(a) Sign Setback. All required setbacks for signs shall be measured as the distance in feet from the applicable lot line, or other stated point of measurement, to the closest point on the sign structure.
(b) Sign Height.
(1) The height of a sign shall be computed as the distance from the base of the sign at normal grade (average grade at the base of the sign) to the top of the highest attached component of the sign. Normal grade shall be construed to be the newly established grade after construction, exclusive of any filling, berming, mounding, or excavating solely undertaken for the purpose of locating or increasing the height of sign.
(2) The filling of a hole or depression to create an average grade the same level as that surrounding the hole or depression is permitted, provided such filling is allowed by other ordinances.
(3) When a sign is to be located within fifty (50) feet of the right-of-way and where the normal grade of the location is below grade at street level, sign height shall be computed on the assumption that the elevation of the normal grade at the base of the sign is equal to the elevation of the nearest point of the crown of a public or private street. See Figure 1113-C.
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Figure 1113-C: Illustration of the measurement of sign height when the grade at the
bottom of the sign is below the grade of the adjacent street.
(c) Sign Area.
(1) The calculation of sign area shall not include any supporting framework, bracing or decorative fence or wall unless such structural support is determined to constitute an integral part of the sign design by means of text or other commercial message, as determined by the ZEO. See Figure 1113-D.
(2) For sign copy mounted or painted on a background panel, cabinet, or surface distinctively painted, textured, lighted, or constructed to serve as the backgroundfor the sign copy, the sign area shall be computed by means of the total area that encompasses the extreme limits of the background panel, cabinet, or surface where a message could be displayed. See Figure 1113-D and Figure 1113-E.
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Figure 1113-D: Illustration of sign area calculation for a freestanding sign with a copy on a distinct, rectangular cabinet. The brick structural support is not included in the sign area calculation.
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Figure 1113-E: Illustration of computing the sign area for wall signs with a background panel or cabinet.
(3) For sign copy where individual letters or elements are mounted on a building façade or window and there is no background panel, cabinet, or surface distinctively painted, textured, lighted, or constructed to serve as the background for the sign copy, the sign area shall be computed by means of the total area that encloses all the letters or elements associated with the sign. See Figure 1113-F.
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Figure 1113-F: Illustration of sign area calculation for wall signs with individual letters.
(4) In cases where there are multiple elements of sign copy on the same surface, any areas of sign copy that are within two (2) feet of one another shall be calculated as a single sign area that shall be computed by means of the smallest permitted shape that encloses all sign copy within two (2) feet of one another, otherwise the sign area shall be computed for each separate piece of sign copy. See Figure 1113-G.
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Figure 1113-G: Illustration of sign area calculations for multiple sign areas on a window sign.
(5) When two identically sized, flat sign faces are placed back-to-back or at an angle of less than forty-five (45) degree so that both faces cannot be viewed from any one point at the same time, the sign area shall be computed by the measurement of one of the sign faces. If the two (2) faces are unequal, the sign area shall be calculated based on the larger of the two (2) faces.
(6) In the case of a three-dimensional sign, where the sign faces are not mounted back-to-back, the sign area shall be calculated by the single smallest permitted shape that encompasses the profile of the sign message. The profile used shall be the largest area of the sign message visible from any one point.
(d) Facade Measurements.
(1) When calculating the permitted sign area based on the width of any facade, such calculation shall be based on viewing the facade from a ninety (90)-degree angle (i.e., straight on) from the adjacent street, regardless of facade insets, offsets or angles. See Figure 1113-H.
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Figure 1113-H: Illustration of facade width measurement on varied facade shapes.
(2) For multi-tenant buildings, the portion of a building that is owned or leased by a single occupant or tenant shall be considered a building unit. See Figure 1113-I. The building frontage for a tenant space shall be measured from the centerline of the party walls defining the tenant space.
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Figure 1113-I: The above image shows independent buildings (1 and 4) as well as a
multi-tenant building in between. The multi-tenant building has two building units
as identified as 2 and 3 in the image.
(3) Each building shall have one primary facade for the purposes of signage. The primary facade may be any facade that has frontage along a street or any facade that serves as the main access point to a building or building unit. All other facades shall be considered to be secondary facades for the purposes of this chapter provided such facades do not face a residential zoning district. See Figure 1113-J.
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Figure 1113-J: Examples of the location of primary and secondary facades.
(4) When a site has a primary and secondary facade as defined herein, the ZEO shall have the final authority on determining which facade is a primary facade and which is a secondary facade, as may be applicable.
(Ord. 2024-032. Passed 7-22-24.)