(A) General Standards Applicable To All Zones:
1. Sign Standards: The following sign standards by zone are intended to include every zone in the planning jurisdiction. The zones are as defined by this title. Only signs as described herein and as may be described under sections 3.9.04, "Temporary Signs", and 3.9.05, "Exempt Signs", of this chapter, will be permitted in each particular zone. The area of a sign shall be computed; if a sign includes silhouette designs or letters, whether cut out of the interior of a background, or projecting beyond the edges of a background, or freestanding, the area of the sign shall be computed to include the square footage of a rectangle that would enclose such designs. For example, should a sign that is attached flat against a building that is three feet (3') on a side (9 square feet) have a pine tree silhouette attached to and extending above it, such tree being one foot (1') wide at the widest and two feet (2') tall, then the one foot by two foot (1' x 2') rectangle which could enclose that tree shall be added to the nine (9) square feet of the rest of the sign of which it is a part for a total of eleven (11) square feet, notwithstanding that some of that area in fact includes space around the tree. Additionally, in calculating the size of a two (2) sided sign, only one side is counted.
2. New Zone Created: If a new zone is created after March 16, 2006, no signs shall be permitted therein until this chapter shall be amended to include such zone.
3. Development Complex Sign: For traffic operations, emergency response, and land use compatibility, the city may require that a development complex sign be placed at the entrance(s) of a planned unit development, subdivision, mixed use development, apartment building, shopping center, or industrial park; each sign shall not exceed an area of fifty (50) square feet and is subject to the other requirements of this chapter.
4. Wayfinding Signs: Wayfinding signs may be permitted by the administrator when used to advertise publicly accessible facilities remote from the sign location. Wayfinding signs may provide general descriptions of facilities or commercial areas, but shall not advertise specific business names. Such signs should be designed to include one or more such facilities located in the same area. These signs may be located on public property, with the permission of the jurisdictional authority, or private property, with the permission of the owner, such location to be approved by the administrator.
5. Illumination: Illumination of signs is permitted but in accordance with the restrictions specified in section 3.9.08 of this chapter.
6. Changeable Signs:
(a) Wooden framed permanent structure up to fifteen (15) square feet that will allow for interior banners or similar material to be changed to advertise special events, sales, or other promotions are allowed.
(b) A conditional use permit is required for signs with individual changeable letters. No more than fifty percent (50%) of any given sign face may include a space for changeable letters. Permitted changeable signs shall be of a high quality, and the letters used on such signs shall be of a durable material such as Lexan® or acrylic plastic, with a minimum thickness of 0.08 inch and a height not to exceed nine inches (9"). Messages are to be nonscrolling.
(B) Residential Zones:
1. General: The regulations and specifications set forth herein shall apply to the agriculture and forest (AF); rural residential (RR); residential estate (RE); R1, R4, R8, and R16 zones.
2. Size: One sign not exceeding two (2) square feet in area shall be permitted per dwelling unit. For multiple dwellings per platted lot, one or more additional signs totaling twelve (12) square feet in area shall be permitted.
3. Location: Permitted signs may be anywhere on the premises, except that they may not project beyond any property line and except that, if freestanding, the top shall be not over five feet (5') above the ground; and, if building mounted, shall be flush mounted, shall not be mounted on any roof of the building, and shall not project above the eaves line.
4. Content: Signs allowed in residential zones are normally used for identification and directional purposes. The additional sign area permitted for multiple dwellings shall be only for identification of the building. See also subsection 9.6.02(R) of this code for address numbers.
(C) Commercial Zones:
1. General: The regulations and specifications set forth herein shall apply to the civic use (CV), neighborhood commercial (NC), community commercial (CC), and central business district (CBD) zones.
2. Size:
(a) A total sign area of one and one-half (11/2) square feet for each linear foot of building frontage or one-half (1/2) square foot for each linear foot of property frontage, whichever results in the larger sign area, but the maximum total area of all permitted signs for any establishment shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet. All window signs shall be included when calculating total permitted square footage. Interior signs are not to be included in area calculations.
(b) Building frontage shall be measured along a horizontal plane from one end of the building to the other along the street which the sign faces.
(c) Where frontage is on more than one street, the allowable size of signs facing one of those streets shall be based on the frontage of the building or property facing that street.
3. Location:
(a) Signs may be wall or fascia signs and located anywhere on the surface of the building.
(b) Signs may be projecting signs only if, under the applicable zoning, there is no building setback, and then may project six feet (6') or less beyond the street property line, but no closer than two feet (2') to a curb line, and must have a minimum clearance of eight feet (8') above the curb line and public sidewalk, and fifteen feet (15') above driveways or alleys.
(c) When a projecting sign is closer than twelve feet (12') to a corner of the property, its projection shall be no more than a distance equal to one-half (1/2) the horizontal distance from the sign to that corner.
(d) Where a building does not cover the full area of the property, a sign may be freestanding and may be located anywhere back of the street setback lines. The top of such a sign may extend up to ten feet (10') above the average ground level at the base of the sign.
(e) Signs may be on the vertical faces of marquees and may project below the lower edge of the marquee not more than twelve inches (12"). The bottom of marquee signs shall be no less than eight feet (8') above the sidewalk or grade at any point. No part of the sign shall project above the vertical marquee face.
(f) Signs shall not project above the roofline or roof peak (highest elevation).
(g) Signs shall not be located on any property which is not the site of the subject of the information on the sign; e.g., a sign advertising a business may only appear on the same lot or parcel of real estate that is the location of the business (except, see subsection (A)4 of this section).
(h) Signs may be incorporated into building awnings. In terms of calculating sign size, the procedure shall be to calculate the area of the letters and design according to the "silhouette" sign described in subsection (A)1 of this section.
4. Multi-Tenant Buildings Or Plazas: The total signage area may not exceed the area for a single tenant building of the same frontage; exceptions may be approved by the administrator with cause shown. Signs for individual tenants may be wall mounted or hanging, but not projecting beyond eighteen inches (18"). The portion of total signage available to each tenant shall be determined by the building or plaza owner.
(D) Industrial And Business Park, Zones I And BP:
1. General: The regulations and specifications set forth herein shall apply to the industrial (I) and business park (BP) zones.
2. Size: Requirements shall be the same as specified for the commercial zones.
3. Location: Requirements shall be the same as specified for the commercial zones.
4. Content: Signs permitted in these zones shall be identification signs only.
5. Undue Hardship: If special conditions and circumstances unique to the type of business, the land, or structure, make compliance with this section an undue hardship, then the commission may take into consideration the products or services offered by the establishment; the requirements for a conditional use permit (see chapter 13 of this title) will be applied.
1. Agriculture And Forest (AF) Zone: Apply the same standards as for the residential zones.
2. Civic Use (CV) Zone: Apply the same standards as the commercial zones.
3. Airport (AP) Zone: Signing to be located within the AP (airport) zone requires an administrative permit, except for the signage required by authorities for safety or security purposes. Otherwise, the same standards apply as the commercial zones.
4. Special Districts: Apply the same standards as for the zone in which the district falls. (Ord. 922, 5-22-2014)
Notes
| 1 | 1. See chapters 6 and 7 of this title. |