The purpose of this title is to promote and protect the public health, welfare and safety by advancing the goals, policies and strategies of the General Plan to protect, preserve and enhance the vistas, scenic corridors and highways of the city, as well as the aesthetics, traffic safety and environmental values of the city's residential communities and commercial/industrial districts by restricting and regulating signs in the city. This title provides regulations regarding the size, height, design, quality of materials, construction, location, elimination and maintenance of permitted signs and sign structures within the city.
(Prior code § 8-901; Ord. 77-12 N.S. § 1, 1977; Ord. 07-25 § 1)
For the purposes of this title, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
1. 
"A-board"
means a portable sign capable of standing without support or attachment.
2. 
"Billboard or nonaccessory sign"
means a sign which advertises or provides information about a business organization or event, goods, products, services or uses, not directly concerning the use on the property upon which the sign is located, and does not include community directional signs or open house signs.
3. 
"Community directional sign"
means a nonaccessory sign indicating the location of a community service organization, public facility, church, hospital, school or charitable institution.
4. 
"Construction sign"
means a sign identifying an architect, engineer or contractor directly connected with a construction project and which is placed upon the premises where construction, repair or renovation is in progress.
5. 
"Direction sign"
means a sign which directs the eye to places or services, but does not advertise or identify a product or firm.
6. 
"Directory sign"
means a sign displaying the name of each occupant of a building who is engaged in a business, profession or occupation.
7. 
"Freestanding sign"
means a sign which is self-supporting in a fixed location and not attached to a building or structure, and which has no exposed, connecting or supporting wires.
8. 
"Flashing sign"
means an illuminated sign in which the artificial or reflected light is not intended to be maintained at a stationary or constant intensity.
9. 
"Frontage of property"
means the longest single, lineal dimension of a single taxable unit of property abutting on a public or private street.
10. 
"Frontage of premises"
means the longest horizontal straight line dimension of a frontal elevation of the premises which faces either a public street or other public open place. If a premises is so located that more than one side comes within this definition of frontage, each frontage shall be considered separately and no part of a frontage may be used to authorize sign display area on another frontage.
11. 
"Identification sign" or "accessory sign"
means a sign which identifies the business or organization located on the premises, or advertises or informs about business, products or services sold or rendered on the premises.
12. 
"Mobile sign"
means a sign mounted on any type of device which is movable or capable of being moved by a vehicle, but does not include lettering or illustration which is attached to or painted on, and does not extend more than one-fourth inch from the surface of such vehicle.
13. 
"Moving sign"
means a sign which has an actual or apparent moving, revolving or rotating part actuated by electrical, mechanical or other device or by wind current. A moving sign includes, but is not limited to, a banner, pennant, flag (other than a reasonable number of United States or California flags), a balloon, a sign constructed of or faced with scotch light or similar material, a sign which changes or appears to change color, and a sign in which the intensity of light changes or appears to change. The term "moving sign" does not include a time or temperature recording device, nor a motor vehicle.
14. 
"Nonaccessory sign or billboard"
means a sign which advertises or provides information about a business organization or event, goods, products, services or uses, not directly concerning the use on the property upon which the sign is located, and does not include community directional signs or open house signs.
15. 
"Temporary noncommercial right-of-way sign"
means a temporary sign for noncommercial purposes located in the city's right-of-way or public property.
16. 
"Portable sign"
means a sign which is not attached to the ground or a structure.
17. 
"Premises"
means the building or portion of a building for which a permit for a sign is being sought.
18. 
"Projecting sign"
means a sign other than a wall sign which is suspended from or supported by a building or wall which projects out from the building or wall.
19. 
"Public open space"
is not restricted to areas owned by or dedicated to the public but includes an unenclosed area, square or courtyard open to pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or both.
20. 
"Reader board"
means a permanent structure upon which is displayed advertising material or copy of a temporary or changeable nature.
21. 
"Shopping center"
means an integrated shopping complex comprised of five or more retail stores occupying a developed area of at least two acres.
22. 
"Shopping center sign"
means a freestanding sign which denotes or identifies a shopping center.
23. 
"Sign"
means any structure, natural object or surface, or a device or arrangement attached to or painted or represented upon a structure or natural surface, which attracts or is intended to attract attention to an object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization or business, or which displays or includes a letter, word, bill, poster, picture, display board, lithograph, map, balloon, balance, "A" frame, "sandwich" board, barber pole, street clock, model, figure, symbol, banner, flag (other than United States or California flags), fluttering object, pennant, insignia, device, or representation used as, or which is in the nature of, an announcement, direction, advertisement, declaration or illumination. Functional architectural features of buildings are not normally signs.
24. 
"Street setback line"
means an official line for planned future street widening adopted by the city council pursuant to applicable state law.
25. 
"Subdivision"
means the area covered by the tentative or final subdivision map filed by a subdivider.
26. 
"Taxable unit of property"
means a parcel of property shown upon the county assessment roll.
27. 
"Under-marquee sign"
means a sign suspended under a marquee, porch, canopy, walkway covering or similar covering structure.
28. 
"Use"
means a purpose or activity for which the land or building is designed, arranged, intended, or for which it is occupied or maintained to function as a separate unit.
29. 
"Wall sign"
means a sign attached parallel to or flat against the exterior wall which faces the frontage of a premises. It includes a sign on a canopy other than an instructional sign.
30. 
"Window sign"
means a sign maintained in or painted upon a window, which is intended to be viewed from outside the window. It does not include merchandise offered for sale on such premises.
(Ord. 77-12 N.S. Appendix I, 1977; Ord. 07-25 § 2; Ord. 22-04 § 1)
The sign ordinance applies to each local agency performing governmental or proprietary functions, as well as all commercial and private properties within the city.
(Prior code § 8-902; Ord. 77-12 N.S. § 1, 1977)
In adopting this title, the city council finds that excessive and inappropriate signage has an adverse impact on the overall visual appearance and character of the city and its highways, affects the appearance and quality of life of the community, and that it can increase the safety risks to traffic and pedestrians. By adopting this title, the city council intends to comply with the goals and policies of the General Plan to preserve the city's vistas and scenic resources along I-780 and I-680 and to protect the city's ability to apply for state scenic highway designation for the portions of Interstate Highways I-780 and I-680 that run through the city. This title is intended to safeguard and preserve the health, property, and public welfare of residents and businesses by prohibiting, regulating, and controlling the type, design, location and maintenance of signs.
(Ord. 07-25 § 3)