(A) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to protect and regain the natural and scenic beauty of the roadsides throughout the city. By the construction of public roads, the public has created views to which the public retains a right-of-way view and it is the intent of these standards to prevent the taking of that right.
(B) Permit required. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no sign shall be erected, constructed, altered, rebuilt or relocated until a sign permit or conditional use permit for the sign has been issued according to the chart in division (GG) below. However, no permit will be required under this chapter for the following signs:
(1) All signs under ten square feet in area, except those that require a conditional use permit;
(2) Real estate sale signs under nine square feet in area;
(3) Political signs; and
(4) Warning signs which do not exceed nine square feet in area.
(C) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
SIGN. A display, illustration, structure or device which directs attention to an object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization or business.
SIGN, ADVERTISING. A sign that directs attention to a business or profession or to a commodity, service or entertainment not sold or offered upon the premises where such sign is located or to which it is attached.
SIGN AREA. The entire area within a continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of such sign. However, such perimeter shall not include any structural elements lying outside of such sign and not forming an integral part or border of the sign. The maximum square footage of multi-faced signs shall not exceed two times the allowed square footage of a single-faced sign.
SIGN, BUSINESS. A sign that directs attention to a business or profession or to the commodity, service or entertainment sold or offered upon the premises where such sign is located or to which it is attached.
SIGN, FLASHING. An illuminated sign which has a light source not constant in intensity or color at all times while such sign is in use.
SIGN, GROUND. A sign which is supported by one or more uprights, poles or braces in or upon the ground.
SIGN, IDENTIFICATION. A sign which identifies the inhabitant of the dwelling, not to exceed two square feet in size.
SIGN, ILLUMINATED. A sign which is lighted with an artificial light source.
SIGN, MOTION. A sign that has revolving parts or signs which produce moving effects through the use of illumination.
SIGN, NAMEPLATE. A sign which states the name and/or address of the business, industry or occupant of the site and is attached to said building or site.
SIGN, PEDESTAL. A ground sign usually erected on one central shaft or post which is solidly affixed to the ground.
SIGN, REAL ESTATE. A sign offering property (land and/or buildings) for sale, lease or rent.
SIGN, ROOF. A sign erected upon or above a roof or parapet of a building.
SIGN, SHOPPING CENTER OR INDUSTRIAL PARK. A business sign designating a group of shops or offices (more than three).
SIGN, STRUCTURE. The supports, uprights, braces and framework of the sign.
SIGN, TEMPORARY OR SEASONAL. A sign placed on a lot or parcel of land for a period not to exceed 90 days out of any 12-month period. No sign permit fee is required.
SIGN, WALL. A sign attached to or erected against the wall of a building with the exposed face of the sign a plane parallel to the plane of said wall.
SIGN, WARNING. A sign which warns the public of a danger or hazard in the immediate vicinity and is obviously not intended for advertising purposes.
(D) Preventing egress. No sign shall be allowed that prevents egress from any door, window or fire escape; that tends to accumulate debris as a fire hazard, or that is attached to a standpipe or fire escape or in any other way constitutes a hazard of health, safety or general welfare of the public.
(E) Traffic interference. No sign may be erected that, by reason of position, shape, movement, color or any other characteristic, interferes with the proper functioning of a traffic sign or signal or otherwise constitutes a traffic hazard; nor shall signs be permitted which would otherwise interfere with traffic control.
(F) Private signs.
(1) Private traffic circulation signs and traffic warning signs in alleys, parking lots or in other hazardous situations may be allowed on private property provided that such signs do not exceed three square feet and are used exclusively for traffic-control purposes.
(2) Private signs, other than public utility warning signs, are prohibited within the public right-of-way of any street or way or other public property.
(G) Illuminated signs.
(1) Illuminated signs may be permitted, but flashing signs, except ones giving time, date, temperature, weather or similar public service information, shall be prohibited. Signs giving off intermittent, rotating or directional light which may be confused with traffic, aviation or emergency signaling are prohibited.
(2) Illuminated signs shall be diffused or indirect so as not to direct rays of light into adjacent property or onto any public street or way. No illuminated signs or their support structure shall be located closer than 25 feet to a roadway surface or closer than ten feet to a road right-of-way line or property line, notwithstanding more restrictive portions of this section.
(H) Political signs. Political signs are allowed in any district, on private property, with the consent of the owner of the property. Such signs must be removed within seven days following the date of the election or elections to which they apply.
(I) Displays. In any district, animal displays, lights directed skyward, pieces of sculpture, fountains or other displays or features which do not clearly fall within the definition of a sign, but which direct attention to an object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization or business, shall require a conditional use permit. Mobile signs on wheels or otherwise capable of being moved from place to place shall conform to the provisions of this chapter just as permanently affixed signs.
(J) Real estate signs.
(1) Real estate sales signs may be placed in any yard providing such signs are not closer than ten feet to any property line.
(2) Real estate development project sales signs may be erected for the purpose of selling or promoting a single-family or multiple-family residential project of ten or more dwelling units, provided:
(a) Such signs shall not exceed 100 square feet in area;
(b) Only one such sign shall be erected on each road frontage with a maximum of three such signs per project;
(c) Such signs shall be removed when the project is 80% completed, sold or leased;
(d) Such signs shall not be located closer than 100 feet to any existing residence; and
(e) Such signs over 32 square feet shall only be permitted by a sign permit.
(3) Multiple-family dwelling project identification signs may be erected for the purpose of identifying a multiple-family dwelling project of three or more dwellings. Such sign shall not exceed 70
square feet and only one such sign shall be erected at each entrance to the project, but in no case shall there be more than four such signs for any one project.
(K) Construction signs. Construction signs not exceeding 32 square feet in area shall be allowed in all zoning districts during construction. Such signs shall be removed when the project is substantially completed.
(L) Signs on walls or other objects. Signs shall not be painted directly on the outside wall of a building, signs shall not be painted on a fence, tree, stone or other similar objects in any district.
(M) Roof signs. Roof signs are prohibited in all districts.
(N) Signs on benches and the like. Signs on benches, newsstands, car stands, bus stop shelters and similar places shall require a sign permit as provided in this section.
(O) Electrical signs. All signs and displays using electric power shall have a cut-off switch on the outside of the sign and on the outside of the building or structure to which the sign is attached. No electrically illuminated signs shall be permitted in a residential or agricultural district.
(P) Inside signs. The regulations contained herein do not apply to signs painted, attached by adhesive or otherwise attached directly to or visible through windows and glass portions of doors.
(Q) Offensive signs. No signs shall contain any indecent or offensive picture or written matter.
(R) Required signs. In all zoning districts one identification sign shall be required per building, except accessory structures and residential buildings which shall be required only to display the street address or property number.
(S) Advertising signs. Advertising signs shall not be located closer than 3,000 feet to any other sign on the same side of a street or highway.
(T) Multi-faced signs. Multi-faced signs shall not exceed two times the allowed square footage of a single-faced sign.
(U) Maximum size. Except for more restrictive subsections of this sign section, no sign that exceeds 100 square feet in area shall be erected or maintained:
(1) Which would prevent any traveler on any street from obtaining a clear view of approaching vehicles on the same street for a distance of 500 feet;
(2) Which would be closer than 1,350 feet to a national, state or local park, historic site, picnic or rest area, church or school;
(3) Which would be closer than 100 feet to residential structures; and
(4) Which would partly or totally obstruct the view of a lake, river, rocks, wooded area, stream or other point of natural and scenic beauty.
(V) Signs by conditional use permit. Where a use is permitted in a zoning district by conditional use permit, the sign for that use shall require a conditional use permit unless the sign is otherwise provided for in this chapter.
(W) Signs in agricultural districts. No signs shall be permitted in an agricultural district except the following enumerated signs if authorized by a sign permit or other permit as provided in this chapter:
(1) Type of signs allowed. Nameplate, real estate sales, ground, political, temporary, wall, identification and business;
(2) Two surfaces. No sign shall be so constructed as to have more than two surfaces;
(3) Number of each type of sign allowed per lot frontage. One of each of the permitted type signs except temporary signs where two will be permitted and political signs where one for each candidate will be permitted;
(4) Size. Not more than a total of 32 square feet with an eight-foot maximum for any dimension except as otherwise restricted in this section. Total square feet of permitted signs per lot or parcel shall not exceed 100 square feet;
(5) Height. The top of the display shall not exceed ten feet above grade; and
(6) Setback. Any sign over two square feet shall be setback at least ten feet from any lot line.
(X) Permitted signs in residential districts
(1) Types of signs allowed. Nameplate, real estate sales, political, ground, temporary, wall and identification;
(2) Surfaces. No sign shall be so constructed as to have more than two surfaces;
(3) Number of each type of sign allowed per lot frontage. One of each of the permitted type signs, except temporary signs where two will be permitted and political signs where one for each candidate will be permitted. No more than 32 square feet of total display area will be permitted at any one time in developed areas;
(4) Size. Not more than a total of 16 square feet with a four-foot maximum for any dimension except as otherwise restricted in this section. Total square feet of all signs shall not exceed 32 square feet per lot;
(5) Height. The top of the display shall not exceed eight feet above grade; and
(6) Setback. Any sign over one and one-half square feet shall be setback at least ten feet from any lot line.
(7) Wall signs. The height of any wall sigh placed within this district shall not exceed the height of the wall upon which it is proposed to be placed by the property owner and in no case shall such sign be illuminated.
(Y) Permitted signs in commercial districts.
(1) Type of signs allowed. Business, nameplate, identification, illuminated, ground, pedestal, motion, political, real estate sales, shopping center where there are three or more businesses, temporary and wall. Advertising by conditional use permit only.
(2) Number of each type of sign allowed per lot frontage. One advertising sign on any lot having a frontage of 150 feet or more. One real estate sales sign, two temporary signs, one nameplate sign, one political sign for each candidate and one business sign or one shopping center sign.
(3) Size.
(a) Except as provided herein, the total square footage of sign area for each lot shall not exceed two square feet of sign area for each lineal foot of lot frontage, except where a location is a corner lot, the amount may be increased by one square foot of sign area per front foot of public right-of-way along a side lot line.
(b) No sign shall exceed 200 square feet in area.
(c) Each real estate sales sign, temporary sign and political sign shall not exceed 35 square feet in area.
(d) Each nameplate sign shall not exceed 100 square feet in area.
(4) Height. The top of the display shall not exceed 35 feet above the average grade.
(5) Setback. Any sign over six square feet shall be setback at least ten feet from any lot line. In no case shall any part of a sign be closer than two feet to a vertical line drawn at the property line. All signs over 100 square feet shall be setback at least 50 feet from any residential or agricultural district.
(6) Wall signs. Where wall signs are proposed to be sued by a property owner within the commercial district, the height of such signs shall not exceed the height of the wall upon which they are proposed to be placed.
(Z) Permitted signs in industrial districts.
(1) Type of signs allowed. Advertising, business, nameplate, illuminated, ground, pedestal, political, real estate sales, temporary, identification, wall and motion.
(2) Number of each type of sign allowed per lot frontage. One advertising sign on any lot having a frontage of 150 feet or more. One of each of the permitted type signs except temporary where two will be permitted and political signs where one for each candidate will be permitted.
(3) Size.
(a) Except as provided herein, the total square footage of sign area for each lot shall not exceed two square feet for each lineal foot of lot frontage except where a location is a corner lot, the amount may be increased by one square foot of sign area per front foot of public right-of-way along a side lot line.
(b) No sign shall exceed 200 square feet in area.
(c) Each real estate sales sign, temporary sign and political sign shall not exceed 35 square feet in area.
(4) Height. The top of the display shall not exceed 35 feet in height above grade.
(5) Setback. Any sign over ten square feet shall be setback at least ten feet from any lot line. In no case shall any part of a sign be closer than two feet to a vertical line drawn at the property line. All signs over 100 square feet shall be setback at least 50 feet from any residential or agricultural district.
(AA) Permitted signs in planned unit development districts or uses requiring a conditional use permit.
(1) Type, number, size, height and setback as specifically authorized by terms of the issued permit.
(2) To the extent feasible and practicable, signs shall be regulated in a manner similar to that in the use district most appropriate to the principal use involved.
(BB) Sign design, construction and maintenance.
(1) Required marking on signs.
(a) After the effective date of this chapter, every sign for which a permit is required shall have painted in a conspicuous place thereon in letters not less than one inch in height, the date of erection, the permit number and voltage of any electrical apparatus used in connection therewith.
(b) Every outdoor advertising sign erected under the provisions of this chapter shall be plainly marked with the name of the person or firm erected such sign.
(2) Projecting signs. Except for marquee signs, signs shall in no case project from a building or structure to any point within two feet of a line drawn perpendicularly upward from the curb line. No projecting sign shall be less than nine feet above the sidewalk or the ground level. All projecting signs for which a permit is required shall be constructed entirely of fire resistant material.
(3) Ground signs.
(a) No ground sign shall be erected, constructed, altered, rebuilt or relocated to a height at the top of the display exceeding 35 feet above the ground, unless otherwise restricted in this section.
(b) No ground sign display for which a permit is required shall be erected to a height of more than 12 feet above the ground, unless the face is constructed of sheet metal or other noncombustible facing materials.
(c) The bottom of the facing of every ground sign shall be at least three feet above the ground, which space may be filled with landscaping, platform or decorative trim of light wood or metal construction.
(d) The soil used for the dug-in type of anchor or post support shall be carefully placed and thoroughly compacted. The anchors and supports shall penetrate to a depth below ground greater than that of the frost line.
(4) Wall signs. Wall signs attached to exterior walls of solid masonry or concrete shall be safely and securely attached to the same by means of metal anchors, bolts or expansion screws of not less than three-eighths inch in diameter which shall be embedded at least five inches. No wooden blocks or anchorage with wood used in connection with screws or nails shall be considered proper anchorage, except in the case of wall signs attached to buildings with walls of wood. No wall sign shall be entirely supported by an unbraced parapet wall.
(5) Sign maintenance.
(a) Painting. The owner of any sign shall be required to have such sign properly painted at least once every two years, if needed, including all parts and supports of the sign, unless such parts or supports are galvanized or otherwise treated to prevent rust.
(b) Area around sign. The owner or lessee of any sign, or the owner of the land on which the sign is located shall keep the grass, weeds or other growth cut and the area free from refuse between the sign and the street and also for a distance of six feet behind and at the ends of said sign.
(CC) Obsolete signs. Any sign for which no permit has been issued shall be taken down and removed by the owner, agent or person having the beneficial use of the building, structure or land upon which the sign may be found within 30 days after written notice from the Zoning Administrator.
(DD) Unsafe or dangerous signs. Any sign which becomes structurally unsafe or endangers the safety of a building or premises or endangers the public safety, shall be taken down and removed or structurally improved by the owner, agent or person having beneficial use of the building, structure or land upon which the sign is located within ten days after written notice from the Zoning Administrator.
(EE) Permit fees. The application for a sign permit shall be accompanied by a fee of $10 or $0.10 per square foot of sign area, whichever amount is larger.
(FF) Expiration of permit. All sign permits for an advertising sign, business sign, motion sign, pedestal sign or any sign over 150 square feet in area shall expire three years from the date of issuance. If the work authorized under a sign permit has not been completed within six months after the date of issuance, the permit shall become null and void.
(GG) Sign permit chart.
Agricultural District | Residential District | Commercial District | Industrial District | Planned Unit Development District |
Agricultural District | Residential District | Commercial District | Industrial District | Planned Unit Development District | |
Advertising sign | N | N | C | SP | C |
Business sign | C | C | SP | SP | C |
Displays | C | N | C | C | C |
Flashing sign | N | N | N | N | N |
Ground sign | P | P | SP | SP | C |
Identification sign | P | P | P | P | C |
Illuminated sign | N | N | SP | SP | C |
Motion sign | N | N | SP | SP | C |
Nameplate sign | SP | SP | SP | SP | C |
Pedestal sign | P | P | SP | SP | C |
Political sign | P | P | P | P | C |
Real estate sign | P | P | P | P | C |
Roof sign | N | N | N | N | N |
Shopping center sign | N | N | SP | SP | C |
Temporary or seasonal sign | P | P | P | P | C |
Wall sign | SP | SP | SP | SP | C |
Warning sign | P | P | P | P | P |
See these divisions of § 157.091 for further detail | (W) | (X) | (Y) | (Z) | (AA) |
C = Conditional use permit with public hearing P = Permitted use N = Not allowed SP = Sign permit | |||||
(Ord. passed - - ; Ord. 142, passed 7-17-2000) Penalty, see § 157.999