(A) Portions of the city are contained within an area described and zoned as the Central Business District (CBD).
(B) Sign regulations for any new use, expanded use, or intensified use of property located entirely or partially within the CBD shall be determined as set forth in this section.
(1) General requirements.
(a) Banners containing messages or slogans promoting the city’s Central Business District, charitable organization, civic events, and other public activities shall be permitted subject to review by the Zoning Administrator.
(b) In the event that multiple independent businesses occupy the same building, the number of signs, the location of signs, and the total area of signs shall remain the same as if there were one business. However, a single sign may be displayed which contains multiple logos or business names.
(2) Design requirements.
(a) All signs within the Central Business District (CBD) shall be designed to be compatible with the architectural style of the district and consistent with the city’s CBD sign guidelines provided herein. Logos (registered, TM, SM) shall be exempt from the design requirements with the exception of non-registered portions of a sign, which shall be subject to said design guidelines, including poles, standard brackets, decorative trim, associated landscaping, and other appurtenances.
(b) Standards shall include compatibility with building architecture, use of antique lighting, and identifying symbology. Signs should be easy to read and uncluttered; and text should be sized for the respective distance of the readers.
(c) The following additional design standards shall apply:
1. Sign illumination shall not cause direct glare onto a public street and shall comply with the ground illumination standards of § 154.117(B)(1). All signs shall be indirectly illuminated; therefore, no internal illumination is permitted;
2. A sign handwritten or painted on cardboard, plywood, sheet metal, or other material is prohibited for window placement; and
3. Sign colors shall blend with the building facade and be compatible with the property’s use.
(d) Sign approval from the Historic District Commission shall be required.
(3) Projecting signs. Projecting signs may be allowed subject to the following requirements:
(a) Projecting signs shall be made of materials that are consistent with the historic period and character of the building to which they are attached. Allowable sign materials may include, but are not limited to, durable wood, metal, stainless steel, bronze or brass, stone or brick, and synthetic materials treated to appear as wood or natural material. However, in no case shall exterior sign materials include sheet plastic, plastic substrates, aluminum, interior grade wood, or unfaced plywood;
(b) Projecting signs shall clear grade level below the sign by a minimum of eight feet;
(c) Projecting signs shall not exceed a display area of ten square feet (see also division (B)(5)(c) below);
(d) A maximum of two projecting signs per business are permitted, with a maximum of one such sign per facade; and
(e) Projecting signs shall project no more than five feet from the building, or one-third of the sidewalk width, whichever is less.
(4) Canopy signs. Canopy signs may be allowed, subject to the following requirements:
(a) Canopy signs shall not extend into any public right-of-way more than seven feet or over the sidewalk more than one-half the width of the sidewalk, whichever is less;
(b) The minimum clearance of such sign is eight feet, six inches measured from the sidewalk surface;
(c) Letters, graphics, or logos may not cover more than 20% of the canopy surface area, or 45 square feet, whichever is less. Canopy signs shall only be made of coated or uncoated canvas; and
(d) No canopy sign shall be allowed on a building facade that includes a wall sign.
(5) Wall signs. Wall signs may be allowed subject to the following conditions:
(a) Wall signs shall be made of materials that are consistent with the historic period and character of the building to which they are attached. Allowable sign materials may include, but are not limited to, durable wood, metal, stainless steel, bronze or brass, stone or brick, and synthetic materials treated to appear as wood or natural material. However, in no case shall exterior sign materials include sheet plastic, plastic substrates, aluminum, interior grade wood or unfaced plywood;
(b) A maximum of two wall signs are allowed per building. Only one wall sign shall be allowed on the front facade of a building. A second wall sign shall be allowed on either the side or rear facade of a building. The maximum area of any wall signs shall not exceed 10% of the wall area that the sign is affixed to, or 45 square feet, whichever is less, provided that the total of area of all exterior (wall and projecting) signs in combination shall not exceed 60 square feet;
(c) Where a wall sign is located on the same facade as a projecting sign, the combined area of both signs shall not exceed 10% of the wall area that the signs are affixed to, or 45 square feet, whichever is less;
(d) All wall signs shall be safely and securely attached to the building by means of metal anchors, bolts, or expansion screws. In no case shall any wall sign be secured with wire, straps of wood, or nails;
(e) The sign shall not be placed to obstruct any portion of a window, doorway, transom, or other architectural detail;
(f) No wall sign shall cover wholly or partially any wall opening, nor project beyond the ends or top of the wall to which it is attached; and
(g) All signs shall be indirectly illuminated; therefore, no internal illumination is permitted.
(6) Poster panel, “A” frame, and sandwich signs. Poster panel, “A” frame, and sandwich signs may be allowed subject to the following standards:
(a) The signs shall be made of durable quality materials as approved by the Sign Review Committee;
(b) The signs shall be removed daily;
(c) Only one such sign per occupied storefront shall be permitted;
(d) The signs shall have a maximum of two faces, each face ten square feet or less in area. The maximum height of the sign shall be four feet;
(e) A poster panel, “A” frame, or sandwich sign shall be permitted on a public sidewalk in the CBD, provided a minimum of five feet of unobstructed, pedestrian access along the sidewalk is maintained. Adequate space shall be provided for vehicle entry between on-street parking spaces and the sign; and
(f) Letters, graphics, or images shall be professionally hand-lettered, die-cut self-adhesive, manual changeable copy, or blackboard hand-lettered.
(7) Ground signs.
(a) Ground signs shall be permitted in the CBD subject to the standards of division (B)(1) above and § 154.158.
(b) Allowable ground sign materials may include, but are not limited to, durable wood, metal, stainless steel, bronze or brass, stone or brick, and synthetic materials treated to appear as wood or natural material. However, in no case shall exterior sign materials include sheet plastic, plastic substrates, aluminum, interior grade wood, or unfaced plywood.
(8) Window signs.
(a) Except for signs whose sole function is to indicate whether or not the establishment is open as regulated under division (B)(8)(e) below, all window signs in the Central Business District shall be subject to approval by the Zoning Administrator after review by the Historic District Commission.
(b) Permanent window signs which promote product shall be made of clear materials, such as transparent plastic, with lettering painted or attached to them. Incidental signs shall be exempt from this regulation.
(c) If window signs occupy more than 50% of the window area in which they are displayed, they shall be treated as wall signs and shall conform to all provisions applicable to wall signs, with the exception of division (B)(5)(d) above. However, in no case shall windows providing interior views to passersby be more than 75% covered.
(d) If window signs occupy more than 50% of the window area in which they are displayed, they shall be treated as wall signs and shall conform to all provisions applicable to wall signs. However, in no case shall windows providing interior views to passersby be more than 75% covered.
(e) Window signs in the Central Business District shall not be illuminated except as provided in division (B)(8)(f) below.
(f) Signs whose sole function is to indicate whether or not the establishment is open shall be a permitted window sign, subject to the following:
1. No more than one such sign shall be permitted per storefront;
2. Such sign is no more than two square feet in area; and
3. Illumination of such signs shall: be limited to no more than two colors; and have a static display and not include blinking, flashing, scrolling, animation, or any other actual or simulated movement.
(g) A temporary sign or banner sign installed inside a window shall be regulated under § 154.160(B).
(Ord. 341, passed 3-23-2013; Ord. 336, passed 6-11-2012; Ord. 362, passed 6-8-2015) Penalty, see § 154.999