Certain terms are defined for the purposes of this chapter as follows:
(1) "Abandoned sign" means a sign which no longer identifies or advertises a bona fide business, lessor, service, owner, product, or activity, and/or for which no legal owner can be found.
(2) "Animated sign" means any sign which uses movement or change of lighting to depict action or to create a special effect or scene. (Compare "Flashing Sign").
(3) "Area." (See "Sign, area of").
(4) "Awning" means a shelter projecting from and supported by the exterior wall of a building constructed of nonrigid materials on a supporting framework. (Compare "Marquee").
(5) "Awning sign" means a sign painted on, printed on, or attached flat against the surface of an awning.
(6) "Banner sign" means a sign made of fabric or any nonrigid material with no enclosing framework.
(7) "Billboard". (See "Off-Premise Sign").
(8) "Changeable copy sign" (automatic) means a sign on which the copy changes automatically on a lampbank or through mechanical means, e.g., electrical or electronic time and temperature units.
(9) "Changeable copy sign" (manual) means a sign on which copy is changed manually in the field, e.g., readerboards with changeable letters.
(10) "City". Unless the context clearly discloses a contrary intent, the word "City" means the City of Massillon, Ohio.
(11) "Clearance" (of a sign) means the smallest vertical distance between the grade of the adjacent street or street curb and the lowest point of any sign, including framework and embellishments, extending over that grade.
(12) "Construction sign" means a temporary sign identifying an architect, contractor, subcontractor, and/or material supplier participating in construction on the property on which the sign is located.
(13) "Copy" means the wording on a sign surface in either permanent or removable letter form.
(14) "Directional/ information sign" means an on-premise sign giving directions, instructions, or facility information and which may contain the name or logo of an establishment but no advertising copy, e.g., parking or exit and entrance signs.
(15) "Double-faced sign" means a sign with two faces.
(16) "Electrical sign" means a sign or sign structure in which electrical wiring, connections, or fixtures are used.
(17) "Electronic message center". (See "Changeable copy sign, automatic").
(18) "Facade" means the entire building front including the parapet.
(19) "Face of sign" means the area of a sign on which the copy is placed.
(20) "Festoons" means a string of ribbons, tinsel, small flags, or pinwheels.
(21) "Flashing sign" means a sign which contains an intermittent or sequential flashing light source used primarily to attract attention. Does not include changeable copy signs, animated signs which, through reflection or other means, create an illusion of flashing of intermittent light. (Compare "Animated sign," "Changeable copy sign").
(22) "Freestanding sign" means a sign supported upon the ground by poles or braces and not attached to any building.
(23) "Frontage" means the length of the property line of any one premise along a public right-of-way on which it borders.
(24) "Frontage, building" means the length of an outside building wall on a public right-of-way.
(25) "Government sign" means any temporary or permanent sign erected and maintained by the City, County, State, or Federal Government for traffic direction or for designation of or direction to any school, hospital, historical site, or public service, property or facility.
(26) "Height" (of a sign) means the vertical distance measured from the highest point of the sign, excluding decorative embellishments, to the grade of the adjacent street or the surface grade beneath the sign, whichever is less (Compare "Clearance").
(27) "Identification sign" means a sign whose copy is limited to the name and address of a building, institution, or person and/or to the activity or occupation being identified.
(28) "Illegal sign" means a sign which does not meet the requirements of this chapter and which has not received legal nonconforming status.
(29) "Illuminated sign" means a sign with an artificial light source incorporated internally or externally for the purpose illuminating the sign.
(30) "Incidental sign" means a small sign, emblem, or decal informing the public of goods, facilities, or services available on the premises, e.g., a credit card sign or a sign indicating hours of business.
(31) "Lot" means a parcel of land legally defined on a subdivision map recorded with the assessment department or land registry office, or a parcel of land defined by a legal record of survey map.
(32) "Maintenance" means for the purposes of this chapter, the cleaning, painting, repair, or replacement of defective parts of a sign in a manner that does not alter the basic copy, design, or structure of a sign.
(33) "Mansard" means a sloped roof or roof-like facade architecturally comparable to a building wall.
(34) "Marquee" means a permanent roof-like structure or canopy of rigid materials supported by and extending from the facade of a building. (Compare "Awning").
(35) "Marquee sign" means any sign attached to or supported by a marquee structure.
(36) "Nameplate" means a nonelectric on-premise identification sign giving only the name, address, and/or occupation of an occupant or group of occupants.
(37) "Nonconforming sign" means:
A. A sign which was erected legally but which does not comply with subsequently enacted sign restrictions and regulations.
B. A sign which does not conform to the sign code requirements but for which a special permit has been issued.
(38) "Occupancy" means the portion of a building or premises owned, leased, rented, or otherwise occupied for a given use.
(39) "Off-premise sign" means a sign structure advertising an establishment, merchandise, service, or entertainment which is not sold, produced, manufactured, or furnished at the property on which the sign is located, e.g. "billboards" or "outdoor advertising."
(40) "On-premise sign" means a sign which pertains to the use of the premises on which it is located.
(41) "Owner" means a person recorded as such on official records. For the purposes of this chapter, the owner of property on which a sign is located is presumed to be the owner of the sign unless facts to the contrary are officially recorded or otherwise brought to the attention of the Superintendent of Permits and Inspection, e.g., a sign leased from a sign company.
(42) "Painted wall sign" means any sign which is applied with paint or similar substance on the face of a wall.
(43) "Parapet" means the extension of a false front or wall above a roofline.
(44) "Person" means, for the purposes of this chapter, any individual, corporation, association, firm, partnership, or similarly defined interest.
(45) "Point of purchase display" means advertising of a retail item accompanying its display, e.g., an advertisement on a product dispenser.
(46) "Pole cover" means covers enclosing or decorating poles or other structural supports of a sign.
(47) "Political sign" means, for the purposes of this chapter, a temporary sign used in connection with a local, State, or national election or referendum.
(48) "Premises" means a parcel of land with its appurtenances and buildings which, because of its unity of use, may be regarded as the smallest conveyable unit of real estate.
(49) "Projecting sign" means a sign, other than a flat wall sign, which is attached to and projects from a building wall or other structure not specifically designed to support the sign.
(50) "Real estate sign" means a temporary sign advertising the real estate upon which the sign is located as being for rent, lease or sale.
(51) "Roofline" means the top edge of a roof or building parapet, whichever, is higher, excluding any cupolas, pylons, chimneys, or minor projections.
(52) "Roof sign" means any sign erected over or on the roof of a building. (Compare, "mansard," "wall signs").
(53) "Rotating sign" means a sign in which the sign itself or any portion of the sign moves in a revolving or similar manner. Such motion does not refer to methods of changing copy.
(54) "Sign" means any device, structure, fixture, or placard using graphics, symbols, and/or written copy designed specifically for the purpose of advertising or identifying any establishment, product, goods, or services.
(55) "Sign, area of"
A. Projecting and freestanding: The area of a freestanding or projecting sign shall have only one face (the largest one) of any double- or multi-faced sign counted in calculating its area. The area of the sign shall be measured as follows if the sign is composed of one or two individual cabinets:
1. The area around and enclosing the perimeter of each cabinet or module shall be summed and then totaled to determine total area. The perimeter of measurable area shall not include embellishments such as pole covers, framing, decorative roofing, etc., provided that there is not written advertising copy on such embellishments.
2. If the sign is composed of more than two sign cabinets or modules, the area enclosing the entire perimeter of all cabinets and/or modules within a single, continuous geometric figure shall be the area of the sign. Pole covers and other embellishments shall not be included in the area of measurement if they do not bear advertising copy.
B. Wall signs: The area shall be within a single, continuous perimeter composed of any straight line geometric figure which encloses the extreme limits of the advertising message. If the sign is composed of individual letters or symbols using the wall as the background with no added decoration, the total sign area shall be calculated by measuring the area within the perimeter of each symbol or letter. The combined areas of the individual figures shall be considered the total sign area.
(56) "Snipe sign" means a temporary sign or poster affixed to a tree, fence, etc.
(57) "Subdivision identification sign" means a freestanding or wall sign identifying a recognized subdivision, condominium complex, or residential development.
(58) "Superintendent of permits and inspection" means the Code Administrator of the City or his designated representative.
(59) "Temporary sign" means a sign not constructed or intended for long-term use.
(60) "Under-canopy sign" means a sign suspended beneath a canopy, ceiling, roof, or marquee.
(61) "Use" means the purpose for which a building, lot, sign, or structure is intended, designed, occupied, or maintained.
(62) "Wall sign" means a sign attached parallel to and extending not more than twelve inches from the wall of a building. This definition includes painted, individual letter, and cabinet signs, and signs on a mansard.
(63) "Window sign" means a sign installed inside a window and intended to be viewed from the outside.
(Ord. 47-1989. Passed 4-17-89.)