The following standards apply to signs on lots zoned OS, GB, HB, LI, LD, or GI.
(1) General Standards
Signs may bear any message that is not a commercial message or any commercial message related to activities, products or services that are offered on the same lot.
(2) Wall Signs
Wall signs are permitted on all principal structures in accordance with the following:
(a) Wall signs shall be mounted on or flush with a wall. A wall sign may be painted directly on a building wall, mounted on the façade wall, or mounted on a raceway.
(b) A wall sign shall not protrude more than 18 inches from the wall or face of the building to which it is attached, regardless of whether a raceway is used.
(c) A wall sign may be attached to a building wall or architecturally-integrated extension which faces a street, parking lot or service drive, or may be attached to a canopy or awning which projects beyond the building or is a separate structure (i.e., canopies over fuel dispensers).
(d) Wall signs shall not extend above the roofline of the building to which it is attached.
(e) Wall signs may not be attached to a penthouse or roof structure including but not limited to mechanical equipment or roof screening.
(f) Size
(i) This subsection establishes the maximum sign area permitted for wall signs based on the development type.
(ii) There is no maximum number of wall signs but the total square footage of wall signs located on a single façade shall comply with the requirements of this section.
(iii) Where there are multiple primary façades (e.g., corner lots or double frontage lots), the maximum wall sign area shall apply to the individual façade. An applicant shall not combine the total amount of wall sign area permitted on all façades and apply it to a single façade.
(iv) An applicant may locate any portion of permitted wall signage onto a secondary façade provided that:
A. The maximum wall sign area allowed shall be determined by the primary façades that face a public street;
B. Such wall sign area shall be deemed transferred from the primary façade to the secondary façade and shall reduce the wall sign area allowed on the primary façade accordingly; and
C. The maximum wall sign area allowed on a secondary façade shall not exceed the maximum wall sign area permitted on any 1 primary façade (e.g., the area of wall signs allowed on multiple primary façades may not be aggregated onto the secondary façade).
(v) Buildings with Multiple Tenant Spaces. The maximum wall sign area permitted, per tenant space, shall be equal to 1.5 square feet for every lineal foot of building width assigned to the individual tenant space. Additional wall signs are permitted for each additional façade that faces directly onto a public street. The maximum sign area for the additional wall signs shall be equal to 1.5 square feet for every lineal foot of building width of the façade to which it will be attached.
(vi) Buildings with Single Tenant Occupancy. The maximum wall sign area permitted shall be equal to 1.5 square feet for every lineal foot of building width. Additional wall signs are permitted for each additional façade that faces directly onto a public street. The maximum sign area for the additional wall signs shall be equal to 1.5 square feet for every lineal foot of building width of the façade to which it will be attached.
(vii) Large-Scale Commercial and Industrial Buildings (Over 150,000 square feet of floor area). The following shall apply to wall signs on commercial and industrial buildings that have 150,000 square feet or more of floor area:
A. The maximum wall sign area permitted on any single façade, regardless of the number of signs, shall not exceed 5% of the total façade area.
B. No wall sign shall exceed 35% of the height of the façade to which it is attached, as measured from the bottom of the letters or message to the top most point of the letters or message.
(3) Projecting Signs
Projecting signs are permitted on all principal structures in accordance with the following:
(a) A projecting sign shall be perpendicular to the wall of the building to which it is attached. A projecting sign may also be attached to the ceiling of an outdoor arcade if it complies with the sign area, height, and clearance standards of this section.
(b) A projecting sign shall be considered a wall sign for purposes of determining the total area of wall signs allowed (i.e., the total combined sign area of wall signs and project signs shall not exceed the maximum sign area permitted for all wall signs).
(c) A projecting sign shall not be subject to the restrictions on a wall sign regarding the distance between the sign and the wall.
(d) A projecting sign shall be perpendicular to the wall to which it is affixed and may project up to 3 feet from the front of the building.
(e) A projecting sign shall in no case project beyond the curb line of a public street or over a public street.
(f) Where a projecting sign projects over a sidewalk, there shall be at least 9 feet of clearance between the bottom or the sign and the surface of the sidewalk.
(g) Projecting signs shall not project above the roofline of the building.
(4) Freestanding Signs
(a) Freestanding signs shall include pole signs or ground-mounted monument signs.
(b) All freestanding signs shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from any public right-of-way or property boundary line unless such signs are adjacent to a residentially zoned lot, in which case the sign shall be setback a minimum of the height of the sign.
(c) Up to 75% of 1 ground-mounted monument sign on any lot may include changeable copy signage. The changeable copy sign may be a manual sign or an electronic message center. The electronic message center shall be subject to the provisions of § 154.11(G)(3).
(d) Number
(i) There shall be a maximum of 1 freestanding sign on each lot with a principal building; however principal buildings on lots that have more than 75 feet of frontage on more than 1 public street (not including Interstate 75) shall be permitted to have 1 additional freestanding sign with 1 sign located along each of the public streets.
A. The total combined area of both signs shall not exceed 1.5 times the maximum permitted area of a single freestanding sign for that use.
B. The applicant may determine how to allocate the sign area on each of the signs but in no case shall an individual freestanding sign exceed the maximum sign area permitted for freestanding signs in Table 154.11-1.
(ii) Multi-tenant buildings on lots that have a single street frontage that is 1,500 feet or longer shall be permitted to have 1 additional freestanding sign under the following provisions:
A. The standards of this § 154.11(I)(4) shall apply.
B. The 2 signs shall be set back a minimum of 100 feet from each other.
(iii) Principal buildings located on a lot that is located within 1 of the 3 sign districts approved by City Council in Ordinance 09-10 (see Figure 154.11-E, Figure 154.11-F, and Figure 154.11-G) shall be permitted to have 1 additional freestanding pole sign as follows:
A. The sign shall have a maximum sign area of 250 square feet.
B. The maximum height of the sign shall be 90 feet.
C. The minimum height of the sign shall be 40 feet from grade to the lowest point of the sign face.
(iv) In all cases, there shall be a maximum of 2 freestanding signs permitted on each lot.
(e) Size and Height
Unless otherwise specified, the maximum sign area and maximum height of freestanding signs is established in Table 154.11-1.
Street Frontage Along Public Right-of-Way | Maximum Sign Area | Maximum Sign Height | |
Nonresidential Uses in the OR, OS or I-1D Districts | Not Applicable | 50 square feet | 15 feet |
Nonresidential Uses in the CB, GB, HS, PC, PHS, I-1, I-2, and POI Districts | 0 - 150 feet | 50 square feet | |
151 - 300 feet | 80 square feet | ||
301+ feet | 120 square feet | ||
(5) Driveway Signs
Permanent signs shall be permitted near driveway entrances to a street and at intersections of internal drives under the following provisions:
(a) The signs shall be set back 5 feet from all lot lines but in no case shall the sign be set back more than 25 feet from the driveway entrance or intersection of internal drives;
(b) Two signs may be permitted per individual driveway that intersects with a public street and 1 sign may be permitted per intersection of internal driveways.
(c) The sign shall not exceed 4 square feet in area and 3 feet in height.
(d) In cases where a single development has 200,000 square feet or more of gross floor area, the maximum sign area shall be 16 square feet with a maximum height of 6 feet.
(6) Development/Subdivision Signs
For commercial or industrial subdivisions or parks in the GB, HB, LI, LD, or GI that contain 5 or more nonresidential businesses on individual lots or that are 50 or more acres in size, such subdivision or park may incorporate a subdivision or development sign in accordance with the following:
(a) The primary development/subdivision sign shall be subject to the same standards as § 154.11(H)(1) with the exception that the maximum sign area shall be 36 square feet.
(b) The maximum height of a monument sign shall be 10 feet.
(c) The sign shall be set back a minimum of 75 feet from any residential lot line.
(d) If this sign is utilized, no other freestanding pole or monument sign shall be located within 100 feet of the subdivision or development sign on the same street or road on which the subdivision or park has access.
(7) Drive-Through Signs
(a) Up to 2 drive-through signs are permitted for each stacking lane in a drive-through facility with a maximum sign area of 36 square feet for each sign. Where only 1 drive-through sign is utilized, the maximum sign area may be increased to 48 square feet.
(b) Any additional attachments such as pictures or photographs of food and other items shall be included within the maximum sign area.
(c) Drive-through signage shall not be included in any other allowed signage area for a property under other parts of this section.
(d) No drive-through sign shall exceed 8 feet in height.
(e) All drive-through signs shall be internally illuminated.
(f) Drive-through signs may include digital elements that are similar to an electronic message center provided they comply with the lighting and brightness requirements of § 154.11(G)(3).
(g) Drive-through signs shall be reviewed and approved as part of the site plan review for the drive-through establishment or, when a drive-through sign is to be added, as part of a separate zoning compliance permit application.
(h) The drive-through sign shall be located in a landscaped area equal to or larger than the total sign area of the drive-through sign. Such landscape area may also be counted toward any landscaping requirements of this code.
(8) Additional Signage for Automotive Fuel Sales
(a) Where automotive fuel sales are a principal use on a lot, the following signs shall be permitted in addition to any other signage allowed by this section.
(i) One non-illuminated, double-faced sign not exceeding 6 square feet on a side is permitted for each set of motor fuel pumps;
(ii) Any other such signs as may be required by law, none of which shall be illuminated or animated unless such illumination or animation is expressly required by the applicable law.
(b) Signs on any canopies shall be considered a wall sign and shall comply with §154.11(I)(2).
(9) Scoreboard Signs
(a) Scoreboard signs shall be located on and be accessory to an athletic stadium actively used for athletic events.
(b) Scoreboard signs shall be permitted at City Park.
(c) Sponsorship and/or advertising on scoreboard signs is permitted.
(d) Changeable copy signage and/or electronic message centers on scoreboard signs is permitted.
(e) Instant replays and/or other non-static messages are permitted.
(f) Scoreboard signs shall have a maximum height of 35 feet.
(g) Scoreboard signs shall have a maximum area of 625 square feet.
(Ord. 5-14, passed 3-17-2014; Am. Ord. 22-16, passed 10-3-2016; Am. Ord. 11-17, passed 7-17-2017; Am. Ord. 2-18, passed 1-2-2018; Am. Ord. 3-18, passed 1-2-2018)