For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
BENCH SIGN. A bus bench located outdoors with advertising matter thereon.
BULLETIN BOARD. A sign used to announce a coming event or attraction or used to convey a specific message related to the building or use of the property on which the bulletin board is located. In all zones, bulletin boards which are displayed so as to be viewed from a public street, parking lot, walkway or mall shall be subject to the sign regulation of the zone in which the building or property is located.
CANOPY. A roof of a building or a fixed overhead shelter used as a roof, which may or may not be attached to a building and which does not encroach into nor overhang a public street or alley right-of-way.
CANOPY SIGN . A sign attached to or hung from a canopy but not projecting from the face of the canopy.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN . A sign with the names of architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors and financing agencies of buildings and structures being constructed upon the premises on which the sign is located.
CORPORATE FLAG. A flag identifying a business or firm.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN. One of two types of signs. An exterior directional sign shall mean a sign oriented to a street and used to direct and control pedestrian or vehicular traffic and located on the same lot or premises as the use which it is intended to serve. An interior directional sign shall mean a directional, warning or information sign not bearing any advertising message readable from any street right-of-way. It shall be located on the same lot or premises as the use which it is intended to serve.
ELECTRONIC SIGNAGE. Also known as electronic signs, displays, message signs, and reader boards, may use technologies such as LCD, LED, projection, e-paper or similar to display digital images or text. May be located on private or public property as a monument sign for churches, schools, and banks or as a monument or wall sign for limited commercial and industrial locations. City electronic signs may include decorative pole (freestanding) signs which will be reviewed by the City Council on a case by case basis. Future Technologies. There may be alternate, preferred, or superior technology available in the future to illuminate electronic signs. These alternate technologies may be incorporated into existing legally permitted electronic signs in the future without additional permission from the city so long as no exterior change to the digital display area will occur and an electrical permit is obtained if necessary.
ERECT. To build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend, paint or affix.
FREESTANDING SIGN. A sign detached from any building or structure, and the supports of which are permanently affixed on the ground.
HEIGHT. The vertical distance from the highest point used in measuring the area of a sign to the top of the curb of the street at a point which is closest to the highest point of the sign.
IDENTIFICATION SIGN. Any sign which is used to identify or advertise the occupancy of a building, lot or premises or the merchandise or activity available at the building, lot or premises where the sign is located.
LIGHTED SIGN. Any sign which is illuminated either directly or indirectly by artificial light.
MARQUEE . A fixed overhead shelter used as a roof, which may or may not be attached to a building, and which projects into or overhangs a public street or alley right-of-way .
MONUMENT SIGN. A low-profile freestanding sign, with its base resting on the ground and incorporating the design and building materials complementary to the architectural theme of the building(s) on the same property. Monument signs are required to have a minimum 12 foot setback from all property lines and may not exceed eight feet in height (including base) and 50 square feet in total area per side. It may have an electronic reader board component if the monument is for a church, school, or bank or it is located in a commercial or industrial zone and there are no other electronic monument signs within 1,000 feet of the parcel.
NON-COMMERCIAL. In each instance and under the same conditions to which this chapter permits any sign, a sign containing an ideological, political or other non-commercial message shall be permitted.
OPEN HOUSE DIRECTIONAL SIGN. An arrow or other directional symbol and real estate office name.
OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN (BILLBOARDS). A sign of the outdoor advertising business, which advertises products, accommodations, services or activities not provided on the premises on which it is located. Also known as a BILLBOARD. These signs are prohibited under this chapter. This definition does not pertain to non-commercial messages.
PERMANENT SIGN. Every sign except TEMPORARY SIGNS as defined herein .
POLE SIGN. A sign which is not attached to a building but which has its own separa te support system and shall includ e a freest anding sign.
POLITICAL SIGN. Any impermanent sign or advertising device or display, with or without letters, words, numbers or figures thereon, which is designed to advertise a candidate for political office, a political party or a measure scheduled for an election.
PRINCIPAL FRONTAGE. That wall of a building or structure which has frontage on a public street, highway, parking lot, walkway or mall and which is designed as the principal frontage of the building or structure.
PROJECTING SIGN. Any of the following:
(1) Any sign attached to and projecting from the face of a wall, canopy or marquee.
(2) Any sign mounted on a canopy roof or building roof that has a slope flatter than a 45 degree angle.
RIDGELINE. The peak of the roof , the top of a parapet, or the top of the wall of a building .
SIGN . Any structure, device, letter, figure, character, poster, picture, trademark or reading matter which is used or designed to announce, declare, demonstrate, display or otherwise identify or advertise, or attract the attention of the public. However, a sign shall not include the following:
(1) Official notices authorized by a court, public body or public officer.
(2) Directional, warning or informational signs authorized by federal, state or municipal authority or public utility.
(3) A properly displayed official flag of a government, school, religious group, or nonprofit organization.
(4) A memorial plaque, tablet or cornerstone indicating the name of a building and date of construction, when cut or carved into any masonry surface or when made of bronze or other incombustible material and made an integral part of the building or structure, not to exceed four square feet in area.
(5) Signs within a building which cannot be seen from outside the building.
SIGN AREA. The area of the sign surface computed by calculating the area of the circle, square, triangle, rectangle or combination of such geometric designs necessary to enclose such sign surface.
Where a sign has two or more faces (sign surfaces), the area of all faces shall be inclu ded in deter mining the sign area, except where two such faces are placed back to back and are at no point more than one foot from one another, the sign area shall be taken as the area of one face if the two faces are of equal area, or as the area of the larger face if the two faces are of unequal area. Necessary supports or uprights on which a sign is placed shall not be included in the sign area, provided that they are not used to attract attention to the subject matter included in the sign area.
SIGN SURFACE. The surface of the sign upon, against or through which the message is displayed or illustrated.
SUBDIVISION SIGN. A sign indicating the name of a recorded subdivision, the name of the contractor or subdivider, the name of the owner or agent, and/or giving information regarding directions, price and/or terms.
SUBDIVISION DIRECTIONAL SIGN. A sign indicating the name of a recorded subdivision and information regarding location. The name of the contractor or subdivider, the name of the owner or agent and/or information regarding price and/or terms may also be noted.
TEMPORARY SIGN. Any sign, banner, pennant, freestanding flag, valance, balloon, streamer, placard, “A”-frame, sandwich board, human sign spinner, inflatable air dancers, or similar impermanent sign or advertising device or display, with or without letters, words, numbers, or figures thereon, with or without frames, which directs, promotes service or price, or which is otherwise designed to attract attention for a short period of time only unless otherwise specifically mentioned in this chapter.
WALL. Any wall or element of a wall or any number or group of members which defines the exterior boundaries or courts of a building or structure and which has a slope steeper than one horizontal to two vertical, with the horizontal plane.
WALL SIGN. Any sign painted on, attached to or erected against the wall of a building or structure with the exposed face of the sign in a place approximately parallel to the place of the wall and which does not project beyond the top or ends of the wall. WALL SIGN shall also mean any sign permanently displayed on the inside or outside of a window.
WINDOW SIGN. Any sign temporarily displayed on the inside of a window or temporarily painted on a window and facing a street, highway, parking lot, walkway or mall.
ZONE. One of the various classes of area into which the city has been divided by this chapter.
(`67 Code, § 10-19-2) (Am. Ord. 2000-03, passed 4-24-00; Am. Ord. 2020-001, passed 1-28-20)