Terms not otherwise defined herein shall be interpreted first by reference to the Comprehensive Plan and the Code of Ordinances; secondly, if the terms are technical, by reference to generally accepted engineering, planning, or other professional terminology; and otherwise according to common usage, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
For the purpose of enforcing and administering these regulations, the following words shall have the definition and meanings herein ascribed:
“ANCHOR OCCUPANT.” The occupant leasing or owning the most square footage in a shopping center. The major store or stores in a shopping center. Anchor occupants have more than 100 business front feet and a minimum floor area of 10,000 square feet.
“ANIMATED SIGN.” A sign which includes action, motion, or color changes, or the optical illusion of action, motion, or color changes, including a sign set in motion by movement of the atmosphere, or made up of a series of sections that turn.
“AWNING SIGN.” A sign composed of cloth, plastic, or canvas supported by a metal or rigid framework attached to and extending from an exterior wall or any other portion of a building utilized as protection from the rain or sun. A canopy sign is also known as an awning sign. (See illustration A)
“BANNER SIGN.” Any sign applied to cloth, canvas, paper or fabric of any kind, including foil. (See illustration A)
“BILLBOARD.” A non-point-of-sale commercial sign which advertises a product, service, business, organization, event, person, place, or thing.
“CITY.” The City of Lake Mary, Florida.
“CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN.” A sign other than an electronic sign designed to accommodate changeable copy, including but not limited to, individual letters and numbers that can be removed and replaced by hand.
“DISCONTINUED SIGN.”
(1) A sign located on property which has been vacant and unoccupied for a period of ninety (90) days or more; or
(2) Any sign face which advertises a service no longer conducted or product no longer sold upon the premises where the sign is located.
“DOUBLE-FACED SIGN.” A sign with two faces which are no more than 12 inches apart at their closest point, and which have an internal angle between face planes extended no more than 30 degrees. (See illustration A)
“ELECTRONIC SIGN.” A sign on which the copy changes automatically on a lamp bank or in a similar fashion, including but not limited to LED (light emitting diodes), LCD (liquid crystal displays), CEVMS (commercial electronic variable message signs), plasma displays, dynamic displays, projected images, or any other functionally equivalent technology, and which is capable of automated, remote or computer control to change the image, or through any electronically illuminated, scrolling or moving text, symbols or other images, utilizing LED, LCD, CEVMS, or other digital or electronic technology, commonly known as electronic message or reader boards, electronic marquees, message centers, moving message displays, or digital signs.
“FLAG.” A temporary sign consisting of a piece of cloth, fabric, or other-non-rigid material containing non-commercial speech.
“FLUTTER SIGN” or “FEATHER SIGN.” Any professionally produced streamers, balloons, wind signs, wind activated banners, cold air inflatables, pennants and other fixed aerial signage used outdoors for commercial advertising.
“FRONT FOOT, BUILDING.” Each foot, or major portion thereof, measured along the main entry side of a building. When buildings form an “L” or “U”, all main entry sides are measured (See illustration A)
“FRONT FOOT, BUSINESS.” The lineal distance of the building space occupied by the particular business, measured in a straight line parallel to the street. When a business does not parallel a street, the front foot shall be measured along the exterior side of the building space occupied by the sign applicant which contains the primary entrance to the building. (See illustration A)
“GOVERNMENT SIGN.” Any temporary or permanent sign erected by or on the order of a public official or quasi-public entity at the Federal, state, or local government level in the performance of any duty.
“GROUND SIGNS.” A sign wholly independent of any building for support which is placed upon or permanently affixed in the ground. (See illustration A
)
“HEIGHT.” The distance between the top of a sign and the average finished grade elevation of the base of the sign except in the Gateway Corridor Overlay Standards Classification District.
“HEIGHT - GATEWAY CORRIDOR OVERLAY STANDARDS CLASSIFICATION DISTRICT.” The distance between the top of a sign and the elevation of the nearest sidewalk.
“ILLEGAL SIGN.” A sign not having a legally issued permit required by the sign code, or a sign not authorized by the sign code.
“ILLUMINATED SIGN.” A sign that uses artificial light, either internal or external to the sign faces, to draw attention to the sign or otherwise increase its visibility.
“INTERMITTENT SIGN.” Any illuminated sign which contains, includes, or is illuminated by any intermittent light or lights, except those giving public service information such as time, date, weather, or similar information.
“NON-CONFORMING SIGN.” A sign lawfully existing in the city before the adoption of this sign code, or any amendment, that does not comply with these requirements.
“OFF-PREMISES SIGN.” A sign identifying an activity which is not on the premises where the sign is located or products or services which are not available on the premises where the sign is located.
“ON-PREMISES SIGN.” A sign (1) identifying an activity conducted or products or services available on the premises where the sign is located, or (2) displaying a noncommercial message or (3) any combination of the first two.
“PERSON.” An individual, associate, joint venture, partnership, corporation or any other entity.
“POLE SIGNS.” A ground sign supported by poles, uprights, or braces, which are not concealed in an enclosed base, but are permanently placed on or in the ground and wholly independent of any building for support. (See illustration A)
“PORTABLE SIGN.” A sign that has no permanent attachment to a building or to the ground. (See illustration A)
“PREMISE(S).” One or more designated parcels, tracts, lots or areas of land, together with improvements located thereon, if any, established by plat, subdivision, or as otherwise permitted by law, to be used, developed or built upon as a unit.
“PROJECTING SIGN.” Any sign affixed to a building or wall in such a manner that its leading edge extends more than twelve inches beyond the surface of such building or wall. (See illustration A)
“ROOF SIGN.” Any sign erected or installed upon the roof of any building or structure. (See illustration A)
“SIGN.” Any surface, fabric, device, or display, whether illuminated or non-illuminated, designed to identify, announce, direct or inform, and that is legible visible from off-site. For purposes of this sign code, the term “sign” includes all structural members. The definition of a sign does not include:
(a) Signs required or installed by a government agency on private property; and
(b) Notices required to be posted by law or ordinance on private property.
Only signs visible from any street, property (other than the subject site), or water body fall under the definition of sign.
“SIGN AREA.” The entire area enclosed by one continuous perimeter line, enclosing the extreme limits of the sign, including all ornamental attachments, insignias, symbols, logos, trademarks, interconnecting links and the like, and any stripe, frame or border. SIGN AREA does not include the main support structure of the sign unless used for sign display purposes.
The calculation for a double faced sign shall be the area of one face only.
The calculation for wall signs comprised of individual letters, numbers, symbols and the like, where the exterior wall of the building upon which it is affixed acts as the background of the sign, shall be calculated as ninety percent (90%) of the area enclosed within the smallest regular geometric figure needed to encompass the sign display.
“SNIPE SIGN.” Any sign that is placed on public property or tacked, nailed, glued, or in any way affixed to trees, public utility poles or other objects, or situated on any public road right-of-way, easement or alley.
“SUBDIVISION SIGN.” Any sign located at the entrance to a subdivision.
“SWING SIGNS OR SUSPENDED SIGNS.” Any sign projecting from an angle on the outside wall or walls of any building, and which is suspended from a projecting structure in such a manner that the sign itself, or any part thereof, is not attached to the building or wall. (See illustration A)
“TEMPORARY COMMERCIAL SIGN.” Any wording, logo, emblem, character, pictograph, trademark, or symbol used to represent a firm, organization, entity, product, or service, or other representation that, directly or indirectly, names, advertises, or calls attention to a product or service, on any device, fixture, placard, or structure that uses any color, form, graphic, illumination symbol, or writing to advertise, announce the purpose of, or identify the purpose of a person or entity, or to communicate information to the public.
For purposes of this section, terms such as sale, special, clearance, or other words which relate to commercial activity shall be deemed to be commercial messages.
“TEMPORARY NON-COMMERCIAL SIGN.” Any sign that is not commercial, which is not an advertisement for a specific product or service, where the speaker does not have an economic motivation.
“TEMPORARY SIGN.” A sign that is not a permanent sign. The term “TEMPORARY SIGN” shall not include any substitution of message on an existing lawful sign or sign structure. Unless otherwise provided in this code, a sign with an intended use for a period of time related to an event shall be deemed a temporary sign. A flag is deemed a temporary sign.
“WALL SIGN.” A sign painted on or attached to any outside wall of a building and in the same plane as the wall. Wall signs shall include, but not be limited to, projecting signs, awning signs, painted murals, parapet signs, swing or suspended signs. (See illustration A)
“WINDOW SIGN.” Any sign placed inside or upon the window panes or glass of any window or door visible from the exterior of the building. (See illustration A)
(Ord. 1029, passed 10-4-01; Am. Ord. 1476, passed 12-20-12; Am. Ord. 1500, passed 12-5-13; Am. Ord. 1564, passed 5-18-17)