(a) "Abandoned Sign" means a non-conforming commercial sign that no longer identifies or directs attention to a business, lessee, service, owner, product, or activity which is conducted upon the premises where such sign is located.
(b) "Animated or Flashing Sign" means any sign which uses continuous, or nearly continuous movement, an intermittent or sequential flashing of the light source, or other visual change, which is clearly intended to depict action, create a special effect or scene, or otherwise attract attention, except changeable copy signs as defined in subsection (h) hereof.
(c) "Banner Sign" means a sign consisting of lightweight fabric or similar material either enclosed or not enclosed in a rigid frame, and secured or mounted to allow motion caused by the atmosphere.
(d) "Billboard" - See Off-Premises Sign.
(e) "Business" - See City of Union Planning and Zoning Ordinance Section 1165.02(10).
(f) "Business sign" means a sign containing a commercial message advertising a business, merchandise, service or entertainment which is sold, produced, manufactured or furnished at the property on which such sign is located.
(g) "Candela" means a unit of luminous intensity or candlepower. In layman's terms, a wax candle emits about one candela (or candle) in all directions. In technical terms, a candela is a lumen per steradian, and is equal to 1/60 of the luminous intensity per square centimeter of a blackbody radiating at the temperature of solidification of platinum (2.046 degrees Kelvin). It is used for "point" sources to calculate how much light is cast on a surface no matter where the surface is.
(h) "Changeable Copy Sign" means a sign, where the message or graphics are not permanently affixed to the structure, framing or background, where the message may be replaced periodically, either manually, mechanically or electronically, and provided such sign does not constitute an animated or flashing sign. Electronic changeable copy shall include any portion of a sign using any combination of light emitting diodes (LED's) or other light-emitting technology, fiber optics, light bulbs, or other illumination device within the display area, and shall meet the requirements of Section 1341.03.
(i) "Commercial Message" means a message that directs attention to or acts as advertising for a business, commodity, product, service, form of entertainment or activity or tends to encourage the occurrence of a commercial transaction related thereto.
(j) "Construction Project Sign" means a temporary sign during the time of active construction, which may contain any non-commercial message or a commercial message related to the development, construction, lease, rental or sale of land or buildings or facilities developed thereon.
(k) "Deteriorating sign" or "Dilapidated sign" means a sign that has become impaired in quality, function, or condition or does not present a neat and orderly appearance, which may be manifested by any of the following characteristics: rust, holes or tears on or in the sign or sign structure; broken, missing, loose or bent parts; faded or flaking paint; and non-operative or partially non-operative illuminating or mechanically devices.
(l) "Enforcement Officer" means the Enforcement Officer of the Municipality as appointed by the City Manager.
(m) "Festoon" means a string of ribbons, tinsel, small flags, pinwheels, incandescent light bulbs or similar devices that are not an integral, physical part of the building or structure they are intended to serve.
(n) "Flag" means any fabric, banner, pennant, burgee or bunting containing distinct colors, patterns, symbols or insignia of any nation, state, city or other political unit and/or any organization, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, but not including a commercial message.
(o) "Footcandle" means a measurement of light intensity at an illuminated object. One footcandle is the illuminance at a point on a surface which is one foot from, and perpendicular to, a uniform point source of one candela. One (1) footcandle = 10.76 lux.
(p) "Freestanding Sign":
(1) Pole - A permanent freestanding sign supported by one (1) or more uprights, poles or braces placed in or upon the ground surface and not attached to any building. Such sign may also be commonly known as a pylon sign.
(2) Groundmounted - A permanent freestanding sign other than a pole or pylon sign, not attached to a building, which is placed upon or supported by the ground independently of any other structure. Such sign may also be known as a monument sign.
(q) “Hand-held Sign" means a sign containing a commercial message that is held, carried, worn, balanced by or otherwise mounted on a human being or animal.
(r) "Illuminated Sign" means a sign with an artificial light source incorporated internally or externally for the purpose of illuminating the sign.
(s) "Industrial Park" means a group of multiple adjacent parcels, each zoned L-1, on which multiple industrial businesses form a centralized unit and/or separate business units with a joint parking area and/or separate parking areas available for use by patrons of any single business.
(t) "Joint Identification Sign" means a sign that identifies the name, through type, graphics, or other symbols, of an industrial park and the occupants of said industrial park in addition to the permitted signs of the individual occupants.
(u) "Lot" - See City of Union Planning and Zoning Ordinance Section 1165.02(36). "Lot" includes the word "parcel."
(v) "Lux" means the metric unit of measure for illuminance of a surface. One (1) lux is equal to one lumen per square meter. One (1) lux equals 0.093 footcandles. For purposes of this Chapter, one (1) lux equals one (1) nit of luminance.
(w) "Nameplate" means a permanent, fixed-copy, on-premises sign indicating the name, address and, if applicable, profession, whether commercial or non-commercial, of the occupant or group of occupants.
(x) "Nit" means the measurement of the amount of light a bulb produces. It is given in nits or one (1) candela per square meter (cd/m2). One (1) nit is equal to one (1) cd/m2. For purposes of this Chapter, 5,000 nits equals 464.5 candela per square foot and 1,000 nits equals 92.9 candela per square foot.
(y) "Non-commercial Message" means a message intended to direct attention to a political candidate, election issue, political, social, religious, community or public service issue or idea, aim, viewpoint, aspiration or purpose and not intended to produce any commercial benefit or tend to encourage a commercial transaction.
(z) “Non-commercial Sign" means a sign containing a noncommercial message. Any sign that may be displayed under the provisions of this Chapter may contain a non-commercial message.
(aa) "Non-conforming Sign" means a sign which was erected legally, but no longer complies with subsequently enacted sign restrictions and regulations.
(bb) "Off-Premises Sign" means a sign bearing a commercial message advertising a business, merchandise, service or entertainment which is not sold, produced, manufactured or furnished at the property on which such sign is located.
(cc) "Permanent Sign" means any sign that is securely attached or installed upon a building, structure, or the ground, constructed of durable materials, and is intended to exist for the duration of time that the use or occupant is located on the premises. Permanent signs include: Business Signs; Nameplates; and Off-Premises Signs, where permitted.
(dd) "Portable sign" means any sign which is attached to, supported by, or part of a structure which is designed to be moved on wheels, skids or part of a structure or other similar device; or transported, pushed or pulled by motor vehicle.
(ee) "Portable sign, folding" means any sign which can be easily transported, which is supported by an A-frame or T-frame base, and which is intended for advertising price and/or incidental goods or services.
(ff) "Projecting sign" means a sign which is suspended from, attached to, or supported by a building or structure extending away from the building or structure a distance of more than fifteen inches.
(gg) "Property line" means those lines bounding a lot. "Lot" is to be used in this Chapter consistent with its definition as set forth in the Planning and Zoning Code 1165.02.
(hh) "Public Issue Sign" means any sign identifying and urging support for or against a particular public issue, political party or candidate for public office.
(ii) "Real estate sign" means any sign which advertises or announces the sale or lease of the premises upon which lot the sign is located.
(jj) "Right-of-way" means the surface and space in, on, above, within, over, below, under or through any real property in which the City has an interest in law or equity, whether held in fee, or other estate or interest, or as a trustee for the public, including, but not limited to any public street, boulevard, road, highway, freeway, lane, alley, court, sidewalk, parkway, river, tunnel, viaduct, bridge, conduit or any other place, area, or real property owned by or under the legal or equitable control of the City that, consistent with the purposes of constructing, operating, repairing or replacing a public or private utility system. Public rights-of-way shall not include a public building, public park, or other public property or easement that has not been dedicated to a compatible use, except to the extent the use or occupation of such property is specifically granted in a permit or approved by law.
(kk) "Rotating Sign" means a sign in which the sign itself or any portion of the sign moves in a revolving or similar manner.
(ll) "Sign" means any words, lettering, figures, numerals, phrases, sentences, devices, designs, pictures, symbols, graphic or trademarks by which anything is made known, and which directs attention to any object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization, or business, whether placed on natural objects or on a building, fence or other manmade structure, which are legible from any public street or public road right of way.
(mm) "Sign area" means the maximum surface area of a sign computed in terms of square feet. In the case of signs having two (2) opposite sign faces, one-half the area of the total shall be considered in the computation of permitted square footage area.
(nn) "Sign face" means the surface upon which or through which the word or graphic message of the sign is displayed.
(oo) "Sign structure" means the structure of a sign, including the sign, its supports, braces and framework.
(pp) "Special Event Sign" means a temporary sign designed and placed to draw attention to a special event or promotion of limited duration, defined as follows:
(1) The special event or promotion shall be held in the City of Union or vicinity;
(2) The special event or promotion shall be sponsored by the City of Union, by a charitable, tax-exempt or non-profit organization (defined by IRS regulations) with a documented presence in the City of Union and/or of which a resident of the City of Union is a member or is affiliated, or by a combination of the aforementioned entitles; and,
(3) The special event or promotion shall be open to all members of the public, must not discriminate on any legally-forbidden basis, and must be open to and suitable for persons of all ages.
(qq) "Temporary Sign" means a sign which is designed to be used only for a limited period of time, as regulated in this Chapter, and is not, nor is intended to be, permanently attached to a building, structure or the ground.
(Ord. 1559. Passed 4-22-13.)