As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates:
(a) Area sign means a relatively large sign, whether illuminated or not, mounted on self-supporting poles away from any building, and usually meant to bring attention to an integrated business operation, such as a shopping area, subdivision or business, the nature of whose services offered requires that customers be notified of the service location a substantial distance away from that location, such as gasoline service stations.
(b) Awning means and includes any structure made of cloth or metal with a metal frame attached to a building and projecting over a thoroughfare, when the same is so erected as to permit its being raised to a position flat against the building when not in use.
(c) Canopy means and includes any structure, other than an awning, made of cloth or metal with metal frames attached to a building, projecting over a thoroughfare and carried by a frame supported by the ground or sidewalk.
(d) Commercial variable message sign or CVMS means any sign, which may be electronic or electrically controlled, capable of showing a series of different illuminated messages and/or images in a predetermined sequence.
(e) Erect means to build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend or affix, and also includes the painting of wall signs.
(f) Facing or surface means the surface of the sign upon, against or through which the message is displayed or illustrated on the sign. The square footage of a sign, wherever the same is required to be computed, for the purposes of this chapter, shall be determined by computing the square footage of the facing or surface of such sign.
(g) Flashing sign means any illuminated sign on which each artificial light unit or externally mounted light source is not maintained in a stationary condition or constant in intensity and color at all times when such sign is illuminated, or any sign creating the illusion of movement. Such flashing signs shall include, but are not limited to, signs that create or project images that flutter, undulate, swing, rotate, or otherwise move.
(h) Ground sign means and includes any sign supported by uprights or braces placed into the ground and not attached to any building.
(i) Identification plaque means and includes a plaque not attached to any building, supported by uprights or braces placed in the ground and identifying a service performed or business operated on premises where the same is located.
(j) Illuminated sign means any sign which has characters, letters, figures, designs or an outline illuminated by electric lights or luminous tubes as part of the sign proper.
(k) Incombustible material means any material which will not ignite at or below a temperature of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit and will not continue to burn or glow at that temperature.
(l) Marquee means and includes any hood or awning of permanent construction projecting from the wall of a building above an entrance and extending over a thoroughfare.
(m) Nit means a unit of luminance equal to one candela per square meter.
(n) Other advertising structure means any marquee, canopy or awning.
(o) Person means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
(p) Projecting sign means and includes any sign which is attached to a building or other structure and which extends more than ten inches beyond the building line established for the premises by this Zoning Code, by other ordinances or by deed restrictions governing the premises upon which the sign is located.
(q) Roof sign means any sign erected, constructed and maintained wholly upon or over the roof of a building with the principal support on the roof structure.
(r) Sign means and includes every sign, billboard, ground sign, wall sign, roof sign, illuminated sign, projecting sign, temporary sign, marquee, awning and canopy, and includes any announcement, declaration, demonstration, display illustration or insignia used to advertise or promote the interests of any person when the same is placed out of doors in view of the general public.
(s) Structural trim means the molding, battens, cappings, nailing strips, latticing and platforms which are attached to the sign structure.
(t) Temporary sign means and includes any sign, banner, pennant, valance, balloon or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard or other light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed for a short period of time only.
(u) Thoroughfare means a way or passage through, and includes a highway, street, sidewalk, public walkway, lane or mall.
(v) Wall sign means and includes all flat signs of solid face construction which are placed against a building or other structure and attached to the exterior front, rear or side wall of any building or other structure.
(Adopting Ordinance; Ord. 2001-15. Passed 3-12-01; Ord. 2003-02. Passed 1-27-03; Ord. 2005-37. Passed 10-10-05.)