1179.02 DEFINITIONS.
(a) General.
(1) "Sign" means any structure or any device attached to a structure, or painted, or represented directly or indirectly thereon intended to announce, direct or advertise. A sign may include banners, lights and other site or building features, and may be represented by words or letters, figures, symbols or characterizations, or other insignia or devices. Architectural features, either as part of the building or freestanding, are not considered signs and are thus exempt from these regulations. An architectural feature is any construction attending, but not an integral part of the sign, and which consists of landscape or building or structural forms complementing the site in general. A sign shall contain no moving parts except for changeable copy pursuant to Section 1179.11
(2) "Sign area or dimension".
A. For a sign which is framed, outlined, painted and otherwise prepared and intended to provide a background for a sign display, the area dimensions shall include the entire portion within such background or frame.
B. For a sign comprised of individual letters, figures or elements on a wall or similar surface, or an irregular shaped freestanding sign, the area of the sign shall encompass a regular, or a combination of regular geometric shapes which form, or approximate, the perimeter of all the elements in the display. When separate elements are organized to form a single sign but the elements are separated by open space, the area shall be calculated by determining the geometric form or combination of forms which comprise all the display area including the space between the elements.
C. The sign area shall include the frame, but shall not include the pole or other structural support unless such pole or structural support is illuminated or otherwise so designated to constitute a display surface or device.
D. The height of a freestanding sign shall be measured from the average grade surrounding its point of attachment to the ground to the top of the highest most element. A wall sign or projecting sign shall be measured from the grade of the nearest street drive parking area or landscape surface.
E. A freestanding sign shall have no more than two (2) display surfaces provided that the two (2) display surfaces are arranged back-to-back and parallel to each other.
F. In the event there is a dispute in determining the sign area or any sign dimension, the Planning Commission shall have the responsibility for making such determination.
(3) "Building frontage" means the length of the building or unit of the building which faces the principal street or the length of the wall of the building or unit which contains the primary building entrance to the uses therein. In the case of an irregular wall surface, a straight line extended along such wall surface shall be used to measure the length. Only one outside wall of any business shall be considered its frontage.
(4) "Building unit" means that portion of a building which is owned or leased by a single tenant. The length of unit is that portion of the building so occupied by a single activity and calculated proportionally in the same manner as the building frontage.
(b) Definitions.
(1) “Banner” shall mean any sign of cloth, plastic, canvas or similar non-rigid material that is customarily mounted on the walls of buildings or upon the hard surfaces of other structures on property.
(2) “Billboard” shall mean any sign advertising, identifying or directing attention to any product, service, entertainment or commercial activity not offered upon the lot on which the sign is located.
(3) “Colors, primary” are red, yellow and blue. Complementary colors are orange, purple and green. Gray, white and black are included as complementary colors for the purposes of this definition.
(4) “Directional sign” means a sign directing or guiding traffic and parking on private property with no part of any such sign more than four (4) feet above grade.
(5) “Dynamic display” means any characteristics of a sign that appear to have movement or that appear to change, caused by any method other than physically removing and replacing the sign or its components, whether the apparent movement or change is in the display, the sign structure itself, or any other component of the sign. This includes a display that incorporates a technology or method allowing the sign face to change the image without having to physically or mechanically replace the sign face or its components. This also includes any rotating, revolving, moving, flashing, blinking, or animated display and any display that incorporates rotating panels, LED lights manipulated through digital input or any other method or technology that allows the sign face to present a series of images or displays. Dynamic displays, as defined above, include digital video displays and electronic message centers.
(6) “Flag” shall mean any sign of cloth or similar material, anchored along one side, displayed from a single pole, either freestanding or attached to a building
(7) “Free standing sign” means a sign which is supported from the ground or a structure, other than a building, or a pole. Signs supported by a pole are strictly prohibited.
(8) “Identification” means a sign intended to announce or promote the use, activity, service or business on the premises and which may contain the name of the use, business or facility; address; telephone number; identification of the principal products, services or activities offered; hours of operation; directory of occupants; or prices of products or services offered.
(9) “Instructional signs” means a sign intended to instruct employees, customers, or users as to specific parking requirements; the location or regulations pertaining to specific activities on the site or in the building; specific services offered, or methods of payments accepted. In residential districts, instructional signs may include security identification, no trespassing signs, signs identifying presence of animals, directing deliveries, etc.
(10) “Name plate” means a sign indicating only the name and address of the person, business, profession or activity occupying the lot, building(s) or part of the operation or maintenance of any equipment which is placed on the building or site.
(11) “Non-commercial opinion sign” means any sign which does not advertise a product, good, business or service; or expresses one or multiple messages on one or more issues; or promotes any candidate, party, issue, levy, referendum or other matter eligible to be voted upon in any general, primary or special election.
(12) “Pole Sign” shall mean any sign, other than a flag as herein defined, that is supported by a pole, poles, columns or other base or structure.
(13) “Portable” means a sign which is designed to be moved and is not permanently, or intended to be permanently, attached to a building, structure or the ground.
(14) “Project construction sign” means a temporary sign identifying the name of a subdivision, building or public works project or facility during the time of construction. Such signs may include a description of the project, give an address and telephone number of a contact person for more information and may list the project's professional firms (such as architects, engineers, developers and contractors).
(15) “Projecting” means a sign erected on the outside wall of a building and which projects out at an angle therefrom.
(16) “Real estate sign” means a sign which directs attention to the promotion, development, rental, sale or lease of the property on which the sign is located.
(17) “Required, (public safety) sign” means a sign erected by a public authority, utility, public service organization or private industry upon the public right of way or on private property which is required by law or otherwise intended to control traffic, direct, identify or inform the public, or provide needed public services as determined by the ordinances of the City, the rules and regulations of other governmental agencies or through public policy.
(18) “Subdivision or project identification sign” means a sign identifying the name and address of a completed residential subdivision, a multiple family development, and/or office, industrial park or subdivision. Such a sign in an office complex or industrial park may include a directory of uses.
(19) “Temporary sign” means a sign of any type, intended for use for a limited period of time.
(20) “Wall sign” means a sign erected parallel to, or painted on the surface, or on the outside wall of any building, and not extending more than eighteen (18) inches therefrom, and which does not project above the roof line or beyond the corner of the building. A sign affixed to, or near, a window for the purposes of being visible to and read from the outside of the building and containing information typically found on identification or instructional signs shall, for the purposes of these regulations, be considered a wall sign.
(21) “Windblown devices” mean objects designed to inform or attract attention, all or part of which is set in motion by or remains inflated by wind, mechanical, electrical or any other means.
(22) “Dynamic display” means any characteristics of a sign that appear to have movement or that appear to change, caused by any method other than physically removing and replacing the sign or its components, whether the apparent movement or change is in the display, the sign structure itself, or any other component of the sign. This includes a display that incorporates a technology or method allowing the sign face to change the image without having to physically or mechanically replace the sign face or its components. This also includes any rotating, revolving, moving, flashing, blinking, or animated display and any display that incorporates rotating panels, LED lights manipulated through digital input or any other method or technology that allows the sign face to present a series of images or displays. Dynamic displays, as defined above, include digital video displays and electronic message centers.
(23) “Vehicular sign” shall mean any sign attached or applied to a vehicle of any type and used primarily to identify, advertise or promote, excluding any signs on vehicles normally and regularly used and operated in the course of business.
(24) “Window sign” shall mean any sign in view of the general public appearing on a window surface or within up to twenty-four (24) inches of the window surface.
(Ord. 69-2020. Passed 1-14-21.)