[Added 2-17-2003 by Ord.
No. 2144; amended 5-1-2006 by Ord. No. 2458; 11-20-2006 by Ord. No. 2513]
The following street graphics are strictly prohibited in the
City:
A. Pennants, streamers, ribbons, strings of light bulbs, spinners, tethered
balloons and similar street graphics, except street banners and pennants
as provided in § 302-2.16, Special displays and other temporary
signs.
B. Signs attached to trees, fences or public utility poles (excluding
governmental public information signs and warning signs issued by
public utilities).
C. Defunct signs, including the sign posts or other supporting structures,
that advertise or identify an activity, business, product or service
no longer conducted on the premises where such sign is located.
D. Off-premises signs as defined in §
302-2.6 of this Sign Code, to include signs identifying or advertising goods, products, services, a business, or a person not located on the premises where the sign is installed and maintained.
E. Electronic message boards as defined in §
302-2.6 of this Sign Code.
[Added 5-1-2006 by Ord.
No. 2458; amended 9-8-2015 by Ord. No. 3201]
The following special displays and other temporary signs are
hereby allowed in the City:
A. Temporary public interest event signs and banners publicizing a charitable,
civic, or other nonprofit organization's event of general public interest.
(1)
All such signs will require approval by the sign administrator
or his or her duly authorized representative and shall:
(a)
Not exceed 16 square feet in area.
(b)
Not exceed more than two signs per event at all locations within
the City.
(c)
Not be located so as to obstruct or impede vehicular vision.
(d)
Not exceed more than two different temporary public interest
signs and/or banners installed within 25 feet of each other.
(e)
Be installed no more than 14 days before the event.
(f)
Be removed no later than three days after the event.
(g)
Contain the advertising of the publicized event only; additional
noncharitable advertising is specifically prohibited.
(2) The location of said banners shall be subject to the review and discretion
of the sign administrator or his or her duly authorized representative
(site plan including dimensions and copy must be included).
(3) All applications shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee in the
amount stated in the City's annual fee ordinance.
(4)
Application for temporary banners hanging over a street publicizing
a charitable, civic, or other nonprofit event of general public interest
must be made to the City Council prior to the event. The City may
require a fee for the display of such signs in the amount stated in
the annual fee ordinance.
B. Temporary private interest event wall-mounted banners for private
interest businesses, groups, or organizations publicizing entertainment
or an event will require approval by the sign administrator or his
or her duly authorized representative and:
(1)
Shall not exceed 16 square feet in area.
(2)
Shall not exceed more than one wall-mounted banner located on
the premises of the private interest.
(3)
Shall not be located so as to obstruct or impede vehicular vision.
(4)
Shall be installed no more than 14 days before the event.
(5)
Shall be removed no later than the next business day after the
event.
(6)
Shall not number more than three such events or signs displayed
per calendar year.
(7)
The location of said wall-mounted banners shall be subject to
the review and discretion of the sign administrator or his or her
duly authorized representative (site plan including dimensions and
copy must be included).
(8)
Shall contain the advertising of the publicized event only;
additional noncharitable advertising is specifically prohibited.
(9)
All applications shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee
in the amount stated in the City's annual fee ordinance.
C. Pole banners may be permitted, provided that the City Council grants
approval of design and installation.
D. Advertising by balloon signs of a temporary nature shall be permitted
on the property of an existing and ongoing business in accordance
with the following restrictions:
(1)
Permits shall be issued to qualified applicants upon properly
completed written application to be approved by the sign administrator
or his or her duly authorized representative.
(2)
All applications for permits shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable
fee in the amount stated in the City's annual fee ordinance.
(3)
There shall be a maximum of 10 consecutive days of advertising
allowed for each permitted individual advertising period.
(4)
Permits for advertising shall not be issued for any premises
or to any ongoing business more than three times per calendar year
and not within 90 days after the conclusion of the previous advertising
period for which a permit was issued to the applicant by the City.
(5)
A given individual advertising period for purposes of this Part
2 includes advertising pursuant to a permit issued under this Part
2 for one or more consecutive days, not to exceed a maximum of 10
consecutive days.
(6)
An additional per square foot of surface area application fee
shall be charged, in the amount stated in the City's annual fee ordinance,
for balloon signs that are larger than 200 square feet in surface
area as determined by the total area of a rectangle superimposed upon
the proposed balloon sign so that the sides of the rectangle intersect
the sides of the balloon most distant from the center of the balloon
and the top and bottom of the rectangle intersect the top and bottom
of the balloon that are most distant from the center of the balloon,
and the surface area is determined by the square footage of the rectangle
by multiplying the width of the rectangle by the height of the rectangle.
(7)
No balloon advertising shall be permitted within 5,000 feet
of any other form of balloon sign advertising occurring at the same
time.
(8)
All advertising shall be ground-mounted only, not a tethered
balloon on a line, and the entire display shall be constructed of
nonflammable materials.
(9)
Balloon signs shall not be located closer to the front, side
and rear lot lines of the real estate premises on which the balloon
sign is located than buildings are permitted to be located under the
City's Zoning Code in the zoned district in which the balloon sign
is located.
(10)
All advertising must pertain solely to on-site businesses.
(11)
Applications for balloon signage permits must be accompanied
by proof of premises and off-premises liability insurance for installation,
operation and maintenance of the proposed balloon sign providing insurance
coverage for property damage of a minimum of $50,000 per person and
$100,000 per occurrence and for personal injury of a minimum of $100,000
per person and $500,000 per occurrence, with one or more qualified
and rated insurance companies of the applicant's selection and acceptable
to the City, which policy of insurance shall name the City as an additional
insured.
E. Electronic message boards shall be permitted by special event (as defined and regulated by Chapter
267, Article
II, Special Events) in accordance with the following conditions:
(1)
Electronic message boards shall be included on the application
for the special event, with its content completely described.
(2)
No more than one such sign per event.
(3)
Such sign shall display only during special event hours of operation.
(4)
Such sign's display of text/picture shall be the only portion
of signage lit. The background shall remain unlit.
(5)
No movement of any content is permitted.
(6)
Such sign's message displayed thereon must remain visible in
at least thirty-second intervals before being reset or replaced with
another message.
(7)
Message display area shall not exceed 18 square feet.
(8)
Message display height shall not exceed 10 feet.
(9)
The use of profane language/images or content that is abusive
towards another person/public or use of any violent/abusive language/content
under circumstances reasonably calculated to provoke a breach of the
peace is strictly prohibited.
(10)
Location shall be as follows:
(a)
Such sign shall be displayed at the special event site only.
(b)
Such sign shall not be located within 10 feet from any public
right-of-way.
(c)
If a special event abuts a residential district, the display
shall be no less than 50 feet from the property lines and installed
in such a manner that the beams of light from each light source shall
be directed away from neighboring properties and confined to the area
of the subject property on which exterior light source is located.
(11)
The electrical component of any illuminated sign shall conform
to the applicable requirements of the current NEC Electrical Code
of the City.
Every sign or other street graphic enumerated below that complies
with the indicated requirements may be erected in any zoned district
in the City without a permit. The area of the sign or street graphic
shall not be counted against the displaying establishment's sign area
allowance.
A. Construction signs identifying the architects, engineers, contractors
and other individuals or firms involved with the construction, and/or
announcing the character or purpose of the building, but not advertising
any product or service. Such signs shall not exceed 32 square feet
in area, shall be confined to the site of the construction, and shall
be removed after construction has been completed.
B. Directional and informational signs erected for the convenience of
the public, such as signs identifying entrances, exits, parking areas,
no-parking areas, rest rooms, public telephones, walkways, and similar
features or facilities. Such signs shall not exceed three square feet
in area.
C. Flags of any country, state or unit of local government.
D. Garage or yard sale signs advertising a garage or yard sale on private
residential property. Such signs shall not exceed four square feet
in area, shall be confined to the premises on which the sale is conducted,
and shall not be posted for longer than five days.
E. Governmental or public signs, such as traffic control signs, railroad
crossing signs, legal notices, signs indicating the location of underground
cables, etc.
F. Holiday decorations such as Christmas lights and ornaments, provided
that such decorations must be removed within 60 days after the Christmas
holiday (i.e., by February 26 of each year).
G. Home occupation signs identifying only the name and occupation of
the resident. Home occupation signs shall be nonilluminated, shall
be flush-mounted, and shall not exceed one square foot in area.
H. House numbers and/or name of occupant signs located on the lot to
which the sign pertains. Such signs shall not exceed three square
feet in area for single-family dwellings nor six square feet in area
for multifamily dwellings.
I. Institutional signs for a public, charitable or religious institutions.
Such signs shall be located on the premises of the institution, shall
not obstruct the vision of motorists, and shall not exceed 24 square
feet in area.
J. Integral signs carved into stone or inlaid so as to become part of
the building, and containing such information as date of erection,
name of building, and memorial tributes.
K. Interior signs located in the interior of any building or within
an enclosed lobby or court of any building or group of buildings,
provided such signs are not visible from the exterior of the building.
L. Political campaign signs, announcing candidates seeking public office
and/or political issues and other pertinent information, shall be
confined to private property. In a residential district, political
campaign signs shall not exceed four square feet in area. In an agricultural
district, political campaign signs shall not exceed 16 square feet
in area. In other zoned districts in the City, such signs shall not
exceed 16 square feet in area. Political campaign signs shall be posted
no sooner than 30 days prior to the election to which they pertain
and shall be removed within seven days after the election to which
they pertain.
M. Property regulation signs such as "no trespassing", "no fishing",
etc. Such signs shall not exceed three square feet in area.
N. Real estate signs advertising the sale or lease of the premises on
which they are located. Such signs on residential property shall not
exceed four square feet in area. On other zoned property, such signs
shall not exceed 16 square feet in area. Not more than one real estate
sign per lot frontage shall be erected on any lot. Such signs shall
be removed within seven days after the sale or lease of the property
on which they are located.
O. Residential development identification signs on a real estate development
site at major entrances to the site designed to identify a residential
subdivision, apartment complex, or planned unit development, which
contain no commercial advertising and do not exceed 40 square feet
in surface area.
P. Utility company signs that serve as an aid to public safety or that
show the location of public telephones, underground cables, etc.
Q. Zoned area directional signs which indicate the direction or location
of governmental buildings and facilities, organizational and industrial
buildings and facilities, religious buildings and facilities, recreational
buildings and facilities and historic buildings and facilities, which
shall have a brown background and white lettering; shall be mounted
on street sign posts beneath the street sign.
(1) Said signs shall be limited as follows:
(a)
Governmental buildings and facilities: unlimited;
(b)
Organizational and industrial buildings and facilities: not
to exceed one sign per thoroughfare, and individual business names
shall not be depicted on the sign;
(c)
Religious buildings and facilities: not to exceed one sign per
thoroughfare;
(d)
Recreational buildings and facilities: not to exceed one sign
per building or facility, the size of which shall not exceed 12 inches
by 20 inches; and
(e)
Historic buildings and facilities: not to exceed one sign per
historic building and/or facility site.
(2) Zoned area directional signs shall be installed by the City; and
in addition to obtaining and paying for the sign permit as required
by § 302-2.28 of the City's Sign Code, the applicant shall
be required to pay the City a fee for the sign installation and an
annual maintenance fee in an amount as determined by and published
in the City's annual fee ordinance.
R. Fuel price signs as defined in §
302-2.6 of this Sign Code no more than six square feet in area.
No sign or other street graphics except those listed in § 302-2.17
shall be erected or maintained in any agricultural district or in
any residential district in the City except as otherwise provided
in § 302-2.29A.
[Amended 8-2-2004 by Ord.
No. 2282; 6-6-2016 by Ord. No. 3260]
Unless otherwise provided for herein, no establishment located in any commercial district or industrial district in the City shall display a total area of signs in excess of its sign area allowance as provided in §
302-2.9; and only one exterior sign, regardless of type, shall be permitted on each street frontage. Additionally, unless otherwise provided for herein, signs in any commercial district or industrial district shall conform to the requirements indicated in the subsections below.
A. Flush-mounted signs. For aesthetic and safety reasons, flush-mounted
signs are the preferred type of sign in the City. No flush-mounted
sign shall:
(1)
Project more than six inches from the wall or surface to which
it is attached (If such wall or surface is not vertical, the projection
shall be measured from the closest point of the wall or surface to
the sign.); or
(2)
Extend more than three feet above the roof eave line of the
building to which it is attached.
B. Projecting signs. No establishment in any zoning district shall display
more than one projecting sign on any street frontage. No projecting
sign shall:
(1)
Project more than three feet from the building to which it is
attached; or
(2)
Extend more than three feet above the roof eave line of the
building to which it is attached; or
(3)
Project over a street, alley or driveway, or closer than two
feet to the curb or edge of such public right-of-way; or
(4)
Extend below a point eight feet above the ground or pavement;
or
(5)
Extend above a point 12 feet above the ground or pavement; or
(6)
Exceed nine square feet in area.
C. Signs on awnings, canopies or marquees. Signs mounted flush against any awning, canopy or marquee shall be considered flush-mounted signs, and shall comply with the regulations of Subsection
A of this section. Signs suspended beneath any awning, canopy or marquee shall be considered projecting signs and shall comply with the regulations of Subsection
B of this section.
D. Window signs. Any establishment may display window signs. Permanent
window signs shall cover no more than 20% of the area of any window.
Permanent window signs shall be counted against the displaying establishment's
sign area allowance, but temporary window signs shall not.
E. Shopping center identification signs. A shopping center, as an entity,
may erect an identification sign in accordance with the provisions
of this Part 2 if the total gross floor area of all the establishments
located in the shopping center exceeds 50,000 square feet. A shopping
center identification sign shall not exceed 100 square feet in area.
F. Freestanding signs.
(1)
Not more than one freestanding sign shall be displayed on any
street frontage of any lot. All freestanding signs shall comply with
the following regulations [except as provided in (a) and (b) of this
subsection]:
(a)
Not extend higher than 20 feet above the ground or pavement
where they are located;
(b)
Not exceed 100 square feet in area or 12 lineal feet in any
direction;
(c)
Not be closer than 20 feet to any public right-of-way or side
or rear lot line;
(d)
Not be closer than 100 feet to another sign.
(2)
Notwithstanding anything in this subsection to the contrary,
the following regulations pertaining to freestanding signs located
in a C-2 Central Business District and in areas located within 100
lineal feet of a federal interstate highway right-of-way shall apply:
(a)
In a C-2 Central Business Zoning District in the City:
[1] Freestanding signs up to 10 square feet in sign
area shall not be closer than one foot to the right-of-way or side
lot line and shall not exceed 12 feet in height.
[2] Freestanding signs between 10 square feet and 50
square feet in sign area shall not be closer than five feet to any
public right-of-way or side lot line and shall not exceed 15 feet
in height.
[3] Freestanding signs between 50 square feet and 75
square feet in sign area shall not be closer than 10 feet to any public
right-of-way or side lot line and shall not exceed 15 feet in height.
[4] All freestanding signs exceeding 75 square feet
in sign area shall not be closer than 20 feet to any public right-of-way
or side line and shall not exceed 15 feet in height.
[5] No signs shall be closer than 10 feet to each other.
(b)
In areas located within 100 lineal feet of a federal interstate
highway right-of-way, freestanding signs shall:
[1] Not exceed 125 square feet in sign area or 15 lineal
feet in any direction;
[2] Require a setback from the public right-of-way
of 25 feet;
[3] Require a setback from a side or rear lot line
of 200 feet;
[4] Require spacing of 500 feet to another sign;
[5] Not exceed 20 feet in height;
[6] Not be used to calculate total sign area allowance as required in §
302-2.9.
G. Roof-mounted signs. Roof-mounted signs are strictly prohibited in
the City, except in an industrial district. No roof-mounted sign shall
extend more than 20 feet above the roofline of the building to which
it is attached.
H. Billboards. Billboards (including all off-premises advertising signs)
are strictly prohibited in the City, except in an industrial district.
No billboard erected in an industrial district shall:
(1)
Be stacked on top of another billboard; or
(2)
Be located closer than 50 feet to any public right-of-way; or
(3)
Be located closer than 1,000 feet to any other billboard on
the same side of a public right-of-way; or
(4)
Be permitted unless it relates to permitted zoning uses allowed
in an industrial zoning district and is located not closer than 500
feet to any industrial zoning district boundary; or
(5)
Extend more than 20 feet above the ground or pavement where
it is located; or
(6)
Exceed 150 square feet in area.
I. Zoned area directional signs. Zoned area directional signs shall
not exceed 12 inches in height nor 20 inches in width; they shall
have a brown background and white lettering; and they shall be installed
by the City (when a permit for the same has been issued pursuant to
§ 302-2.28 of this Sign Code) on street sign standards in
accordance with the requirements set forth in Subsection Q, Zoned
area directional signs, of § 302-2.17, Signs and street
graphics allowed without permits, of this Sign Code.
J. Electronic message boards. All such signs authorized by permit may
be designed to be capable of changing the message thereon, including
such as for time or temperature, either manually or electronically;
provided the following requirements are satisfied for such changeable
copy area:
(1)
Such sign shall conjoin with a monument sign, shall comply with Subsection
F of this section and shall comply with the definition of "monument sign" in §
302-2.6.
(2)
Such sign may occupy no more than 40% of the applicable sign
face.
(3)
Such sign is of equal width, with no separation, as the attached
principal sign face.
(4)
No animation or movement of any content is permitted.
(5)
No sign shall have blinking, flashing or fluttering lights or
have a changing light intensity, brightness or color.
(6)
Each message displayed thereon shall remain visible in at least
thirty-second intervals before being reset or replaced with another
message.
(7)
The use of profane language/images or content that is abusive
towards another person/public or use of any violent/abusive language/content
under circumstances reasonably calculated to provoke a breach of the
peace is strictly prohibited.
(8)
Electronic message centers shall come equipped with dimming
technology that automatically adjusts the display's brightness based
on ambient light conditions and at a distance of four feet measured
perpendicular from the center of such sign shall not emit a footcandle
measurement more than five footcandles above the ambient light conditions.
(9)
Such sign shall not be located within 100 feet of a residential
district.
(10)
There shall be no more than one such sign per lot.
(11)
Such sign shall only be displayed on the street-front corridors
of Admiral Parkway (Route 3), Admiral Weinel Boulevard, Admiral Trost
Road, Valmeyer Road, Old State Route 3 and Frontage Road.
(12)
Such sign's location shall be established by the following:
(a)
Freestanding signs conjoining with an electronic message sign
up to 10 square feet in sign area shall not be closer than one foot
to the right-of-way or side lot line.
(b)
Freestanding signs conjoining with an electronic message sign
between 10 square feet and 50 square feet in sign area shall not be
closer than five feet to any public right-of-way or side lot line.
(c)
Freestanding signs conjoining with an electronic message sign
between 50 square feet and 75 square feet in sign area shall not be
closer than 10 feet to any public right-of-way or side lot line.
(d)
Freestanding signs conjoining with an electronic message sign
exceeding 75 square feet in sign area shall not be closer than 20
feet to any public right-of-way or side line.
(13)
Such sign shall display emergency notifications when requested
by local governing authority.
[Added 5-20-2002 by Ord.
No. 2055]
In an Office Park 1 (OP-1) Zoning District, the signage shall
comply with the following regulations:
A. Building signs. The building numbers and/or building name identification
displayed on a building in this zoning district must be flush-mounted
on the front of the building. Building identification signs may not
exceed six square feet in area. No more than one building identification
sign shall be allowed per building in this zoning district.
B. Tenant signs. Address numbers for tenants in a building occupied
by a building tenant and/or tenant identification signs must be flush-mounted
on the building to which they pertain and located adjacent to the
tenant's main entrance to the building. Tenant address numbers and/or
identification signs shall not exceed two square feet in area. No
more than one sign per tenant per building shall be allowed.
C. Tenant directory signs. A building tenant may display no more than
one directory sign, which may list the tenant's name, occupation,
or type of building, address, phone number, and hours of operation.
Such signs must be located at the main entry door of the premises
occupied and operated by the tenant. Such signs shall not exceed four
square feet in area. No more than one tenant directory sign per tenant
per building shall be allowed.
D. Complex identification signs. One complex identification sign may be located on the common ground of a multi-building complex in this zoning district. The sign must be a monument sign as defined in §
302-2.6 of this code. The complex identification sign shall not exceed 25 square feet in total area and shall not exceed six feet in any dimension. Complex identification signs shall not be located closer than five feet to any public right-of-way. No more than one complex identification sign shall be permitted for one complex of buildings in a unified building development in this zoning district. Complex identification signs shall be located at the main entrance of the complex they identify, where practicable. Complex identification signs shall only display the name of the complex identified by the sign.
E. Signs not permitted in an Office Park 1 Zoning District. The following
signs are prohibited in an Office Park 1 Zoning District:
(1)
Freestanding signs, except for monument-type complex identification
signs.
(2)
Any sign exceeding six feet in any dimension.
(3)
Illuminated signs other than signs that are front-lighted by
spotlight or floodlight type lighting or signs which are self-illuminating
(provided and only if the self-illuminated sign has a field which
is opaque and lettering and/or logo which is translucent).