Algona City Zoning Code

22.64 Signs

22.64.010 Title.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Algona sign code.” (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).

22.64.020 Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter is to:

A. Protect and enhance the visual character and identity of the city by establishing standards that regulate the type, number, location, size, and lighting of signs;

B. Recognize the private purposes of signs for the identification of businesses and promotion of products and services;

C. Recognize the public purposes of signs which includes consideration of traffic safety, economic, and aesthetic welfare; and

D. Provide for the safe construction, location, erection, and maintenance of signs.

This chapter shall not regulate building design, except as provided in Section 22.64.045(C), Comprehensive design plan. (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).

22.64.030 Permits required.

No sign shall hereafter be erected, re-erected, constructed, altered, or relocated except as provided by this code and a permit for the same has been issued by the building official. A separate permit shall be required for a sign or signs for each business entity and/or a separate permit shall be required for each group of signs on a single supporting structure. In addition, electrical permits shall be obtained for electric signs. (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).

22.64.040 Exempt signs.

While all signs must comply with the provisions of this code, permits shall not be required for the following:

A. Painting, repainting, cleaning, repairing, and other normal maintenance unless structural or electrical changes are made;

B. Real estate signs six square feet or less;

C. Temporary signs and decorations customary for special holidays erected on private property;

D. Incidental signs nine square feet or less; provided, that said size limitation shall not apply to signs providing directions, warnings or information when established and maintained by a public agency;

E. Temporary paper signs in windows; permits shall, however, be required for temporary window signs if they exceed fifty percent of the window area and are present for more than thirty days;

F. Religious symbols;

G. Political signs less than sixteen square feet;

H. Temporary building signs limited to two per project denoting the architect, engineer, contractor or developer not exceeding thirty-two square feet for the first sign and twelve square feet for the second;

I. Plaques, tablets or inscriptions indicating the name of a building, date of erection, or other commemorative information, which are an integral part of the building structure or are attached flat to the face of the building, which are nonilluminated, and which do not exceed four square feet in surface area;

J. Bulletin boards not over twelve square feet in area for each public, charitable or religious institution when same is located on premises of the institution;

K. Signs required by law, traffic or pedestrian control signs, signs indicating scenic or historic points of interest, which are erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of his public duty;

L. Sculptures, fountains, mosaics and design features which do not incorporate advertising or identification;

M. The flag of a government or noncommercial institutions such as schools;

N. Official public notices, official court notices;

O. Temporary signs eight square feet or less in area which are displayed for less than thirty days;

P. Structures or improvements intended for a separate use, such as phone booths, charitable donation containers, and recycling boxes;

Q. Signs on private property which are required by any law or ordinance. (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).

22.64.043 Prohibited signs.

From and after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to erect or place within the city:

A. A swinging projection sign;

B. Strings of lights, banners, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners, rotation or blinking lights or similar devices of a carnival nature, except as permitted by a special use permit;

C. Flashing sign, except as permitted in subsection E of this section, signs which revolve in excess of eight rpm, and signs which contain wind actuated elements;

D. Signs attached to, or placed on, a vehicle or trailer parked on private or public 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; this does not include automobile for-sale signs; franchised buses or taxis are exempt;

E. Private signs placed in or on a public right-of-way;

F. Any sign which constitutes a traffic hazard or detriment to traffic safety by reason of its size, location, movement, content, coloring, or method of illumination; or by obstruction of, or distraction from the visibility of, any official traffic-control device by diverting or tending to divert the attention of drivers of moving vehicles from traffic movement on streets, roads, intersections, or access facilities; no sign, which by glare or method of illumination, constitutes a hazard to traffic shall be prohibited; no sign may use words, phrases, symbols or characters in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic;

G. Any sign or advertising structure or supporting structure which is torn, damaged, defaced or destroyed shall be repaired, replaced or removed within thirty days of the damage; if a sign or structure is torn, damaged, defaced or destroyed and not repaired or replaced within thirty days of the casualty, the building inspector shall give written notice to the property owner and permittee of the sign requiring repair, replacement or removal thereof within thirty days; in the event the owner or permittee does not remove the sign pursuant to the notice, the building official is authorized to cause removal of such sign and any expense incident thereto shall be paid by the owner or permittee of the sign, or, if such person cannot be found, by the owner of the building or structure or property to which such sign or structure is affixed;

H. Any sign now or hereafter existing which no longer advertises a bona fide business conducted or a product sold shall be taken down and removed by the owner, agent or person having the beneficial use of the land, building or structure upon which such sign may be found within thirty days after written notification from the building official, and upon a failure to comply with such notice within the time specified in such order, the building official is authorized to cause removal of such sign, and any expense incident thereto shall be paid by the owner of the building or structure to which such sign is attached;

I. Signs attached to utility poles, trees, rocks or other natural features;

J. Signs attached to benches on public right-of-way;

K. Billboards. (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).

22.64.045 Permit process.

A. Application for sign permits shall be made to the building official on a form as provided by the building department. Such application shall require:

1. Name of business, address where work is to be performed;

2. Name and title of the person completing the application;

3. Name and address, telephone number of the person or firm doing the work and preferably the owner of said establishment;

4. Washington contractors registration number, industrial use permit number, sales tax number;

5. A site plan showing location of sign in relation to buildings, property lines and public right-of-way including the size and location of all existing signs on the property shall be eight and one-half inches by eleven inches;

6. A scale drawing of proposed sign or sign revision showing size, height, copy, structural and footing details, material specifications;

7. A description of work to be performed and type of sign;

8. Electrical load with name of electrical contractor responsible for installation of service feed wires if other than sign contractor.

B. Special Use Permit. A special use permit may be obtained for temporary signs in excess of eight square feet; beacon light; and banners and streamers which are not otherwise permitted by this code. This permit may be approved by the planning commission for a specified and limited amount of time for grand opening or other special use permit shall be made to the building official.

C. Comprehensive Sign Design Plan Permits. Special consideration shall be given to signs which use a comprehensive sign design plan to encourage the integration of signage into the framework of the building where it is located. This may be done on an existing building whose facade is being altered, new building, or freestanding sign. Such special consideration will, in come cases, result in allowance of height or total area in excess of those limitations specified for particular zones in this chapter. Supergraphics may be permitted as a comprehensive design plan. The exception herein is based on an exceptional effort toward creating visual harmony between the sign, the building and site where it is located through the use of a consistent design theme. The comprehensive sign design plan shall be presented to the planning commission with a narrative outlining the proposed plan including, but not limited to, the following:

1. How the physical components of the sign go to make up the area of copy detailing legibility, visibility, and readability factors on the basis of traffic speed, color combinations, sign placement, etc.;

2. How the sign relates to the immediate surroundings, including existing and proposed buildings, other signs and landscape;

3. How the sign relates to the desired land use characteristics that the sign proposal is being asked to promote; and

4. A colored rendering.

In evaluating the proposed solution, the planning commission shall assess the foregoing information on the basis of the alternative solution available using existing ordinance. Application for comprehensive sign design plan permits shall be made to the building official on forms provided by the building department, and shall be submitted along with the regular sign permit application.

1. The building official shall issue a sign permit upon approval of plans and payment of the required fees. The building inspector shall also keep records of the disposition of all hearings involving the planning commission in regards to sign usage, appeals, etc., in the permit file.

2. Permits shall be numbered in the order of their issuance and shall disclose:

a. The type of sign as defined in this chapter;

b. The street address of the property upon which the sign is proposed to be located and the proposed location of the sign on the property; in the absence of a street address, an acceptable plot plan of location may be required;

c. The amount of the fee paid for such permit;

d. The date of issuance;

e. The name of the sign company installing the sign.

3. With each sign permit issued, the building official shall issue a corresponding permanent sticker indicating the date of issuance, the name of permittee or his agent to attach the label in the lower right hand area of the sign so that it can be prima facia evidence that the sign has been, or is being, erected or operated in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

E. Time Limitation. Every permit issued by the building official under the provision of this code shall expire by limitation and become null and void if the building or work authorized by such permit is not commenced within one hundred twenty days from the date of issuance of such permit or from the date work is suspended or abandoned. Work may recommence only after obtaining a new permit. (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).

22.64.050 Permit fee schedule.

The fees prescribed in this section must be paid to the city for each sign installation for which a permit is required by this chapter and must be paid before any such permit is issued by the building official. Fees for building permits for each sign erected, installed, affixed, structurally altered, relocated or created by painting shall be set in accordance with the schedule set forth in Section 2.50.070. (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).

22.64.060 General provisions.

The following provisions shall apply to all signs governed by this chapter:

A. Landscaping. Landscaping shall be required only for freestanding signs that are installed as a result of construction of a new business/development, or when the rehabilitation of the business/development exceeds fifty percent of its valuation. Landscaping shall be installed at the base of the sign to prevent automobiles from hitting the sign support structure and to improve the overall appearance.

1. Landscaping with plants and shrubs shall be used whenever the size, location and physical properties of the lot are not a problem and planting can be easily maintained.

2. Landscaping shall be maintained, and no dead shrubs, broken parts, cracked or extremely chipped other material shall be allowed to remain without repair or replacement.

1. Each sign shall be adequately constructed and securely and substantially anchored so as to withstand wind pressure in accordance with the requirement of the Uniform Building and Sign Codes and shall meet the currently adopted edition of the Uniform Building Code and sign code standards in every other respect.

2. Signs containing electrical circuitry shall meet the requirements of the National Electrical Code and all state laws, and shall include an approved testing lab sticker.

1. A marquee sign, or sign projecting over areas where motor trucks may be required to pass beneath them shall be erected to maintain a minimum vertical clearance of fourteen feet for the free passage of motor trucks.

2. Signs must meet vehicular sight distance requirements established by the utilities superintendent. Where signs are adjacent to or abutting an alley, the minimum vertical clearance shall not be less than fourteen feet.

D. Exposed Angle Irons and Guy Wires. When a projecting or roof sign is used, no angle irons, guy wires or braces shall be visible, except those that are an integral part of the overall design, such as decorative metals or woods, or unless they are required for safety.

1. No person shall construct, establish, create, and no person shall maintain any stationary exterior lighting or illumination system or any interior system which is intended to be viewed from a public street, highway or other thoroughfare used for vehicular traffic which system contains or utilizes:

a. Any exposed incandescent lamp with a wattage in excess of twenty-five watts;

b. Any exposed incandescent lamp with an internal metallic reflector;

c. Any exposed incandescent lamp with an external reflector;

d. Any revolving beacon light;

e. Any continuous or sequential flashing operation in which more than one-third of the lights are turned off at any one time and/or which used light of more than twenty-five watts.

2. These provisions shall not apply to:

a. Lighting systems owned or controlled by any public agency for the purpose of directing or controlling navigation, traffic or highway or street illumination;

b. Aircraft warning lights;

c. Electronic information systems which display the time of the day and/or the atmospheric temperature or programmable electronic messages of a public service or commercial nature;

d. Temporary lighting used for repair or construction as required by governmental agencies.

F. Portable Signs. Portable signs are allowed in place of or in conjunction with premises signs; provided, that such signs:

1. Shall be included in the total allowable sign area and number of sign allowed for the business and shall require a permit except real estate signs;

2. Shall conform to all other structural and safety requirements;

3. Shall not be electrical signs, unless a state electrical permit has been issued;

4. Shall be allowed only fifty percent of the sign area otherwise allowed for a freestanding sign for that business; these signs must be in compliance with setback and spacing requirements and may not be located on public property;

5. Real estate directional signs or open house signs less than two square feet in area are permitted; provided, that they do not create a safety hazard, do not exceed four per property, someone is present at the open house and they are removed immediately after the open house promotion has ended. In no case shall they remain for more than twenty-four hours, and in no case shall they be placed in the traveled portion of the roadway or sidewalk.

1. The allowable signage area shall be calculated from the building frontage or lot frontage, whichever is greater, but the business person may place the sign or signs any place on the business establishment or lot.

2. Freestanding signs must be located entirely upon private property.

3. In order to encourage the setting back of freestanding signs, an additional 1.25 percent of sign area may be added for each one foot of setback provided, up to a maximum of twenty-five percent.

4. Off-premises freestanding signs, including billboards will have twenty-foot setback, no bonuses of sign area will be allowed for additional setback.

1. No projecting sign shall project more than six inches above or over the wall, roof line or parapet of the building to which it is attached.

2. Signs shall not project more than five feet from property line or building face and must be a minimum of two feet from a curb unless otherwise specified by this code, and shall also conform to Section 403 of Uniform Sign Code.

3. All projecting signs over the public right-of-way must be a minimum of eight feet above the sidewalk; except when located in an alley or in an area where motor trucks may be required to pass minimum vertical clearance, shall be fourteen feet, and shall also conform to Section 403 of Uniform Sign Code.

4. No freestanding sign may project over public property.

I. Civic and Church Signs. The building inspector may approve and permit to be erected entrance signs, at or near the city limits, on private property when possible, with owner’s permission, for the benefit of visitors, on which may be listed institutional names, churches, and points of interest. Civic organizations and churches may be permitted by the building inspector, each name or insignia shall not exceed a size of sixteen inches by seventy-four inches for each organization. If more than one insignia is placed on the sign, the total aggregate area of such sign shall not exceed twenty-four square feet. Such sign shall not be placed so as to cause a traffic hazard, and shall be approved as to placement by the city engineer.

1. General Regulations. Electioneering signs shall not be placed upon public streets, public property, highways or rights-of-way within the corporate limits of the city. Electioneering signs shall be removed within fourteen days after the election, except that a candidate who wins a primary election may continue to display electioneering signs until fourteen days after the general election. (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).

22.64.070 Regulation by district.

No sign of any kind shall be permitted to be constructed, erected, or maintained in various zoning districts of the city, except as follows:

1. In all single-family residential districts, only one nonilluminated real estate sign (either owner or agent) per street frontage of not over three square feet per sign face shall be permitted. Such sign shall not need a permit.

2. One removable sign of not over one and one-half square feet in area, with the words “open house,” or words “open to inspection,” may be used only when the owner or owner’s agent is on the premises. A permit or permit fee shall not be necessary for such a temporary sign.

3. One home occupation sign, nonilluminated, not exceeding two square feet, and attached flat to a wall or window, shall be allowed where home occupations are permitted.

4. One nameplate sign, situated on the premises and bearing only the name of the principal occupant(s) and the street number of a private dwelling, or both, but not to exceed three square feet.

5. A temporary building sign not exceeding sixteen square feet.

6. One permanent development sign, indirectly lighted, not exceeding fifty square feet in area, per main entrance to the development.

7. Off-premises real estate directional signs as provided in Section 22.64.060(F)(5).

8. Each nonresidential use permitted in the zone, such as churches, schools, clinics, shall be allowed on-premises signs, as determined by the building inspector.

9. No revolving signs are permitted.

1. On-premises signs are permitted, and illumination is permitted except where specifically prohibited.

2. Revolving pole or freestanding signs shall not exceed eight revolutions per minute.

3. Signs attached to the bottom of a marquee, canopy or permanent walkway cover (under-marquee signs) shall not exceed one for each of the business entrances on the premises, with a sign area not to exceed six square feet per sign face. Such sign shall be located in front of the business adjacent to the main entrances and shall be located no less than eight feet above the grade of the sidewalk or walkway nearest the sign.

4. Freestanding signs shall not exceed forty-five feet in height, and shall be permitted as follows:

a. Each single tenant building shall be permitted one freestanding sign, with a maximum sign area of one square foot for each one foot of main street frontage, not to exceed two hundred square feet.

b. Each multitenant building shall be permitted one freestanding sign with a maximum sign area of one and one-half square feet for each one foot of main street frontage, not to exceed two hundred fifty square feet of directory sign.

c. Each multibuilding complex shall be permitted one freestanding sign with a maximum sign area of one and one-half square feet for each one foot of main street frontage, not to exceed two hundred fifty square feet. In addition, a maximum of twenty-five square feet of directory sign for each tenant shall be allowed, not to exceed one hundred square feet total per complex.

d. On a business, multitenant building, or multibuilding complex with total frontage on the main street of more than three hundred feet, the business shall be allowed one additional freestanding sign for each three hundred feet of frontage, not to exceed one hundred fifty square feet. Each sign shall be placed one hundred fifty feet apart.

5. A projecting or roof sign is permitted in lieu of a freestanding sign and shall not exceed one for each business, with the sign area not to exceed fifty percent of that allowable for a freestanding sign for that business.

a. Roof signs may not extend more than five feet in height above the roof.

6. Businesses located in a multibuilding complex or a multitenant building may be permitted a projecting sign in lieu of a wall sign. This does not apply to commercial shopping centers.

7. Wall signs (painted or other) shall be calculated by two square feet of signage for each one foot of street frontage, up to a maximum of three hundred sixty square feet per business. If any business has only a wall sign it shall be permitted at least sixty square feet regardless of street or building frontage.

a. In a multitenant building, any business which has an outside wall and an outside entrance which opens directly to the business shall be allowed a wall sign with an area equal to two square feet per one foot of length of the business facade. If the businesses located within the building do not have outside entrances, the total square footage shall be assigned on the basis of two square feet per linear foot of main street frontage, and it shall be the responsibility of the building owner or manager to establish the signage allowed to each business.

b. In a multibuilding complex, each building shall be allowed wall signage based on the building frontage.

c. Marquee signs and mansard roof signs shall treated as wall signs.

8. Temporary signs are permitted for special functions such as a grand opening or liquidation sale and shall require a special use permit as defined in Section 22.64.045(B).

9. Paper or other temporary signs (including painted signs which can be easily removed by washing) may be affixed or otherwise attached to or displayed with glass display windows of commercial establishments and stores without the requirement of a permit being obtained. Permits shall however be required for temporary window signs if they exceed fifty percent of the window area and are present for more than thirty days.

a. Signs which are permanently painted upon a window surface shall be treated as a wall sign and included in the total allowable sign area.

10. Conditional use permits when a conditional use permit has been approved, the type of signs shall be determined by the board of adjustment.

11. Signs may be erected upon off-street parking lots which are operated in connection with stores and other places of business.

a. One such sign, not larger than twenty square feet, shall be permitted at each entrance, or two square feet per contributor.

b. A permit shall be required for such signs.

12. Vacant stores shall be controlled as follows:

a. Any owner or person entitled to possession of any vacant store prohibited from displaying upon the windows of such vacant store any sign, lettering or printed matter except one sign, consisting of a maximum thirty-two square feet, advertising the availability of the premises, and except as otherwise allowed by this chapter.

b. Within ninety days after a store becomes vacant, the owner or person entitled to possession of such vacant store is required to remove all signs including structures, lettering or printed matter, visible to the public and placed upon the premises of such vacant store by or on behalf of the previous owner or occupant, except the sign advertising its availability as allowed in subsection A of this section.

13. Freestanding off-premises signs not to include boards are permitted as follows:

a. No such sign shall be located closer than one hundred fifty feet to any residential zone, and shall not interfere with or obstruct the view of natural beauty from any residential zone.

b. No such sign shall obstruct the visibility of any off-premises signs.

c. There shall be a minimum distance of one hundred fifty feet between any two outdoor advertising signs, except that double-faced signs with the faces in opposite directions may be permitted. Those signs for which a permit was first issued shall be used to establish the minimum distance.

d. Such signs shall not exceed a height equal to one foot for each foot of setback, not to exceed thirty feet, and in no case shall the setback be less than twenty feet.

e. No such sign shall be allowed to exceed forty-eight square feet of sign area per sign face.

f. No permit shall be issued for freestanding off-premises signs without a landscape plan.

14. Additional signs are permitted as follows:

a. Directional signs giving directions to motorists regarding the location of parking areas, delivery areas, access drives, and accessways shall not exceed six square feet per sign face and shall meet the locational requirements of the off-street parking ordinance. Permits are not required.

b. Real estate signs shall not exceed one for each street frontage and shall not exceed thirty-two square feet per sign face and shall not be illuminated. Permits are not required.

c. Incidental signs shall be restricted to one per twenty-five feet of principal street frontage, shall not exceed nine square feet per face, and no such business shall be allowed more than four such signs. Incidental signs shall include, but are not limited to, gasoline price signs, bank interest signs and signs advertising a specific product or service. Such signs shall conform to the regulations of this chapter, but shall not be included in number of signs allowed. (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).