No provision of this chapter shall nullify any provision or requirement of the Building Code, except as to the specific definitions, prohibited locations, and size limitations as listed herein.

(Prior code § 153.306; Ord. 739-1987; Ord. 322-1976)

The following on-premises signs are permitted subject to all requirements of this code:

A.

Projecting Signs. Projecting signs may be permitted to extend over public property (except on South Main Street between Bartges Street and Furnace Street) if they are authorized by the Board of Zoning Appeals, on application in a specific case, and if they meet the following requirements:

1.

No projecting sign nor any part thereof shall project more than six feet past the right-of-way line of any street, sidewalk, alley, or other public thoroughfare, nor shall any such sign or part thereof extend nearer a curb line than to a vertical plane parallel to the right-of-way line and twenty-four inches nearer the building, structure, pole, or poles, supporting the sign than is the curb line.

2.

No part of the sign shall project over the roof line or parapet of the building to which it is attached.

3.

No projecting sign, any part of which extends over public property, shall have a total area exceeding thirty-six square feet.

4.

A projecting sign shall not extend beyond the top of the wall on which it is placed nor higher than thirty feet.

B.

Pole Signs.

1.

The provisions of this Zoning Code which apply to projecting signs shall apply to pole signs, except where otherwise provided in this chapter.

2.

The clear height below a pole sign shall be not less than ten feet.

3.

A pole sign shall not extend over public property.

4.

A pole sign may be supported by a single support not exceeding twenty-four inches in width or by double supports, placed not less than forty-eight inches apart, with each support not exceeding nine inches in width.

5.

A pole sign shall not exceed thirty feet in height.

C.

Ground Signs.

1.

No ground sign nor part thereof shall be erected nor placed nearer the street or right-of-way line, of a public thoroughfare than the building line established by this Zoning Code except that:

a.

A ground sign not exceeding two and one-half feet in height shall be allowed up to the public right-of-way.

b.

A ground sign not exceeding five feet in height shall be permitted up to ten feet from the public right-of-way.

2.

No ground sign shall be erected so as to unduly obstruct the necessary view of traffic at intersecting streets, alleys, or other public thoroughfares. Placement of ground signs within the setback shall be subject to the approval of the Traffic Engineer.

3.

The continuous horizontal length of one or more ground signs, which exceed two feet in width vertically and which abut or are joined together, shall not exceed sixty feet except when such signs are separated by an open space not less than two feet long horizontally by the width of the sign vertically. The space shall not be closed by light lattice work or similar construction in excess of fifty percent including necessary supports, uniformly distributed over the area.

4.

No ground sign shall exceed ten feet in height.

D.

Freestanding Signs.

1.

All wiring that serves a freestanding sign shall be underground.

2.

No freestanding sign shall be located on or over public property.

3.

The maximum height of a freestanding sign shall be thirty feet.

E.

Wall Signs. No wall sign shall extend beyond the right-of-way of any street, alley, or other public thoroughfare more than eighteen inches out from a building wall. No wall sign shall extend beyond the top or ends of the wall on which it is placed.

F.

Vehicular Signs. Vehicular signs shall be permitted only on vehicles used for the delivery of merchandise, performance of services, or transportation.

G.

Changeable Copy Signs. Changeable copy signs shall be permitted within Class U3, U4, U5 and U6 Districts provided the sign is not a flashing sign and does not rotate or have the appearance of moving.

Except Electronic Message Centers shall not be permitted in Downtown. The area of a changeable copy sign shall not exceed 50 percent of the freestanding identification sign upon which it is placed.

H.

Prohibited Signs.

1.

No portable sign shall be permitted.

2.

No roof sign shall be permitted.

3.

No sign, with the exception of an identification sign, shall be painted on the exterior walls of a building. Any repainting of a sign that is painted on the exterior wall of a building shall conform to the provisions of this chapter.

4.

No sign or outside lighting shall flash, be animated, rotate, or have the appearance of moving, except that nonrotating signs which depict the time, temperature, current weather, or news and changeable copy signs as permitted by subsection G shall be permitted.

5.

No sign shall contain banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers, strings of light bulbs, spinners, or similarly fixed or moving devices. The devices are similarly prohibited unless they are permitted specifically as a temporary sign as a conditional use under Sections 153.460—153.492.

(Ord. 508-2006: prior code § 153.307; Ord. 859-1992; Ord. 219-1987; Ord. 621-1985; Ord. 512-1982; Ord. 511-1977; Ord. 322-1976; Ord. 528-1949)

(Ord. No. 221-2011, § 4, 7-11-11; Ord. 140-2023)

Nonconforming signs are hereby declared a nuisance. The provisions of the article on Nonconformities at Section 153.390 et seq. shall apply to all existing exterior signs rendered nonconforming by the provisions of this chapter, provided, however, that no exterior sign may be enlarged, reconstructed, altered to identify a different business, owner, tenant, operator, agent, or use, or structurally altered unless conforming to the provisions of this chapter and any other applicable sections of this Zoning Code. The Board of Zoning Appeals shall not permit the replacement, installation, enlargement, reconstruction, or alteration of any exterior sign unless it conforms to the provisions of this chapter. Minor repair, cleaning, or change of copy for the same business or use, however, shall be permitted regardless of the conforming or nonconforming status of the exterior sign. Penalty, see § 153.199.

(Prior code § 153.308; Ord. 859-1992; Ord. 511-1982; Ord. 322-1976)

A.

Signs in Residence Districts.

1.

In Class U1 and U2 Districts, one sign not exceeding two square feet in area shall be permitted per dwelling unit up to a maximum of fifteen square feet. For schools, parks, community buildings, and other nondwelling uses, one sign not exceeding thirty-two square feet shall be permitted. Such sign may be a freestanding ground sign or wall sign, but no internal illumination of the sign shall be permitted, except when approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals on application. If a building line variance is being appealed for the sign in question, then no separate application will be necessary for illumination.

2.

In a Class UD and UHD District, a total sign area of one square foot for each lineal foot of building frontage on Each street shall be permitted.

B.

Signs in Business Districts.

1.

In Class ULB and UG Districts, one identification sign shall be permitted, not to exceed the following limitations:

a.

Wall Signs. One square foot total signage per lineal foot of building frontage, maximum twenty square feet (or a directory listing individuals and their business or profession who have offices on the premises; maximum two square feet per tenant plus building identification sign not to exceed twelve square feet; total sign area permitted for individual plus building identification not to exceed forty square feet).

b.

Freestanding Signs. Building identification sign 0.5 square feet of sign per lineal foot of building frontage, maximum twelve square feet or two square feet per each individual (including his occupation) plus eight square feet for building identification; (maximum total size forty square feet).

2.

Signs in Class U3 and U4 Districts.

a.

Wall Signs. Except as provided for business center signs, the area of a wall sign shall not exceed two square feet for each foot of building frontage.

b.

Freestanding and Projecting Signs. Except as provided for business center signs:

i.

One freestanding sign or one projecting sign with a sign area not to exceed one square foot for each lineal foot of building frontage shall be permitted.

ii.

On a Corner Lot. The permitted sign area shall be computed on the basis of the longer building frontage. One freestanding or projecting sign shall be permitted on each street, provided, the total area of these signs does not exceed one square foot for each foot of building frontage on one street. The area of all wall signs shall not exceed two square feet for each foot of building frontage on the longer street frontage.

c.

Business Center Signs.

i.

One freestanding pole sign shall be permitted on each street frontage. The area of this pole sign shall not exceed one square foot for each foot of building frontage facing the street where the sign is located.

ii.

Each business or store located in a business center shall be permitted two square feet of sign area per lineal foot of building frontage occupied by the business. This sign area may consist of wall signs, projecting signs, or signs suspended under the marquee or canopy. Signs displayed in an interior mall are not subject to this section of the code.

iii.

If a business center has a building frontage of one hundred fifty feet or more and has only one street frontage then two freestanding signs shall be permitted. The total sign area permitted on all freestanding signs shall not exceed one square foot for each lineal foot of building frontage. If two freestanding signs are installed, the minimum distance between these signs shall be one hundred feet.

d.

Minimum and Maximum Sign Area.

i.

In a Class U-3 or U-4 District the maximum total area of all permitted signs on any parcel or adjoining parcels of land in a single ownership shall not exceed three hundred square feet.

ii.

Thirty-two square feet of sign area is permitted on any parcel or adjoining parcels of land in single ownership.

C.

Signs in Class U5 and U6 Districts.

1.

In Class U5 and U6 Districts, a total sign area of three square feet for each lineal foot of building frontage on each street, up to a maximum total area of all permitted signs of any establishment of three hundred square feet, shall be permitted. If the building frontages exceed one hundred sixty-seven feet and the use has more than one thousand lineal feet of property frontage on each street, then one additional square foot of sign area for each two feet of total property frontage exceeding one thousand feet shall be permitted.

2.

Class ULB, U3, and U4 uses which are located in Class U5 and U6 Districts shall be governed by subsection B of this section.

D.

The size of signs in Downtown may be varied by the Board of Zoning Appeals consistent with Section 153.409(F).

E.

In any use district, the amount of permitted sign area for freestanding signage shall be determined as follows:

1.

The maximum sign area permitted for freestanding signage pursuant to subsections A through D of this section shall be permitted subject to the following requirements:

a.

No freestanding sign, other than a ground sign shall be installed;

b.

A minimum of thirty percent of the total freestanding sign shall be free of graphics or copy;

c.

Graphics or copy shall be limited to include only a business name, address, and logo; and

d.

The perimeter at the base of the sign shall be landscaped with shrubbery, groundcover, or other perennial plantings.

2.

Not more than seventy percent of the maximum sign area permitted for freestanding signage pursuant to subsections A through D of this section shall be permitted for any freestanding signage which does not comply with the requirements of subsection (E)(1) of this section. Penalty, see § 153.199.

(Prior code § 153.309; Ord. 859-1992; Ord. 359-1986; Ord. 511-1977; Ord. 322-1976)

(Ord. No. 221-2011, § 5, 7-11-11; Ord. 140-2023)

A.

In addition to those signs permitted under Sections 153.350 through 153.360, the following signs are permitted:

1.

Federal, state, or municipal signs pertaining to the city, house numbers, or legal notices;

2.

Signs required by state or federal law or by this code of ordinances;

3.

Railroad crossing signs, or such temporary, emergency, nonadvertising signs as may be approved by the Superintendent of Building Inspection;

4.

Signs within the public right-of-way or on public property as approved under rules or regulations adopted by the Service Director;

5.

Private freestanding on premises traffic direction signs not exceeding three square feet in sign area for each sign, directing traffic movement into or from premises and horizontal directional signs on, below, or flush with paved areas on private property. The freestanding directional sign may contain a name or logo. This name or logo may not exceed twenty percent of the sign area;

6.

Two single-faced on-premises signs which convey information pertinent to the internal functions of the particular use. These signs shall be located no nearer the street or streets than the fronts of the building and located or screened so that they will not be legible from off the premises and not exceeding eighteen square feet in area each, nor more than six feet in height measured from adjacent grade;

7.

Tablets, such as the name of a building, date of erection, or use of the building, when built into the walls of the building and constructed of bronze, stone, or similar noncombustible material;

8.

Real estate signs, which are not electric signs and which are not more than six square feet in area in a residential district or twenty-five square feet in area in a commercial or business use district;

9.

On-premises window signs no larger than seventy-five percent of the window surface or fifteen square feet of total window signage, whichever is the larger area, unless otherwise restricted by this code of ordinances, or any sign, not a window sign, inside a building;

10.

Temporary displays of merchandise;

11.

Temporary, on-premises signs advertising the date, time, and location of a garage or yard sale and not exceeding four square feet in area. Such signs shall be posted no more than three days prior to and removed one day after the sale;

12.

Temporary political signs, provided the signs shall be displayed no sooner than forty-five days prior to an election and removed from public view within ten days following the election. In residence use districts, no such sign shall exceed thirty-two square feet in area;

13.

Temporary displays or decorations customarily associated with any national, state, local, or religious holiday or celebration;

14.

Signs being carried for the purpose of display by one or more persons;

15.

One temporary, noncommercial sign, not exceeding six square feet in area, on any parcel devoted to a residential use;

16.

"Electronic message centers" shall be permitted for gasoline service station pricing provided the display does not flash, rotate or have the appearance of moving and the size of the characters does not exceed fourteen inches in height. These electronic displays shall be permitted on freestanding signage only.

B.

Sign Placement.

1.

No sign permitted under this section shall be placed within five feet of any property line nor within twelve feet of the paved portion of the public right-of-way;

2.

No freestanding sign permitted under this section shall exceed forty-two inches in height, measured from grade at the sign, if placed in front of the established building line;

3.

No sign permitted under this section shall be permitted within the public right-of-way except as permitted under subsection (A)(4) of this section. Penalty, see § 153.199.

(Prior code § 153.310; Ord. 379-1993; Ord. 859-1992; Ord. 739-1987; Ord. 511-1977; Ord. 322-1976)

Any permitted sign may contain, in lieu of or in addition to any other message or copy, any lawful noncommercial message.

(Prior code § 153.311; Ord. 859-1992; Ord. 322-1976)

Only those signs listed within this chapter, including those permitted under the article on Conditional Uses at Sections 153.460 et seq. or any other special use approved by the City Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, or Council under procedures enumerated in this Zoning Code and those permitted in Title XIX of the Building Code are permitted.

(Prior code § 153.312; Ord. 379-1993; Ord. 859-1992; Ord. 322-1976)

A.

Whenever a tenant or use vacates a premises, the owner of such premises shall, within ten days after such vacation, remove all signs that pertained to or related to the former tenant or use. If a new tenant or use occupies the premises within the ten-day period, the signs may remain provided a permit is secured to relate the sign to the new tenant or use in conformity with On-Premises Exterior Signs at Section 153.345 et seq. of this Zoning Code.

B.

When the use or maintenance of any sign is discontinued the owner of such sign shall immediately remove the same including the pole, sign box, electrical connections, sign facing, frame, brackets, and other components, or the Superintendent of Building Inspection shall take such action as may be necessary to abate such nuisance.

(Prior code § 153.313; Ord. 859-1992; Ord. 362-1987; Ord. 219-1987; Ord. 621-1985; Ord. 632-1973; Ord. 252-1972)