All outdoor advertising signs within the Village shall conform to the following general standards.
(a) Maintenance. The owner of an outdoor advertising sign shall be liable to maintain such sign, including its illumination sources, in compliance with this chapter and all other applicable laws, in a safe and secure condition, in a neat and orderly condition, in good working order at all times, and in a manner which prevents the development of any rust, corrosion, rotting, or other deterioration in the physical appearance, safety, or security of such sign.
(b) Identification. All signs shall be plainly marked with the name of the person, firm or corporation hanging or erecting the sign.
(c) Illumination. Whenever an external artificial light source is used to illuminate a sign, such source shall be designed, located, shielded and erected so as not to be directly visible from any public street or residence. If ground lighting is used to illuminate a sign, the receptacle or device should not protrude more than 12 inches above the grade and must be fully screened from view by landscaping material. In no event shall illumination of any off-site advertising sign exceed 70 foot candles at the sign face. No flashing, moving, laser generated, strobe, blinking, or intermittent lights shall be permitted on or as part of any sign. Lighting shall not be used in any way in connection with any outdoor advertising sign unless it is so effectively shielded as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directly cast on any portion of the street or highway, or is of such low intensity as to not cause glare or to impair the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle or to otherwise interfere with any driver's operation of a motor vehicle.
(d) Obstruction of Accessways. No sign or sign structure shall obstruct egress to or ingress to or egress from a fire escape, door, window or other required accessway.
(e) Traffic Safety. No sign shall be maintained at any location where by reason of its position, size, shape, content, color, or illumination it may obstruct, impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be confused with, any traffic control sign, signal or device.
(f) Signs in Rights-Of-Way. Except as otherwise authorized by the Village Zoning Inspector, no sign except government signs authorized by this Chapter shall be placed in or extend into or over any public property right-of-way.
(Ord. 31-2000. Passed 8-3-00.)