1. "Abandoned sign"
means a sign, nonconforming or conforming, which no longer identifies or advertises a bona fide business, use, lessor, service, owner, product or activity for a period of six months or longer, and/or for which no legal owner can be found.
3. "Animated sign"a. b. c.
means a sign or display manifesting either kinetic or illusionary motion occasioned by natural, manual, mechanical, electrical, or other means. Animated signs include the following types:
Naturally Energized.
Signs whose motion is activated by wind or other atmospheric impingement. Wind-driven signs include flags, pennants, streamers, spinners, metallic disks, windsocks or other similar devices designed to move in the wind.
Mechanically Energized.
Signs manifesting a repetitious pre-programmed physical movement or rotation in either one or a series of planes activated by means of mechanically based drives.
Electrically Energized.i. ii.
Illuminated signs whose motion or visual impression of motion is activated primarily by electrical means. Electrically energized animated signs are of two types:
Flashing Signs.
Illuminated signs exhibiting a pre-programmed repetitious cyclical interruption of illumination from one or more sources in which the duration of the period of illumination (on phase) is either the same as or less than the duration of the period of darkness (off phase), and in which the intensity of illumination varies from zero (off) to 100 percent (on) during the programmed cycle.
Illusionary Movement Signs.
Illuminated signs exhibiting the illusion of movement by means of a pre-programmed repetitious sequential switching action in which illuminated elements of the sign are turned on or off to visually simulate the impression of motion characteristic of chasing, running, blinking, oscillating, twinkling, scintillating, or expanding and contracting light patterns.
5. "Area identification sign"
identifies an area of a distinct character composed of more than one ownership, or more than one parcel, such as a neighborhood, subdivision, shopping or industrial area.
6. "Awning"
means a shelter projecting from and supported by the exterior wall of a building constructed of canvas, plastic or similar nonrigid materials on a supporting framework. Compare "Marquee."
7. "Awning sign"
means any sign affixed in any manner to the surface of an awning.
8. "Banner"
means a piece of cloth or other flexible material such as plastic/vinyl sheets or canvas that contains graphics or copy.
9. "Base reference budget (BRB)"
means the amount of sign area, prior to adjustments, available to a business or a multiple business complex (MBC). This amount is calculated from:
10. "Building sign"
means any sign attached to a building and supported by a wall of a building, or the wall of a structure, including a mansard roof. Any permanent window signs shall be considered a building sign. For the purpose of this definition, the following signs are considered as a part of the building sign area (see definition for more clarification):
11. "Business"
means a single commercial unit of operation. There may be more than one business within a building (see "Multiple business complex"), or there may be a single business in one building on one project area.
12. "Can sign"
means a sign in which the sign copy is placed on a transparent face, which is attached to an enclosed box or can, usually made of metal, that has an internal light source.
13. "Canopy sign"
means a sign affixed or applied to the exterior facing surface or surfaces of a building canopy or freestanding canopy.
14. "Canopy (building)"
means a structure or roof covered with fabric, metal or other material and supported by a building at one or more points or extremities and by columns or posts embedded in the ground at other points or extremities. May be illuminated by means of internal or external sources. Compare "Marquee."
15. "Canopy (freestanding)"
means a structure or roof covered with fabric, metal or other material supported by columns or posts embedded in the ground. May be illuminated by means of internal or external sources.
16. City.
Unless the context clearly discloses a contrary intent, the word "city" shall mean the city of South Lake Tahoe.
17. "Clearance (of a sign)"
means the smallest vertical distance between the grade of the adjacent street, highway, or street curb and the lowest point of any sign, including framework and embellishments, extending over that grade.
18. "Clear zone"a. b.
means the area at a street corner or driveway defined as follows:
Street corner clear zone is created by extending the front property line and street side property line to a point and measuring from the point along the front property line and street side yard property line to a distance of 15 feet and connecting these two points to create a triangular area.
Driveway clear zone is created by measuring, from the point of driveway and property line intersection, along the driveway and property lines to a distance of 15 feet and connecting these two points to create a triangular area.
19. "Construction sign"
means a temporary sign identifying a construction project, owner or developer, architect, contractor or subcontractor, and other related information pertinent to the property on which the sign is located.
20. "Copy"
means the graphic content of a sign surface in either permanent or removable letter, numeric, symbolic, or alphabetic form.
21. "Copy area"
means the area shall be calculated by enclosing the perimeter of the copy within a rectilinear geometric figure which encloses the extreme limits of the copy and measuring the area within the perimeter.
22. "Double-faced sign"
means a sign with two faces, essentially back-to-back. Each sign face is to be calculated to determine sign area.
23. "Electrical sign"
means a sign or sign structure in which electrical wiring, connections, or fixtures are used.
24. "Embellishment"
means a portion of a sign structure intended to accent a sign rather than to provide or carry additional message area, e.g., framing, roofing, foundations, landscaping and the like.
26. "Festoons"
means a string of ribbons, tins, or pinwheels.
27. "Flag"a.
means an article of cloth on flexible material displayed to the public.
Official Flag.
The flag of any nation, state, county, city or other recognized governmental entity, flown in accordance with the state and federal laws governing such displays. A U.S. flag shall be flown in conjunction with any foreign flag.
28. Flashing Sign.
See "Animated sign, electrically energized."
29. "Freestanding sign"
means a sign which is permanently supported in a fixed location on the ground by poles, braces, a foundation, a planter, pedestal, retaining wall or other structure and not attached to or supported by any building. Such signs include building wing wall signs. (See also "Low profile sign.")
30. "Frontage, street"
means that portion of a project area bounded by public roadway.
32. "Grade"
means the surface elevation of the street, or the natural ground elevation beneath the sign.
33. "Gross floor area (GFA)"
means the measure of commercial square footage calculated as the floor area within the outer walls of a building or store space, including storage space. This shall not include stairwells and air shafts.
If more than one business is occupying the same floor space, the floor space shall be counted once to determine the gross floor area. |
If a business occupies one floor of a two-story business, the GFA shall be based on the one floor. Should the business extend to the second floor, its new sign area shall be recalculated including the second floor. Should the business revert back to the first floor, then the GFA reverts back to floor one. Any signage increase resulting from the expansion to the second floor shall now have to be reduced accordingly. |
34. "Height (of a sign)"
means:
Freestanding Sign: the vertical distance measured from the highest point of the sign structure, including decorative embellishments, to the curb grade of the adjacent street or the surface grade beneath the sign, whichever is less. |
Building Sign: the vertical distance measured from the highest point of the sign or sign structure to the building grade. |
35. "Icon sign"
means three-dimensional representation of an object that does not contain copy. Examples include a child's building blocks to denote a children's store or an ice cream cone to denote an ice cream shop. The intent of the icon sign is to provide business identification in a highly concentrated pedestrian environment (Mainstreet district of the tourist core area plan) in a whimsical and entertaining manner without using copy. For sign area and locational standards, see SLTCC § 6.40.420.
36. "Identification sign"
means a nonelectrical, nonilluminated sign of less than two square feet in sign area, that contains no advertising copy, that is permanently affixed in a place parallel to a wall located entirely on private property for the purpose of identifying any residence, establishment, or institution.
37. "Inflatable sign"
means any device which is filled or activated by air or gas, and located, attached, or tethered to the ground, site, merchandise, building, or roof, and used for signage purposes.
38. "Individual sign area"
is computed from the BRB and is the allowable sign area for a specific individual sign, taking into account the following adjustments:
39. "Illegal sign"
means a sign which does not meet the requirements of this code, including but not limited to the placement or installation of a sign without first obtaining a city sign permit or installing a sign that is not consistent with the sign permit and which has not received legal nonconforming status.
40. "Illuminated sign"a. b. c.
means a sign with an artificial light source incorporated internally or externally for the purpose of illuminating the sign. The following are types of illumination:
Diffuse.
"Diffused lighting" is where the light source is internal and located behind a translucent sign face; i.e., internally illuminated electric can sign.
Indirect.
"Indirect lighting" is where the copy and/or the sign face are illuminated by an external light source. The external light source should be shielded from public view.
Direct.
"Direct lighting" is where the sign copy is the light source, e.g., individual light bulbs organized to create the sign copy.
41. "Kiosk"
means a pedestrian-oriented freestanding sign within a public right-of-way used for display of information. All kiosk locations as well as information content shall be subject to the city use permit process.
42. "Landscape wall sign"
means a sign attached to a retaining wall which is integrated into the project area landscape and the single sign face is parallel to the street.
43. "Lot"
means a parcel of land legally defined on a subdivision or parcel map recorded with the El Dorado County recorder.
44. "Low profile sign"
means a type of freestanding sign mounted directly to the ground with maximum height not to exceed six feet.
45. "Maintenance"
means, for the purposes of this chapter, upkeep or preservation of the condition of a sign in order to keep the existing components safe, neat and orderly in condition and appearance and to prevent corrosion or deterioration caused by weather, age or other conditions. Maintenance includes cleaning, painting, repair or replacement of defective parts of a sign. Maintenance does not include any changes to the sign area, the copy, graphic design, or the external dimensions of the sign or structure.
46. "Mansard roof"
means normally the roof slope exceeds 45 degrees (12:12). A roof-like facade architecturally comparable to a building wall.
47. "Mansard roof sign"
means a sign attached to a mansard roof.
48. "Marquee"
means a permanent roof-like structure or canopy of rigid materials supported by and extending from the facade of a building. Compare "Awning" and "Canopy sign."
49. Monument Sign.
See "Low profile sign."
50. "Motor fuel price sign"
means that portion of a freestanding sign which advertises the price of motor vehicle fuel offered for sale.
51. "Motor vehicle signs"
means a sign attached, affixed or painted upon the exterior of a motor vehicle.
52. "Multiple business complex"
means a building or group of buildings within a single architectural plan and within one project area housing two or more businesses with one or more parcels.
53. "Multiple business complex sign"
means a sign whose purpose is to identify the MBC, not individual tenants.
54. "Multiple-faced sign"
means a sign containing three or more sign faces, not necessarily in back-to-back configuration. Each sign face shall be calculated to determine sign area.
55. "Mural"
means a picture pictograph painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or roof, which is not for commercial purposes and is not a visual representation of a business or service so as to be viewed as advertisement for the business or service.
56. "Nonconforming sign"
means a sign which was erected legally, but which does not comply with subsequently enacted sign restrictions and regulations.
57. "Occupancy"
means the portion of a building or premises owned, leased, rented, or otherwise occupied for a given use.
58. "Off-premises sign"
means a sign erected or maintained on a parcel or project area other than the property on which the use or activity relating to the sign is located.
59. "On-premises sign"
means a sign erected or maintained on a parcel or project area on which the use or activity advertised by the sign is located.
60. "Opaque background"
means a sign background that does not transmit light.
61. "Owner"
means the legal owner of record. This information may be available through a search of the county recorder's records or as shown on the most recent property tax roll provided by the El Dorado County assessor. For the purposes of this chapter, the owner of property on which a sign is located is presumed to be the owner of the sign unless facts to the contrary are officially recorded or otherwise brought to the attention of the city, e.g., a sign leased from a sign company.
63. "Parking signs"
means signs that comply with California Vehicle Code Section 22658.
64. "Parked motor vehicle sign"
means a sign attached to, located on, or located within any motor vehicle trailer or other related device, when parked for the primary purpose of displaying signage or to augment existing signage of a business located on the parcel, lot, or project area where the parked motor vehicle is located. A parked motor vehicle sign meets this definition if the copy is easily readable from a vehicle or pedestrian traveling upon a public right-of-way (of a scenic corridor). Examples of such signs are business delivery vehicle(s), personal vehicles and the like. Excluded from this are vans or trucks which have short-term deliveries of merchandise and goods to the retailer or restaurant.
65. "Pedestrian scale"
means copy, graphics, proportions and locations that are easy to comprehend and intended to be primarily read by pedestrians.
66. "Pedestrian sign"
means a permanent sign in pedestrian scale which provides information and directions to pedestrians, such as a directory/information sign and kiosk sign.
67. "Pennant"
means a piece of cloth, plastic, paper, or other such material varying in size, shape or design to draw attention to the site where located.
68. "Permanently affixed"
shall mean painted or permanently attached with glue, adhesive, bolts, nails, or approved concrete footings, not intended to be easily removed. Tape shall not be considered as meeting this definition.
69. "Person"
means any individual, corporation, association, firm, partnership, or similarly defined interest.
70. "Portable sign"
means any sign designed to be moved easily and not permanently affixed to the ground or to a structure or building.
71. "Project area"
means one or more parcels or leases that are linked together for a common and definitive purpose, such as parking, or access, or utilities, or are under one umbrella management unit.
72. "Projecting sign"
means a sign, other than a flat building sign, which projects from and is supported by a wall of a building and is not mounted parallel to the plane of the wall.
73. "Public right-of-way"
means that portion of land owned by the public in which the street, sidewalk and utilities are placed. Note: Normally the public right-of-way is wider than the paved street.
74. "Roofline"
means the top edge of a roof or building parapet, whichever is higher, excluding any mansards, cupolas, pylons, chimneys, or minor projections.
75. "Roof sign"
means any sign erected over or on the roof of a building. No roof sign dormer can extend above the roofline as measured in elevation.
76. Scenic Corridor.
The following roads are considered scenic corridors: Lake Tahoe Boulevard, U.S. 89, U.S. Highway 50 and the Loop Roads.
77. "Sculpture"
means to cut, carve, chisel, cast, weld, mold, etc., into statues or figures.
79. "Sign"
means any character, letter, figure, symbol, model or device or combination of these used to attract attention or convey a message and which is readable from a public street, public recreation area, bicycle trail or from Lake Tahoe. The term includes banners, pennants, streamers, moving mechanisms and lights. The term does not include scoreboards or ball field signs where the sign is oriented to the recreation use, nor does it include nonilluminated murals or sculptures on private property.
80. "Sign, area of"
means the sum total of display areas of one or more sign faces (also see "Sign face"). If the sign is composed of individual letters or symbols using the wall as the background with no added decoration, the sign area shall be calculated by enclosing the perimeter of each word within a rectilinear geometric figure which encloses the extreme limits of the copy and measuring the area within the perimeter.
81. "Sign dormer"
means a structure attached to the roof that provides a vertical mounting surface on a sloping roof. The dormer is usually constructed of the same material as the roof.
82. "Sign face"
means the plane of a sign on which the copy is placed. A normal size frame is not considered as a part of the sign face.
83. "Snipe sign"
means a temporary sign or poster affixed to a tree, fence, telephone pole, etc.
84. "Subdivision identification sign"
means a freestanding or wall sign identifying a recognized subdivision, condominium complex or residential development.
85. "Temporary sign"
means any sign not permanently affixed to property and intended for use for a limited period of time.
86. "Under-canopy pedestrian-oriented sign"
means a sign suspended beneath and not projecting beyond the face of a canopy, ceiling, roof, or marquee.
87. "Unit of operation"
means an individual and separate unit of activity or function within a building, such as a single shop within a business complex or a single business occupying an entire building.
88. "Use"
means the purpose for which a building, lot, sign, or structure is intended, designed, occupied, or maintained.
89. "Window"
means an opening in a building for letting in light or air or for looking through and having a pane(s) of glass set in a frame or sash. Note: Placing a false window on a building does not meet the definition of window and window signs. Also see "Parked motor vehicle sign."
90. "Window sign"
means all signs placed in a window which are visible from a public right-of-way, including permanent and temporary signs.
Note: A temporary window sign does not count as building sign area unless the sign exceeds five percent of the window area of any window. |
(Ord. 1145 § 1)