There is adopted an ordinance providing for maximum area and dimensions of sign and display advertising in the interests of the public safety, convenience, health and general welfare of the people of the city.
(Prior code § 22.1)
The director of community development or his/her designee shall review all sign applications requiring approval from the director. The nature and time of such review shall be set by the director of community development.
(Ord. 838 § 1 (part), 1992; Prior code § 22.2)
For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:
(1) 
"Freestanding sign"
means a sign not attached to any portion of a building, and not projecting through the roof or eave of a building.
(2) 
"Primary frontage"
means that single dimension of a parcel abutting a public right-of-way and providing the most important approach to the parcel for occupancy thereon. In case of an occupancy having more than one frontage, the director of community development or his/her designee shall determine which single frontage is primary.
(3) 
"Secondary frontage"
means any dimension of a parcel abutting a public right-of-way other than "primary frontage" as defined in subsection (2) of this section.
(4) 
"Sign" or "signs"
means all outdoor advertising and any and all devices, structural or otherwise, lighted or unlighted, painted or not painted, attached to, made a part of or placed in the front, rear, sides or top of any structure or on any land and visible from any public or private street, way, thoroughfare, alley or walk, which device announces or directs attention to the name or nature of a business, occupant of structure, building on land or the nature or type of goods, services or products produced, sold, stored, furnished or available at that location, including signs specifically for the sale and resale of real property, but excluding theater marquees which shall be subject to architectural control.
(5) 
"Sign area"
means all area within the outside dimensions of a solid or free-standing sign, to include the overall height and width and area between cut-out block letters, to include the average height and length or width of script letters, and area covered as measured from the perimeter of any or all emblems or designs used in addition to letters or lettering.
(6) 
"Marquee"
means a permanent roof structure attached to and supported by a building and projecting over public property. "Marquee sign" means any sign attached to or suspended from a marquee.
(Amended during 3/93 supplement; Ord. 601 Art. 1, 1976; Prior code § 22.3).
The standards and criteria followed by the director of community development or his/her designee, planning commission and City Council in the deliberations relative to approval of any sign shall be as follows:
(1) 
To insure that such sign then being considered complies with all applicable city ordinances; and
(2) 
To protect and preserve the natural historic beauty and charm of the city and to thus preserve and promote the health, safety and welfare of property owners and residents of the city.
(Ord. 838 § 1 (part), 1992; Prior code § 22.5)