The following regulations shall control the computation of sign area, sign height, window area, and building frontage:
(a) Determining Sign Area or Dimension. Sign area shall include the face of all the display area of the sign, including the frame and structural support. Architectural features are not considered signs and are exempt from these regulations. For a sign that is framed, outlined, painted or otherwise prepared and intended to provide a background for a sign display, the area or dimensions shall include the entire portion within the outside dimensions of such background or frame.
(1) For a sign comprised of individual letters, figures, emblems, logos or elements on a wall or similar surface of the building or structure, or an irregularly shaped freestanding sign, the area of the sign shall encompass a regular, or a combination of not more than three (3) regular, geometric shape(s) which form or approximate the perimeter of all the elements in the display. When separate elements are organized to form a single sign, but the elements are separated by open space, the area shall be calculated by determining the geometric form, or combination of forms, which comprise the entire display area, including the space between the elements. Up to five (5) percent of the permitted sign area may be considered minor protrusions and extend outside of the maximum limitation of three (3) regular geometric shapes, and are, therefore, exempted from being included as part of the sign area.
(2) For freestanding and projecting signs, the area for a sign with more than one face shall be computed by adding together the area of all sign faces visible from any one point, as follows:
A. When two identical sign faces are placed back to back so that both faces cannot be viewed from any point at the same time, and when such sign faces are part of the same sign structure, are joined, are parallel or are within thirty (30) degrees of being parallel to each other and are at no point separated by a distance that exceeds three (3) feet, the sign area shall be computed by the measurement of one of the faces.
B. For any sign that has two (2) display faces that do not comply with the provision in above subsection (a)(2)A., or has more than two (2) display surfaces, then each surface shall be included when determining the area of the sign.
C. For spherical signs, the sign face shall be considered the plane created by bisecting the sphere with an imaginary line through the center of the sphere.
(3) In determining the area of freestanding signs, the following shall be exempted from being considered as part of the maximum permitted area:
A. The portion of a solid sign base, up to a maximum height of three (3) feet that is at least seventy (70) percent screened by landscaping at the time of installation;
B. Additional base area, when such areas are determined to be:
1. Constructed and designed with materials which are similar to, or compatible with, the architecture of the building or other site features; and,
2. Not intended or designed to include messages and excludes colors, trademarks, or any other decorative design features that are primarily intended to attract attention, but rather are unobtrusive and compatible with the architecture of the building or other site features.
(b) Determining Sign Height. The height of a sign shall be measured from the base of the sign or supportive structure at its point of attachment to the ground to the top most element of the sign. A freestanding sign on a man-made base, including a graded earth mound, shall be measured from the grade of the nearest street, drive or parking area, whichever is the highest grade reference.
(c) Determining Building Frontage and Building Unit. The length of the building wall that faces the principal street or the length of the wall that contains the main entrance to the uses therein shall be considered the building frontage, except as further regulated in subsection (c)(3) below.
(1) The building frontage shall be measured along the length of the front wall between the exterior faces of the exterior side walls.
(2) In the case of an irregular wall surface, a straight line extended along such wall surface shall be used to measure the length.
(3) The primary frontage shall be the portion of a frontage that serves as the main access point to a building or building unit. A site/building will be considered to have secondary frontage when any of the following site/building characteristics are present:
A. The subject site is a corner lot;
B. The primary parking area is not located adjacent to a public street; and,
C. The building or unit has walls with ingress and egress that do not face the public street.
(4) When a site has primary and secondary frontage as defined in subsection 1151.03 (c) (3), the property owner shall determine which wall shall be the primary building frontage and which wall(s) shall be the secondary building frontage. Only one outside wall of any business shall be considered its primary frontage. In no case shall a building elevation abutting an R-1 or an R-2 District be considered primary or secondary frontage, and signage shall not be permitted on any building elevation that faces or is within forty-five degrees of facing an R-1 or an R-2 zoning district boundary.
(5) For multi-tenant buildings, the portion of a building that is owned or leased by a single tenant shall be considered a building unit. The building frontage for a building unit shall be measured from the centerline of the party walls defining the building unit.
(d) Determining Window Area. The window area of a building shall be the total glass area of windows on the ground floor of the building frontage, provided that for the purpose of these regulations, the height of windows on the ground floor shall be that portion of window (s) within fifteen (15) feet of grade.
(e) Determining Sign Setbacks. The required setbacks for any freestanding sign shall apply to all elements of the sign, including its frame and base.
(Ord. 2006-35. Passed 5-25-06.)