For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED SIGN. Any sign and/or its supporting sign structure which remains without a message or whose display surface remains blank for a period of one year or more, or any sign which pertains to a time, event, or purpose which no longer applies, shall be deemed to have been abandoned. Signs applicable to a business temporarily suspended because of a change in ownership or management of such business shall not be deemed abandoned unless the property remains vacant for a period of one year or more. Any sign remaining after demolition of a principal structure shall be deemed to be abandoned. Signs which are present because of being legally established nonconforming signs or signs which have required a conditional use permit or a variance shall also be subject to the definition of ABANDONED SIGN.
ANIMATED SIGN. A sign that features moving parts, motion, action, or electronically controlled changeable message, either illuminated or not illuminated.
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 roof of a structure primarily over a window, walk, or the like. Any part of an awning which also projects over a door shall be counted as an AWNING.
AWNING SIGN. A building sign or graphic printed on or in some fashion attached directly to the awning material.
BALLOON SIGN. A sign consisting of a bag made of lightweight material supported by helium, hot, or pressurized air which is greater than 24 inches in diameter.
BILLBOARD. A sign which directs attention to a business, community service, or entertainment not exclusively related to the premises where such sign is located. See definition of OFF-PREMISES MESSAGES.
BUILDING. Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
BUILDING SIGN. Any sign attached or supported by any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy of off-premises advertising.
BUSINESS FRONTAGE. The linear frontage of that portion of a building facing the right-of-way and occupied by one separate business.
CABINET SIGN. Any box style or enclosed wall sign that is not of channel or individually mounted letter construction.
CANOPY. A permanent roof structure attached to and supported by the building.
CANOPY SIGN. Any sign that is part of or attached to a canopy.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN. A sign, or a portion thereof, with characters, letters, or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or the surface of the sign. CHANGEABLE COPY SIGNS do not include non-electric copy, or signs upon which characters, letters, or illustrations change or rearrange only once in a 24-hour period.
COMMERCIAL SPEECH. Speech advertising a business, profession, commodity, service, or entertainment.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN. An on-premises sign designed to guide or direct pedestrian or vehicular traffic and a surface area not greater than five square feet.
DYNAMIC DISPLAY SIGNS. A sign that appears to have movement or that appears to change, caused by any method other than physically removing and replacing the sign or its components. This includes any display that incorporates a method or technology that allows the image on the sign face to change without physically or mechanically replacing the sign face or its components. This also includes signs containing parts that rotate, revolve, move, flash, blink, utilize light emitting diodes (LED) or liquid crystal display (LCD) lights to simulate motion or video, or which allow changeable copy at regular or irregular intervals, digital ink, or any other technology that allows the sign to display a series of images or displays.
ELECTRIC SIGN. Any sign containing electric wiring but not including signs illuminated by an exterior light source.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE SIGN. Any sign that displays a message electronically through the use of pixel-based technology, such as, but not limited to, light emitting diodes (LEDs), liquid crystal, and the like.
ELEVATION. The view of the side, front, or rear of a given structure(s).
ELEVATION AREA. The area of all walls that face any lot line.
FLAG. Any fabric or similar lightweight material attached at one end of the material, usually 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.
FLASHING SIGN. A directly or indirectly illuminated sign which exhibits changing light or color effect by any means, so as to provide intermittent illumination which includes the illusion of intermittent flashing light by means of animation. Also any mode of lighting which resembles zooming, twinkling, or sparkling.
FREE-STANDING SIGN. Any sign which has supporting framework that is placed on, or anchored in, the ground and which is independent from any building or other structure.
FRONTAGE. The line of contact of a property with the public right-of-way.
GRADE. The final ground elevation after construction. Earth mounding or berming criteria for landscaping and screening are not part of the final grade for sign height computation.
GROUND SIGN. Any free-standing sign with its sign face mounted on the ground or mounted on a base at least as wide as the sign, that has no visibility between the bottom of the sign and the base on which it is attached, and which has a total height not exceeding eight feet, with landscaping to enhance the appearance of the signage.
HEIGHT OF SIGN. 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.
IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign which is a non-commercial sign but is limited to the name, address, and number of a building, institution, or person and to the activity carried on in the building or institution, or the occupation of the person.
ILLUMINATED SIGN. A sign designed to give forth any artificial or reflected light, either directly from a source connected with the sign or indirectly from an artificial source, so shielded that no direct illumination from it is visible except on the sign and in its immediate proximity.
INTERIOR SIGN. A sign which is located within the interior of any building, or within an enclosed lobby or court of any building.
ISSUING AUTHORITY. The City Manager or designee.
LEGALLY ESTABLISHED NONCONFORMING SIGN. Any sign and its support structure lawfully erected prior to the effective date of this chapter which fails to conform to the requirements of this chapter. A sign which was erected in accordance with a variance granted prior to the adoption of this chapter and which does not comply with this chapter shall be deemed to be a LEGAL NONCONFORMING SIGN. A sign which was unlawfully erected shall be deemed to be an illegal sign.
MAJOR ANCHOR. A single tenant in a shopping center that is at least 20% of the total square footage and in excess of 50,000 square feet.
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.
MARQUEE SIGN. Any building sign painted, mounted, constructed, or attached in any manner, on a marquee or made part of a marquee.
MONUMENT SIGN. Any free-standing 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 height exceeding eight feet.
MOTION SIGN. Any sign which revolves or rotates, has moving parts, has changing messages, or displays a shimmering effect. Included in this category are searchlights used for advertisement.
MULTIPLE TENANT SITE. Any site which has more than one tenant, and each tenant has a separate ground level exterior public entrance.
NON-COMMERCIAL SPEECH. Dissemination of messages not classified as commercial speech which include, but are not limited to, messages concerning political, religious, social, ideological, public service, and informational topics.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN. A commercial speech sign which directs the attention of the public to a business, activity conducted, or product sold or offered at a location not on the same premises where such business sign is located. For purposes of this chapter, easements and other appurtenances shall be considered to be outside such platted parcel of land and any sign located or proposed to be located in an easement or other appurtenance shall be considered an OFF-PREMISES SIGN.
ON-PREMISES MESSAGES. Identify or advertise an establishment, person, activity, goods, products, or services located on the premises where the sign is installed.
PARAPET (WALL). That portion of building wall that rises above the roof level.
PEDESTAL. A foundation or base of a ground or monument sign which either directly supports the signage or completely screens the supporting members of the sign.
PERSON. An individual, firm, association, organization, partnership, trust, or corporation.
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 a sign.
PRINCIPAL BUILDING. The building in which the principal primary use of the lot is conducted. Lots with multiple principal uses may have multiple principal buildings, but storage buildings, garages, and other clearly accessory uses shall not be considered PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS.
PROFESSIONAL BUILDING. Any multi-story building of 50,000 square feet or more occupied by professional, service-oriented businesses, such as legal, clinical, or healthcare-related retail or service establishments with parking provided on the tract of land for use in common by patrons and occupants.
PROJECTING SIGN. Any sign which is affixed to a building or wall in such a manner that its leading edge extends more than 15 inches beyond the surface of such building or wall face.
PROPERTY OWNER. Legal owner of property as officially recorded by Hennepin or Ramsey County.
PUBLIC 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.
PUBLIC STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY. The planned right-of-way for a public street.
PYLON SIGN. Any free-standing sign which has its supportive structure(s) anchored in the ground, independent of any structure or object, and which has a sign face elevated above ground level by pole(s) or beam(s) and with the area below the sign face open.
READERBOARD SIGN. Any sign having a message not permanently affixed to the sign face, and the copy is manually changed.
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. Any district zoned for residential purposes.
ROOF. The exterior surface and its supporting structure on the top of a building or structure. The structural make-up of which conforms to the roof structures, roof construction, and roof covering sections of the State Building Code.
ROOF LINE. The upper-most edge of the roof or, in the case of an extended facade or parapet, the upper-most height of said facade or parapet.
ROOF SIGN. A sign erected upon the roof or parapet of a building, the entire face of which is situated above the roof level of the building to which it is attached, and which is wholly or partially supported by the building.
ROTATING SIGN. A sign or portion of a sign which turns about on an axis.
SETBACK, FRONT. The minimum horizontal distance permitted between the public right-of-way and a structure on the premises. In instances in which a property fronts on more than one street, FRONT SETBACKS are required on all street frontages.
SETBACK, REAR. The minimum horizontal distance permitted between the property line opposite the principal street frontage and a structure on the premises.
SETBACK, SIDE. The minimum horizontal distance permitted between the side lot line and a structure on the premises.
SHIMMERING SIGNS. A sign which reflects an oscillating and/or sometimes distorted visual image.
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.
SIGN STRUCTURE. Any structure including the pedestal, base, supports, uprights, bracing, and framework which supports or is capable of supporting any sign.
SIGN SURFACE AREA. The area in square feet of the sign including both sides upon, against, or through which the message of the sign is exhibited.
SITE. A plot or parcel of land, or combination of contiguous lots or parcels of land, which are intended, designated, and/or approved to function as an integrated unit.
STREET. A public highway, road, alley, or thoroughfare.
STRINGER. A line of string, rope, cording, or an equivalent to which is attached a number of pennants.
STRIP MALL. Any group of four or more occupant retail or service establishments on one or more contiguous tracts of land in single ownership, compromising 7,500 to 75,000 square feet of floor area with parking provided on the tract or tracts of land for use in common by patrons.
SUSPENDED SIGN. Any building sign that is suspended from the underside of a horizontal plane surface and is connected to this surface.
TEMPORARY SIGN. Any sign, banner, pennant, valance, or advertising display constructed with light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed for a limited time only. TEMPORARY SIGNS include, but are not limited to: A-, H-, or T-frame signs, curb, sidewalk, sandwich signs, flags, banners, and balloons.
TOTAL SITE SIGNAGE. The maximum permitted combined area of all free-standing and wall identification signs allowed on a specific property.
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. A flat sign which does not extend more than 18 inches from the face or wall of the building upon which it is affixed, painted, or attached, running parallel for its whole length to the face or wall of the building, and which does not extend beyond the horizontal width of such building.
WINDOW SIGN. Any sign, pictures, symbol, or combination thereof, designed to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity, event, sale, or service, that is placed inside a window or upon the window panes or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window.
(Prior Code, § 155.03) (Ord. 08-002, passed 4-22-2008; Ord. 2014-07, passed 12-9-2014; Ord. 2019-08, passed 9-18-2019; Ord. 2023-01, passed 7-11-2023)