(A) Findings. The City Council hereby finds as follows:
(1) Exterior signs have a substantial impact on the character and quality of the environment.
(2) Signs provide an important medium through which individuals may convey a variety of messages.
(3) Signs can create traffic hazards, aesthetic concerns and detriments to property values, thereby threatening the public health, safety and welfare.
(4) Over the years, the city’s zoning regulations have included the regulation of signs in an effort to provide adequate means of expression and to promote the economic viability of the business community, while protecting the city and its citizens from a proliferation of signs of a type, size, location and character that would adversely impact upon the aesthetics of the community and threaten the health, safety and welfare of the community. The regulation of the physical characteristics of signs within the city has had a positive impact on traffic safety and the appearance of the community.
(B) Purpose and intent. A sign may be erected, placed, established, painted, created, or maintained in the city only in conformance with the standards, procedures, exemptions, and other requirements of this ordinance. It is not the purpose or intent of this subchapter to regulate the message displayed on any sign; nor is it the purpose or intent of this subchapter to regulate any building design or any display not defined as a sign, or any sign which cannot be viewed from outside a building. The purpose and intent of this subchapter is to:
(1) Regulate the number, location, size, type, illumination and other physical characteristics of signs within the city in order to promote the public health, safety and welfare.
(2) Maintain, enhance and improve the aesthetic environment of the city by preventing visual clutter that is harmful to the appearance of the community.
(3) Improve the visual appearance of the city while providing for effective means of communication, consistent with constitutional guarantees and the city’s goals of public safety and aesthetics.
(4) Provide for fair and consistent enforcement of the sign regulations set forth herein under the zoning authority of the city.
(5) Provide for the safety of the traveling public by limiting distractions, hazards, and obstructions.
(6) To establish a permit system to allow a variety of types of signs in commercial and industrial zones and a limited variety of signs in other zones, subject to the standards and the permit procedures of this subchapter.
(7) To allow certain signs that are small, unobtrusive, and incidental to the principal use of the respective lots on which they are located, subject to the substantive requirements of this subchapter, but without a requirement for permits.
(8) To provide for temporary signs without commercial messages in limited circumstances in the public right-of -way.
(9) To prohibit all signs not expressly permitted by this subchapter.
(10) To provide for the enforcement of the provisions of this subchapter.
(Ord. 188, passed 4-11-13)