[Ord. No. 2006-1491 §1, 3-21-2006]
A.Â
The
purpose of this Chapter is to provide reasonable regulations for the
erection and display of signs in the City. These regulations are intended
to:
1.Â
Provide for safe and attractive visual identification and communication
for the convenience of the City's residents, businesses and visitors;
2.Â
Encourage aesthetically pleasing building elevations and streetscapes;
3.Â
Improve and promote traffic and pedestrian safety;
4.Â
Minimize possible adverse effects of signs on nearby property; and
5.Â
Enable fair and consistent enforcement of these provisions.
B.Â
In
adopting these regulations, the Board of Aldermen recognizes and seeks
to preserve and foster the City's distinctive character found in our
mature residential neighborhoods and diverse, upscale commercial areas.
Furthermore, the Board of Aldermen wishes and endeavors to protect
and enhance the City's economic viability by assuring Frontenac will
be an attractive place in which to live, work and visit.
C.Â
These
regulations are not intended to prohibit the erection or display of
a sign with a religious or political message or any sign allowed by
legal right under State or Federal law, provided that any such sign
conforms to the size requirements and other reasonable requirements
of this Chapter.
[Ord. No. 2006-1491 §1, 3-21-2006]
A.Â
A sign
may be erected, placed, established, painted, created or maintained
in the City of Frontenac only in conformance with the standards, procedures,
exemptions and other requirements of this Chapter.
B.Â
The
effect of this Chapter, as more specifically set forth herein, is:
1.Â
To govern the erection of all signs and outdoor display structures,
together with their appurtenant and auxiliary devices, in respect
to size, color, content, construction, alteration, maintenance, location
and structural and fire safety within the City of Frontenac;
2.Â
To establish a permit system to allow for certain types of signs
in commercial zones and other zones, subject to the standards and
the permit procedures of this Chapter;
3.Â
To allow certain signs that are small, unobtrusive and incidental to the principal use of the respective lots on which they are located, subject to the requirements of this Chapter, but without requirements for permits as provided in Section 525.050 of this Chapter;
4.Â
To provide for temporary signs without commercial messages in limited
circumstances;
5.Â
To prohibit all signs not expressly permitted by this Chapter; and
6.Â
To provide for the enforcement of the provisions of this Chapter.
[Ord. No. 2006-1491 §1, 3-21-2006; Ord. No. 2007-1529 §1, 2-12-2007; Ord.
No. 2008-1589 §1, 12-16-2008]
Words and phrases used in this Chapter shall have the meanings
hereinafter set forth:
A physical change in a sign or sign supports or an addition
to a sign or sign supports. The term "alter" includes
renovation, modification, rehabilitation or restoration, but does
not include changing the copy on a changeable copy sign.
Any sign with parts or sections which revolve or move or
which has flashing or intermittent lights.
Any sign of lightweight fabric or similar material.
Any structure or portion thereof upon which advertising is
placed, painted or printed, advertising or directing a person to a
thing, activity, goods, service or product not located or sold or
offered on the lot upon which the structure is located, including
billboards, detached pole signs on separate parcels, wall signs, and
signs otherwise attached to buildings or supported by uprights or
braces of any type on the ground.
A temporary sign that is linked to or shows support for a
particular candidate or a particular ballot question which is currently
scheduled to appear on the ballot during a particular election. This
term shall not include any commercial message or non-commercial sign.
Any sign that is a part of or attached to an awning, canopy
or other fabric, plastic or structural protective cover over a door,
entrance, walkway, window or outdoor service area.
Any sign on which the text is changed manually, mechanically
or electronically utilizing attachable or integrally automated letters,
numbers, symbols and other similar characters.
Any sign wording, logo or other representation that directly
or indirectly names, announces, advertises or calls attention to a
business, product, service or other commercial activity or enterprise.
A temporary sign used during the construction, repair, or
improvement of buildings or related structures identifying the project
and denoting the owner, architect, engineer, contractor or financing
institution of the project, or any combination of those entities so
named herein.
Any sign supported by structures or supports, including single
poles, that are placed on or anchored in the ground and that are independent
from any building or other structure.
A temporary sign posted on a residential lot on which the
garage sale is to be held.
A temporary sign, including decorations, incidental, customary
and commonly associated with a national, local or religious holiday.
Any sign that is illuminated either internally or externally.
A temporary sign announcing a special event or activity to
be held on a lot located in a residential zoning district that is
used for other than a single-family residential use, excluding commercial
uses, which such event or activity is unique to the owner of the property
on which the sign is posted.
Any sign mounted, attached or painted on the interior wall
or door of a building typically used to indicate the location of a
business and which is removed when the tenant vacates.
Any sign that is supported by a footing placed in the ground
with no space between the footing and the ground.
A sign made of glass tubing which, when electrified, causes
fluorescent gas to glow in various colors.
A temporary sign declaring a non-commercial message intended
to convey a personal message, express a personal opinion, or show
support for a cause.
Any sign that was lawfully erected but no longer conforms
to the requirements of this Chapter.
Any sign which advertises or identifies a property, business
or address other than the property, business or address where the
sign is displayed.
A sign pertaining only to the prospective rental, lease or
sale of the real property on which it is located.
The distance from the property line to the nearest part of
the applicable building, structure or sign, measured perpendicularly
to the front lot line.
Any device, fixture, placard or structure that uses any color,
form, graphic, illumination, symbol or writing to advertise, announce
the purpose of or identify a person or entity or to communicate information
of any kind to the public. A sign includes both the sign face and
its support structure.
The total area of space utilized for message display purposes
including, but not limited to, the space between open-type letters,
logos, designs, decorations, numbers and figures and any background
or mounting surface; and which lies within the area bounded by straight
lines drawn between the furthest points of such open-type letters,
logos, designs, decorations, numbers and figures or, if greater, the
area bounded by the perimeter of the background or mounting surface.
Any sign that is suspended from the underside of a horizontal
surface and is supported by that surface or the structure above.
Any sign that is designed, constructed and used for a limited
duration.
Any sign mounted, attached or painted on the exterior wall
of a building.
Any sign, picture, symbol or combination thereof designed
to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity,
event, sale or service that is placed inside a window or upon window
panes or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window.
