The following general standards apply:
(a) Clear Corner Distance. Signs must maintain clear corner vision for all street intersections and driveway entrances. No signs can be located within a triangle formed by two points, each twenty-five-feet away from the intersection of the right-of-way line and the driveway, and the line connecting them.
(b) Consistency. All signs developed for one building, structure or shopping center must incorporate a theme using similar methods of display and construction, which limits the number of fonts, colors, and sign face sizes. Signs must be compatible with the architectural style, elements, and materials of the principal building or structure.
(c) Colors. Sign colors must complement the color scheme of the building and structures on the lot. Daylight fluorescent pigments or paints (or reflective color materials that give the appearance of changing color or brilliant luminescent colors) are prohibited.
(d) Materials. Signs must be constructed of wood, glass, masonry, cast metal or high-density urethane (which must be painted and is intended to mimic wood). Prohibited materials include sheet plastic, plastic substrates, interior grade woods, unlaced plywood, sheet metal, and neon.
(e) Illumination and Lighting. External illumination is permitted in all zoning districts (backlighting of opaque letters is considered external illumination) and subject to the following standards. Temporary signs may not be illuminated.
(1) Lights must be steady, stationary, and shaded and/or shielded downward with light directed away from adjacent properties and streets.
(2) Signs with internal illumination must have the lettering and graphics in a lighter color than the background to the maximum extent practical.
(3) All signs must comply with the relevant lighting requirements of Chapter 1221: Lighting.
(4) Illumination by bare bulbs or flames is prohibited, except that bare bulbs are permitted on electronic changeable copy signs and theatre marquees.
(f) Electronic Messaging Center (EMC) Signs.
(1) The message display area cannot change more than once per ten-seconds; any sign that changes its message more frequently is considered a flashing sign.
(2) Only one EMC sign is permitted per developed parcel.
(3) The use of a video display or special effects such as, but not limited to, scrolling, fading, wiping, flashing, changing colors or exploding is prohibited.
(4) The sign cannot create glare or have characteristics that impair the vision of motorists or create a nuisance for surrounding properties. Glare must be reduced and/or minimized in such a manner as to maintain an appropriate level of contrast during the day. To reduce driver distraction at night and light trespass into residential areas, electronic signs must have an automatic dimmer to control brightness, which cannot be manually overridden.
(g) Canopies and Awnings.
(1) Canopies and awnings are permitted around the entire perimeter of a building. However, canopy and awning signs are only permitted to be placed in the bottom seventy-five percent of the awning.
(2) The scale, design, and color of the canopy and awning sign must be compatible with the architectural features of the building, including the color of the building.
(3) Awnings cannot extend more than six-feet in front of the building.
(h) Height Clearance. Canopy, awning, marquee, and projecting signs must maintain a minimum eight-foot clear space distance from the bottom of the structure to the grade or sidewalk.
(i) Landscaping. The area surrounding freestanding signs must be landscaped to match the design characteristics of the site (only for new signs).
(j) Murals. Murals are permitted in all commercial and industrial zoning districts, only after review and approval by City Council. If the mural is located within the downtown development district, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) must first review the proposed mural and make a recommendation to City Council on the ultimate approval or denial. In reviewing a mural, the following criteria must be applied:
(1) Be well designed and incorporate high-quality materials that enhance the overall appearance of the site and will not adversely impact safe and efficient movement of vehicles and pedestrians.
(2) Colors, though vibrant, must be complementary and harmonious with the exterior colors of the building structure, as well as consistent with the chosen theme.
(3) Its design and location cannot obscure or detract from the significant architectural features of the building structure; nor should the building's architecture be altered to accommodate the mural.
(4) Routine maintenance of the mural is the responsibility of the building owner where the artwork is located. If, for whatever reason, the mural falls into disrepair, the building owner will be notified in writing and required to make necessary repairs per the City’s policy for correcting violations. If the repairs are not made within the specified time, the City reserves the right to repair or remove the mural at the owner's expense.
(Ord. 2023-01. Passed 2-7-23.)