"Sign" means any visual communication, display, object, device, graphic, structure or part, situated indoors or outdoors, or attached to, painted on or displayed from a building or structure, in order to direct or attract attention, or to announce or promote, an object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization, or business or the like, by means of letters, words, model, banner, flag, pennant, insignia, device, designs, colors, symbols, fixtures, images, illuminations or representation used as, or which is in the nature of an announcement, direction, or advertisement. For the purpose of this Code, the word "sign" does not include the flag, pennant, badge or insignia of any government or governmental agency (see graphic following page).
For the purpose of this Code, the following sign-related definitions shall also apply in this Code:
(a) ABANDONED SIGN. "Abandoned Sign" means a sign that no longer identifies or advertises a bona fide business, lessee, service, owner, product or activity, and/or for which no legal owner can be found.
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(b) ANIMATED SIGN. "Animated Sign" means any sign that is inflatable, uses intermittent, flashing, rotating or moving lights or movement of the sign or some element thereof, to depict action or create a special effect or scene.
(c) AWNING OR CANOPY SIGN. "Awning or Canopy Sign" means any sign that is painted on, printed on or attached to an awning, canopy or other fabric, plastic or structural protective cover.
(d) BANNER SIGN. "Banner Sign" means a temporary sign made of lightweight fabric or similar material.
(e) BILLBOARD SIGN (synonymous with off-site advertising). "Billboard Sign" means a sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered on a lot other than that on which the sign is located.
(f) CABINET SIGN. "Cabinet Sign" means a sign structure consisting of the frame and face(s) not including the internal components, embellishments or support structure.
(g) CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN. "Changeable Copy Sign" means a permanent sign or a portion thereof with letters, characters or graphics that are not permanently affixed to the structure, framing or background allowing the letters, characters or graphics to be modified manually.
(h) ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTER SIGN. "Electronic Message Center Sign" means a changeable copy sign that utilizes computer generated message or some other electronic means of changing copy.
(i) ENTRANCE OR EXIT SIGN. "Entrance or Exit Sign" means a safety and public purpose sign that is located at a driveway entrance to or exit from a lot and is intended to provide for safe ingress and egress. Such sign shall not exceed three (3) square feet in area and three (3) feet in height, and shall contain no commercial message, logo, symbol, emblem, picture or graphic of any kind.
(j) EXTERNALLY ILLUMINATED SIGN. "Externally Illuminated Sign" means a sign that is directly or indirectly illuminated by a light source that shines on the sign face of or from behind the sign.
(k) FLAG SIGN. "Flag Sign" means a piece of flexible material having a distinctive size, color, and design, used as a symbol, standard, signal or emblem.
(l) GROUND OR MONUMENT SIGN. "Ground or Monument Sign" means a sign supported from the ground and not attached to any building.
(m) ILLUMINATED SIGN. "Illuminated Sign" means a sign with an artificial light source incorporated internally or externally for the purpose of illuminating the sign.
(n) INSTRUCTIONAL SIGN. "Instructional Sign" means a sign that has a purpose secondary to the use on the lot and that is intended to instruct employees, customers, or users as to matters of public safety or necessity such as specific parking requirements, the location or regulations pertaining to specific activities on the site or in the building, and including a sign erected by a public authority, utility, public service organization, or private industry that is intended to control traffic; direct, identify or inform the public; or provide needed public service as determined by the rules and regulations of governmental agencies or through public policy. Such sign shall contain text not exceeding two (2) inches in height, shall contain the minimum information and be of the minimum area and height necessary to convey its intended message, and shall be located so as not to attract attention from the perimeter of the site.
(o) INTERNALLY ILLUMINATED SIGN. "Internally Illuminated Sign" means a sign illuminated internally through its sign face by a light source contained inside the sign.
(p) MARQUEE SIGN. "Marquee Sign" means a sign attached to a structure, other than an awning or canopy sign, projecting from a wall of a building above an entrance and extending over a street, sidewalk, or part thereof.
(q) MOBILE SIGN. "Mobile Sign" means a sign that is on wheels, runners or casters, or has a frame to which wheels, runners or casters may be affixed, parked trailers, parked vehicles or other mobile devices, including tethered and/or anchored balloons.
(r) NONCONFORMING SIGN. "Nonconforming Sign" means a sign that was erected legally but which does not comply with subsequently enacted sign regulations or amendments thereto.
(s) PERMANENT SIGN. "Permanent Sign" means a sign that is not temporary.
(t) POLE SIGN. "Pole Sign" means any ground sign supported by one or more poles or posts having the sign face at least ten (10) feet above grade at the base of the supports.
(u) POLITICAL SIGN. "Political sign" means a sign advocating action on a public issue, identifying a candidate for public office or expressing an opinion or belief regarding a public issue or candidate.
(v) PORTABLE SIGN. "Portable sign" means a sign which is designed to be transported and is not physically attached to any part of a building or the ground.
(w) PROJECTING SIGN. "Projecting Sign" means a sign that is attached to a building wall and extending more than twelve (12) inches beyond the face of the wall.
(x) REAL ESTATE SIGN. "Real Estate Sign" means a temporary sign directing attention to the promotion, development, rental, sale or lease of the particular building, property or premises on which the sign is located.
(y) ROOF SIGN. "Roof Sign" means any sign erected, constructed or maintained wholly or partially upon or over the roof or parapet wall of any building and having its principal support on the roof or walls of the building.
(z) SAFETY AND PUBLIC PURPOSE SIGN. "Safety and Public Purpose Sign" means a sign erected by a public authority, utility, public service organization or private industry upon the public right-of-way or, when required by law, on private property and which is intended to control traffic, direct, identify or inform the public or provide needed public services as determined by the rules and regulations of governmental agencies or through public policy. Such signs include "No Parking" or "Fire Lane" signs.
(aa) TEMPORARY SIGN. "Temporary Sign" means a sign that is designed to be used only temporarily and is not intended to be permanently attached to a building, a structure or permanently installed in the ground.
(bb) WALL SIGN. "Wall Sign" means a sign painted on, attached to, or erected against the wall of a building or structure with the exposed face of the sign in plane parallel to the plane of the wall and extending not more than twelve (12) inches there from and which does not project above the roofline or beyond the corner of the building.
(cc) WINDOW SIGN. "Window Sign" means a sign posted, painted, placed or affixed in or on a window or door that is intended to be visible from the outside of a building. An indoor sign that faces a window or door exposed to public view and located within one foot of the window or door is considered a window sign for the purpose of calculating the total area of all window signs.
(Ord. 109-14. Passed 6-23-14.)