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All signs, except those attached flat against the wall of a building, shall be constructed to withstand wind loads as follows:
(A) For solid signs, 30 pounds per square foot on 1 face of the sign; and
(B) For signs that are not solid, 36 pounds per square foot of the total face area of the letters and other sign surfaces, or 10 pounds per square foot of the gross area of the sign as determined by the overall dimensions of the sign, whichever is greater.
(1969 Code, § 15-129) (Ord. 1994-20, passed 7-11-1994) Penalty, see § 10.99
Signs shall be anchored to prevent any lateral movement that would cause wear on supporting members or connections. No sign shall be suspended by chain or other device that will allow the sign to swing due to wind action, unless specifically designed, by means of bearings or other methods approved, to allow for movement.
(1969 Code, § 15-130) (Ord. 1994-20, passed 7-11-1994) Penalty, see § 10.99
PROHIBITED, PERMITTED, AND EXEMPT SIGNS
(A) The following operations shall not be considered as creating a sign insofar as requiring the issuance of a sign permit, but the signs must be in conformance with all other building, structural, and electrical laws and regulations of the city.
(B) The above-mentioned exempt operations are:
(1) Changing of the advertising copy or message on an existing approved painted or printed sign, marquee, changeable copy sign, or a similar approved sign whether electrical, illuminated, electronic changing message center, or nonilluminated painted message, which are all specifically designed for the use of replaceable copy;
(2) Painting, repainting, cleaning, or other normal maintenance and repair of a sign not involving structural changes. Replacement of the plastic face will be included as an exempt operation provided that it is due to a change caused by breakage or deterioration of the face, but not for the substitution of a new or different advertiser; and
(3) Changes in the content of show window displays and permitted temporary signs.
(1969 Code, § 15-131) (Ord. 1994-20, passed 7-11-1994) Penalty, see § 10.99
(A) Construction signs. One construction sign per construction project not exceeding the size permitted by the zoning ordinance as set forth in Appendix A of this title, provided that this type of sign shall be erected no more than 5 days prior to the beginning of construction for which a valid building permit has been issued, shall be confined to the site of construction, and shall be removed 5 days after completion and prior to occupancy.
(B) Directional or instructional signs. Signs which provide directions and do not exceed 4 square feet in area, signs identifying rest rooms, public telephones, or walkways, or signs providing direction such as parking lot entrance and exit signs and those of similar nature. Directional signs for garage sales, auctions, or other temporary activities shall not be placed for more than a 48-hour period.
(C) Flags. The flags, emblems, or insignia of any nation or political subdivision, or corporate flags.
(D) Governmental signs. Governmental signs for control of traffic and other regulatory purposes, street signs, danger signs, railroad crossing signs, and signs of public service companies indicating danger, and aids to service or safety which are erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of his or her public duty.
(E) Holiday signs. Signs of a primarily decorative nature, clearly incidental and customary and commonly associated with any national, local, or religious holiday; provided that these signs shall be displayed for a period of not more than 30 consecutive days nor more than 60 days in any 1 year. These signs may be of any type, number, area, height, illumination, or animation, and shall be set back not less than 10 feet from all boundary lines of the lot; provided that a clear area be maintained to a height of 72 inches within 55 feet of the centerline of the intersection of 2 streets, a railroad and a street, and a street and driveway. Subject to the foregoing, any type of holiday decorations that partially camouflage or divert attention from traffic signals or directional signals are specifically prohibited.
(F) House number and name plates. House numbers and name plates not exceeding 2 square feet in area for each residential building.
(G) Incidental signs. Up to 2 incidental signs, as defined in this code, may be attached to a free- standing sign structure or to a building wall. The area of each sign may not exceed 5 square feet; the total area of all such signs may not exceed 10 square feet.
(H) Interior signs. Signs located within the interior of any building or stadium, shopping center, or within an enclosed lobby or court of any building, and signs for and located within the inner or outer lobby, court, or entrance of any theater, that are not visible from the public right-of-way. This does not, however, exempt these signs from the structural, electrical, or material specifications as set out in this code.
(I) Memorial signs. Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings, and date of erection, when cut into any masonry surface or inlaid so as to be part of the building or when constructed of bronze or other incombustible material.
(J) Notice bulletin boards. Notice bulletin boards not over 24 square feet in area for medical, public, charitable, or religious institutions.
(K) No trespassing or no dumping signs. No trespassing or no dumping signs not to exceed 1½ square feet in area per sign and not to exceed 4 in number per lot, except that special permission may be obtained from the administrator for additional signs under proven special circumstances.
(L) Occupant signs. One sign for each dwelling unit, not to exceed 2 square feet in area, indicating the name of the occupant, or identification of a home professional office.
(M) Plaques. Plaques or name plate signs not more than 2½ square feet in area which are fastened directly to the building.
(N) Political and campaign signs. Political or campaign signs on behalf of candidates for public office or measures on election ballots, provided that these signs are subject to the following regulations:
(1) These signs may be erected not earlier than 45 days prior to the election and shall be removed within 15 days following the election; and
(2) No sign shall be located within or over the public right-of-way.
(O) Public notices. Official notices posted by public officers or employees in the performance of their duties.
(P) Public signs. Signs required or specifically authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute, or ordinance; which may be of any type, number, area, height above grade, location, illumination, or animation, required by law, statute, or ordinance under which the signs are erected.
(Q) Real estate signs. One real estate for sale sign (single- or double-face) on any lot or parcel, provided the sign is located entirely within the property to which the sign applies, is not illuminated, does not exceed the area permitted by the zoning ordinance set forth in Appendix A of this title, and is removed within 7 days after the sale, rental, or lease has been consummated. One additional sign, as described above, is permitted where a parcel has in excess of 300 feet of frontage or fronts on 2 streets.
(R) Permanent window signs. Except where prohibited by the zoning ordinance, for each ground floor occupancy of a building not more than 2 permanent signs may be painted on or otherwise displayed from the inside surface of any window, showcase, or other similar facility. These signs shall be in addition to those signs permitted under the other provisions of this code. The total copy area of these signs, however, shall not exceed a maximum of 25% of the total window area, or 1 square foot per lineal foot of the premises occupied, whichever is the lesser.
(S) Signs in the display window. Signs in the display window of a business use which are incorporated with a display relating to services offered.
(T) Symbols or insignia. Religious symbols, commemorative plaques of historical agencies, or identification emblems of religious orders or historical agencies; provided that no such symbol, plaque, or identification emblem shall exceed 4 square feet in area, and provided further that all such symbols, plaques, and identification emblems shall be placed flat against a building.
(U) Temporary signs. Temporary signs not exceeding 4 square feet in area pertaining to drives or events of civic, philanthropic, educational, or religious organizations, provided that these signs are posted only during the drive or no more than 30 days before the event and are removed no more than 7 days after the event. The City Council may grant a temporary permit for signs or banners over a street or public way. A temporary banner may exceed 4 square feet in area.
(V) Warning signs. Signs warning the public of the existence of danger, but containing no advertising material, of a size as may be necessary, to be removed upon subsidence of the danger.
(1969 Code, § 15-132) (Ord. 1994-20, passed 7-11-1994) Penalty, see § 10.99
The following types of signs are expressly prohibited in all districts, except as otherwise provided by this code.
(A) Outdoor advertising and off-site signs. No outdoor advertising or off-site sign shall be permitted which has a face larger than 25 square feet of surface space.
(B) Moving signs. Except as otherwise provided in this code, no sign or any portion thereof shall be permitted which moves or assumes any motion constituting a nonstationary or nonfixed condition except for the rotation of barber poles, changing signs, or multi-prism units. Indexing multi-prism units must not exceed a speed of 2 complete revolutions every 20 seconds. This section is not meant to prohibit any form of vehicular sign such as a sign attached to a bus or lettered on a motor vehicle.
(C) Abandoned signs. No person, firm, or corporation shall abandon any sign anywhere in the city.
(D) Signs on moving vehicles. No person shall drive, on the public streets, any vehicle with a sign that interferes with the vision of the driver of that vehicle or of any other vehicle. No person shall drive, on the public streets, any vehicle with a moving sign.
(E) Public areas. No sign shall be placed on any curb, sidewalk, post, pole, hydrant, bridge, tree, or other surface located on public property, or over or across any street or public thoroughfare, except expressly be authorized by this code.
(F) Banners.
(1) Banners, flags, pennants, search lights, twirling signs, sandwich board signs, sidewalk or curb signs, balloons, or other gas-filled figures shall not be used except as described in division (F)(2) of this section.
(2) Signs described in division (F)(1) above will be permitted in a commercial or industrial district for a total period not to exceed 15 days in any 6-month period at any business location. Banners, flags, and pennants will be allowed in residential districts in conjunction with a demonstration of model homes in a new subdivision for 2 days after and not to exceed a total period of 15 days in any calendar year.
(G) A-frame signs. A-frame or sandwich board, sidewalk, or curb signs are prohibited.
(H) Other signs. The following signs are also prohibited:
(1) Signs which bear or contain statements, words, or pictures of an obscene or pornographic character;
(2) Signs which are painted on or attached to any fence (except temporary fences around construction sites), or on any wall or structure (other than structures for permitted signs) which is not structurally a part of a building, except to identify a residence or residence structure by means of posting the name of the occupant or structure, and the street address;
(3) Signs which operate or employ any stereopticon or motion picture projection or media or have visible moving parts or give the illusion of motion, except as expressly permitted in this code;
(4) Signs which emit audible sound, odor, or visible matter;
(5) Signs which purport to be, or are an imitation of, or resemble an official traffic sign or signal; and
(6) Signs which, by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination, may be confused with or constructed as a traffic-control sign, signal, or device, or the light of an emergency or road equipment vehicle, or which hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal or device.
(1969 Code, § 15-133) (Ord. 1994-20, passed 7-11-1994) Penalty, see § 10.99