1383.03   DEFINITIONS.
   As used in this chapter unless the context otherwise indicates:
   (a)   “Alter” shall mean to change in any way, including but not limited to reconstruction, redesign, reillumination that changes the lighting design, sign face replacement that changes the sign face design, sign face change and painting in a different color than the present color, excluding changes in changeable copy on signs.
   (b)   “Billboard” shall mean any sign advertising, identifying or directing attention to any product, service, entertainment, or commercial activity not offered upon the lot on which the sign is located.
   (c)   “Building Frontage” shall mean determination of size of building, building unit or lot. The maximum sign face area of signs shall be related to the size of the building, building unit or lot as follows:
      (1)   “Frontage of a building” means the width of the facade of the building, store, service or office unit which faces the principal street. For a single use located in a corner lot building, 40% of the building depth facing the secondary street may be included in the frontage width factor for that specific use.
      (2)   The “frontage of a lot” not occupied by a building means the number of lineal feet the lot abuts on the principal street.
   (d)   “Building Unit” or “Unit of a Building” shall mean, in any building subdivided into separate units or spaces, any interior space occupying any portion of the ground floor of any building, and having its own exterior entrance, and separated from other such spaces by a party wall or walls.
   (e)   “Canopy Sign” shall mean any sigh attached to the soffit or fascia of a canopy, marquee, awning, covered entrance, covered walkway, arbor, pergola or other similar structure.
   (f)   “Erect” shall mean to build, construct, alter, relocate, modify, attach, hang, place, suspend, or affix and shall include the painting of the sign.
   (g)   “Facing” or “Surface” or “Surface Area” or “Sign Face Area” shall mean the determination of area of a sign. The maximum sign face area for a building or use shall include all the surfaces of the sign or signs. The area of a sign shall be measured as the minimum area which can be enclosed by a rectangle, the sides of which may contact the extreme points or edges of the sign or signs. The area of a sign composed of characters or words attached directly to a building wall or mansard roof surface shall be the smallest rectangle which encloses the entire group of characters or words.
   (h)   “Flag” shall mean any sign of cloth or similar material, anchored along one side, displayed from a single pole, either freestanding or attached to a building.
   (i)   “Frontage” or “Lot Frontage” shall mean the lot or property dimension along the principal street.
   (j)   “Ground sign” shall mean a sign not exceeding the height requirements set forth in Section 1383.09 (c)(2) which has a supporting base not exceeding 24 inches above grade designed as an integral part of the design. The grade shall be determined by the sidewalk closest to the sign. If a sidewalk is not present, the grade shall be determined by the parking lot area closest to the sign.
   (k)   “Illuminated Sign” shall mean any sign which has characters, letters, figures, designs, or outlines illuminated externally or internally by any light source other than non-reflected natural daylight.
   (l)   “Menu board” means a sign that identifies and names items and services, of changeable copy, being provided to drive-through or drive-up customers.
   (m)   “Nameplate” shall mean a sign indicating the name, address or profession of a person occupying the lot or a part of the building on which the sign is located.
   (n)   “Nonconforming Sign” shall mean any sign existing on or after the effective date of this ordinance which does not conform to this ordinance in its entirety.
   (o)   “Other Advertising Structure” shall mean any marquee, canopy, awning, campanile, gazebo, kiosk or street clock serving to image; identify or promote a commercial enterprise.
   (p)   “Permittee” shall mean a person receiving an erection permit pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
   (q)   “Person” shall be any individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, or other association.
   (r)   “Pole Sign” shall mean any sign, other than. a flag as herein defined, that is supported by a pole, poles, columns or other base or structure and is designed either:
      (1)   To allow pedestrian or vehicular clearance beneath any of the signs message area, or
      (2)   To allow the sign's message area to overhang the pole, poles, columns or other base or structure in total by more than 20% of the sign message area's breadth.
   (s)   “Sign” shall mean any writing, pictorial representation, illustration, emblem, symbol, design, or other figure of similar character that is a structure or a part thereof, or is attached to or in any manner represented on a building, vehicle, pole, or structure and is visible from any public right-of-way or any other lot or parcel, and is used for purposes of advertisement, announcement, declaration, demonstration, identification, or expression.
   (t)   “Temporary Sign” shall mean any sign, banner, flag or pennant or other display of cloth, canvas, wallboard, board, plastic or other such material, designed to be displayed for a limited period of time.
   (u)   “Unit frontage” or “Building Unit Frontage” shall mean the linear dimension of the width of the widest portion of the building unit face, including all appurtenant overhangs or other structures, either:
      (1)   Closest to parallel to the principal street; or
      (2)   Containing the primary building unit entrance, of any building on any lot.
   (v)   “Vehicular Sign” shall mean any sign attached or applied to a vehicle of any type and used primarily to identify, advertise or promote, excluding any sign on vehicles normally and regularly used and operated in the course of business.
   (w)   “Wall Sign” shall mean any sign applied or attached to or painted onto any exterior wall surface of any building or structure.
   (x)   “Window Sign” shall mean any sign in view of the general public appearing on a window surface or within up to 24 inches of the window surface.
(Ord. 2001-49. Passed 12-10-01.)