This section applies to signs in all zoning districts and zoning precincts. Specific sign standards for the zoning districts and zoning precincts are found in § 21-7.40.
Unless specifically prohibited, all signs except ground signs may project into required yards. All signs except ground signs and garden signs may project into the public right-of-way; provided that the horizontal clearance between the sign and the street line shall not be less than 2 feet; and provided that the lower edge of the sign shall have a vertical clearance of at least 8 feet.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
Address Signs. Signs indicating a street address.
Standard: Not to exceed 1 square foot in area.
Building Frontage. That portion of the principal building of an establishment which faces a street. If the principal buildings are arranged on the lot in such a manner as to face a parking area, walkway, or open space accessible to the general public, then the area facing the parking area, walkway, or open space may be considered the building frontage for an establishment; provided that the establishment has an entryway on that frontage. Signs may be placed facing the street or the parking area, walkway, or open space in any combination, but shall not exceed two signs.
Business Signs. Signs that direct attention to a profession, business, commodity, service, entertainment, or activity conducted, sold, or offered on the premises where the sign is located.
Directional Signs. Signs indicating entrances and exits, including those for parking lots and garages.
Standard: No more than one sign per entrance or exit; provided that if the sign includes the name, emblem, or address of an establishment on the premises where the directional sign is located, the identification portion of the sign shall not exceed 1 square foot in sign area.
Directory Sign. A sign identifying the location of occupants of a building or group of buildings which are divided into rooms or suites used as separate offices, studios, or shops.
Flags. Weather flags and official flags of government jurisdictions, including flags which are emblems of on-premises business firms and enterprises, religious, charitable, public, and nonprofit organizations.
Standard: Not to exceed 50 square feet each in area and five in number per street frontage per zoning lot.
Flashing Sign. A sign designed to attract attention by the inclusion of a flashing, changing, revolving, or flickering light source or a change of light intensity; and, also includes any sign involving electronically generated or controlled images, such as an electronic programmable message sign, digital sign, plasma or LED sign, or video or holographic display.
Garden Sign. A freestanding sign or a sign attached to the face of a freestanding wall.
Standard: Not to exceed 6 square feet in sign area; may be indirectly illuminated. A freestanding garden sign shall not exceed 30 inches in height; when attached to a wall, it may not project more than 6 inches from the face of the wall or exceed 6 feet in height above finished grade.
Ground Signs. Freestanding, self-supported structures erected or supported from the ground containing one or more faces for sign or display purposes. A ground sign includes a pole sign.
Standard: Not to exceed a height of 16 feet above finished grade.
Hanging Signs. Signs that hang down from and are supported by or attached to the underside of a canopy, awning, or marquee.
Standard: When extending over walkways, no less than 7.5 feet of clearance between the lower edge of the sign and the ground level below.
Identification Signs. Signs that depict the name or address of a building, project or establishment on the premises where the sign is located as a means of identifying the building, project, or establishment.
Illuminated Signs. Signs that are designed to give forth artificial light from an artificial source. Such signs may be directly or indirectly illuminated and shall include interior lighted signs.
(1) Directly Illuminated Sign. A sign with its light source as an integral part of the sign, including interior lighting and backlighting.
(2) Indirectly Illuminated Signs. Signs illuminated with a light directed primarily toward such sign and so shielded that no direct rays from the light are visible elsewhere than on the lot where the illumination occurs.
(3) Nonilluminated Signs. Signs that do not give forth artificial light from an artificial source.
Marquee. A canopy or covered structure projecting from and supported by a building.
Marquee Fascia Signs. Signs attached to or painted on the face of a marquee and not projecting above or beneath the marquee face.
Moving Signs. Signs designed to attract attention by physical movement of all or parts of the sign, including rotation, motion, or the perception of motion.
(1) Rotating Signs. Moving signs or portions of such signs which physically revolve about an axis.
Standard: Not to exceed 10 revolutions per minute.
(2) Wind Sign. Any moving sign or display fastened in such a manner to move upon being subjected to pressure by wind or breeze.
Standard: Not to exceed 16 square feet in area or 16 feet in height including but not limited to flags, banners, balloons, streamers, and rotating devices.
Plaques. Commemorative plaques placed by historical agencies recognized by the city or the State of Hawaii.
Portable Signs. Signs that have no permanent attachment to a building or the ground, including but not limited to A-frame signs, pole attachments, searchlights, stands, and business signs not related to window displays.
Standard: Not to exceed 16 square feet in sign area or 16 feet in height above ground level.
Projecting Signs. Signs with the faces generally perpendicular to, and which are affixed or attached to, and supported solely by, an exterior building wall and which extend beyond the building wall more than 15 inches but not greater than 5 feet.
Standard: Not to exceed 6 feet in height above the roof level of a one-story building or 4 feet in height above the roof level of the second story of a building over one story in height.
Public Signs. Signs of a public or noncommercial nature, which shall include public transit service signs, utility information signs, safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, signs indicating scenic or historical points of interest, and all signs erected by a public officer in the performance of a public duty.
Roof Level. The lowest point of intersection between the plane of the roof and the plane of the exterior wall.
Roof Signs. Signs erected on a vertical framework supported by or located entirely over the roof of a building.
Standard: Not to exceed a height of 5 feet above the roof level of a one-story building in the industrial districts and 3 feet above the roof level in business and business mixed-use districts. Not permitted in any district on buildings exceeding one story in height or 16 feet above ground level, whichever is the lower height.
Second Floor Establishment. For the purposes of § 21-7.40, any establishment, the operation of which is located on the second floor of a building of no more than three stories in height; provided that the establishment is accessible from the ground floor by a stairway which is not separated from the rest of the second floor by a door. No part of the operation of the establishment, except for primary access to the establishment, may be located on the ground floor of the building. For purposes of this definition, a story excludes any basement.
Sign. Any structure, billboard, marquee, awning, canopy, street clock, announcement, declaration, demonstration, display, flag, pennant, banner, balloon, illustration, or insignia used to advertise, attract, or promote the interests of any person when it is placed on any property, building, or structure in view of the general public; provided that window displays or merchandise displays shall not be considered signs.
Sign Area. The entire area within a single, continuous perimeter of regular geometric form enclosing the extreme limits of writing, representation, emblem, or any fixture of similar character, together with any frame or other material or color forming an integral part of the display or used to differentiate such sign from the background against which it is placed, excluding poles, supports, or uprights (see Figure 21-7.1). Where a sign has two or more faces, the area shall be computed as the largest area projected on the vertical plane.
Small Signs. Diminutive identification signs or signs advertising the days or hours of operation of an establishment (other than as may be permitted as window displays).
Standard: Not to exceed 1 square foot in sign area, with sign copy not to exceed 2 inches in height, and the cumulative area of all small signs for a single establishment shall not exceed 2 square feet.
Street Clock. Any timepiece erected on a stand on the sidewalk or on the exterior of any building or structure for the convenience of the public or placed and maintained for the purpose of advertising a place of business.
Subdivision Name Signs. Signs identifying the street entrance to a subdivision.
Standard: One nonilluminated sign, not to exceed 24 square feet in area, or two nonilluminated signs, not to exceed 24 square feet in total per exclusive entrance and restricted to the subdivision name.
Temporary Signs.
(A) Announcing Signs. Signs announcing the character of a building enterprise or the purpose for which the building is intended, including names of architects, engineers, contractors, developers, financiers, and others.
Standard: One sign per street frontage of a building under construction, structural alteration or repair not to exceed 16 square feet of sign area in residential districts or 32 square feet of sign area in other districts.
(B) Real Estate Signs. Signs advertising the sale, rental, or lease of the premises on which the sign is displayed.
Standard: One sign per street frontage, not to exceed 4 square feet in residential districts or 8 square feet in other districts.
(C) Special Event Displays. Signs erected on the premises of an establishment having a grand opening or special event. Special event signs are to advertise an opening, occasion, or particular event, and not an establishment, service, price, product, or commodity.
Standard: The special event display may include portable signs, banners, and wind signs erected on the premises of the event. Special event displays are limited to one event per six-month period, and shall not be displayed for more than seven consecutive days.
(D) Subdivision Construction Signs. Signs at the entrance to the subdivision and located on the property to be subdivided.
Standard: One sign per street entrance to the subdivision and located on the property to be subdivided, not to exceed 32 square feet in sign area. The sign may not be erected until the subdivision has been approved by the appropriate city officials and may be displayed for a period of one year from the date of erection, which date must be filed with the director within 30 days after erection. Erection date will be determined to be the same as the subdivision approval date if not filed within the 30-day period. The display period may be extended by written approval of the director for a reasonable period of time, not to exceed one year at any one time.
Wall Signs. Signs with a face generally parallel with, and affixed to an exterior wall of any building.
Standard: Not to project more than 15 inches from the building wall, not to extend above the exterior wall of the building and not to exceed a height of 20 feet or the third floor level of buildings over two stories in height, whichever is the higher height; or, the roof level of the second floor for second floor establishments in buildings of only two stories in height.
For the purposes of this definition, an exterior wall shall include a parapet wall above the exterior wall and roof facade with face slope 60 percent or greater with the horizontal plane; provided that where a wall sign is to be located on a parapet wall or facade, the parapet wall or facade shall extend entirely across the side of the building; and provided further, that no portion of a wall sign shall exceed 6 feet above the roof level. Exterior wall and parapet wall shall be as defined in Chapter 16 (Building Code), as amended.
Window Display. The showing of any announcement, illustration, insignia, or lettering relating to merchandise for sale on the premises of a ground floor establishment, within a window or other similar building wall opening.
Standard: If the window display includes an announcement, illustration, insignia, or lettering, the representations shall be limited to the inside of the glass surface of the window. Any window display shall be limited to the first floor of a building.
(1990 Code, Ch. 21, Art. 7, § 21-7.20) (Added by Ord. 99-12; Am. Ords. 03-37, 09-5, 10-19)