(a) Purpose. It is the City's intent to provide business and industry in the City with equitable sign standards in accordance with fair competition and aesthetic standards acceptable to the community; to provide the public with a safe and effective means of locating businesses, services and points of interest within the City; and to provide for a safe vehicular and pedestrian traffic environment. This chapter is based on the premise that signs are subject to control in order to reduce nuisances to adjacent properties or the community in general, or depreciate the value of other properties within the community. To mitigate the potential negative consequences, reasonable limitations on signs are appropriate with respect to the size, height, and construction of signs, and the time, place, and manner of their display.
(b) Permitted Sign Types by District. Sign types are permitted in districts only as regulated by the Comprehensive Sign Table.
(c) Permitted Sign Count. Sign count regulations are set forth in the Sign Type, Area, Height, and Setback Standards, found in Section 1137.055.
(d) Permitted Sign Area. Sign area regulations are set forth in the Sign Type, Area, Height, and Setback Standards, found in Section 1137.055.
(e) Permitted Sign Height. Sign height regulations are set forth in the Sign Type, Area, Height, and Setback Standards, found in Section 1137.055.
(f) Required Sign Setback. Sign setbacks requirements are set forth in the Sign Type, Area, Height, and Setback Standards, found in Section 1137.055.
(g) Regulations by Sign Type.
(1) Access sign. An access sign must be located within ten (10) feet of the street right-of-way and within ten (10) feet of a curb cut or vehicular accessway to a property.
(2) Awning or canopy sign. An awning or canopy sign must be located on an awning or a canopy. An awning or canopy sign may be located on an awning or canopy that extends over the public right-of-way, but only when authorized by a valid permit.
(3) Bench sign. No bench sign may exceed eight (8) feet in width. No bench sign may exceed four (4) feet in height. Only one (1) bench sign may be erected per fifty (50) feet of frontage per lot. No bench sign may be erected within the public right-of-way except with written permission of the City.
(4) Flag sign. Each flag sign may not exceed a sign area of twenty-four (24) square feet. When measuring sign area for flag signs, the entire fabric area shall be considered the sign area.
(5) Freestanding sign. No freestanding sign may be within ten (10) feet of any other freestanding sign.
(6) Projecting sign. A projecting sign may extend over the public right-of-way only when authorized by a valid permit. A projecting sign must maintain eight (8) feet of clearance over pedestrian walkways.
(7) Sandwich board sign. A sandwich board sign may not be located on the public right-of-way unless it is authorized by a valid permit. A sandwich board sign may not be displayed outside of public business hours of the principal use of the lot.
(8) Temporary sign. A temporary sign may not be displayed for more than 180 days within one (1) calendar year.
(9) Wall sign. The difference in elevation of the lowest part of a wall sign and the highest part of that wall sign may not exceed ten percent (10%) of the height of the structure on which it is mounted. The Building Officer may designate a wall sign as a public art mural, which is exempt from these sign regulations.
(10) Window sign. A window sign facing a sidewalk and at an elevation between three (3) and eight (8) feet above sidewalk grade may not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the window area of the window in which it is displayed. Signs displayed in a window, including neon and neon-imitating "open" signs, hours of operation signs, and sale signs are considered window signs, even if not adhered directly to the window.
(h) Exempt Signs. These sign regulations shall not regulate:
(1) The copy and message of signs;
(2) Official traffic signs, or signs mounted in the public right-of-way by government agencies having jurisdiction within such right-of-way;
(3) A public art mural designated by the Building Officer;
(4) Flags of any nation or government jurisdiction;
(5) Scoreboards on athletic fields;
(6) Gravestones;
(7) The display of street numbers that may aid emergency vehicle's in locating and responding to an emergency; or
(8) Any display or construction not defined herein as a sign.
(i) Signs Prohibited in All Districts. The following sign types are prohibited in all districts:
(1) Abandoned signs;
(2) Flashing signs;
(3) Hazardous signs;
(4) Inflatable, lighter-than-air, or kite-type materials containing commercial messages;
(5) Merchandise, equipment, products, trailers, or other items not themselves for sale and placed for advertising purposes; this prohibition is not intended to prohibit any form of vehicular signage used in the normal day-to-day operations of a business, such as a sign attached to a bus or lettered on a motor vehicle, unless the primary purpose of such vehicle is for such advertising;
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(6) Portable signs;
(7) Roof signs;
(8) Signs within the sight triangle of an intersection:
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(9) Signs within the public right-of-way located on utility or street light poles, utility boxes, or street signs, unless granted permission by the right-of-way authority:
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(10) Signs resembling traffic signs or traffic control devices on a public street or road;
(11) Signs which obstruct ingress or egress of a property; and
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(12) Signs with reflective materials, except for those required by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
(Ord. 2022-110. Passed 12-12-22.)