A separate building permit shall be required for any such sign, pennant, or notice not specifically included in an original building permit, except as provided hereinafter.
(A) Signs exempt from regulations. The following signs are exempt from the regulations contained in this article:
(1) Signs advertising the sale or lease of property;
(2) Signs indicating the architect, engineer, project name, source of financing and contractor when displayed during the construction period and on a construction site and removed 30 days after construction in completed;
(3) Governmental signs and legal notices;
(4) Directional signs not exceeding six square feet in area;
(5) Flags of any country, state or unit of local government;
(6) Memorial plaques and historical signs;
(7) Any lettering or design painted or applied directly to the surface of windows of a structure;
(8) Signs associated with churches and similar places of worship, located in a non-residential district, not exceeding 96 square feet;
(9) Signs associated with public and nonprofit schools, not exceeding 96 square feet;
(10) Political signs;
(11) Signs hanging or standing inside a building, not attached to a window or door, visible from a public street;
(12) Any signs inside an athletic field or other enclosed outdoor space; and
(13) Business signs of less than 48 square inches.
(B) Temporary signs.
(1) All temporary signs shall be permitted for a maximum of 30 days prior to the event they advertise. A building permit is not required for temporary signs.
(2) All temporary signs must be removed within 48 hours after the conclusion of the event. Any temporary sign still in place after said period may be confiscated by the city and the owner of the sign
may be subject to prosecution.
(C) Signs not to create a traffic hazard. No sign or banner shall be erected in the visibility triangle as defined in this chapter. Any such signs shall be removed at the direction of the Mayor of the city. If not removed be the owner or occupants of the property within ten days, the Mayor may cause the property owner to be cited for a violation of this chapter.
(D) Banners.
(1) Any business activity located in a B-1, B-2 or I-1 District, with a permitted permanent sign, may display banners. All banners must be attached to a permanent structure and no part of the banner or rope/string used to anchor the banner shall extend past the confines of the permanent structure. This section will allow a banner to be placed between the permitted poles or structures of a permitted permanent sign. The total square feet of banners shall not exceed the total square footage of current permitted signage.
(2) No banner shall be erected in the visibility triangle as defined in this chapter. Any such banners shall be removed at the direction of the Mayor of the city. If not removed by the owners or occupants of the property within ten days, the Mayor may cause the property owner to be cited for a violation of this chapter.
(E) Menu board sign.
(1) Menu boards shall be allowed only as an accessory use to a restaurant permitted to have a drive-thru window provided that:
(a) Such signs shall not exceed 32 square feet in area and six feet in height;
(b) Such signs shall not be legible from a public right-of-way or adjacent property;
(c) There shall be no more than one such sign per property;
(d) The color of such signs shall be neutral or earth tone or have architectural ties to the main building;
(e) Such signs may have changeable copy; and
(f) Such signs may be internally or directly illuminated.
(2) Menu board signs will not count against the total of otherwise allowed signage.
(F) Prohibited signs and devices.
(1) Spotlights, floodlights, luminous tubes or lighted signs installed in any way which will permit the direct rays of such light to penetrate into any residence;
(2) Signs that project above the roofline on which it is mounted unless attached properly to withstand applicable wind loads as regulated in the State Building Code;
(3) Any sign that copies or imitates an official sign or purports to have official status;
(4) Beacons;
(5) Windblown devices;
(6) Any sign that obstructs or substantially interferes with any window, door, fire escape, stairway, ladder, or opening intended to provide air, ingress, or egress to any building;
(7) Off-premise and billboard signs of any kind except those allowed under this chapter;
(8) Pylon signs, except those allowed under this chapter;
(9) No sign or banner except for authorized traffic signs shall be erected at the intersection of any streets in such a manner as to create a traffic hazard by obstructing the visibility triangle, as defined in this chapter, or at any location where it may interfere with, obstruct the view, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign; and
(10) Signs that flash, blink, rotate, or scroll.
(G) Signs generally.
(1) Outdoor advertising signs and structures, where permitted, shall be set back from the established right-of-way line of any street or thoroughfare, at least as far as the required front yard depth for a principal building in such districts; provided that for every square foot by which such signs or billboards exceed 80 square feet, such setback shall be increased by one-half foot but need not exceed 100 feet, except that at the intersection of any state or federal highways with a major secondary thoroughfare, the setback of any outdoor advertising sign or billboard shall not be less than 100 feet from the established or planned future right-of-way of such highway or street.
(2) In any nonresidential district there shall be permitted signs, including signs painted on buildings, for identification purposes or advertising products processed, manufactured or sold on the premises either on the building appurtenant thereto or on the ground, a distance not more than 100 feet from said building; provided such signs do not exceed 50 square feet in area for each 25 feet of frontage; provided that such signs shall not exceed two per business and the total area of all such signs shall not exceed 1,000 square feet. Such signs shall require a separate building permit if not submitted at the time of the submission of permit application for the primary application for the primary land use.
(3) No such billboard, sign, or advertising structure, other than signs flat against the face of a commercial building, shall face any public square or entrance to any public park, public or parochial school, library, church, or similar institution, within 200 feet thereof,
(4) The front and back of a sign may be used for sign purposes, provided that one face may not exceed the limits specified herein, nor may the area of the total sign faces exceed twice these limits.
(5) No billboard or outdoor advertising structure not pertaining to the use of any property shall be painted or located on any wall, building, or fence, or erected upon the roof of any building.
(H) Removal of signs upon discontinuation of use.
(1) Whenever the use of a building or premises by a specified business or other establishment is discontinued by the owner or occupant for a period of 90 days, the signs pertaining to that business or establishment that were installed by the occupant or owner, as well as all signs which do not conform to the standards of this chapter, shall be removed.
(2) Any signs not removed within 30 days following the 90 day period may be confiscated by the city and the owner of the sign may be subject to prosecution.
(Ord. 21, passed 1-14-2020) Penalty, see §
152.999