[Ord. No. 1921, 7-2-1985; Ord. No. 2085, Enacted, 1-4-1994]
This chapter is entitled "Sign Code of the City of Lake Oswego."
[Ord. No. 789, 12-5-1961; Ord. No. 1921, 7-2-1985; Ord. No. 2085, Enacted, 1-4-1994]
The City Council finds that to protect the health, safety, property and welfare of the public, to provide the neat, clean, orderly and attractive appearance of the community, to improve the effectiveness of signs, to provide for safe construction, location, erection, and maintenance of signs, to prevent proliferation of signs and sign clutter, and to minimize adverse visual safety factors to travelers on public highways and on private areas open to public travel, it is necessary to regulate the design, quality of materials, construction, location, electrification, illumination and maintenance of signs visible from public property, public rights-of-way and private areas open to public vehicular travel.
This chapter shall be construed to carry out the above-stated purpose, but shall not be construed to permit the erection or maintenance of any sign at any place or in any manner unlawful under any other City Code provisions or other applicable law.
[Ord. No. 1921, 7-2-1985; Ord. No. 2085, Enacted, 1-4-1994; Ord. No. 2225, Amended, 2-1-2000; Ord. No. 2316, Amended, 3-5-2002; Ord. No. 2310, Amended, 5-14-2002; Ord. No. 2573, Amended, 10-18-2011; Ord. No. 2579, Amended, 3-20-2012; Ord. No. 2617, Amended, 6-4-2013; Ord. No. 2723, Amended, 10-18-2016; Amended, 12-3-2024 by Ord. No. 2954]
For the purpose of this chapter, certain terms and words are defined as follows: the words "used for" include "designed for" and vice-versa; words used in the present tense include the future, the singular tense include the plural and vice-versa; the word "shall" is always mandatory; the word "may" is discretionary. The definitions in LOC § 50.10.003.2 apply to this chapter to the extent that they do not conflict. The following terms shall mean:
A sign associated with the use of a property which has ceased for a period of at least six months.
Signage which is an integral part of outdoor accessory or display structures or uses allowed by City code.
Any change to a sign excluding change of copy or maintenance – when there is no change of use, or occupancy or ownership.
Elements of building design commonly used in Lake Oswego building styles, including the Arts and Crafts, English Tudor and the Oregon Rustic Styles. (See photos and descriptions in Lake Oswego Community Development Code, LOC § 50.05.004 (Downtown Redevelopment Design District), LOC § 50.11.001, Appendix A – Lake Oswego Style.)
A shelter supported entirely from the exterior wall of a building and composed of nonrigid materials except for supporting framework.
Includes cabinet signs, "Channelhume" (plastic lighted letters), neon lighted letters, and individual letters on awnings and canopies.
A sign consisting of a membrane that relies on internal gaseous pressure or a semirigid framework for maintaining its form.
Nonrigid material secured or mounted so as to allow movement caused by the wind.
A nonmovable roof-like structure attached to a building.
The change of logo and/or message upon the face or faces of a legal sign.
Commercial Zones shall mean the CR&D, EC, GC, HC, MC, NC, WLG RMU, OC and WLG OC zones as described and established in the Lake Oswego Community Development Code.
A sign which is located at a street intersection or principle access to a multi-building complex.
The horizontal element demarcating the difference between the pedestrian oriented level on the street and the office/residential use on the levels above, or, for single story buildings, the area immediately below the roof line.
To build, construct, attach, place, suspend, or affix, including the painting of a wall sign.
The surface of a sign upon, against, or through which the message is displayed or illustrated.
Any ground mounted, pole or monument sign supported by one or more uprights or braces placed upon the ground, and not attached to any building.
A business that has building wall exposure to a street or area open to public travel. Frontage may include streets, alleys, driveways, easements, or parking aisles.
A sign with a source of illumination which is intended to light the sign, but which is not attached to the sign, its trim or support. Interior or exterior lighting which incidentally illuminates the sign is not considered indirect lighting.
Industrial Zones shall mean the I and IP zones as described and established by the Lake Oswego Community Development Code.
The replacing or repairing of a part or portion of a sign made unusable by ordinary wear, or damaged beyond the control of the owner or the replacing of existing copy without changing the composition or color of the copy.
A sign which is affixed to a base which is no more than 30 inches above the nearest ground surface.
Non-conforming signs are those signs which were lawfully installed which do not comply with the requirements of this sign code.
A sign hung from a canopy or awning or attached to a building wall, which hangs over the public right-of-way or any private area subject to pedestrian travel, and is perpendicular to the direction of pedestrian movement.
Strings of small flags.
Any legally placed sign which is intended to be and is so constructed as to be of a lasting and enduring condition, remaining unchanged in character, condition (beyond normal wear) and position, and in a permanent manner affixed to the ground, wall or building.
A free standing sign erected on one or more supports which are more than 30 inches above the adjacent ground surface.
A temporary sign which is capable of being moved easily and is not affixed to the ground or a structure.
A sign erected and maintained by a public agency within the right-of-way of a street or alley, or a sign erected and maintained by a public agency or by any other person authorized by a public agency by license or agreement on a property zoned PNA.
Residential Zones shall mean the R-0, R-2, WLG R-2.5, R-3, R-5, R-6, R-7.5, R-10, R-15, R-DD and R-W zones as described and established by the Lake Oswego Community Development Code.
The ridge on a gable or peaked roof, the parapet or fascia of a flat roof. A mansard roof is considered as a gable roof for the purpose of this definition.
Any sign erected upon or over the roof of any building with the principal sign support on the roof structure.
A device, structure, or fixture which incorporates graphics, symbols, or written copy visible to the public, including those devices, structures or fixtures which are behind windows or building openings, which are intended to communicate information. Graphics, art work and seasonal decorations which do not relate to the use of a site or structure are not considered signs.
A continuous painted, attached or structurally internal linear area for the placement of signs extending along one or more sides of a structure located between the windows and the parapet on a one story building with a flat roof and at or below the fascia on a one story building with a pitched roof. On a multistory building it shall be located above the windows and below the second story line.
The vertical distance from the lowest point of the adjacent grade below the sign to the highest part of the sign.
Any sign, banner, pennant, valance or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard or other like materials, with or without frames, and any other type sign not permanently attached to the ground, or a structure, and is displayed for a period not exceeding 25 consecutive days in duration and no more than once in any 12-month period, except as otherwise allowed by LOC §§ 47.08.300 or 47.08.305.
A sign attached to, erected against or painted on a wall of a structure, with the exposed face of the sign projecting twelve (12) inches or less, with the exception of awnings and canopies which may project more than twelve (12) inches. Sign bands are not wall signs. Window signs that are permanently attached to the outside of a window are wall signs.
Signage which is an integral part of a device intended to more or operate by the action of the wind such as a wind sock or pin wheel.
[Ord. No. 1921, 7-2-1985; Ord. No. 789, 12-5-1961; Ord. No. 841, 6-19-1962; Ord. No. 2085, Enacted, 1-4-1994; Ord. No. 2225, Amended, 2-1-2000; Amended, 12-3-2024 by Ord. No. 2954]
2.
A sign which fails to comply with or violates any provision of this chapter, or is developed or maintained contrary to the terms of a sign permit is hereby declared to be unlawful and a public nuisance and may be abated by appropriate proceedings.
3.
Enforcement Fee. A person who violates a provision of this chapter shall pay an enforcement fee to the City in an amount as established by resolution of the City Council.
[Ord. No. 1921, 7-2-1985; Ord. No. 2085, Enacted, 1-4-1994]
Sign area includes the area within a perimeter enclosing the limits of lettering, writing, representation, emblem, figure, character and lighted surface, but excluding essential sign structure, foundations or supports. For a multiple-face (more than two sided) sign, the sign area shall be the total of all faces. If the sign consists of more than one section or module, all areas will be totaled. For a double-faced sign in a single cabinet, the allowed area shall be the dimension of the cabinet, not the total of the area of message. See Table 47-1 and Table 47-2.
Table 47-1 (LOC § 47.03.030)  |
Table 47-2 (LOC § 47.03.030)  |
[Ord. No. 2617, Added, 6-4-2013]
Except for public signs, utility signs, and signs used for railroad-related purposes, no other temporary, permanent, or incidental sign is permitted within a railroad right-of-way.