(a) It shall hereafter be unlawful for any person to erect, place, relocate, expand, modify, maintain or otherwise alter a sign in the City except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(b) The construction, erection, safety and maintenance of all signs shall be in accordance with the Ohio Basic Building Code, where applicable.
(c) Unless otherwise provided, this chapter shall apply to any sign over which the City has authority to regulate. Additionally, this chapter shall apply to any sign, in any zoning district, that is visible from the public right-of-way or from property other than the property on which the sign is located.
(d) Any sign already established on the effective date of this chapter or future amendment thereto, and which sign is rendered nonconforming by the provisions herein, shall be subject to the nonconforming sign regulations of Section 1113.12.
(e) All signs shall require the issuance of a zoning permit unless otherwise noted below or as specifically stated in other sections of this chapter.
(f) Zoning permits are required where a sign panel is changed in a sign cabinet or other structure designed to have interchangeable panels even if there is not change to the overall sign structure.
(g) Zoning Permit Exemptions. The following signs are subject to the requirements of this chapter and are allowed in all districts but do not require a zoning permit. Additionally, any sign area for these signs do not count toward the sign area allowances specified in this chapter for all other permitted signs. Permit-exempt signs, or the structures they are attached to, may still be subject to building codes, the flood damage reduction ordinance of Chapter 1317 of the Codified Ordinance, or other applicable code requirements.
(1) Signs and/or notices issued by any court, officer or other person in performance of a public duty. Any such sign shall be removed no later than seven (7) days after the last day it is required to be displayed;
(2) Signs that are an integral part of the original construction of vending or similar machines, fuel pumps, automated teller machines, drive-through menu boards, or similar devices that are not of a size or design as to be visible from a street or by any person other than those using the machine or device;
(3) Any sign that is located completely inside a building and that is not visible from the exterior (See also the definition of "window sign".);
(4) Signs that are located within a stadium, open-air theater, park, arena or other outdoor use that are not intended to be visible from a public right-of-way or adjacent property, and can be viewed only by persons within such stadium, open-air theater, park, arena or other outdoor use;
(6) No more than four (4) flags located on flagpoles or on wall-mounted posts provided that the following shall apply:
A. The maximum height of flag poles shall not exceed the maximum building height for structures in the subject zoning district, and a maximum sign area of forty (40) square feet for any individual flag attached to the pole.
B. For wall-mounted flags, the maximum projection of the post is six (6) feet and a maximum sign area is fifteen (15) square feet per flag.
C. There shall be a maximum of four flag poles permitted on each lot in a nonresidential zoning district and one (1) flag pole permitted on each lot in a residential zoning district.
D. Flag poles may be subject to building code regulations, where applicable.
(7) A single wall sign, mounted flush on the facade of an individual dwelling unit, that is not illuminated and does not exceed two (2) square feet in area;
(8) Signs that are an integral part of the historic character of a structure that has been designated an official landmark or historic structure by any agency or body of the governments of the United States, State of Ohio, Knox County, or the City of Mount Vernon;
(9) Any signs located on umbrellas, seating or similar patio furniture provided they are located outside of the right-of-way and comply with any other applicable standards of this chapter;
(10) Any sign on a truck, bus or other vehicle that is used in the normal course of a business (e.g., deliveries or fleet vehicles for contractors), for transportation, or signage required by the State or Federal government;
(11) Signs installed or required by a governmental agency including the City of Mount Vernon, Knox County, the State of Ohio, and the United States, including local and regional transit agencies;
(12) Any warning signs or traffic safety signs required by public utility providers;
(13) Hand-held signs not set on or affixed to the ground;
(14) Any address numbers required by Chapter 905 of the Codified Ordinances or by the U.S. Post Office;
(15) Changes of copy on signs with changeable copy including electronic message centers;
(16) Any signs, including illuminated signs, or related decorations erected for celebrations that are not intended to be permanent in nature and which contain no advertising material; and
(17) General maintenance, painting, repainting, cleaning and other normal maintenance and repair of a sign or any sign structure unless a structural change is made.
(Ord. 2024-032. Passed 7-22-24.)