The various types of signs regulated by this chapter are hereby defined as follows.
ACCESSORY SIGN. A sign that is incidental to the effective operation of the enterprise to which it pertains, and is not intended to serve as the primary identification of the premises, and does not attract the attention of passers-by for the purpose of advertising a product or service available therein.
BANNER SIGN. Any temporary sign intended to be hung either with or without frames, characters, letters, illustrations or ornamentations applied to paper, plastic or fabric of any kind. National flags, flags of political subdivisions and symbolic flags or any institution or business shall not be considered BANNERS for the purpose of this chapter.
BENCH SIGN. An off-premises sign located on any part of the surface of a bench or seat placed on or adjacent to a public right-of-way.
BILLBOARD SIGN. Any flat surface erected on a framework or on any structure, or attached to posts and used for, or designed to be used for, the display of bills, posters or other advertising material, for the purpose of advertising a business, organization, event, person, place or thing not located on the same premises as such advertising material, with one or two parallel and directly opposite signs with their faces oriented in opposite directions.
CANOPY SIGN. A sign that is hung, affixed or suspended beneath an awning or canopy and is intended to identify a business, product or service primarily for the benefit of pedestrian traffic.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN. A sign or portion thereof with characters, letters or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or surface of the sign. A sign on which the only copy that changes, is an electronic or mechanical indication of, for example, time and/or temperature shall be considered the "time and temperature" portion of a sign and not a CHANGEABLE COPY being for purposes of this chapter. All CHANGEABLE COPY SIGNS must comply with the following requirements.
(1) Brightness. Maximum brightness shall not exceed 5,000 candelas per square meter during daylight hours and 500 candelas per square meter between dusk and dawn. The sign must have an automatic dimmer control to properly adjust between one-half hour before sunset and one-half hour after sunrise. Users must submit documentation of this capability and compliance.
(2) Colors. No changeable copy sign may be of such intensity or brilliance as to interfere with the effectiveness of an official traffic sign, device or signal. Such signs shall not produce glare or other lighting nuisance.
(3) Static intervals. Every message or picture display must remain static for a minimum of ten seconds and must accomplish a change in display within two seconds or less.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN. Any temporary sign giving the name of architects, engineers, builders, contractors, lending institutions and the like responsible for construction on the site where the sign is placed, together with other information included thereon.
DIRECTORY SIGN. A sign on which the names and location of occupants or the use of a building is given such as an office building, church and shopping malls.
GROUND AND/OR TENANT SIGN. Any sign which is supported by structures or supports in or upon the ground and independent of support from any building, for the purpose of directing attention to the general public to a lawful use of the premises on which it is located. A TENANT SIGN shall be required on a series of two or more commercial lots of the same development; it has a corner side. A second TENANT SIGN shall always require the approval of the City Council based on unforeseen, but unique circumstances that may be factored in during such consideration.
HOME OCCUPATION SIGN. Any sign that is no larger than one foot by one foot, indicating the name of the occupant and/or occupation of a customary home occupation as approved through the conditional use public hearing process. Once the home occupation is deemed terminated, the sign shall be removed immediately.
MARQUEE SIGN. Any sign attached to and made a part of a marquee. A MARQUEE is defined as a permanent roof-like structure projecting beyond a building wall at an entrance to a building or extending along and projecting beyond the building's wall and generally designed and constructed to provide protection against the weather.
POLITICAL SIGN. Any temporary sign whose sole purpose is the transmittal of information concerning an upcoming political issue, election or campaign, or a public issue or potential concern to the community as a whole. The intervals between POLITICAL SIGNS shall be not less than 20 feet.
PORTABLE SIGN. A movable sign that is not attached to a permanent support or building, designed to be temporary and mobile.
REAL ESTATE SIGN. Any temporary sign which is used to offer for sale, lease or rent the property upon which the sign is placed. No permit is required if the sign has an area of 40 square feet or less.
ROOF SIGN. Any sign erected or constructed wholly upon any over the roof of any building and supported solely on the roof structure.
SNIPE SIGN. Any sign of any material whatsoever that is attached in any way to a utility pole, tree or any object located or situated on public or private property.
STREET BANNER SIGN. Any sign that may be placed over public street right-of-way. Such signs shall require the pre-approval of the City Manager's office and the Police Chief to safeguard public traffic safety.
WINDOW SIGN. Any sign affixed or attached to the interior or exterior of a window, not to exceed in size the surface of the window area.
(Ord. 2016-07A, passed 8-9-2016; Ord. 2023-18-O, passed 12-5-2023)