1391.02. Exempt signs.
   (a)   One construction sign per construction project not exceeding six square feet in sign area in RS12, RS9, RS6 and CO Districts, or fifty square feet in sign area in other residential or commercial or industrial districts, provided that such signs shall be erected no more than five days prior to the beginning of construction for which a valid building permit has been issued; shall be confined to the site of construction, and shall be removed five days after completion and/or prior to occupancy.
(Ord. 170-04. Passed 3-23-04.)
   (b)   Directional or Instructional Signs. Signs which provide direction or instruction and are located entirely on the property to which they pertain and do not in any way advertise a business and do not exceed four square feet in area, signs identifying rest rooms, public telephones, walkways or signs providing direction such as parking lot entrance and exit signs and those of similar nature.
(1952 Code § 43-7-2)
   (c)   Flags. The flags, emblems or insignia of any nation or political subdivision or corporate flags. Duplicate corporate flags, emblems or insignia are not permitted on a single lot frontage.
(Ord. 889-89. Passed 9-12-89.)
   (d)   Governmental Signs. Governmental signs for control of traffic and other regulatory purposes, street signs, danger signs, railroad crossing signs and signs of public service companies indicating danger and aids to service or safety which are erected by or on the order of, a public officer in the performance of his public duty.
   (e)   Holiday Signs. Signs of a primarily decorative nature, clearly incidental and customary and commonly associated with any national, local or religious holiday; provided that such signs, shall be displayed for a period of not more than thirty consecutive days nor more than sixty days in any one year. Such signs may be of any type, number, area, height, illumination or animation; and shall be set back not less than ten feet from all boundary lines of the lot, provided that a clear area is maintained to a height of seventy-two inches, within fifty-five feet of the center line of the intersection of two streets, a railroad and a street and a street and driveway. Subject to the foregoing, any type of holiday decorations that partially camouflage or divert attention from traffic signals or directional signals are specifically prohibited.
(1952 Code § 43-7-2)
   (f)   House Numbers and Name Plates. House numbers and name plates for residential buildings not exceeding two square feet in area or house numbers for commercial buildings not exceeding six square feet in area unless said house number is part of a sign for which a permit is required under this Sign Code.
(Ord. 646-96. Passed 9-3-96.)
   (g)   Incidental Signs. Up to two incidental signs may be attached to a free-standing sign structure or to a building wall. Such signs are restricted to credit cards accepted, official notices of services required by law or trade affiliations. The area of each sign may not exceed five square feet; the total area of all such signs may not exceed ten square feet.
   (h)   Interior Signs. Signs located within the interior of any building or stadium, shopping center or within an enclosed lobby or court of any building, and signs for and located within the inner or outer lobby, court or entrance of any theatre, that are not visible from the public right of way. This does not, however, exempt such signs from the structural, electrical or material specifications as set out in this Code.
   (i)   Memorial Signs. Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or inlaid so as to be part of the building or when constructed of bronze or other incombustible material.
   (j)   Notice Bulletin Boards. Notice bulletin boards not over twenty-four square feet in area for medical, public, charitable or religious institutions where the same are located on the premises of such institution and not oriented to motor vehicles in the public right of way.
   (k)   No-Trespassing or No-Dumping Signs. No-trespassing or no-dumping signs not to exceed one and one-half square feet in area per sign and not to exceed four in number per lot, except that special permission may be obtained from the Administrator for additional signs under proven special circumstances.
   (l)   Occupant Signs. One sign for each dwelling unit not to exceed two square feet in area indicating the name of the occupant, location or identification of a home professional office.
   (m)   Plaques. Plaques or nameplate signs not more than two and one-half square feet in area which are fastened directly to the building.
(1952 Code § 43-7-2)
   (n)   Campaign and Political Signs. Campaign signs for or against candidates for public office or measures on election ballots; and Political signs.
(Ord. 871-01. Passed 10-30-01.)
   (o)   Public Notices. Official notices posted by public officers or employees in the performance of their duties.
   (p)   Public Signs. Signs required or specifically authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute or ordinance; which may be of any type, number, area, height above grade, location, illumination or animation, required by the law, statute or ordinance under which the signs are erected.
   (q)   Real Estate Signs. One real estate sign (single or double-face) on any lot or parcel, provided such sign is located entirely within the property to which the sign applies, is not illuminated, does not exceed six square feet in area per face in single-family and duplex residential districts and thirty-two square feet in area of multi-family residential or commercial or industrial districts, and is removed within seven days after the sale, rental or lease has been consummated. One additional sign, as described above, is permitted where a premises has in excess of 300 feet of frontage or where a premise fronts on two streets.
   (r)   Permanent Window Signs. For each ground floor occu pancy of a building not more than two permanent signs may be painted on or otherwise displayed from the inside surface of any window, showcase or other similar facility. Such signs shall be in addition to those signs permitted under the other provisions of this code. The total copy area of such signs, however, shall not exceed a maximum of twenty-five percent of the total window area, or one square foot per lineal front foot of the premises occupied, which ever is the lesser. Signage that qualifies as an Electronic Message Center is prohibited.
(Ord. 466-17. Passed 10-31-17.)
   (s)   Signs in the Display Window. Signs in the display window of a business, which are incorporated with a display of merchan dise or a display relating to services offered which comply with subsection (q) hereof. Signage that qualifies as an Electronic Message Center is prohibited.
(Ord. 466-17. Passed 10-31-17.)
   (t)   Symbols or Insignia. Religious symbols, commemorative plaques of recognized historical agencies or identification emblems of religious orders or historical agencies.
(Ord. 871-01. Passed 10-30-01.)
   (u)   Temporary Signs. Temporary signs pertaining to drives or events of civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organizations, provided that such signs are posted no more than thirty days before such event and are removed no more than seven days after such event.
(Ord. 871-01. Passed 10-30-01.)
   (v)   Warning Signs. Signs warning the public of the existence of danger, but containing no advertising material, of a size as may be necessary, to be removed upon subsidence of danger.
(1952 Code § 43-7-2)
   (w)   Welcome Banners for Conventions. Welcome banners for conventions may be displayed by convention facilities in accordance with the following requirements:
      (1)   All welcome banners shall be affixed at all four corners at all times on the facade of the building operated by the convention facility.
      (2)   The welcome banner shall be displayed toward an arterial or major street only. Display of such banner toward a residential street or a neighborhood shall be prohibited.
      (3)   The welcome banner shall be maintained so that it does not interfere with any traffic control devices or regulatory signs, and shall not create any sight distance restrictions which would interfere with the vision of any driver entering or leaving the public right of way.
      (4)   All welcome banners shall be properly maintained so that they will not become torn, faded or otherwise mutilated, and shall be so maintained in good condition at all times during the authorized period of display or such signs shall be subject to immediate removal upon written notice by the Division of Inspection served to the operator of the convention facility displaying the banner.
      (5)   No welcome banners shall be displayed which encroach within the public right of way.
      (6)   The display period for welcome banners shall be limited to the period from one week before the first day of the convention, as defined in Section 1116.0214B., Entertainment and Spectator Sports, advertised thereby to one week after the last day thereof.
(Ord. 170-04. Passed 3-23-04.)
      (7)   The number of welcome banners shall be limited to one per building facade fronting on an arterial or major street and limited in size to an area not exceeding thirty percent (30%) of the building facade.
      (8)   Qualifying welcome banners must be for groups directly associated with conventions appearing on the monthly listing, as amended, compiled by the Greater Toledo Office of Tourism and Conventions, Inc. (GTOTC) or its successor.
      (9)   All welcome banners displayed under the terms and conditions of this section shall be registered with the Greater Toledo Office of Tourism and Conventions, Inc. or its successor. The register of banners, identifying the location, period of display and contact person responsible for the banner, shall be maintained by the Greater Toledo Office of Tourism and Conventions, Inc. and shall be provided to the Division of Inspection and the Division of Transportation monthly.
(Ord. 257-91. Passed 4-2-91; Ord. 104-94. Passed 3-14-94.)
   (x)   Exterior Residential Signs. For signs not governed by any other subsection of section 1391.02, one exterior residential sign placed by, or with the approval of, the residential property owner or occupant provided that no fee or other compensation is paid to, or received by, the residential property owner or occupant for the placement of such sign. One additional sign, as described above, is permitted where a premises has in excess of 300 feet of frontage or where a premises fronts on two streets.
(Ord. 871-01. Passed 10-30-01.)
   (y)   A-Frame Signs. A-Frame Signs, also commonly known as "sandwich boards", are exempt in CN, CD, CR, CS and CM zoning dis tricts when each of the following condi tions is met:
      (1)   Number: Signs shall be limited to one per occupant;
      (2)   Size: Signs shall not exceed 42 inches in height, nor three (3') feet in width;
      (3)   Appearance: Signs must be constructed of materials that present a professional, finished appearance. Rough-cut plywood is not acceptable. Sign lettering should be painted or applied in a professional man ner. Signs may not be illuminated and windblown devices, including balloons, may not be attached or otherwise made part of the sign;
      (4)   Placement: Signs shall be placed directly in front of the associated establishment and shall remain standing, within 5 feet of the building. Signs shall not be locked or chained or in any other way attached or secured to public property (e.g. trees, parking meters, street lights, other permanent structures). Sign placement shall maintain a clear pedestrian access area of at least five feet and shall not block street corner, pedestrian crossings, visibility zones and Americans with Disability Act (ADA) ramps, ADA parking, bus stop zones or fire zones; and
      (5)   Hours: Signs shall be removed at the end of each business day and will only be displayed during regular business hours.
(Ord. 361-18. Passed 9-25-2018)