All signs erected or maintained, except official, public traffic, and street signs, shall conform to the provisions of this section and other provisions of this code of ordinances or regulation of the city.
(A) General provisions for all districts. The following regulations shall apply to all signs permitted in all districts.
(1) Signs not permitted in the public right-of-way. Signs are not permitted within the public right-of-way or easements, with the exception of:
(a) A name plate sign erected under a store front canopy near the entrance identifying a place of business, provided, the sign does not exceed 18 inches by 48 inches and is limited to one sign per lot, 50-foot frontage or less. The sign may be illuminated.
(b) A sign suspended parallel with the building from, or forming part of a canopy, awning, mansard roof, not extending more than 24 inches into the right-of-way. The sign and sign structure shall not be less than eight feet from the sidewalk or ground grade line.
(2) Signs permitted in the public right-of-way. Temporary on-site or off-site signs advertising a temporary event such as garage sale signs, yard sale signs, informational signs, directional signs, open house signs, auction signs are permitted in the right-of-way, provided:
(a) Signs are limited to any consecutive three-day period prior to the event and the three consecutive days following the sale or event. Signs must be removed on the fourth day following the sale or event.
(b) Signs shall not exceed 18 inches by 18 inches.
(c) Signs may be posted in the city boulevards provided they do not obstruct the vision of the motoring public and are not in the right-of-way along any state highway.
(d) Exceptions may be with the approval of the City Administrator.
(3) Flashing or rotating signs. Flashing or rotating signs of any kind, including those resembling emergency vehicles are not permitted in any district.
(4) Official marker signs. Signs resembling official government markers or displaying the words "stop" and "danger" are not permitted.
(5) Obstructing an access. No sign shall obstruct any door, fire escape, stairway, or opening intended to provide access to any building or structure.
(6) Rotted, unsafe or unsightly signs. The sign owner or the property owner where the sign is located shall remove or repair the sign when notified by Zoning Administrator that a sign is rotted, unsafe or unsightly.
(7) Sign area maintenance. The owner, lessee, or manager of any ground sign and the owner of the land on which the sign is located shall keep grass or weeds and other growth cut and debris and rubbish cleaned up and removed from the lot where the sign is located.
(8) Noncommercial campaign signs. Noncommercial campaign signs of any size may be posted from August 1 in a state general election year until ten days following the state general election. The subject matter of a campaign sign must relate to an election in which a candidate is running or issue to be decided.
(B) Signs in R-1 and R-2 Residential Districts. No sign shall be erected in any R-1 or R-2 District except:
(1) A nameplate sign identifying the owner or occupant of a building or dwelling unit, provided, the sign does not exceed six square feet in surface area and five feet in height. The signs may be illuminated;
(2) A sign pertaining to the lease or sale of the building or property, provided, the sign does not exceed four square feet in surface area. The signs shall not be illuminated;
(3) A temporary sign identifying an engineer, architect, contractor, or product engaged in or used in the construction of a building, provided, the sign does not exceed four square feet in surface area and is removed prior to the occupancy of the building.Signs shall not be illuminated; or
(4) Public street identification signs, traffic signs, and directional signs in any parking area where signs are necessary for the orderly movement of traffic.
(C) Signs in C-B and C-1 Districts. Signs may be erected in commercial districts subject to the following provisions.
(1) Total surface area. The total surface area of all business signs on a lot shall not exceed two square feet per lineal foot of lot frontage or 10% of the building frontage area, or 75 square feet in area, whichever is greater. Signs may be illuminated.
(2) Corner lots. For corner lots, the frontage used to determine allowable sign area shall be the least dimension along a street, but an equivalent sign area shall be allowed facing the intersecting street.
(3) Sign height. No sign shall project higher than six feet above the height of the building, or 32 feet above average grade at the building line, whichever is greater.
(4) Painted signs. Signs painted on a building shall be governed by the square footage limitations specified in this chapter. Signs shall be maintained in good condition and shall be repainted, removed, or painted out when, in the opinion of the Zoning Administrator, they are not maintained.
(5) Illuminated signs. Where a sign is illuminated, the source of light shall not be visible from any public right-of-way, and the light shall be directed away from any residential district.
(6) Signs not permitted. Billboard, off-premises signs are not a permitted use in C-B and C-1 Zoning Districts.
(D) Signs in the I-1 and 1-2 Districts. Signs may be erected in industrial districts subject to the following provisions:
(1) Total surface area. The total surface area of all business signs, including billboard off-premises signs on a lot shall not exceed two square feet per lineal foot of lot frontage of 20% of the building frontage area or 300 square feet in area, whichever is greater. Signs may be illuminated.
(2) Billboard off-premises signs. Billboard off-premises signs may be erected in I-1 and I-2 Zoning Districts subject to the following provisions.
(a) Signs structures shall not be erected within:
1. Five hundred feet of any picnic area, rest areas, playground or park, in any direction;
2. Five hundred feet of any existing billboard off-premises sign structures on the same side of the highway and 250 feet between signs on the opposite side of the highway; or
3. Four hundred feet of the C-B Central Business District.
(b) Sign structures may be a single surface or may be a back to back surface and shall not exceed 300 square feet in sign surface area.
(c) Sign structures shall not exceed 30 feet in height as measured from the established grade.
(2006 Code, § 11.20) (Ord. 130, passed 12-24-1971; Ord. 5, 3rd Series, passed 1-17-1980; Ord. 55, 3rd Series, passed 5-15-1985; Ord. 98, 3rd Series, passed 4-30-1993; Ord. 139, 3rd Series, passed 5-19-2000; Ord. 147, 3rd Series, passed 12-20-2002; Ord. 165, 3rd Series, passed 10-11-2005; Ord. 233, 3rd Series, passed 8-4-2020) Penalty, see § 152.99