[Ord. No. 2118 §§1 — 3, 8-18-2008]
For the purpose of this Chapter, the following words, terms and phrases shall have the meanings given herein:
ABANDONED SIGNA sign or billboard which no longer identifies a bona fide business, leaser, service, owner, product or activity, date or time of past event and/or for which no legal owner can be found.
ACCESSORY SIGNA sign that's use is incidental to the principal use of the premises.
ADMINISTRATORThe designated government official whose responsibility it is to administer the provisions of this Chapter. These activities may include, but are not limited to, reviewing applications for sign permits, corresponding and/or meeting with applicants, issuing and denying sign permits, inspecting signs and interpreting and enforcing the provisions of this Chapter. Also referred to as the Land Use Administrator.
ARCHITECTURAL, SCENIC OR HISTORIC AREAAn area of special control that contains unique visual or historic characteristics or whose natural beauty requires special regulations to ensure that all signs displayed within the area are compatible with the area.
AWNINGA shelter supported entirely from the exterior of a building.
BANNERA sign composed of non-rigid material secured or mounted to posts, a building wall or structure.
BILLBOARDAn off-premises object, device, display, sign or structure or part thereof displayed outdoors or visible from a public way, which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event or location or to express a point of view by any means, including words, letters, figures, design, symbols, advertising flags, fixtures, colors, illuminations or projected images. Each substantially different face of a billboard structure shall constitute a separate billboard. Billboards do not include on-premises commercial or political signage nor small commercial or non-commercial signs temporarily placed in residential lawns by residents, owners, contractors, realtors or by or on behalf of political candidates or issues.
BILLBOARD AREAThe facing of a billboard, including copy, insignia, background, structural supports and border and trim. The measurement shall be determined by the smallest rectangle inclusive of all letters and images. The structural supports shall be excluded if they do not constitute a major part of the billboard or if the structure is not used to identify or attract attention to the business or product.
BUILDING CODEThe International Building Code as promulgated by the International Code Council, as adopted by the City of St. Robert.
CABINET SIGNA sign usually constructed with an aluminum box frame and internally illuminated, with an acrylic cover with vinyl lettering or graphics that is attached to a building facade or freestanding sign.
CANOPYA roofed structure constructed of fabric or other material supported by the building or by support extending to the ground directly under the canopy placed so as to extend outward from the building providing a protective shield for doors, windows and other openings.
CHANGEABLE COPYAn outdoor LED or marquee sign that permits the changing of graphics, lettering, insignia, background or copy by either electronic or manual methods.
CHANNEL LETTER SIGNA sign comprised of standard, reverse or open-face letters and/or numbers that advertise the name of a business or organization and that is attached to the exterior wall (facade) of a building.
COMPLEX SIGNA freestanding sign identifying a multiple-occupancy development, such as a shopping center, retail plaza, joint-use, mixed-use project, mixed-use building or industrial park.
CONSTRUCTION SIGNA temporary sign identifying individuals and firms participating in the construction project and the future use of the parcel.
COPYThose letters, numerals, figures, symbols, logos and graphic elements comprising the content or message of a sign, excluding numerals identifying a street address only.
DIRECTIONAL SIGNA sign erected and maintained by local officials within the public right-of-way that is designed and erected for the purpose of providing direction and/or orientation for pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
FACADEThe front, side or rear exterior wall face of a building.
FACADE SIGNA sign attached to the facade of a building with the exposed sign face parallel to the plane of the facade. Facade signs are illustrated in Figure 6 below.
FLASHING ILLUMINATIONA light source which, in whole or in part, physically changes in light intensity or gives the appearance of such change at intervals of less than six (6) seconds. This definition excludes time and temperature and LED signs.
FREESTANDING SIGNA sign principally supported by a structure affixed to the ground and not supported by a building, including signs supported by footings, piers, one (1) or more columns, poles or braces placed in or upon the ground. Freestanding signs are illustrated in Figure 7 below.
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Figure 7 Freestanding Signs |
The length of an exterior building wall oriented to the public right-of-way or other properties that face it.
FRONTAGE, PROPERTYThe length of the property line(s) of any single lot along either a public right-of-way or other properties on which it borders.
HEIGHTThe vertical distance measured from the finish grade line to the highest point of the sign.
ILLEGAL SIGNA sign or billboard that was constructed in violation of these regulations that existed at the time it was built.
INTERNAL ILLUMINATIONA light source that is concealed or contained within the sign and becomes visible in darkness through a translucent surface.
JOINT-USEA complex style sign that promotes co-location of adjoining and adjacent businesses signage on a single freestanding sign structure on an individual premise or out-lot. The purpose of a joint-use sign is to reduce the numbers of freestanding signs on individual premises within a common area of development. Joint-use signs are not classified as an off-premise sign and require the recording of a sign easement and filing a copy thereof with the Land Use Administrator.
MAINTENANCEIncludes repainting, cleaning or other normal repair of a sign not involving structural or electrical changes. Maintenance includes all copy changes, but does not include changes in the structural elements, size, placement, materials, electrical wiring or location of the sign.
MARQUEEA roofed structure projecting from and supported by a building or freestanding when such roofed structure extends beyond the building line, building wall or street lot line.
MAXIMUM HEIGHTThe 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise specified in this Chapter, all signs may have a height of eight (8) feet measured from the ground location of the sign to the highest part of the sign or its supporting structure, whichever is higher.
NON-CONFORMING SIGNAny sign or billboard which was lawfully erected and maintained at the effective date of this Chapter or any amendment thereto that does not conform to the regulations of the district in which it is located.
OFF-PREMISE SIGNA sign or billboard that draws attention to or communicates information about a business, service, commodity, accommodation, attraction or other enterprise or activity that exists or is conducted, sold, offered, maintained or provided at a location other than the premises or development site on which the sign is located.
ON-PREMISE SIGNA sign that draws attention to or communicates information about a business, service, commodity, accommodation, attraction or other enterprise or activity that exists or is conducted, sold, offered, maintained or provided on the premises where the sign is located.
POLITICAL SIGNA temporary sign intended to advance a political statement, cause or candidate for office during a primary or general election. Political signs shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area; shall not be placed in any public right-of-way; shall not be attached to any utility pole, street light, traffic sign or traffic signal; and shall be removed no later than fourteen (14) days after a primary or general election has concluded.
PREMISESThe contiguous land in the same ownership or control which is not divided by a street. A lot, parcel or tract of land, with or without buildings, that together are considered as a property or premises.
PRINCIPAL SIGNA sign that displays the actual business or use of the premises and is located on the actual property of the structure being advertised.
PROJECTING SIGNA display sign which is attached directly to the building wall and which extends no more than eighteen (18) inches from the face of the wall.
PROPRIETORThe operator of a business which owns, leases or rents building space.
REAL ESTATE SIGNA temporary sign that advertises the sale, lease or rental of the property or premises upon which it is located. Off-premises real estate signs are prohibited by this regulation.
REPLACEMENT SIGNAny sign installed in place of an existing sign provided that said replacement sign:
1. Is owned by and advertises the same business as the previous sign or advertises a new business within a retail or business complex on the same premise.
Is not taller or wider than the previous sign.
Contains an amount of advertising space less than or equal to the previous sign.
Does not increase the cumulative total of signs contained on the property.
Is located in the same location as the previous sign.
Is not an outdoor LED sign.
ROOF SIGNA sign, which is erected, constructed and maintained above the roof line of the building. Illustrations of permitted roof signs are shown in Figure 8.
SETBACKThe minimum required distance between the property line and the building line. For signs, the "setback" shall be defined as the closest that any portion of the sign, including any projection or foundation, may be to easements, property lines or rights-of-way (measured horizontally or vertically).
SIDEWALKA paved public walkway constructed for pedestrian traffic that is situated alongside a road or formed like sidewalks that are alongside roads (such as a cement footpath through a park).
SIGNAn object, display, device, graphic or structure or part thereof displayed outdoors or visible from a public way which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event or location or to express a point of view by any means, including words, letters, figures, design, symbols, advertising flags, fixtures, colors, illuminations or projected images. Additionally, signs are used to attract attention to a business or structure that is located on the same lot. Any surface, fabric, device or display designed to visually convey information to the general public. The term "sign" includes its structural support and component parts. In cases where more than one (1) display surface or device is attached to one (1) structural support, the entire structure shall be considered as one (1) sign. Signs do not include on-premises commercial or political signage or small commercial or non-commercial signs temporarily placed in lawns by residents, owners, contractors, realtors or by or on behalf of political candidates or issues.
SIGN SURFACE AREAThe facing of a sign, including copy, insignia and background, structural supports and border and trim. The measurement shall be determined by the smallest rectangle inclusive of all letters and images. The structural supports shall be excluded if they do not constitute a major part of the sign or if the structure is not used to identify or attract attention to the business or product.
SPACINGSpacing of billboards shall be the minimum distance between outdoor advertising billboard structures measured along the nearest edge of the pavement between points directly opposite the billboards along each side of the highway and shall apply to outdoor advertising billboard structures located on both sides of the highway involved.
STRUCTUREAnything built that requires a permanent location.
TEMPORARY PORTABLE SIGNA temporary sign that is made of non-combustible materials on a rigid frame with message letters that can be easily changed and may be illuminated or non-illuminated. Portable signs are generally mounted on wheels and towed from one location to another and has no permanent foundation and is not permanently attached to the ground or to a building or building surface.
TEMPORARY SIGNA sign intended to display either commercial or non-commercial messages of a transitory or temporary nature. Portable signs or any sign not permanently embedded in the ground, or not permanently affixed to a building or sign structure that is permanently embedded in the ground, are considered temporary signs. Temporary signs cannot be used for more than thirty (30) consecutive days in duration and no more than four (4) instances of use during the calendar year. A new application cannot be applied for within sixty (60) days of the previous temporary sign permit that was approved by the City.
WALLAll exterior wall areas of a building.
