The following terms used in this article shall have
the meanings indicated:
ACCESSORY SIGN
A sign located on premises which provides traffic flow information,
such as "In," "Enter," "Out," "Exit," "Parking in Rear," "Crosswalk,"
"Watch for Pedestrians," etc.
A-FRAME, EASEL SIGN or SANDWICH BOARD
A double-faced sign, with the two faces connected at the
top and spaced at the bottom, so as to form the shape of the letter
"A," and therefore being self-supporting on a flat surface; or a single-faced
sign similarly self-supporting.
AWNING or CANOPIES
A roof-like covering consisting of any pliable material attached
to a metal or other frame and supported entirely from a building or
other structure and projecting over a sidewalk, entrance, or other
traveled way.
BANNERS and ADVERTISING FLAGS
A piece of cloth, plastic or similar pliable material attached at one or more points to a pole, staff or other support. Banners and advertising flags are permitted only as temporary signs. (See §
140-105.)
BARBER POLE
Any circular, rectangular or polygonal upright column, either
with or without a rotating core, customarily used for advertising
a barbershop.
BENCH SIGN
Any sign painted on or otherwise attached to a bench or other
seat meant to be seen by the public.
BILLBOARD
A large off-premises advertising sign specifically designed
with large height, width, and letters for visibility over a long distance.
BULLETIN BOARD
A structure used specifically for the displaying of listings
of services or articles for sale, and posters for future events.
BUSINESS SIGN
A sign which directs attention to a permitted business or
profession conducted on the premises, including permitted home occupations.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN
A nonilluminated sign denoting the architect, engineer and/or
contractor when placed on work under construction, provided that such
sign not exceed 16 square feet in area.
CORNER LOT
Commercial establishments and residences which have building
faces fronting on two or more streets.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A sign located within the premises (e.g., parking lot or
building lobby) providing direction to businesses within the premises.
DIRECTORY SIGN
A listing of multiple business enterprises at the same location
for identification purposes on a common matrix or support.
[Amended 12-3-2009 by L.L. No. 7-2009]
FLAG
Flexible or pliable material supported by any means and bearing
the emblem or insignia of any government, religious, professional,
education, charitable. or fraternal organization.
FREESTANDING SIGN
A sign not attached to or part of any building or screening
surface but permanently affixed, by any other means, to the ground,
including pole, post and arm, ladder and monument signs.
GROUND
Natural earth, soil or pavement surface at the sign location.
HIGHWAY DIRECTIONAL SIGN
An on-premises or off-premises sign located adjacent or in
proximity to a street, road or highway and which provides directional
information to a particular destination distant from the location
of such sign.
[Added 8-21-2008 by L.L. No. 2-2008]
HISTORICAL MARKERS
Emblems, tablets, plaques, memorial signs or statues when
cut into masonry surface or constructed of bronze, stainless steel,
or other similar permanent material installed by governmental agencies,
religious, or nonprofit organizations.
INFLATABLE SIGN
A sign that is supported by any type of inflation and is
either attached to a permanent structure, freestanding or tethered.
INFORMATIONAL KIOSK
A sign or group of signs for public, charitable, service
or religious organizations and institutions and which bears no commercial
advertising.
[Amended 12-3-2009 by L.L. No. 7-2009]
INTERIOR SIGN
Any advertising sign displayed, affixed or painted on or
within any window, show window, or window screen and visible from
the building exterior.
LADDER SIGN
A freestanding sign with two vertical supports and with not
more than three horizontal crosspieces serving as individual signs
for identification.
LIGHTED SIGN
Any sign designed to give forth or to reflect artificial
light.
(1)
EXTERNALLY ILLUMINATEDA sign illuminated with an artificial light which is separated from or is not an intrinsic part of the sign itself.
(2)
FLASHINGAn illuminated sign on which the artificial lighting is not maintained stationary or constant in intensity and color at all times while in use.
(3)
ILLUMINATEDA sign designed to give forth any artificial light or designed to reflect such light and on which the external lighting is an integral part of the sign, such as bulbs forming letters or logos.
(4)
INTERNAL RADIATIONA sign which is illuminated as a result of electrification or radioactivity of a gaseous material or substance, such as neon.
(5)
INTERNAL ILLUMINATEDA sign illuminated by use of an artificial light which is located within the sign structure and which depends for its illumination on transparent or translucent material.
MARQUEE
Any hood or awning of permanent construction. securely affixed
to a building or any projection from the wall of a building.
MONUMENT SIGN
A freestanding sign either with a base affixed to the ground
or mounted on short poles that are no greater than two feet in height.
MURAL
A picture, design or decorative treatment painted on or otherwise
affixed to and covering a portion of a wall surface, and shall include
sculpture and sculptural treatments of solid elements.
NAMEPLATE
A business or professional sign not exceeding one square
foot on an area identifying a professional tenant of the site. Each
sign shall be affixed to the building exterior wall or door.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN
Any sign advertising a business not located on the same lot.
[Added 3-24-2005 by L.L. No. 1-2005]
PERSON
Shall include an individual corporation, society, association,
partnership, trust or other entity, public or private.
POLE SIGN
A freestanding sign with a base of the actual sign area at
least five feet above ground and supported by a single vertical pole.
PORTABLE SIGN
A sign, whether on its own trailer, wheel or otherwise, designed
to be movable and not permanently affixed to the ground, a building,
structure or another sign.
POST-AND-ARM SIGN
A freestanding sign comprised of a vertical post to which
a perpendicular arm is attached and from which the sign hangs.
POSTER
Temporary and nonpermanent signs covering such dated activities
as political and sporting events, entertainments and elections.
PREMISES SIGN
A sign denoting the name and address of the residents of
the premises.
PRIMARY SIGN
Principal sign which identifies the business or service to
the passerby and communicates the most pertinent information.
PROJECTING SIGN
A sign attached to the building wall or structure that projects
horizontally or at a right angle more than 12 inches from the face
of the wall over the traveled way.
PUBLIC WAY
Any street, avenue, route, and/or thoroughfare, and including
any private, business or commercial way which provides ingress or
egress if accessible for public use.
RAIL TRAIL KIOSK
A sign or group of signs for Rail Trail information and which
bears no commercial advertising.
[Added 12-3-2009 by L.L. No. 7-2009]
REAL ESTATE SIGN
A sign advertising the sale, lease or rental of the premises
on which the sign is located, limited to 16 square feet in area.
REPRESENTATIONAL SIGN
Any three-dimensional sign which is built so as to physically
represent the object advertised.
REVERSE CHANNEL SIGNS
A sign having individual letters and graphics constructed
of a metal face and returns (sides), a clear plastic backing, an internal
channel for neon glass and mounted one to two inches from the wall.
[Added 3-24-2005 by L.L. No. 1-2005]
ROOF SIGN
A sign erected on a roof and extending in height up to or
above the peak of the roofline of the building on which the sign is
erected.
SALE SIGN
A nonilluminated residential "garage sale," "yard sale,"
"barn sale," "tag sale," or similarly descriptive sign located fully
upon the residential property on which the sale is being conducted.
SECONDARY SIGN
A sign which communicates accessory information other than
the most pertinent information appearing on the primary sign, e.g.,
types of products or services, etc.
SETBACK
Distance of the nearest point of a sign from any property
line.
SIGN
Any letter, figure, character, mark, point, design, pictorial,
picture, poster, stroke, stripe, line, trademark, reading matter,
illuminating device or reflecting device which shall be so constructed,
placed, attached, erected, fastened, or manufactured in any manner
whatsoever, that the same shall be used for the attraction of the
public to any place, object, person, firm, corporation, public performance,
article, machine, merchandise, or other purpose whatsoever, out-of-doors
or in any window, show window, or window screen visible from the outside.
SIGN AREA
The area of a sign measured as follows:
(1)
When any sign is framed or outlined, all of
the area of the frame or outline shall be included;
(2)
Sign measurement shall be based upon the entire
area of the sign with a single continuous perimeter enclosing the
extreme limits of the actual sign surface, not including structural
supports if they are not used for advertising purposes, or, in the
case of irregularly shaped signs, such irregularly shaped signs may
be measured by the sum of two or more adjacent square or rectangular
perimeter measurements, whichever of the above areas is less;
[Amended 12-3-2009 by L.L. No. 7-2009]
(3)
Measurement of signs with two faces shall be
taken as the area of either face, provided that the faces are either
back to back or are attached at least on one side and the angle of
the attachment does not exceed 30º. Where faces are not back
to back, or are attached at an angle exceeding 30º, each face
shall be measured individually and the cumulative amount shall be
used to determine gross area.
(4)
The street number shall be required to be top center and separate
and distinct from the text of the sign; when this criteria is followed,
the street number shall not be included in the measurement of the
sign area.
[Added 12-3-2009 by L.L. No. 7-2009]
STREET NUMBERS
A sign providing the 911 identifying number of the property,
either residential or commercial, and clearly visible from the road.
SUBDIVISION SIGN
A sign located at the entrance to a subdivision identifying
the neighborhood or community by name.
TEMPORARY SIGN
Any sign that is displayed only for a specified period of
time and is not permanently mounted.
WALL SIGN
A sign that is painted on or attached directly to the outside
wall of a building or structural screening, with the face of the sign
parallel to the wall and having a visible edge or border extending
not more than 12 inches from the wall. The term "wall sign" shall
include any sign erected on a roof and extending a height to a point
below the peak of the roof line of the building on which the sign
is erected.
VENDING MACHINES
When vending machines (e.g., soda) are placed outside or
placed inside windows so that faces are visible from the nearest sidewalk
or street, the face of the machine shall be considered in the total
allowable signage for the business.
ZONE
Shall refer to the appropriate residential, light industrial
or business zoning district.