A sign shall not hereafter be erected, re-erected, constructed, altered or maintained, except as provided by this article, and after a permit has been issued by the appropriate official. A fee shall be charged for all signs requiring a permit adopted by resolution of the Mayor and Council, as may be amended from time to time.

(Code 1977, § 107-50; Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000)

The following signs shall be exempt from the provisions of this article:

(1)

Official notices authorized by a court, public body or public safety official, community sponsored events authorized by the legislative body.

(2)

Directional, warning or information signs authorized by federal, state or municipal governments.

(3)

Memorial plaques, building identification signs and building cornerstones when cut or carved into a masonry surface or when made of noncombustible material and made an integral part of the building structure.

(4)

The flag of a government or a noncommercial institution, such as a school.

(5)

Religious symbols and seasonal decorations within the appropriate public holiday season.

(Code 1977, § 107-50(A); Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000)

The following regulations apply to the R Districts:

(1)

Security signs shall not exceed two square feet.

(2)

An unlighted or indirectly lighted sign not larger than six square feet shall be permitted in connection with such home occupation.

(3)

Identification signs displaying only the name and nature of the premises or the occupancy thereof, or directing the way thereto, and not exceed four square feet.

(4)

Residential developments of four or more dwelling units shall be permitted one development sign (or for each entrance in the case of a subdivision project). Such signs shall be located 25 feet from a street line and shall not exceed 32 square feet in area per face.

(5)

Any conditional use, institutional use, or church shall be permitted one sign not to exceed 32 square feet, which may be indirectly lighted. The height of any freestanding sign for conditionally permitted uses, churches and schools shall not exceed 15 feet.

(Code 1977, § 107-50(B); Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000)

The following regulations apply to commercial districts:

(1)

All development complexes shall require a master signage plan pursuant to the requirements of this section, and any other requirements within its district, prior to the installation of any signage.

(2)

Each, enterprise, institution or business shall be permitted wall signs, under-canopy signs, one sidewalk sign and one freestanding sign each, subject to follow maximum size requirements. (Multiple businesses in the same building shall apportion facade, building wall and street frontage such that any maximum is not exceeded for a particular property.)

a.

Maximum signage in aggregate shall not exceed 1½ square feet for each horizontal linear foot of building. No one sign shall exceed the total square feet for each linear front foot for each business. However, no one sign shall exceed 200 square feet.

b.

Maximum freestanding sign area shall not exceed one square foot for each five feet of street frontage, not to exceed 80 square feet in area.

c.

Under-canopy sign area shall not exceed the following:

1.

The maximum allowable sign area shall be one square foot for each linear foot of width of the canopy, awning, marquee or similar structure from which the sign is suspended, as measured perpendicular to the building wall.

2.

The maximum allowable horizontal length of an under-canopy sign shall be equal to the width of the canopy, awning, marquee or similar structure from which the sign is suspended, as measured perpendicular to the building wall.

3.

The minimum vertical clearance between the lower edge of an under-canopy sign and the ground shall be seven feet.

d.

Sidewalk sign. The director of planning and zoning shall issue a sidewalk sign permit if the following conditions are met:

1.

The maximum allowable size shall not exceed two feet in width and three feet in height.

2.

There shall be no more than one sign permitted per business.

3

The sign shall not expand more than two feet at the base.

4.

The sign is constructed of a wood base.

(Code 1977, § 107-50(C); Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000; Ord. No. 2004-4, 6-14-2004; Ord. No. 2013-5, 7-22-2013)

The following general regulations apply to signs:

(1)

Sign illumination. All sign illumination shall be from the interior or from floodlight projection shielded to preclude glare visible from public rights-of-way and residential properties.

(2)

Rotating signs. Rotating signs are permitted, provided that the outer edge shall not exceed a speed of four revolutions per minute, and the rotating portion of the sign shall be a minimum of eight feet above the adjacent grade. No rotating sign shall extend over public rights-of-way.

(3)

Roof-mounted signs. Signs projecting above the point of intersection of the exterior wall of the building with its roof shall be mounted on a parapet or within the same plane as such exterior wall. Sign area for roof-mounted signs shall be calculated the same as and counted as part of the facade signs. Roof-mounted signs shall be allowed only in B and M Districts, excluding the H-1 Historic District and the B-1 Town Center District.

(4)

Measurement of sign area. The square footage of a sign made up of letters, words or symbols within a frame shall be determined from the outside edge of the frame. The square footage of a sign composed of only letters, words, or symbols shall be determined from an imaginary frame around the entire copy or grouping of such letters, words or symbols. Double-faced signs shall be calculated as the area of one side only. Three dimensional or multi-faced signs shall be calculated as the maximum area visible from any point in time.

(5)

Condition and maintenance. All signs shall be of rust-prohibitive material or treatment, and shall be maintained in good condition in the opinion of the code enforcement official. All signs, together with all of their supports, braces, guys and anchors, shall be kept in good repair and in a safe state of preservation. The display surfaces of all signs shall be kept neatly painted or posted at all times.

(6)

Electronic message signs. Electronic message signs which display time and temperature or provide changing messages are permitted, provided that such signs do not blink.

(Code 1977, § 107-50(D); Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000)

The following signs and locations are specifically prohibited:

(1)

Signs located in such a manner as to obstruct or otherwise interfere with an official traffic sign, signal or device or obstruct or interfere with a driver's view of approaching, merging or intersecting traffic.

(2)

Except as provided for elsewhere in this chapter, signs encroaching upon or overhanging a public right-of-way. No sign shall be attached to any utility pole, light standard, street tree, or any other public facility located within the public right-of-way.

(3)

Cloth, paper, soft plastic or similar advertising signs or devices other than in rigid frames as provided herein, except those intended as temporary signs, or as provided by subsection (7) of this section.

(4)

Signs which blink, flash or animated by lighting in any fashion that would cause such signs to have the appearance of traffic safety signs and lights, or municipal vehicle warnings from a distance.

(5)

Portable signs except as allowed for temporary signs.

(6)

Any sign attached to, or placed on, a vehicle or recreational vehicle parked on public or private property. The prohibition of this subsection does not prohibit the identification of a firm or its principal products on a vehicle operating during the normal course of business or being taken home.

(7)

Pennants, banners and private flags bearing any logo, product name business name or other advertising, and balloons, except those temporarily displayed as part of a special sale or promotion. For the purposes of this subsection, the term "temporary" means no more than 30 days in any calendar year and no more than 15 consecutive days at any given time.

(8)

Billboards in any district.

(Code 1977, § 107-50(E); Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000)

The following height, distance and area requirements shall apply:

(1)

Maximum height from adjacent grade is 25 feet.

(2)

Maximum area is 200 square feet.

(3)

Minimum front yard setback is ten feet.

(4)

Minimum distance from an R District is 100 feet measured along the street line.

(5)

Minimum distance from the street intersection is 50 feet as measured from the right-of-way line.

(Code 1977, § 107-50(F); Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000)

(a)

No more than one directional sign per street entrance shall be permitted for any enterprise, business or institution.

(b)

Such signs shall be for the sole purpose of ensuring safe and convenient access and egress to the use for which they apply.

(c)

No such signs shall exceed four square feet in area in an R District and eight feet in other districts.

(Code 1977, § 107-50(G); Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000)

(a)

Freestanding signs shall not be located closer than 50 feet to another freestanding sign located upon another premises, provided that this subsection shall not prohibit the ability to place one freestanding sign upon a premises that would otherwise have a right to such a sign; nor shall this subsection be applied in a manner that would require a setback for such freestanding sign in excess of what would otherwise be required by this chapter.

(b)

Any sign within 15 feet of a property line abutting a street right-of-way shall not be closer than 100 feet from another freestanding sign on the same premises.

(Code 1977, § 107-50(H); Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000)

Projecting signs may project from a building over a public right-of-way, provided that such signs shall not extend within two feet of a street curbline or the improved shoulder edge of a travelway, or impede free and complete use of the sidewalk for pedestrians. Such signs shall have a clearance of seven feet from top of sidewalk to bottom of sign.

(Code 1977, § 107-50(I); Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000)

(a)

Political signs shall be permitted in all districts.

(1)

Such signs shall not exceed eight square feet in area and shall not exceed 42 inches in height.

(2)

Such signs shall be permitted only for a period of 60 days preceding the election and shall be removed within ten days after the election, provided that the signs promoting successful candidates or ballot propositions in a primary election may remain displayed through the general election.

(3)

Political signs shall not be placed within any public right-of-way.

(4)

Political signs established in violation of this subsection may be immediately removed by the code enforcement official.

(5)

Such signs shall not be required to obtain a permit.

(b)

Portable signs shall not exceed 32 square feet. Such square footage shall be applied and calculated as part of the total square footage permitted for all business signage permitted for the business or property.

(1)

Such signs shall not be displayed for more than 45 days during any single calendar year and no more than 15 consecutive days at any given time.

(2)

There shall be no more than one portable sign per parcel of property or business, permitted at one time.

(c)

Real estate signs.

(1)

Real estate signs advertising the sale of lots within a subdivision and commercial property shall not exceed 32 square feet in size and shall be set back 25 feet from the street line. Such sign shall not be erected for more than a period of one year.

(2)

Other such real estate signs advertising no more than one parcel shall not exceed six square feet and 36 inches in height and be 15 feet from every street line.

(3)

Such signs shall be removed upon the closing of the sale.

(4)

Such signs shall not require a permit.

(d)

Special sale signs.

(1)

Sale and grand opening signs shall be permitted in all zones, provided that such signs are displayed no more than 15 consecutive days for every three months. Such signs shall be removed immediately upon termination of the sale or event that they advertise.

(2)

All such signs must be attached to the facade, wall or window of the building occupying or conducting the sale or event, which they advertise.

(3)

No business shall have more than two such signs for each facade or wall of the building to which they are attached.

(4)

The total sign size shall not exceed six square feet.

(Code 1977, § 107-50(J); Ord. No. 2000-10, 9-25-2000)