The display of the following sign types shall be governed by the regulations in this section in addition to other applicable regulations of this chapter.
(a) Portable Signs.
(1) Location. Portable signs shall be set back at least five feet from street right-of-way lines and twenty feet from side lot lines.
(2) Illumination. No flashing or changing lights may be used to illuminate portable signs. All permitted lighting shall be shielded from motorists and adjoining properties.
(3) Safety standards. All wiring shall be located underground or in other locations not constituting safety hazards, as determined by the Building Commissioner. Signs shall be designed and placed to withstand customary wind pressures, as determined by the City Engineer.
(4) Period of display. A use or group of uses occupying one lot shall not display portable signs for a period of more than sixty-two days during any calendar year.
(b) Billboards.
(1) Sign types. Billboards shall be permitted as either free-standing or wall signs and may be equipped with Tri-Vision or other similar automatic changeable copy, including electronic digital displays. No other sign shall be displayed on the side of a building which includes a wall displaying a billboard.
(2) Location. Billboards shall be located behind the building lines of the lots on which they are located. In addition, billboards exceeding two square feet in area shall be located a minimum distance of twenty-five feet measured in any direction from the point of intersection of the street lines of two intersecting streets. No billboard shall be located less than 200 feet from a residential zoning district.
(3) Spacing. The minimum distance permitted between billboards located on one side of a road shall be 500 feet.
(4) Digital billboards shall conform to the display standards for electronic message center signs set forth in division (c) of this section.
(c) Electronic Message Centers.
(1) EMC signs shall be permitted as either monument signs or major wall signs.
(2) EMC signs must have automatic brightness controls, either by photocell (hardwired) or via software, that are keyed to ambient light levels in order to bring the EMC lighting levels into compliance with division (c)(3) of this section.
(3) EMC signs may not exceed a maximum luminance level of 250 cd/m2 or Nits during nighttime beginning fifteen minutes before apparent sunset and ending fifteen minutes after apparent sunrise, as determined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) for the U.S. Eastern Time Zone (DST). At other times, EMC signs may not exceed a maximum luminance level of 5,000 cd/m2 or Nits.
(4) EMC signs shall have a minimum display time of eight seconds. The transition time between messages and/or message frames is limited to one second.
(5) The following EMC display features and functions are prohibited: scrolling, traveling, flashing, spinning, rotating, fade, dissolve, any other moving effects, and all dynamic frame effects or patterns of illusionary movement or simulated movement.
(6) EMC signs shall be turned off promptly in the event of a malfunction.
(d) Flags.
(1) Flags may be displayed on any property without the need to obtain a permit subject to the limitations set forth in this chapter.
(2) Flags may be mounted on or hung from the structure, or mounted on a single flagpole not exceeding the building height. Flags must be located on-site and must not be located within any street right-of-way (which includes the entire public sidewalk and street terrace area), or vision triangle.
(3) In residential districts, flags that display a commercial message are prohibited.
(4) In non-residential districts, flags that display a commercial message are permitted, but the area of such flags shall be included in determining the maximum allowable area of signage on the property.
(e) Inflatable Signs.
(1) The company which installs inflatable signs must be a properly licensed contractor in the City.
(2) Construction, erection, safety and maintenance of all inflatable signs shall be in accordance with the Building Code and state regulations, including the Ohio Fire Code and the O.B.C.
(3) Inflatable signs shall be secured in an approved manner so as not to encroach upon the air rights of adjoining properties.
(4) Inflatable signs shall not be installed below or within ten feet horizontally of any electrical conductors, phone conductors, CATV conductors, fire alarm conductors or any other similar installations.
(5) The inflatable structure shall be ground-mounted or attached to supports and guy wires ground-mounted or securely attached to the building roof. No inflatable structure will be permitted to be secured to any mechanical equipment, parapet walls or other items normally found on the roof of a structure.
(6) The location of the inflatable structure shall not create a nuisance to adjacent or surrounding properties.
(7) Each applicant must pay a fee according to Section 185.04 of these Codified Ordinances and obtain a proper sign permit according to Section 1196.04.
(8) Each applicant who uses an inflatable sign is limited to no more than four times per year.
(9) The duration of each inflatable display will not exceed thirty days.
(10) Each applicant who uses an inflatable sign is required to wait at least thirty days before a subsequent use.
(11) No inflatable shall be permitted within a one-mile radius of another inflatable.
(12) Signage on the inflatable shall be limited to no more than two lines of advertising.
(f) Pennants. The display of banner signs, or strings of pennants, streamers, pinwheels, balloons and similar objects shall be prohibited except as permitted for carnivals and open-air festivals and for new businesses for a single period not exceeding sixty-two days within the first six months after issuance of the initial occupancy certificate for a new business.
(Ord. 153-22. Passed 9-18-23.)