Permanent signs for uses in nonresidential districts shall comply with the regulations set forth in this Section.
(b) Building Signs.
(1) The maximum permitted area for building signs shall be one and one-half square feet for every lineal foot of building frontage.
(2) This maximum area shall be the sum of the areas of all building signs, including projecting signs and marquee/canopy signs.
(3) Notwithstanding the above standard, each building shall be permitted a minimum of 40 square feet of building sign area.
(c) Projecting Signs. Projecting signs shall be limited to one for each customer entrance to the building and shall not project more than five feet from the face of the building nor more than two feet over the right-of-way line. All projecting signs shall have a minimum clearance of eight feet from the ground to the bottom of the sign.
(d) Additional Area for Building Signs in Nonresidential Districts.
(1) Corner Lots and Side and Rear Entrances. For any building that has one of the following characteristics: is on a corner lot; faces a side street; or has a customer entrance facing a parking lot and such parking lot does not face the main street, the maximum allowable area for building signs pursuant to subsection (a) may be increased for each such additional building frontage. The increase for each such building frontage shall be equal to forty percent (40%) of the allowable sign area if the additional building frontage were considered the principal building frontage, provided that:
A. The allowable increase by virtue of the side street(s) or entrance(s) is not aggregated with or used with the allowable sign area along the principal street;
B. The sign area permitted on the principal building frontage may, however, be redistributed along the secondary frontage(s) provided that the total sign area facing the secondary street(s) or parking lot, does not exceed one and one-half (1 ½) square feet per lineal foot of building frontage facing the secondary street(s) or parking lot, and
C. No sign by virtue of any redistribution, shall exceed the area specified in Subsection 1163.06(b)(1).
(2) Large Building Setbacks. The maximum allowable area for building signs may be increased by one-half (½) square foot of sign area for each foot of building frontage when the principal building is set back more than 200 feet from the principal street on which the building is located. The sign area may also be increased by one-half (½) square foot of sign area for each lineal foot for that portion of the building which is more than 200 feet from the street and facing such street when the additional sign area is included in a sign placed on that portion of the building.
(3) Multi-Tenant Developments. In addition to the area permitted for building signs pursuant to Subsection 1163.06(b)(1), a multi-tenant building is permitted an additional thirty square feet of sign area for each building face. Any portion of such sign which is larger than thirty square feet is subject to the maximum allowable area for building signs pursuant to Subsection 1163.06(b)(1).
(e) Freestanding Signs. A freestanding sign shall be permitted in a nonresidential district only in compliance with the following requirements.
(1) Freestanding signs shall comply with the maximum permitted area and height specified in Schedule 1163.06(e) for each type of freestanding sign.
Schedule 1163.06(e) Freestanding Signs | ||||||
District | Ground Sign | Pole Sign | Minimum setback from ROW | Minimum Setback from Side Lot Line | ||
Maximum Sign Area | Maximum Sign Height | Maximum Sign Area | Maximum Sign Height | |||
D-B | 30 | 6 | NP | NP | 5 feet (c) | 10 feet (d) |
O-B | 40(a) | 6 | NP | NP | 7 feet (c) | 10 feet (d) |
R-B, G-B, L-G | 60(a) | 8 | (b) | (b) | 7 feet (c) | 10 feet (d) |
L-1, G-1, A | 60(a) | 8 | NP | NP | 7 feet(c) | 10 feet(d) |
(a) Plus any additional sign area permitted in subsection 1163.06(e)(9) for corner lots and subsection 1163.06(e)(10) for large lots (b) See Subsection 1163.06(e)(7). (c) See also Section 1163.06(e)(4). (d) See also Section 1163.06(e)(5). | ||||||
(2) Maximum number of freestanding signs. One freestanding sign shall be permitted per project or development, except for facilities on corner lots, pursuant to subsection (e)(9) hereof and bonuses as established for large lots, pursuant to subsection (e)(10) hereof.
(3) Minimum building setback and lot width. Freestanding signs are permitted only when the principal building is set back from the street right-of-way a minimum of twenty-five (25) feet and the site has a continuous lot frontage of not less than 100 feet, or when the owner of a facility or parcel which does not possess such minimum required frontage has entered into an agreement, subject to the approval of the Director of Law, which secures the rights to such freestanding sign from those adjacent property owners who are otherwise so entitled to a freestanding sign.
(4) Minimum sign setback from street. Freestanding signs shall be set back from the street right-of-way as set forth Schedule 1163.06(e), or a distance equal to one-half the height of the sign, whichever is greater.
(5) Minimum sign setback from side lot lines. Freestanding signs shall be setback from any side property line as set forth Schedule 1163.06(e), except that when a side lot coincides with a residential zoning district boundary line, the minimum setback shall be twenty-five (25) feet.
(6) Landscaping required. Freestanding signs, when permitted, shall be erected in a landscaped setting and shall not be permitted on sidewalks, drives or in parking lots. Neither the landscaping nor the freestanding sign shall obstruct the view of vehicles entering or exiting the property.
(7) Pole Signs at Freeway Interchange Areas. Businesses in the immediate vicinity of limited access highway interchange entrances and exits, may be allowed signs constructed to height and area dimensions which are reasonable and proper taking into consideration the necessity of giving notice to users of the high-speed highways of the existence of services and facilities off such highways and taking into further consideration the necessity of having notice of these services conveyed to users of the limited access highways without unduly impeding the ordinary flow of traffic thereon. For the purpose of determining reasonable and proper dimensions, the Sign Review Board may consider the following:
A. A standard and generally accepted sign advertising a service which is of a standard design and dimension in other areas and sections of the country;
B. The prevailing average height, area and style of signs utilized in other limited access highway interchange areas outside of the City:
C. An opinion, or certification from an engineer licensed by the State and properly qualified, certifying to the ability of the structure to withstand the natural or other forces to which such sign or structure may be expected to be subjected.
(8) Multi-tenant facilities. When a freestanding sign is permitted on a site having more than one tenant, it is the property owner's responsibility to determine if the sign area shall be devoted to identification of the building(s), the anchor tenant, all tenants, or some combination thereof.
(9) Additional area for corner lots. One additional freestanding sign may be permitted for a corner lot provided that:
A. The total frontage of both sides in not less than 200 feet;
B. The area of each freestanding sign complies with Schedule 1163.06(e), and the total area of both freestanding signs shall not exceed 175 percent of the maximum area permitted for a single sign;
C. The second freestanding sign is clearly located for visibility from the secondary street;
D. The two signs may be aggregated into a single sign at the corner provided that the area of any freestanding sign face shall not exceed 150 percent of the maximum area permitted for a single sign as set forth in Schedule 1163.06(e).
(10) Additional area for large lots. The area and number of freestanding signs on large lots may be increased according to the following:
A. In an O-B District, the allowable area of any freestanding sign may be increased by one square foot of area for every six(6) lineal feet of building frontage greater than 200 feet.
B. In a R-B, G-B, L-G, L-I, G-I and A District, the allowable area of any freestanding sign face may be increased by one square foot of area for every four (4) lineal feet of building frontage greater than 200 feet.
C. The allowable area pursuant to this section may be distributed to one freestanding sign for each 250 feet of the lot frontage or fraction thereof.
D. The area of freestanding signs may be increased by one square foot for each additional foot the sign is set back above the minimum setback required in Subsection 1163.06(e)(4) hereof.
E. Notwithstanding any provision of this section, the maximum area of a single freestanding sign shall be 200 square feet..
(f) Entrance Signs. Freestanding signs that meet the standards of this subsection are allowed in all nonresidential districts in addition to the square footage of permanent freestanding signs permitted in Subsection 1163.06(e) above.
(1) Entrance signs shall not exceed four (4) square feet in Business Districts and six (6) square feet in Industrial Districts, shall not exceed four (4) feet in height, and shall be located within ten (10) feet of the access drive to the site, in compliance with requirements for visibility at intersections set forth in Section 1169.06.
(2) Such signs may have internal or external illumination.
(g) Window Signs. The maximum permitted area for permanent signs placed in or painted on a window shall be twenty-five percent (25 %) of the window area of the ground floor windows.
(h) Signs in the Airport District. All signs on lots located in the Airport District are subject to FAA regulations.
(j) Instructional Signs. Instructional signs are intended for instructional purposes shall be permitted as needed provided such signs are: not larger than necessary to serve the intended instructional purpose; are the minimum number needed to serve the intended instructional purpose; and are not in locations and do not possess design characteristics that constitute or serve to attract attention beyond the perimeter of the site. (Ord. 2020-21. Passed 2-18-20.)