The following sign regulations are established to assure compatibility of signs with surrounding land usage, to enhance the economy of the county, to protect the public investment in streets and highways, to promote the safety and recreational value of public travel, to preserve natural beauty and to promote the reasonable, orderly and effective display of outdoor advertising.

No person except a public officer or employee in performance of a public duty, shall paste, post, paint, print, nail, tack, erect, place, maintain, or fasten any sign, pennant, flags, outdoor advertising sign, billboard, or notice of any kind, or cause the same to be done, facing or visible from any public street or public open space, except as provided herein.

(a)

Signs of a duly-constituted governmental body, including traffic or similar regulatory devices, legal devices or warnings at railroad crossings.

(b)

Memorial tablets or signs.

(c)

Signs required to be maintained by law or governmental order, rule, or regulation, with a total surface area not exceeding ten square feet on any lot or parcel.

(d)

Signs which are within a ball park or other similar private recreational use and which cannot be seen from a public street or adjacent properties.

(e)

Flags or emblems of civic, governmental, philanthropic, educational or religious organizations and corporate designed flags.

(f)

Signs displayed for the direction or convenience of the public, including signs which identify restrooms, location of public telephones, freight entrances, no trespassing and posted signs, or the like not exceeding a total area of eight square feet per sign.

(g)

Signs placed by a public utility showing the location of underground facilities.

(h)

Church bulletin boards and identification signs with a total surface area not exceeding 30 square feet per sign.

(i)

Yard signs placed on private property, including home occupation signs with a total surface area not exceeding eight square feet per sign.

(j)

Signs advertising the sale or rent of the specific premises where the sign is located.

(k)

Signs or a combination of letters may be attached to a building or structure, on the premises, for the purpose of advertising and displaying the name, address, and/or a business slogan, of the specific business.

(l)

Four signs not exceeding six square feet advertising only the price of a product or services, provided the sign is attached to a permanent structure on the specific premises where the business offering the product or services is located.

(m)

Temporary signs with special written permission from the zoning administrator.

(n)

In any district, except residential district "R" and industrial district "I," the following size business signs shall be permitted by right only on the specific premises where the business is located, subject to other applicable provisions of this article.

(1)

One sign which shall not exceed 96 square feet;

(2)

One sign which shall not exceed 32 square feet;

(3)

Two signs which shall not exceed 16 square feet.

(o)

Signs in the industrial district "I" that meet the criteria set out in section 106-135 of this chapter.

(Ord. of 07-08-2025(1))

Except for signs permitted in section 106-178 and section 106-135 of this chapter, it shall be unlawful to erect, locate, establish, display or paint on a structure any size or type of outdoor sign or billboard, as described in section 106-1 of this chapter, anywhere within the jurisdiction of the county without first obtaining a special use permit from the board of zoning appeals. Special use permits shall be granted in accordance with rules and regulations to be promulgated by the board of zoning appeals.

(1)

Before any permit is granted for the erection of a sign, plans and specifications shall be filed with the building department showing the dimensions, type of materials and the details of construction including anchorage. The applicant shall also comply with all the other requirements of the building code.

(2)

Any person, firm, or corporation who was operating a business in residential district "R" prior to the effective date of this chapter who may desire to erect any additional signs shall apply for a special use permit.

(Ord. of 07-08-2025(1))

Signs shall be located 15 feet or more from any highway or street right-of-way and this shall be known as the "setback line". There shall be excepted from this setback, business signs advertising the sale or rent of the premises, which may be erected up to the property line.

Signs shall not exceed a height of 20 feet above ground level or the street to which it is oriented, whichever is higher, without a special use permit from the board of zoning appeals.

No sign or light shall be erected, maintained or operated:

(1)

Except for authorized traffic signs, no sign shall be erected at the intersection of any streets in such a manner as to create a traffic hazard by obstructing vision between heights of two and one-half and eight feet; or at any location where it may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign.

(2)

Which imitates or resembles any official traffic sign, signal or device or uses the words "Stop" or "Danger" prominently, displayed or presents or implies the need or requirement of stopping or the existence of danger on any highway.

(3)

Which is not effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light being directed at any portion of the traveled street or highway.

(4)

Which advertises any activities which are illegal under state or federal law or regulations in effect at the location of such sign or at the location of such activities.

(5)

Which is inconsistent with state law or the provisions of this chapter.

(6)

Which involve noise, motion or rotation of any part of the structure or displays intermittent or flashing lights, without a special use permit from the board of zoning appeals.

(7)

Which is mobile. Except for signs attached to buildings or permanent structures and those permitted in sections 106-178(j) and 106-178(l) all other signs of whatever type or size permitted in this chapter shall be permanently anchored in concrete or permanently attached to piling or posts firmly embedded in the ground. All wheels and other portable structural equipment shall be removed from the structure.

Editor's note— Ord. of 10-19-1983 repealed § 106-183 in its entirety. Formerly, said section pertained to flag and pennant regulations.

Any sign lawfully in existence at the time of the effective date of this chapter may be maintained although it does not conform with the provisions of this chapter. Such nonconforming signs shall comply in all respects with the requirements of article IX, relating to nonconforming uses. If such nonconforming sign is destroyed, demolished or removed due to any reason, it shall not be replaced without complying with all provisions of article VIII.