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(A) Accessory Signs.
(1) Permit required: No.
(2) Window signs located on the front glass of the building shall not exceed one square foot.
(3) Matter appearing on gasoline pumps including credit card information, fuel information, and/or other similar matter is permitted if less than three inches in height. A decal less than one square foot in size that includes the business name or business logo may be placed at each fueling station. All advertisement posters and paraphernalia are prohibited.
(4) Matter appearing on automatic teller machines (ATM), including credit card information, bank network information, business name, business logo and/or other similar matter is permitted if less than three inches in height. All advertisement posters and paraphernalia are prohibited. All free standing ATMs shall follow the permanent sign regulations applicable to the location of the machine.
(5) Newspaper vending boxes, DVD/CD vending boxes, soda machines, and other similar vending boxes.
(B) Model Home/Sales Office Signs.
(1) Permit required: Yes.
(2) Signs shall be located inside the subdivision under construction outside of the public right-of-way.
(3) Each sales office or model home may have one sign for each use not to exceed six square feet.
(4) Each subdivision’s home builders shall be permitted a directional sign beyond that already allowed by this chapter. Said sign shall be both incidental and necessary for the sale, rental, or lease of real property in the zone district. This sign shall be a maximum of four square feet in size and shall be required to be located inside the subdivision under construction. The sign shall not be located within the right-of-way. If multiple builders are located within the same subdivision, and each has a model home(s) in different locations of the subdivision, each would be permitted a single directional sign. No company and/or business names or logos are permitted on the directional signs.
(5) No flags, banners, or other portable signs shall be permitted.
(C) Directory Signs.
(1) Permit required: Yes.
(2) As ground signs shall not exceed four feet in height and 16 square feet in size and shall be located internal to the site and not legible from adjacent real estate or streets.
(3) As wall signs shall not exceed eight square feet.
(4) As projecting signs shall clear the sidewalks by a minimum of eight feet in height and may project no more than four feet from the building or one-third the width of the sidewalk, whichever is more.
(D) Directional Signs.
(1) Permit required: Yes.
(2) Shall not exceed four square feet in size or four feet in height.
(3) Shall not contain any logos, business names, or other copy that denotes the business for which it serves.
(E) Electronic Signs.
(1) Permit required: Yes.
(2) Shall only be used as a permanent on-premise ground sign and shall maintain the same size, height, and items of information restrictions as a non-electronic sign.
(3) Shall not be located closer than 1,320 feet to any other electronic sign on the same street frontage as measured from the center of the sign structure.
(4) Any portion of the sign message shall remain stationary for a minimum of ten seconds. No portion of the message shall flash, scroll, twirl, change color, fade in or out, have transitional elements between copy changes, or in any manner imitate movement at any time.
(5) Shall display only those services to the site it is serving.
(6) The electronic portion of a designation or ground sign shall be limited to a maximum of 30% of the overall sign area.
(7) The sign shall be factory certified not to exceed a maximum illumination of 5,000 NITS (candelas per square meter) during daylight hours and must be dimmed automatically 30 minutes after sunset and before sunrise to maintain a maximum illumination of 5,000 NITS as measured from the sign’s face at maximum brightness.
(8) A default mechanism shall freeze the sign in one portion or static message if a malfunction occurs.
(9) These signs are not permitted in the DT (Downtown Zoning District) except for time and temperature signs.
(10) These signs shall be full color (RGB electronic LED or Tri-color electronic LED excluding time and temperature signs.
(F) Sandwich Board Signs located in the "DT" Downtown Zoning District.
(1) Permit required: Yes. An encroachment permit is also required prior to the issuance of the sign permit if located in public right-of-way.
(2) Sign placement must meet all encroachment requirements as detailed in City Code Chapter 94.
(3) Signs shall be removed from the outside location at the end of each business day.
(4) A ballast weighing a minimum of ten pounds and colored solid black shall be installed at the base or hang internally from the A- Frame of the sandwich board sign to ensure stability in windy conditions.
(5) More than two violations of the provisions of the regulations governing these sign types in any one calendar year shall result in the termination of the sign permit for the sandwich board and require removal of the sandwich board. A new sandwich board sign shall not be permitted for the business for a minimum of 12 months from the date of the sign permit revocation.
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(6) Maximum size: 24 inches by 36 inches.
(7) Maximum height: Three feet.
(8) Materials: Hardwood, chalk, or finished metal A-Frame.
(G) Sandwich Board Located in the “LB” Local Business, “GB” General Business, or “PB” Planned Business Zoning Districts.
(1) Permit required: Yes.
(2) Signs shall not located in the right-of-way.
(3) Signs shall be removed from the outside location at the end of each business day.
(4) A ballast weighing a minimum of ten pounds and colored solid black shall be installed at the base or hanging internally from the A- Frame of the sandwich board sign to ensure stability in windy conditions.
(5) Maximum size: 24 inches by 36 inches.
(6) Maximum height: Three feet.
(7) Permitted materials: Hardwood, steel, vinyl-clad, poly- plastic A-Frames and other similar materials.
(H) Canopy over stacking lane(s).
(1) Permit required: Yes
(2) One sign is permitted over each stacking lane.
(3) Each sign shall not exceed 75% of the height of the canopy and 25% of the width of the stacking lane.
(4) Signs may be internally illuminated or have LED components.
(I) Original Art Mural.
(1) Permit required: No. No permit is required, but the mural must be reviewed by the Department of Planning to ensure that it is not a mural sign. Once that sign off is received, the applicant will be given a form to take to Nickel Plate Arts. The Nickel Plate Arts Public Art Committee will then review the proposal and complete the form provided. A copy of the completed form will be returned to the Department of Planning upon completion. No sign permit is required as long as the mural meets the regulations below.
(2) Original art murals shall be permitted only with the Central Core illustrated in Appendix G.
(3) The original art mural shall be permitted only on the flat planes of walls.
(4) The original art mural shall not be painted on or affixed to obscure architectural features such as windows, doors, pilasters, cornices, or other building recessed or projecting features.
(5) The original art mural shall not include a commercial message.
(6) The dimensions of the original art mural shall stay within the original dimensions of the wall on which the mural is being painted or affixed.
(Ord. 17-5-09, passed 6-9-09; Am. Ord. 23-6-09, passed 6-9-09; Am. Ord. 41-9-09, passed 10-13-09; Am. Ord. 31-9-10, passed 9-28-10; Am. Ord. 12-2-11, passed 3-15-11; Am. Ord. 32-10-11, passed 11-15-11; Am. Ord. 32-07-19, passed 7-23-19)
The following signs are subject only to the regulations of this subchapter:
(A) Government signs and legal notices.
(B) Memorial plaques and cornerstones and governmental historical markers.
(C) Flags of any country state, unit of local government or not-for-profit organization.
(D) Flags - not to exceed a total of four flags on a property.
(E) Nameplates that do not exceed two square feet in size and are permanently affixed upon a building or structure.
(F) Address numbers.
(G) Public information signs identifying telephones, restrooms, and similar facilities. Advertising copy is not permitted on these signs.
(H) Menu sign.
(I) Traffic control and government information signs.
(J) Letters or numbers less than three inches in height, if a part of a wall sign or window sign.
(K) Letters less than 19 inches in height carved into or securely attached in such a manner that they are an architectural detail of a building, provided they are not illuminated apart from the building, are not made of reflective material, and are the same color as the building, and does not exceed one inch in thickness.
(L) Incidental signs.
(M) A sign that does not advertise or identify goods, a service, or an enterprise and which is provided solely for the convenience or education of the public. This type of sign may include a building's date of construction, a monument citation, commemorative inscription, or similar historic information.
(Ord. 62-12-95, passed 1-22-96; Am. Ord. 11-4-97, passed 5-12-97; Am. Ord. 5-2-02, passed 3-12-02; Am. Ord. 23-4-07, passed 5-15-07; Am. Ord. 17-5-09, passed 6-9-09; Am. Ord. 23-6-09, passed 6-23-09; Am. Ord. 37-08-14, passed 9-9-14; Am. Ord. 32-07-19, passed 7-23-19) Penalty, see § 159.999
(A) Signs which by color, location, or design resemble or conflict with traffic control signs or signals, or obstruct the view of an intersection of a street or highway with a railroad crossing, or which are located upon, over or in any street right-of-way.
(B) Signs attached to light poles or standards.
(C) Portable signs.
(D) Signs which advertise activity, business, project, or service no longer conducted on the premises upon which the sign is located within six months of the end of the business activity. The Department of Planning and Development shall notify the property owner of this requirement approximately three months after the most recent business activity has ended.
(E) Signs that give the appearance of movement such as undulation, swinging, rotation, or oscillation by natural or artificial means including pennants, feather banners, streamers, strings of light bulbs, spinners, or other similar devices, except as permitted by this subchapter.
(F) Signs containing running lights give the illusion of movement or have moving parts except for barber poles. Electronic signs or lighting that flashes, scrolls, twirls, changes color, fades in or out, has transitional elements between copy changes, or in any manner imitates movement at any time.
(G) Roof signs.
(H) Off-premise signs, except as provided in this subchapter for temporary signs.
(I) Signs placed on vehicles or trailers which are parked or located for the primary purpose of displaying said sign.
(J) Motor vehicles whose apparent primary purpose is to advertise business. Motor vehicles engaged in the cartage or goods or the transport of passengers are exempt form this restriction.
(K) Inflatable images such as balloons, beer cans, gorillas, bunny, etc., except as provided § 159.167.
(L) Pole signs.
(M) Cabinet signs except as authorized elsewhere in this subchapter.
(N) External neon lighting or LED lighting either used as a part of a sign or distributed around a building or structure.
(O) Signs with decorative backers.
(P) Signs displayed for pay or other compensation.
(Q) Signs located within the public right-of-way (except traffic control and government information signs).
(R) Weekend directional signs.
(S) Window signs are prohibited except those areas located in the Downtown (DT) Zoning District.
(T) Signs more than 25 feet in height.
(U) Signs placed on private or public property without the consent of the owner, owner's representative, holder, lessee, trustee, or other party controlling the use of such property.
(V) Signs painted on, attached to, or maintained upon trees, rocks, or other natural features.
(Ord. 62-12-95, passed 1-22-96; Am. Ord. 5-2-02, passed 3-12-02; Am. Ord. 23-4-07, passed 5-15-07; Am. Ord. 56-11-07, passed 12-11-07; Am. Ord. 17-5-09, passed 6-9-09; Am. Ord. 31-9-10, passed 9-28-10; Am. Ord. 37-08-14, passed 9-9-14; Am. Ord. 32-07-19, passed 7-23-19) Penalty, see § 159.999
A legal non-conforming sign shall immediately lose its legal non-conforming status if:
(A) The sign is not kept in good repair and/or in safe condition for a period exceeding six months.
(B) The sign is relocated.
(C) The entire sign is replaced.
(D) The permit, variance, or condition under which the sign was allowed expires.
(E) The sign is altered to the following extent:
(1) Items of information are increased.
(2) The size of the sign is increased.
(3) Lights and/or other electronic features are added.
(4) The intensity of the lighting is increased.
(F) The use changes.
(G) The use is discontinued for six consecutive months.
(H) The building or other outdoor structure the sign is affixed upon is replaced or reconstructed.
(Ord. 23-4-07, passed 5-15-07; Am. Ord. 17-5-09, passed 6-9-09; Am. Ord. 41-9-09, passed 10-13-09; Am. Ord. 32-07-19, passed 7-23-19; Am. Ord. 41-11-20, 11-24-2020)
For Commercial and Industrial Districts Adjacent to or Across from Commercial or Industrial Districts | ||||||
LANES | 2 TO 4 | 4 DIVIDED | ||||
SPEED (MPH) | 15 - 25 | 30 - 40 | 45 - 55+ | 15 - 25 | 30-40 | 45 - 55+ |
Ground sign | 25 SF | 45 SF | 65 SF | 30 SF | 60 SF | 120 SF |
Designation sign (<500 foot frontage) | 37.5 SF | 67.5 SF | 97.5 SF | 45 SF | 90 SF | 180 SF |
Designation sign (>500 foot frontage) | 37.5 SF | 67.5 SF | 97.5 SF | 180 SF | 200 SF | 300 SF* |
HEIGHT | ||||||
Ground sign | 5 feet | 6 feet | 6 feet | 6 feet | 6 feet | 6 feet |
Designation sign | 10 feet | 12 feet | 16 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet |
* Designation signs of 300 square feet or greater shall be divided into two signs. The maximum area for any one of the two signs is 200 square feet. | ||||||
For Commercial and Industrial Districts Adjacent to or Across from Residential Districts | ||||||
LANES | 2 TO 4 | 4 DIVIDED | ||||
SPEED (MPH) | 15 - 25 | 30 - 40 | 45 - 55+ | 15 - 25 | 30- 40 | 45 - 55+ |
Ground sign | 20 SF | 30 SF | 40 SF | 25 SF | 45 SF | 80 SF |
Designation sign (<500 foot frontage) | 30 SF | 45 SF | 60 SF | 37.5 SF | 67.5 SF | 97.5 SF |
Designation Sign (>500 foot frontage) | 30 SF | 45 SF | 60 SF | 180 SF | 200 SF | 300 SF+ |
HEIGHT | ||||||
Ground sign | 5 feet | 6 feet | 6 feet | 6 feet | 6 feet | 6 feet |
Designation sign | 5 feet | 6 feet | 12 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet |
* Designation signs of 300 square feet or greater shall be divided into two signs. The maximum area for any one of the two signs is 200 square feet. | ||||||
(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. 32-07-19, passed 7-23-19)
LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING
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