No sign may be erected or displayed which violates any provision of any law or regulation of the City, the State, or the United States. In addition, the following signs are prohibited in all zoning districts, except as otherwise provided by this chapter. Any prohibited sign removed by the City pursuant to the provisions of this UDO shall become the property of the City and may be disposed of in any manner deemed appropriate by the City.
(a) Abandoned Signs. Signs which are abandoned, as defined herein, shall be prohibited.
(b) Advertising Vehicles. No person shall operate or park any vehicle or trailer to serve as a portable sign on a public right-of-way or on private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way if said vehicle or trailer has attached thereto or located thereon any sign or advertising device for the primary purpose of an advertisement of products or directing people to a business or activity located on the same or nearby property or on any other premises. Licensed automobile dealerships are exempt from this provision to the extent the vehicular signage is limited to sales information and advertising on windows of individual vehicles. This prohibition is not intended to bar vehicular signage used in the normal day-to-day operations of a business, such as a sign attached to a bus or lettered on a motor vehicle, unless the primary purpose of such vehicle is for such advertising.
(c) Air activated signs: Signs which are air activated, as defined herein, shall be prohibited.
(d) Animated and Intensely Lighted Signs. No sign shall employ any parts to attract attention which make use of motion or that are animated by means of blinking, flashing, scintillating or traveling lights, or any other means not providing constant illumination. Internally lighted signs with white, off-white, cream, or yellow backgrounds or signs which cause glare to motorists are prohibited. This restriction shall not apply to electronic message board signs in compliance with Section 1160.08(b), multi-prism indexing signs in compliance with Section 1160.11(c)(5), or signs maintained by local government which provide public service information, such as traffic or weather conditions or directional signage for a public event.
(e) Balloons. Balloons or other gas-filled figures, as defined herein, are prohibited.
(f) Bench signs shall not be permitted.
(g) Billboards shall not be permitted in the City.
(h) Off-Premises Signs. No commercial off-premises sign may be erected, located or displayed.
(i) Hazardous Signs. No sign may be erected or displayed which is hazardous to the public health or safety by its inappropriate construction for diachronic weather patterns, interference or danger to pedestrian and motor vehicle circulation on a site, unsuitable placement on a lot, or because it presents an unsafe distraction to motorists.
(1) No sign of any classification shall be installed, erected, attached, or maintained in any form, shape or manner to a fire escape or any door or window giving a access to any fire escape, or to an entrance or exit from any building, or which interferes with any opening required for ventilation.
(Ord. 09-20. Passed 6-22-09.)
(2) No sign shall be erected at any location whose position, shape or color may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device. No sign shall contain an arrow or use words such as "stop", "go", or "slow" or otherwise resemble highway traffic or directional signals, or contain any other word, phrase, symbol, or character in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic. No electronic sign shall flash in red, blue or yellow in a manner that may be confused with public safety vehicles.
(Ord. 11-54. Passed 12-19-11.)
(j) Moving and Swinging Signs. No sign or any portion thereof shall be permitted which moves, swings, twirls, or utilizes movement or apparent movement to attract the attention of the public, or any motion constituting a non-stationary or non-fixed condition, except for banners erected in accordance with Section 1160.10, electronic message board signs in compliance with Section 1160.08(b), and multi-prism indexing signs in compliance with Section 1160.11(c)(5). Signs shall be rigidly fastened and shall not swing from any bar, crane, awning, canopy, marquee, or other sign. This restriction is not meant to prohibit any form of vehicular signage, such as a sign attached to a bus or lettered on a motor vehicle nor historically accurate signage approved by the Design Review Board.
(k) Obscenity. No sign shall contain statements, words or pictures of an obscene, pornographic, indecent or immoral character.
(l) Banner Signs. Pennants, festoons, banners, and other insignia primarily designed to move because of wind to attract attention to a sign or commercial enterprise are prohibited unless used in accordance with Section 1160.10 (Temporary Sign Regulations, see Pennants or Banners).
(m) Portable Signs. Portable, mobile, or other types of wheeled signs are prohibited unless used as temporary signs in accordance with Section 1160.10.
(n) Roof Signs. Roof signs are prohibited; however, mansard roof signs shall be considered wall signs.
(o) Sandwich-Board Signs. Sandwich-board signs are prohibited unless used in accordance with Section 1160.10.
(p) Searchlights. Searchlights and spotlights are prohibited.
(q) Snipe Signs. The tacking, pasting, or otherwise affixing of signs of a miscellaneous character, visible from a public way, located on the walls of buildings, barns, sheds, trees, poles, posts, fences, or other structures are prohibited. (Ord. 09-20. Passed 6-22-09.)
(r) Unclassified Signs. The following signs also are prohibited:
(1) Signs that emit sound;
(2) Signs that by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination resemble, purport to be, are an imitation of, or may be confused with or construed as an official traffic-control signal, warning sign, emergency or road equipment vehicle, light or device, and which is visible from any street, road, highway, alley, parking area or other area utilized by motor vehicles;
(3) Signs that hide, partially camouflage, or divert attention from the view of any traffic or street sign, signal or device, or obstructs, obscures or impairs the free and clear vision of motorists on a public right-of-way or which interferes with, misleads, confuses or endangers motorists or pedestrians;
(4) Signs located in the public right of way are prohibited unless exempt or authorized in accordance with Section 1160.10.
(5) Any sign not specifically permitted in this chapter.
(Ord. 11-54. Passed 12-19-11.)