[CC 2000 §8-6-1; CC 1974 §16-1; Ord. No. 693, 8-18-1986]
The following definitions shall apply throughout this Chapter:
Any sign advertising a product or service of a business that
is placed or located elsewhere than on the premises of the business
to which it applies.
Any banner, pennant, ribbon, streamer, wind-operated mechanism,
flashing lights and other type of fluttering or flashing instrumentality
used to advertise, promote or draw attention to the location, building,
products, qualifications, goods or services of any business or person
and which is placed outside or in a window in view of the general
public, but "device" shall not include signs which
are defined under this Section.
Any electrical sign on which the artificial light is not
constant in intensity and color at all times. For the purpose of this
Chapter, any revolving, rotating, moving, animated signs with moving
lights or signs which create the illusion of movement are included
in this definition.
Any sign which has characters, letters, figures, designs
or an outline illuminated by electric lights or illuminous tubes or
neon lights as a part of the sign proper.
A portable display surface temporarily fixed to a standardized
advertising surface which can be moved from one location to another
at periodic intervals.
Any sign which is not permanently anchored. In addition,
a "portable sign" shall include any sign that is
not permanently affixed to the building which has changeable lettering
or numbering.
Includes any word, letter, model, announcement, declaration,
information, display or illustration used to advertise, promote or
draw attention to the location, building, products, qualifications,
goods or services of any business or person and which is placed outside
or in a window in view of the general public.
The total area of the space used to convey the message of
the sign, including the spaces between open-type letters and figures,
the background structure and other decoration, addition, border or
trim which is an integral part of the sign. Sign supports shall be
excluded in determining the area of the sign so long as they are not
an integral part of the sign message.
Includes any sign, banner, pennant, valance or advertising
display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard
or other light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed
for a limited period of time only.
[CC 2000 §8-6-2; CC 1974 §16-2]
A.
It
shall be unlawful for any business or person owning, managing, occupying
or using any lot or premises to erect, display or allow the erection
or display of any sign or device:
1.
Without first having obtained a permit from the Director of Minimum
Housing or a variance from the zoning Board of Adjustment.
2.
Without first having made full payment of all application fees due
for such permit based on the schedule established in this Chapter.
3.
Which is beyond the scope of or varies from the permit issued or
variance granted for said sign or device.
4.
Which violates any Section in this Chapter governing standards or
prohibitions of signs or devices.
5.
Which is unsafe or insecure and liable to injure any person or property.
[CC 2000 §8-6-3; CC 1974 §§16-3, 16-5 —
16-8]
A.
Application For Permit — Issuance.
1.
No sign permit shall be granted until an application has been submitted
for the sign and there is approval by the Director of Minimum Housing.
The application shall be on an approved form and any information about
the applicant, property owner and proposed sign that is deemed pertinent
by the Director of Minimum Housing may be requested. The application
shall include a drawing illustrating the proposed sign and shall show
the plans and specifications, including dimensions, materials and
details of construction, of the proposed sign and sign structure.
If the applicant is not the owner of the lot or premises on which
the sign is being constructed, he/she shall identify the owner and
any manager of the property by name and address and obtain their written
consent to the construction of the proposed sign.
2.
The Director of Minimum Housing shall not approve any application
until all permit fees have been paid, he/she is satisfied that all
of the provisions of this Chapter relating to the sign and the sign
structure have been complied with and, further, that he/she is satisfied
that all provisions of the Building, Electrical and Fire Prevention
Codes of the City relating to the sign and the sign structure have
been complied with.
B.
Permit Fees.
1.
The following schedule of fees shall be established for the erection
and display of any sign for which a permit is required by this Chapter:
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Basic application fee
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$20.00
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An additional square footage fee shall be charged as follows:
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Up to 25 square feet
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$5.00
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25 to 50 square feet
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$6.00
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51 to 75 square feet
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$7.00
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76 to 100 square feet
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$8.00
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In excess of 100 square feet
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$8.00 plus $0.25 per each additional sq. ft.
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2.
If a single sign shall have more than one (1) message-bearing face,
the square footage for each sign face shall be separately determined
and assessed.
C.
Appeals Upon Permit Denial. Anyone applying for a permit
for a sign under the provisions of this Chapter, whose application
has been denied by the Director of Minimum Housing, may appeal to
the zoning Board of Adjustment for the issuance of such permit on
such conditions as it may set.
D.
Exemptions. The following signs shall be exempted from
permit and application fees otherwise required by this Chapter so
long as they are not illuminated signs and that they comply with all
other standards and prohibitions required by this Chapter:
1.
Temporary real estate signs not exceeding six (6) square feet in
sign area which advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises
upon which said sign is located and not to number more than one (1)
sign per lot.
2.
Changeable copy bulletin boards not over twenty-five (25) square
feet in sign area displayed in public, charitable or religious institutions
and which are located on the premises of said institution.
3.
Temporary signs denoting the architect, engineer or contractor when
placed upon premises where work is under construction, which do not
exceed sixteen (16) square feet in sign area and which are limited
to one (1) sign per project.
4.
Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and dates of erection
when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or
other incombustible materials.
5.
Traffic or other municipal signs, legal notices, railroad crossing
signs, danger signs and such temporary, emergency or other non-advertising
signs as may be approved by the Director of Minimum Housing.
6.
Temporary political signs, not in excess of six (6) square feet,
displayed within sixty (60) days prior to the election to which the
sign pertains. Said signs shall be removed within two (2) days after
the election.
7.
Except in the "A" Residential District and in the "C" Multiple-Dwelling
District, a sign or nameplate listing the profession and the name
of the person engaged in the practice of his/her profession as an
attorney, physician, surgeon, dentist, professional engineer, notary
public, accountant or architect at the premises on which the sign
is located so long as there is only one (1) sign per lot and said
sign does not exceed three (3) square feet in sign area.
8.
Temporary signs placed in windows pricing perishable goods or merchandise
on sale which does not exceed more than one (1) square foot in sign
area and which is removed within ten (10) days.
9.
There shall be a limit of three (3) advertising signs allowed for
the sales enumerated herein, which signs shall be no larger than two
(2) square feet in area and posted no more than five (5) days prior
to the date of the sale. Said signs must be removed no later than
6:00 P.M. the day following the sale. All signs shall have the permit
number affixed thereto.
10.
Signs conveying warnings to passersby (such as "no trespassing",
"private property", "beware of dog", etc.) which do not exceed one
(1) square foot in sign area and which are limited to two (2) signs
per lot; providing, that residential lots fronting on two (2) streets
may have two (2) additional signs.
11.
Churches and non-profit organizations.
E.
Permits Non-Transferable. Permits shall be issued only in
the name of the applicant and to the location for which the application
is made. Permits shall not be transferable from the applicant to another
person nor shall they be transferable from the approved location to
another location.
[CC 2000 §8-6-4; CC 1974 §16-8]
A.
The
following general standards shall apply to all signs, including exempted
signs, where applicable:
1.
Location. All signs and devices must be located
on the property of the business, building or residence that they advertise,
describe or pertain to.
2.
Maintenance and repair. All signs and devices must
be kept in good repair and supporting structures must be kept in an
upright condition. Painting shall be required a minimum of every two
(2) years, except when the sign or device is galvanized or otherwise
treated to prevent rust or unless made of non-corroding material.
3.
Identification. Every sign or device erected or
displayed shall be plainly marked with the name of the person or business
erecting and displaying such sign, the permit number, the date of
erection and the voltage of any electrical apparatus.
4.
Illuminated signs. Illuminated signs are allowed
to operate only during such hours that the business is actually opened
to the public or attended in person by the owner or an employee.
5.
Removal of signs. It shall be the duty of any property
owner, property manager and permit holder to remove any sign or device,
including its supports, within thirty (30) days after vacating any
premises.
6.
Construction specifications. All signs shall be
constructed of metal, weatherproof pressed particle board, molded
plastic or other non-combustible material designed to withstand a
horizontal wind pressure of not less than thirty (30) pounds for every
square foot of exposed sign area.
7.
Number of signs. Each building occupied by one
(1) person or business shall be allowed a maximum of two (2) signs
requiring a permit.
8.
Business signs. Each business located in a building
or store having more than one (1) business tenant shall be allowed
more signs as follows:
a.
Each business located on the street level of the building shall be
allowed one (1) window sign and one (1) building sign;
b.
Each business located on the second (2nd) or higher levels of said
building shall be allowed only one (1) window sign.
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Providing it has sufficient foot frontage, the building shall
be allowed one (1) post sign for the use of all businesses within
the building. No business shall be allowed more than one (1) illuminated
sign or device on the premises.
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9.
Special events. A device may be displayed only
for a period of no more than seven (7) days, which seven (7) days
immediately precede or are concurrent with the special event or occasion
to which they pertain and may be erected only after a special permit
has been obtained from the Director of Minimum Housing.
[CC 2000 §8-6-5; CC 1974 §16-9; Ord. No. 693, 8-18-1986]
A.
The
following signs and devices are prohibited in the City:
1.
Billboards.
2.
Signs or devices which, by color, location or design, resemble or
conflict with traffic control signs or devices.
3.
Beacon-type lights.
4.
Revolving or rotating signs or devices of any type.
5.
Signs or devices which, when erected or displayed, prevent free ingress
or egress from any door, window or fire escape.
6.
Signs or devices which are attached to a standpipe or fire escape
or any floating balloon-type sign attached by a cable and/or other
devices in the City.
7.
Signs or devices which make use of the words "stop", "look", "danger"
or any other word, phrase, symbol or character that may tend to interfere
with, mislead or confuse traffic.
8.
Signs or devices which obstruct free and clear vision of traffic
on any street or intersection.
9.
Paper posters and painted signs applied directly to the wall of a
building, pole or other support.
10.
Signs or devices which contain obscene, indecent or immoral words,
language, illustrations or other matter which tend to be offensive
to passers-by and constitute an affront to the community standard
of decency in the City.
11.
Signs, devices or portions thereof which extend or protrude over
and to within fifteen (15) feet of any roadway or curb or which extend
or protrude over and into any other street or railroad.
12.
Signs attached to, painted on or placed on commercial or business
vehicles, including a trailer that is parked in public view on private
property. This provision is not to be construed as prohibiting the
identification of a firm or its principal products on a vehicle operating
during the normal course of business or parked after business hours,
provided parking takes place in as inconspicuous a manner as possible
and the duration of the parking does not exceed a period of sixteen
(16) hours, except on weekends or holidays, with the exception of
the industrialized area with proper zoning.
13.
Flashing or moving signs.
14.
Portable display surfaces.
15.
Temporary signs.
16.
Portable signs.
[CC 2000 §8-6-6; CC 1974 §§16-10 — 16-14]
A.
Signs In The "A" Residential District. The only signs which may be displayed on lots or premises in areas zoned "A" residential are those exempted under Section 520.030(D)(1,5 — 6, 9 — 10) of this Chapter. No lot or premises zoned "A" residential may display any sign or device requiring a permit under this Chapter nor may there be displayed any other type of sign not herein specified.
B.
Directional Signs. Post signs indicating the direction to
any business or place for the purpose of informing the public of entrances,
exits and parking may be erected and displayed on the premises under
the following conditions:
1.
The Director of Minimum Housing shall investigate and make his/her
finding that the sign will serve a public purpose and that a public
necessity for such directional sign exists.
2.
Each sign shall not exceed six (6) square feet in area, shall meet
all construction requirements and be erected under the actual supervision
of the Director of Minimum Housing or his/her deputy in a manner and
at a height so as not to interfere with the ordinary and lawful use
of the street and in no event at a height exceeding five (5) feet
from ground level.
3.
The Director of Minimum Housing shall issue a special permit for
each such sign which may be summarily revoked if he/she determines
the original reasons for issuance of the sign permit no longer exist.
C.
Signs On Posts. In addition to meeting all other requirements
set forth in this Chapter, all signs erected or displayed on a stationary
post shall conform to the following standards:
1.
They shall be limited in number to one (1) such sign for each full
fifty (50) feet of frontage to the lot.
2.
The total height (from ground level to the top of the sign) shall
not exceed either twenty-four (24) feet or the actual height of the
building plus ten (10) feet, whichever is less.
3.
The sign area shall not exceed thirty-six (36) square feet on a lot
or premises zoned "B" Commercial or "C" Multiple Dwelling and shall
not exceed sixty (60) square feet on a lot or premises zoned "D" Industrial.
D.
Building Signs. In addition to meeting all other requirements
set forth in this Chapter, all signs erected or displayed by being
wholly or partially attached or affixed to a building shall conform
to the following standards:
1.
They shall not extend in height more than five (5) feet above the
actual height of the building.
2.
The sign area, or the cumulative sign area if more than one (1) sign
is displayed, shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total area
of the side of the building on which they are displayed.
3.
They may be erected and displayed only on those sides of the building
which front a named and designated street or roadway.
4.
They shall not project more than twelve (12) inches from the face
of the building.
E.
Window Signs. In addition to meeting all other requirements
set forth in this Chapter, all signs erected or displayed in a window
shall conform to the following standards:
1.
When a solid-backed or permanent painted sign is displayed, sign
area shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the area of the windowpane
and no other sign can be displayed in the remaining seventy percent
(70%).
2.
Any sign displayed in a window must be arranged such that a clear
view into the interior of the building is available from the outside.
[CC 2000 §8-6-7; CC 1974 §16-7]
The zoning Board of Adjustment shall allow a variance only where
it finds there are practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships
involved for the applicant and/or where the public interest will be
best served by allowing such variance.
[CC 2000 §8-6-8; CC 1974 §16-4]
Any person or business violating this Chapter shall, upon conviction, be subject to the penalty provided in Section 100.220 of this Code. Each sign or device in violation of this Chapter shall constitute a separate offense and each day any violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
