For a commercial, office, industrial or public institutional use located in the A-1, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, M-1, M-2, M-X, P-1 or PBP districts, or a Special Use within any of these zoning districts, the following signs are hereby permitted, but only if accessory and incidental to a permitted or special use on the premises. Such signs shall conform to the following regulations with regard to location, quantity, size, and height.
(Ord. 17-09. Passed 7-27-09; Ord. 40-10. Passed 1-24-11.)
(a) Wall Signs.
(1) Number.
A. There shall be not more than one wall sign for each principal building except that where the building abuts two or more streets or alleys, additional such signs, one oriented to each abutting street or alley, shall be permitted.
B. Where a principal building is devoted to two or more permitted uses, the operator of each such use may install a wall sign upon his/her proportionate share of the building wall. Proportionate share shall be determined by dividing the area of each commercial use into the total area of all commercial uses in the building.
(2) Area.
A. The total signage area on a wall abutting a street shall not exceed two square feet of signage area per lineal foot of such wall at the ground floor level. The total signage area on a wall abutting an alley shall not exceed one square foot of signage area per lineal foot of such wall at the ground floor level.
B. The length of any wall sign or combination of wall signs shall not exceed two-thirds of the length of the wall upon which the sign or signs are placed.
(3) Location.
A. Wall signs shall not project more than 18 inches from the surface upon which they are mounted; provided, however, that the upper edge of a wall sign mounted on a mansard roof may project more than 18 inches so long as the sign is perpendicular to the ground.
B. No part of any sign shall be closer to either end of the building face on which it is erected than 18 inches. Where more than one sign is erected on the same face of a building, there shall be a distance of at least three feet between signs.
(4) Height. A wall sign shall not extend higher than the parapet line of the wall to which the sign is affixed, or 20 feet as measured from the base of the building wall to which the sign is to be affixed, whichever is lower.
(b) Projecting Signs.
(1) Number. In lieu of any wall sign permitted in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) above, a projecting sign may be erected, with the exception that a projecting sign shall not be permitted on property that has a ground sign.
(2) Area. The sign area of a projecting sign shall not exceed ten square feet.
(3) Location.
A. Projecting signs shall be located on the vertical surface of a building wall and shall not project more than four feet from the building wall.
B. No part of any sign shall be closer to either end of the building face on which it is erected than three feet. Where more than one sign is erected on the same face of a building, there shall be a distance of at least nine feet between signs.
(4) Height.
A. A projecting sign shall not extend higher than the parapet line of the wall to which the sign is affixed, or 20 feet as measured from the base of the building wall to which the sign is to be affixed, whichever is lower.
B. There must be a minimum unobstructed distance of ten feet from the sidewalk or grade to the bottom of the sign.
(c) Ground Sign.
(1) Number. There shall be not more than one ground sign for each principal building.
(2) Area. The total sign area shall not exceed 15 square feet when the sign is located 15 feet from the curb or edge of street pavement. For each additional one-foot setback from the edge of street, an additional three square feet of display area will be permitted up to a maximum of 45 square feet.
(3) Location. No part of any such sign shall be located on or over any part of the public right-of-way or be closer than 15 feet to any curb or edge of street pavement. No such sign shall be erected where it will constitute a traffic hazard or contribute to traffic problems through confusion with traffic-control devices, or where it will interfere with the field of vision of motorists using streets or driveways.
(4) Height. The maximum height of any such sign shall not exceed eight feet above ground level
(d) Awnings.
(1) In addition to those signs permitted above, a sign may be installed on an attached awning, which projects beyond a building over a window, walkway, or yard. Such sign shall be a permanent integral part of the awning.
(2) No such sign shall extend vertically or horizontally beyond the limits of the awning, or have a total sign area in excess of one-half square foot for each lineal foot of the side of the awning on which the sign will be displayed. The length of any awning sign shall not exceed two-thirds of the length of awning.
(e) Shopping Center and Multi-business Signs
(1) Number. The provisions of subsection (c) hereof notwithstanding, there shall not be more than one ground sign for each shopping or multi-business center except as permitted in Section 1315.03
(b)(4). Such sign shall be used only for the purpose of identifying the shopping center and shall not be used to identify specific tenants or products available within the shopping center.
(2) Area. The total sign area shall not exceed 45 square feet when the sign is located 15 feet from the curb or edge of street pavement. For each additional one- foot setback from the edge of street, an additional three square feet of display area will be permitted up to a maximum of 60 square feet.
(3) Location. No part of any such sign shall be located on or over any part of the public right-of-way or be closer than 15 feet to any curb or edge of street pavement. No such sign shall be erected where it will constitute a traffic hazard or contribute to traffic problems through confusion with traffic-control devices, or where it will interfere with the field of vision of motorists using streets or driveways.
(4) Height. The maximum height of any such sign shall not exceed eight (8) feet above ground level.
(5) Directory sign. Each shopping center ground sign may include affixed directly to it a directory indicating only the names of the tenants of the shopping center. The sign area of the directory sign shall not exceed six square feet for each tenant in the shopping center. The directory sign shall not contain more than two colors.
(f) Automobile Dealership Signs.
(1) Secondary ground signs. In addition to the signs authorized by the preceding sections, an automobile dealership may be entitled to erect secondary ground signs. Secondary ground signs shall be permitted only if used for pre-owned automobiles or if two or more product lines (automobile makes) are offered for sale on the premises.
(2) Number. Not more than two secondary ground signs shall be permitted, one denoting the sale of new or used automobiles and one denoting the sale of a second and additional automotive product line.
(3) Area. The total sign area shall not exceed 15 square feet when the sign is located 15 feet from the curb or edge of street pavement. For each additional one-foot setback from the edge of street, an additional three square feet of display area will be permitted up to a maximum of 30 square feet.
(4) Location. No part of any such sign shall be located on or over any part of the public right-of-way or be closer than 15 feet to any curb or edge of street pavement. No such sign shall be erected where it will constitute a traffic hazard or contribute to traffic problems through confusion with traffic-control devices, or where it will interfere with the field of vision of motorists using streets or driveways.
(5) Height. The maximum height of any such sign shall not exceed eight feet above ground level. (Ord. 14-07. Passed 8-28-07.)
(g) Message Center Signs.
(1) Color. EDITOR’S NOTE: Former subsection (g)(1) hereof was deleted by Ordinance 04-13.
(2) Fixed Message .Fixed (non-streaming) messages may change not more than once every eight (8) seconds.
(3) Streaming Messages. A streaming message may “stream” at a maximum of three (3) characters per second.
(Ord. 14-07. Passed 8-28-07.)
(4) Flashing Messages. Fixed messages may not be “flashed” – a condition where messages or phrases are rapidly turned on and off or interchanged. This shall not prevent a sign from utilizing transitions from one message to another using a frame effect, which shall be defined as visual effects such as fading, rolling, window shading, dissolving and blinds, applied to a single frame to transition from one message to the next. There shall be no effects of movement, flashing, scintillation or similar effects in the individual message.
(5) Content. Message content is limited to information appertaining to the business(s) located on the zoned lot or public announcements.
(6) Size. The changeable message portion of any sign shall not exceed eighty- five percent (85%) of the sign’s allowable area.
(Ord. 04-13. Passed 3-25-13.)
(h) A-frame Signs.
(1) Number. In addition to all other signs provided in this section, one A-frame sign per premises located in the Historic Overlay District or in a P-1 zoning district is permitted.
(Ord. 40-10. Passed 1-24-11.)
(2) Area. The maximum area of each side shall be six (6) square feet.
(3) Location. Within the Historic Overlay District, the A-frame sign must be located contiguous to the building containing the permittee’s business and may be placed within the public right-of-way. Within a P-1 zoning district, the A-frame sign must be located on the premises containing the permittee’s business and may not be placed within the public right-of-way. An A-frame sign must not interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic and in all cases must be at least one foot from the edge of the pavement of a public street or alley. (Ord. 40-10. Passed 1-24-11.)
(4) Height. When the A-frame sign is open for display, the maximum height shall not exceed three and one-half (3 1/2) feet.
(5) Time limit. The A-frame sign may only be displayed during the time the permittee's business is open to customers.
(6) Illumination. There shall be no illumination specifically for the A-frame sign.
(7) Liability. If a permittee places an A-frame sign within the public right-of-way, the permittee accepts complete liability for any claims that may arise from such placement. If a permittee places an A-frame sign within the public right-of-way, the permittee shall provide the Municipality with a certificate of insurance naming the Municipality as an additional insured in the minimum amounts of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence. The permittee has an ongoing responsibility to provide the Municipality with current certificates of insurance to comply with this requirement. A permit for an A-frame sign shall not be valid unless the Municipality has been provided with a current certificate of insurance.
(8) Permit. A permit is required for A-frame signs under this Section, but one-half (1/2) of the sign permit fee shall be waived.
(Ord. 17-09. Passed 7-27-09.)