The following activities are exempt
from the requirements of this Code:
A. Changing of the advertising copy or message
on an existing approved painting or printed sign, marquee, changeable
copy sign or a similar approved sign whether electrical, illuminated,
electronic changing message center or non-illuminated painted message
which are all specifically designed for the use of replaceable copy.
B. Painting, repainting, cleaning or other
normal maintenance and repair of a sign not involving structural changes.
Replacement of the plastic face will be included as an exempt operation
provided that it is due to a change caused by breakage and/or deterioration
of the face, but not for the substitution of a new or different advertiser.
C. Changes in the consent of show window displays
and permitted temporary signs.
[Ord. No. 1979-12]
The following operations shall not
be considered as requiring the issuance of a sign permit, but any
sign thus created must be in conformance with all other building,
structural and electrical laws and regulations of the City:
A. Construction signs. One construction sign
per construction project not exceeding 32 square feet in sign area
in residential districts or 64 square feet in commercial or industrial
districts, provided that such signs shall be erected no more than
30 days prior to the beginning of construction for which a valid building
permit has been issued, shall be confined to the site of construction
and shall be removed 30 days after completion of construction and
prior to occupancy.
B. Direction or instructional signs. Signs
which provide direction or instruction and are located entirely on
the property to which they pertain and do not in any way advertise
the sale of merchandise or services or any business and do not exceed
four square feet in area, such as signs identifying rest rooms, public
telephones, walkways, or signs providing direction such as parking
lot entrance and exit signs and those of similar nature. Such signs
may identify the establishment to which the directions or instructions
thereon are pertinent.
[Ord. No. 1984-53]
C. Flags. The flags, emblems or insignia of
any nation or political subdivision or corporate flag.
D. Governmental signs. Governmental signs
for control of traffic and other regulatory purposes, street signs,
danger signs, railroad crossing sign and signs of public service companies
indicating danger and aids to service safety which are erected by
or on the order of a public officer in the performance of his public
duty.
E. Holiday decorations. Signs of a primarily
decorative nature, clearly incidental and customary and commonly associated
with any national, local or religious holiday, provided that such
signs shall be displayed for a period of not more than 60 consecutive
days nor more than 60 days in any one year. Such signs may be of any
type, number, area, height, illumination or animation, and shall be
set back 10 feet from all boundary lines of the lot provided that
a clear area be maintained to a height of 72 inches within 55 feet
of the intersection of two streets, a railroad and a street, or a
street and driveway.
F. House numbers. House numbers not exceeding
two square feet in area for each dwelling unit or mobile home.
G. Non-electrical interior signs. Non-electrical
signs located within the interior of any building or stadium, or within
an enclosed lobby or court of any building, and non-electrical signs
for and located within the inner or outer lobby, court or entrance
of any theater, that are not visible from the public right-of-way.
This does not, however, exempt such non-electrical signs from the
structural or material specifications as set out in this Code.
[Ord. No. 1994-27]
H. Memorial signs. Memorial signs or tablets,
names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry
surface or inlaid so as to be part of the building or when constructed
of bronze or other incombustible material.
I. Notice bulletin boards. Notice bulletin
boards not over 32 square feet in area for medical, public, charitable
or religious institutions where the same are located on the premises
of said institution.
J. No trespassing or no dumping signs. No
trespassing or no dumping signs not to exceed 1 1/2 square feet
in the area per sign and not exceeding four in number per lot, except
that special permission may be obtained from the Administrator for
additional signs under proven special circumstances.
K. Occupant signs, nameplates. One nameplate
for each dwelling unit or mobile home not to exceed two square feet
in area indicating the name of the occupant, location or identification
of a home professional office, provided the use of the premises is
legal both in substance and at that location.
[Ord. No. 1984-53]
L. Wall signs, fence signs. In business and
manufacturing zones, a sign painted on the surface of a fence or approved
building wall or any non-illuminated wall sign on a building or structure
which is not more than 10 square feet in sign area.
[Ord. No. 1979-16]
M. Public notices. Official notices posted
by public officers or employees in the performance of their duties.
N. Public signs. Signs required or specifically
authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute or ordinance,
which may be of any type, number, area, height above grade, location,
illumination, or animation required by the law, statute or ordinance
under which the signs are erected.
O. Real estate signs. One real estate sign
per residential lot, provided such sign is located entirely within
the property to which the sign applies, is not directly illuminated,
does not exceed nine square feet in area, and is removed within 10
days after the closing date of a sales contract or the effective date
of a lease. One real estate sign per commercial or industrial lot,
provided that such signs are not over 25 square feet in sign area.
P. Permanent window signs. Except in residential
zones, for each ground floor occupancy of a building, permanent signs
may be painted on or otherwise displayed from the inside surface of
any window, showcase or other similar facility. Said signs may be
in addition to those signs permitted under the other provisions of
this Code. The total copy area of such signs, however, shall not exceed
a maximum of 25% of the total window area or one square foot per lineal
front foot of the premises occupied, whichever is the lesser.
Q. Signs in the display window. Signs in the display window of a business use which are incorporated with a display of merchandise or a display relating to services offered which comply with Subsection
P herein.
R. Symbols of insignia. Religious symbols,
commemorative plaques of recognized historical agencies, or identification
emblems of religious orders or historical agencies, provided that
no such symbol, plaque or identification emblem, shall exceed four
square feet in area, and provided further that all such symbols, plaques
and identification emblems shall be placed flat against a building.
S. Temporary signs. Temporary signs not exceeding
four square feet in area pertaining to drives or events of civic,
philanthropic, educational or religious organizations, provided that
said signs are posted only during said drive or no more than 30 days
before said event and are removed no more than 15 days after an event.
T. Warning signs. Signs warning the public
of the existence of danger, but containing no advertising material,
of a size as may be necessary to be removed upon subsidence of danger.
U. Neighborhood identification signs. In any
zone, a sign, masonry wall, landscaping and other similar materials
or features may be combined to form a display for neighborhood or
tract identification, provided that the legend of such sign or display
shall consist only of the neighborhood or tract name.
[Ord. No. 1979-12]