For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ADDRESS SIGN. The numeric reference of a use or building to a street name.
AREA OF SIGN. The total area of the sign face, which is used to display a message or attract attention, not including its supporting structures.
ATTACHED SIGN. A business sign painted on or mounted on and parallel to the facade of a building and extending in front of the building wall 18 inches or less. Signs temporarily or permanently affixed to a window are not considered ATTACHED SIGNS. See illustration 8.1.1 Attached Sign.
AWNING. A shelter supported by the exterior wall of a building and projecting a minimum of 24 inches from the wall over a window and/or doorway or building facade.
AWNING SIGN. Graphics, symbols and written copy painted on, printed on or attached flat against the surface of an awning. See illustration 8.1.2 Awning and Awning Sign.
BANNER SIGN. A cloth, plastic or other soft material sign placed flat against the facade of a building or strongly secured between two poles. No BANNER SIGN shall flap or move with the wind.
BENCH SIGN. A sign painted on or affixed to any portion of a bench or seating area at bus stops or other pedestrian areas.
BUSINESS SIGN (ON PREMISES SIGN). A sign used to identify a business profession, trade or occupation on the site and/or the generic or brand name products or services available at the site, and shall include an attached sign, window sign, freestanding sign, projecting sign, awning sign and freestanding directional sign all as more specifically described in and allowed by §§ 152.040 through 152.046, and a small freestanding sign as more specifically described in and allowed by § 152.075.
CANOPY, BUILDING. A rigid, multi-sided structure covered with fabric, metal or other material and supported by a building at one or more points and by columns or posts at the other points.
CANOPY, FREESTANDING. A rigid multi-sided structure covered with fabric, metal or other material and supported solely by columns or posts or a similar tent is allowed on each lot, with a permit, one time during a calendar year for a period not to exceed seven days.
CANOPY SIGN. A sign painted on, printed on or attached flat against the surface of the canopy. See illustration 8.1.3 Canopy and Canopy Sign.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN/READER BOARD. A sign or portion thereof with characters, letters or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or the surface of the sign. A sign on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of the time or temperature shall be considered a “time and temperature” of a sign and not a changeable copy sign for purposes of this chapter.
CHANGING IMAGE SIGN. A sign, including a sign using a video display method, which changes its message or background by means of electrical, kinetic, solar or mechanical energy. A VIDEO DISPLAY METHOD is a method of display characterized by real-time, full-motion imagery of at least television quality.
CLUB IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign used to identify a club, lodge, fraternity or sorority.
COLUMNAR SIGN. A freestanding business sign supported by columns or pillars having an aggregate width equal to at least 40% but less than 80% of the width of the sign cabinet or sign face. See illustration 8.1.4 Columnar Sign.
COMMUNITY FACILITY IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign identifying public and governmental buildings and facilities including offices, training armories, storage, maintenance and repair facilities located on the site.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN. A sign used to identify the persons or businesses engaged in the construction of a building on site.
CORPORATE FLAGS. A flag used to advertise a business, product or service. CORPORATE FLAGS shall be considered business signs and shall be subject to the business sign restrictions as listed in this chapter.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN. An on-premise sign used to direct pedestrian or vehicular traffic, including, but not limited to, signs for entrances, exits, parking areas, one-way drives and drive-throughs. See illustration 8.1.5 Freestanding and Attached Directional Signs.
DIRECTOR, COMMISSION OR DEPARTMENT. The director or the department executive or other person(s) appointed by the Mayor of the city.
DIRECTORY SIGN. A sign, which lists the names of the occupants of a multiple occupancy building or site.
ELEVATION. A geometrical projection of a building on a vertical plane.
FACADE. All the wall planes of a structure as seen from one side or view. For example, the FRONT FACADE of a building would include all of the wall area that would be shown on the front elevation of the building plans.
FREESTANDING SIGN. A sign that is set firmly in or upon the ground surface and is not attached to any building or other structure. See illustrations related to types of freestanding signs such as monument style, sign, columnar sign and pole/pylon sign. Image follows on next page
GRADE. The average level of the finished surface of the ground adjacent to a sign or to the exterior wall of the building to which a sign is affixed.
HISTORIC DISTRICT. An area legally designated by the city as an Historic District.
ILLEGAL SIGN. A sign, which was not in compliance with this regulation, or with the applicable regulation when it was erected, installed, altered or displayed.
ILLUMINATED SIGN. A sign with an artificial light source, either internally or externally, for the purpose of lighting the sign.
INCIDENTAL SIGN. Any sign, generally informational, that has a purpose secondary to the use of the lot on which it is located, such as “no parking,” “entrance,” “loading only,” “telephone” and other similar directives. No sign with a commercial message legible from a position off the lot on which the sign is located shall be considered INCIDENTAL.
INSTITUTION IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign identifying a church, school or other institution of learning, library, museum, community center or similar institution on site.
MARQUEE. A roof-like awning or canopy of permanent construction, projecting from the wall of a building above an entrance often bearing a signboard.
MARQUEE SIGN. A sign painted on, printed on or attached flat against the surface of the marquee.
MASTER PLAN PROJECT IDENTIFICATION SIGN. An on-premises sign which identifies the name of a master plan project that contains more than five lots and is located at the primary access to the master plan project.
METROPOLITAN AREA. An area within Jefferson County, Kentucky as shown on the attached map (Figure 8.1.1) which is incorporated herein and the area being more particularly described as follows:
Beginning at a point in the centerline of Dixie Highway, the point being 2,000 feet northeast of the centerline of the Snyder Freeway; thence with a line parallel to the centerline of the Snyder Freeway, if extended, north 64 degrees, 32 minutes, 19 seconds west crossing the Ohio River to the Kentucky state line; thence northeast with the state line to a point, the point being 2,000 feet south of the centerline of the Snyder Freeway if extended from its terminus at U.S. Highway 42 thence with a line crossing the Ohio River and parallel to the centerline of the Snyder Freeway south 64 degrees, 16 minutes, 47 seconds east to a point in the east line of U.S. 42, the point being 2,000 feet southwest of the centerline of the Snyder Freeway and parallel to same southeast, south, southwest, west, southwest and west to the point of beginning.
MONUMENT STYLE SIGN. A freestanding business sign with a base width of at least 80% of the width of the sign cabinet or sign face.
MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign used to identify a multi-family residential development on site.
NONCONFORMING SIGN. A sign that was erected or installed in compliance with the sign regulations in effect at the time of its erection or installation but which is not in compliance with this chapter and which has not been reconstructed, altered or otherwise modified since the adoption of this chapter in any manner which render the sign or its placement less in compliance with this chapter.
NON-METROPOLITAN AREA. All the area within Jefferson County, Kentucky not described as a metropolitan area.
OFFICE BUILDING IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign used to identify an office building on site, or, where allowed, the occupants thereof.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN. See OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN.
ON-PREMISES SIGN. See BUSINESS SIGN.
OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN. Commonly known as a BILLBOARD or an OFF-PREMISES SIGN is a sign used to display, advertise or otherwise direct attention to any business enterprise, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered at a location other than the premises on which the sign is located. A shared business sign that meets the provisions of this chapter and a directional sign as authorized in § 152.003, shall not be considered an off-premises sign. Illustration 8.1.6.
POLE/PYLON SIGN. A sign that is mounted on one or more freestanding poles or pylons. See illustration 8.1.7 Pole/Pylon Sign.
PORTABLE SIGN. A sign, which is not permanently anchored by way of a rigid, nonflexible connection to a building or the ground.
PROJECTING SIGN. Any sign, which is erected on or attached to and not parallel to a building wall or structure and extends beyond the building wall more than 18 inches. Illustration 8.1.9 Projecting Sign.
RENT/SALE SIGN. A sign used to advertise the premises on site or a portion thereof for sale or lease.
ROOF SIGN. A sign erected and constructed wholly or in part upon, against or above the roof of a building. For purposes of this chapter, any portion of a building above or behind the fascia or parapet of a building shall be considered part of the roof. ROOF SIGNS are prohibited.
SHARED BUSINESS SIGN. A business sign that advertises two or more businesses in separate premises, which utilize common off-street parking and/or shared access. A SHARED BUSINESS SIGN is not considered an outdoor advertising sign by this chapter. One or more businesses occupying the same space, such as a filling station with a convenience store that may include a fast food restaurant service area, would not be eligible for a SHARED BUSINESS SIGN. Multiple businesses in a shopping center, even if they are on the same lot, would qualify for a SHARED BUSINESS SIGN. Illustration 8.1.10.
SIGN. Any device, structure, fixture, display or placard using graphics, symbols or written copy or any combination thereof for the primary purpose of identifying, providing directions, drawing attention to, or advertising any establishment, product, goods, place, activity, business or service.
SIGN PLAN. A coordinated plan for developing signs for an individual building or a group of buildings.
SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL OCCUPANT SIGN. A sign used to identify the individual or individuals occupying a single-family residence.
SMALL FREESTANDING BUSINESS SIGN. A freestanding business sign that is no greater than 12 square feet in area for each sign face. For special event sign and SMALL FREESTANDING BUSINESS SIGN refer to portable sign definition for illustrations.
SPECIAL EVENT SIGN. A temporary sign used to advertise a special event associated with a religious institution, government facility or other not for-profit organization. For SPECIAL EVENT SIGN and small freestanding business sign refer to portable sign definition for illustrations.
STREET FRONTAGE. The distance along which a lot line adjoins a public street right-of-way between lot lines intersecting the same street. Corner lots have at least two STREET FRONTAGES.
STRUCTURE. Anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires location on the ground, or attachment to something having a location on the ground, including walls or fences exceeding four feet in height, buildings and signs. In this chapter, reference to buildings includes STRUCTURES and vice versa.
SUBDIVISION IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign used to identify a residential subdivision on site.
TEMPORARY SIGN. A sign whose removal within a specified period of time is required by this chapter and which complies with the appropriate regulations of that chapter.
TIME OR TEMPERATURE SIGN A sign or portion thereof on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of time or temperature.
WINDOW. The combined area of glazing within a wall opening.
WINDOW SIGN. A sign that is placed inside a window, or applied or attached to windowpanes or glass, and which is visible from the exterior of the window. Signs that are permanently painted or otherwise permanently affixed to the window shall be considered WINDOW SIGNS. Illustration 8.1.11.
(Ord. 06-08, passed 4-6-2006)