Signs constructed or maintained in any City Historic District shall comply with the following requirements, in addition to other legal requirements, including the requirements of §§ 152.090 and 152.091 and are exempt from the regulations of §§ 152.001 through 152.006, 152.020 through 152.026, 152.040 through 152.046, 152.060, 152.061 and 152.075.
(A) Signs shall be as unobtrusive as possible and executed in a professional manner.
(B) Letters shall contrast well with background and shall take up no more than 60% of the sign area.
(C) The maximum number of signs on one face of the building shall be two per business or tenant.
(D) The total square footage per tenant or business shall be no larger than 12 square feet. Tenants and/or businesses may consolidate their allotment of permitted signage into a single sign not to exceed 50 square feet per lot.
(E) Ground signs shall not exceed 12 square feet. Pole signs shall be limited to five feet in height and six square feet in area.
(F) No sign attached to a building may protrude above the face of a building or be longer than the width of the building.
(G) No internally illuminated signs, flashing lights, unshielded bulbs or phosphorescent background or lettering shall be allowed. Indirect light, soft floodlights and the like is permitted.
(H) Signs shall be made of wood, metal or masonry. Plastic letters may be permitted if they closely resemble metal or wood.
(I) Signs and their mountings shall be appropriate to the building. In approving or denying a sign application, the Commission shall take into account the age and the design of the building.
(K) Properties located on the north side of Main Street and west of Watterson Trail have lot depths from Main Street to U.S. 60. Signs on properties facing Main Street shall be restricted to the requirements of the Historic Preservation Districts; however, signs facing U.S. 60 shall not be so restricted but shall comply with the requirements of §§ 152.090 and 152.091 and are exempt from the regulations of §§ 152.001 through 152.006, 152.020 through 152.026, 152.040 through 152.046, 152.060, 152.061 and 152.075.
(L) No real estate or lease sign shall be larger than 12 square feet and shall not exceed five feet in height.
(M) Appeals for exceptions can be made to the City Historic Preservation Commission but the Commission shall have no authority to grant an exception under other applicable city ordinances or under the zoning district regulations.
(N) Each merchant in the city’s Historic District shall be allowed to erect one narrowly defined and specific kind of small sign that will announce to the public, what the businesses’ daily specials and specialty items are; provided, however, that all merchants comply with the standards, rules and regulations set forth in § 152.091.
(1) Signs shall be pre-approved by the city. All signs shall be uniform in appearance and price range and shall reflect design, size and color characteristics which will create a visual streetscape complimentary of the general Historic District appearance.
(2) The sign shall be of a sandwich-board or A-frame type construction.
(3) The sign shall be square or rectangular in shape with no side larger than 31 inches, including frame.
(4) The sign shall have two opposing surfaces with a white background that will accommodate the use of erasable, colored removable inks with which to write or draw hand-written messages on either or both surfaces. Reader-board type signs are prohibited, including electronic signs or signs with moving parts.
(5) The sign’s purpose shall be to advise the public of the businesses’ daily specials and specialty items. Generic signs solely with business names are prohibited.
(6) The sign may be visibly displayed only during hours the business is open to the public.
(7) The sign shall be placed at ground-level, but it shall not be placed on any right-of-way.
(8) Where the right-of-way is bordered by an abutment, mound, wall or other object that would
obstruct the sign from the public’s view, the sign may be placed upon the abutment, mound, wall or other object; provided, however, that the total height of the obstruction and sign shall be no higher than eight feet above the normal ground level and shall not impair visual movement or create a safety hazard.
(Ord. 90-12, passed 8-2-1990; Ord. 06-12, passed 8-3-2006; Ord. 06-15, passed 9-12-2006) Penalty, see § 152.999