(a) Sign Setback. All required setbacks for signs shall be measured as the distance in feet from the applicable lot line, or other stated point of measurement, to the closest point on the sign structure.
(b) Sign Height.
(1) The height of a sign shall be computed as the distance from the base of the sign at normal grade (average grade at the base of the sign) to the top of the highest attached component of the sign. Normal grade shall be construed to be the newly established grade after construction, exclusive of any filling, berming, mounding, or excavating solely undertaken for the purpose of locating or increasing the height of sign.
(2) The filling of a hole or depression to create an average grade the same level as that surrounding the hole or depression is permitted, provided such filling is allowed by other ordinances.
(3) In cases where the normal grade is below grade at street level, sign height shall be computed on the assumption that the elevation of the normal grade at the base of the sign is equal to the elevation of the nearest point of the crown of a public or private street. See Figure 1123-A.
Figure 1123-A: Illustration of the measurement of sign height when the grade at the bottom of the sign is below the grade of the adjacent street.
(c) Sign Area. The surface of a sign to be included when computing maximum allowable square footage of sign area shall be calculated as established in this section. For the purposes of calculating sign area, one of the following shapes may be used: circle, ellipse, triangle, square, rectangle, trapezoid, pentagon or hexagon.
(1) The calculation of sign area shall not include any supporting framework, bracing or decorative fence or wall unless such structural support is determined to constitute an integral part of the sign design by means of text or other commercial message, as determined by the Director of Community Development. See Figure 1123-B.
(2) For sign copy mounted or painted on a background panel, cabinet or surface that is distinctively painted, textured, lighted or constructed to serve as the background for the sign copy, the sign area shall be computed by means of the single smallest permitted shape that encompasses the extreme limits of the background panel, cabinet or surface. See Figure 1123-B and Figure 1123-C.
Figure 1123-B: Illustration of sign area calculation for a freestanding sign with a copy on a distinct, rectangular cabinet. The brick structural support is not included in the sign area calculation.
Figure 1123-C: Illustration of computing the sign area for wall signs with a
background panel or cabinet.
(3) For sign copy where individual letters or elements are mounted on a building facade or window where there is no background panel, cabinet or surface that is distinctively painted, textured, lighted or constructed to serve as the background for the sign copy, the sign area shall be computed by means of the single smallest permitted shape that encloses all of the letters or elements associated with the sign. See Figure 1123-D.
Figure 1123-D: Illustration of sign area calculation for wall signs with individual letters.
(4) In cases where there are multiple elements of sign copy on the same surface, any areas of sign copy that are within two (2) feet of one another shall be calculated as a single sign area that shall be computed by means of the smallest permitted shape that encloses all sign copy within two (2) feet of one another, otherwise the sign area shall be computed for each separate piece of sign copy. See Figure 1123-E.
Figure 1123-E: Illustration of sign area calculations for multiple sign areas on a window sign.
(5) When two identically sized, flat sign faces are placed back-to-back with no more than twelve (12) inches in separation, so that both faces cannot be viewed from any one point at the same time, the sign area shall be computed by the measurement of one of the sign faces. The twelve (12)-inch separation distance shall not apply in cases where the two (2) faces are part of a single sign cabinet or structure that is fully enclosed. If the two (2) faces are unequal, the sign area shall be calculated based on the larger of the two (2) faces.
(6) In the case of a three-dimensional sign, where the sign faces are not mounted back-to-back, the sign area shall be calculated by the single smallest permitted shape that encompasses the profile of the sign message. The profile used shall be the largest area of the sign message visible from any one point.
(Ord. 2022-22. Passed 5-10-22.)