(A) The City Council may, in its discretion, permit the construction and existence of free-standing signs which are not permitted signs under §§ 156.132 and 156.133 and are situated/located along state Trunk Highway 169, Central Avenue (county-state aid Road 36), and state Trunk Highway 23, in areas zoned B-1 and B-2. No such signs shall be permitted in any residential (R) zoned district.
(B) The grant of permit for any of these signs shall be subject to the following conditions:
(1) Application for a sign to be constructed under this section shall be submitted to the City Council on a form to be provided by the Building Inspector.
(2) There shall be an annual billboard sign permit fee of not less than $240 which shall be due and payable to the city by the sign permit applicant and which shall be tendered to the city in full upon making the initial billboard sign permit application. The annual billboard sign permit fee shall be pro-rated by the month during the initial application year and thereafter shall be due and payable to the city in full on January 2 of each succeeding year. The billboard sign permit fee shall be non-refundable.
(C) All such signs or billboards shall be placed not closer than 1,200 lineal feet from the nearest billboard on the same side of the same highway, street, or avenue facing traffic proceeding in the same direction.
(D) All such signs or billboards shall be placed so that the sign’s nearest physical dimension shall not be closer than ten feet from the nearest right-of-way line of the closest or nearest city avenue, street, or highway.
(E) (1) No sign or billboard shall be located adjacent to or within 750 feet of an interchange, intersection at grade, or safety rest area.
(2) Also, no sign or billboard shall be located within 750 feet of the point where the outmost ramps or legs (exit and/or entrance ramps) leave or enter the main traveled roadway nor for 750 feet on the other highway or road from the point of its intersection with the ramps or legs nor in the area between these points. Where appropriate from an engineering point of view, this 750 feet shall be measured along the highway, street, or avenue from the beginning or ending of the pavement widening at the exit from or entrance to the main traveled way.
(F) No such sign or billboard shall be taller than 30 feet from the ground base of the sign and shall contain not more than 400 square feet of surface on the sign’s major or principal surface side.
(G) A permit will be issued only if the sign to be erected blends harmoniously with the scale of the neighborhood, does not distract or cause confusion to motorists and pedestrians and does not conflict with the purpose of this subchapter to preserve and enhance aesthetic value of the commercial areas. In furthering these objectives, the City Council may, as a condition of issuing the permit, place restrictions on the type of sign to be erected and maintained. These restrictions may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the size of the sign; the denial of use of lighting; the amount and type of lighting if lighting is permitted; the location of the sign on the property; and the type of construction to be used for the sign.
(H) A permit will be issued only if the City Council finds the following conditions exist:
(1) The sign is supported by one center standard which standard shall be of steel, reinforced concrete, or similar material which is sufficient in size and strength to fully support the sign and maintain vertical integrity upon a surface wind-load of not less than 80 miles per hour wind speed.
(2) Eight feet of clearance shall exist between grade levels and the bottom of the sign.
(3) The sign cannot be attached to any building or structure and must be 15 feet from any surrounding buildings or structures.
(I) No billboard shall be permitted closer than 700 feet to any abutting property boundary line nor closer than 700 feet to any residential zoned district.
(Ord. 310, passed 2-18-93; Am. Ord. 453, passed 7-18-19)
Penalty, see § 10.99