[R.O. 2011 §34-106; Ord. No. 6139 §1(Exh. A (part)), 1997]
It is unlawful to erect, permit the erection of, display or permit the display of any sign in connection with any non-residential use or in a non-residential zoning district unless such sign is expressly permitted by this Article, subject to all of the limitations and provisions stated in this Chapter.
[R.O. 2011 §34-106.1; Ord. No. 6139 §1(Exh. A (part)), 1997]
A. 
For purposes of this Section, signs shall be classified as primary signs, secondary signs, and special-purpose signs.
1. 
Identification signs are the only signs which are classified as primary signs.
2. 
Secondary signs shall include the following signs: bulletin boards, incidental signs, paper signs, public service message signs, temporary promotional displays, and window signs.
3. 
Special purpose signs are limited to directory signs, parking direction signs, parking regulation signs, directional signs, shopping center identification signs, and marquee signs.
[R.O. 2011 §34-106.2; Ord. No. 6676 §1(part), 2006]
A. 
Each business or institution occupying the ground floor of a premise shall be permitted primary signs with a total gross sign area of not more than twenty-five (25) square feet. This total gross sign area may be increased to forty (40) square feet if the building frontage of the portion of the building occupied by the business or institution exceeds nineteen (19) feet, increased to eighty (80) square feet if the building frontage of the portion of the building occupied by the business or institution exceeds ninety (90) feet, and increased to one hundred twenty (120) square feet if the building frontage of the portion of the building occupied by the business or institution exceeds one hundred twenty (120) feet. Primary signs may be freestanding signs, wall signs, roof signs, window signs, or signs affixed to or painted on canopies or awnings, subject to the limitations stated herein. In the "CC" Core Commercial District the above may include wall signs perpendicular to the face of the building if erected according the regulations set forth in Section 400.2220(B)(3).
B. 
Each business or institution occupying a floor of premises other than the ground floor and having a direct exterior entrance to that business or institution on that floor shall be permitted primary wall or window signs of not more than four (4) square feet. The sign shall only be displayed on the part of the building occupied by that business or institution. If applicable, the business or institution shall be limited to either primary signs or ground floor entrance signs (as described in Subsection (C) of this Section), but not both. In the "CC" Core Commercial District the above may include wall signs perpendicular to the face of the building if erected according the regulations set forth in Section 400.2220(B)(3).
C. 
In addition, each business or institution with no ground floor frontage other than an entrance on the ground floor shall be permitted to install a single wall sign, window sign or sign affixed to or painted on a canopy or awning, provided the sign does not project beyond the limits of the width of the entrance and the height of the ground floor story. Such sign shall be limited to a gross sign area equal to one and one-half (1½) square feet for each foot of building frontage occupied by the entrance up to a maximum of fifteen (15) square feet. Where open letter signs are used, the full area of the enclosing rectangle or circle shall be counted as the gross area of the sign. Where an entrance is shared by more than one (1) business or institution, only one (1) sign shall be installed which shall contain the identification for no more than three (3) businesses or institutions. The term "entrance", where used in this Subsection, means the space which is allocated to providing ground floor access from the exterior of the building and which is not part of a ground floor tenant space. In the "CC" Core Commercial District the above may include wall signs perpendicular to the face of the building if erected according the regulations set forth in Section 400.2220(B)(3).
D. 
Freestanding Primary Signs. Each business or institution occupying the ground floor of a premise (and not located within a strip center or shopping center) shall be permitted one (1) freestanding primary sign, not exceeding ten (10) feet in sign height, for each street frontage; except that when the street frontage exceeds three hundred (300) feet, such freestanding sign may be increased in sign height to a maximum of twenty-two (22) feet.
E. 
Canopy And Awning Signs. Signs may be attached to or painted directly on a canopy or awning provided such signs shall not extend beyond the bottom edge of such canopy or awning.
F. 
Roof Signs. No signs shall be constructed on or project above the roof unless the sign is composed of individual freestanding letters or connected strip lettering which does not exceed twenty-four (24) inches in height above the leading edge of the roof.
G. 
High-Rise Building Identification Wall Sign. For those buildings in excess of one hundred (100) feet in height, one (1) building identification wall sign shall be permitted for each building facade, with a total of no more than four (4) such signs, containing only the name of the building or institution, and/or the address in conformance with the limitations stated below.
1. 
For signs affixed to a building at a height of seventy-five (75) feet or less, the gross sign area shall not exceed four (4) feet times the horizontal dimension of the building facade at the elevation of the facade where the sign is located; and no sign shall be placed closer than four (4) feet to the vertical edge, line or corner of the facade.
2. 
For signs affixed to a building at a height of seventy-five (75) feet to one hundred fifty (150) feet, the gross sign area shall not exceed six (6) feet times the horizontal dimension of the building facade at the elevation of the facade where the sign is to be placed, and no sign shall be placed closer than six (6) feet to the vertical edge, line or corner of the facade.
3. 
For signs affixed to a building at a height greater than one hundred fifty (150) feet, the gross sign area shall not exceed seven (7) feet times the horizontal dimension of the building facade at the elevation of the facade where the sign is placed; and no sign shall be placed closer than seven (7) feet to the vertical edge or corner of the facade.
H. 
Painted Wall And Roof Signs. Painted wall and roof signs shall be permitted only after posting a bond in a form acceptable by the City in the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) for the removal of the sign by sandblasting, re-roofing or other approved means should the sign become an obsolete sign as defined herein.
[R.O. 2011 §34-106.3; Ord. No. 6139 §1(Exh. A (part)), 1997; Ord. No. 6401 §1(part), 2002; Ord. No. 6496 §1, 2004]
A. 
Signs authorized by this Subsection are not to be included in calculating the allowable gross area for primary signs. Except for temporary promotional displays, the total gross sign area of all secondary signs shall not exceed sixty percent (60%) of the allowable gross sign area for primary signs, except that this limit shall not apply to incidental signs associated with non-residential uses in the "CC" district.
1. 
Bulletin boards. No more than one (1) bulletin board, not exceeding twelve (12) square feet in area, shall be permitted for each street frontage.
2. 
Incidental signs. No more than four (4) incidental signs may be attached to a ground sign structure or to a building wall, but shall not be attached perpendicular to the wall. Such signs shall be restricted to trading stamps, credit cards accepted, notices of services or restrictions, or shall pertain to a major service, commodity or facility offered on the premises. The area of any one (1) incidental sign shall not exceed eight (8) square feet.
3. 
Paper signs and temporary window signs. The total gross sign area of all paper signs and temporary window signs shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the allowable gross sign area for primary signs for the street frontage on which the signs are displayed. Window signs shall not be located in the area between four (4) feet and seven (7) feet above the level of the ground floor.
4. 
Public service message signs. Public service message signs shall be permitted when attached to a freestanding sign or to a building wall, provided the street frontage of the use involving the sign exceeds three hundred (300) feet along the street on which the sign is located. The illuminated message area shall not exceed ten (10) square feet in area.
5. 
Temporary promotional displays. Temporary promotional displays shall be permitted for a maximum of forty (40) calendar days during a calendar year, with a gross sign area equal to the maximum gross sign area permitted for primary signs for said use, provided the displays are securely mounted to minimize movement due to wind and air currents and a permit is obtained for such temporary promotional display prior to installation. A permit shall be required for each incremental period for up to ten (10) days at a time; provided however, no incremental display period shall exceed ten (10) consecutive days per permit (any further time increments will require a separate permit). Such permit shall not be issued unless a permit fee of eleven dollars forty cents ($11.40) is first paid to the City of University City.
[R.O. 2011 §34-106.4; Ord. No. 6139 §1(Exh. A (part)), 1997]
A. 
Signs authorized in this Subsection are not to be included in calculating the allowable sign area for primary signs.
1. 
Parking direction signs. Freestanding parking direction signs shall be permitted for each driveway provided the sign does not exceed twelve (12) square feet in gross sign area, the sign height does not exceed five (5) feet, and no portion of the sign is located closer than twelve (12) feet from a street curb line. If the sign is located at a private driveway which is for the exclusive use of a single business or institution, the sign may contain the name or address of such business or institution. If the driveway is not for the exclusive use of a single business or institution, the parking directional sign shall be limited to directional information only and shall not contain any other information such as the name or address of a business or institution.
2. 
Directional signs. Directional signs other than parking direction signs shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet in gross sign area or ten (10) feet in sign height and shall not be located within fifty (50) feet of a public or private right-of-way.
3. 
Parking regulation signs. One (1) non-illuminated parking regulation sign, not exceeding five (5) square feet in gross sign area and not exceeding ten (10) feet in sign height, shall be permitted for each parking lot. Parking lots with more than twenty (20) parking spaces shall be permitted one (1) sign for each twenty (20) parking spaces or fraction thereof.
4. 
Directory signs. Buildings or a group of buildings containing various businesses or activities are permitted one (1) directory sign at or near each building or courtyard entrance. Such sign shall contain only the names of the businesses served by such entrance or courtyard and shall not exceed a gross sign area of one (1) square foot times the number of businesses listed on the sign.
5. 
Shopping center identification signs. Multi-tenant shopping centers containing a minimum of fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet of floor area, a minimum of four (4) establishments, and a minimum of three hundred (300) feet of street frontage shall be permitted a shopping center identification sign which may be a wall sign or a freestanding sign not exceeding twenty-two (22) feet in sign height and located with a setback of at least five (5) feet from the right-of-way line. Such shopping center identification sign shall not exceed eighty (80) square feet in gross sign area and may include the name of the shopping center, address, and directory information.
6. 
Marquee signs. Marquee signs for theaters, cinemas, exhibition centers and similar public assembly uses shall be permitted only upon issuance of a conditional use permit in accordance with Article XI of this Chapter.
7. 
Group directory signs. Groups of businesses or institutions shall be permitted one (1) freestanding directory sign, provided that:
a. 
The group contains a minimum of four (4) establishments with a minimum average floor area of four thousand (4,000) square feet each; and
b. 
The sign does not exceed forty (40) square feet in gross sign area and ten (10) feet in sign height; provided however, if the street frontage for the group is over three hundred (300) lineal feet, the sign may be increased to eighty (80) square feet in gross sign area and fifteen (15) feet in sign height. A commercial group directory sign which exceeds either ten (10) feet in height or forty (40) square feet in area shall maintain a minimum right-of-way setback of five (5) feet and shall not be located closer than one hundred fifty (150) feet from any property which does not contain a building or establishment in the group; and
c. 
No other freestanding signs related to businesses within the group, other than parking direction signs and directional signs not exceeding six (6) feet in height, shall be located within two hundred (200) feet of a commercial group directory sign. A commercial group directory sign may include the name of the commercial group, address and directory information.