All signs shall be designed and constructed to withstand a wind pressure of not less than thirty (30) pounds per square foot of area and shall be constructed to receive dead loads as required by the International Building Code. The sign permit application must include a statement signed by the applicant which states compliance with this requirement.
(Ordinance 2006-03-110, sec. 1(15), adopted 2/9/06; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
Attached signs.
(1) 
General standards.
Unless otherwise specifically provided, the regulations set forth in this subsection shall be applicable to all attached signs which are allowed under this article. Signs may not be attached to light fixtures, poles, curbs, sidewalks, gutters, streets, utility poles, public buildings, fences, railings, public telephone poles, or trees. The direct painting of signs on buildings shall be prohibited except for signs less than a three (3) square foot area used for building identification.
(2) 
Minimum and maximum letter or logo height.
The minimum height allowed for letters or logos shall be six (6) inches. The maximum height allowed for letters or logos shall be based on the following criteria:
Distance From R.O.W.
Maximum Letter/Logo Height*
Less than 100 ft.
12 inches
101-150 ft.
18 inches
151-200 ft.
24 inches
201-250 ft.
30 inches
251-300 ft.
36 inches
301 and greater
42 inches
* For any lease space which does not front on a street, the maximum letter/logo height shall be based on the distance from the vehicular driveway access.
(3) 
Maximum area.
0.75 square feet for every one foot of width of building or lease space not to exceed 400 square feet.
(4) 
Number of signs.
Only one attached sign per lease space shall be allowed along each street frontage on any site, unless otherwise specifically provided in this article. A secondary sign may be permitted at a public entrance, provided the entrance is on another side of the building, but shall be limited to twenty-five percent (25%) of the primary or permitted sign size, whichever is more restrictive. The six (6) inch minimum letter/logo height will not apply to these secondary signs. No more than two (2) attached signs shall be allowed per lease space. Attached signs shall be located within the first story of the main exterior entrance for a building or lease space.
(5) 
Sign width.
Attached signs shall be limited in width to the middle seventy-five percent (75%) of the width of any building or lease space. In the event the lease space facade is horizontally articulated, the 75% rule shall apply to the allowed sign to be located on any single plane facade.
(6) 
Roof line limitations.
In no case shall an attached sign project above the roofline of any building, except those attached to parapet walls and the sign may not extend above the parapet wall. Signs shall be no closer vertically to the eave of the roofline or overhang than the predominant letter height. Signs may be attached to a continuous plane fascia, if the sign does not extend above or below the projection of the fascia. Signs attached to a fascia are only allowed when attached to structural canopy supported to the ground by columns constructed of similar masonry material as the primary structure.
(7) 
Illumination.
Attached signs may only be illuminated utilizing internal lighting. Exterior letters with exposed neon lighting are not allowed.
(8) 
Protrusions.
Attached signs may not protrude farther than eighteen inches (18") from the building, excluding signs attached to canopies.
(9) 
Residential adjacency.
Attached signs shall not be allowed on any facade (other than the main front of the building) which faces property zoned for single-family residential uses if the sign is within one hundred fifty feet (150') of the property line of said residential property.
(b) 
Monument signs.
(1) 
Generally.
Unless otherwise specifically provided, the regulations set forth in this subsection shall be applicable to all monument signs which are allowed under this article.
(2) 
Minimum letter/logo height.
The minimum height allowed for letters or logos shall be six (6) inches.
(3) 
Maximum height.
Four (4) feet, excluding monument base and sign structure. The monument base may be an additional eighteen (18) inches in height measured from ground level at the center of the base to the top of the base. The sign structure shall not exceed five (5) feet.
(4) 
Maximum area.
One hundred (100) square feet per sign with a maximum area per sign face of fifty (50) square feet. The maximum area for the sign structure shall not exceed seventy (70) square feet.
(5) 
Number of signs.
Only one monument sign, excluding menuboard signs, shall be allowed along each street frontage on any site, unless otherwise specifically provided in this article. Monument signs may be no closer than five hundred (500) feet on any one site.
(6) 
Minimum setback.
Fifteen (15) feet from any property line.
(7) 
Material requirements.
All monument sign bases shall be constructed of the same masonry material as the front building facade on the same site or shall be stone or brick. The sign structure must be constructed or covered with the same masonry material as the principal building, or stone, or brick. Sculpted aluminum sign panels will be allowed. All sign text and graphic elements shall be limited to a minimum of six (6) inches from the outer limits of the sign structure.
(8) 
Illumination.
Monument signs may only be illuminated utilizing internal lighting for sculpted aluminum panels or a ground lighting source where the light itself and supporting structure are not visible from public R.O.W.
(c) 
Ground signs.
(1) 
Generally.
Unless otherwise specifically provided, the regulations set forth in this subsection shall be applicable to all ground signs.
(2) 
Minimum setback.
Fifteen (15) feet from any property line.
(3) 
Maximum height.
Three feet (3').
(4) 
Maximum area.
Eight (8) square feet with a maximum of four (4) square feet per sign face.
(5) 
Number of signs.
One (1) sign per site.
(Ordinance 2006-03-110, sec. 1(16), adopted 2/9/06; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
Generally.
Any sign which is not specifically permitted in divisions 5 and 6 of this article shall be prohibited.
(b) 
Obscene signs.
No person shall erect or display on any site a sign in which the dominant theme of material taken as a whole appeals to a prurient interest in sex, or is patently offensive because it affronts community standards relating to the description or representation of sexual matters, and is utterly without redeeming social value.
(c) 
Obstructing doors, windows, or fire escapes.
No person shall erect or display on any site any sign which prevents free ingress to or egress from any door, window, or fire escape.
(d) 
Obstructing vision/sight triangle.
No person shall erect or display on any site any sign in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision at any location, street, intersection, or driveway. All signs placed at any intersection shall prevent such problem by observing a sight triangle as provided for in section 4.06.001 (Definitions).
(e) 
Interference with traffic.
No person shall erect or display on any site any sign which interferes with vehicular or pedestrian traffic as a result of the position, size, shape, movement, color, fashion, manner, or intensity of illumination or any other characteristics causing such interference. Nor shall any person erect or allow to be displayed any sign in such a manner as to interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device, including, without limitation, signs making use of the words "stop," "go," "look," "slow," "danger," or any other similar word, phrase, symbol or character, or employ any red, yellow, green, or other colored lamp or light in such a manner as to cause confusion or otherwise interfere with vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
(f) 
Portable signs.
No person shall erect or display on any site any portable sign; except, however, that upon a majority vote by the city council, a conditional use permit may be issued to any nonprofit organization for an on-site portable sign. Permits shall be issued for one thirty (30) day period with at least ninety (90) days separation between permits.
(g) 
Certain illuminated signs.
(1) 
No sign shall be illuminated to such an intensity or in such a manner as to cause a glare or brightness to a degree that it constitutes a hazard or nuisance to traffic. Moving, flashing, intermittent lighted, changing color, revolving, or similarly constructed signs shall not be allowed.
(2) 
No lighted sign shall be erected or displayed within one hundred fifty (150) feet of a single-family residentially zoned property unless the lighting is shielded from view of the residentially zoned property and indirect light does not exceed 1/2 lumen measured from any property line of the residentially zoned property.
(h) 
Signs projecting on/over public property or public right-of-way.
It shall be prohibited to erect or display any type of sign on or over public right-of-way (R.O.W.) or other public property, unless the same be erected by the city, county, state or other authorized governmental agency, or with the permission of the city, for public purposes.
(i) 
Roof signs.
Any sign erected on a vertical framework supported by and located immediately and entirely over the roof of a building is prohibited. Any sign attached to a fascia extending above the projection of the fascia shall be prohibited. The painting or otherwise affixing of signs on a roof is prohibited.
(j) 
Signs on utility poles.
No person shall erect or display any sign on any utility pole located upon any public right-of-way or utility easement.
(Ordinance 2006-03-110, sec. 1(17), adopted 2/9/06)