A. Terms Defined in Other Ordinances and Codes. Terms used in this chapter, but not otherwise defined, shall have meanings ascribed to them in the Zoning Ordinance, Building Code or this code.
B. Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, certain words and phrases are defined as follows:
"Animated sign" means a sign that uses flashing or moving parts, bright color or light, or movement of any kind. Examples of such signs include pennants, banners, streamers, balloons, search lights, beacons and flashing lights.
"Area of an exposure" means the area of a building wall facing in one principal direction, including doors and windows contained in the wall; except that where a wall is irregular in plane, the area of an exposure shall be based on the area of a projection of the wall upon a plane parallel with the nearest adjacent street.
"Awning" means a structure attached to a building, typically made of tubular frame and covered with canvas, vinyl or similar soft material.
"Backlit illumination" means a method of illumination by which the sign is illuminated from within and the light is projected back onto the support surface to create a halo effect around the sign copy. Such signs are usually fabricated from opaque materials which do not allow light to filter through the face or sides of the sign, and thus only illuminate the wall the sign is affixed to. "Backlit illumination" also is commonly referred to or known as "halo" illumination.
“Blade sign” means a projecting sign that is mounted perpendicular to the surface of a wall.
"Board" means the Winnetka Design Review Board.
"Building Code" means Title 15 of the Winnetka Village Code.
"Building marker" means a permanent sign indicating the name of a building, the date and other incidental information about its construction, and which is cut into a masonry surface or made of bronze or other permanent material.
"Building Officer" has the same meaning ascribed to it in the Building Code.
"Bulletin board" means a permanent sign that identifies an institution or organization on whose premises it is located and which contains greetings, announcements of events, hours, or similar messages which may consist of changeable letters.
"Business sign" means a sign that directs attention to a business or profession conducted, or to a commodity or service sold, offered, or manufactured, or to an entertainment offered, on the premises where the sign is located and which is limited in content to the name and generic description of the business or product.
"Changeable copy sign" means a sign other than a bulletin board, all or part of which uses characters, letters or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or the surface of the sign. A sign on which the message changes more than eight times per day shall be considered an animated sign, and not a changeable copy sign for purposes of this code.
"Civic event sign" means a temporary sign announcing an event of a religious, civic or philanthropic organization.
"Commercial message" means any sign wording, logo or other representation that, directly or indirectly, names, advertises or calls attention to a business, product, service or other commercial activity.
"Court yard" means an area of open space, other than a parking lot or loading area, that abuts a public street, is walled by buildings on three sides and is open to the public.
"Directional sign" means a sign limited to information and directions necessary for the safety or convenience of persons coming on the property, including signs marking entrances and exits, parking areas, one-way drives, pickup and delivery areas, and the like.
"Director" means the Director of Community Development or authorized representatives.
"Display case sign" means a changeable sign attached to the exterior wall of a building, the message of which is communicated by the posting of one or more sheets of paper and not by individual characters, letters, or illustrations.
"Externally illuminated sign" means a sign that is illuminated by directing a source of artificial light at the face of the sign or that is illuminated by backlit illumination.
"Freestanding sign" means a sign attached to a completely self-supporting structure such as a pole or brace placed on, or anchored in or below the ground, and not attached to any building or similar structure.
"Garage sale" means a sale that is open to the general public and is conducted from or on property zoned or used for a single-family residence, for the purpose of disposing of personal property owned by one or more persons residing in the single-family residence on the property and which was acquired in the normal course of living in or maintaining the residence, rather than for purpose of resale.
"Incidental sign" means a small sign, emblem or decal informing the public of goods, facilities or services available on the premises, such as a credit card sign or a sign indicating hours of business; provided, the cumulative area of such signs on any premise does not exceed one square foot.
"Internally illuminated sign" means a sign that is illuminated by a source of artificial light that directs the light through one or more translucent surfaces of the sign from within or behind it, rather than at the face of the sign. Internally illuminated signs include neon signs and similar illuminated gaseous tube signs with exposed lighting components.
"Nameplate sign" means a nonelectric on-premises sign giving the name, address and/or occupation of an occupant or group of occupants of the building or premises on which the sign is located.
"Portable sign" means any sign designed to be moved easily and not permanently attached to a building, structure or the ground, including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels; signs converted to A- or T-frames; menu board and sandwich board signs; balloons used as signs; umbrellas used for advertising; and signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public right-of-way, unless the vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day operation of the business.
(Amended MC-7-2002 § 2, 08/06/02)
"Projecting sign" means a sign affixed to a building or wall in such a manner that its leading edge extends more than twelve (12) inches beyond the surface of the building or wall.
"Public street" means the area lying within the described limits of a dedicated right-of-way or thoroughfare for vehicular traffic (excluding an alley), whether or not so used.
"Sign" means any fixture, placard or structure that is readily visible from any street, sidewalk or public or private common open space and that uses any color, form, graphic, illumination, symbol or writing to advertise, announce the purpose of, or identify the purpose of a person or entity, or to communicate information of any kind to the public.
"Sign Board" means the Winnetka Sign Board of Appeals.
"Street exposure" means the exterior wall (including doors and windows) of a building having its frontage on a public street or a court yard. If a building is occupied by more than one person or entity, the street exposure for each portion of the building so occupied is the street exposure of the portion of the building wall included in the space occupied by such occupant.
"Temporary sign" means a sign that is not designed, constructed or intended for long-term use and that is not permanently mounted.
"Wall sign" means a sign that is attached substantially parallel to, but within twelve (12) inches of, a wall, or is erected and confined within the limits of an outside wall of any building or structure, is supported by such wall or building, displays only one sign surface and does not project above the highest point of a building with a flat roof, or above the eave line of a building with gable, hip, gambrel or mansard roof, or beyond the end of the building or street exposure.
"Window sign" means a sign, picture, symbol, or combination, applied or attached to the exterior or interior of a window, or located within five feet of the interior side of a window and displayed so that it is visible from the exterior of the window. For purposes of this code, displayed merchandise or products shall not be considered a window sign.
(MC-3-2021 § 2, Amended, 5/4/2021; MC-3-2020 § 2, Amended, 8/18/2020; Ord. MC-209-98 § 2 (part), 1998: prior code § 27.05)