Signs that identify, advertise, or direct attention to non-residential structures or services, including but not limited to business, industrial, office, public, civic, or institutional uses. Mixed use structures are classified as non-residential property for purposes of this Chapter. Signage allowances are based on actual land use, not zoning classifications. Signage shall only be displayed upon the property to which the sign pertains.
(A) Exempt Signs: The following signs are exempt from the regulations of this Chapter, subject to compliance with the following requirements:
1. Governmental signs incidental thereto for identification, information, directional, or public safety purposes erected or required by governmental bodies, or authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute or ordinance, such as traffic control signs and legal notices, including those located in the right-of-way.
2. Directional signs up to a maximum six (6) square feet in sign area and four (4) feet in height installed on private property.
3. Address Numbers: Non-illuminated or directly illuminated, located on the lot to which the sign is apparent.
4. Flags displaying only non-commercial speech, images or messages. One flag displaying commercial speech on parcels one acre or larger in size.
5. Historical Marker signs up to a maximum of six (6) square feet in area.
6. Sidewalk Sign: One sidewalk sign not to exceed six (6) square feet in area and five (5) feet in height placed within five (5) feet of the building entrance during the hours of the operation of the building to which it corresponds. Sidewalk signs shall not be permitted in the public right-of-way, unless otherwise noted in this Ordinance.
7. Nonilluminated Window Signs: Shall occupy a maximum of twenty-five percent (25%) of a single window pane and no more than fifty (50%) of the total window surface area per storefront elevation.
8. Handheld Signs or People in Costume: Shall be located on the sidewalk immediately adjacent to the building within which the tenant to which they are advertising is located.
9. Signs on Property for Sale or Lease: One ground or wall sign, up to forty-eight (48) square feet in size is permitted per frontage (lot or building). Such signs shall be removed upon the closing of the sale or initiation of the lease.
(a) The maximum height for ground signs is 10 feet.
10. Construction Sign: On a property to which an active building permit has been issued, one yard sign no more than forty-eight (48) square feet with a maximum height of ten (10) feet shall be permitted. Such signs shall be removed upon the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy by the Village.
11. Pedestrian wall signs, up to a maximum of six (6) square feet in area.
12. Temporary non-commercial site signage subject to the following requirements:
(a) Sign area per individual sign shall be a maximum of twelve (12) square feet.
(b) Sign height shall be a maximum of five (5) feet, including any support structure (e.g., fence, sign, frame, building).
(c) Sign location shall be no closer than ten (10) feet from the paved portion of any street or back of curb where no sidewalk is present.
13. Like for like replacement of individual tenant panels on a multi-tenant sign except in those cases when the revision of the tenant panels is due to a change of the business tenant.
(B) Permanent Signs: Allowances provided are maximums. The general requirements of each sign type in this subsection shall apply:
1. Wall, Awning, And Canopy Signs:
(a) Area:
(1) For facades with street frontage (public or private) and facades that directly face sidewalks, alleys, courtyards, and parking lots, where customer access is also available, wall, awning, and canopy signage (in any combination) shall be permitted up to a maximum sign area of one (1) square foot for each linear foot of qualifying facade, and shall not exceed a maximum of three hundred (300) square feet. See illustration in Section 5-11-7 of this Chapter.
(2) For facades on properties separated from the adjacent street frontage by another lot that is not designed to have a building located upon it (e.g. reserved exclusively for parking, stormwater management, etc.), permits for wall, canopy and awning signage may be authorized by the Zoning Administrator in accordance with the limits provided in this subsection.
(3) For Multi-Story Multi-Tenant buildings: Excluding the first floor facade, the maximum combined area of ½ (.5) square foot per each linear foot of qualifying facade for all tenants located above and below the first floor on facades facing a public right-of-way. First floor signage shall be permitted in accordance with Section 5-11-5(B)1.a.
(4) For facades adjacent to sidewalks, alleys, courtyards, or parking lots where customer access is not available, the total sign area shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the maximum sign area permitted as provided in this subsection.
(5) Regardless of the qualifying facade measurement, the minimum wall sign square footage allowance is 16 square feet.
(b) Placement: Signs shall not extend above the roofline or parapet of a building. Wall signs may be painted on, or attached in a place substantially parallel to the building exterior wall, and must not interrupt architectural details. Awnings and canopies shall be installed so that a clearance from grade to the bottom of the awning or canopy of no less than eight (8) feet is maintained. See illustration in Section 5-11-7 of this Chapter.
(c) Color and Patterns: If a raceway is visible it shall match the color of the exterior of the building. Awnings and canopies shall be limited to two (2) colors, except for logos, which are exempt from this provision.
(d) Incentive: Wall signs which are constructed of pin-mounted channel letters, backlit illumination channel letters without exposed raceway, which utilize distinctive materials or designs, or signage which is otherwise determined by the Zoning Administrator to substantially further the purposes outlined in this Chapter, shall be eligible for one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the maximum sign area as otherwise provided in this subsection.
2. Ground Signs:
(a) All permanent ground signs must be of a monument type.
(b) Number: Each property with a minimum of one hundred (100) feet of lot frontage is allowed one monument sign, oriented perpendicular to the eligible lot frontage. The eligible frontage is the frontage that measures a minimum of 100 feet. Each property with a minimum of five hundred (500) linear feet of lot frontage may have two (2) monument signs placed no closer together than two hundred (200) feet and must meet the area and setback requirements as indicated in this Chapter. Exceptions are provided in Section 5-11-6.
(c) Sign Area and Height:
(1) Area: Each side of the freestanding sign shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet. Properties with frontage along Ogden Avenue, Route 53, Maple Avenue or Warrenville Road that have at least a street frontage of one hundred fifty feet (150') shall be allowed each side of the freestanding sign not to exceed one hundred (100) square feet.
(2) Height: Ten feet (10), as measured from grade, and may be increased an additional two (2) feet for architectural features for monument signs. See illustration in Section 5-11-7 of this Chapter.
(d) Setbacks:
(1) When fronting roadways: Five (5) feet from the front street lot line and side street lot line.
(2) From side lot line: Twenty-five (25) feet, except as provided for in Section 5-11-7, or unless otherwise approved by the Zoning Administrator if reduced setbacks are needed to limit impact on required parking, reasonably accommodate locations with limited open space, and avoid obstructions to existing signage. Signs shall not be placed in a manner that creates a danger to the public, either as a result of dangerous construction, sight obstruction or other cause.
(e) Landscape Requirement: A landscaped area located around the base of the ground sign equal to one and one-half (1.5) square feet for each one square foot of monument sign area is required for all monument signs. The landscaped area shall contain well maintained material including living landscape materials, architectural stones, water features or other beautification measures placed throughout the required landscape area. See illustration in Section 5-11-7 of this Chapter.
(f) Address Identification: Address number must be incorporated into a ground sign. Street address numbers will not be counted against the maximum sign area.
(g) Tollway Property Allowance: For properties that adjoin the I-88 tollway corridor, the following additional regulations shall apply, unless otherwise noted:
(1) Number: One ground sign located along the I-88 tollway corridor frontage shall be permitted for properties with a minimum of five hundred (500) feet of frontage along the tollway corridor. If multiple lots are located within a single campus or shared development, all lot frontages may be totaled to determine compliance with the five hundred (500) foot minimum frontage requirement.
(2) Sign Area: Maximum of one hundred twenty (120) square feet.
(3) Height: Maximum height of twenty-five (25) feet, as measured from grade.
(4) Landscaping: Shall be provided at the base of the sign unless waived by Zoning Administrator due to limited visibility or maintenance concerns. The landscape area shall be equal to one and one-half (1.5) square feet for each one square foot of ground sign area. The landscaped area shall contain well maintained material including living landscape materials, architectural stones, water features or other beautification measures placed throughout the required landscape area. See illustration in Section 5-11-7 of this Chapter.
3. Blade Signs:
(a) Sign Area: Eight (8) square feet per side.
(b) Number: One blade sign per each establishment per each facade with street frontage (public or private) or adjacent to an off-street parking area where customer access is also available.
(c) Location: A minimum clearance of eight (8) feet measured from the bottom of the sign to the sidewalk above which the sign extends, and shall extend from the building facade a maximum of three (3) feet. See illustration in Section 5-11-7 of this Chapter.
(C) Signs Not Visible from Frontage. Signs which are located on private property and are designed or installed so as not to be viewed from a lot frontage as defined in this Chapter are exempt from the requirements of this Section. These signs do require issuance of a building permit.
(D) Temporary Signs: Temporary signs containing a commercial message are permitted subject to the following provisions of this Section:
1. Time Period: No more than four (4) one-week (seven-day) periods during any calendar year. A temporary sign displayed for less than seven (7) days constitutes a one-week period. The signs must be removed immediately following the time period approved on the building permit.
2. Sign Area: A maximum of thirty-two (32) square feet per sign.
3. Height:
(a) Inflatable: Twenty-five (25) feet as measured from grade.
(b) All other ground mounted: Ten (10) feet as measured from grade.
4. Placement:
(a) Wall Mounted: Shall not extend above the roofline or parapet of a building.
(b) Ground Mounted: Must be placed on private property and shall not be placed in a manner that creates a danger to the public, either as a result of dangerous construction, sight obstruction or any other cause. Signs must be placed to comply with the visibility requirements contained in this Chapter. See illustration for measurement in Section 5-11-7 of this Chapter. (Ord. 2021-4931, 11-15-2021; amd. Ord. 2022-4972, 8-1-2022; Ord. 2023-5042, 12-18-2023)