1173.39 SIGNS IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
   (a)   On-premises signs are permitted in residentially zoned districts established in Chapter 1143, Chapter 1144, Chapter 1145, Chapter 1146, Chapter 1161 and Section 1148.09 of these Zoning and Development Regulations. Development in all other zoning districts is treated by this Sign Code as non-residential and is subject to the Sign standards and provisions of Section 1173.41 and Section 1173.43.
   The following general provisions shall apply to on-premises signs in residential districts:
      (1)   A permanent on-premises sign may be displayed on a lot in a residentially zoned district primarily for the purposes of identification and orientation pertaining to the established use, and shall be consistent with the development standards contained in these Zoning and Development Regulations. A permanent on-premises sign shall be displayed only by a residentially zoned use as specified in this chapter.
      (2)   A zoning review by the Building Commissioner and Sign Permit shall be required for the installation or re-facing of any non-illuminated permanent sign over six (6) square feet in sign area and for any illuminated permanent sign, regardless of size. A temporary permit shall be required for the installation of any temporary sign with a sign area larger than six (6) square feet.
      (3)   No person shall install any sign allowed by this Chapter within any public right-of-way.
      (4)   A sign required by law shall be no larger than the minimum requirement or, when the size of said sign is not regulated, shall be no larger than necessary to perform the intended function.
      (5)   A ground sign installed in a residentially zoned district shall comply with the vision clearance requirements of the general site development standards at Section 1187.07(b)(1)B.
      (6)   A ground sign installed perpendicular to the street to which it is directed may be double-faced. In lieu of two (2) or more allowed ground signs, one double-faced or multi-faced ground sign may be installed at the intersection of two (2) streets abutting a use in a residentially zoned district and arranged so as to be directed to both streets. The allowable sign area shall not exceed the maximum size permitted for the primary frontage street.
      (7)   Street Address Requirements. Section 907.01 of these Codified Ordinances requires that the street address of each use or activity shall be displayed so as to be readable from the street fronting the use. Where that requirement is to be met by displaying the house number on a wall sign or ground sign serving a residential use, the following size standards shall be utilized:
         A.   Where the speed limit of the fronting street is greater than thirty-five (35) miles per hour, the numeral size shall be no less than four (4) inches.
         B.   Where the speed limit of the fronting street is thirty-five (35) miles per hour or less, the numeral size shall be no less than two and one-half (2 1/2) inches.
   (b)   Illumination in Residential Districts. Where illumination of a permanent on-premises sign is allowed by this chapter, the following limitations shall apply:
      (1)   External illumination for such sign shall be limited to white light. Internal illumination of the copy shall be transmitted through material utilizing no more than two (2) colors.
      (2)   The background of any internally illuminated sign shall be opaque.
      (3)   The light source, including fixture, of any sign utilizing external illumination shall be shielded from view from within any public right-of-way and from any residential dwelling.
   (c)   Special Areas in Residential Districts. Provisions of this chapter may be modified by sign standards and/or guidelines approved by Planning Commission and the Architectural Review Board where:
      (1)   Signs are part of a sign standards plan for a specific development area or planned unit development area; or,
      (2)   Signs are part of a sign standards plan for a multi-tenant, or multi-building, site plan.
   (d)   Residential Complex Identification Signs. A residential complex shall display no more than one permanent identification sign directed to any street abutting the complex, subject to the following provisions:
      (1)   Sign copy shall be limited to the name, logo, and street address of the complex; except that the phone number and/or name of the owner or property management office may be displayed in addition to the above, provided such copy shall occupy no more than twenty percent (20%) of the approved sign area of the sign.
      (2)   A ground sign shall be set back no less than ten (10) feet from any abutting street right-of-way line.
      (3)   Where the established building line is less than ten (10) feet, a ground sign may be installed with a reduced setback, subject to height and sign area limitations and provided the sign shall be no less than two (2) feet from the right-of-way line of the street to which the sign is directed and no less than two (2) feet from any public sidewalk or shared-use path.
      (4)   A ground sign shall be set back no less than ten (10) feet from any adjacent interior non-residential lot line and at least twenty-five (25) feet from a residentially or public facility zoned lot line.
      (5)   No residential complex identification sign shall exceed a maximum height of eight (8) feet or a sign area in excess of thirty-two (32) square feet at each separate street entry.
   (e)   Nameplates and Home Occupation Signs. A dwelling unit in a one- or two-family dwelling, or a townhouse shall display no more than one non-illuminated nameplate or home occupation sign on each dwelling, subject to the following provisions:
      (1)   The sign area of each such sign shall not exceed two (2) square feet.
      (2)   A nameplate shall be wall-mounted, or ground-mounted, adjacent to the entrance to said dwelling unit.
   (f)   Directional Signs. Directional signs providing navigational information, locations of parking or other site elements may be permitted in addition to the other signs permitted and in excess of the other limitations of this chapter, provided that no such sign exceeds three (3) square feet in a single face sign area or is closer than ten (10) feet to any side lot line. Except for bollard signs, no sign shall be closer than two (2) feet to any street right-of-way line. No directional sign shall exceed three (3) in height.
   (g)   Permanent Signs for Other Uses in Residential Districts. A public facility use, or a nonresidential, nonconforming use situated in a residentially zoned district may display one or more permanent on-premises signs, subject to the following provisions:
      (1)   Identification Sign. Such use shall display no more than one permanent identification sign directed to any street abutting the lot.
      (2)   A ground sign shall be set back no less than ten (10) feet from any abutting street right-of-way line, except where the established building line applicable to the subject site is less than ten (10) feet from the right-of-way line of the street to which the sign is directed. Where the established building line is less than ten (10) feet a ground sign may be installed at a reduced setback, subject to height and sign area limitations. The required sign setback line shall be set back no less than two (2) feet from the right-of-way line of any abutting street and no less than two (2) feet from any public sidewalk or shared-use path.
      (3)   A ground sign shall be set back no less than ten (10) feet from any adjacent interior property line; however, an illuminated sign shall be set back at least twenty-five (25) feet from any residentially or public facility zoned district.
      (4)   In lieu of a permanent identification sign, a public facility use situated on a lot with a lot frontage along any one street of 300 feet or less shall utilize no more than one entrance feature sign.
      (5)   No public facility use, or nonconforming use identification sign shall exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in sign face area.
   (h)   Temporary Construction Signs. A construction sign for a residential complex, a platted residential subdivision, or a non-residential project site, or a use under construction shall display no more than one temporary construction sign directed to each street abutting the subject site, subject to the following additional provisions:
      (1)   Such sign shall be displayed for no more than eighteen (18) months unless an extension not to exceed six (6) months is approved by the Building Commissioner.
      (2)   Sign copy may be modified during the allowable life of the sign without additional zoning clearance or temporary permit, provided that all messages are on-premises and pertain to the project with which each sign was originally associated.
      (3)   No temporary construction sign shall be located closer than ten (10) feet from a street right-of-way.
      (4)   No temporary construction sign shall exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in sign face area.
      (5)   No temporary construction sign shall exceed a height of eight (8) feet.
      (6)   Such sign shall be displayed only during the period of actual construction, or for 180 days, whichever is less.
         (Ord. 07-2021. Passed 2-23-21.)