(a) Conformance to Codes. Any sign hereafter erected shall conform to the provisions of this chapter and the provisions of the Sandusky Building Code. Nothing in this chapter shall supercede the rules and regulations of the Ohio Building Code, whereby the requirements would be less restrictive than the Ohio Building Code.
(b) Signs Located in Rights-of-Way. No sign other than an official traffic or similar sign shall be erected within or overhang a City right-of-way unless specifically authorized by the City Engineer or as described below.
Projections over public walkways. Signs projecting over public walkways shall be permitted to do so only when a building structure abuts a public way, and the sign will not directly hamper a motorist line of sight or the flow of traffic, subject to a minimum height of 8½ feet from grade level to the bottom of the sign, and shall not project more than six (6) feet over the public walkway.
(c) Computation of Frontage.
(1) Wall signage: If a premises contains building walls facing more than one public right-of-way, the sign area(s) for each building wall shall be computed separately for each building wall. The sign area(s) thus calculated shall be permitted to then be applied to permitted signs placed on each separate wall.
(2) Freestanding signage: If a premises contains building walls facing more than one public right-of-way, the sign area for a freestanding sign shall be based off the calculation of the average of the frontage of the building walls facing the right-of-way. Where two freestanding signs are permitted, each may have a maximum area as calculated by the applicable mass factor.
(3) The amount of allowable signage shall be determined by multiplying the applicable mass factor by the building frontage.
(d) Point of Reference for Measuring Required Setbacks. All setbacks shall be measured from the portion of the sign that is closest to the property line.
(e) Maintenance, Repair, Abandonment and Removal. Shall be regulated by the Sandusky Building Code Chapter 1365.
(Ord. 03-112. Passed 7-14-03.)
(f) Nonconforming Signs. A sign legally existing at the time of the passage of this chapter that does not conform in use, location, height or size with the regulations of the zone in which such sign is located, may be allowed to remain and may be maintained and its structural parts and sign face repaired and replaced.
(Ord. 04-207. Passed 12-27-04.)
(g) Illumination: All permanent signs in non-residential zoning districts may be illuminated. If signs are illuminated, their light sources shall not be of excessive brightness, or cause a glare hazardous to pedestrians or auto drivers or objectionable in an adjacent residential district. (Ord. 03-112. Passed 7-14-03.)