(A) It shall hereafter be unlawful for any person to erect, place, or maintain a sign in the village except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(B) In interpreting and applying the provisions of this chapter, such provisions shall be held to be the minimum requirements. Where this chapter imposes greater restriction or limitation of the number, height, area, or location of signs than are imposed or required by other laws or ordinances, the provisions of this chapter shall control.
(C) All signs, including those that are exempt from requiring a permit listed in § 153.253, shall be properly maintained. The sign shall be constructed in a safe, presentable manner with sound structural material. This requirement includes the replacement of all defective parts, painting, repainting, cleaning, and other acts involved in general maintenance. If a sign is not made to comply with adequate safety standards, the Director shall require its removal in accordance with this section.
(D) Every sign requiring electric current shall meet the requirements of the County Building and Electrical Code, and shall be properly inspected and approved.
(E) All permanent signs placed on properties, sites, or buildings designated as historic or located in a designated historic district in accordance with §§ 153.080 through 153.094 shall be reviewed and approved by the Historic Preservation Board of the village and a certificate of appropriateness issued prior to the issuance of a sign permit.
(F) Traffic directing signs in commercial and manufacturing districts, and for principally permitted nonresidential uses within residential districts, are permitted provided that:
(1) The maximum area for each side of such sign is two and one-half square feet per side and there are not more than two such sides; and
(2) No more than two traffic directing signs are permitted on a property unless a traffic-control signage plan is submitted to and approved by the Planning Commission.
(G) A maximum of one informational sign for any bona fide church, religious sect, or congregation located within the corporate boundaries of the village shall be permitted provided that such sign does not exceed 20 square feet in area per side of sign and there are no more than two such sides, that sign height not exceed six feet, and that such sign be located outside a public right-of-way. Lighting for such signs must conform to the requirements of the zoning district as provided in this chapter.
(H) A sign may include an electronic message center subject to the following requirements.
(1) An electronic message center sign shall only be permitted as part of a permanent on premise sign.
(2) An electronic message center sign shall be limited to ground-mounted free standing signs.
(4) An electronic message center sign shall be permitted for any approved informational sign as described in division (G) above or for uses in the Suburban Office and Institution District. In no case shall the electronic message center sign copy or display message area exceed the sign area of the approved informational sign area. If an existing approved information sign area is less than what would be approved as outlined in division (H)(3) above, the sign area may be increased to meet the sign requirements.
(5) The use of color in the electronic message center signs shall be limited to two for the illuminated copy and two illuminated background colors.
(6) The surface area of the remaining portion of the sign face shall be permanent and non-moveable.
(7) The sign copy or display message shall not contain animation, scrolling, or running letters or text.
(8) The sign copy or display message shall not change or alternate more than once every 20 seconds.
(9) The sign copy or display message shall not cause disabling glare or cause a distraction or menace to traffic safety. The sign shall have illumination dimming technology to assure daytime levels and nighttime levels to maintain effective illumination based on ambient light conditions.
(10) An electronic message center sign is prohibited in the mandatory portion of the designated Historic District.
(Ord. 96-152, passed 10-7-1996; Ord. 2013-031, passed 7-15-2013) Penalty, see § 153.999