For purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
A-FRAME SIGN. A moveable freestanding sign hinged at the top, or attached in a way that forms a shape similar to the letter "A" when viewed from the side.
ABANDONED SIGN. Any sign and/or its supporting sign structure that remains without a message, or whose display surface remains blank for more than 6 consecutive months, or that pertains to a time, event, or purpose that no longer applies. ABANDONED SIGNS are not legally established nonconforming signs.
ADDRESS SIGN. A sign communicating the street address and/or the name of the occupant of a property.
ALTERATION. Any major change to a sign excluding routine maintenance, painting, or changing of copy of an existing sign.
ANIMATED SIGN. A sign employing actual motion or the illusion of motion. ANIMATED SIGNS include signs or devices motivated by natural environmental input, signs powered by electric motors or other mechanically induced means, and signs producing the illusion of movement by means of electronic, electrical, or electromechanical input.
AWNING. A roof like cover, often of fabric, plastic, metal, or glass, designed and intended for protection from the weather or as a decorative embellishment, and which projects from a wall or a roof of a structure, primarily over a window, door, or the like.
AWNING SIGN. A sign displayed on or attached flat against the surface or surfaces of an AWNING. AWNING SIGNS must meet the same sign area standards as WALL and CANOPY SIGNS.
BACK LIT. Illuminated by a non-visible light source consisting of non-translucent lettering and where the only visible light is reflected off the background creating a halo effect. In all cases, the primary source of light must not be visible to the public.
BALLOON. A flexible, non-porous bag inflated with either air or helium that causes it to rise and float in the atmosphere which is greater than 24 inches in diameter.
BANNER. A temporary attention getting device which resembles a flag or similar type of advertisement constructed of a strip of cloth, paper, or other material supported either between poles or fastened to a building.
BEACON. Any light with 1 or more beams directed into the atmosphere or directed at 1 or more points not on the same lot as the light source; also, any light with 1 or more beams that rotate or move.
BENCH SIGN. A sign which is affixed or painted to a bench, such as a bus bench.
BILLBOARD. A freestanding sign adjacent to the right-of-way of an interstate.
BUILDING ELEVATION. The entire side of a building, from average ground level to the roofline, as viewed perpendicular to the walls on that side of the building.
BUILDING FACADE. That portion of any exterior elevation of a building extending from grade to the top of the parapet wall or eaves and the entire width of the building elevation.
BUILDING SIGN. Any sign attached or supported by any building, not parallel to the building wall to which it's attached.
CANOPY. A roof like structure projecting over a doorway or window, or a multi-sided overhead structure supported by columns, but not enclosed by walls.
CANOPY SIGN. Any sign that is part of or attached to a canopy, made of fabric, plastic, or structural protective cover over a door or entrance. A canopy sign is not a marquee and is different from a service area canopy sign.
CHANGEABLE MESSAGE SIGN. A sign with the capability of content change by means of manual or remote input, including signs that are manually or electrically activated without altering the face or the surface of the sign. Often known as READER BOARD SIGNS, DYNAMIC DISPLAY SIGNS, or electronic message boards.
COMMERCIAL SPEECH. Speech advertising a business, profession, commodity, service, or entertainment.
COPY. The wording and other display messages such as logos or symbols on a sign.
DECORATIVE DISPLAY/ELEMENT. Temporary balloons, streamers, pennants, and pinwheels which do not include words or symbols.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN. Any sign that is designed for the purpose of providing direction for pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
DRIVE-THRU SIGN. A sign located in close proximity to a drive-thru lane located on the subject site.
DYNAMIC DISPLAY SIGN. See CHANGEABLE MESSAGE SIGN.
EGRESS. Exiting a piece of property or building.
ELEVATION. The view of the side, front, or rear of a given structure(s).
ERECT. Activity of constructing, building, raising, assembling, placing, affixing, attaching, creating, painting, drawing, or any other way of bringing into being or establishing.
EXTERIOR SIGN. Any sign placed upon the exterior of a building.
EXTERNALLY ILLUMINATED. Characterized by the use of artificial light reflecting off its surface.
FACADE. The face of a building from the lowest exposed point to the roof.
FLAG. Any fabric or similar lightweight material attached at 1 edge or no more than 2 corners of the material, to a staff or pole, so as to allow movement of the material by atmospheric changes and which contains distinctive colors, patterns, symbols, emblems, insignia, or other symbolic devices or text. If any dimension of a flag is more than 3 times as long as any other dimension, it shall be regulated as a banner for the purposes of this subchapter.
FLASHING SIGN. See ANIMATED SIGN.
FREESTANDING SIGN. Any sign which has supporting framework that is placed on, or anchored in, the ground and which is independent from any building or any other structure.
FRONTAGE. The length of the exterior building wall or structure oriented toward the frontage road, or the dimension, in feet, of the parcel as measured along the street of the business mailing address.
GOVERNMENT SIGN. A sign erected by a government body.
GRADE. The final ground elevation after construction. Earth mounding for landscaping, berming, and/or screening is not part of the final grade for sign height computation.
HEIGHT. The height of the sign shall be computed as the vertical distance measured from the base of the sign at grade to the top of the highest attached component of the sign.
HEIGHT, MAXIMUM. The vertical distance measured from the average natural grade of the ground within 1 foot of the perimeter of the base of the sign or the center line of the adjacent road (whichever is higher), to the top of the sign.
ILLEGAL SIGN. A sign that is erected without first complying with all city ordinances and regulations in effect at the time of its construction and erection or use. Abandoned signs and unsafe signs are also illegal signs.
ILLUMINATED SIGN. Any sign that contains an element designated to emanate artificial light internally or externally.
INGRESS. Entering into a piece of property or building.
INTERIOR SIGN. Any sign placed within a building, but not including WINDOW SIGNS.
INTERNALLY ILLUMINATED SIGN. Illuminated by a light source, either incandescent, fluorescent, neon, or other light that is enclosed by the sign panel(s) or within the sign.
LEGALLY ESTABLISHED NONCONFORMING SIGN. Any sign and its support structure lawfully erected prior to the effective date of this subchapter which fails to conform to the requirements of this subchapter. A sign which was erected in accordance with a variance granted prior to the adoption of this subchapter and which does not comply with this subchapter shall be deemed to be a legal nonconforming sign. A sign which was unlawfully erected shall be deemed to be an ILLEGAL SIGN.
LOT. The entire parcel of land serving as the site of a principal use, and containing all principal and accessory buildings, structures or uses. For purposes of this subchapter, individual property designations such as tax parcel, platted lot, or metes and bounds descriptions shall not define the boundaries of each lot. If any portion of a use or structure used to identify the amount or type of regulation under this subchapter occupies a tax parcel, platted lot, or metes and bounds description, the entire tax parcel, platted lot, or metes and bounds described property shall be included in the LOT.
MARQUEE. Any permanent roof-like structure projecting beyond a building or extending along and projecting beyond the wall of that building, generally designed and constructed to provide protection from the weather.
MONUMENT SIGN. Any freestanding sign with its sign face mounted on the ground or mounted on a base at least as wide as the sign and which has a maximum height of 10 feet. The base of a monument shall not be calculated as part of the total sign area if designed and constructed of materials complementary and consistent with the building architecture.
OBSOLETE SIGN. On-premise sign that no longer advertises or identifies a use conducted on the property on which the sign is erected.
OFFICIAL NOTICES. Official notices posted by public officers, employees, or their agents in the performance of their duties, or as directed by such officers, employees, or agents.
OWNER. In the case of a lot, the legal owner of the lot as officially recorded by Chisago County, and including fee owners, contract for deed purchasers, and ground lessees. In the case of a sign, the owner of the sign including any lessees. An owner of a lot shall be ultimately responsible for compliance with this subchapter for any signs erected on its property.
PARAPET. That portion of a building wall that rises above the roof level.
PENNANT. See BANNER.
PERMANENT SIGN. Any sign that is not temporary.
POLE SIGN. See PYLON SIGN.
PORTABLE SIGN. Any sign which is manifestly designed to be transported, including by trailer or on its own wheels, even though the wheels of such sign may be removed and the remaining chassis or support is converted to another sign or attached temporarily or permanently to the ground since this characteristic is based on the design of such sign.
PRINCIPAL BUILDING. The building in which the principal use of the property occurs. Buildings with multiple principal uses shall not constitute multiple principal buildings (for example, 3 separate uses in a building is equal to 1 building). Storage buildings, garages, and other clearly accessory buildings shall not be considered principal buildings.
PROPERTY. Any lot or parcel of land which has been legally created and has been assigned a separate parcel identification number.
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY. The entire right-of-way of any public roadway and/or sidewalk. Also includes any publicly owned or operated property.
READER BOARD SIGN. See CHANGEABLE MESSAGE SIGN.
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. Any district zoned for residential uses.
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. A piece of land or real estate, consisting of 1 or more lots or parcels, where a residential dwelling and its associated accessory buildings or structures are located.
ROADWAY. Any street, road, highway, cartway, or alley, whether publicly or privately maintained. Roadway does not include driveways or parking lots.
ROOF. The exterior surface and its supporting structure on the top of a building or structure, the structural makeup of which conforms to the roof structures, roof construction, and roof covering sections of the Uniform Building Code.
ROOF LINE. The top edge of a peaked roof, or, in the case of an extended facade or parapet, the uppermost point of the facade or parapet.
ROOF SIGN. Any sign erected and constructed wholly on and above the roof of a building, supported by the roof structure, and extending vertically above the highest portion of the roof.
SECURITY SIGN. A sign identifying the presence of a security system.
SIDEWALK. Any public or quasi-public pedestrian walkway.
SIGN. Any letter, word or symbol, poster, picture, statuary, reading matter, or representation in the nature of advertisement, announcement, message, or visual communication, whether painted, posted, printed, affixed, or constructed, including all associated brackets, braces, supports, wires, and structures, which is displayed for informational or communicative purposes and intended to be viewed by the public.
SIGN AREA. The area of the board(s) or module(s) containing the sign message, but not including the supporting structure. The area to be calculated is the area within the smallest rectilinear perimeter that contains the entire signboard or module. The area of a sphere shall be computed as the area of a circle.
SIGN FACE. The surface of sign upon, against, or through which the message of the sign is exhibited.
SIGN STRUCTURE. Any structure including the supports, uprights, bracing, and framework which supports or is capable of supporting any sign.
SITE. A lot or combination of contiguous lots which are intended, designated, and/or approved to function as 1 integrated unit.
STREET FRONTAGE. The proximity of a parcel of land to 1 or more streets. An interior lot has 1 street frontage, and a corner lot has 2 frontages.
TEMPORARY SIGN. Any sign with words or symbols which is erected or displayed for a limited period of time, including signs affixed or attached to vehicles, including trailers, and capable of being readily removed such as fliers, BANNERS, inflatable signs, A-FRAME SIGNS, or flying signs.
TENANT SPACE. A tenant space is considered to be a business area that has its own exclusive interior or exterior entrance within a multiple-occupancy development.
TOTAL SITE SIGNAGE. The maximum permitted combined area of all freestanding and wall identification signs allowed on a specific property.
UNSAFE SIGN. Any sign that is out of order, in disrepair, rotten, hazardous, or in any other manner unsafe.
VISIBLE. Capable of being seen by a person of normal visual acuity (whether legible or not) without visual aid.
WALL. Any structure which defines the exterior boundaries or courts of a building or structure and which has a slope of 60 degrees or greater with the horizontal plane.
WALL SIGN. Any building sign attached parallel to, but within 2 feet of a wall, painted on the wall surface of, or erected and confined within the limits of an outside wall of any building or structure, which is supported by such wall or building, and which displays only 1 sign surface.
WINDOW. A panel of glass installed into an opening in a wall or roof; 1 opening equals 1 window even if it appears to be multiple windows by framing separators.
WINDOW SIGN. A sign affixed to, or inside of, a window in view of the general public. This does not include merchandise on display or business hours.
(Ord. 2018-10-3, passed 10-9-2018)