For the purpose of this title, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED SIGN. A sign, and its supporting structure, that has ceased to be used for the display of sign copy.
ADMINISTRATOR. The Director of the Department of Community Development or his or her designee.
AGGRIEVED PERSON. Any person who will suffer an adverse effect to an interest protected or furthered by this title. The alleged adverse interest may be shared in common with other members of the community at large, but shall exceed in degree the general interest in community good shared by all persons.
ANIMATED SIGN. Any sign or part of a sign that changes physical position by any movement or rotation or that gives the visual impression of such movement or rotation.
AWNING or CANOPY. A permanently roofed shelter covering a sidewalk, building entrance, window or other outdoor space. This shelter may be wholly or partially supported by a building, columns, poles or braces extending from the ground.
BUILDING FRONTAGE. The horizontal, linear dimension of any side of a building that has a usable public entrance that parallels a major vehicular or pedestrian way or other major circulation area.
BUILDING IDENTIFICATION SIGN. A sign permitted based on building frontage, regardless of the number of tenants residing therein.
BUSINESS FRONTAGE. The horizontal, linear dimension of any side of an above grade level that faces a major vehicular or pedestrian way and has its own public entrance for the exclusive use of said business.
BUSINESS SIGN. A sign placed on a business frontage, typically as a wall or projecting sign.
BUSINESS, VACATED. A commercial entity that has been closed and vacated for more than 90 days without intent to reopen.
CHANGEABLE COPY. A manually operated sign that displays content that can be easily changed or altered.
CLEARANCE. The vertical distance from existing grade to the lowest hanging point of any projecting/hanging sign or flag.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN. A temporary sign located on a parcel of property, on which construction activities of any type are being actively performed.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN. A sign located within five feet of an entrance or exit to a lot, for any building on the lot, or for parking for the lot.
DISPLAY BOX. A freestanding or wall sign that is enclosed in glass or a similar clear material on at least one side.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTER. A sign that contains changing messages or images composed of electronically illuminated segments and/or a series of grid lights, including, but not limited to, cathode ray, LED, plasma, LCD, fiber optic or other electronic media or technology.
ELECTRONIC SIGN. A sign utilizing video screens, variable message, digital display and similar features. Illumination sources may include, but are not limited to, LCD, LED, incandescent, and other similar light sources. Messages may roll, scroll, dissolve and alternate periodically.
ERECT. To build, construct, attach, hang, place, mount, suspend or affix a sign; this also includes the painting of wall signs, murals or supergraphics.
FINISHED GRADE. The existing level of a property after any development or construction activity and prior to the erection of a sign.
FIRST FLOOR OR STREET LEVEL. For the purposes of calculating allowable sign area, first floor or street level shall be any floor, or portion of any floor, of a structure located at or nearest to (either above or below) the level of the adjacent vehicular or pedestrian way, as determined by the Administrator. More than one floor, or portion of floors, may be defined as first floor or street level within a single structure.
FLAG. Any fabric or similar lightweight material typically attached to a staff or pole, which is intended to be permanently affixed to the ground or attached to a building.
FLASHING SIGN. Any directly or indirectly illuminated sign that exhibits changing natural or artificial light or color effects by any means whatsoever.
FREESTANDING SIGN. A single or multi-faced sign that is detached from a building and is affixed to a supporting structure or imbedded in and extending from the ground.
GOVERNMENT SIGN. Any sign erected or installed by a federal, state, county or local government agency.
HEIGHT. For the purposes of this title, the height above existing grade to the highest part of a sign and its structures, unless otherwise noted or described.
ILLUMINATED SIGN. A sign emitting or reflecting a steady suffused or glowing light.
ILLUMINATION, DIRECT. Lighting by means of an unshielded light source whereby the light source is directly visible to the viewer.
ILLUMINATION, HALO. An internal light source, that is not visible to the viewer, for a sign making use of opaque surfaces such that light only shines through the back and sides of the sign.
ILLUMINATION, INDIRECT. A light source separated from the sign that illuminates the sign’s surface by means of spotlights or similar fixtures with reflective housings that control and direct light onto the sign area; the indirect light source is not visible to the viewer.
ILLUMINATION, INTERNAL. A light source that is not directly visible to the viewer and is within a sign that makes use of a translucent screening; prohibited in the Town of Vail, excluding for government signs.
MASONRY INSCRIPTION. Any text or numeral etched into masonry.
MURAL. A work of art or a painting that is applied to, and made an integral part of, an exterior wall.
NEIGHBORHOOD SIGN. A sign located within common or jointly owned spaces in a residential district.
NONCONFORMING SIGN. Any sign that was approved by the Town of Vail, and erected and maintained prior to the enactment of this title and any amendments thereto, but that fails to conform to all applicable regulations and restrictions of this title.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN. Any sign located on a premise not owned or rented by the owner of the sign.
OPEN HOUSE. The period of time during which a specific property is actively listed for sale, as evidenced by such parcel’s listing in a multiple listing service or other real estate listing service, and is open for viewing by potential buyers or renters.
OPEN HOUSE SIGN. A temporary sign used in association with a property conducting an open house.
PORTABLE SIGN. A sign that is not permanently attached to the ground, a building or a structure. This does not include a vehicle mounted sign as defined herein.
PRIVATE WARNING SIGN. A sign designed to warn others of specific dangers or regulations on the property on which the sign is erected.
PROJECTING SIGN. A sign that is attached to a building, extending horizontally beyond the surface of the building to which it is attached.
PUBLIC ENTRANCE. An entrance to a building or business that is customarily used or intended for use by the general public. Fire exits, employee entrances, loading dock entrances not generally used by the public, French doors that open onto a patio but are not used as a primary entrance and other similar entrances shall not be considered PUBLIC ENTRANCES. A double door shall be counted as one PUBLIC ENTRANCE.
QUANTITY. The number of signs allowed a business or building.
REFLECTIVE SURFACE. Any material or device that has the effect of intensifying reflected light, including but not limited to, Scotchlite®, Day-Glo®, glass and luminous paint.
RESIDENTIAL SIGN. A small sign permitted for every residence in the Town of Vail.
SIGN. Any object, device, display, structure or fixture situated in the public view and involving graphics, colors, symbols, written copy or illumination and which is used to communicate, advertise, draw attention to or identify an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event or location by any means including words, letters, figures, designs, symbols, fixtures, colors, motion, illumination or projected images.
SIGN DISTRICT. Any one of three areas designated by the Town of Vail in this title, each of which is subject to different standards.
SIGN MAINTENANCE. The replacing, repairing or repainting of a sign and/or its structure due to ordinary wear and tear, weathering or accident.
SIGNPOSTS AND POLES. Any vertical upright(s) that supports a freestanding sign, that is not attached to or braced by any other structure.
SIGN PROGRAM. A master plan designed to show the number and relationship of signs for any building or cluster of buildings that houses multiple tenants and is therefore allowed multiple signs.
SIGN STRUCTURE. The supports, uprights, braces, hanging devices and framework of a sign.
SKI BASE AREA. For the purpose of regulating ski base signs, any area within Vail’s Ski Base Sign District.
SKI BASE SIGN. A sign for use within the Town of Vail’s Ski Base Sign District.
TEMPORARY SIGN. A sign that is intended for a definite and limited period of display that is not permanently affixed to a structure or sign structure.
THEATER. An establishment for the rehearsal and presentation of performing arts and/or the showing of movies or motion pictures.
VEHICLE SIGN. A sign that is painted, attached to, or placed on a vehicle or the bed of a trailer, when the vehicle or trailer is parked on a public right-of-way or public property, or on private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way, for the primary purpose of advertising products or directing people to a business or activity on the same or nearby premises, excluding a vehicle sign when the vehicle is primarily used for business purposes other than advertising.
WALL SIGN. A sign that is attached to, painted onto or erected upon the wall of a building or structure, with the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to the face of the wall.
WINDOW SIGN. A sign installed upon or within three feet of a window that is visible from the nearest pedestrian or vehicular way. This term does not include merchandise displays.
ZONE. A zoning district as described in Title 12, “Zoning Regulations”, of this code (e.g., ABD or CC3). A ZONE is not the equivalent of a sign “district”, as described in this title.
(Ord. 11(2021) § 1)