No sign shall be illuminated, except in accordance with the following restrictions:
(a) Any illuminated sign shall have a constant intensity of illumination. Except electronic message centers, no sign shall contain any moving, flashing or animated lights.
(b) Electronic Message Centers are subject to the following regulations:
(1) Displayed message may change no more than one time every six (6) seconds.
(2) Changes must be made within two (2) seconds and display must return to constant illumination.
(3) Movement including animation, flashing and scrolling beyond the two (2) second change is prohibited.
(4) May not exceed fifty (50) percent of the total sign face area up to a maximum of twenty-five (25) sq. ft.
(5) Use of intermittent or full-motion video elements is prohibited at all times including during the two (2) second change period.
(6) No more than one (1) EMC shall be permitted on any lot of record.
(7) All EMC's shall have an automatic default setting to a blank, non-illuminated screen in case of malfunction.
(8) EMC's shall be designed and operated with automatic dimming features that adjust illumination from daylight to night time maximums and provide the owner/operator of the EMC the ability to reduce the illumination and/or brightness to adjust to background and ambient light conditions. These controls may include an auxiliary photocell on or near the sign.
(9) The eye Illuminance limit shall be 0.0 foot-candles (fc); which means that the increase above ambient levels of lighting caused by switching on the sign shall not exceed 0.3 fc measured at one-hundred (100) feet from the sign standing as near as perpendicular to the sign as possible, or at the edge of the pavement no more than one-hundred (100) feet from the sign using a foot-candle meter held five (5) feet above grade.
(10) EMC's located within one-hundred (100) feet of a residentially zoned district must be turned off or contain a static message of constant illumination between the hours of 10:00pm and 6:00am.
(c) Lighting external to the sign shall consist of not more than two (2) colors, including white. No external red or green lights shall be used if, in the opinion of the Director of Public Safety, such colors would create a driving hazard.
(d) Illumination shall be so arranged as to reflect light away from residential premises and in such a manner so as not to cast glare.
(e) Exterior exposed gaseous tube type signs (neon) shall only be permitted in commercial (C) zoning districts.
(f) The provisions of this section shall apply not only to exterior signs, but also the interior signs which are designed or placed to show through windows or doors of structures. (Ord. 131-2015. Passed 8-3-15.)