(A) Sign area. This section sets forth rules for measuring sign area and other regulated dimensional features.
(1) Box or signs. The area of a box sign is determined based on the outer dimensions of the frame or cabinet surrounding the sign face. However, screened box signs with raised or routed out letters, may be measured as described in division (A)(2) below.
(2) Channel (individual) letter signs. The area of a sign comprised of individual letters or elements attached to a building wall is determined by calculating the area of the smallest geometric figure (e.g. square, rectangle, circle, polygon, etc.) that can be drawn around the letters and/or elements. Signs consisting of individual letters and/or elements will be measured as one sign when the distance between the letters and/or elements is less than the largest dimension of the largest sign letter.
(3) Multi-sided signs. Unless otherwise expressly stated, when the sign faces of a multi-sided sign are parallel or within 30 degrees of parallel, only one side is counted. If the sign faces are not parallel or within 30 degrees of parallel, all sign faces are counted.
(B) Building frontage. Many of the wall sign regulations of this ordinance are based on "building frontage." The following rules govern the measurement of building frontage.
(1) For buildings occupied by a single tenant or multiple tenants that access the building via a common entrance, building frontage is the exterior building wall (or walls) that: (1) is adjacent to a street or a parking area or other vehicle circulation area that is accessory to and serves the subject building and (2) contains either windows or a public building entrance. Allowed wall sign area for a building that has two or more building frontages must be calculated on the basis of each individual building frontage.
(2) On buildings housing more than one tenant where each tenant has their own outside entrance, a tenant's building frontage is the exterior building wall (or walls) that directly abut the tenant's interior floor space and that: (1) abuts, parallels, or is the nearest to parallel with a street or a parking area or other vehicle circulation area that is accessory to and serves the subject building and (2) contains either windows or a public building entrance. A tenant that has two or more building frontages must calculate the permitted sign area on the basis of each individual building frontage.
(3) Regardless of the height, number of stories, or number of tenants in a building, building frontage will be determined by one measurement of the horizontal length of the wall at finished grade. Building walls must be measured along a flat, unbroken plane, regardless of the presence of recesses or projections along the building wall.
(4) As an alternative to the allocation of permitted sign area on the basis of individual building frontages, a differing allotment of sign area may be assigned to the various tenants upon receipt and approval by the Zoning Administrator of written authorization from the owner or authorized management firm of the building or development. Such written authorization must be in the form of a master sign plan that complies with the provisions of § 155-13.80.
(5) In no instance may the total combined sign area for all signs exceed the maximum allowed sign area for the individual building frontages.
(C) Wall area. The area of a wall is calculated by multiplying the building frontage by the building's height or 15 feet, whichever is less.
(D) Window area. The area of a window includes only the glass or glazed elements of the window. Frames, mullions and similar features are not counted as part of the window area.
(Ord. effective 10-1-2012)