(A) For sale, rent or lease signs. Signs advertising a property for sale, rent or lease upon which the signs are located are permitted in any district, providing that such signs do not exceed 25 square feet of total display surface. Permits are not required for signs of this type.
(B) General sign requirements. Requirements for signs which identify a location or advertise goods or services related to the property upon which they are located, are specified with respect to size, type and location in each zoning district.
(C) Requirements for zoning permits. Zoning permits are required for all types of new signs as well as for any existing sign modification such as size, structural components, illumination, or location.
(D) Modification of existing signs and repair of damaged signs. Except for routine maintenance, no existing sign of any type may be modified, changed or altered in any way except in conformity with the provisions of this chapter. Whenever a nonconforming sign is damaged or partially destroyed for any reason, such that more than half of the value is lost, then such a sign may not be reconstructed and placed in the same location without being made to be in conformance with the provisions of this chapter.
(E) Provisions for optional increases in maximum sign area. Within any zoning district, the maximum allowed sign area may be increased by up to 1½ times provided that the village Design Review Board determines that the characteristics of a proposed sign are in keeping with the historic and architectural characteristics of the village. Such characteristics include the proposed type styles, colors, associated pictures or images, materials from which the sign is made, and proposed location of such sign. The Design Review Board shall prepare and make available guidelines for desired sign characteristics.
(F) Exempted signs. The following types of signs do not require a zoning permit and are exempt from these regulations:
(1) The flag, pennant or insignia of any school team, family, nation, state, city or political unit, or any duly constituted government body;
(2) Cornerstones or official historical signs;
(3) Traffic directional signs, or any sign placed in a location by a duly constituted government body;
(4) Residential identification signs under two square feet in size; and
(5) Political signs which are removed within 30 days following a given election.
(G) Prohibited signs. Trailer mounted mobile signs are prohibited in any zoning district. These signs are mounted on a trailer, and which typically have flashing lights and an interior light source which illuminates an area upon which letters and/or numbers are affixed. Additionally, any sign which is illuminated by a light source which flashes, rotates, or otherwise moves is prohibited, as are any signs which, because of glare or reflection, are found to cause a traffic hazard or nuisance.
(H) Maximum sign height. The maximum height of any free standing sign in any zoning district shall be ten feet. (Ord. 1993-0-2, passed 3-13-93)