§ 18.2. Definitions
For the purpose of this section, certain terms, words and tenses used herein, shall be interpreted of defined as follows:
2.1. Abandoned sign: A sign which no longer correctly advertises or directs a person to a bona fide business, person, goods, product, activity, or service.
2.2. Accessory sign: A sign that is subordinate to the main use on a lot and used for purposes clearly incidental to those of the main use.
2.3. Animated signs: A sign with action or motion, flashing, color changes requiring electrical energy, electronic or manufactured sources of supply, revolving or changeable message signs, but not including wind actuated elements.
2.4. Architectural projection: Any projection which is not intended for occupancy and which extends beyond the face of an exterior wall of a building, but shall not include signs.
2.5. Awing: A retractable or fixed shelter projecting from and supported by the exterior wall of a building constructed of non-rigid materials on a supporting framework (see Illustration A at end of article).
2.6. Awing sign: A sign painted on, printed on, or attached flat against the surface of an awning (see Illustration A at end of article).
2.7. Background area: The entire background area of a sign upon which copy could be placed. In computing area of sign background, only that face or faces that can be seen from any one direction at any one time will be counted.
2.8. Banner: A sign that is mounted on or attached to a non-rigid surface such as cloth fabric or paper with no enclosing framework (see Illustration A at end of article).
2.9. Billboard: An outdoor sign advertising services or products, activities, persons, or events which are not made, produced, assembled, stored, distributed, leased, sold, or conducted upon the premises upon which the billboard is located. An outdoor sign consisting of the display of characters, lettering or illustrations produced on paper sheet, applied to the surface of the structure. An outdoor sign designed and intended to advertise nonaccessory items, goods or services as well as an outdoor sign that actually advertises accessory items, goods or services. An outdoor sign shall also include billboards that are painted or contain no message at that particular time.
2.10. Bench signs: An outdoor stationary bench of which the primary purpose is to function as an advertising device for products, services, activities, persons, or events which are not made, produced, assembled, stored, distributed, leased, sold or conducted upon the premises upon which the bench is located (see Illustration A at end of article).
2.11. Bulletin board sign: A particular type of changeable copy sign that display copy in a casement made of glass or plexiglass.
2.12. Building inspector: The enforcement officer of this sign ordinance, established in conformity to the Charter, shall be known throughout this ordinances as the building inspector. The enforcement officer of this sign ordinance may include his/her designated assistant or subordinate.
2.13. Business center: Two or more commercial buildings that are contiguous to each other sharing a common wall, synonymous with commercial strip shopping center.
2.14. Copy area: The actual area of a sign applied to any background. Copy area shall be completed by drawing straight lines as closely as possible to the copy extremities encompassing individual letters or words.
2.15. Canopy: A permanent roof-like shelter that extends from part or all of a building face and is constructed of nonrigid material, except for the supporting framework (see Illustration A, Awing).
2.16. Canopy sign: A sign displayed and affixed flat on the surface of a canopy that does not extend vertically or horizontally beyond the limits of the canopy (see Illustration A, Awning).
2.17. Changeable copy sign: Means one of the following:
a. Manual: A sign on which a copy is changed manually, such as readboards with changeable letters or pictorials; or
b. Automatic: An electronically-controlled sign, where different copy changes are shown on the same unexposed lamp bank or rotating portion of the face of the sign.
2.18. Cold air inflatable balloon: A temporary sign composed of a nonporous bag of tough, light material filled with unheated air, which may or may not float in the atmosphere (see Illustration A at end of article).
2.19. Community special event sign: A sign, other than a public building bulletin board, which is erected for a limited time period that shall not exceed seven consecutive calendar days, to call attention to special events of interest to the general public and sponsored by nonprofit groups, associations, or corporations.
2.20. Construction sign: A sign identifying the names of the project developers, contractors, engineers, architects, and financial. Institutions, which is located on a site being developed or improved.
2.21. Directional sign: Any sign which solely serves to designate the location or direction of any place or area located on the premises on which the sign is located (see Illustration A at end of article).
2.22. Election campaign sign: A sign that advocates or opposes a candidate for political office or any issue to be determined at an office federal, state, county, school or municipal election (see section 18.4, 4.1f).
2.23. Erect: Shall mean to build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend or affix.
2.24. Exempt: A sign for which a sign permit is not required.
2.25. Facade: That portion of any exposed exterior elevation of a building extending from grade to top of the parapet, wall or eaves and the entire width of the exposed building elevation.
2.26. Festoon sign: A sign consisting of strings of exposed incandescent light bulbs, balloons, or strings of pennants hung over head to draw attention to items on display or a particular business establishment (see Illustration A at end of article).
2.27. Flashing sign: A sign which contains an intermittent of flashing, scintillating, blinking or traveling light source which includes signs that give the illusion of intermittent or flashing light by means of animation, or an externally-mounted intermittent light source.
2.28. Freestanding sign: Signage that is not attached to a building or structure, shall conform to the following standards:
a. Monument sign: A freestanding sign supported by a base, the width of which should be at least 50 percent of the width of the sign, having location upon the ground, shall be considered a monument sign. Such signage shall not exceed a height of five feet above the ground (see Illustration A at end of article).
b. Pole sign: A sign which is supported by a structure with standards for subdivision signs, that is less than 50 percent of the width of its sign face, including one or more uprights, poles or braces in or upon the ground which are not part of any building, shall be considered a pole sign (see Illustration A at end of article).
2.29. Height of a sign: The vertical distance measured from the ground immediately beneath the sign to the highest point of the sign or its projecting structure (see Illustration B at end of article).
2.30. Illuminated sign: A sign that provides artificial light direction on or through any transparent or translucent material, from a source of light connected with such sign, or a sign illuminated by a light with a source so obscured and shielded that no direct rays from it are visible from a public right-of-way or from an abutting property. Illuminated signs are hereby prohibited in the following residential zoned districts:
a. R-1: One-Family Dwelling District.
b. R-2: Two-Family and Terrace Family Dwelling Districts.
c. R-3: Multiple-Family Dwelling District.
d. R-4: Multiple-Family Elevator Apartments.
e. R-5: Trailer Coach Park.
2.31. Incombustible material: Shall mean any material which will not ignite at or below a temperature of 1,200˚ Fahrenheit and will not continue to burn or glow at that temperature.
2.32. Location: A lot, premise, building, wall, or any place whatsoever upon which a sign is located.
2.33. Mural: A design or representation painted or drawn on the exterior surface of a structure which does or does not advertise a business, product, service, or activity.
2.34. Occupant: Shall mean any person of business establishment having actual possession of a dwelling unit or commercial structure or parts of thereof.
2.35. Off premises sign: A sign other than an on-premises sign.
2.36. Double-faced sign: A sign containing two sign faces located back-to-back an parallel to each other on the same structure.
2.37. Sign structure: The supports and frame-work which supports a sign on or independent of any building.
2.38. On-premises sign: A sign identifying or advertising a business, person, activity, or service located on the premises where the sign is located.
2.39. Portable sign: A sign and sign structure which is designed to facilitate the movement of the sign from one location to another. The sign may or may not have wheels, changeable letters, illuminated and/or hitches for towing (see Illustration A at end of article).
2.40. Premises: The contiguous land in the same ownership or control which is not divided by a public street.
2.41. Sign: Shall mean any announcement, declaration, display, billboard, illustration and insignia when designed and placed so as to attract general public attention. Such shall be deemed to be a single sign, whenever the proximity, design, content, or continuity reasonably suggest a single unit, notwithstanding any physical separation between parts. Sign shall include any, but not limited to, banner, bulbs, or other lighting devices, streamer, pennant, balloon, insignia, emblem, logo, painting, placard, poster, propeller, flag (other than the official flag of any nation or state) and any similar device of any type or king whether bearing letters or not, illuminated or nonilluminated, which is visible from a public place, including but not limited to, highways, streets, alleys, or public property, or is located on private property and exposed to the public, which directs attention to a product, service place, activity, person, institution, business, or solicitation.
a. Construction sign: A ground or wall sign erected on a site designated on a building permit issued by the city as the site for construction of a new building which advises the public of pertinent facts regarding the construction, management and leasing of the new building (see also Part 2.20).
b. Decorative display: A temporary display designated for the entertainment or cultural enrichment of the public and having no direct or indirect sales or advertising content.
c. Display sign: A structure or device that is arranged, intended, designed or used as an advertisement, announcement or direction.
d. Ground sign: A display sign supported by uprights or braces in or upon the ground surface.
e. Identity sign: Any sign which carries only the name of the firm, the major enterprise or the principal product offered for sale on the premises, or combination of these.
f. Illuminated sign: See Part 2.30.
g. Marquee sign: A display sign attached to or hung from a marquee, canopy or other structure projecting from and supported by the building and extending beyond the building wall, building line or street lot line.
h. Legal nonconforming sign: Shall be any sign that legally does not comply and conform to the provisions of this appendix, at the time of the effective date of this appendix.
i. Person: Any individual, corporation, association, firm, partnership and the like, singular or plural.
j. Political sign: A political sign is synonymous with election campaign signs (see Part 2.22).
k. Principal identification sign: A sign which identifies only the name of the business and the principal product or service.
l. Private drive: On-premise private drive sign limited to one per drive entrance, not exceeding two square feet in area, with language limited to the words "Private Drive" and the address of any residence utilizing the private roadway.
m. Projecting sign: A sign so constructed and erected as to be attached to a building surface or a sign structure attached to a building surface and projecting therefrom. This projection shall not be greater than four feet, measured from the wall to which it is attached to the outer surface or one-third of sidewalk width, which ever is less, and shall not be attached to a wall at a height of less than eight feet, measured from a wall at a height of less than eight feet, measured from ground level to the bottom of the sign or above a public sidewalk and at a minimum of 15 feet above public driveways, alleys, thoroughfares, or easements (see Illustration A at end of article).
n. Real estate sign: A sign pertaining to the sale, lease, or rental of a building or land.
o. Revolving sign: A sign that revolves 360˚ but not exceeding eight revolutions per minute (RPM).
p. Roof sign: A display sign which is erected, constructed, and maintained above any portion of the roof or exterior walls of a building or structure or which is attached to any exterior wall at a height in excess of three feet above the horizontal plane of the roof abutting such wall (see Illustration A at end of article).
q. Special purpose or seasonal signs: A sign other than an on or off-premises sign, including, but not limited to, traffic signs, restroom signs, vending machines, door opening directions, residential merchandise sale signs, and signs, such as Christmas decorations, used for a historic holiday and installed for a limited period of time.
r. Subdivision signs: A sign which identifies a residential or commercial subdivision.
s. Substantially altered: A change in a sign or sign structure, as differentiated from maintenance or repair including a change in height, location, area, shape, or material. In the case of manual or automatic changeable copy signs, a change in copy, does not constitute a substantially altered sign.
t. Swinging sign: A sign installed on an arm or spar, that is not permanently fastened to an adjacent wall or upright pole (see Illustration A at end of article).
u. Temporary sign: A display sign, banner, or other advertising device constructed of cloth, canvas, fabric, plastic, or other light temporary material, with or without a structural frame, or any other sign, intended for a limited period of display, but not including decorative displays for holidays or public demonstrations.
v. Wall sign: A display sign which is attached or painted directly to an exterior building wall and the surface of which is parallel to the building wall (see Illustration A at end of article).
2.42. Surface: shall mean that part of the sign upon, against, or through which the message is displayed or illustrated (see Illustration C at end of article).
2.43. Total surface area of sign: The sum total of all exterior surfaces of the sign computed in square feet (See Illustration C at end of article).
(Ord. No. 2169, § 1, 2-11-04)