ACCESS CONNECTION: Roadways, shared driveways, frontage drives, shared access easements, interconnecting parking lots, or some other means which encourages indirect access and circulation to abutting properties.
ALTERATION: Any change of copy, sign face, color, size, shape, illumination, position, location, construction, or supporting structure of any sign.
ANIMATION: The presentation copy on signs displayed in a progression of frames which give the illusion of motion, including, but not limited to, the illusion of moving objects, moving patterns or bands of light, or expanding or contracting shapes.
AWNING: Any rooflike structure made of cloth, metal or other material attached to the exterior wall of a building and erected over a window, doorway, or wall which may be fixed and unable to be retracted or retractable to a position against the building.
CANOPY, ENTRANCE: A rooflike cover that projects from the wall of a building over an entrance which is attached to a building and supported from the ground up.
CANOPY, FREESTANDING: A freestanding, projecting or detached, structure which provides cover above an outdoor service area, such as at a gasoline service station. A marquee is not a canopy.
COMMERCIAL FRONTAGE: The linear footage of a lot facing a public street or access connection owned or leased by a person, business or enterprise intended for commercial usage. A building on an interior lot has one commercial frontage, while a corner lot contains two (2) commercial frontages. In no case shall there ever be more than two (2) commercial frontages for any one lot.
COPY: Any combination of letters, numbers, symbols or images which is intended to inform, direct or otherwise transmit information.
COPY AREA: The area where any combination of letters, numbers, symbols or images intended to inform, direct or otherwise transmit information copy is displayed.
DISPLAY AREA: The display surface area encompassed within any regular geometric square, rectangle, circle or equilateral triangle which would enclose all parts of the sign. For a wall sign where there is no defined sign background the square footage shall be determined by multiplying the largest horizontal width by the largest vertical height. The structural supports, trim or other ornamentation shall not be considered part of the display area if it is kept to a minimum to support the sign. If the structural supports are ornamental in nature and determined to be a sign enhancement feature and not part of the minimal support system, then these sections shall be considered part of the display. In the case of a two (2) sided sign or double faced sign where only one sign face is visible from each direction, the advertising display area of only one side (or the larger side if different) shall be calculated for the purposes of this chapter.
ERECT: To build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend, or affix and shall also include the painting of wall signs.
FACE: The area or display surface used for the message.
GRAPHIC ELEMENT: Any word, symbol, number, logo, or other pictorial representation that is used as copy.
HEIGHT: The vertical distance measured from the lowest adjacent grade to the highest point of the sign or sign structure.
HISTORIC AREA: Generally described as all properties with frontage on Main Street (Route 72) between the Fox River and Eighth Street (Route 31).
ILLUMINATION: Shall refer to any source of artificial light used to illuminate a sign, but may be divided into two (2) types:
Direct Illumination: Any source of artificial light either by means of exposed tubing or lamps on its surface or by means of illumination transmitted through transparent faces.
Indirect Illumination: Any surface which reflects light from a source intentionally directed upon it, such as: floodlights, gooseneck reflectors, or externally mounted fluorescent light fixtures.
LARGE FOOTPRINT BUILDINGS: Commercial, industrial or office buildings with at least thirty thousand (30,000) square feet of interior space.
LINEAR FRONTAGE, BUILDING: That portion of building footage occupied by a single business tenant having a public entrance within a building.
LINEAR FRONTAGE, SITES: That portion of lot footage that parallels a public road.
LOT: A designated parcel, tract or area of land established by plat, subdivision, or as otherwise permitted by law, to be separately owned, used, developed or built upon.
LOT QUADRANT: One of four (4) sides of a lot when divided evenly horizontally and vertically.
MARQUEE: A permanent rooflike projection above a theater entrance that usually displays a changeable message to provide details about a currently featured entertainer, film, play or similar performance.
MASTER SIGNAGE PLAN: A signage plan for one or more properties with signs designed as an integral part of the site plan and architecture for the development or redevelopment of property.
ROOFLINE: The highest edge of the roof or the top of parapet, whichever establishes the top line of the structure when viewed in a horizontal plane.
SETBACK: The minimum distance required between any property line and any portion of a sign or sign structure.
SHOPPING CENTER: Two (2) or more separate businesses, utilizing a common parking area, and being under single ownership or control. The businesses may be in the same building or in more than one building, but must be located on the same zoning lot.
SIGHT TRIANGLE: A triangular shaped portion of land established at street intersections in which nothing is erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow in such a manner as to limit or obstruct the sight distance of motorists entering or leaving an intersection.
SIGN ENHANCEMENT FEATURE: Any portion of a sign structure intended to improve or draw attention to the physical appearance of a sign including roofs, moldings, lattice, columns or other decorative features.
SIGNAGE PLAN: A graphic representation showing a comprehensive detailed presentation of all signage proposed for a particular lot.
SPECIAL EVENT: An assembly or parade, mall attraction, merchant organized function, held on public or private property which is open to the public and/or where food and liquor sales would be permitted, and/or hours would be extended past dusk, and/or corporate sponsorship would be allowed.
STRING LIGHTS: Electric lights connected by a strand and designed to be displayed on a temporary basis during holidays or festivals but not including all outdoor architectural or landscaping enhancement lighting which are part of a landscape or building elevation design and hardwired for permanent display.
STRUCTURE: The supports, uprights, bracing, or framework of any structure exhibiting a sign, be it single faced, double faced, or V-type or otherwise.
TENANT SIGN CRITERIA: Standards regulating features of tenant signage within a commercial center as determined by the owner or manager of the property.
WALL AREA: The square footage of the front of the building or store unit, computed by multiplying the linear frontage by the height extending from finished grade to the exterior ceiling line of the first story.
ZONING LOT: A parcel of land (whether legally described and subdivided as 1 or more lots or parts of lots) located within a single block, occupied by or intended for occupancy, by one principal building or principal use and having its principal frontage upon a street. (Ord. 14-02, 1-20-2014)