clearance of eight feet above the walk or grade below and may project over the public right-of-way when the building is erected adjacent to the front property line. The maximum area of such sign shall be 100 square feet;
(f) One off-premises directional sign not to exceed 32 square feet in area and eight feet in height. This sign shall be located at least 150 feet from any other authorized sign; and
(g) The city shall not allow signs along any state or federal aid highways prior to the applicant obtaining a permit from the state’s Department of Roads.
(5) Permitted signs in the C-2 Central Business District. The specific regulations in the C-2 Zoning District are as follows:
(a) One on-premises pole sign for each business not to exceed 100 square feet in area, nor 35 feet in height is permitted. Where a premises has more than one street frontage, one additional pole sign is permitted on the additional frontage under the same size and heights as this section allows;
(b) One on-premises ground sign for each business not to exceed 100 square feet in area nor 15 feet in height is permitted. Where a premises has more than one street frontage, one additional on-premises ground sign is permitted on the additional frontage. In those instances where a single business has a frontage along any one street of 150 feet or more, it may have a maximum of two ground signs as otherwise permitted in this section on any such frontage with a minimum spacing of 100 feet;
(c) In lieu of the signs permitted in subsections (B)(5)(a) or (B)(5)(b) above, projecting signs may be substituted. Such projecting signs may project from the building a maximum of six feet six inches and shall not project above the roof line or top of a cornice wall. Such sign may project over the public right-of-way when the building is erected adjacent to the front property line. Such sign shall have a minimum clearance of eight feet above the walk or grade below and a maximum area of 35 square feet;
(d) On-premises wall signs are permitted. The sign area of such walls signs per building facades shall not exceed 30% coverage of the wall face or a total of 500 square feet, whichever is lesser. Marquee signs shall not exceed three feet in height or the height or vertical thickness of the marquee, whichever is greater, except marquee signs for theaters, which may be up to four feet in height or the height or vertical thickness of the marquee, whichever is greater. Those signs projecting above or below the marquee shall be erected at a 90-degree angle to the building and shall project no more than six feet six inches with a minimum clearance of eight feet above the cornice wall or roof of the building. All such marquee signs below the marquee shall not exceed 12 square feet in area;
(e) The city shall not allow signs along any state or federal aid highways prior to the applicant obtaining a permit from the state’s Department of Roads; and
(f) No off-premises signs are allowed (billboard).
(6) Permitted signs in I-1 Districts. The specific regulations in the I-1 Zoning Districts are as follows.
(a) One on-premises wall sign is permitted. The contents of the sign are to be limited to describing products or services sold or produced on the premises, or giving the name of the establishment. The sign area of such wall signs per building shall not exceed 30% coverage of the wall face or a total of 500 square feet, whichever is lesser. Any wall sign attached to the face of a marquee shall not exceed three feet in height or the thickness of the marquee, whichever is greater. One pedestrian marquee sign per entrance one foot in height and six square feet in area is allowed.
(b) There may be one ground sign per frontage not exceeding 100 square feet in area or eight feet in height, not located in the required side or rear yards. If located in the required front yard, such ground signs shall not be located more than one-half of the distance into said required front yard.
(c) In addition to the sign permitted in subsections (B)(6)(a) and (B)(6)(b) above, one on-premises pole sign not exceeding 50 square feet in area and 25 feet in height is permitted.
(d) When a building is more than 300 feet from major street frontage, the permitted wall sign may exceed the 500 square feet limit if the resulting larger sign does not exceed 10% of the area of the wall in elevation view or 700 square feet.
(e) One directional sign not to exceed 32 square feet in area and eight feet in height. This sign shall be located at least 150 feet from any other authorized sign.
(f) The city shall not allow signs along any state or federal aid highways prior to the applicant obtaining a permit from the state’s Department of Roads.
(2005 Code, § 11-514)