All signs constructed, erected, modified, or altered must comply with the following standards.
A. Prohibited Installations:
1. No sign may be erected in a location that violates the building code, Fire Code, and other applicable Village codes or ordinances.
2. No sign may obstruct the sight triangle, as described in section 9-24-2 of this Code.
3. Only signs that have been placed by or authorized by Federal, State, or the Village may be installed on public property. Any sign installed on public property including rights-of-way without prior authorization may be removed by the Village without notice.
4. No permanent sign may be erected on private property without the consent of the property owner or his/her authorized agent. When a sign permit applicant proposes to install a sign on property not owned by the applicant, written permission from the property owner or his/her authorized agent must be submitted as part of the sign permit application.
5. No sign may be erected in a manner that obstructs access to any ingress or egress as provided for in section 9-24-1 of this Code, fire escapes, or standpipes or similar fire safety connections.
B. Construction Standards:
1. Supports and braces must be designed as an integral part of the overall sign and obscured from public view to the extent technically feasible.
2. All signs attached to a building must be installed and maintained so that wall penetrations are watertight and the structure does not exceed allowable stresses of supporting materials. To the greatest extent feasible, such penetrations should be located at joints of masonry units, or at locations of structural members of wood or other like constructed facades.
3. All signs must be designed and constructed in compliance with the building code, Electrical Code, and all other applicable codes and ordinances.
4. All permanent signs must be constructed of rigid, weather- proof materials, as determined by the Village Manager.
5. No sign may be painted on a wall or any other structure.
6. Glass comprising any part of a sign must be safety glass.
7. All letters, figures, characters, or representations in cut- out or irregular form, maintained in conjunction with, attached to, or superimposed upon any sign must be safely and securely built into or attached to the sign structure.
8. Audio components are prohibited on any sign, with the exception of menuboards. For menuboards, the audio component is limited to communication between the customer and service window.
C. Electrical Wiring:
1. All electrical fixtures, devices, circuits, conduits, raceways, or similar features must be installed and maintained in compliance with the current Village Electrical Code.
2. Conduits and other components of a sign illumination system must be designed as an integral part of the overall sign structure and obscured from public view to the extent technically feasible.
D. Required Maintenance:
1. All signs must be kept in a safe and well-maintained condition and appearance, and must be repainted or otherwise maintained by the property owner or business owner to prevent corrosion or deterioration caused by the weather, age, or any other condition.
2. All signs must be maintained to prevent any kind of safety hazard, including faulty or deteriorated sign structures, a fire hazard, or an electrical shock hazard.
3. All unused sign hardware or wiring must be removed. The Village Manager will serve written notice to the permit holder and property owner that unused sign hardware or wiring must be removed within thirty (30) days of written notice for permanent signs or twenty four (24) hours for temporary signs. If the unused sign hardware or wiring is not removed within the required time period, the Village Manager may enforce this order through permitted enforcement procedures.
4. If a sign is maintained in an unsafe or unsecured condition, it must be removed or the condition corrected. The Village Manager will serve written notice to the permit holder and property owner that the sign must be removed or the condition corrected within thirty (30) days of written notice for permanent signs or twenty four (24) hours for temporary signs. If the sign is not removed or the condition is not corrected within the required time period, the Village Manager may enforce this order through permitted enforcement procedures.
5. The Village may remove any sign that is an immediate public peril to persons or property summarily and without notice.
E. Illumination Standards:
1. Any sign illumination, including gooseneck reflectors, external illumination, and internal illumination, must be designed, located, shielded, and directed to prevent the casting of glare or direct light upon roadways and surrounding properties, and prevent the distraction of motor vehicle operators or pedestrians in the public right-of-way.
2. The sign face of internally illuminated signs must function as a filter to diffuse illumination. The sign face must cover all internal illumination components so that no exposed bulbs are visible.
3. All external illumination of a sign must concentrate the illumination upon the printed area of the sign face.
4. No sign illumination may be combined with reflective materials, such as mirrors, polished metal, or highly-glazed tiles, which would increase glare.
5. The use of neon or LED lighting as a sign accent is permitted only in the business, office, and industrial districts and only for window signs. When lit, lighting must be continuously illuminated. Flashing neon or LED lighting is prohibited.
6. Neon or LED lighting to outline doors, windows, architectural features, and building facades is prohibited.
7. For all signs with the exception of electronic message signs, the maximum allowable foot-candle at the lot line is one (1) foot-candle unless such signs are allowed to extend over the lot line, where the maximum of one (1) foot-candle is measured at the back of curb or edge of pavement.
8. For electronic message signs, the maximum brightness is limited to five thousand (5,000) nits when measured from the sign's face at its maximum brightness, during daylight hours, and five hundred (500) nits when measured from the sign's face at its maximum brightness between dusk and dawn, i.e., the time of day between sunrise and sunset. The sign must have an ambient light meter and automatic or manual dimmer control that produces a distinct illumination change from a higher allowed illumination level to a lower allowed level for the time period between one- half (1/2) hour before sunset and one-half (1/2) hour after sunrise. (Ord. 2017-4-198, 4-17-2017)