For the purposes of this Chapter, the measurement of sign area shall comply with the following standards:
(a) Sign area shall include the face of all the display area of the sign not including bracing, framing and structural supports of the sign, unless such support members are made part of the message or face of the design.
(b) The display surface area of a ground, freestanding, projecting, off-premise directional, changeable copy, joint identification, directory, temporary or similar signs shall mean the area enclosed by the minimum imaginary rectangles which fully contains all extremities of the sign, exclusive of its supports. This rectangle is to be calculated from an orthographic projection of the sign viewed horizontally. A view point for this projection is to be taken which gives the largest rectangle of that kind as the viewpoint is rotated horizontally around the sign. If elements of the sign are movable or flexible, the measurement shall be taken when the elements are fully extended and parallel to the plane of view.
(c) The display surface area of a wall, awning, marquee, canopy or similar sign shall be measured as the sum of the areas of the minimum imaginary rectangles enclosing each work attached to any particular façade.
(d) The display surface area for window signs shall mean the sum of the areas of the minimum imaginary rectangles enclosing each word, figure, design and symbol if the window or other transparent material forms the background, or the entire area of the background material when such material is translucent or opaque.
(e) The display surface area for permanent subdivision or similar signs shall mean the area of the minimum imaginary rectangle enclosing the sign including the support except when the support a wall, building or other architectural feature. In those cases, the sign shall be measured as a wall sign.
(f) Where a sign has two or more display faces, the area of all faces of the sign shall be included in determining the area of the sign, unless two (2) display faces join back to back and parallel to each other. Back to back sign faces shall be located not more than twenty-four inches (24”) apart. For purposes of these regulations, a V-shaped sign with an angle of separation not exceeding 30 degrees shall be considered a back-to-back sign. Billboards shall be exempt from this requirement, but shall comply with the requirements of Section 1317.08 (h)(2).
(g) For spherical signs, the sphere shall be bisected by an imaginary line through the center of the sphere, and the surface area of the half sphere shall be counted as the sign face. For cubical signs, the area of all display faces shall be included in determining the area of the sign.
(h) The area of the letters, numbers or emblems mounted directly on a building wall or wall extension shall be computed by enclosing the entire word or words formed by such letters, numbers or emblems with the smallest single continuous perimeter consisting of rectangular or series of rectangles, and determining the area within such perimeter.
(Ord. 23-18. Passed 11-26-18.)