“Sign” means any display, figure, painting, drawing, placard, poster or other device visible from a public way, which is designed, intended or used to convey a message or direct attention to a building, person, institution, organization, activity, place, object or product.
(a) Classification by Use Type.
(1) Permanent signs.
A. Billboard means one which directs attention to a specific business, product, service, entertainment or other activity sold, offered or conducted elsewhere than upon the same lot on which the sign is located.
B. Bulletin board means an announcement sign which directs attention to and is located on the lot which is the subject of such sign.
C. Directional sign means one indicating the direction pedestrian or vehicular traffic is requested to move on that location, and does not include any business identification information.
D. Identification sign means one indicating the name and address of a building, development, public or semi-public facility, business, office or industrial establishment. Such signs may also include the names of tenants, telephone number, general types of goods sold, or services rendered; however, the listing of specific goods or services, brand names, prices, or sales shall not be permitted.
E. Information sign means one which presents miscellaneous information intended to serve the public. Typical signs present travel information, vehicle service, weather, time, historic and scenic sites, recreation facilities, and the like. An informational sign may be permitted in any district upon approval by the Planning Commission. “Open” illuminated signs may be permitted only in business districts.
F. Nameplate means one which indicates the name, address and/or profession of a person or persons occupying a building or unit of a building.
G. Handicapped parking means a sign indicating a parking area reserved for a vehicle exhibiting a state issued disabled persons parking permit or license plate. The sign shall be eye level, blue with the standard white profile of a wheelchair and occupant in the center. The sign may also include the warning statement “Unauthorized vehicles will be towed away at the owners expense.”
H. Directory sign means one which lists names of tenants or organizations in a building. This sign may be combined with another permitted type of sign.
I. Address sign means one consisting of numbers identifying a property or building unit address. A sign permit is required when the height of address numbers are proposed to be in excess of twelve inches.
(2) Temporary signs. Temporary sign means a sign designed for use for a limited period of time.
A. Portable sign or sandwich board sign means a sign designed or constructed in such a manner that it can be moved or relocated, without involving any structural or support changes and is not physically attached to any part of the building or ground.
B. Project sign means one indicating the promotion, development and construction on the property on which it is located of a project where the City has approved the final development plans and could include the owner, architects, engineers, contractors and other individuals or firms involved with the construction.
C. Real estate sign means a ground sign calling attention to rental, sale, or lease of property where it is posted or a temporary activity taking place on the property where it is posted like a party or garage sale.
D. Sale signs means a window sign, such as “sale,” “special,” “clearance,” symbolic or graphic signs, such as a red heart for Valentine's Day, or identifying prices and/or items for sale.
E. Special event signs means one which may be in the street right-of- way, or displayed as a window sign or other locations announcing a public function.
F. Specific product sign means one which only indicates a specific class of products or product from a company.
G. Temporary directional sign means a ground sign directing vehicular or pedestrian traffic to a temporary activity taking place at another, but nearby, location such as an open house sign for the sale of real estate.
H. Political sign means any sign used for the purpose of endorsing, supporting, advocating or opposing any candidate for elective office or any issue which will be placed before the electorate at any general, primary, special or other election.
(b) Signs by Structural Type.
(1) Awing sign means one painted, attached, embossed or affixed to a permanent or retractable awning.
(2) Canopy sign means one painted, embossed, affixed or attached to the soffit or fascia of a canopy, covered entrance or under a walkway, or to a permanent awning or marquee and not projecting beyond the edges of same.
(3) Ground sign means one free-standing with not more than two faces which has a supporting base designed as an integral part of the sign resting on the ground.
(4) Pole sign means one free-standing with one or not more than two faces, which is supported wholly by a pole or poles designed to allow pedestrian or vehicular access thereunder. A pole sign may include a secondary sign with two faces which may be LED lighted and may have scrolling messages.
(5) Projecting sign means one erected on the outside wall of a building and projecting out at a 90° angle.
(6) Roof sign means one erected partly or completely on or over the roof of any building or over any portion of the building covered by roofing materials or which serves to shed rainwater.
(7) Wall or panel sign means one integral with the face of an exterior wall of a building or attached to the wall or parallel with the wall.
(8) Window sign means a permanent or temporary sign painted on or attached or affixed to the interior or exterior surface of windows or doors of a building or any interior sign within three feet of windows or doors.
(9) Portable or mobile signs means one which is designed to be moved with or without wheels.
(10) Changeable copy sign means one where the message or graphics is not permanently affixed and may be periodically replaced, or covered over.
(c) Signs by Sign Face Type. For the purpose of establishing sign face area measurement standards, all signs are defined by sign face type as follows:
(1) Panel sign means one whose information is displayed on a generally flat surface. Such panel may be either a structural object or a portion of the surface of a structure.
(2) Nonpanel sign means one consisting of letters or characters which are individually attached to or painted on a building wall, window, door or other structural element not designed or differentiated as a sign panel.
(3) Three-dimensional object sign means one which takes the form of a three dimensional object such as a sphere and also including any sign with three or more sides used as sign panels.
(d) Unit of a Building. As used in this chapter in the determination of maximum sign face area, the term building unit refers to a space occupying a portion of the ground floor of a building, containing an entrance from the building exterior, and separated from other such spaces by a party wall or walls.
(Ord. 179-02. Passed 1-2-03; Ord. 199-19. Passed 10-17-19.)