For the purpose of carrying out the intent of this chapter, words, phrases and terms shall be deemed to have their normal and generally accepted meaning except as otherwise specified in this section.
1. “Abandoned sign” means the face, frame and supporting members of a sign which pertains to a business, tenant or occupant that has vacated the premises for a period not exceeding thirty consecutive days.
2. “Advisory sign” means a sign which indicates only the address, phone number, the hours of operations and emergency information for a business and may indicate whether the business is open or closed.
3. “Aerial sign” means any sign or object which is inflatable and/or designed to be flown such as balloons, dirigibles or kites and is used to attract attention to a commercial enterprise. These signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
4. “Animated sign” means any sign which uses movement or change of lighting to depict action or to create a special effect or scene, except electronic message centers, which shall not be considered as animated signs. Animated signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
5. Area.
a. “Area of a sign” means the entire area within a single continuous perimeter composed of either a square or rectangle which encloses the extreme limits of writing, representation, emblem, or any figure or similar character, together with frame, background area of sign, structural trim or other material or color forming an integral part of the display or used to differentiate such sign from the background against which any such sign is placed.
b. “Area of a ground sign” means the entire area within a single continuous perimeter composed of either a square or rectangle which encloses the extreme limits of writing, representation, emblem, or any figure or similar character, together with frame, background area of sign, structural trim or other material or color forming an integral part of the display including any architectural embellishments except for roof elements.
6. “Awning” means a shelter projecting from and supported by the exterior wall of a building constructed of nonrigid materials over a supporting framework.
7. “Awning sign” means a sign painted or printed on the surface of an awning.
8. “Banner sign” means a flag, pennant or sign made of fabric or any nonrigid material attached to any structure, pole or line, except that official flags of a governmental entity shall not be considered as signs or banner signs.
9. “Bench sign” means any sign which is placed or erected on an immobile seat for two or more persons. These signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
10. “Billboard” means any sign erected or maintained for advertising purposes that communicates a message related to an activity conducted, a service rendered, or a commodity sold at a location other than where the sign is located, except signs listed as exempt from requiring a sign permit pursuant to Section 20.58.120 shall not be considered as billboards. Billboards are prohibited in all zoning districts.
11. “Building identification sign” means a sign whose copy is limited to the name and address of a multifamily residential building.
12. “Business identification sign” means an on-site sign which serves to identity only the business name, lawful use of the individual business and business logo and sets forth no other copy.
13. “Construction sign” means a sign identifying a future occupant and the architect, contractor, subcontractors and other person(s) participating in construction on the property on which the sign is located, providing an address and telephone number(s) for notification purposes as necessary.
14. “Comprehensive sign program” means a plan for project and business signs at a commercial or industrial project. Comprehensive sign programs are developed so as to coordinate signs at a site and integrate signs with building design.
15. “Copy” means any words, letters, numbers and logos incorporated into a sign.
16. “Curbside residence identification sign” means a sign painted on the face of a curb in front of a dwelling unit which identifies the address of the unit.
17. “Directional sign” means an on-premises sign giving directions, instructions or facility information, and which does not contain the name or logo of a business or project or advertising copy. Examples of directional signs include parking, exit and entrance signs.
18. “Double-faced sign” means a sign with two faces in a single cabinet each intended to be viewed from opposite directions. These signs shall be considered as one sign for the purposes of this chapter.
19. “Electronic message center” means a sign on which the copy changes automatically on a lampbank or through mechanical means. Electronic message centers are permitted only when attached to an outdoor advertising structure or government sign. The illumination of an electronic message center is not considered a flashing or animated sign as defined in this chapter.
20. “Face of sign” means the exposed surface of a sign on which the copy is placed.
21. “Flashing sign” means a sign which contains an intermittent or sequential flashing light source used primarily to attract attention including animated signs or signs which, through reflection or other means, create an illusion of flashing or intermittent light, except electronic message centers shall not be considered as flashing signs. Flashing signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
22. “Frontage, business” means the linear extent of a tenant space which an individual business occupies that fronts on either a street or parking area and is used as the basis for determining the maximum sign area and numbers of signs an individual business is allowed.
23. “Government sign” means any sign of a temporary or permanent nature erected and maintained by the city, for traffic direction, special event advertisement or for designation of or direction to any property, or facility.
24. “Ground sign” means a sign supported by one or more uprights, posts, or braces placed in or upon the ground which are not part of, or attached to, a building.
25. “Height (awning, building or wall sign)” means vertical distance measured from the highest point of the sign copy, including decorative embellishments, to the lowest point, including decorative embellishments.
26. “Height (of a ground sign)” means the vertical distance measured from the highest point of the sign, including decorative embellishments, but excluding roof elements, to the grade of the adjacent street.
27. “Illegal sign” means any sign placed without proper government approval and/or permits as required by the city at the time such sign was placed.
28. “Illumination (of a sign)” means the light source of a sign which has characters, letters, figures, designs, logos, pictures or outlines illuminated by a source of energy, directly or indirectly, in order to make the sign visible. This definition shall include internally and externally lighted signs and reflectorized, glowing, and radiating signs.
29. “Light bulb string” means a continuous row of three or more light bulbs of any size or wattage attached to a flexible or inflexible wire or cable. Light bulb strings are prohibited in all zones except when used as temporary decorative holiday lighting or as festive lighting for legally permitted temporary tree or pumpkin lots.
30. “Logo” means a trademark or company name or symbol commonly used on business cards and company stationery identifying a business, not including slogans or other advertising.
31. “Maintenance (of signs)” means the cleaning, painting, repair or replacement of parts of a sign in a manner that does not alter the basic copy, design, size or structure of the sign.
32. “Memorial sign” means a sign or plaque, memorializing a person, or an historical event, structure, use or site, installed by a recognized governmental or historical agency.
33. “Model home complex directional sign” means a temporary sign which directs traffic to the model home(s) related to a recognized subdivision consisting of ten or more dwelling units.
34. “Model home identification sign” means a temporary sign identifying a model home at a recognized subdivision consisting of ten or more dwelling units.
35. “Nonconforming sign” means any sign which was erected legally but which does not comply with subsequently enacted sign restrictions and regulations.
36. “Off-site sign” means a sign advertising an establishment, merchandise, service, or entertainment which is not sold, produced, manufactured, or furnished at the property on which said sign is located. Off-site signs, except for open house directional signs and public information signs, are prohibited in all zoning districts.
37. “Open house sign” means a sign which identifies a building for sale or lease which is open and available for inspection.
38. “Open house directional sign” means a sign which directs traffic to a building for sale or lease which is open and available for inspection.
39. “Outdoor advertising structure” means any sign, other than a business identification sign, located within fifty feet of the right-of-way of any landscaped freeway which advertises goods manufactured, produced, or sold, or services rendered, on the property upon which such sign is located, consistent with the intent of Sections 5273 and 5404 of the California Business and Professions Code, and which, based upon the determination of the community development director, is intended to provide primary visibility to freeway motorists.
40. “Pole sign” means a sign, other than an outdoor advertising structure, which is mounted upon one or more poles, posts, or columns so that the bottom edge of the sign face is three feet or more above the grade beneath the sign. Pole signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
41. “Portable sign” means any sign capable of being carried or readily moved from one location to another, including, but not limited to an “A-frame”; “sandwich sign”; sign on wheels, or a sign which leans on a stationary object, building or structure. This definition shall not include temporary signs as defined in this chapter. Portable signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
42. Project. See “Site.”
43. “Project identification sign” means a sign which identifies the name of a multifamily residential complex or a shopping center, business park or other commercial or industrial project containing two or more tenants.
44. “Real estate sign” means a sign advertising the sale, lease or rent of the property upon which it is located, and the identification of the person or firm handling such sale, lease or rent.
45. “Residence identification sign” means a sign which identifies the name(s) of occupants and the address of a dwelling unit.
46. “Roof sign” means an attached sign constructed upon or over a roof, or placed so as to extend above the visible roofline. These signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
47. “Rotating sign” means a sign in which the sign itself or any portion of the sign moves in a revolving manner. Such motion does not refer to methods of changing copy on electronic message centers. Rotating signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
48. “Sign” means any structure, housing, device, figure, statuary, painting, display, message placard, or other contrivance, or any part thereof, which is designed, constructed, created, engineered, intended or used to advertise, or to provide data or information in the nature of advertising, for any purpose.
49. Sign, area of a. See “Area.”
50. “Sign copy” means any words, letters, numbers, and logos incorporated into a sign.
51. “Sign structure” means any structure which supports any sign.
52. “Site” means one or more parcels of land identified by the assessor’s records. Where an integrated building development has been approved or proposed, the site shall include all parcels of land contained within or a part of the development application. An integrated building development shall include all parcels served by common accessways, driveways, parking and landscaping.
53. “Site (street) frontage” means the length of lot or parcel of land along or fronting on a street.
54. “Subdivision/multifamily residential directional sign” means a temporary sign which directs traffic to a recognized subdivision, apartment or condominium complex.
55. “Subdivision/multifamily residential project identification sign” means a temporary sign identifying a recognized subdivision, apartment or condominium complex.
56. “Temporary sign” means any sign intended to be displayed for a limited period of time.
57. “Temporary non-commercial sign” means any noncommercial sign intended to be displayed for a limited period of time that is not permanently affixed to a building or structure.
58. “Tenant directory sign” means a sign identifying no more than six individual tenants at a commercial or industrial project.
59. “Trespassing sign” means a public information sign which contains the following copy only, “No Trespassing.”
60. “Use” means the purpose for which land or a building is lawfully occupied, arranged, designed or intended, or for which either land or a building is or may be occupied or maintained.
61. “Vehicle sign” means a sign which is attached to or painted on a vehicle which is parked on or adjacent to any site, the principal purpose of which is to attract attention to a product sold or an activity or business located on such site.
62. “Wall sign” means a sign attached to or erected on the exterior wall of a building or structure with the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to the plane of the exterior wall.
63. “Window sign” means any sign attached, painted or pasted, either in a permanent or temporary fashion, on the interior or exterior of a window and intended to be viewed from the outside. (Ord. 2024-06-1549 § 5 (part); Ord. 2015-02-1473 § 1 (part); Ord. 99-04-1252 §§ 1--3; Ord. 96-10-1212 § 1; Ord. 96-06-1205 §§ 1 and 2, 1996; Ord. 93-10-1169 § 2 (part))