(A) Approval required. No sign shall be constructed, maintained, displayed, or altered within the City except pursuant to a sign permit obtained as provided in this chapter, unless the sign is specifically exempted from the permit requirements. Signs may be erected and maintained in the districts where such structures are permitted after having secured the approval of the location, size, and design of such structure from the Planning Department and Building Department subject to the regulations of this chapter.
(B) Compliance with other codes. The erection or placement of all signs shall meet the requirements of the Public Utilities Commission of the state, the Uniform Sign Code as adopted by the city, the regulations of the Planning Department, and all other relevant federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
(C) Shopping center signs. The sign program for shopping centers shall be approved with the site plan review. The design criteria for all signs to be located within a shopping center or a mall type development shall be approved by the Planning Department, before any individual sign permit application for the development is processed. Such review is to ensure that signs located within a shopping center are harmonious and of compatible design.
(D) Lighting for exterior illuminated signs. Lighting for exterior illuminated signs shall be so arranged that it does not create a hazardous glare for pedestrians or vehicles, either in a public street or on any private premises. Each sign shall be designed so that illumination does not exceed ten candlepower at a distance of ten feet from the sign.
(E) Lighting. No artificial light of whatever type or nature used in conjunction with, or for the purpose of, lighting any sign shall be so located or constructed, nor shall any substance or material be used capable of reflecting light on or into any adjoining or nearby lot, structure, or public right-of-way. When spotlights or floodlights are used to illuminate a sign, the reflector shall be provided with proper shields or glass lenses concentrating the illumination upon the area of the sign so as to prevent glare upon the street or adjacent property.
(F) Screening light sources. Whenever an illuminated sign is permitted, every part of its light source shall be concealed from view, and the light shall not travel from such light sources straight to the viewer’s eye, but instead shall be visible only from a reflecting or diffusing surface. Exempt from this requirement shall be neon tubing which conforms to division (D) of this section (lighting for exterior illuminated signs) and is included in the calculation of the total permanent sign area. As used in this section, “light source” shall mean a bulb or tube from which light is emitted when the bulb or tube is activated (electronically or otherwise), including, but not limited to, incandescent filament bulbs, electric discharge bulbs, and fluorescent tubes.
(G) Measurement of sign areas.
(1) Wall signs consisting of one or two lines of copy. Wall signs consisting of one or two lines of copy painted on or attached to a building wall where the portion of the wall behind the sign is the same color as the rest of the wall and does not serve as a frame area shall be measured by the smallest regular geometric shape not exceeding eight sides which encompasses each word, emblem, and/or symbol composing the sign. Areas between words in a line and between lines shall not be measured as long as they are reasonably spaced.
(2) Other wall signs. Three lines or more of copy or nonlinear arrangement shall be measured as that area which can be enclosed within the smallest regular geometric shape not exceeding eight sides which encompasses the total message, including the open space between cutout letters, panels, figures, symbols, and/or objects.
(3) Signs which are framed or have distinguishing color background. Signs which are framed or have distinguishing color background shall be measured by taking the entire area of the sign and background, including the framing surface.
(4) Multiple face signs. The area of all faces shall be added together to determine the total sign area. However, double-faced signs may be erected having the allowed sign area on each side of the sign provided that the two faces shall not be positioned at greater than 45 degrees to one another. When the two faces of a sign are positioned at greater than 45 degrees to one another, faces of each side shall be counted individually in determining the total sign area.
(5) Neon tube lighting. Illuminated neon tubing when outlining portions of buildings or windows shall be deemed to have a minimum width of at least six inches in the calculation of sign area. Where an area bordered by such lighting is substantially a closed geometric shape, all the area enclosed shall be considered the sign area.
(Ord. 864 C.S., passed 11-4-09)