Permanent signs shall be permitted, subject to the provisions specified in these regulations.
(a) General Regulations:
(1) Permanent signs shall be permitted in residential, commercial, and industrial zoning districts subject to the provisions specified in these regulations.
(2) Not more than two (2) permanent signs shall be permitted per business. Not more than one (1) such sign shall be a projecting sign or a freestanding pole sign.
(3) The bottom edge of a projecting sign or a freestanding pole sign shall be a minimum distance of ten (10) feet above grade.
(4) The top edge of a projecting sign shall not extend above the building on which it is attached or by which it is supported.
(5) No pole used to support or partially support a sign shall extend more than eighteen (18) feet above the ground. The top of the sign shall not exceed beyond the top of the pole.
(6) All freestanding pole signs shall be set back at least fifteen (15) feet from the curb and must not extend into the right-of-way.
(7) Except as provided in Section 1341.03(d)(1), no more than a total of fifty (50) square feet of sign area shall be permitted per zoning lot; and in no case shall any individual sign contain more than thirty-two (32) square feet of sign area.
(8) No permanent sign shall be located in such a manner as to hinder or prevent free ingress and egress from any door, window or fire escape.
(9) No prohibited sign shall be permitted.
(10) No unsafe, deteriorated or dilapidated sign shall be allowed. If such a sign exists, the provisions of Section 1341.07(g) shall apply.
(11) Portable signs and portable signs, folding shall not be permitted in the City, except as authorized in Section 1341.04.
(12) No signs fabricated of metal shall be located nearer than eight (8) feet vertically, or four (4) feet horizontally from any electric wires or conductors.
(b) Business Signs. The following specific regulations apply to all business signs located within the City:
(1) Structure, Type, and Location.
A. All business signs shall be permanently fixed to the ground or a building by means of adequate wood, aluminum, steel or masonry supports designed to carry the weight of the sign.
B. No business sign shall be located on a vacant lot. For purposes of this Section 1341.03(b)(1), a vacant lot does not include a parcel that is owned and used for business purposes by a business adjoining said lot.
C. Should a business own and use an adjoining lot for business purposes as described in Section 1341.03(b)(1)B., such lot shall not be considered a separate or additional zoning lot nor shall any business sign located thereupon increase the number of signs or the total amount of sign area permitted per business.
(2) Lighting.
A. Either internal or external illumination shall be permitted, only in accordance with all of the following:
1. Light sources shall be adequately shielded or shaded from all adjacent buildings and streets.
2. Lights shall not be of such brightness as to cause glare that is hazardous to pedestrians or motorists, or to cause reasonable objection from adjacent residential districts.
3. No exposed incandescent or fluorescent lighting shall be permitted, except as otherwise permitted in this Chapter.
4. No sign shall exceed a maximum illumination of 5,000 nits during daylight hours and a maximum illumination of 1,000 nits between dusk to dawn, as measured from the sign's face at maximum brightness.
5. All signs utilizing light-emitting diodes (LED) or other light-emitting technologies shall incorporate scheduled dimming capability to produce a distinct illumination change from a higher illumination level to a lower level for the time period between one half-hour before sunset and one half-hour after sunrise, to meet brightness standards articulated above.
6. All illumination levels shall be pre-set by the manufacturer not to exceed the illumination levels stated above. Manufacturer certification shall be required as part of a sign permit request. If necessary, the City may seek assistance from a professional lighting engineer to evaluate proposed illumination levels. The applicant shall pay costs associated with such a review. In this case, compliance with illumination requirements shall be determined following a site inspection that includes field verification of illumination levels.
7. Signs shall not be lighted to obstruct signs or devices conforming to the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Signs visible from sight lines along streets shall not contain symbols or words, or red and green lights that resemble highway traffic signs or devices.
8. The regulations set forth in this Section 1341.03(b)(2) shall not apply to permitted holiday display lighting.
9. All wiring materials used in the construction and operation of electrically illuminated business signs shall be installed and maintained in accordance with Montgomery County Building Codes and the City of Union Building Code.
(3) Changeable Copy Signs. Permanent changeable copy signs shall only be permitted in compliance with the following:
A. The area of changeable copy for permanent signs shall not exceed fifty (50) percent of the total area of the sign face.
B. Electronic changeable copy signs:
1. The minimum display period for electronic copy shall be twenty (20) seconds.
2. The interval for a change in electronic copy shall not be less than five (5) seconds. The change sequence must be accomplished by means of instantaneous re-pixalization.
3. No portion of the image may constitute an animated or flashing sign as defined in Section 1341.08(b).
4. All electronic changeable copy signs shall comply with the illumination requirements of Section 1341.03(b)(2).
5. The leading edge of an electronic changeable copy sign must be a minimum distance of one hundred (100) feet from an abutting residential district boundary, and a minimum distance of thirty-five (35) feet from other electronic changeable copy signs.
6. Audio speakers which project sound which is audible beyond the premises are prohibited.
7. There shall be no more than one (1) electronic changeable copy sign for each business.
8. Any malfunctioning electronic sign shall be turned off or display a blank screen until repaired.
9. Electronic changeable copy signs shall be permitted in commercial and industrial districts.
(c) Nameplates. The following specific regulations apply to all nameplates located within the City:
(1) Size, Structure, Type and Location.
A. No nameplate shall be larger than two (2) square feet in size.
B. General regulation 1341.03(a)(7) does not apply to nameplates located within the City.
C. Nameplates are permitted on property upon which commercial, public, institutional or residential buildings are situated or upon which a permitted home occupation is located.
D. Off-premises nameplates are expressly prohibited.
(d) Joint Identification Signs. The following regulations apply to all joint identification signs within the City:
(1) Location, Size, Structure and Type.
A. Joint identification Signs are permitted in industrial parks.
B. Joint Identification Signs may identify an occupant and/or occupants of the industrial park to which the Joint Identification Sign pertains.
C. All joint identification signs shall be permanently fixed to the ground by means of adequate wood, aluminum, steel or masonry supports designed to carry the weight of the sign.
D. Joint Identification Signs shall not exceed 160 square feet in sign area and six (6) feet in height.
(2) Lighting. See Section 1341.03(b)(2), (3).
(Ord. 1559. Passed 4-22-13.)