This section regulates size, location and illumination of signs with the interest of safeguarding and enhancing the City's economic well-being, traffic safety and visual environment.
The following general provisions shall govern all signs:
A. 
Signs shall not extend into, over or upon any public street or right-of-way. A sign may extend over a public sidewalk provided the bottom of the sign structure shall be at least eight feet above the grade of the sidewalk and the sign does not project more than three feet into the public right-of-way. A highway directional or informational sign maintained and owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation may extend over a street right-of-way.
B. 
Signs or sign supporting structures shall not be located so as to detract from a motorist's view of vehicular or pedestrian traffic or a traffic sign.
C. 
All signs shall be designed and located so as to prevent the casting of glare or direct light from artificial illumination upon adjacent publicly dedicated streets, surrounding public or private streets, or surrounding public or private property.
D. 
Sign area does not include foundation supports and other essential structures serving as a backdrop or border to the sign. Only one side of a double faced sign is counted in measuring the area of a sign.
E. 
Signs shall not contain flashing, moving, rotating or otherwise animated parts.
F. 
All signs together with their supporting structure shall be kept in good repair and maintenance.
G. 
It is the responsibility of the property owner to remove any abandoned sign within 30 days of the cessation of its use.
H. 
Murals painted directly upon exterior walls are not signs (not windows) and are exempt from this section. Murals must be professional-grade and maintained in accordance with the accepted practices of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.
I. 
Off-site signs shall be prohibited.
Conditional uses may have one permanent nameplate sign with up to four square feet of sign area, placed on the exterior of the structure.
A. 
Unless otherwise restricted elsewhere in this Code, permitted and conditional uses are permitted permanent signs with a cumulative area based on lineal feet of street frontage, up to a maximum of 400 square feet. For sites with more than one side of street frontage, signs based on the length of one site frontage may not be placed on another site frontage. Sites with frontage on Highway 101 are permitted up to two square feet of cumulative sign area per front foot. Except as otherwise restricted by this Code, all other commercial and industrial sites may have up to one square foot of cumulative sign area per lineal foot of street frontage.
B. 
Unless otherwise restricted elsewhere in this Code, permitted and conditional uses shall have no more than 50 square feet of temporary sign space.
C. 
No sign shall exceed 45 feet in height or extend higher than 10 feet above the height of the building to which it is attached or associated, whichever is less.
D. 
Signs in commercial and industrial districts (C-1, C-2, C-MU, R-C, I-1, I-2) along Fort Stevens Highway/State Highway No. 104 (S. Main Avenue, N. Main Avenue, NW Warrenton Drive, and Pacific Drive) shall be limited to a cumulative of 32 square feet of sign area per commercial or industrial use. For sites with more than one side of street frontage, one additional sign (up to 32 square feet) may be provided.
E. 
Scrolling electronic reader board signs are not allowed in the areas described in subsection D of this section.
F. 
One professional-grade sandwich board, not taller than four feet in height, may be permitted for each commercial use provided that no less than six feet of unobstructed pedestrian corridor is maintained across the property at all times.
G. 
Unless otherwise permitted by site design review or other City action, the total number of signs allowed per commercial or industrial use shall be two signs (i.e., one pole sign together with one projecting wall sign or one projecting wall sign together with one sandwich board sign, etc.). For sites with more than one side of street frontage, one additional sign (up to 32 square feet or based on lineal feet of street frontage, as applicable) may be provided.
Signs in aquatic zones (A-1, A-2, A-3) shall be limited to 32 square feet in size per aquatic use. Signs are not permitted in the A-5 zone. The Planning Commission may authorize additional sign requirements as part of the conditional use permit process.