(a) Abandoned sign. "Abandoned sign" means a sign which no longer directs, exhorts or advertises a bona fide business, service, lessee, lessor, owner, product or activity conducted or available on the premises where the sign is located.
(b) Animated sign. "Animated Sign" shall mean any sign that uses flashing lights or movement of the sign or some element thereof, to depict action or create a special effect or scene.
(c) Awning or canopy sign. "Awning" or "Canopy sign" shall mean any sign that is painted on, printed on or attached to an awning, canopy or other fabric, plastic or structural protective cover.
(d) Back lighted letter. "Back lighted letter" is an illuminated reverse channel letter with an open or translucent back so that light from the letter is directed against the surface behind the letter producing a halo lighting effect around the letter; also referred to as a silhouette or halo-lighted.
(e) Banner sign. "Banner sign" shall mean a sign made of lightweight fabric or similar material with no enclosing framework that is secured to a building or other structure at one or more edges.
(f) Billboard sign. "Billboard sign" (synonymous with off-site advertising) shall mean a sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than upon the same lot.
(g) Building sign. "Building Sign" shall mean any sign attached parallel to any part of a building and including wall signs, awning or canopy signs and window signs.
(h) Cabinet sign. "Cabinet sign" is a sign structure consisting of the frame and face(s) not including the internal components, embellishments or support structure.
(i) Changeable copy sign. "Changeable copy sign" shall mean a portion of a sign with letters, characters or graphics that are not permanently affixed to the structure, framing or background allowing the letters, characters or graphics to be modified manually or by electronic or mechanical devices from time to time as situations change, such as bulletin board or announcement board.
(j) Channel letter. "Channel letter" is a fabricated or formed three-dimensional letter that may accommodate light source.
(k) Electronic message center. "Electronic message center" is a variable message sign that utilizes computer-generated messages or some other electronic means of changing copy.
(l) Entrance or exit sign. "Entrance or exit sign" shall mean a sign located at the driveway entrance or exit and intended to provide for safe ingress and egress.
(m) Exterior illuminated sign. "Exterior illuminated sign" is a sign that is illuminated by a light source that is directed towards and shines on the face of a sign; also called direct illumination.
(n) Flag sign. "Flag sign" shall mean a piece of flexible material having a distinctive size, color and design, used as a symbol, standard, signal or emblem.
(o) Ground or monument sign. "Ground or monument sign" shall mean a sign supported from the ground and not attached to any building.
(p) Halo lighted. See definition of backlighted letter (d).
(q) Ideological sign. "Ideological sign" shall mean any temporary sign announcing an idea, opinion or position on a social or political issue and containing no commercial message.
(r) Illuminated sign. "Illuminated sign" shall mean a sign with an artificial light source incorporated internally or externally for the purpose of illuminating the sign.
(s) Instructional sign. "Instructional sign" shall mean a sign that has a purpose secondary to the use on the lot and that is intended to instruct employees, customers or users as to matters of public safety or necessity such as specific parking requirements, the location or regulations pertaining to specific activities on the site or in the building, and including a sign erected by a public authority, utility, public service organization or private industry that is intended to control traffic; direct, identify or inform the public; or provide needed public service as determined by the rules and regulations of governmental agencies or through public policy.
(t) Internally illuminated sign. "Internally illuminated sign" is sign illuminated internally through its sign face by a light source contained inside the sign.
(u) Marquee sign. "Marquee sign" shall mean a sign attached to a structure, other than an awning or canopy sign, projecting from a wall of a building above an entrance and extending over a street, sidewalk or part thereof.
(v) Mobile sign. "Mobile sign" shall mean a sign that is on wheels, runners, casters or has a frame to which wheels, runners or casters may be affixed, parked trailers, parked vehicles or other mobile devices, including tethered and/or anchored balloons.
(w) Pan channel letter. "Pan channel letter" is a dimensional letter that is constructed with sidewalls, a back and a face making the letter a solid integral unity with the sidewalls and back having a pan shaped cross section.
(x) Permanent sign. "Permanent sign" shall mean a sign that is not temporary.
(y) Pole sign. "Pole sign" means a sign which is supported entirely by a pole, poles or posts and so designed as to permit pedestrian or vehicular traffic thereunder.
(z) Projecting sign. "Projecting sign" shall mean a sign that is attached to a building wall and extending 12 inches or more perpendicular to the face of the wall.
(aa) Reverse channel letter. "Reverse channel letter" is a fabricated dimensional letter with opaque face and sidewalls. (See definition (d) Backlighted letter.)
(bb) Roof sign. "Roof sign" shall mean a sign erected, constructed or maintained wholly upon or over the roof or parapet wall of any building with the principal support on the roof structure.
(cc) Sign face. "Sign face" shall mean the area or display surface used for the message.
(dd) Sign plate. "Sign plate" shall mean a wall sign not exceeding two square foot in area.
(ee) Signs. "Signs" shall mean any visual communication display, object, device, graphic, structure or part, situated indoors or outdoors, or attached to, painted on or displayed from a building or structure, in order to direct or attract attention, or to announce or promote, an object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization or business or the like, by means of letters, words, model, banner, flag, pennant, insignia, device, designs, colors, symbols, fixtures, images, illuminations or representation used as, or which is in the nature of an announcement, direction or advertisement. For the purpose of this code, the word "sign" does not include flag, pennant, badge or insignia of any government or governmental agency.
(ff) Temporary sign. "Temporary sign" shall mean a sign that is designed to be used only temporarily and is not intended to be permanently attached to a building, a structure or permanently installed in the ground.
(gg) Wall sign. "Wall sign" shall mean a sign painted on, attached to or erected against the wall of a building or structure with the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to the plane of the wall and not extending more than 12 inches therefrom and which does not project above the roofline or beyond the corner of the building.
(hh) Window sign. "Window sign" shall mean a sign that is applied or attached to a window or door or a sign located near a window within a building for the purpose of being visible to and read from the outside of the building except for signs that are not legible from a distance of more than three feet beyond the building in which such sign is located.
(Ord. 04-O-28, passed 8-23-2004)
Cross-reference:
Images, see pictorial examples in the appendix to this chapter