Unless otherwise specifically stated, the following regulations shall apply to all signs within the City:
(a) All signs shall be professionally manufactured, or of equivalent quality. Permanent signs shall be fabricated with rigid materials that are of good quality and good durability.
(b) The construction, erection, safety, and maintenance shall comply with all applicable building and electrical codes. In the event there is a conflict between the provisions of this section and the provisions of any applicable building or electrical codes, the provisions of the more restrictive code shall govern.
(c) No sign or sign structure shall be placed on private or public property without the consent of the owner or agent thereof.
(d) The lowest component of all signs that project (or are supported on posts that project) shall not be less than eight feet above the finished grade of a sidewalk or any other pedestrian way. If located over a pavement used for vehicular traffic or within eighteen (18) inches of the vertical projection of the edges of such pavement, the lowest component of the sign shall not be less than fifteen (15) feet above the finished pavement.
(e) Signs shall be anchored to prevent any lateral movement that would cause wear on supporting members or connections.
(f) All signs shall be subject to the intersection visibility standards established in Section 1109.01.
(g) The back side of all permanent signs that do not contain a second sign face or structural supports shall be completely enclosed.
(h) Signs in Rights-of-Way.
(1) Signs shall be prohibited in the right-of-way with the exception of:
A. Signs installed by the City of Mount Vernon, Knox County, the State of Ohio, federal government, or public transit agencies;
B. Any warning signs or traffic safety signs required by public utility providers; or
(2) The ZEO or PMEO may remove or cause to be removed any unlawful sign in the public right-of-way.
(i) Illumination. In all zoning districts signs shall be pemitted to be illuminated in compliance with the following:
(1) Internal illumination is only permitted in the NC, GB, CB, LI, GI, and PI Districts. All other signs shall be externally illuminated where the lighting source is shielded from view.
(2) No cabinet signs with internal illumination are permitted within the CB District See Figure 1113-A. Other signs of internally illuminated signs are permitted. See Figure 1113-B.
Figure 1113-A: Cabinet signs with internal illumination like the one illustrated
in the above image, are prohibited in the CB District.
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Figure 1113-B: Reverse-lit channel letter signs (a.k.a., halo signage) (upper left image),
internally or non-illuminated channel lettering signs (upper right image), and gooseneck lighting
or other external illumination (bottom image) are allowed in the CB District.
(3) Light sources shall be shielded from all adjacent buildings and streets and shall be focused exclusively on the sign.
(4) Lights shall not be of such brightness so as to cause glare that is hazardous to pedestrians or motorists, or will cause reasonable objection from adjacent residential districts.
(5) An illuminated sign or lighting device shall employ only light of constant intensity.
(6) Internally illuminated signs shall illuminate the sign copy only. All other elements of the sign and its structure shall be opaque so that the background of the sign shall not be internally illuminated.
(7) Electronic message centers are a permitted form of illuminated signs that are allowed as part of permitted signs. See Section 1113.08(a)(5)D. for specific standards related to electronic message centers.
(Ord. 2024-032. Passed 7-22-24.)