The purpose of this article is to create the legal framework for a comprehensive but balanced system of informative street graphics and thereby facilitate an easy and pleasant communication between the citizens and their environment. With this purpose in mind, it is the intention of this article to authorize the use of signs which are:

(1)

Compatible with their surroundings.

(2)

Appropriate to the type of activity to which they pertain.

(3)

Expressive of the identity of individual proprietors and the community as a whole.

(4)

Legible in the circumstances in which they are seen.

(5)

Safely located with respect to passing vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(1))

The following shall not be subject to the provisions of this article:

(1)

Signs inside buildings which are not intended to be seen from windows.

(2)

Signs of a duly constituted governmental body, including traffic signs and similar regulatory devices, legal notices and warnings at railroad crossings.

(3)

Flags or emblems of political, civic, charitable, educational or religious organizations.

(4)

Temporary signs announcing a campaign drive or event of one of the types of organizations listed in subsection (3) of this section.

(5)

Memorial signs or tablets.

(6)

Temporary signs denoting architect, engineer or contractor when placed on construction sites and not exceeding 64 square feet in area.

(7)

Signs required by law or governmental order, rule or regulation having a total surface area not exceeding 64 square feet on any lot.

(8)

Small signs displayed for the direction or convenience of the public, including signs which identify rest rooms, freight entrances or the like, having a total surface area not exceeding ten square feet on any lot.

(9)

Accessory structures identifying a residential or industrial subdivision. The copy area of such accessory structure shall contain only the name of the subdivision.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(3))

(a)

All signs and sign structures shall be kept in good repair. Responsibility for the maintenance and removal of signs and structures rests first with the sign owner and secondly with the property owner.

(b)

At the termination of a business, commercial or industrial enterprise, all signs shall be removed if the building and/or property remain vacant after six months. Responsibility for removal in this case rests with the property owner according to the latest official tax roll listing.

(c)

Vacant lots upon which signs now exist or are erected in the future shall be maintained in an orderly fashion by the frequent and periodic removal of rubbish and maintenance of any plants growing on the lot.

(d)

If any sign is in violation of this section or becomes damaged or dilapidated, the zoning administrator shall give written notice to the owner of the sign or the owner of the property on which the sign is located, in person or by mail, addressed to the last known post office address of such owner, to repair or remove the sign. If the order is not complied with within 60 days of serving the notice, the zoning administrator shall cause the sign and structure to be razed and the cost thereof assessed as a special charge against the property on which the sign was located.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(4))

(a)

All building signs, whether attached flat or projecting from a wall, shall be erected entirely within the property lines of the premises upon which they are located. However, a sign attached flat to a wall in a commercial or industrial district may project 18 inches from the wall or 36 inches, provided that no more than 50 percent of the surface area of the sign extends to a distance between 18 and 36 inches.

(b)

All supporting members shall be concealed within the sign.

(c)

No building sign or sign structure shall extend more than six feet above the roofline.

(d)

No part of a building sign shall be lower than ten feet above grade, except that a sign which projects less than six inches from a building facade shall not be any lower than seven feet above grade.

(e)

No part of a building sign in an alley shall be lower than 15½ feet above grade, except that a sign which projects less than six inches from a building facade into an alley shall not have any part lower than 12 feet above grade.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(2)(a))

All freestanding business and advertising signs shall have a minimum setback for structural pylons and supports equal to at least one-fourth of the required building setback of the district. All such freestanding signs shall be erected entirely within the property lines of the premises upon which they are located. No part of a freestanding sign shall be lower than ten feet above grade.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(2)(b))

Limitations imposed by this division on the projection of signs from the face of any building or structure shall not apply to identification marquee or canopy signs indicating only the name of the building or the principal product or service available therein. However, any identification sign located on a marquee or canopy shall be affixed flat to the surface thereof or suspended within and below the outer marquee or canopy limits. No such suspended sign shall be lower than nine feet above the ground or surface over which the marquee or canopy is constructed. Further, no other sign shall extend beyond the limits of said marquee or canopy.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(2)(c))

Signs on awnings shall be exempt from the limitations imposed by this division on the projection of signs from the face of the wall of any buildings or structure, provided that any awning sign shall be affixed flat to the surface thereof, shall be non-illuminated and shall indicate only the name, address and/or the type of the establishment. Further, no sign shall extend vertically or horizontally beyond the limits of the awning.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(2)(d))

(a)

No sign shall be placed on any wall, fence or standard facing on an adjoining lot which is in a residential district.

(b)

No advertising sign shall be erected within 75 feet of any residential district if the sign faces such district.

(c)

No flashing sign of any type shall be erected within 200 feet of a residential district if the sign would be visible from such district.

(d)

No advertising sign shall be erected within 300 feet of any public park of more than five acres in area if the sign would face such park and be visible therefrom.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(2)(e))

Within 300 feet of any freeway, expressway or tollway designated as such by the village or the state, no freestanding advertising sign structure designed to be viewed from such road shall be erected within 1,000 feet of any other such sign structure on the same side of the road unless separated from it by a building or other object that hides the sign from view in the motorist's direction of travel.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(2)(f))

Individual directional signs designating entrances, exits and conditions of use of parking facilities accessory to the main use of the premises may be maintained provided they are located entirely within the property lines of the lot and do not exceed 24 square feet in total area.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(2)(g))

Signs which may be in conflict with public traffic control devices are not permitted. No person shall place, maintain or display any sign, signal, marking or device which is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic control device, emergency light, or railroad sign or signal or which attempts to disrupt the movement of traffic. No person shall place, maintain or display any sign which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any traffic control device or any railroad sign or signal.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(2)(h))

In the residential, conservancy and urban transitional districts, signs shall be regulated as follows:

(1)

Residential uses.

a.

Single- and two-family dwellings. For each dwelling unit, name plates and identification signs indicating the name and address of the occupant, not exceeding a total of two square feet in area, are permitted. On a corner lot, name plates or identification signs are permitted on each street side for each dwelling unit.

b.

Multifamily dwellings. For each multifamily dwelling, identification signs indicating only the name and address of the building and the name of the management, not exceeding a total of 32 square feet in area, are permitted. Such signs shall not be closer than eight feet to any other lot. On a corner lot, identification signs are permitted on each street side.

c.

Height. No sign shall be higher than one story or 15 feet above the curb level, whichever is lower.

(2)

Nonresidential uses.

a.

Churches, cemeteries, educational institutions, recreation and social facilities and other similar uses. Identification signs not exceeding a total of 64 square feet in area are permitted. Such signs shall not be closer than eight feet to any other lot. On a corner lot, identification signs are permitted on each street side.

b.

Projection and height. No sign attached to the wall of a building or structure shall project more than 18 inches from the face of the wall. No sign shall be higher than one story or 20 feet above the curb level, whichever is lower.

(3)

Realty signs. No more than one "for rent" or "for sale" sign per lot shall be permitted, except that one sign shall be permitted on each street side of a corner lot. No sign shall exceed 32 square feet in area and no sign shall be located closer than eight feet to any other lot.

(4)

Advertising signs. Advertising signs are prohibited in residential, conservancy and urban transitional districts.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(5))

In the commercial and industrial districts, business signs and advertising signs are permitted, subject to the following conditions:

(1)

Business signs.

a.

The total area in square feet of all signs on a lot shall not exceed four times the lineal feet of street frontage of the lot.

b.

Only one freestanding sign shall be permitted per lot, except as provided in subsection (1)f of this section.

c.

A freestanding sign shall contain no more than 75 percent of the total permitted sign area.

d.

A sign attached to the wall of a building or structure shall not project more than 18 inches from the face of the wall.

e.

Business signs shall not be higher than 35 feet above grade level.

f.

Signs in integrated shopping centers. One additional freestanding sign, other than those regulated in subsections (1)a through e of this section, shall be permitted in an integrated shopping center in single ownership or under unified control, subject to the following:

1.

Content. The sign shall advertise only the name and location of the center and the name and type of business of each occupant of the center.

2.

Area. The gross surface area, in square feet, of the sign shall not exceed three times the lineal feet of street frontage of the lot. A corner lot shall be deemed to have frontage equal to the length of those sides which abut a street.

3.

Height. Signs shall not be higher than 35 feet above the curb level.

(2)

Advertising signs.

a.

One freestanding sign structure may be erected on a lot provided that no such sign structure shall be erected within 200 feet of an existing sign structure located on the same side of the right-of-way and facing the same direction.

b.

An advertising sign structure shall not contain more than 800 square feet of gross sign area per facing.

c.

An advertising sign structure shall not be higher than 35 feet above grade level.

(Code 1992, § 17.19(6))