(A) Exceptions. The provisions of the chapter shall not apply to the following signs, provided such signs are in compliance with the provisions restricting placement of structures in the road right-of-way.
(1) Miscellaneous traffic and other official signs of any public or governmental agency, such as traffic control or directional signs, railroad crossing signs, trespassing signs, signs indicating danger, signs indicating the location of U.S.G.S. benchmarks, or signs used as aids to service or safety.
(2) Directional signs required for the purpose of orientation, when approved by the city or by the county or state government.
(3) Any flag, emblem or insignia of our nation, its governmental units, or its schools.
(4) Any sign which is located completely within an enclosed building, and which is not visible from outside the building.
(5) Tablets, grave markers, headstones, statuary, or remembrances of persons or events that are noncommercial in nature.
(6) Temporary decorations or displays celebrating the occasion of traditionally-accepted patriotic or religious holidays and special municipal and public school activities.
(7) Public safety and routing signs used on public and private construction sites.
(B) Prohibited signs. The following signs shall not be permitted or erected in any district:
(1) Signs which have flashing, blinking or moving lights, or expose incandescent light bulbs. This shall include strobe lights which are wholly located inside a building which are visible to the public outside the premises and are intended to attract the attention of persons not on the premises.
(2) Cloth and banner signs, pennants, spinners, and paper festoon signs.
(3) String lights used for commercial purposes, other than Christmas or other decorations.
(4) Any sign which has any visible moving parts, visible revolving parts, visible mechanical movement of any description, or other apparent visible movement achieved by electrical, electronic, or mechanical means, including intermittent electrical pulsation, or by action of normal wind current, except for marina signs located on the waterfront, time, temperature, and stock market signs as provided in this section.
(5) Any sign or sign structure which is structurally unsafe, or constitutes a hazard to safety or health by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation or abandonment, or is not kept in good repair, or is capable of causing electrical shock to persons likely to come in contact with it.
(6) Any sign that obstructs a window, door or other opening that could be used for fire escape.
(7) Any sign which makes use of the words “Stop,” “Look,” or “Danger,” or any other words, phrases, symbols, or characters, in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic.
(8) Any sign or other advertising structure containing obscene, indecent, or immoral matter.
(9) Any sign unlawfully installed, erected, or maintained.
(10) Any sign now or hereafter existing, which no longer advertises a bona fide business conducted, or product sold.
(11) Any sign attached to a standpipe, gutter drain, or fire escape, or any sign erected so as to impair access to a roof.
(12) Any sign that would project above the parapet line of any roof, except as permitted in § 155.251 (J) and as permitted with ground or freestanding signs.
(13) Projecting or overhanging signs, except permitted wall signs which may project up to 12 inches from the face of the wall.
(14) Any sign which is attached to a tree, fence, or utility pole.
(15) Portable or temporary signs, except as specifically provided for in this chapter.
(16) Signs painted on or attached to a parked vehicle, truck, trailer, or van, which is being used principally for advertising purposes, rather than for transportation purposes. This restriction shall not apply to permitted temporary truckload sales.
(17) Any other sign not specifically authorized by this chapter.
(18) Signs on street furniture, such as benches, newspaper stands, and trash receptacles.
(19) Billboards.
(Ord. 792, passed 12-3-01; Am. Ord. –, passed –)