For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED SIGN. A sign that advertises a bona fide business, lessor, owner, product, or activity no longer conducted or available upon the premises where the sign is displayed.
ACCESSORY SIGN. A sign that is accessory to the main or principal use of the premises.
ANIMATED SIGN. Any sign that uses movement or change of lighting to depict action or create a special effect or scene.
BANNER. Any sign printed or displayed upon cloth or other flexible material, with or without frames. National, state or municipal flags shall not be considered BANNERS.
BEACON. Any light with 1 or more beams directed into the atmosphere or directed at 1 or more points not on the same zone lot as the light source; also, any light with 1 or more beams that rotate or move.
BILLBOARD. A sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service, or entertainment conducted, sold, or offered at a location other than the premises on which the sign is located.
BUILDING MARKER. Any sign indicating the name of a building and date and incidental information about its construction, which sign is cut into a masonry surface or made of bronze or other permanent material.
BULLETIN BOARD/ANNOUNCEMENT SIGN. A sign related to a public school, parochial school, private school, public park, or recreation facility, church or other religious institution, which identifies activities or events to take place involving the patrons of the specific use.
CANOPY SIGN. Any sign that is a part of or attached to an awning, canopy, or other fabric, plastic, or structural protective cover over a door, entrance, window, or outdoor service area. A marquee is not a CANOPY.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN.
(1) 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.
(2) A sign on which the message changes more than 8 times per day shall be considered an animated sign and not a CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN for purposes of this subchapter.
(3) A sign on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of time or temperature shall be considered a "time and temperature" portion of a sign and not a CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN for purposes of this subchapter.
COMMUNITY EVENTS SIGN. A temporary sign announcing local community events sponsored by a public, quasi-public, church, charitable, or other similar organization.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN. A sign erected on a site designated on a valid building permit issued by the administrative official, which advises the public of the pertinent facts regarding the construction of the building and site improvements.
DEVELOPMENT IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign (either freestanding or wall) which identifies the name of the residential development or the developer, or type of residential structures included in the development, and which is harmonious with the vicinity, where located.
FLASHING SIGN. An illuminated sign on which artificial or reflected light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times when in use.
FREESTANDING SIGN/GROUND SIGN. A sign which is attached to or a part of a completely self-supporting structure. The supporting structure shall be set firmly in or below the ground surface and shall not be attached to any building or any other structure whether portable or stationary.
HISTORICAL MARKER OR SIGN. A sign commissioned by either a local, state, or federal historical organization or agency which designates or describes an historic site, event, place, person, organization, structure, building, or group of structure or buildings which are determined historically significant.
IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign stating the name or description of the use of the premises on which the sign is located.
ILLUMINATED SIGN. Any sign which has characters, letters, figures, designs, or outline illuminated by electric lights or luminous tubes as a part of the sign proper.
INCIDENTAL SIGN. A sign, generally informational, that has a purpose secondary to the use of the zoning lot on which it is located, such as “no parking,” “entrance,” “loading only,” “telephone,” and other similar directives.
INFLATABLE SIGN. A sign consisting of a balloon or other gas filled figure.
INSTITUTIONAL BULLETIN BOARDS. A sign which displays the name of a religious institution, school, library, community center, or similar public or quasi-public institution, and the announcement of its services or activities.
MARQUEE. Any permanent roof-like structure projecting beyond a building or extending along and projecting beyond the wall of the building, generally designed and constructed to provide protection from the weather.
MARQUEE SIGN. Any sign attached to, in any manner, or made a part of a marquee.
MONUMENT SIGN. A sign attached to a permanent foundation and not attached or dependent for support from any building, pole, posts, or similar uprights.
NAMEPLATE SIGN. A small sign not exceeding 2 square feet in area delineating the name of the residential property owner and/or address of the property, but containing no advertising whatsoever.
NON-ACCESSORY SIGN. A sign which is not accessory to the main or principal use of the premises.
NONCONFORMING SIGN. Any sign that does not conform to the requirements of this chapter.
PENNANT. Any lightweight plastic, fabric, or other material, whether or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a rope, wire, or string, usually in series, designed to move in the wind.
POLITICAL CAMPAIGN SIGNS. A sign or poster announcing candidates seeking political office and/or political data pertinent there to.
PORTABLE SIGN. Any sign not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported, including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels; sign converted to A or T-frames; menu and sandwich board signs; balloons used as signs; umbrellas used for advertising; and signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public right-of-way, unless the vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day operations of the business.
PRIVATE TRAFFIC DIRECTION SIGNS. A sign directing traffic movement onto or within a premise located entirely there upon and containing no advertising message or symbol.
PROFESSIONAL SIGN. A small sign not exceeding 2 square feet in area delineating the name of the professional business, or organization and/or the address of the property, but containing no advertising whatsoever.
PROJECTING SIGN. A sign other than a wall sign suspended from or supported by a building or structure and projecting there from, including marquee signs.
PUBLIC SIGN. Any sign erected by a state, county, or local authority having lawful jurisdiction over public property or right-of-way for the purpose of traffic control, public safety, or public information.
REAL ESTATE SIGN. A sign placed upon a property advertising that particular property for sale, rent, or lease.
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SIGN. A sign placed on the premises of a subdivision, or other real estate development site, to identify a proposed start of development, the participants of the development (such as owner, contractor, architect, leasing agent, and the like), and relative date of availability.
RESIDENTIAL SIGN. Any sign located in a district zoned for residential uses that contains no commercial message except advertising for goods or services legally offered on the premises where the sign is located, if offering the service at the location conforms with all requirements of this chapter.
ROOF SIGN. Any sign erected and constructed wholly on and over the roof of a building supported by the roof structure.
SUBDIVISION SALE SIGN. A sign promoting the sale of lots or homes within a subdivision for which final plat approval has been received.
SUSPENDED SIGN. A sign suspended from the underside of a horizontal plane surface and supported by that surface.
SWINGING SIGN. A sign designed or constructed to move or pivot as a result of wind pressure, for the purpose of attracting attention.
TEMPORARY SIGN. A sign that is used only temporarily and is not permanently mounted.
WALL SIGN. A sign erected or fastened against the wall of a building, with its exposed face in a plane approximately parallel to the plane of the wall, and not extending more than 14 inches beyond the surface of the portion of the building wall on which it is erected or fastened.
(Ord. 99, passed 11-18-1996, § 20.02; Am. Ord. 173, passed 11-10-2008; Am. Ord. 09-177, passed 3-18-2009)