(A) Prohibited street graphics. The following street graphics are strictly prohibited within the corporate limits of the city:
(1) Signs attached to trees or public utility poles, other than warning signs issued by public utilities, or except with written consent of the affected public utility; and
(2) Defunct signs, including the posts or other supports therefor, that advertise or identify an activity, business, product or service no longer conducted on the premises where the sign is located, or which describes another location. However, nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an extension of time as granted by the Code Enforcement Officer as requested by owners in consideration of location or establishment of new business.
(B) Permitted street graphics. Every sign or other street graphic enumerated in this division (B) that complies with the indicated requirements may be erected in any zoning district of this city without a permit. The area of these signs or street graphics shall not be debited against the displaying establishment’s sign area allowance:
(1) Construction signs identifying the architects, engineers, contractors and other individuals or firms involved with the construction, and/or announcing the character or purpose of the building, but not advertising any product. The signs shall not exceed 32 square feet in area, shall be confined to the site of the construction and shall be removed after the construction has been completed;
(2) Directional and informational signs erected for the convenience of the public, such as signs identifying entrances, exits, parking areas, no-parking areas, restrooms, public telephones, walkways and similar features or facilities. The signs shall not exceed three square feet in area;
(3) Flags of any country, state or unit of local government;
(4) Garage sale/auction signs advertising a garage or yard sale or public auction. The signs shall not exceed four square feet in area and shall not be posted for longer than five days;
(5) Governmental or public signs such as traffic-control signs, city welcome signs, civic organizational signs, railroad crossing signs, legal notices, signs indicating the location of underground cables and the like;
(6) Holiday decorations such as Christmas lights and ornaments; provided that, such decorations must be removed within a reasonable time after the holiday;
(7) Home occupation signs identifying only the name and occupation of the resident. Home occupation signs shall be non-illuminated and shall not exceed four square feet in area;
(8) House numbers and/or name of occupant signs located on the lot to which the sign pertains. The signs shall not exceed three square feet in area for single-family dwellings, nor six square feet for multiple-family dwellings;
(9) Institutional signs for a public, charitable or religious institution. The signs shall be located on the premises of the institution, shall not obstruct the vision of motorists and shall not exceed 60 square feet in sign area;
(10) Integral signs carved into stone or inlaid so as to become part of the building, and containing the information as date or erection, name of buildings and memorial tributes;
(11) Interior signs located in the interior of any building or within an enclosed lobby or court of any building or group of buildings; provided, the signs are not visible from the exterior of the buildings;
(12) Political campaign signs announcing candidates seeking public office and/or political issues and other pertinent information. The signs shall be confined to private property. In the agricultural district and in any residential district, political campaign signs shall not exceed 16 square feet in area; in other districts, the signs shall not exceed 32 square feet. Political campaign signs shall be removed within seven days after the election to which they pertain;
(13) Property regulation signs such as no trespassing, no hunting, no fishing and the like. The signs shall not exceed three square feet in area;
(14) Public interest signs publicizing a charitable or non-profit event of general public interest. The signs shall be erected only on private property. In the agricultural district and in any residential district, the signs shall not exceed 16 square feet in area; elsewhere, the signs shall not exceed 32 square feet. Public interest signs shall be permitted only for 14 days before and seven days after the event;
(15) Real estate signs indicating the sale, rental or lease of the premises on which they are located. The signs on residential property shall not exceed six square feet in area; on other property the signs shall not exceed 16 square feet. Not more than one real estate sign per street front shall be erected on any lot. The signs shall be removed within 30 days after the sale, rental or lease;
(16) Residential development identification structures at major entrances designed to identify a residential subdivision, apartment complex or planned unit development; containing no commercial advertising; and not exceeding 40 square feet in area;
(17) Mobile/portable signs utilized for any purpose or street banners advertising a public entertainment or event. Street graphics may be placed only in locations approved by the Code Enforcement Officer during the period 21 days before the seven days after the event. If a mobile/portable sign is utilized for any purpose for more than 60 continuous days, the owner shall be required to conform to free-standing sign provisions and make such permanent pursuant to division (F)(4) below or remove the same;
(18) Utility company signs that serve as an aid to public safety or that show the location of public telephones, underground cables and the like;
(19) Murals or other non-commercial artistic public graphics;
(20) Commercial banners. Any banner placed on the property of an establishment located in a B-1 or B-2 District; provided that:
(a) Such shall not interrupt the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic;
(b) Such shall not be placed in the public right-of-way; and
(c) No establishment shall have more than two such commercial banners erected at any one time.
(21) All establishments located more than 250 feet from a designated state highway may, with the permission of the land owner, construct an off-premises sign directing the public to such establishment. Such off-premises signs placed in residential districts shall be limited to four square feet and such off-premises signs placed in all other districts shall not exceed 12 square feet in sign area. No business shall have more than two off-premises signs.
(C) Signs in agricultural district or residential district limited. No signs or other street graphics except those listed in division (B) above shall be erected in any agricultural district or in any residential district within the corporate limits of the city to § 155.152(C)(1) of this chapter.
(D) Signs in business, industrial districts limited. No establishment located in any business district or industrial district shall display a total area of signs in excess of its sign area allowance. Further, all signs in any business district or industrial district shall conform to the requirements indicated below.
(1) Flush-mounted signs. For aesthetic and safety reasons, flush-mounted signs are the preferred type of sign in the city. No flush-mounted sign shall:
(a) Project more than 18 inches from the wall or surface to which it is attached (if the wall/surface is not vertical, the projection shall be measured from the closest point of the wall/surface to the sign); or
(b) Extend more than three feet above the roof line of the building to which it is attached.
(2) Projecting signs. No establishment in any zoning district shall display more than one projecting sign on any street front. No projecting sign shall:
(a) Project more than four feet from the building to which it is attached;
(b) Extend more than three feet above the roof line of the building to which it is attached;
(c) Project over a street, alley or driveway, or closer than two feet to the curb or edge of the vehicular driveway;
(d) Extend below a point eight feet above the ground or pavement;
(e) Extend above a point 35 feet above the ground or pavement; or
(f) Exceed 32 square feet in area.
(3) Signs on awnings, canopies or marquees. Signs mounted flush against any awning, canopy or marquee shall be considered flush-mounted signs, and shall comply with the regulations of division (D)(1) above. Signs suspended beneath any awning, canopy or marquee shall be considered projecting signs, and shall comply with the regulations of division (D)(2) above.
(4) Window signs. Any establishment may display window signs. Permanent window signs shall be debited against the displaying establishment’s sign area allowance, but temporary window signs shall not.
(5) Shopping center identification signs. A shopping center, as an entity, may erect an identification sign in accordance with the provisions of this chapter if the total gross floor area of all the establishments located in the center exceeds 50,000 square feet. A shopping center identification sign shall not exceed 200 square feet in area.
(6) Free-standing signs. Not more than two free-standing signs shall be displayed on any street front of any lot. All free-standing signs shall comply with the following regulations.
(a) No part of any free-standing sign shall intrude into or project over any public right-of-way or otherwise obstruct view of traffic by motorists.
(b) No free-standing sign (including shopping center identification signs) shall exceed 200 square feet in area or 20 feet in any dimension.
(c) When attached to a post or other supports, the top edge of a free-standing sign shall not extend more than 35 feet above the ground or pavement.
(7) Roof-mounted signs. Roof-mounted signs are strictly prohibited everywhere in the corporate limits of the city, except in the industrial district. No roof-mounted sign shall extend more than 20 feet above the roof line of the building to which it is attached.
(8) Billboards. Billboards are strictly prohibited everywhere in the corporate limits of the city, except in the industrial district. No billboard erected in the industrial district shall:
(a) Be stacked on top of another billboard;
(b) Be located closer than 50 feet to any public right-of-way;
(c) Be located closer than 1,000 feet to any other billboard on the same side of the roadway;
(d) Extend more than 20 feet above the ground or pavement; or
(e) Exceed 300 square feet in area.
(1994 Code, § 155.131) (Ord. 429, passed 1-11-1993; Ord. 96-10, passed 7-8-1996; Ord. 05-06, passed 4-11-2005; Ord. 11-01, passed 7-11-2012)