(A) The provisions of this chapter shall apply to and govern signs in all districts. No sign shall be erected or maintained unless it is in compliance with the regulations governing location and bulk of structures for the district in which it is located, unless such sign is otherwise specifically regulated by special use provisions relating to variances.
(B) Any sign already established on the effective date of this Zoning Code, which sign is rendered nonconforming by the provisions of this Zoning Code, and any sign which, as a result of subsequent amendments of this Zoning Code, shall be rendered nonconforming, shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 151.50, Nonconforming Use Regulations.
(C) Wherever a commercial sign is allowed or permitted under this chapter, an owner may place a non-commercial sign, subject to the time, place and manner provisions of this chapter, without applying for a permit and/or paying a fee that otherwise would be required for the placement of a commercial sign on the lot; provided, that the sign structure or mounting device is legal without consideration of message content. This provision prevails over any provision to the contrary in this chapter. The purpose of this provision is to prevent any inadvertent favoring of commercial speech over non-commercial speech, or favoring of any particular non-commercial message over any other non-commercial message. This provision does not create a right to increase the total amount of signage on a lot or parcel, nor does it affect the requirement that a sign structure or mounting device be properly permitted.
(D) All non-commercial speech is considered on-premise signage and is entitled to the privileges that on-premise signs receive under this section.
(E) Notwithstanding any other provision herein, signs that display a non-commercial message are entitled to the maximum square footage allowed of any sign within the same zoning district.
(F) Notwithstanding any other provision herein, signs that display a non-commercial message are not subject to the temporal limitations otherwise set forth in this chapter; however, such signs remain subject to the provisions of § 151.3018.
(Ord. 10, 2018, passed 7-11-18; Am. Ord. 2, 2022, passed 4-6-22)