(A) Sign Area.
(1) The entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing all elements of the sign which form an integral part of the sign and which are organized, related, and composed to form a single unit.
Signs included as an integral part of a landscape wall or fence shall have sign area measured by enclosing all elements of the sign which form an integral part of the site.
(2) Where the sign consists of individual letters, words or symbols attached to a surface, building, canopy, awning, wall or window, the sign area shall be the area of the smallest, simplest geometric form which completely encompasses the individual words or symbols. In the case of an awning/canopy, which wraps around a building, only that portion fronting the public street shall be used in calculating the signable area.
(3) Ground signs which maintain a configuration of back to back faces shall be counted as one sign. In such case where the sign maintains an axis greater than zero degrees, the sign shall be considered two signs.
(4) Signable Wall Area. The signable wall area shall be the total area of the building face on which the sign will be located. Windows, doors, awnings and other architectural details, such as decorative molding and secondary building materials are subtracted from the total area. For buildings in which the building face is offset into multiple faces, only the face on which the sign will be located is used for calculating the signable wall area. All sign elements must be on the same architectural plane.
(5) In the case of an awning/canopy which wraps around a building, only that portion fronting the public street shall be used in calculating the signable area.
(B) Sign Height.
(1) The vertical distance measures from the highest point of the sign to the finished grade of the ground immediately beneath the sign, unless the sign is located on an artificially constructed earthen berm. In this instance, the sign height is measured from the highest point of the sign to the base of the earthen berm.
(C) Items of Information.
(1) An “ITEM OF INFORMATION” means any of the following: a word, an initial, a logo, an abbreviation; a number; a symbol; or a geometric shape.
(2) However, if the name of the proprietor occupying the building and its premises contains more than the permitted items of information, the name may be displayed once on each frontage as an allowable sign, provided no other sign is displayed on that frontage.
(D) Items of Information Allowance.
(1) Designation sign - Maximum 20 items of information not including the center name or planned development name.
(2) Changeable copy sign - Maximum 15 items.
(3) Window sign (second floor or above tenants in the Downtown Zoning District) - Six items.
(4) Any Sign (other than specified above) - Ten items.
(Ord. 17-5-09, passed 6-9-09; Am. Ord. 23-6-09, passed 6-23-09; Am. Ord. 12-2-11, passed 3-15-11; Am. Ord. 10-03-13, passed 4-9-13; Am. Ord. 32-07-19, passed 7-23-19)