[R.O. 1992 § 405.015; Ord. No. 16-11557, 8-15-2016, effective 3-1-2017]
A. Interpretation. Words and phrases not defined
in this Section but defined in the Zoning Ordinance of the City shall be given the meanings set forth in such ordinance.
All other words and phrases shall be given their common, ordinary
meaning, unless the context clearly requires otherwise. Section headings
or captions are for reference purposes only and shall not be used
in the interpretation of this Chapter.
B. Applicability. Except as otherwise provided for in Article
III, Section
405.055, of this Chapter, the provisions of this Chapter shall govern the installation, erection, painting or display of any outdoor sign or sign which is designed to be seen by the public from out-of-doors.
[R.O. 1992 § 405.020; Ord. No. 16-11557, 8-15-2016, effective 3-1-2017]
Words and phrases used in this Chapter
shall have the meanings set forth in this Section.
ANIMATED SIGNS
Signs that flash or move or otherwise change at intervals
more frequently than once each six (6) seconds. Any sign that utilizes
the appearance of movement using lighting to depict action or to create
a special effect or scene.
ATTENTION-GETTING DEVICE
Any pennant, propeller, spinner, ribbon, streamer, searchlight,
balloon, inflatable sign (static), figurine, statue, or other similar
device or ornamentation designed to or having the effect of attracting
the attention of potential customers or the general public. An attention-getting
device shall be considered a sign and shall meet all requirements
of this Chapter for a sign.
AWNING SIGN
Any sign attached to, in any manner or otherwise made a part
of any awning or awning-like structure which projects beyond a building
or extends along and projects beyond the wall of the building, generally
designed and constructed to provide protection from the weather.
BANNER
Any sign of lightweight fabric or similar material that is
permanently mounted to a pole or a building by a permanent frame at
one (1) or more edges. National flags, State or municipal flags, or
the official flag of any institution shall not be considered banners.
BEACON
Any light with one (1) or more beams directed into the atmosphere
or directed at one (1) or more points not on the same lot as the light
source; also, any light with one (1) or more beams that rotate or
move.
BUILDING MARKER
Any sign indicating the name of a building and date and incidental
information about its construction, which sign is cut into a masonry
surface or made of bronze or other permanent material.
BUILDING SIGN
Any sign attached to any part of a building, as contrasted
to a freestanding sign.
CANOPY SIGN
Any sign that is a part of or attached to an awning, canopy,
or other fabric, plastic, or structural protective cover over a door,
entrance, window, or outdoor service area. A marquee is not a canopy.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN
A sign or portion thereof with 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 (8) times per day shall be considered an animated sign and not
a changeable copy sign for purposes of this Chapter. A sign on which
the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication
of time or temperature shall be considered a time-and-temperature
portion of a sign and not a changeable copy sign for purposes of this
Chapter.
COMMERCIAL MESSAGE
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.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A sign which is designed and erected solely for the purpose
of traffic or pedestrian direction and placed on the property (except
as otherwise provided for in this Article) to which or on which the
public is directed.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE DISPLAY
An electrically activated changeable sign capable of displaying
words, symbols, figures, graphic, or photographic or video images
and whose variable message and/or graphic presentation capability
can be electronically programmed and changed by remote or automatic
means Also known as an "electronic message center," typically uses
light emitting diodes (LEDs) as a lighting source. If any such indoor
signs are visible from a public right-of-way, they will be subject
to all conditions and standards of this Chapter.
FLAG
Any fabric, banner, or bunting containing distinctive colors,
patterns, or symbols, used as a symbol of a government, political
subdivision, or other entity.
FLASHING SIGN
Signs that have flashing lights or intermittent illumination
shall be limited to emergency or warning signs installed for traffic
control, including signs that draw attention to speed limits, stop
signs, fire stations, school zones and similar governmental or public
uses.
FREESTANDING SIGN
Any sign supported by structures or supports that are placed
on or anchored in the ground and that are independent from any building
or other structure.
INCIDENTAL SIGN
A sign, generally informational, that has a purpose secondary
to the use of the lot on which it is located, such as "no parking,"
"entrance," "loading only," "telephone" and other similar directives.
MARQUEE
Any permanent roof-like structure projecting beyond a building
or extending along and projecting beyond the wall of the building,
generally designed and constructed to provide protection from the
weather.
MARQUEE SIGN
Any sign attached to, in any manner, or made part of a marquee.
NITS
The standard unit of brightness for electronic and digital
signage. It is a measure of the light being emitted by the sign in
contrast to footcandles which measure the brightness of the surface
area or object that is being lighted.
OBSOLETE SIGN
Any sign that is no longer relating to current activities
on a premises or lot.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN
An outdoor sign, display, device, figure, painting, drawing,
message, plaque, poster, billboard, or other thing designed, intended
or used to advertise or inform the traveling public of an establishment,
products, services, entertainment, or other information which is not
sold, produced, or furnished upon the property on which the sign is
located, excluding political campaign signs on residential property.
ON-PREMISES SIGN
A sign, display, device, figure, painting, drawing, message,
plaque, poster or other thing designed, intended or used to advertise
or inform of activities conducted on the property upon which it is
located, or services and products therein provided.
PARKING REGULATION SIGN
A sign stating the regulations for use of a parking lot or
individual or groups of parking spaces therein.
PENNANT
Any lightweight plastic, fabric, or other materials, whether
or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a rope, wire,
or string, usually in series, designed to move in the wind.
PERSON
An organization, association, company, corporation, firm,
or partnership, singular or plural, of any kind.
PORTABLE SIGN
Any sign not permanently attached to the ground or other
permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported, including,
but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels;
signs converted to A- or T-frames; menu 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 said vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day
operations of the business.
PRINCIPAL BUILDING
The building in which is conducted the principal use of the
lot on which it is located. Lots with multiple principal uses may
have multiple principal buildings, but storage buildings, garages,
and other clearly accessory uses shall not be considered principal
buildings.
PROJECTING SIGN
Any sign affixed to a building or wall in such a manner that
its leading edge extends more than six (6) inches beyond the surface
of such building or wall.
RESIDENTIAL SIGN
Any sign located in a district zoned for residential uses
that contains no commercial message except advertising for goods or
services legally offered on the premises where the sign is located,
if offering such service at such location conforms to all requirements
of the Zoning Code.
ROOF SIGN
Any sign erected and constructed wholly on and over the roof
of a building, supported by the roof structure, and extending vertically
above the highest portion of the roof.
ROOF SIGN, INTEGRAL
Any sign erected or constructed as an integral or essentially
integral part of a normal roof structure of any design such that no
part of the sign extends vertically above the highest portion of the
roof and such that no part of the sign is separated from the rest
of the roof by a space of more than six (6) inches.
SETBACK
The distance from the property line to the nearest part of
the applicable building or structure measured perpendicularly to the
property line.
SIGN
Any device, fixture, placard, or structure 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.
SUBDIVISION SIGN
A permanent ground sign identifying a subdivision entry,
subdivision name and/or street names within the subdivision.
SUSPENDED SIGN
A sign that is suspended from the underside of a horizontal
plane surface and is supported by such surface.
TEMPORARY SIGN
Any sign that is used only temporarily and is not permanently
mounted.
TIME-AND-TEMPERATURE SIGN
Electronic sign that provides intermittent data regarding
the current time and temperature by means of illuminated numbers.
WALL SIGN
Any sign attached parallel to, but within six (6) inches
of, a wall, painted on the wall surface, or erected and confined within
the limits of an outside wall of any building or structure, which
is supported by such wall or building, and which displays only one
(1) sign surface.
WINDOW SIGN
Any sign, pictures, symbol, or combination thereof, designed
to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity,
event, sale, or service, that is placed inside a window or upon the
window panes or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window.