Outdoor advertising, identification or other exterior signs pertaining to permitted, accessory, and conditional uses are permitted subject to the regulations set forth herein for the following zoning districts: General Business (GB), Office (O), Planned Mixed Use (PMU) and Public - Institutional (P-I).
(a) Permitted Types of Signs. The following types of signs are permitted in the GB, O, PMU and P-I zoning districts unless otherwise noted:
(1) Signs permitted in their respective zoning district as provided in the chart in Section 1153.05.
(2) Residential land uses located in a PMU zoning district shall be permitted those signs allowed under Section 1153.07.
(b) Permitted Number, Height, Area and Location.
(1) Permitted number.
A. Permitted nonresidential uses may have one of each of the following types of signs; wall sign, projecting sign, ground mounted sign and temporary construction sign. In addition, each nonresidential use shall be permitted one temporary commercial sign, up to two separate window signs and one portable sandwich sign on the premises and up to two canopy signs.
B. If there are multiple occupants within the same building or structure, then the number of signs permitted for nonresidential uses shall apply to each separate occupant.
C. Only one ground mounted sign is permitted on a single lot.
D. Menu board signs. A restaurant or other business with a drive-through or drive-up window may have two menu board signs per each separate drive-thru ordering lane if approved by the Planning Commission.
(2) Maximum height. The maximum height for signs shall be as follows:
A. Wall signs. Wall signs shall not project more than twelve inches from the building wall and shall not extend above the wall or beyond the wall to which it is attached.
B. Projecting signs. The bottom of any projecting sign shall be a minimum of eight feet above any sidewalk and fifteen feet above any driveway.
C. Portable sandwich board signs. Four feet.
D. Ground mounted signs. Six feet.
E. Directional / informational signs. Three feet.
F. Temporary commercial signs. Five feet.
G. Temporary construction signs. Eight feet.
H. Canopy signs. Canopy signs shall not project or extend beyond the limits of the canopy structure. No portion of a canopy sign shall be less than seven and one-half feet above the level of the sidewalk or other public thoroughfare over which it projects.
I. Signs not requiring a permit. Section 1153.03 sets forth the height standards for signs not requiring a permit.
(3) Maximum area. The maximum area for signs shall be as follows:
A. Wall signs. The sign area shall not exceed one and one-half square feet per each linear foot of the front building wall, maximum of 100 square feet. In the case of multi-tenant structures, the lineal distance of the front building wall compromising the width of the tenant space only shall be used in this area calculation as depicted in the Wall Sign Area Computation Illustration in this Section.
B. Menu board signs. Thirty-two square feet.
C. Ground-mounted signs. The sign area shall not exceed one square foot per linear foot of frontage of the premises, maximum of fifty square feet.
D. Projecting signs. Eight square feet.
E. Portable sandwich board signs. Six square feet.
F. Directional/informational signs. Four square feet.
G. Temporary commercial signs. Six square feet unless otherwise provided for.
H. Window signs.
1. Window signs are permitted on each wall elevation, provided that they do not exceed fifteen square feet, provided that they do not cover more than thirty percent (30%) of said window, and provided that the area between four feet, six inches, and six feet, six inches, above the finished sidewalk grade must be open and free of any and all signage and/or obstruction of view at all times without exception.
2. All window signs, permanent or temporary, must be considered when determining the thirty percent (30%) coverage requirement.
3. When there is more than one window, each window must meet the criteria for sign area and window coverage.
4. A window is defined as the area of glass within a frame sash or the area separated by muntins or mullions.
5. In any event, only two permanent window signs will be permitted per building occupant.
6. Window signs shall only be permitted on the first floor or second floor of any building or structure.
I. Canopy signs. Twenty-four square feet.
J. Temporary construction signs. The maximum sign area for temporary construction sign shall be 32 square feet.
Wall Sign Area Computation
Illustration describing the measurement of tenant space for computation of permitted wall signs.
(c) Location and Setback.
(1) Signs shall be located on the same lot to which they are an accessory use.
(2) Ground mounted signs.
A. A ground mounted sign shall be set back a minimum of twenty-five feet from any other lot containing a non-residential land use.
B. A ground mounted sign shall be set back a minimum of fifty feet from any residential zoning district or residential land use.
C. A ground mounted sign shall be set back a minimum of five feet from any street right-of-way line and ten feet from any interior access drive.
D. A ground mounted sign featuring digital changeable copy shall be set back a minimum of 100 feet from any residential zoning district or residential land use.
(3) Directional signs. A directional / informational sign shall be set back a minimum of fifteen feet from any side lot line and a minimum of five feet from any street right-of-way line.
(4) Any freestanding sign affixed to the ground, except for ground mounted signs and directional / informational signs, shall be set back a minimum of one-half the height of the sign from the street right-of-way line, provided that no part of such freestanding sign shall be closer to the front property line than seven feet.
(5) Projecting signs shall be allowed to project over two-thirds the width of the sidewalk or five feet from the building, whichever is less. All components of the projecting sign shall project no more than eighteen inches from a wall face or other structure.
(6) All signs shall be set back a minimum of ten feet from any side yard lot line.
(7) A temporary construction sign shall be located on the lot of a proposed development or building construction.
A. Such development project sign shall be located a minimum of 100 feet from the any residential zoning district or residential land use.
B. Such development project sign shall be located a minimum of twenty-five feet from any non-residential lot line and any street right-of-way line.
(8) Canopy signs. No portion of a canopy or awning may extend more than five feet from the building facade.
(d) General Provisions.
(1) All sign frames, foundations and other supporting structures shall be constructed of stone, brick, cultured stone / brick or other material similar to the principal permitted structures which they identify, unless otherwise approved by the Planning Commission.
(2) All signs shall utilize similar or compatible colors and styles to the buildings which such signs identify.
(3) Portable sandwich board signs. Portable sandwich board signs placed on private property shall not require a sign permit.
(4) Menu board signs. At a drive-in restaurant or other similar drive-in business, two menu board signs may be permitted per occupant in addition to the maximum permanent sign allowed if approved by the Planning Commission.
(5) For multiple occupant structures utilizing a single ground-mounted sign, such sign shall have a coordinated appearance, and all individual occupants’ panels shall be constructed of the same materials.
(6) Conditional uses allowed in these zoning districts may contain specific sign standards and requirements unique to the particular use. Those conditional use specific sign regulations shall control in the event of a conflicting sign standard set forth in this chapter.
(Ord. 2022-24.Passed 5-24-22; Ord. 2023-6. Passed 6-27-23.)