[Ord. No. 1921, 7-2-1985; Ord. No. 2085, Enacted, 1-4-1994; Ord. No. 2328, Amended, 8-6-2002]
1. 
All permanent signs shall be constructed and erected in accordance with the requirements of the Oregon Structural Specialty Code, Volume II, Chapter 16 (as enacted on January 1, 2002, or as thereafter amended by the Oregon Building Codes Division).
2. 
All illuminated signs must be installed by a licensed sign contractor, subject to provisions of the State Electrical Code. All electrically illuminated signs shall bear the Underwriters Laboratory label or equivalent.
3. 
Building and electrical permits shall be the responsibility of the applicant. Prior to obtaining permits the applicant bears the burden of providing an approved sign permit or demonstrating exemption from the permit requirements of this chapter.
4. 
Signs shall be designed to be compatible with other nearby signs, other elements of street and site furniture and with adjacent structures. Compatibility shall be determined by the relationships of the elements of form, proportion, scale, color, materials, surface treatment, overall sign size and the size and style of lettering.
5. 
Copy on signs visible from streets shall be designed to reduce distractions to motorists. Signs may be reviewed for clarity and readability.
[Ord. No. 2085, Enacted, 1-4-1994; Ord. No. 2225, Amended, 2-1-2000; Ord. No. 2316, Amended, 3-5-2002; Ord. No. 2385, Amended, 5-4-2004; Ord. No. 2438, Amended, 12-6-2005; Ord. No. 2573, Amended, 10-18-2011; Ord. No. 2617, Amended, 6-4-2013; Ord. No. 2687, Amended, 12-15-2015; Ord. No. 2917, Amended, 12-20-2022]
The following signs shall comply with all provisions and regulations of this chapter; however, no fee, permit or application is required:
1. 
One sign not exceeding one square foot in area erected on any building within the City.
2. 
One non-illuminated sign not exceeding two square feet in area placed on any occupied residential lot.
3. 
Incidental signs not exceeding six square feet in area shall be allowed on any parcel on which a multiple dwelling (as defined by the Lake Oswego Community Development Code) is constructed, and in an industrial, PF, or commercial zone, except in the EC zone. Incidental signs not exceeding one square foot, with the aggregate areas of less than four square feet, shall be allowed in the EC zone. A freestanding incidental sign may not exceed 60 inches in height. An incidental wall sign may not exceed eight feet in height above grade.
4. 
Public signs, signs for hospital or emergency services, and railroad signs.
5. 
Signs or tablets (including names of buildings, and the date of erection) when cut into any masonry surface, or constructed of bronze or other noncombustible surface not to exceed eight square feet in area.
6. 
Athletic Field Signs.
a. 
Rigid signs located on the outfield fence of athletic fields may be installed. Each individual sign shall be no more than 32 square feet in area. There shall be no more than 32 square feet of area for any eight linear feet of fence. The maximum height shall not exceed eight feet above grade. The signs shall be placed so as to be visible from the interior of the field and/or viewing stands.
b. 
One sign located at one end of each field visible to spectators subject to the following requirements:
i. 
One Hundred Feet or More From Residential Zone: The sign shall be set back a minimum of 100 feet from residentially zoned property, with a maximum height of 25 feet above grade, except that the height may be increased one foot for every additional 25 feet of distance from the sign to the lot line of the nearest residentially zoned property, to a maximum height of 28 feet; or
ii. 
Less Than 100 Feet From Residential Zone: The sign may be set back less than 100 feet from a residentially zoned property if it is a maximum height of 18 feet above grade, not more than 100 square feet in area, the illuminated side faces away from the residentially zoned property less than 100 feet away, and the back of the sign is painted a dark or earth-tone color.
Screening and buffering of the sign may be required as a condition of approval if the illuminated side of the sign is visible from residential properties or public right-of-way to mitigate light impacts or distraction to motorists.
7. 
Accessory signs within a commercial or industrial zone which are permanent and an internal part of permitted outdoor accessory or display structures such as soft drink machines, fuel pumps, and newspaper dispensers.
8. 
Flags displayed from permanently located freestanding or wall-mounted flagpoles which are designed to allow raising and lowering of flags. The number of such flagpoles shall be limited in number to one per site and the maximum height shall be 30 feet.
9. 
Signs erected within a building which do not obstruct more than 25 percent in a commercial or industrial zone or more than 10 percent in any residential zone of any individual window surface shall be allowed. No such signs shall exceed the maximum square footage as set forth in subsection (3) of this section.
10. 
Signs that identify a Sensitive Lands district, as required by LOC § 50.05.010.6.c.iii(3).