SEC. 602. SIGN DEFINITIONS.

(a) All Signs Except on Windows, Awnings and Marquees. The entire area within a single continuous rectangular perimeter formed by extending lines around the extreme limits of writing, representation, emblem, or any figure of similar character, including any frame or other material or color forming an integral part of the display or used to differentiate such Sign from the background against which it is placed; excluding the necessary supports or uprights on which such Sign is placed but including any Sign Tower. Where a Sign has two or more faces, the area of all faces shall be included in determining the Area of the Sign, except that where two such faces are placed back to back and are at no point more than two feet from one another, the Area of the Sign 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.

(b) On Windows. The Area of any Sign painted directly on a window shall be the area within a rectangular perimeter formed by extending lines around the extreme limits of writing, representation, or any figure of similar character depicted on the surface of the window. The Area of any Sign placed on or behind the window glass shall be as described above in subsection (a).

(c) On Awnings or Marquees. The Area of any Sign on an Awning or Marquee shall be the total of all signage on all faces of the structure. All sign copy on each face shall be computed within one rectangular perimeter formed by extending lines around the extreme limits of writing, representation, or any figure of similar character depicted on the surface of the face of the awning or marquee.

Attached to a Building. Supported, in whole or in part, by a building.

Business Sign. A Sign which directs attention to the primary business, commodity, service, industry or other activity which is sold, offered, or conducted on the premises upon which such Sign is located, or to which it is affixed. Where a number of businesses, services, industries, or other activities are conducted on the premises, or a number of commodities, services, or other activities with different brand names or symbols are sold on the premises, up to one-third of the area of a Business Sign, or 25 square feet of Sign area, whichever is the lesser, may be devoted to the advertising of one or more of those businesses, commodities, services, industries, or other activities by brand name or symbol as an accessory function of the Business Sign, provided that such advertising is integrated with the remainder of the Business Sign, and provided also that any limits which may be imposed by this Code on the area of individual Signs and the area of all Signs on the property are not exceeded. The primary business, commodity, service, industry, or other activity on the premises shall mean the use which occupies the greatest area on the premises upon which the Business Sign is located, or to which it is affixed.

Directly Illuminated Sign. A Sign designed to give forth artificial light directly (or through transparent or translucent material) from a source of light within such Sign, including but not limited to neon and exposed lamp signs.

Freestanding. In no part supported by a building.

Freeway. A highway, in respect to which the owners of abutting lands have no right or easement of access to or from their abutting lands or in respect to which such owners have only limited or restricted right or easement of access, the precise route for which has been determined and designated as a Freeway by an authorized agency of the State or a political subdivision thereof. The term shall include the main traveled portion of the trafficway and all ramps and appurtenant land and structures. Trans-Bay highway crossings shall be deemed to be Freeways within the meaning of this definition for purposes of this Code.

General Advertising Sign. A Sign, legally erected prior to the effective date of Section 611 of this Code, which directs attention to a business, commodity, industry or other activity which is sold, offered or conducted elsewhere than on the premises upon which the Sign is located, or to which it is affixed, and which is sold, offered or conducted on such premises only incidentally if at all.

Height (of a Sign). The vertical distance from the uppermost point used in measuring the Area of a Sign, as defined in this Section 602, to the ground immediately below such point or to the level of the upper surface of the nearest curb of a Street, Alley or highway (other than a structurally elevated roadway), whichever measurement permits the greater elevation of the Sign.

Historic Movie Theater Projecting Sign. A projecting Business Sign attached to a Qualified Movie Theater, as defined in Section 188(e)(1), when such sign was originally constructed in association with the Qualified Movie Theater or similar historic use. Such Signs are typically characterized by (a) perpendicularity to the primary facade of the building, (b) fixed display of the name of the establishment, often in large lettering descending vertically throughout the length of the Sign; (c) a narrow width that extends for a majority of the vertical distance of a building’s facade, typically terminating at or slightly above the Roofline, and (d) an overall scale and nature such that the Sign comprises a significant and character defining architectural feature of the building to which it is attached. Elimination or change of any lettering or other inscription from a Historic Movie Theater Projecting Sign, such as that which may occur with a change of ownership, change of use, or closure does not preclude classification of the Sign under this Section. For specific controls on the preservation, rehabilitation, or restoration of these signs, refer to Section 188(e) of this Code.

Historic Movie Theater Marquee. A Marquee, as defined in Section 102, attached to a Qualified Movie Theater, as defined in Section 188(e)(1), when such Marquee was originally constructed in association with a Movie Theater or similar historic use. Elimination or change of any lettering or other inscription from a Historic Movie Theater Marquee, such as that which may occur with a change of ownership, change of use or closure, does not preclude classification of the Marquee under this Section. For specific controls on the preservation, rehabilitation, or restoration of these Signs, refer to Section 188(e) of this Code.

Historic Sign. An Historic Sign is any Sign identified on its own or as one of the character defining features of a property listed or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or the California Register of Historical Resource, or designated in any manner under Articles 10 or 11 of the Planning Code.

Identifying Sign. A Sign for a use listed in Article 2 of this Code as either a principal or a conditional use permitted in an R District, regardless of the district in which the use itself may be located, which Sign serves to tell only the name, address, and lawful use of the premises upon which the Sign is located, or to which it is affixed. With respect to shopping malls containing five or more stores or establishments in NC Districts, and shopping centers containing five or more stores or establishments in NC-S Districts or in the City Center Special Sign District, Identifying Signs shall include Signs which tell the name of and/or describe aspects of the operation of the mall or center. Shopping malls, as that term is used in this Section, are characterized by a common pedestrian passageway which provides access to the businesses located therein.

(Amended by Ord. 218-16; see Sec. 602 history note.)

Indirectly Illuminated Sign. A Sign illuminated with a light directed primarily toward such Sign and so shielded that no direct rays from the light are visible elsewhere than on the lot where said illumination occurs. If not effectively so shielded, such sign shall be deemed to be a Directly Illuminated Sign.

Landscaped Freeway. Any part of a Freeway that is now or hereafter classified by the State or a political subdivision thereof as a Landscaped Freeway, as defined in the California Outdoor Advertising Act. Any part of a Freeway that is not so designated shall be deemed a nonlandscaped Freeway.

Nameplate. A sign affixed flat against a wall of a building and serving to designate only the name or the name and professional occupation of a person or persons residing in or occupying space in such building.

Neon Sign. A Sign that is illuminated through the use of noble gas in a vacuum-sealed glass tube.

(Added by Ord. 206-22; see Sec. 602 history note.)

Nonilluminated Sign. A Sign which is not illuminated, either directly or indirectly.

Projection. The horizontal distance by which the furthermost point used in measuring the Area of a Sign, as defined in this Section 602, extends beyond a Street Property Line or a building setback line. A Sign placed flat against a wall of a building parallel to a Street or Alley shall not be deemed to project for purposes of this definition. A Sign on an Awning, Canopy or Marquee shall be deemed to project to the extent that such Sign extends beyond a Street Property Line or a building setback line.

Roofline. The upper edge of any building wall or parapet, exclusive of any Sign Tower.

Roof Sign. A Sign or any portion thereof erected or painted on or over the roof covering any portion of a building, and either supported on the roof or on an independent structural frame or Sign Tower, or located on the side or roof of a penthouse, roof tank, roof shed, elevator housing or other roof structure.

Sale or Lease Sign. A Sign which serves only to indicate with pertinent information the availability for sale, lease or rental of the lot or building on which it is placed, or some part thereof.

Sign. Any structure, part thereof, or device or inscription which is located upon, attached to, or painted, projected or represented on any land or right-of-way, or on the outside of any building or structure including an Awning, Canopy, Marquee or similar appendage, or affixed to the glass on the outside or inside of a window so as to be seen from the outside of the building, and which displays or includes any numeral, letter, word, model, banner, emblem, insignia, symbol, device, light, trademark, or other representation used as, or in the nature of, an announcement, advertisement, attention-arrester, direction, warning, or designation by or of any person, firm, group, organization, place, commodity, product, service, business, profession, enterprise or industry.

A “Sign” is composed of those elements included in the Area of the Sign as defined in this Section 602, and in addition the supports, uprights and framework of the display. Except in the case of General Advertising Signs, two or more faces shall be deemed to be a single Sign if such faces are contiguous on the same plane, or are placed back to back to form a single structure and are at no point more than two feet from one another. Also, on Awnings or Marquees, two or more faces shall be deemed to be a single Sign if such faces are on the same Awning or Marquee structure.

Sign Tower. A tower, whether attached to a building, Freestanding, or an integral part of a building, which is erected for the primary purpose of incorporating a Sign, or having a Sign attached thereto.

Street Property Line. For purposes of this Article 6 only, “street property line” shall mean any line separating private property from either a Street or an Alley.

Video Sign. A Sign that displays, emits, or projects or is readily capable of displaying, emitting or projecting a visual representation or image; an animated video, visual representation, or image; or other video image of any kind onto a building, fabric, screen, sidewalk, wall, or other surface through a variety of means, including, but not limited to: camera; computer; digital cinema, imaging, or video; electronic display; fiber optics; film; internet; intranet; light emitting diode screen or video display; microprocessor or microcontrolled based systems; picture frames; plasma display; projector; satellite; scrolling display; streaming video; telephony; television; VHS; wireless transmission; or other technology that can transmit animated or video images.

Vintage Sign. A Sign that depicts a land use, a business activity, a public activity, a social activity or historical figure or an activity or use that recalls the City’s historic past, as further defined in Section 608.14 of this Code, and as permitted by Sections 303 and 608.14 of this Code.

Wall Sign. A Sign painted directly on the wall or placed flat against a building wall with its copy parallel to the wall to which it is attached and not protruding more than the thickness of the sign cabinet.

Wind Sign. Any Sign composed of one or more banners, flags, or other objects, mounted serially and fastened in such a manner as to move upon being subjected to pressure by wind or breeze.

Window Sign. A Sign painted directly on the surface of a window glass or placed behind the surface of a window glass.

(Added by Ord. 263-65, App. 10/22/65; amended by Ord. 125-70, App. 4/14/70; Ord. 234-72, App. 8/18/72; Ord. 69-87, App. 3/13/87; Ord. 276-98, App. 8/28/98; Proposition G, 3/5/2002; Ord. 28-02, File No. 011962, App. 3/15/2002; Ord. 242-08, File No. 071431, App. 10/30/2008; Ord. 140-11, File No. 110482, App. 7/5/2011, Eff. 8/4/2011; Ord. 195-11, File No. 110448, App. 10/4/2011, Eff. 11/3/2011; Res. 319-14, File No. 140821, App. 8/7/2014; Ord. 20-15, File No. 110548, App. 2/20/2015, Eff. 3/22/2015; Ord. 217-16, File No. 160424, App. 11/10/2016, Eff. 12/10/2016; Ord. 218-16, File No. 160553, App. 11/10/2016, Eff. 12/10/2016; Ord. 206-22, File No. 220643, App. 10/6/2022, Eff. 11/6/2022)

AMENDMENT HISTORY

Section header amended; section amended in its entirety; Ord. 217-16, Eff. 12/10/2016 (for the legislative history of prior definition provisions, see the Editor’s Note below). See individual definitions for subsequent amendment history notes.

Editor’s Note:

As part of its amendments to this Code, by Ord. 217-16, consolidated the Art. 6 definitions into a single section, Sec. 602 above. Previously, Art. 6 definitions had been codified under separate section numbers. For the purpose of retaining the legislative history of the now superseded Art. 6 definition provisions, the terms formerly defined in the Article are set forth below, along with their history notes as they existed immediately prior to the effectiveness of Ord. 217-16.

SEC. 602.1 AREA (OF A SIGN).

(See Interpretations related to this Section.)

(Added by Ord. 263-65, App. 10/22/65; amended by Ord. 69-87, App. 3/13/87)

SEC. 602.2 ATTACHED TO A BUILDING.

(Added by Ord. 263-65, App. 10/22/65)

SEC. 602.3 BUSINESS SIGN.

(Added by Ord. 263-65, App. 10/22/65; amended by Res. 319-14, File No. 140821, App. 8/7/2014; Ord. 20-15, File No. 110548, App. 2/20/2015, Eff. 3/22/2015)

SEC. 602.4 DIRECTLY ILLUMINATED SIGN.

(Added by Ord. 263-65, App. 10/22/65)

SEC. 602.5 FREESTANDING.

(Added by Ord. 263-65, App. 10/22/65)

SEC. 602.6 FREEWAY.

(Added by Ord. 263-65, App. 10/22/65)

SEC. 602.7 GENERAL ADVERTISING SIGN.

(See Interpretations related to this Section.)

(Added by Ord. 263-65, App. 10/22/65; amended by Proposition G, 3/5/2002)

SEC. 602.8 HEIGHT (OF A SIGN).

(Amended by Ord. 234-72, App. 8/18/72)

SEC. 602.9 HISTORIC SIGNS AND HISTORIC SIGN DISTRICTS.

(Added by Ord. 276-98, App. 8/28/98)

SEC. 602.10 IDENTIFYING SIGN.

(Added by Ord. 263-65, App. 10/22/65; amended by Ord. 69-87, App. 3/13/87; Ord. 276-98, App. 8/28/98; Ord. 195-11, File No. 110448, App. 10/4/2011, Eff. 11/3/2011)

SEC. 602.11 INDIRECTLY ILLUMINATED SIGN.