§ 2.1. [Definitions.]
For the purpose of this ordinance, the following definitions shall apply:
Aggregate sign area: The area of all signs on a parcel, wall or window, as the case may be, excluding the area of one face of all double-faced signs and/or any freestanding pylon or pole signs with the bottom edge of the sign greater than 20 feet above the ground.
Animated sign: A sign with action, motion, or changing colors that requires electrical energy. This definition includes any signs that electronically change the sign face, whether by substitution of copy or scrolling.
Awning: A permanently installed cloth, canvas, or rigid roof-like covering which hangs from a building facade or projects over the public sidewalk for the purpose of beautifying a building facade or sheltering pedestrians from sun or rain. (Also, see "Canopy.")
Banner: A type of portable sign intended to be hung either with or without frames, possessing characters, letters, illustrations, or ornamentations applied to paper, plastic, or fabric of any kind.
Business premises: A building, suite, office or other unit used for nonresidential purposes. For businesses licensed by the city, the area occupied by a single business license holder shall be deemed as one business premises. Each professional corporation, partnership or other entity in which the professional participates shall be considered the occupant and all area so occupied shall be the business premises. For the purpose of this ordinance, business premises shall include nonresidential space occupied by charitable organizations, political organizations, institutions, or other noncommercial entities.
Canopy: A roof-like structure supported by columns or projecting from a building and open on at least three sides. A canopy may also be detached from a building as a free-standing structure.
Display area (face) or sign area:
(a)
For a sign, either free-standing or attached, the area shall be considered to include all lettering, wording, and accompanying design and symbols, together with the background, whether open or enclosed, (with or without trim), on which they are displayed, but not including any supporting framework and bracing which are incidental to the display itself;
(b)
For a sign painted upon or applied to a building, the area shall be considered to include all lettering, wording, and accompanying designs or symbols together with any background of a different color than the natural color of the building;
(c)
Where the sign consists of individual letters or symbols attached to or painted on a surface, building, canopy, awning, wall or window, the area shall be considered to be that of the smallest rectangle or other geometric shape which encompasses all of the letters or symbols.
Facade: The face of a building which, because of its architectural details, is clearly intended to be viewed by the public. The front facade is the building wall which customarily contains the primary entry of the building.
Flag: Any fabric or bunting containing colors, patterns, or symbols used to signify a government or other entity or organization.
Frontage, building: The width in linear feet of each exterior wall of a business which faces a public or private street right-of way.
Frontage, lot: For purposes of this ordinance, lot frontage shall be construed as the width in linear feet of each lot where it adjoins a street right-of-way line.
Parcel: A separate tax unit of real property on county real estate records. Also synonymous with "lot" or "tract."
Pennant: Any lightweight plastic, fabric, or similar material suspended from a rope, wire, cable, or string designed to move in the wind. The term can include "streamer."
Shopping center: A group of three or more retail stores, service establishments, or offices comprising an architectural complex including shared parking, access, loading, and service.
Sign: Any object, device, display, or structure, or part thereof, situated outdoors which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct, or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, events or location by any means, including words, letters, figures, designs, symbols, logos, fixtures, colors, movement, or illumination. (See "Display area" or "Sign area.")
Sign, abandoned: Any sign that no longer serves the functional purpose for which it was originally erected.
Sign, bench: A sign located on any part of the surface of an outdoor courtesy bench or seat, trash cans, water fountains, bus stop shelters, and similar devices.
Sign, billboard: Any permanent off-premises freestanding sign used as an outdoor display for making anything known where the total sign display area is larger than 200 square feet.
Sign, billboard—Interstate: A billboard located within 250 feet of the right-of-way of Interstate 75 or within 350 feet of the edge of the pavement of Interstate 75.
Sign, billboard—Non-interstate: A billboard that is not an interstate billboard.
Sign, canopy: A permanent sign affixed to, superimposed upon, hung from or painted on any roof-like structure or awning extended over the sidewalk or a walkway, often in lieu of a wall sign.
Sign, double-faced (back-to-back): A sign type with two parallel, or nearly parallel display areas, back-to-back, and located not more than 24 inches from each other, where the interior angle formed by the display areas is 60 degrees or less. One display area is designed to be seen from one direction and the other display area from another direction.
Sign, flashing: A sign of any type requiring electrical energy, where illumination of the sign by artificial or reflected light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity for more than ten seconds. Color changes, while the sign is in use, are included as a flashing sign.
Sign, freestanding: Any affixed sign supported by one or more upright poles, columns, braces, or a base placed in or on the ground and is wholly independent of any building for support.
(a)
Ground: Any permanent freestanding sign with a height that extends not more than three feet and six inches above the ground measured from the point of lowest adjacent grade, and the bottom edge of the display area is either attached directly to the ground or not more than one foot above the ground.
(b)
Pole: A permanent freestanding sign used as an outdoor display having a total sign display area mounted on one or more poles or supports more than three feet above the ground. The maximum aggregate square footage is 288 square feet.
Signs, lighted: Any sign which is visually enhanced through the use of light emitted directly from or within a display surface (internal), or through the use of indirect light that is cast from a source other than the display area of the sign (external).
Sign, nonconforming: Any sign that was lawfully erected and maintained prior to the adoption of this ordinance, and which by reason of such adoption fails to conform to all applicable regulations and restrictions of this ordinance.
Sign, permanent: Any sign attached securely to a building, or a canopy, or the ground by means of concrete, bolts, metal braces, or wood, and continuing in the same state without essential change to the sign structure.
Sign, portable: Any sign which is manifestly designed to be transported, including by trailer or on its own wheels, even though the wheels of such sign may be removed and the remaining chassis or support is constructed without wheels; or an A- or T-frame sign; or any sign generally considered moveable or temporarily attached to the ground, including but not limited to:
Signs designated to be transported by a trailer or wheels;
Signs with wheels removed;
Signs with chassis or support constructed without wheels;
A- or T-frame signs (a self-supporting sign with two faces placed back-to-back on a base (inverted T) or hinged together at the top in such a manner that each face leans toward the other);
Menu, sandwich or sidewalk-type signs;
Searchlight stands;
Hot-air or gas-filled balloons, or umbrellas;
Signs mounted on or painted on parked cars, trucks, or trailers that are intended as an advertising device;
Banners (except for those banners larger than 32 square feet, and attached temporarily to a building or above a public street right-of-way); and
Pennants and streamers.
Sign, projecting: A sign which is attached perpendicular to a building and extends 12 inches or more horizontally from the plane of the building wall, but not more than four feet.
Sign, project/development: A sign located at any discernible entrance or gateway into a particular residential subdivision, other high density residential development, or commercial/industrial park that serves a common or collective purpose for a group of persons or businesses.
Sign, pylon: See "Freestanding sign."
Sign, roof: Any permanent sign that is attached, or mounted permanently on the roof of a building or which is wholly dependent upon a building for support and which may or may not project above the eave line of a building with a gambrel, gable, or hip roof, the deck line of a building with a mansard roof, or project above the building with a flat roof; roof signs would also include any letters, numbers, or message that would be painted, or equivalent, upon the surface of the roof.
Sign, side-by-side: A permanent structure of two horizontally adjacent signs with their faces orientated in the same direction.
Sign, stacked: A permanent structure of two vertically adjacent signs with their faces orientated in the same direction.
Sign, temporary: A sign intended for a use not permanent in nature. For the purposes of this ordinance, a sign with an intended use of one year or less shall be deemed a temporary sign. Temporary signs include banners and paper bases posters. Painted signs and signs with vinyl lettering are not temporary signs.
Sign, V-shaped: A structure of two signs in the shape of the letter "V" when viewed from above having their faces oriented in opposite directions at an angle not greater than 90 degrees.
Sign, wall: A sign painted or attached parallel to a wall which is an integral part of the building, and which shall project not more than 12 inches from the wall of the building.
Sign, window: Any permanent or temporary sign with letters, words, or symbols which are displayed on or attached to the exterior or interior window glass that is part of the structural wall of any building and intended to be viewed from the outside.
Sign base: The footings, and vertical posts supporting the sign display area.
Sign copy: The linguistic or graphic content, including the trim and borders of a sign.
(Ord. No. 2017-0925-02, §§ 1—3, 9-25-17)