The purpose of these sign regulations is to encourage the effective use of signs as a means of communication in the city, and the Joint Jurisdictional Zoning Area pursuant to expressed provisions 11.05 and 11.06 in the Joint Zoning Regulations adopted by the City of Vermillion and Clay County, to minimize the possible adverse effect of signs on adjacent public and private property, to improve pedestrian and traffic safety, to maintain and enhance an aesthetic environment and to enable the fair and consistent enforcement of these sign regulations. It is, therefore, the intent of these regulations to achieve the following:
(A) Safety. To promote the safety of persons and property by providing that signs:
(1) Do not create a hazard due to collapse, fire, collision, decay or abandonment;
(2) Do not create traffic hazards by confusing or distracting motorists; or by impairing the driver’s ability to see pedestrians, obstacles or other vehicles; or to see and interpret any official traffic sign, signal or device.
(B) Communications efficiency. To promote the efficient transfer of information by providing that:
(1) Businesses and services may identify themselves;
(2) Customers and other persons may locate a business or service;
(3) No person or group is arbitrarily denied the use of the sight line from public rights-of-way for communication purposes.
(C) Landscape quality and preservation. To protect the public welfare and to enhance the appearance and economic value of the landscape by providing that signs:
(1) Do not create a nuisance to persons using the public rights-of-way;
(2) Do not constitute a nuisance to occupancy of adjacent and contiguous property by their brightness, size, height or movement.
(Ord. 1188, passed 6-16-2008; Am. Ord. 1195, passed 9-15-2008; Am. Ord. 1273, passed 1-16-2012)