(A) General provisions. Signs, advertising lights and devices shall be governed by the following provisions and any other regulations as may be hereafter established in the furtherance or clarification thereof.
(1) This section shall not apply to any display of directional signs, street name signs or other signs which have been authorized and erected by a governmental body or to on-site private instructional signs less than four square feet in areas intended to aid persons on private parcels of land.
(2) Signs are prohibited within the public right-of-way except that the City Council may grant a special permit for temporary signs and decorations to be placed on a right-of-way for a period of time not to exceed 90 days, subject to the laws of the state.
(3) Illuminated flashing signs shall not be permitted within any zoning district.
(4) One nameplate sign per lot in the B-1, B-2, B-3 and Industrial Districts pertaining to a permitted use may be erected not to exceed 30% of the authorized aggregate square footage of advertising sign space for that lot.
(5) For the purpose of selling or leasing property, a sign or signs not in excess of 25 square feet of sign may be placed within the front yard of the property to be sold or leased. The sign or signs shall not be less than 15 feet from the front lot line unless flat against the structure. Failure to remove the sign within ten days of sale or lease of property and to maintain the sign shall be considered a violation of this chapter.
(6) For the purpose of selling or promoting a residential project of six or more dwelling units, a sign not to exceed 100 square feet may be erected upon the project site and maintained until each of the units has been rented or leased.
(7) The area within the frame shall be used to calculate the square footage except that the width of a frame exceeding 12 inches shall constitute advertising space, or should the letters or graphics be mounted directly on a wall or fascia or in a way as to be without a frame, the dimensions for calculating the square footage shall be the area extending six inches beyond the periphery formed around the letters or graphics in a plane figure bounded by straight lines connecting the outermost points thereof, and each surface utilized to display a message or to attract attention shall be measured as a separate sign, and symbols, flags, pictures, wording, figures or other forms of graphics painted on or attached to windows, walls, awnings, freestanding structures, suspended by balloons or kites or on persons, animals or vehicles shall be considered as a sign to be included in calculating the overall square footage.
(8) Signs existing on the effective date of this chapter which do not conform to the regulations set forth in this chapter are a nonconforming use or structure and as such shall be under the regulations set forth in § 152.032.
(9) The top of any sign, including its superstructure, if any, shall be no higher than six feet above the roof of the building to which the sign may be attached or 35 feet above ground level, whichever height is less; except that the height of any nameplate sign which is attached to or an integral part of a functional structure, such as a water tower, smoke stack, radio or television transmitting tower, beacon or similar structure, shall be no higher than the structure.
(10) Signs, including any superstructure, standing or erected free of any building or other structure, shall not exceed an overall height of 25 feet from ground level.
(B) Signs in R Districts. Within the R District, the following signs are permitted.
(1) One double surfaced nameplate sign for each dwelling which shall not exceed one square foot in area per surface. The sign may indicate the name of occupant and address.
(2) One double surface nameplate sign for each dwelling group of six or more units, which shall not exceed six square feet in area per surface. The sign may indicate the names and addressed of the buildings or project, or may be a directory for occupants or state any combination of the above information.
(3) One double surfaced nameplate sign for each permitted use other than residential which shall not exceed 12 square feet in area per surface plus one-half square foot per surface for each one foot of setback greater than 20 feet.
(4) Symbols, statues, sculptures and integrated architectural features on nonresidential buildings may be illuminated by floodlights, provided the direct source of lights is not visible from the public right-of-way or adjacent residential property.
(C) Signs in B-1 Districts. Within the B-1 District, nameplate signs or business signs are permitted subject to the following regulations:
(1) Within the B-1 Business District, the aggregate square footage of sign per lot shall not exceed the sum of three square feet per front foot of building, with the least width of the lot fronting on a public right-of-way, 50 (or more) feet in width being the front for applying this section, plus one square foot for each foot of side yard abutting along a public right-of-way 50 feet or more in width.
(2) No individual sign shall exceed 250 square feet in area except as provided in division (A)(6) above.
(D) Signs in the B-2 and I Districts. Within the B-2 and I Districts, nameplate signs, business signs are permitted, subject to the following regulations.
(1) The aggregate square footage of sign space per lot shall not exceed the sum of four square feet per front foot of building, plus two square feet per front foot of property not occupied by a building, plus one square foot for each foot of public right-of-way other than the front 50 feet or more in width abutting the lot, plus a 10% increase in permitted sign space for each 15 feet the sign is set back of the front yard, up to a 100% increase.
(2) The least width of such a corner lot shall be the front for purposes of this chapter.
(3) A part of the aggregate square footage up to 100 square feet may be used for an advertising sign where the sign is not the principal use.
(E) Signs in the B-3 Business District. Within the B-3 District, nameplate signs, business and directional signs are permitted, subject to the following regulations.
(1) Within the B-3 District, the aggregate square footage of sign per lot shall not exceed the sum of two square feet per front foot of building, plus one square foot of lot width (the least lot width shall prevail).
(2) No individual sign shall exceed 180 square feet in area or the criteria of division (A)(6) above, the lesser square footage shall prevail.
(3) The least width of a corner lot shall be the front for purpose of this section or as determined by the Zoning Officer.
(Ord. 110, passed 4-23-1991)