(A) Signs within the Village shall meet the following general criteria:
1. Signs and graphics shall have a harmonious relationship to the building to which they relate and the architectural and historical character of the surrounding area and the Village, in terms of size, shape, materials, color, texture, lettering, arrangement, lighting and the like.
2. Projects which include a number of signs and graphics shall have an overall and meaningful plan and continuity.
3. The amount of information contained on any sign or group of signs shall be limited so that the total result is a clear and readable design.
4. Colors shall be used with restraint and excessive brightness shall be avoided.
5. Lighting shall be arranged so that the light source does not constitute a hazard or an annoyance to the public.
(B) Substitution Clause. To the extent the regulations of this chapter permit commercial signs, such regulations are also to permit non-commercial signs.
1. No Discrimination Against Non-Commercial Signs or Speech. The owner of any legal sign may substitute non-commercial copy within the allowable sign copy area of the sign in lieu of any other commercial or non-commercial copy in accordance with the following:
(a) The substitution of copy must adhere to all applicable Village codes and may be executed without any additional approval or permitting from the Village.
(b) The purpose of this provision is to prevent any inadvertent favoring of commercial speech over non-commercial speech or favoring of any particular non-commercial message over any other non-commercial message.
(c) This provision does not create a right to increase the total amount of signage on a parcel or allow the substitution of an off-site commercial message in place of an on-site commercial message. (Ord. 2874, 4-16-2015; amd. Ord. 4048, 2-16-2023)