A. Standards Of Construction:
1. Building Codes: All signs erected in the city shall comply with all applicable standards.
2. Licensed Contractor Required: No sign requiring a permit shall be erected, installed, or modified in the city except by a licensed and bonded sign contractor. Electrical wiring or connections for such sign, fixture, or device must be installed or connected by a licensed and bonded electrical contractor.
3. Engineering Required: Where required by the city, all sign permit applications shall be accompanied by a drawing stamped by an appropriate engineer, licensed by the state of Utah, attesting to the adequacy of the proposed construction of the sign and its supports and demonstrating conformance with the applicable provisions of the international building code. Standard engineering may be submitted to the city for approval and filed for use with multiple applications by authorized companies. Thereafter, permits may be obtained which utilize such engineering without refiling detailed structural plans. The city may require sign specific engineering regardless of standard details on file with the city.
4. Durability: All permanent signs must be built of durable and permanent exterior grade materials.
5. Power Source: Permanent power sources for signs must be concealed underground away from public view or within the structure of the sign or building to which the sign is attached and comply with all provisions of all applicable standards.
6. Foundations: All ground signs must be mounted on foundations and footings which conform to all applicable standards.
B. Sign Company Tag: All permanent signs must have a sign builder's identification tag or signature. The tag or signature must be made of durable weatherproof material and must be affixed to the sign so as to be visible from the sidewalk or nearest convenient location by city inspectors.
C. Location And Setback Requirements: The following shall apply:
1. General Location: No part of any sign shall interfere with the use of any fire escape, exit, required stairway, door ventilator, or window.
2. Traffic Safety:
a. Visibility Triangle: No sign more than thirty inches (30") in height (above the top back of curb) shall be erected near any driveway or intersection for vehicular traffic within a triangular area formed by the intersection of straight lines extended from the back of curb (or a future curb) and a line connecting them at points sixty feet (60') from the intersection of the lines. (See figure 2 of this section.) Deviations from these requirements must be reviewed and approved by the city engineer.
FIGURE 2
b. Copy Standards: No sign or other advertising structure shall be erected which in any manner may be confused with an official traffic sign or signal, or which bears words normally used in such signs (e.g., stop, go slow, caution, danger, warning, etc.). No sign or advertising structure shall be erected which by reason of its size, location, shape, content, coloring, or manner of illumination might be confused as a traffic control device. No sign shall have lighting which impairs the vision of anyone traveling upon a public street or distracts any driver so as to create a public nuisance. Signs shall not extend over any pedestrian or vehicular access area unless specifically approved by the city engineer.
3. Public Rights Of Way: No sign shall be located on public property or inside street rights of way except signs owned and erected by permission of an authorized public agency or specifically authorized herein.
4. Vertical Setback: In addition to the height restrictions contained herein, no sign shall be erected or maintained which has less horizontal or vertical clearance from communication lines and energized electrical power lines than that prescribed by the laws of the state of Utah, its agencies, or appropriate utility company.
5. Additional Setbacks: All permanent signs must be located at least two feet (2') from a required parking stall or parking area.
D. Landscaping: All permanent pylon or monument signs must be incorporated into a landscape design or planter box. The landscaped area in which any sign is placed shall be kept free from weeds, garbage, and debris. Removal of required landscaping to facilitate sign placement must be in compliance with commercial landscape standards in this title.
E. Lighting: Signs shall be carefully oriented so that light emitted from a sign or group of signs is not a traffic hazard, obtrusive, or a nuisance to adjacent properties, particularly residential. Signs with exterior illumination must have luminary devices shielded and screened from public view and directed to avoid light spill from the affected sign(s).
F. Electronic Message Center Signs: Persons installing or manufacturing a sign which has an LED or electronic message center must demonstrate that the brightness of such sign will not exceed one foot-candle along the property line as measured six feet (6') above curb grade. Such signs must also be equipped with a dimmer switch to change the intensity of light emitted from the sign to meet the one foot-candle brightness if needed after installation.
G. Amount Of Motion Included On The EMC Sign: The inclusion of text or video that flash, appears to flash or strobe is prohibited. An image shall not change more frequently than once every eight (8) seconds. In order to better regulate changing images a fade in and fade out transition must be used. The fade in and fade out prevents a dark image transitioning abruptly to a light image and vice versa, thus creating a flash or strobelike effect.
H. Conversion Of Existing Static Sign To EMC: If an applicant desires to convert an existing static sign (i.e., cabinet, monument, or pole sign) to an EMC a conditional use permit shall be required. A building permit for the conversion, regardless of size, shall also be required. The amount of space used for the EMC is limited to sixty five percent (65%) of the total sign area.
I. Maintenance: All signs shall be maintained in a safe, presentable, and good condition including the replacement of defective parts, cleaning, painting, oiling, changing of light bulbs, or other acts required for the maintenance of said sign. Maintenance shall also include the restoration or repair of any exterior wall penetrations, discolorations, or other damages caused by the installation, removal, or placement of signs on a building. (Ord. 15-13, 11-18-2015)