Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the terms listed below
shall have the following definitions:
ADVERTISING SIGN
A sign containing a commercial message directing attention
to a business, commodity, service, or entertainment, not related to
the premises at which the sign is located, or directing attention
to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold
or offered elsewhere than on the premises where the sign is located.
ALTERATION
Any major change made to an existing sign, other than routine
maintenance, painting or change of copy of an existing sign.
ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL
Any projections, relief, change of material, window or door
opening that is on the facade of a building. Where an overall consistent
pattern of projections or reliefs exists on a signable area, they
shall not be considered architectural details.
AWNING
A roof-like cover, temporary in nature. that projects from
the wall of a building.
BANNER
A suspended sign made of a flexible material such as canvas,
sailcloth, plastic or waterproof paper.
CANOPY/MARQUEE SIGN
A permanent roof structure over a space that is completely
unenclosed on at least two sides.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN (MANUAL)
Any sign that includes copy, letters, numbers, or symbols
that are designed to be changed through manual, mechanical or other
nondigital means.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN/ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD
A sign, any portion of which displays or has the ability
to display electronically illuminated, scrolling or moving text, symbols
or other images, utilizing LED, LCD or other digital or electronic
technology, commonly known as electronic message or reader boards,
electronic marquees, message centers or moving message displays.
COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN REVIEW
A process whereby the Town of St. Joseph Plan Commission
reviews all existing and proposed signs on a building, building site
or lot upon request of an applicant who is seeking to have a Comprehensive
Sign Plan approved. The Planning Commission may recognize unique,
exceptional and innovative efforts to integrate signs with building
architecture and materials consistent with approved nonresidential
design standards.
COMPREHENSIVE SIGN PLAN
A complete signage plan for a building or lot that has been
approved by the Planning Commission and forwarded to the Town Board
for its approval.
CURB LEVEL
The curb level for any building is the level of the established
curb in front of such building measured at the center of such front.
Where no curb elevation has been established, the City Engineer shall
establish such curb elevation.
DESIGN EXTENSION
Any addition to a sign that is added to or protrudes from
the top, sides, or lower edge of the main or principal portion of
the sign.
DETACHED BUILDING
A building surrounded by open space on the same lot or built
to the lot line.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A sign displayed on private property to identify the location
of and entrance to a business or to indicate optimal vehicular traffic
patterns.
ELECTRIC SIGN
Any sign utilizing electric wiring, material, or devices.
EXTERNAL LIGHTING FIXTURES
Lighting sources which are electrically powered illuminating
devices, lighted or reflective surfaces, lamps and similar devices,
permanently installed or portable, used to illuminate a sign.
FACADE
Any separate face or surface of a building, including parapet
walls, and roof surfaces or any part of a building which encloses
or covers usable space. Where separate facades are oriented in the
same direction, or where the inside angle at the intersection of two
surfaces is greater than 135°, they are to be considered as part
of a single facade.
FLAG
A device generally made of flexible material, such as cloth,
paper, or plastic, and displayed from a pole, cable or rope. It may
or may not include copy. This definition does not include the flag
of any country, state, city, county, corporation or institution.
FLASHING SIGN
A sign that includes a message or any other component that
flashes on and off, blinks or varies in intensity, with intermittent
bursts of light, color, brightness, or other feature of any kind that
produces a visual flashing effect.
GARAGE/RUMMAGE SALE SIGN
A sign advertising a limited-time event involving sale or
resale of used household and yard items.
GOVERNMENT SIGN
A sign erected by the Town of St. Joseph, St. Croix County,
the State of Wisconsin, or the federal government.
GROSS AREA
The total area of the sign, including all supporting structures,
viewed from the direction the sign is facing; calculated within a
single continuous perimeter enclosing the smallest possible square
or rectangle, or a combination of not more than three of the smallest
possible squares or rectangles that can be drawn around a sign of
an irregular shape; enclosing the extreme limits of such sign, with
sides that are perpendicular to the ground. Said perimeter shall not
pass through or between any adjacent elements of the sign except when
more than one square or rectangle is drawn around a sign of an irregular
shape, in which case, each square or rectangle must be immediately
adjacent to the next so that there is no gap between them. If sign
copy is displayed on more than one face of a single sign structure,
all sides of the sign structure displaying sign copy shall be included
in the gross area, by adding together the total square footage of
the two-dimensional area encompassing each side of the structure that
displays sign copy.
GROUND SIGN
A freestanding sign supported permanently upon the ground
and not attached to any building. For purposes of this chapter, ground
signs include only pole or monument signs as defined herein.
HOLIDAY SIGN
A sign erected for or on a recognized national holiday.
IDENTIFICATION SIGN
A sign displayed for the purpose of identifying the building
and address, building occupant or management, and any lawful home
occupation or business.
INFLATABLE SIGN
A freestanding or moored sign expanded or inflated with air
or another gas, like a balloon, and which may rise and float above
the ground.
INTERNALLY ILLUMINATED
A sign consisting of a rigid frame covered with vinyl, plastic,
or other translucent material that is internally illuminated.
LOGO
A symbol or trademark commonly used to identify a business
or organization but which in itself contains no more than two words
or numerals.
MONUMENT SIGN
A ground sign supported by and integrated into an internal
structural framework or some other solid structural features other
than a pole or poles, if the total width of such supporting structure(s)
is more than 1/3 of the width of the net area of the sign copy it
supports.
MURAL
A picture illustration or abstract expression containing
no commercial message applied directly to and made integral with a
wall or window surface.
NET AREA
The entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing
the smallest possible square or rectangle drawn around the sign copy;
or a combination of not more than three of the smallest possible squares
or rectangles that can be drawn around sign copy of an irregular shape;
enclosing the extreme limits of such sign copy with sides that are
perpendicular to the ground. The perimeter shall not pass through
or between any adjacent elements of the sign copy except when more
than one square or rectangle is drawn around sign copy of an irregular
shape, in which case, each square or rectangle must be immediately
adjacent to the next so that there is no space between them. If the
sign copy is contained entirely within one sign can or board, the
entire area of the can or board shall be measured to determine the
net area. If the sign copy is contained within multiple sign cans
or boards, then all cans or boards shall be measured using the methods
for sign copy of an irregular shape, above. The net area shall not
include any structural elements lying outside the limits of the sign
copy and not forming an integral part of the display.
NUMBER
A number or combination of numerals used to identify or designate
one particular item such as a quantity, price, telephone number or
address of a property.
OFF-PREMISES DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A commercial sign displayed on the ground, designed to guide
or direct the public to a business, service or entertainment activity.
PARKING LOT DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A sign that is necessary, for safety or promoting traffic
flow, to guide or direct pedestrian or vehicular traffic to a location
on the premises on which the sign is located.
PARKING LOT REGULATION SIGN
A sign designating the conditions of use or identity of such
parking area, including identification and labeling of individual
parking stalls, except for signs that are required by law to identify
certain parking stalls or parking areas.
PENNANT
A tapered or dovetailed banner or flag.
PERSON
May include a firm, association, organization, partnership,
trust, company, or corporation as well as an individual.
POLE SIGN
A ground sign that is supported by one or more poles or other
supporting structures, if the total width of the pole(s) or supporting
structure(s) is 1/3 or less than the width of the net area of the
sign copy it supports. The width of all pole(s) and supporting structures
at their widest point and any space between poles or supports shall
be included when measuring the total width of the pole(s) and supporting
structure(s).
POLITICAL CAMPAIGN SIGN
A sign erected for the purpose of soliciting support for
or opposition to a candidate or political party or relating to a referendum
question in an election held under the laws of the State of Wisconsin.
PORTABLE SIGN
A sign that is not permanently attached to the ground or
a building or not designed to be permanently attached to the ground
or a building, including but not limited to trailers or other vehicles
that are used principally as a sign, posters, "sandwich boards" or
other freestanding signboards, regardless of whether such signs are
attached to the ground or to a building or structure.
PRINCIPAL BUILDING
A non-accessory building in which is conducted the principal
use of the lot on which it is located.
PROJECT SIGN
A temporary commercial sign on private property, describing
a construction or improvement project including the names of contractors,
architects, engineers, investors, owners or occupants.
PROJECTING SIGN
A sign that is attached to the wall of a building and projects
more than 15 inches beyond such wall.
PUSH-THROUGH GRAPHICS
When a log or message is cut out of, e.g., acrylic, and then
pushed through the face of a sign with the same logo cut out of it.
REAL ESTATE SIGN
A sign advertising the sale, lease, or rental of the property
upon which it is located.
REVERSE CHANNEL/LETTER SIGN
Reverse channel letters have metal faces and sides. LEDs
inside the letter cavity shine out the back of the letter. The letter
is spaced off of the wall slightly so that a halo is formed around
the letter.
ROOF LINE
The uppermost line or apex of the roof of a building, including
original parapets.
ROOF SIGN
A sign erected on the roof of a building no portion of which
is above the roof line.
ROTATING SIGN/SPINNERS
Any sign possessing visible moving parts or parts that appear
to move, including signs that are designed with automatic moving parts
in order to change the copy, such as "tri-vision" signs.
SIGN
Any device, structure, fixture, or placard, including its
supporting base, frame, electrical and all other accessory components,
using text, graphics, symbols and/or other written copy for the primary
purpose of identifying, providing directions, or advertising any establishment,
product, goods, or services; located outside of a building or within
three feet of the interior of a window and which is visible from the
exterior.
SIGN COPY
The portion of a sign comprised of any combination of text,
graphics, symbols, images, and/or other written copy, whether it is
displayed within or outside of a sign can or board.
SIGNABLE AREA
One designated area of the facade of the building up to the
roof line that is free of doors, windows (for purposes of this definition,
spandrel panels or other non-vision glass used as an exterior building
material are not considered windows) or other major architectural
detail, that extends no higher than the juncture of the wall and the
roof, or in the case of a facade that includes a parapet wall, no
more than four vertical feet of the parapet wall, upon which signs
are to be displayed.
SYMBOL
Something that stands for or suggests something else by reason
of relationship, association, convention or resemblance placed or
erected for public view as a sign or as a part of a sign.
WALL SIGN
A sign that is attached to a wall of a building and is affixed
parallel to the wall at a distance of not more than 15 inches from
the surface of the wall.
WINDOW SIGN
Any sign that is displayed, painted on, applied to, or affixed
to the exterior or interior of a window; or displayed within three
feet of the interior of a window; and that is visible from the exterior.
For purposes of this chapter, "window" shall include any glass or
transparent panels on exterior doors. Merchandise available for purchase
within the premises and displayed within three feet of the interior
of a window shall not be considered a window sign under this definition.