(A) Design standards for all signs.
(1) Wind. The effect of special local wind pressures shall be thoroughly considered in the design, but in no case shall the wind load be assumed to be less than 20 pounds per square foot for ground and projecting signs.
(2) Illumination.
(a) No sign shall be illuminated by other than electrical means, and electrical devices and wiring shall be installed in accordance with the National Electrical Code.
(b) In no case shall any open spark or flame be used for display purposes unless specifically approved by the Building Inspector for locations outside the fire limits.
(3) Obstructions to exit ways. No signs shall be erected, constructed or maintained so as to obstruct any fire escape, required exitway, window or door opening used as a means of ingress or egress, or to prevent free passage from one part of a roof to another part of a roof or access thereto.
(4) Obstruction to ventilation. No sign shall be attached in any form, shape or manner that will interfere with any opening required for ventilation, except that such signs be erected in front of and may cover transom windows.
(B) Wall signs.
(1) Materials. Wall signs that have an area exceeding 40 square feet shall be constructed of metal or other approved noncombustible materials.
(2) Extension and height.
(a) Wall signs shall not be erected to extend above the top of the wall, nor to extend beyond the ends of the wall to which they are attached.
(b) In no case shall a wall sign extend to a height of more than 35 feet above the ground.
(C) Use of combustible materials.
(1) Ornamental features. Wood or approved plastic or other materials of combustible characteristics similar to wood may be used for molding, cappings, nailing blocks, letters and latticing and for the purely ornamental features of signs in accordance with the approved rules.
(2) Sign facings. Sign facings may be made of approved combustible plastics, provided the area of each face is not more than 40 square feet and the wiring for electric lighting is entirely enclosed in metal conduit and installed with a clearance not less than two inches from the facing material.
(D) Projecting signs.
(1) Materials. Projecting signs, in excess of 40 square feet in area, shall be constructed entirely of metal or other approved non-combustible materials, except for ornamental features.
(2) Maximum protection. No such sign shall project over public property more than 60% of the distance between the property line and the curb line nor be nearer the curb line, extended vertically, than three feet.
(3) Clearances. Clear space of not less than nine feet shall be provided below all parts of such signs.
(4) Height. No projecting sign shall be erected to a height of more than 35 feet above the ground.
(E) Window signs.
(1) Permanent window signs.
(a) Subject to the requirements of this subchapter, any industrial, commercial or institutional establishment may display permanent window signs. All window signs must be placed such that the principal activity within the business is visible from the street. Permanent window signs are not permitted in a residential area.
(b) If an establishment displays no wall sign, then no window shall be covered with more than 30 square feet of permanent window signs.
(2) Temporary window signs. Subject to the requirements of these regulations, any commercial or industrial establishment may display temporary window signs. Temporary window signs are not permitted in an institutional or residential area except for use as real estate signs.
(F) Awnings and canopies. Signs on awnings and canopies shall be exempt from the limitations imposed by this chapter on the projection of signs from the face of the wall of any building or structure, provided that any sign located on the awning or canopy shall be affixed flat to the surface thereof, shall be non-illuminated, and shall indicate only the name and/or address of the establishment. No such sign shall extend vertically or horizontally beyond the limits of such awning, and all awnings shall maintain the following clearances.
(1) Height. All awnings shall maintain a vertical clearance of not less than seven feet, six inches above grade.
(2) Projection. No awning shall project closer to a curb line than 24 inches.
(G) Marquee signs.
(1) Materials. Marquee signs shall be constructed entirely of metal or other approved noncombustible materials, except for ornamental features.
(2) Height. Such signs shall not exceed 16 feet in height nor shall they project below the facia of the marquee lower than nine feet above the sidewalk.
(3) Length. The marquee may extend the full length, but in no case shall they project beyond the ends of the marquee.
(H) Ground signs.
(1) Exemptions. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any ground sign exempted under § 154.538 of these zoning regulations.
(2) Obstruction of ingress and egress prohibited. No ground sign shall be erected so as to obstruct free access to ingress or egress from any building.
(3) Bottom of sign. The bottom capping of all in-ground signs shall be at least 30 inches above the ground, but the intervening space may be filled with open lattice work or platform decorative trim.
(4) Materials of construction. Inside the fire limits, no ground sign shall be constructed of combustible materials, except ornamental features. Outside the fire limits, the structural frame of ground signs shall not be erected of combustible materials.
(5) Maximum height. No ground sign shall be erected to a height of more than six feet above the ground.
(6) Location on sidewalk or near curb. No person shall place, or cause the placement of any sign or sign holder on any sidewalk within the village, or on the ground within six feet of the curb within the village so as to impede pedestrian traffic or persons entering or exiting parallel parked vehicles. Signs must be removed during non-business hours. No sign so placed shall be larger than 18 square feet for a single-faced sign or 36 square feet for a double-faced sign or be electrified.
(7) Location outside right-of-way or away from curb. Any ground sign placed outside a right-of-way or more than six feet from the curb, whichever is greater, and not upon a municipal sidewalk in accordance with the requirements of this section, may be so placed for not more than 30 consecutive days and not more than twice per year, per address.
(8) Relation to property. A ground sign shall only advertise matters which are the business of the establishment in front of whose property such sign is located.
(9) Consent of owner required. No sign shall be erected or placed without the landowner thereof first obtaining a permit from the Zoning Inspector to erect or place the same, paying a fee therefor and meeting the bond requirements of this zoning code, all as set forth in § 154.550 of these zoning regulations.
(I) Pole signs. Pole signs may be located within required yards, if approved by the Village Planning Commission, and shall not be less than 15 feet from another business lot and not less than 50 feet from a residential district line. In the B-1 General Business District, the maximum size of any face of a pole sign shall be 50 square feet in area. The support for a pole sign shall not be located within, nor shall such sign project over, any dedicated right-of-way. Pole signs shall not exceed 30 feet in height in any zoning district, nor six feet in height in residential districts.
(J) Miscellaneous and temporary signs and banners.
(1) Construction and removal. Temporary signs and banners attached to or suspended from a building and constructed of cloth or other combustible material shall be strongly constructed and shall be securely attached to their supports. They shall be removed as soon as they are torn or damaged and in no case later than 30 days after erection, except that permits for temporary signs suspended from or attached to a canopy or marquee shall be limited to a period of ten days.
(2) Maximum size. Temporary signs of combustible construction shall not be more than ten feet in one dimension nor more than 500 square feet in area.
(3) Rigid frames. When more than 100 square feet in area, temporary signs and banners shall be made of rigid materials with rigid frames.
(4) Projection. Temporary signs of cloth and similar combustible construction shall meet projection requirements as stated in division (D) of this section, except that such signs, when constructed without a frame, may be supported against the face of a canopy or marquee or may be suspended from the lower facia thereof but shall not extend closer to the sidewalk than eight feet. In no case shall a sign be permitted to extend across streets or project over public spaces except to the extent herein provided.
(K) Illuminated signs.
(1) Permitted types of illumination. Illuminated signs are permitted, provided the illumination is not of a flashing, chasing or scintillating nature characterized by a sudden or transient outburst of bright lights. Included among the permitted signs are public service information and commercial message displays that are illuminated, have a sequential and flexible, changeable message capacity and may be changed by electronic process or by remote control, except that commercial messages shall be limited to information concerning the business establishment that operates the display.
(2) Design and construction. An illuminated sign shall be designed and constructed so as to concentrate the illumination upon the area of the sign and prevent glare upon the street or adjacent property.
(3) Hours of illumination. Such illumination shall be turned off between 1:00 a. m. and sunrise when such sign is within 200 feet of any R-1A, R-1B, R-2, R-3 or PD-1 District. Illumination may be permitted, however, during the time any such business is open to the public between such hours.
(4) Movement prohibited. No sign shall employ any parts or elements that revolve, rotate, whirl, spin or otherwise make use of motion to attract attention.
(5) Certified electric wiring and devices. All electrically illuminated signs shall be certified as to electric wiring and devices by the Building Inspector and all wiring and accessory electrical equipment shall conform to the requirements of the National Electrical Code.
(6) Permits. Permits shall be issued for the erection or maintenance of illuminated signs within the limitations set forth in this chapter for the location, size and type of sign or outdoor display.
(7) Relettering. The requirements of this section shall not apply to the relettering of illuminated signs, except where such relettering requires a change of wiring or piping of the sign.
(Prior Code, § 1288.03) (Ord. 652, passed 11-8-1999; Ord. 728, passed 5-7-2007)