The following supplementary regulations shall apply:
(a) Signs Over a Pedestrian Walkway. No sign projecting or hanging over a pedestrian walkway may at its lowest point be less than ten (10) feet above the sidewalk or ground level.
(b) Signs Over a Street, Alley or Driveway. No sign projecting or hanging over a street, alley or driveway may at its lowest point be less than fourteen (14) feet above the pavement surface.
(c) Hazardous Signs. No sign shall be established or allowed to remain which creates or contributes to a safety hazard, even though such sign may be in conformance with the specific requirement of this chapter in all other aspects.
(d) Signs on Undeveloped Property. No sign shall be permitted on any lot within the City which is not occupied by a building except the following:
(1) Real estate, construction and political advertising signs may be established on any undeveloped lot in an M-2 and M-1 Zoning District. The total message area of all permitted signs on an undeveloped lot more than one (1) acre in size shall not exceed ten (10) square feet. The total message area of all permitted signs on an undeveloped lot more than one (1) acre in size shall not exceed ten (10) square feet for each acre or fraction thereof, to a maximum of 300 square feet. Any sign or signs exceeding this above formula shall not be allowed unless approved by variance.
(e) Signs Associated with Nonconforming Uses. In the case of legal nonconforming land uses, such as a business located in a residentially zoned district, the total sign area of all signs associated with such land use shall be no greater than that which would be allowed if the business were located in the most restrictive zoning district allowing such land use. Further, no new signs associated with nonconforming land uses may be erected, except replacements which are the same or smaller in size than the sign being replaced. If a sign associated with a nonconforming land use is moved, its new location shall conform to the setback requirements of the district in which it is located, as if it were a building.
(f) Design Standards. Signs shall be designed as to be similar in character with regard to materials, color and size to conforming signs designed or located on the same building and on adjoining buildings in order to equalize the attention they are meant to attract, and to produce an overall unified effect all in accordance with the other requirements of this chapter. (Ord. 1209-97. Passed 10-9-97)