(A) It is the purpose of this section to promote the public health, safety and general welfare through reasonable, consistent and non-discriminatory sign standards. The sign regulations in this Section are also designed and intended to meet the statutory requirement that this municipality adopt land development regulations that regulate signage, a requirement set forth in F.S. § 163.3202(f). The sign regulations in this section are not intended to censor speech or to regulate viewpoints, but instead are intended to regulate the adverse secondary effects of signs. The sign regulations are especially intended to address the secondary effects that may adversely impact aesthetics and safety. The sign regulations are designed to serve substantial government interests and, in some cases, compelling governmental interests such as traffic safety and warning signs of threats to bodily injury or death. The city specifically finds that these sign regulations are narrowly tailored to achieve the compelling and substantial governmental interests of traffic safety and aesthetics, and that there is no other way for the city to further these interests.
(B) This section regulates signs, as defined in this Land Development Code, which are placed on private property or on property owned by public agencies including the city and over which the city has zoning authority. This section is not intended to extend its regulatory regime to objects that are not traditionally considered signs for purpose of governmental regulation.
(C) In order to preserve and promote the city as a desirable community in which to live and do business, a pleasing visually attractive environment is of foremost importance. The regulation of signs within the city is an important means to achieve this desired end.
(D) These sign regulations have been prepared with the intent of enhancing the visual environment of the city and promoting its continued well-being, and are intended to:
(1) Encourage the effective use of signs as a means of communication in the city;
(2) Maintain and enhance the aesthetic environment and the city's ability to attract sources of economic development and growth;
(3) Improve pedestrian and traffic safety;
(4) Minimize the possible adverse effect of signs on nearby public and private property;
(5) Foster the integration of signage with architectural and landscape designs;
(6) Lessen the visual clutter that may otherwise be caused by the proliferation, improper placement, illumination, animation, excessive height, and excessive sign (area) of signs which compete for the attention of pedestrian and vehicular traffic;
(7) Allow signs that are compatible with their surroundings and aid orientation, while precluding the placement of signs that contribute to sign clutter or that conceal or obstruct adjacent land uses or signs;
(8) Encourage and allow signs that are appropriate to the zoning district in which they are;
(9) Establish sign size in relationship to the scale of the lot and building on which the sign, is to be placed or to which it pertains;
(10) Preclude signs from conflicting with the principal permitted use of the site and adjoining;
(11) Regulate signs in a manner so as to not interfere with, obstruct the vision of or distract motorists, bicyclists or pedestrians;
(12) Except to the extent expressly preempted by state or Federal law, ensure that signs are constructed, installed and maintained in a safe and satisfactory manner, and protect the public from unsafe signs;
(13) Preserve, conserve, protect, and enhance the aesthetic quality and scenic beauty of all districts of the city;
(14) Allow for traffic control devices without regulation consistent with national standards and whose purpose is to promote highway safety and efficiency by providing for the orderly movement of road users on streets and highways, and that notify road users of regulations and provide warning and guidance needed for the safe, uniform and efficient operation of all elements of the traffic stream;
(15) Protect property values by precluding, to the maximum extent possible, sign types that create a nuisance to the occupancy or use of other properties as a result of their size, height, illumination, brightness, or movement;
(16) Protect property values by ensuring that sign types, as well as the number of signs, are in harmony with buildings, neighborhoods, and conforming signs in the area;
(17) Regulate the appearance and design of signs in a manner that promotes and enhances the beautification of the city and that complements the natural surroundings in recognition of this city's reliance on its natural surroundings and beautification efforts in retaining economic advantage for its business and residential community, as well as for its major subdivisions, shopping centers and industrial parks;
(18) Enable the fair and consistent enforcement of these sign regulations;
(19) Promote the use of signs that positively contribute to the aesthetics of the community, are appropriate in scale to the surrounding buildings and landscape, and advance the city's goals of qualify development;
(20) Provide standards regarding the non-communicative aspects of signs, which are consistent with city; county, state and federal law;
(21) Provide flexibility and encourage variety in signage, and create an incentive to relate signage to the basic principles of good design: and
(22) Assure that the benefits derived from the expenditure of public funds for the improvement and beautification of streets, sidewalks, public parks, public rights-of-way. and other public places and spaces, are protected by exercising reasonable controls over the physical characteristics and structural design of signs.
(23) To provide adequate opportunity to advertise in commercial areas while preventing excessive advertising which would have a detrimental effect on the character and appearance of such districts.
(24) To reduce glare and improve public safety and to reinforce the character of unique areas such as the Downtown Development District, and the High Tech District.
(25) To protect the general public from damage and injury caused by the faulty and uncontrolled construction and use of signs within the city.
(26) To protect and maintain the visual integrity of roadway corridors within the city by establishing a maximum amount of signage on any one site to reduce visual clutter.
(27) Where there is conflict between this section and other sections of this code, the most restrictive regulations shall apply.
(28) This section does not regulate government signs on government property, since these signs are erected for purposes of public safety and in the public interest.
(Ord. 1029, passed 10-4-01; Am. Ord. 1564, passed 5-18-17)