CHAPTER 153: SIGNS
Section
   153.01   Sign classifications and definitions
   153.02   Sign specifications
   153.03   Permitted and prohibited signs
   153.04   Illuminated signs
   153.05   Off-premises advertising signs
   153.06   Nonconforming signs
   153.07   Rules of construction
   153.08   Special height and/or area signs
   153.09   Schedule of sign standards
   153.10   Administration
 
   153.99   Penalty
§ 153.01 SIGN CLASSIFICATIONS AND DEFINITIONS.
   (A)   Classifications. The following sign construction types used in the schedule of sign standards contained in § 153.09, are defined in this chapter.
      BILLBOARD SIGNS. A sign supported by a single pole or pylon in or upon the ground and not part of a building. The maximum height of the sign shall not exceed 50 feet and shall have a minimum unobstructed clearance from the ground to the base of the advertising display surface area of 20 feet. The minimum advertising display surface area shall not be less than 200 square feet per sign face or side and the maximum advertising display surface area shall not exceed 432 square feet per sign face or side.
      DEVELOPMENT - CONSTRUCTION SIGN. A sign that is erected during the period of site or project development. The sign display area shall not exceed 32 square feet per sign face or side.
      DIRECTIONAL SIGN. A pole or ground sign that directs vehicular traffic. The sign may display arrows, words or other symbols to indicate direction of facilities. No goods or services for sale may be listed. No sign may exceed eight square feet.
      GROUND-MONUMENT SIGN. A sign, not exceeding 200 square feet of sign display area per sign side or face, consisting of a base structure supporting a sign display area permanently affixed on top of the base structure. The base structure, not exceeding five feet in height, five feet in width and 20 feet in length, shall be constructed of masonry product including brick, stone, stucco overlay or other materials acceptable to the city. The maximum height of the entire GROUND-MONUMENT SIGN shall not exceed 20 feet above existing ground (grade) level. The sign may be internally or externally illuminated.
      POLE SIGN. A sign supported by not more than two poles or standards in or upon the ground and is not part of a building. The maximum height of the sign shall not exceed 30 feet and the maximum advertising display surface area of the sign shall not exceed 200 square feet per sign face or side.
      PROJECTION SIGN. A sign attached or affixed to a building wall or structure, other than a pole sign, and extends or projects from the wall or structure more than 12 inches.
      READER BOARD SIGN. A changeable copy sign with strips attached to the face of the sign to hold readily movable letters and numerals. A READER BOARD SIGN that is also a pole sign may be internally or externally illuminated.
      ROOF SIGN. A sign erected, constructed or maintained on or over the roof of parapet wall of a building.
      WALL SIGN. A sign attached or affixed to the wall of a building or is an integral part of the wall of a building with the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to and not more than 12 inches from said wall; provided, however that electric wall signs may project not more than 18 inches from said wall. A WALL SIGN shall not extend above or beyond the parallel face to which the sign is attached. This term shall also include PROJECTION SIGN.
   (B)   Definitions. For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
      ADVERTISING SIGN. A sign which is a primary use of land, not an accessory use, and which directs attention to a business, product, activity or service which is not conducted, sold, offered, or located on the premises where the sign is located.
      DIRECTORY SIGN. A pole or ground sign consisting of building identification and general business signs of the individual tenants.
      LIGHTING. The illumination of a sign face by a light source exterior to and not a part of such face or a source of light not exposed to the typical viewer of the sign face.
      MESSAGE CENTER. A sign of which provides public service information, public interest information, or advertising for a business located on the same premises, through electronically controlled intermittent light impulses. A Message Center shall consist of alphabetical letters; words or numerals that can either change sequentially or travel across the display area.
      REAL ESTATE SIGN. A sign that advertises a parcel of land or a structure for rent, lease or sale; provided, however, that signs identifying model homes shall be considered REAL ESTATE SIGNS only if in compliance with the size requirements in § 153.09.
      REQUIRED SETBACK. The distance from the property line or right-of-way line of all streets adjacent to the premises on which a sign is located.
      SIGN STRUCTURE. Any part of a sign, including the base, supporting columns or braces, display surface or any other appendage thereto.
(Ord. 2008-01, passed 7-17-2008)
§ 153.02 SIGN SPECIFICATIONS.
   (A)   No outdoor advertising display, sign or billboard except those described in the subsection below, shall be permitted in any residential area in the city.
   (B)   Approved on-premises outdoor advertising displays, signs or billboards may be constructed, erected and maintained only in commercial and industrial areas in the city.
   (C)   Political signs shall be permitted in all zoning districts, provided that no such sign is permitted on any public right-of-way.
   (D)   Any building or land use not conforming to the zoning ordinance provisions for the zone in which it is located shall, nevertheless, be subject to all of the provisions of this chapter for the conforming zone. Any sign used in conjunction with a nonconforming use of land or buildings, if such sign is not in accordance with the provisions of this section, shall be deemed a separate nonconforming use of land and shall be subject to the provisions of § 153.06.
   (E)   In areas where sidewalks exist, no sign shall project nearer to the front or side street property line than two feet from the back of the curb line and must have a minimum clearance of eight feet above ground or sidewalk level and 15 feet above driveways and alleys.
   (F)   In all commercial and industrial zoned areas, pole signs advertising a business complex, a place of business, or a business, shall be restricted to one such sign per business or tract. The display surface area of all such signs shall be set back no less than 20 feet from any street and be no less than ten feet above the grade surface.
   (G)   Except as permitted by § 153.03(A), no sign shall be erected, altered or relocated without first securing a permit from the city. Such permit shall contain the location of the sign and drawings showing the design and location of the sign and such other pertinent information as the city may require insuring compliance with all ordinances of the city. Permit fees as set forth in Chapter 36 (July 17, 2008) are attached hereto incorporated herein and shall allow for future revisions as deemed necessary with approval of City Council.
   (H)   The provisions of this section shall be applicable to the location, size and placement of signs and shall otherwise be considered supplementary to the Building Code of the city. No provisions specified herein shall be construed to otherwise amend or nullify any provision of the Building Code or any ordinance or regulation of the city pertaining to the erection, use, maintenance or operation of signs.
   (I)   Any person aggrieved by any of the requirements of any item of this chapter may make a written request to the City Secretary stating the reason or reasons for the specific need. The Mayor, the Chief of Police and the Building Official and or designee, herein designated as the Sign Committee, are hereby directed and authorized as a committee with full powers to act in the review of all such requests. All decisions of the committee shall be made in writing and all denials shall state the reasons for such denial, which shall then be submitted, to the City Council for final decision. All decisions of the City Council shall be final except as provided for by state law.
   (J)   Any person aggrieved by any of the requirements of any item of this chapter may make a written request to the City Secretary stating the reason or reasons for the specific need. The City Secretary, the Chief of Police and the Building Official, herein designated as the Sign Committee, are hereby directed and authorized as a committee with full powers to act in the review of all such requests. All decisions of the Committee shall be made in writing and all denials shall state the reasons for such denial, which shall then be submitted, to the City Council for final decision. All decisions of the City Council shall be final except as provided for by state law.
   (K)   Street signs, banners and streamers suspended over dedicated streets or alleys are prohibited unless a permit for such sign, banner or streamer is obtained from the City Secretary.
   (L)   A portable sign that is not permanently or adequately attached to a building or an approved sign pole or structure is prohibited unless a special use permit has been issued.
(Ord. 2008-01, passed 7-17-2008; Ord. 2011-02, passed 6-16-2011)
§ 153.03 PERMITTED AND PROHIBITED SIGNS.
   (A)   Permitted signs. The following signs, when complying with the structural and safety requirements herein, may be permitted anywhere within the city where such signs are approved, as provided, herein and shall not require a permit:
      (1)   Development: construction signs identifying the architect, engineer, contractor, owner and other individuals or firms involved, but not including any advertisement of any product, provided said signs shall be removed within 14 days following the completion of construction of any project.
      (2)   Public signs of a noncommercial nature and in the public interest, erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of the officer’s public duty, including safety, traffic, memorial and historical signs, are hereby exempt from all of the provisions of this chapter, except for structural and safety regulations.
   (B)   Prohibited signs. Signs which are strictly prohibited are those which:
      (1)   Contain statements, words or pictures of an obscene, indecent or immoral character that will offend public morals or decency;
      (2)   Contain and or imitate an official traffic sign or signal or contain the words “stop”, “go”, “go slow”, “caution”, “danger”, “warning” or similar words of which could cause regulation of public traffic flow;
      (3)   Are of a size, shape, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illumination which may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device or which hides from view any traffic or street sign or signal;
      (4)   Are not permanently or adequately attached to a building, an approved sign pole, or a structure, other than a portable sign with a special use permit as provided for herein;
      (5)   Have a revolving beam or beacon of light resembling any emergency vehicle;
      (6)   Advertise the sale of alcoholic beverages. This shall not prohibit use of established trade names of establishments (e.g., “Steak and Ale”);
      (7)   Advertise drink promotions (offering drinks for sale at a price reduced from the customary price during a specific period of the day such as “Happy Hour” for promotional purposes);
      (8)   Partially or completely obstruct the view of any signal light, traffic control sign, or other such device from any point in a moving traffic lane within 50 feet of and approaching such traffic control; and/or
      (9)   Constitutes, in the determination of the Chief of Police, an obstruction to view of operators of motor vehicles on public streets or entering such streets from private property.
(Ord. 2008-01, passed 7-17-2008)
§ 153.04 ILLUMINATED SIGNS.
   (A)   Illuminated signs shall be constructed and located so as to protect the general welfare of all citizens and the safety of the motoring public.
   (B)   The light from any illuminated sign shall be so shaded, shielded or directed that the light intensity or brightness will not be hazardous or objectionable to the adjacent or surrounding areas.
   (C)   No sign shall have blinking, flashing or fluttering lights or other illuminating device. Beacon or revolving lights shall not be permitted.
   (D)   No colored lights shall be used at any location or in any manner so as to be confused with or construed as traffic control devices.
   (E)   Neither the direct nor the reflected light from primary light sources shall create a traffic hazard to operators of motor vehicles on public thoroughfares.
   (F)   No exposed reflective type bulbs and no strobe lights or incandescent lamps exceeding 15 watts shall be used on the exterior surface of any sign so as to expose the face of the bulb, light or lamp, to any public street or adjacent property; however, illuminated signs which indicate such customary public services as time, date, temperature or other similar information may be permitted.
(Ord. 2008-01, passed 7-17-2008)
§ 153.05 OFF-PREMISES ADVERTISING SIGNS.
   (A)   Pole or billboard signs providing for off-premises advertising shall only be permitted in commercial or industrial areas of the city or in other specific areas authorized by the City Council.
   (B)   Off-premises advertising signs shall be set back from public rights-of-way a minimum distance of 20 feet.
   (C)   Off-premises advertising signs shall not be constructed or erected within public utility easements.
   (D)   The advertising display area or face of an off-premises billboard sign may project ten feet into the minimum distance setback of 20 feet from public rights-of-way and ten feet into public utility easements provided that the clearance from the ground to the bottom of the advertising display area structure is at least 20 feet.
   (E)   Off-premises billboard signs, where permitted, shall have a minimum spacing or lineal distance between signs of 1,320 feet, parallel to a road right-of-way.
   (F)   Off-premises pole signs shall have a minimum spacing or lineal distance between billboard signs and other pole signs of 660 feet per side, parallel to a road right-of-way.
(Ord. 2008-01, passed 7-17-2008)
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