(A) Purpose. The purpose of this subchapter is to establish minimum requirements, to protect the public health, safety, morals, comfort and general welfare of the people through regulations governing all signs. The sign regulations are intended to permit an efficient, effective, and aesthetic means to maintain an attractive and appealing appearance in the community, including appearance along streets and on property used for residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and public development and the air space above and between such developments. These regulations are intended to permit adequate signage for effective communication while minimizing or preventing visual clutter and visual pollution which can be caused by signage. It is not the purpose or intent of this sign subchapter to regulate the message displayed on any sign; nor is it the purpose or intent of this subchapter to regulate any building design or any display not defined as a sign, or any sign which cannot be viewed from outside a building. The purpose and intent of this subchapter is to:
(1) Regulate the number, location, size, type, illumination, and other physical characteristics of signs within the city in order to promote the public health, safety and welfare.
(2) Maintain, enhance, and improve the aesthetic environment of the city by preventing visual clutter that is harmful to the appearance of the community.
(3) Improve the visual appearance of the city while providing for effective means of communication, consistent with constitutional guarantees and the city's goals of public safety and aesthetics.
(4) Provide for fair and consistent enforcement of the sign regulations set forth herein under the zoning authority of the city.
(B) Findings. The City Council hereby finds as follows:
(1) Exterior signs have a substantial impact on the character and quality of the environment.
(2) Signs provide an important medium through which individuals may convey a variety of messages.
(3) Signs can create traffic hazards, aesthetic concerns and detriments to property values, thereby threatening the public health, safety and welfare.
(4) The city's zoning regulations include the regulation of signs in an effort to provide adequate means of expression and to promote the economic viability of the business community, while protecting the city and its citizens from a proliferation of signs of a type, size, location and character that would adversely impact upon the aesthetics of the community and threaten the health, safety and welfare of the community. The regulation of the physical characteristics of signs within the city has had a positive impact on traffic safety and the appearance of the community.
(Ord. 2013-05, passed 5-20-2013)