As used in this chapter, certain terms are defined as follows:
(1) “Abandoned sign” means any sign that advertises a business, lessor, owner, product, service or activity that is no longer located on the premises where the sign is displayed.
(2) “Alteration” means any change of copy , sign, face, color, size, shape, illumination, position, location, construction, or supporting structure of any sign.
(3) “Animated or moving sign” means a sign that uses movement, lighting, or special materials to depict action or create a special effect to imitate movement.
(4) “Awnings and canopies” means roof’-like covers that project from the wall of a building for the purpose of shielding a doorway or window from the elements.
(5) “Awning sign” means any sign copy or logo attached to or painted on an awning.
(6) “Banner, flag, or pennant” means any cloth, bunting, plastic, paper or similar nonrigid material used for advertising purposes attached to any structure, staff, pole, line, framing, or vehicle, not including official flags of the United States, the State of Ohio, and other states of the nation, counties, municipalities, official flags of foreign nations and nationally or internationally recognized organizations.
(7) “Blade/Bracket sign” means a small, pedestrian-oriented sign (i.e., less than four square feet) that projects perpendicular from a structure (bracket sign) or is hung beneath a canopy (blade sign).
(8) “Business frontage” means that portion of a building frontage occupied by a single tenant space having a public entrance within the building frontage. For businesses located on the interior of a building without building frontage, the building elevation providing customer access shall be considered the business frontage.
(9) “Business identification sign” means a sign that serves to identify only the name, address, and lawful use of the premises upon which it is located and provides no other advertisements or product identification.
(10) “Changeable copy sign” means a sign designed to allow changing of copy manually.
(11) “Channel letters” means three-dimensional individually cut letters or figures, illuminated or unilluminated, affixed to a structure.
(12) “Contractor or construction sign” means a sign that states the name of the developer and contractor(s) working on the site and any related engineering, architectural or financial firms involved with the projects.
(13) “Copy” means words, letters, numbers, figures, designs, or other symbolic representations incorporated into a sign.
(14) “Creative sign” means a sign with a higher quality of design that meets the creative sign requirements of this Chapter an has a Creative Sign Permit.
(15) “Directional sign” means an on-site sign that is designed and erected solely for the purposes of directing vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic within a project.
(16) “Double-faced sign” means a sign constructed to display its message on the outer surfaces of two identical and opposite parallel planes.
(17) “Edge of roof” means on a pitched roof, the lowest portion of the facia board covering the roof rafters, or if no facia board exists, the lowest point of the roof rafters. On a flat roof, the top of the parapet wall or three feet above the roof deck, whichever is less.
(18) “Electronic reader board sign or electronic graphics sign” means a sign with a fixed or changing display/message composed of a series of lights that may be changed through electronic means.
(19) “External illumination” means the lighting of an object from a light source located a distance from the object.
(20) “Flashing sign” means a sign that contains an intermittent or sequential flashing light source.
(21) “Freestanding bracket sign” means a small pedestrian oriented sign mounted on the ground suing one or more posts or having a solid monument-type base.
(22) “Inflatable device” means an object that is blown up with air or gas.
(23) “Internally illuminated sign” means a sign whose light source is located in the interior of the sign so that the rays go through the face of the sign, or light source which is attached to the face of the sign and is perceived as a design element of the sign.
(24) “Monument sign” means a permanent sign where the entire bottom of the sign is to the ground, not a building.
(25) “Multiple tenant building” means a development consisting of two or more separate uses or tenancies that share either the same parcel or structure and use common access and parking facilities.
(26) “Neon sign” means a glass tube lighting in which a gas and phosphors are used in combination to create a colored light.
(27) “Nonconforming sign” means an advertising structure or sign which was lawfully erected and maintained prior to the adoption of this Zoning Ordinance, but does not now completely comply.
(28) “Off-site directional sign” means a sign identifying a publicly owned facility or emergency facility but excluding real estate signs.
(29) “Off-site sign” means a sign identifying a use, facility, service, or product that is not located, sold, or manufactured on the same premise as the sign or which identifies a use, service, or product by a brand name which, although sold or manufactured on the premise, does not constitute the principal item for sale or manufactured on the premise.
(30) “Permanent sign” means a sign constructed of durable materials and intended to exist for the duration of time that the use or occupant is located on the premises.
(31) “Pole sign” means a sign mounted on a free=standing pole or other support so that the bottom edge of the sign face is ten feet or more above finished grade.
(32) “Political sign” means a sign designed for the purpose of advertising support of or opposition to a candidate or proposition for a public election or a sign expressing political, religious, or other ideological sentiment that does not advertise a product or service.
(33) “Portable sign” means a sign that is not affixed to a structure or the ground(e.g., A-frame or sandwich-board signs).
(34) “Projecting sign” means a sign that protrudes in a V-shape from the top of the ground floor over the sidewalk, like a traditional theater marquee.
(35) “Promotional sign” means a sign erected on a temporary bases to promote the sale of new products, new management, new hours of operation, a new service, or to promote a special sale.
(36) “Real estate sign” means a sign indicating that a property or any portion thereof is available for inspection, sale, lease, rent, or directing people to a property, but not including temporary subdivision signs.
(37) “Roof sign” means a sign that is mounted on the roof of a building or which is wholly dependent upon a building for support and which projects above the highest point of a building with a flat roof, the eave line of a building with gambrel, gable, or hip roof, or the deck line of a building with a mansard roof.
(38) “Sign” means an object, device display or structure, or part thereof, situated outdoors or indoors, which is used to identify, display, or direct or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event or location by any means, including words, letters, figures, design symbols, fixtures, colors, illumination, or projected image.
(39) “Sign area” means the entire area within a perimeter defined by a continuous line composed of right angles which enclose the extreme limits of lettering, logo, trademark, or other graphic representation, together with any frame or structural trim forming an integral part of the display used to differentiate the sign from the background against which it is placed.
(40) “Sign height” means the vertical distance from the uppermost point of the sign to the average grade immediately below the base of the sign, including all base and/or other mounting material.
(41) “Special event sign/banner” means a temporary sign or banner that is intended to inform the public of a unique happening, action, purpose, or occasion (i.e., grand opening or community event).
(42) “Temporary sign” means any sign intended to be displayed for a limited period of time and capable of being viewed from any public right-of-way, parking area or neighboring property.
(43) “Three-dimensional signs” means signs that have a depth or relief on their surface greater than six inches.
(44) “Time and/or temperature sign” means signs that accurately display the current local time and/or temperature, usually through arrays of small electrical lights. No commercial advertising or other message is allowed.
(45) “Vehicle sign” means a sign that is attached to or painted on a vehicle that is parked on or adjacent to any property, the principal purpose of which is to attract attention to a product sold or business located on the property.
(46) “Wall sign” means a sign that is attached to or painted on the exterior wall of a structure with the display surface of the sign approximately parallel to the building wall.
(47) “Window area” means the area shall be computed by calculating each window pane or panel. The area shall be separate for each building face, and for each window. A group of window panes or panels may be considered one window if they are adjoining on the building face and are less than six inches apart.
(48) “Window sign” means a sign posted, painted, placed, or affixed in or on a window exposed to public view. An interior sign that faces a window exposed to public view that is located within three feet of the window is considered a window sign for the purpose of calculating the total area of all window signs. Window signs must be of a permanent nature and comply with all other regulations of this Chapter. (Ord. 36-03. Passed 5-19-03.)