1. Permanent Signs Exempt from Permit Requirement. The following types of permanent signs are exempt from the minor site plan review requirements of § 156.03.C (Site Plan Review) and are allowed in all zoning districts provided that they comply with the following standards.
a. Flags.
b. Government Signs.
c. Headstones.
d. Historical Markers. Historical markers shall be constructed of bronze or other incombustible materials, and shall not exceed four square feet in area per sign.
e. Miscellaneous Information Signs.
f. Parking Lot Signs. Parking lot signs shall not exceed six square feet in area per sign.
g. Parking Lot Driveway Signs. Two parking lot driveway signs are allowed per driveway access from a public street, one parking lot driveway sign is allowed per intersection of internal driveways.
h. Residential Signs. One wall sign or window sign shall be allowed per lot zoned residential. Such sign shall not exceed two square feet in area and shall not be illuminated.
I. Street Address Signs. Street address signs shall not be internally-illuminated and shall not exceed two square feet in area per sign.
j. Warning Signs.
k. Wayfinding signs.
2. Permanent Signs with Permit Requirement. The following permanent signs require minor site plan review approval, in accordance with § 156.03.C (Site Plan Review), and shall comply with the following standards.
a. Awning Signs. Awnings that do not display signs are not subject to the regulations of this Section. Refer to Figure 156.10.D-A. Awning Sign.
(1) Location.
(a) Awning signs are allowed in the B-1, B-2, VC, and I Districts, and in all residential districts for non-residential uses and multi-unit dwelling uses.
(b) An awning sign may project from the front, side, rear, or corner side facade of the building to which it is attached, but shall not project more than six feet.
(c) No portion of the awning on which the awning sign is attached shall be located lower than seven feet above grade.
(d) An awning sign shall not project higher than the highest point of the awning to which is it attached or lower than the lowest point of the awning to which it is attached.
(e) Awning signs shall be generally aligned with awning signs that are attached to adjacent buildings to maintain a sense of visual continuity.
(f) An awning sign shall not project within two feet of the curb of a street or driveway.
(g) Awnings may project over the lot line.
(2) Size. An awning sign shall not exceed 30% of the area of the awning on which it is located. For awnings extending across the building frontage of more than one ground floor tenant, the awning area for each tenant shall be measured from the limits of each building frontage. Awning signs are exempt from the measurement standard of § 156.10.C.1.a (Signs with Backgrounds) and shall follow the measurement standard of § 156.10.C.1.b (Signs with Freestanding Letters and/or Logos).
(3) Illumination. Externally illuminated awning signs are allowed only in accordance with § 156.10.B.4 (Illumination). Awning signs shall not be back-lit.
(4) Display Standards.
(a) Awning signs shall be displayed on awnings constructed out of durable, weather-resistant material such as canvas, nylon, vinyl-coated fabric, or metal.
(b) Awning signs shall not be displayed on round, arched, casement, bullnose, bubble, box, or waterfall awnings.
Front view Side View
b. Canopy-Mounted Signs. Refer to Figure 156.10.D-B. Canopy-Mounted Sign.
(1) Location.
(a) Canopy-mounted signs are allowed in the B-1, B-2, VC, and I Districts, and in all residential districts for non-residential uses and multi-unit dwelling uses.
(b) The canopy upon which the canopy-mounted sign is displayed may project from the front, side, rear, or corner side facade of the building to which it is attached, but shall not project more than six feet, or within two feet of the curb of a street or driveway.
(c) The canopy upon which the canopy-mounted sign is displayed shall be located at least seven feet above grade, and the canopy-mounted sign shall not extend below the lowest point of the canopy on which it is displayed.
(2) Quantity. One canopy-mounted sign is allowed per tenant entrance.
(3) Size.
(a) Area. The total area of canopy-mounted signs shall not exceed one square foot of sign area per linear foot of the building facade to which the sign will be affixed.
(b) Height. Canopy-mounted signs shall not exceed two feet in height as measured from the top of the canopy.
(4) Illumination. Internally and externally illuminated canopy-mounted signs are allowed only in accordance with § 156.10.B.4 (Illumination).
Figure 156.10.D-B Canopy-Mounted Sign
Front View Side View
c. Drive-Thru Signs. Refer to Figure 156.10.D-C. Drive-Thru Sign.
(1) Location.
(a) Drive-thru signs are allowed for any drive-thru establishment.
(b) Drive-thru signs shall be located a minimum of 15 feet from any residential zoned lot line.
(2) Quantity. Two drive-thru signs are allowed per drive-thru lane.
(3) Size. Drive-thru signs shall not exceed 100 square feet in area and seven feet in height.
(4) Illumination.
(a) Internally illuminated drive-thru signs are allowed only in accordance with § 156.10.B.4 (Illumination).
(b) Drive-thru signs may include an electronic screen to display information to customers.
Figure 156.10.D-C. Drive-Thru Sign
d. Marquee Signs. Refer to Figure 156.10.D-D. Marquee Sign.
(1) Location.
(a) Marquee signs are allowed in the B-1, B-2, and VC Districts.
(b) A marquee sign may project from the front or corner side facade of the building to which it is attached, but shall not project within two feet of the curb of a street or driveway.
(c) A marquee sign must be located a minimum of one foot from the edges of the facade to which it is attached, except for marquee signs that wrap around a building corner.
(d) Marquee signs shall be located at least eight feet above grade.
(2) Quantity. One marquee sign is allowed per frontage containing primary tenant entrance.
(3) Size. Marquee signs shall not exceed eight feet in height, including any individual letters, logos, and/or representation mounted on top of the roof of the marquee.
(5) Illumination. Internally illuminated marquee signs are allowed in accordance with § 156.10.B.4 (Illumination).
(6) Display Standards. A marquee sign shall be supported solely by the building to which it is attached, and shall not be supported by ground-mounted columns or posts.
e. Monument Signs. Refer to Figure 156.10.D-E. Monument Sign.
(1) Location.
(a) Monument signs are allowed in the B-1, B-2, VC, I, and in all residential districts for residential development identification and non-residential uses.
(b) Monument signs shall be located a minimum of five feet from any front or corner side lot line, and ten feet from any interior side lot line.
(2) Quantity.
(a) For lots with less than 300 feet of lot width, one monument sign is allowed per street frontage.
(b) For lots with 300 feet or more of lot width, two monument signs are allowed per street frontage. A minimum distance of 100 feet is required between any monument signs on a lot.
(3) Size.
(a) In the B-1 and VC Districts, as well as in residential districts when allowed by this Section, monument signs shall not exceed 40 square feet in area per sign and six feet in height.
(b) In the B-2 and I Districts, monument signs shall not exceed 75 square feet in area per sign and 20 feet in height.
(5) Illumination. Internally and externally illuminated monument signs are allowed only in accordance with § 156.10.B.4 (Illumination).
(6) Landscape. All monument signs shall provide landscape around its base. Landscape must extend a minimum of two feet from the sign base on all sides around the perimeter of the sign base. The remainder of the required landscape area must be planted with trees, perennials, or other live groundcover.
f. Projecting Signs. Refer to Figure 156.10.D-F. Projecting Sign.
(1) Location.
(a) Projecting signs are allowed in the B-1, B-2, VC, and I Districts.
(b) Projecting signs shall be located at least seven feet above grade.
(c) A projecting sign shall not project more than six feet from the face of the building to which it is attached, including the area between the sign and the face of the building.
(d) A projecting sign and its structural supports shall not project above the roof of the building to which the sign is attached. All structural supports shall be attached to the facade of the building, and shall not be attached to the roof.
(e) A projecting sign shall not project within two feet of the curb of a street or driveway.
(2) Quantity. One projecting sign is allowed per street frontage per tenant located on the ground floor.
(3) Size. Projecting signs shall not exceed 24 square feet in area per sign and six feet in height.
(4) Illumination. Internally and externally illuminated projecting signs are allowed only in accordance with § 156.10.B.4 (Illumination).
g. Wall Signs. Refer to Figure 156.10.D-G. Wall Sign.
(1) Location.
(a) Wall signs are allowed in the B-1, B-2, VC, and I Districts, and in all residential districts for non-residential uses and multi-unit dwelling uses.
(b) Wall signs shall be installed on the building facade and shall not project more than one foot from the face of the building.
(c) Wall signs shall be located at a generally uniform height throughout multi-tenant commercial developments.
(d) A wall sign shall not project above the top of the wall to which it is attached.
(e) Painted wall signs displaying a business name, products, or services may be displayed on all building facades, if such signs are professionally painted.
(2) Quantity.
(a) One wall sign is allowed per street frontage per unit.
(b) One additional wall sign is allowed per unit on the side or rear facade of the building.
(3) Size.
(a) The total area of wall signs on the front or corner side facade shall not exceed one and one-half square feet of sign area per linear foot of the building facade to which the sign will be affixed, as measured along the front or corner side facade, or 40 square feet, whichever is greater.
(b) The total area of wall signs on the rear or interior side facade shall not exceed one square foot of sign area per linear foot of the building facade to which the sign will be affixed.
(c) The allowable wall sign area measured for any facade shall only be applicable for use on that facade, and is not transferable to other facades.
(4) Illumination. Internally and externally illuminated wall signs are allowed only in accordance with § 156.10.B.4 (Illumination).
h. Window Signs. Refer to Figure 156.10.D-H. Window Sign.
(1) Location. Window signs are allowed in the B-1, B-2, VC, and I Districts, and in all residential districts for non-residential uses and multi-unit dwelling uses.
(2) Size. Window signs shall not occupy more than 25% of the total ground floor window area on each building facade. Window signs located in stories above the ground floor shall not occupy more than 25% of the total window area of that story on each building facade.
(3) Illumination. Internally illuminated window signs, including neon signs that do not exceed six square feet in area per sign, are allowed only in accordance with § 156.10.B.4 (Illumination).
I. Electronic Message Signs. Refer to Figure 156.10.D-I. Electronic Message Sign.
(1) Location.
(a) Electronic message signs are allowed in the B-1, B-2, and I Districts.
(b) Electronic message signs shall be allowed as components of marquee or monument signs. An electronic message sign is subject to the regulations pertaining to the sign type upon which it is located.
(c) Electronic message signs shall not be located within one mile of the property line of a lot containing an electronic message sign, as measured by following the nearest roadway.
(2) Quantity. One electronic message sign is allowed per lot.
(3) Size. An electronic message sign shall not occupy more than 50% of the total sign area of the marquee or monument sign on which it is displayed.
(4) Illumination.
(a) Internally illuminated electronic message signs are allowed only in accordance with § 156.10.B.4 (Illumination).
(b) Electronic message signs are allowed to change their message no more than once every ten seconds, and the transitions between messages shall be instantaneous.
(c) Electronic message signs shall display static messages that do not contain a light source that flashes, blinks, strobes, travels, chases, rotates, or changes in intensity, brightness, or color.
(d) Electronic message signs shall be designed to default to a static display in the event of mechanical failure.
(5) Special Use Permit. Electronic message signs shall require a special use permit, per § 156.03.C.3 (Special Use Permit).
j. Manually Changeable Copy Signs. Refer to Figure 156.10.D-J. Manually Changeable Copy Sign.
(1) Location.
(a) Manually changeable copy signs are allowed in the B-1, B-2, VC, and I Districts, and in all residential districts for non-residential uses.
(b) Manually changeable copy signs shall be allowed as components of marquee, monument, pole, or wall signs. A manually changeable copy sign is subject to the regulations pertaining to the sign type upon which it is located.
(2) Quantity. One manually changeable copy sign or electronic message sign is allowed per lot.
(3) Size. A manually changeable copy sign shall not occupy more than 80% of the total sign area of the marquee, monument, pole, or wall sign on which it is displayed.
(4) Illumination. Internally illuminated manually changeable copy signs are allowed only in accordance with § 156.10.B.4 (Illumination).
