[Ord. No. 1979-12]
This Code shall be known as the "Advertising
Sign Code" of the City of Bloomington, Illinois, and may be so cited
and pleaded and shall be referred to herein as the Code.
A.
The Advertising Sign Code regulates all
varieties of signs, as defined within the City of Bloomington. The
City Council in adopting this Code, finds:
(1)
That signs should be regulated in order
to protect public investment, to promote the recreational value of
public travel, to preserve natural beauty and to promote the reasonable
orderly and effective display of signs; that the use and display of
signs in a legitimate use of private property and is an integral part
of the business and marketing functions of local economy and serves
to promote and protect private investments in commerce and industry
and that the regulatory standards set forth in this Code are consistent
with customary use in this City and will properly carry out the purposes
of this Code, more severe restrictions being inconsistent with customary
use and ineffective to accomplish the purposes of this Code;
(2)
Signs visible from motor vehicles being
driven upon streets in the City have a visual impact upon the drivers
of those vehicles;
(3)
Easily read and well located signs can
materially assist motorists and others in getting to their desired
destination safely and efficiently;
(4)
Signs which are unregulated as to size,
location and appearance can distract motorists, interfere with early
identification of traffic control devices, and hinder the smooth and
safe movement of traffic;
(5)
Lack of regulation of size, location and
appearance of signs can cause escalation in the size of signs erected
by competing businesses.
B.
This Code authorizes the use of signs visible
from public right-of-way provided the signs are:
(1)
Compatible with permitted, special, or
accessory uses allowed in the district and surrounding land;
(2)
Designed, constructed, installed and maintained
in such a manner that they do not endanger public safety or traffic
safety;
(3)
Legible, readable and visible in the circumstances
in which they are used;
(4)
Not violative of the reasonable rights
of other advertisers whose messages are displayed.
[Ord. No. 1989-30]
