Definitions. As used in this Article, the following terms
shall have these prescribed meanings:
BUILDING ELEVATION
The entire side of a building, from ground level to the roofline,
as viewed perpendicular to the walls on that side of a building.
DIRECT ILLUMINATION
A light source that is placed outside of or away from the
sign in a manner so as to illuminate the sign externally.
FACADE
Front or principal face of a building; any side of a building
that faces a public way or space.
GARAGE SALE
Any sale conducted where used or unwanted household items
are offered for sale, usually held in the garage, carport or driveway
of the seller's home. Also commonly referred to as "yard sales".
GROSS SURFACE AREA
The entire area within a single continuous perimeter composed
of a single face enclosing the extreme limits of characters, lettering,
illustrations, ornamentation or other figures, together with any other
material, design or color forming an integral part of the display
including the frame.
ILLUMINATION
Light directed at, attached to or otherwise related to a
sign, including exposed tubing or bulbs on the sign; maps or lights
shining onto its surface; or illumination transmitted through the
sign face.
INTERNAL ILLUMINATION
A light source that is enclosed within the sign and viewed
through a translucent panel.
MAXIMUM HEIGHT
The maximum height of a sign shall be measured from the elevation
of the point nearest the sign on the centerline of the public street
or highway nearest the sign upward to the elevation of the highest
part of the sign or its supporting structure, whichever is higher.
PROTECTED AREA
In reference to electronic, digital signs, a residential
district, non-commercial parks, public open land, street intersections,
community parks, nature preserves, historic districts
ROOF
The roof slab or deck with its supporting members, not including
vertical supports.
ROOF EAVES
The projecting overhang at the lower edge of a roof.
ROOFLINE
The top edge of a roof or building parapet, whichever is
higher, but excluding any mansards, cupolas, pylons, chimneys or any
minor projections.
ROOF RIDGE
The upper and lower roof ridges are the horizontal lines
formed by the juncture of two (2) sloping planes formed by the surfaces
of a roof.
SIGN
A name, identification, description, emblem, display or device
which is affixed to, printed on, or represented directly or indirectly
upon a building, structure, or parcel of land; which is illuminated
or non-illuminated; visible or intended to be visible from any public
place; and which directs or calls attention to a person, place, product,
institution, business, organization, activity or service. Signs shall
also include any permanently installed or situated merchandise, including
any banner, pennant, placard, statue, vehicle or temporary sign. Certain
categories of signs are defined as follows. Other categories of signs
are defined elsewhere in this Article.
1.
ABANDONED SIGN: A sign located on a property
which is vacant and/or unoccupied for a period of six (6) months;
a sign which is damaged, in disrepair, or vandalized and not repaired
within ninety (90) days; a sign which contains an outdated message
for a period exceeding thirty (30) days.
2.
A-FRAME: Portable sign where the two (2) sign
faces are attached at the top in a hinged fashion to allow the bottom
portion of the two (2) faces to spread apart and rest on the ground
to support the sign.
3.
AMENITY IDENTIFICATION SIGN: A sign which
directs attention to a resort/community commodity, service, recreational
area, or other amenity.
4.
AWNING SIGN: A sign with its copy on a shelter
made of any non-rigid material, such as fabric or flexible plastic
that is supported by or stretched over a frame and attached to an
exterior wall of a building or other structure.
5.
BANNER SIGN: A temporary sign with its copy
on non-rigid material such as cloth, plastic, fabric or paper with
no supporting framework.
[Ord. No. 4351, 5-27-2021]
6.
BILLBOARD: A sign with a single sign face
area of between three hundred (300) and seven hundred (700) square
feet located off site and designed to accommodate replaceable advertising
messages. (See also Outdoor Advertising Sign.)
7.
CANOPY SIGN: A sign on a rigid multi-sided
structure attached to a building or on any other freestanding structure
that may have a roof with support but no walls.
8.
CHANGEABLE SIGN: A sign that is designed so
that its characters, letters, illustrations or other content can be
changed, altered or rearranged without physically altering the permanent
physical face or surface of the sign. This includes manual, electrical,
electronic, or other variable message signs.
9.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN: A temporary sign identifying
individuals or companies involved in design, construction, wrecking,
financing or development work when placed upon the premises where
that work is under way, but only for the duration of the work.
10.
DIRECTIONAL/INFORMATIONAL SIGN: An on-premises
sign for the convenience of the public giving directions, instructions,
facility information or other assistance around a site, such as location
of exits, entrances, parking lots, amenities, and housing units, to
encourage proper circulation. It may contain the logo of an enterprise
but no other advertising copy.
11.
DIRECTORY SIGN: A sign which displays the
names and/or addresses of the establishments, housing units, amenities,
or uses of a building or group of buildings.
12.
FLASHING SIGN: Any sign which has intermittent
or changing lighting or illumination of duration less than thirty
(30) seconds shall be deemed a flashing sign.
13.
FREESTANDING SIGN: The general term for any
sign which is permanently affixed to the ground and on a foundation.
It is supported on a foundation by one (1) or more upright poles or
braces, and is not attached to a building or any other structure.
14.
HOME OCCUPATION SIGN: A small announcement
or professional sign, not over two (2) square feet in area, attached
to the home advertising a home occupation.
[Ord. No. 4465, 3-9-2023]
15.
ILLEGAL SIGN: A sign which does not meet the
requirements of this Article or which is not a registered non-conforming
sign. This specifically includes a sign that remains standing when
the time limits set by the permit are exceeded and any sign not removed
after notification from the Planning and Zoning Administrator to remove
the sign.
16.
ILLUMINATED SIGN: A sign illuminated in any
manner by an artificial light source, whether internally or externally
lit, including, but not limited to, neon signs and any sign which
has characters, letters, figures, designs or outlines illuminated
by artificial lighting.
17.
INFLATABLE SIGN: A sign that is intended to
be expanded by air or other gas for its proper display or support.
18.
INFORMATIONAL SIGN: Public or private directional,
street or traffic signs, address numbers, names of buildings, rooms,
etc., and other signs of a similar nature.
19.
INSTRUCTIONAL SIGN: A sign which provides
direction or instruction to guide persons to facilities intended to
serve the public (e.g., restrooms, public telephones, public walkways,
parking areas, and commercial resort-community amenities, maps, housing
units, or transportation schedules).
20.
INTERIOR SIGN: Any sign placed within a building,
including in a window. Interior signs are not regulated by this Chapter.
21.
MARQUEE SIGN: Any sign attached to a covered
structure projecting from and supported by a building with independent
roof and drainage provisions and which is erected over a doorway or
doorways as protection against the weather.
22.
MENU BOARD: A freestanding sign oriented to
the drive-through lane for a restaurant that advertises the menu items
available from the drive-through window, and which has not more than
twenty percent (20%) of the total area for such a sign utilized for
business identification and which is not regulated by this Chapter.
23.
MONUMENT SIGN: A freestanding sign with a
base affixed to the ground, with no open space between the sign and
the ground. Such signs may be two-sided,
24.
NON-CONFORMING SIGN: A sign that met all legal
requirements when constructed but is not in compliance with current
sign regulations.
25.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN: Sign, graphics or a display
for commercial, industrial, institutional, service or entertainment
purposes, promoting products, or services conducted, sold or offered
somewhere other than upon the same premises where the sign is located,
and whose purpose is to sell or identify a product, service or activity.
In the context of this Section the word premises shall be interpreted
as being a separate tract or parcel of land that has been or may be
conveyed by deed or has otherwise been specified as a separate lot
on an approved land development plan.
26.
ON-PREMISES SIGN: Sign, graphics or a display
for commercial, industrial, institutional, service or entertainment
purposes, promoting products, uses or services conducted, sold or
offered upon the same premises where the sign is located, and whose
purpose is to sell or identify a product, service or activity. In
the context of this Subsection the word premises shall be interpreted
as being a separate tract or parcel of land that has been or may be
conveyed by deed or has otherwise been specified as a separate lot
on an approved land development plan.
27.
OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN: A permanent sign
erected, maintained or used in the outdoor environment for the purpose
of the display of messages not appurtenant to the use of products
sold on, or the sale or lease of, the property on which it is displayed.
28.
POLE SIGN: A freestanding sign with a base
supported from the ground by a pole or a similar support structure
of narrow width.
29.
POLITICAL SIGN: A temporary sign larger than
four (4) square feet identifying, either singly or combined, a political
candidate, slate of candidates, issue, or party. These signs are used
or intended to be used for the display of any announcement, advertisement
or notice of any individual candidate or slate of candidates for any
public office or similar political purposes.
30.
POLITICAL YARD SIGN: A temporary political
sign four (4) square feet or smaller.
31.
PORTABLE SIGN: Sign, graphic or display for
commercial, industrial, institutional, service, entertainment or informational
purposes which can be readily moved from place to place and which
is not affixed to a building, to another permanent structure or to
the ground. Portable signs are considered to be temporary signs.
32.
PROJECTING SIGN: A sign which is supported
by an exterior wall of a building or other structure and which is
constructed and displayed perpendicular to the face of the building
or other structure so that both sides of the sign are visible.
33.
REAL ESTATE SIGN: A temporary sign which is
used to offer for sale, lease or rent the premises upon which the
sign is placed.
34.
ROOF SIGN: A sign which is erected, constructed,
and maintained on or above the roof of a building.
35.
SIGN AREA: The area of the sign face.
36.
SIGN FACE: The surface upon, against or through
which the sign copy is displayed or illustrated, not including structural
supports or architectural features of a building or sign structure.
37.
TEMPORARY SIGN: A sign constructed of non-permanent
materials, including, but not limited to, vinyl, cardboard, coroplast,
plastic, sheet metal or wood and placed either on the ground on a
pole(s) without a footing to support such pole(s), or to a building
with such materials as rope, string, tacks or screws and not enclosed
in some form of permanent cabinet or structure.
[Ord. No. 4351, 5-27-2021]
38.
WALL SIGN: A sign painted on, or attached
to, a wall or window of a building or other structure and which is
mounted parallel to the surface so that only one (1) side is visible
to the public.
39.
WARNING SIGN: A sign containing no advertising
material but which warns the public of the existence of danger.
40.
WINDOW SIGN: Any sign printed, attached, glued
or otherwise affixed to the exterior or interior glass of a window.