(A) In any district, except as noted, the provisions of this section shall be applied to effect the safety of motorists and facilitate traffic movement.
(1) No sign shall be erected or maintained at any location where, by reason of its position, wording,, illumination, size, shape, or color it may obstruct, impair, obscure or interfere with the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic control sign, signal or device.
(2) No sign shall contain or make use of any phrase, symbol, shape, form, or character in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse moving traffic.
(3) No exterior sign having flashing, intermittent, or animated illumination shall be permitted except in the LB and GB Districts wherein general street lighting is provided and traffic movement on adjoining streets is regulated at 40 miles per hour or less.
(B) In any district, the provisions of this section shall apply.
(1) No part of any sign which is attached to a building shall be erected to a height greater than the height of the building.
(2) No illuminated signs shall be permitted within 100 feet of property in any residence district unless the illumination of such sign is so designed that it does not reflect or shine light onto such property.
(3) No part of any freestanding sign shall be erected to a height greater than that specified for accessory structures in the district in which the sign is located.
(4) The minimum set-back of freestanding signs from street rights-of-way shall not be less than those specified by Table 12.
(5) The area of a sign shall be determined by the smallest circle, triangle, or rectangle that can be used to enclose the sign, exclusive of supporting members that bear no message.
(6) No freestanding sign shall be erected or maintained within ten feet of any side lot line.
(C) In any residence district, the provisions of this division shall apply.
(1) A nameplate which shall not exceed one square foot in area is permitted for each dwelling unit of a single-family, two-family, or row house structure; such nameplate shall indicate nothing other than name and/or address of the occupant, and/or customary home occupation. No other sign shall be allowed. This division shall not be constructed to prohibit each dwelling unit from also displaying a house numbering plate for identification.
(2) Multiple-family residences and residential projects of all types may display identification signs indicating nothing other than name and/or address of the premises and/or the name of the management. Such signs shall not exceed nine square feet in area.
(3) For uses other than those listed in subsections (1) and (2), bulletin boards or identification signs indicating, nothing other than name and/or address of the premises, and schedule of services or other information relevant to the operation of the premises; such signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in area.
(4) For each use of subsections (2) and (3) eligible to display a sign, only one sign per street frontage shall be permitted; except that uses occupying extended frontages shall be permitted one such sign per 500 feet of frontage.
(D) In any business district, except as herein provided, the provisions of this division shall apply.
(1) Residential uses shall be subject to the provisions of division (C).
(2) Each primary use other than those listed in subsection (1) shall be permitted signs as accessory uses according to the number and net area of signs set forth in Table 13.
(3) Except in those blocks where 25% of the lots are already occupied by business uses and where overhanging signs are already established, no sign shall project over a lot line and no sign shall project into a required yard by more than two feet.
(E) In any industrial district, each business or industrial use shall be permitted identification signs on the lot only as incidental uses, not to exceed two such signs of the net area set forth in Table 14.
(F) The signs permitted by this division shall be allowed in any district.
(1) Each public recreation, community facility, or clinic use, shall be permitted one bulletin board or identification sign, not to exceed 12 square feet, except that uses occupying extended frontages shall be permitted one such sign per 500 feet of frontage.
(2) Each permitted or required parking area that has a capacity of more than five cars shall be permitted one sign, not more than two square feet in area, designating each entrance or exit from such parking area; and one sign, not more than nine square feet in area, identifying or designating the conditions of use of such parking area for each 25 spaces, except that a minimum of one such sign shall be permitted.
(3) One “for sale” or “for rent” sign not be more than 12 square feet in area for each dwelling unit, garage, or other quarters where appropriate.
(4) One sign, not more than 20 square feet in area, pertaining to the sale of agricultural products raised on the premises.
(5) Signs established by, or by order of, any governmental agency.
(6) One sign, not more than 12 square feet in area, for construction and development, giving the name of the contractors, engineers, or architects, shall be permitted but only during the time that construction or development is actively under way.
(7) For an event of public interest such as a county fair, or church event, one sign, not over 24 square feet in area and located upon the site of the event shall be permitted. Such sign shall not be erected more than 30 days before the event in question and shall be removed immediately after such event. Also, directional signs not more than three square feet in area, showing only a directional arrow and the name of the event of public interest shall be permitted. Such signs shall not be erected more than 14 days before the event in question and shall be removed immediately after such event.
(8) For each real estate subdivision that has been approved in accordance with the subdivision regulations, one sign, not over 300 square feet in area, advertising the sale of property in such subdivision shall be permitted, but only when located on some portion of the subdivision being advertised for sale. Such sign shall not encroach upon any required yard. Such sign may be illuminated, but no flashing, intermittent, or animated illumination is permitted. Such sign shall be maintained only during such time as some portion of the land advertised for sale remains unsold. Permits for such signs shall be issued for one-year periods and may be renewed for additional one-year periods to allow time for reasonable display.
(G) This section shall apply to all signs hereafter erected and to existing signs which shall be given approval by the Board. All advertising signs or structures hereinafter erected shall conform to the requirements set out in this section.
(H) The Building Commissioner shall record the location of all advertising signs and structures hereinafter erected under the terms of this section and identify same with the appropriate mark or tag.
(I) Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be subject to the penalties and provisions as contained in this chapter. Owners of real estate that permit the erection of advertising signs or structures on their premises, in violation of this section, shall also be subject to the penalty provisions of this chapter.
Table 12 Minimum Sign Set-Backs | |
Area of Sign Per Face | Minimum Set-Back (Feet) |
5 square feet or less | 2 |
5 to 14.9 square feet | 10 |
15 to 49.9 square feet | 20 |
50 to 9 9.9 square feet | 30 |
100 or more square feet | 60 |
Table 13
Business Use Signs and Sign Area | ||
District | Number of Signs | Net Sign Area (each) |
LB | 1 | 30 square feet |
GB | 2 | 40 square feet |
Table 14 Industrial Use Signs and Sign Area | |
District | Net Sign Area (each) |
I | 300 square feet |
(Ord. 480, passed 11-16-1970) Penalty, see § 154.99