As used in this chapter:
(a) "Awning" means any structure made of cloth or vinyl, attached to a metal frame and connected to a building and projecting over a sidewalk.
(b) "Building frontage" shall be measured along the building face nearest parallel to the street line.
(c) "Canopy" means any structure, other than an awning, with a frame attached to a building, projecting over a sidewalk, and carried by a frame supported by the ground, sidewalk or face of the building.
(d) "Changeable copy sign" means:
(1) A sign designed so that characters, letters or messages can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or surface of the sign. The changeable copy portion of a sign may not exceed forty percent of the total display surface.
(2) A sign surface that contains no lettering shall still be considered a sign.
(e) "Curbline" means a line at the face of the curb nearest to the street or roadway. In absence of a curb, the curbline shall be established by the Municipal Engineer.
(f) "Directory sign" means a sign advertising more than one business, containing only the names and addresses of the businesses or owners and containing no other advertising messages. All directory signs shall be wall-mounted.
(g) "Display surface" means the area made available by the sign structure for the purpose of displaying an advertising message.
(h) "Downtown Design Review Board" means a Board composed of members appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by Council.
(i) "Ground sign" means a sign which is supported by one or more columns, uprights or braces in or upon the ground.
(j) "Incidental sign" means a sign having an above grade height of not more than three feet and a total sign area of not more than four square feet and containing no advertising message, but which is typically erected to designate entrances or exits, to provide direction for traffic, to give operational instructions and the like.
(k) "New business" includes a newly established business, or an existing business under new ownership, which has been in operation less than thirty days.
(l) "Off-site advertising" means a sign or billboard describing a business product or service not offered or sold on the premises on which the sign is located.
(m) "Outdoor advertising display" and/or "billboard" means any outdoor sign, display, device, figure, painting, drawing, message, placard, poster, billboard or other contrivance designed, intended or used to advertise, or to give information in the nature of advertising, a product or service not located on the premises on which the sign is located, which advertisement is visible by pedestrians or persons riding in a motor vehicle. No other sign permitted by this chapter shall be considered an outdoor advertising display and/or billboard.
(n) "Pole sign" means a sign that is erected on or supported by not more than two columns, pipes, posts, piers or other similar method of support and that is not supported by or connected to a building, having the area for display purposes at least seven feet above grade at the base of the sign.
(o) "Product sign" means a sign usually made of paper, cardboard or similar material, located inside a building window, advertising a certain product or service offered by the business, such as ads for foods or beverages, tobacco products, etc., typically offered at convenience or food stores.
(p) "Projecting sign" means a sign which projects from and is supported by a wall of a building or structure.
(q) "Projection" means the total distance by which a sign extends beyond the face of a building or structure.
(r) "Sign" means any card, cloth, paper, metal, painted glass, wood, plaster, stone, plastic, vinyl or other material of any kind or character whatsoever which shall be used to attract attention to any object, product, place, activity, person, institution or organization offered or sold on the premises on which the sign is located.
(s) "Sign area" means the total surface of one sign face, including any decorative borders.
(t) "Sign structure" means the supports, uprights, braces and framework used to support any of the types of signs defined in this chapter. A sign structure may be a single pole or be an integral part of a building or other structure.
(u) "Temporary sign" means a sign which is not permanently affixed to real property.
(v) "Traditional sign" means a sign constructed of materials commonly used prior to 1900, including materials such as cloth, wood, glass, iron, steel, brass, paints, ceramics, stone, etc. or esthetically replicated to look like these products. Only exterior lighting shall be used.
(w) "Wall sign" means a sign which is affixed directly to an exterior wall and confined within the limits thereof and which projects from that surface not more than twelve inches at all points.
(x) "Window sign" means a sign that is painted on the inside of a display window or which consists of letters, numbers or logos attached to the inside of a display window with adhesives or in some similar manner. These signs are permanent and shall not be considered product signs. They should cover no more than forty percent of the window.
(y) "Zoning Inspector" means the person authorized to administer and enforce the provisions in this chapter. In the Municipality, that person is the Village Administrator or his or her designee for this purpose.
(Ord. 1274. Passed 8-16-93; Ord. 1845. Passed 4-19-21.)