(a) Location. No sign shall be placed in a public right-of-way, except for those properties within the Central Business District, or in public parks or any other public property, or on utility poles, trees or natural objects. No sign shall be located in such a way that it obscures traffic-control signs, obstructs the view of approaching or intersecting traffic or interferes with the visibility or safety of vehicles or pedestrians entering, leaving or crossing a public right-of-way. No sign shall be located in any district zoned R-1, R-2, R-3 or R-4, except as specified in §§ 1280.06
, 1280.07
and 1280.08
(b).
(b) Size. Sign area shall include the face of all the display area of the sign, except the bracing, framing and structural supports of the sign, unless such support members are made part of the message or face of the sign. Where a sign has two or more display faces, the area of all faces of the sign shall be included in determining the area of the sign, unless two display faces are joined back to back, are parallel to each other and are not more than 24 inches apart, or form a V-angle of less than 45 degrees. For spherical signs, the size shall be defined as the area of the bisecting plane. The area of a sign consisting of individual letters or symbols, either free-standing or attached to or painted on a surface, building, wall or window, shall be considered to be that of the smallest rectangle or regular geometrical shape which encompasses all the letters and symbols.
(c) Design.
(1) Signs shall not resemble, by design, color, shape or other characteristic, any common traffic-control device, or directional or warning sign, directed or maintained by the state, by the village or by any railroad, public utility or similar agency concerned with the protection of the public health or safety.
(2) No sign shall display a representation of a logo or commercial product (e.g., a soft drink bottle, hamburger, hat) in excess of 20% of the permitted sign area.
(3) No sign shall have more than three colors.
(4) Any multifaced sign shall consistently display the name and message on all used faces.
(5) Reverse sides of signs shall be unobtrusive and shall blend with the surroundings.
(d) Lighting.
(1) If illuminated, signs shall be illuminated only by the following means:
A. By a white steady, stationary light of reasonable intensity, directed solely at the sign and shielded from, or otherwise prevented from beaming directly onto, adjacent properties or streets; and
B. By a white interior light of reasonable intensity with logos and/or letters lit or silhouetted on an opaque background. No additional background lighting shall be permitted.
(2) The level of illumination emitted or reflected from a sign shall not be of an intensity sufficient to constitute a demonstrable safety hazard to air traffic or to vehicular traffic on any street from which the sign may be viewed.
(e) Construction, Maintenance and Operation. All signs shall be properly constructed and maintained to ensure that no hazard is created and shall be able to withstand a wind pressure of 30 pounds per square foot. All electrical wiring, fittings and materials used in the construction and operation of electrically illuminated signs shall conform to the construction specifications of the village. All signs and related surroundings shall be properly maintained and shall not be allowed to fall into a state of obvious disrepair or neglect.
(f) Prohibited Signs and Devices. Banners, pennants, streamers, spinners, bench signs, portable signs, mobile placards, marquee-type signs with changeable messages, flashing or blinking signs, animated signs, signs with moving or moveable parts, or similar signs or devices, shall be prohibited. Signs on vending machines, trash bins or other devices serving any premises shall be screened from view from any public right-of-way. All free-standing and off-premises signs are prohibited.
(Ord. 5-89, passed 5-8-1989)