The purposes of these regulations are to encourage the effective use of signs; to protect and enhance the aesthetic environment; to create an environment that promotes economic development; and to protect and improve pedestrian and traffic safety.
1. Applicability; Effect. Any signs maintained, created, painted, or erected in the County shall be done in conformance with the standards, procedures, exemptions, and other requirements of these regulations.
2. Permitted Signage and Dimensional Requirements.
A. Computation of sign area shall include the combination of the writing, emblem, illustrations or other display, together with any background material or color forming an integral part of the display, but not including the supporting framework. On a multi-faced sign the area is computed from only one face so long as the distance between the two sign faces does not exceed three feet at any one location.
B. Computation of height shall be measured from average ground level, exclusive of any filling, berming, mounding, or excavating solely for the purpose of locating the sign, to the highest point of the sign or support structure, whichever is tallest.
C. Any building sign extending more than six inches from the wall to which it is attached shall allow a minimum of 12 feet of clearance from the average ground level, as measured in paragraph B of this subsection.
3. Limitations. The general sign types "external" and "internal" are allowed in each base zone district, subject to the following limitations:
A. A-1, Agricultural; A-2, Agribusiness.
(1) Total cumulative sign area of all external signs on a lot, parcel or tract, with the exception of building signs, shall not exceed 32 square feet.
(2) External signs, with the exception of building signs, shall not exceed 20 feet in height.
(3) There is no cumulative maximum area for internal signs.
(4) External or internal signs shall not be illuminated.
(5) Portable signs are not permitted.
B. GBC, Greenbelt-Conservation.
(1) Total cumulative area of all external signs on a lot, parcel, or tract shall not exceed 24 square feet.
(2) External signs shall not exceed 10 feet in height.
(3) There is no cumulative maximum area for internal signs.
(4) External or internal signs shall not be illuminated.
(5) Portable signs are not permitted.
C. AR, Agricultural-Residential; R-1, Transitional Residential; R-2, Urban Residential; RMH,-Residential Manufactured Housing.
(1) Total cumulative area of all external signs on a lot, parcel or tract shall not exceed 12 square feet; however, a permanent external sign marking an entry to a subdivision shall not exceed 40 square feet.
(2) External signs shall not exceed 10 feet in height.
(3) There is no cumulative maximum area for internal signs.
(4) External or internal signs shall not be illuminated.
(5) Portable signs are not permitted.
D. C-LI, Commercial/Light Industrial; HI, Heavy Industrial.
(1) Total cumulative area of all external signs on a lot, parcel, or tract, with the exception of building signs, shall not exceed 300 square feet.
(2) External signs, with the exception of building signs, shall not exceed 30 feet in height.
(3) There is no cumulative maximum area for internal signs.
(4) External and internal signs may be illuminated; however, all illuminated signs shall comply with the following provisions:
a. Illuminated signs shall be either internally illuminated or externally illuminated by shielded light fixtures so that no direct light or significant glare shall be cast into a residential use or district. Any outdoor light fixture illuminating a sign shall be designed and constructed as a fully shielded light, as defined in Section 85.08, Definitions, to ensure that no light rays are emitted by the installed fixture at angles above the horizontal plane.
b. All light fixtures used to illuminate an external sign shall be mounted on the top of the sign structure and directed downward to minimize light pollution.
c. Signs shall not have blinking, flashing, or fluttering lights, beacons, or other illuminating devices that have a changing light intensity, brightness, or color.
d. For any internally illuminated sign, dark backgrounds with light lettering or symbols are preferred to minimize detrimental effects.
e. Internally illuminated signs may be illuminated from 5:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m., or one (1) hour past the close of business or the facility, whichever is later.
4. Application for Sign Permit Requirements.
A. An application for a sign permit shall follow requirements set forth in Section 92.10, Required Permits. Any sign erected, modified, or placed on a lot or building shall require an application for a sign permit. The owner of such sign shall secure a sign permit prior to the sign being erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved, enlarged, altered, or illuminated.
B. Any sign shall not be erected in the public right-of-way unless done so by a licensed government agency, nor shall signs encroach on the right-of-way.
C. A sign permit shall be not issued for an existing or proposed sign unless such sign is in conformity with these regulations and an approved signage plan, if required.
(1) Iowa Department of Transportation approval (if applicable) is required before action on an Application for a Sign Permit.
5. Exceptions.
A. When in conformance with all other provisions of this section, the following signs are allowed without a sign permit:
(1) Internal signs that are not illuminated.
(2) External signs that are not illuminated, are no more than six square feet in area, and no more than four feet in height, provided that such signs shall be calculated in the cumulative total sign area for the property and shall not cause the maximum cumulative total area to be exceeded.
(3) Temporary signs, which are not permanently attached to either a structure or the ground and are not erected for more than 90 days.
a. For a lot, parcel, or tract located in the AR, R-1, R-2 and RMH districts, a temporary sign or signs up to 32 cumulative square feet in size, provided that the signs are permitted by the property owner(s) or current resident(s) and removed within the 90-day time limit.
B. When in conformance with all other provisions of this section, the following signs are not computed in the total cumulative sign area:
(1) Internal signs that are not illuminated.
(2) Building signs in the A-1, A-2, C-LI, and HI Districts, provided the signs occupy no more the 25 percent of the area of the wall to which the signs are attached.
(3) Temporary signs, which are not permanently attached to either a structure or the ground and are not erected for more than 90 days.
a. For a lot, parcel, or tract located in the AR, R-1, R-2 and RMH districts, a temporary sign or signs up to 32 cumulative square feet in size, provided that the signs are permitted by the property owner(s) or current resident(s) and removed within the 90-day time limit.
C. When in conformance with all other provisions of this section, the following exceptional height limitations shall apply.
(1) The maximum height for building signs is equivalent to the height of the roof line of the building to which they are attached.
D. When a lot, parcel, or tract is over 30 acres (net) in size, a 25 percent bonus to the total cumulative area of all external signs shall be allowed, provided that:
(1) No single sign shall be larger than the maximum square footage allowed without the bonus.
(2) A minimum of 300 feet of separation shall occur between any two signs erected with the signage bonus.
E. Signs that have previously received a sign permit are permitted to change the information on the face(s) of an existing sign or the sign face itself provided that the area, height, lighting, or other aspects of the sign regulated by this chapter do not change.
6. Miscellaneous Restrictions.
A. Inflatable signs, tethered balloons, pennants, and strings of lights not permanently attached to a rigid background are all prohibited.
B. All signs and support structures shall be properly maintained in good structural condition at all times.
C. No sign shall be erected which by way of its size, shape, placement, content, or illumination:
(1) Obscures, or physically interferes with an official traffic sign, signal or device.
(2) Impairs the vision of drivers in a manner that can be constituted as a traffic hazard, or that otherwise interferes with the safe movement of traffic.
(3) Imitates or resembles an official sign, signal, or device, or is otherwise confusing or misleading to the public.
D. Signs shall be located in accordance with the vision clearance provisions of Chapter 88.06.
E. With the exception of vehicles used for emergency and road construction/maintenance purposes, no illuminated sign shall be constructed upon or affixed to a mobile or portable device.
F. No sign shall be affixed to or painted on trees or other natural features.
7. Nonconforming Signs.
A. Signs that do not conform to these regulations shall not be altered or enlarged in any way to aggravate the nonconforming condition. A sign shall not be moved or replaced unless to bring the sign into conformity.
B. If the nonconforming sign is destroyed by natural causes and is replaced, it shall be within the stipulations of these regulations. The message of the nonconforming sign may be changed but new nonconformities shall not be created.
8. Enforcement. Any violation or attempted violation of these regulations may be restrained or corrected by an injunction or other proceedings in compliance with State law. Any violation of these regulations is a violation of the Ordinance and enforcement to abate the violation will follow requirements as outlined in 92.11, Enforcement.
(Chapter 89 - Ord. 296 - Sep. 22 Supp.)