The purposes of the sign regulations set out in this article are to encourage the effective use of signs as a means of communications in the city, to maintain and enhance the aesthetic environment and the city's ability to attract sources of economic development and growth, to improve pedestrian and traffic safety, to minimize the possible adverse effect of signs on nearby public and private property, and to enable the fair and consistent enforcement of the sign restrictions.

(Ord. No. 2922, § 1(29-196), 5-7-2018)

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Sign means an identification, description, illustration or device which is affixed to or represented directly or indirectly upon a building, structure or parcel of land and which directs attention to a product, place, activity, person, profession, service, institution or business.

Sign, accessory, means a sign relating only to uses of the premises on which the sign is located or products sold or services offered on the premises on which the sign is located, or indicating the name or address of a building or the occupants or management of a building of the premises where the sign is located. (See Off-premises signs.)

Sign, banner, means any sign of lightweight fabric or similar material that is permanently mounted to a pole or a building by a permanent frame at one or more edges.

Sign, billboard, means a sign structure designed for the posting of changeable graphics or reading matter advertising a product, place, activity, person, profession, service, institution or business located upon property other than the premises on which the sign is located.

Sign, directional, means a sign designed for the purpose of assisting traffic control, which is located on private property and limited to no more than four feet in height and no more than six square feet in area.

Sign, flag, means any fabric, banner or bunting containing distinctive colors, patterns or symbols, used as a symbol of a government, political subdivision or other entity.

Sign, freestanding, means a sign which is supported by one or more uprights, columns, pylons or braces in or upon the ground and not attached to any building or wall. The term "sign, freestanding," shall also apply to those signs having their framework permanently embedded in the ground.

Sign, home occupation, means a sign or nameplate limited to the display of the occupant and the name of the home occupation. The sign shall not exceed four square feet in area, shall be nonilluminated, shall be affixed to the main structure or visible through a window, and shall be limited to one in number per home.

Sign, monumental, means an identification device permanently embedded in the ground, upon which is affixed only the name or symbol of a particular neighborhood, subdivision, commercial or industrial development.

Sign, off-premises, means a sign displaying or drawing attention to a product, place, activity, person, profession, service, institution or business located upon property other than the premises on which the sign is located.

Sign, pennant, means any lightweight plastic, fabric or other material, whether or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a rope, wire or string, usually in series, designed to move in the wind.

Sign, portable, means any sign not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported, including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels, signs converted to "A" or "T" frames, menu and sandwich board signs, umbrellas used for advertising, and signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public right-of-way, unless the vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day operations of the business. Portable signs are not permitted unless specifically authorized for temporary use by the city council.

Sign, roof, means a sign erected upon or above a roof or parapet wall of a building and which is wholly or partially supported by the building.

Sign, temporary, means a sign or advertising device intended to be displayed for a limited time period typically identifying construction, community or civic projects, show homes or other special events on a temporary basis. Such sign shall not exceed 100 square feet in area.

Sign, wall, means a sign, other than a roof sign, which is supported by a building or wall. Such a sign shall not project beyond the peak of the building or wall more than one-third of the sign's longest dimension. Signs surpassing this peak projection shall be designated as roof signs.

a.

Canopy wall sign means any sign that is a part of or attached to an awning, canopy or other fabric, plastic or structural protective cover over a door, entrance, window or outdoor service area.

b.

Fascia wall sign means a single-faced building or wall sign which is parallel to its supporting wall and does not extend more than 18 inches from a building or wall.

c.

Mural wall sign means a one-dimensional graphic illustration or presentation that is painted or otherwise applied to a building, wall or facade.

d.

Projecting wall sign means a sign which is attached to and projects more than 18 inches from the face or wall of a building.

Sign area means that area within a line including the outer extremities of all letters, figures, characteristics or delineations, or within a line including the outer extremities of the framework or background of the sign, whichever line includes the larger area. When the irregularity of a sign shape warrants, such area shall include the extreme points or edges of the sign. The support for the sign background, whether it be columns, pylons or a building or part thereof, shall not be included in the sign area. Only one side of a double-faced sign shall be included in the computation of sign area.

(Ord. No. 2922, § 1(29-197), 5-7-2018)

(a)

The following signs shall be permitted in all zoning districts subject to city council approval:

(1)

Traffic and other municipal signs, legal notices, railroad crossing and danger signs, and other such necessary, temporary, emergency or nonadvertising signs as may be approved by the city council.

(2)

Signs required to be maintained or posted by law or governmental order, rule or regulation, unless specifically prohibited in this article.

(3)

Portable signs, banners, pennants and other temporary advertising devices identifying public events, special promotions, holidays and like events, provided that specific approval is granted under regulations established by the city council.

(4)

Memorial plaques, cornerstones, historical markers and the like.

(5)

Monumental signs intended to identify residential, commercial or industrial developments, in accordance with this article.

(6)

Mural wall signs, company logo signs, hand-painted art or any similar sign which is intended to be painted directly on the existing building facade or wall.

(7)

In special circumstances, such as road construction, a limited number of temporary directional signs may be placed in the public right-of-way in conformance with the following guidelines:

a.

Maximum of two signs per use.

b.

Each sign shall be no larger than six square feet nor more than three feet in overall height.

c.

Signs shall be installed by a bonded contractor and shall be sited in cooperation with Cedar Falls Utilities and city department of public works officials.

d.

In those situations where at least three users wish to share common sign space, only two signs will be permitted with a maximum area of 12 square feet and a maximum height of three feet. Only one individual sign will be permitted for each user, if that user is also utilizing common sign space.

e.

All such permitted signs shall be removed from the public right-of-way within five days following the end of the special circumstances that stimulated the original request.

(b)

The following signs are permissible for display without city council approval. Permits must be secured as required by chapter 3.

(1)

Signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of the premises or part of the premises on which the sign is displayed. One such nonilluminated sign, not to exceed six square feet in size, shall be permitted on each premises.

(2)

Signs advertising the architects, engineers, contractors, occupants or other individuals involved in the construction, reconstruction or remodeling of a building or development project, and such signs announcing the character or purpose of the site. One such nonilluminated sign, not to exceed 100 square feet in size, shall be permitted on each premises. Such signs shall be erected no sooner than 30 days prior to site development, and shall not continue to be displayed longer than 30 days following project completion. Such signs shall be sited in accordance with the regulations found in this article.

(3)

Signs announcing candidates seeking public political office or pertinent political issues. Such signs shall be confined to private property and shall be subject to applicable state and local regulations.

(4)

Address signs posted in conjunction with doorbells or mailboxes showing only the numerical address and occupants of the premises upon which the sign is situated. One such nonilluminated sign shall be permitted per address.

(5)

Home occupation signs.

(6)

Accessory signs identifying hospitals or civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organizations. All signs must comply with the general regulations found in section 26-259. All freestanding, monumental and roof signs exceeding 40 square feet in size must be approved by the city council.

(7)

Signs which primarily consist of banners, balloons, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners or other similar moving devices. Such signs shall be permitted for 60 days in any consecutive 12-month period.

(8)

Flag signs; provided, however, that no owner or occupant of any premises shall erect more than one official flag of the institution or business which is situated or located upon the premises where the flag sign is erected.

(Ord. No. 2922, § 1(29-198), 5-7-2018)

The following signs shall be prohibited in all zoning districts:

(1)

Signs that advertise a product, place, activity, person, service, institution or business no longer conducted on the premises on which the sign is located. Such signs shall be removed in accordance with the provisions of chapter 3.

(2)

Signs and poles which contain or consist of reflectors or lights which flash, strobe or chase one another, or appear to display these characteristics. This prohibition does not preclude all electronic message signs.

(3)

Signs that are not permanently anchored or secured to either a building or the ground.

(4)

Signs erected in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision of streets, alleys or driveways, or erected, designed or positioned so as to interfere with, obstruct or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device or which may mislead or confuse traffic.

(5)

Signs posted on public property, including utility poles, lighting fixtures, street signs, benches and the like.

(6)

Off-premises signs, with the exception of billboard signs.

(7)

Signs placed within the public right-of-way unless specifically authorized by the city council as limited herein.

(Ord. No. 2922, § 1(29-199), 5-7-2018)

(a)

All signs permitted in this article shall be contained entirely upon private property and set back from the existing and proposed public right-of-way, except as permitted by chapter 3.

(b)

No sign shall be permitted within the ten-foot sight triangles formed at the intersection of a public right-of-way with an accessway, driveway or alley, nor shall any sign be permitted within the 30-foot sight triangles formed at the intersection of two public rights-of-way, with two sides of the respective triangles being measured in length along the stated boundaries from their point of intersection, and the third side being a line connecting the ends of the two sides already established.

(c)

No billboard, freestanding sign or roof sign shall be permitted which faces the front or side lot line of any lot in an R district used for residential purposes within 100 feet of such lot lines, unless the subject sign is also permitted within the adjacent R district.

(d)

Any light, exclusive of the sign area itself, used to illuminate any sign shall be situated and arranged so as to reflect the light away from adjoining premises.

(Ord. No. 2922, § 1(29-200), 5-7-2018)

Lawful signs, other than portable signs, existing at the effective date of Ordinance No. 1934 which do not meet the terms of this chapter shall be classified as legal nonconforming signs and may be maintained as such, but shall not, except when required by law, be enlarged, extended, reconstructed, substituted or structurally altered, unless altered in a manner to conform with the terms of this article. Any sign in existence at the adoption of the ordinance from which this article is derived which was not an authorized nonconforming sign under previous zoning chapters shall not be authorized to continue as a nonconforming sign pursuant to this article or amendments thereto. If a nonconforming sign is removed, replaced or destroyed, new signs shall thereafter conform to the terms of this article.

(Ord. No. 2922, § 1(29-201), 5-7-2018)

In order to carry out the provisions of this article, the following signs are hereby permitted in the various zoning districts, as follows:

(1)

A-1 Agricultural District. Permitted signs in the A-1 district are as follows:

a.

Signs permitted and limited as provided in section 26-255.

b.

Fascia and mural wall signs used to identify the given name, symbol and occupants of a farmstead located upon the premises. Sign area shall not exceed one-fourth of the surface area of the single wall to which the sign is affixed.

c.

Accessory signs, subject to approval by the zoning administrator, appertaining to any material that is mined, grown or treated upon the premises; provided, however, that such signs shall be located upon or immediately adjacent to the building or in the area in which such materials are treated, grown, processed or stored. Such sign shall not exceed 15 feet in height or 40 square feet in area. No more than one such sign shall be permitted per parcel.

(2)

R-1 Residence District. Permitted signs in the R-1 district are as follows:

a.

Signs permitted and limited as provided in section 26-255.

b.

Accessory signs identifying principal permitted uses, other than single- and two-unit residential dwellings, shall be allowed a maximum of three signs per parcel in the following combination: one wall sign not to exceed ten percent of the surface area of the wall to which it is affixed and two freestanding signs, each freestanding sign not to exceed 30 square feet in area and five feet overall height, or two wall signs not to exceed ten percent of the surface area of the wall to which affixed. Said wall signs may utilize no more than two wall surfaces, and one freestanding sign not to exceed 30 square feet in area and five feet overall height.

(3)

R-2 Residence District. Permitted signs in the R-2 district are any sign permitted in the R-1 district.

(4)

R-3 Multiple Residence District. Permitted signs in the R-3 district are any sign permitted in the R-2 district.

(5)

R-4 Multiple Residence District. Permitted signs in the R-4 district are as follows:

a.

Signs permitted and limited as provided in section 26-255.

b.

Accessory wall signs having a total sign area not to exceed one-third of the surface area of the single wall to which affixed.

c.

Accessory freestanding signs, as follows:

1.

Signs are permitted upon parcels containing a street frontage along any one public street of at least 150 linear feet.

2.

Signs shall be no taller than 20 feet in height and no larger than 40 square feet.

3.

Number of signs is limited to one sign per separate principal permitted structure.

(6)

R-5 Residence District. Permitted signs in the R-5 district are any sign permitted in the R-1 district.

(7)

R-P Planned Residence District. Permitted signs in the R-P district are any sign permitted in the R-4 district.

(8)

C-1 Commercial District. Permitted signs in the C-1 district are as follows:

a.

Signs permitted and limited as provided in section 26-255.

b.

Accessory wall signs not to exceed one-third of the surface area of any single wall to which the signs are affixed.

c.

Directional signs, limited to one sign per curb cut.

d.

Accessory freestanding signs, as follows:

1.

Signs shall be no taller than 30 feet in height and no larger than 40 square feet in area.

2.

Number of signs is limited to one sign per separate principal permitted structure.

(9)

C-2 Commercial District. Permitted signs in the C-2 district are as follows:

a.

Signs permitted and limited as provided in section 26-255.

b.

Wall signs not to exceed one-third of the surface area of any single wall to which the signs are affixed.

c.

Directional signs, limited to one sign per curb cut.

d.

Freestanding and roof signs, as follows:

1.

The combined total area of such signs shall not exceed two square feet per lineal foot of street frontage. Land uses situated on corner lots may use their longer street frontage only for purposes of determining the permissible area of signs.

2.

In no case shall the area of any one sign exceed 300 square feet in area, nor shall signs be taller than 40 feet in height. Roof signs shall not project more than 15 feet above the roof line.

3.

Regardless of lineal street frontage, all parcels shall be permitted at least one such sign, not to exceed 60 square feet in area or 40 feet in height.

4.

Billboards shall have a prime message area not to exceed 672 square feet and an embellishment, trim and skirting area not to exceed an additional 250 square feet. The maximum allowable height as measured from natural grade at the base of the sign to the top of the structure is 40 feet. All billboard sign structures, including the outermost edge of the sign panel, must be set back from the immediately abutting street right-of-way line a minimum of 25 feet. Billboard structures shall not be permitted within 600 feet of another billboard structure measured in either direction along both sides of the street which adjoins the billboard structure, measured from the point of intersection of the face of the sign panel, as extended, and either side of the right-of-way line of the adjoining street. Furthermore, no billboard structure shall be permitted closer than 200 feet from a residential zoning district or from the property boundaries of any property which has a principal residential use located thereon, nor closer than 200 feet from the property boundaries of a public park, church, school, including the University of Northern Iowa main campus area, cemetery, hospital, the property boundaries of any historic district established by state law or local ordinance, or the property boundaries of any certified structure listed on the national register of historic places. In addition, vertical stacking of separate sign panels on a billboard structure shall be prohibited.

(10)

C-3 Commercial District. Permitted signs in the C-3 district are any sign permitted in the C-2 district, except for billboard signs, which shall not be permitted.

(11)

S-1 Shopping Center District. Permitted signs in the S-1 district are as follows:

a.

Signs permitted and limited as provided in section 26-255.

b.

Accessory wall signs not to exceed one-third of the surface area of any store wall to which the sign is affixed.

c.

Directional signs, limited to one sign per curb cut.

d.

Accessory freestanding signs, as follows:

1.

In keeping with the intent of the S-1 zone, individual freestanding signs should be limited in number and designed to identify the shopping center and the stores contained therein. Individual business identification signs are to be discouraged.

2.

To meet this end, one such sign structure shall be permitted for each 500 linear feet, or fractional part thereof, of frontage on a public street. Such signs shall be no larger than 200 square feet and no taller than 40 feet. When separate principal uses are situated on parcels containing less than 500 feet of street frontage, one freestanding sign may be permitted. Such a sign shall be no larger than 100 square feet, and no taller than 30 feet.

e.

All signs shall be reviewed and approved in accordance with the S-1 zoning district provisions, regulations and restrictions.

(12)

M-1 Light Industrial District. Permitted signs in the M-1 district are any sign permitted in the C-2 district, except for billboard signs, which shall not be permitted.

(13)

M-2 Heavy Industrial District. Permitted signs in the M-2 district are any sign permitted in the M-1 district.

(14)

M-P Planned Industrial District. Permitted signs in the M-P district are as follows:

a.

Signs permitted and limited as provided in section 26-255.

b.

Accessory wall signs not to exceed one-third of the surface area of any single wall to which the sign is affixed.

c.

Directional signs, limited to one per curb cut.

d.

Accessory freestanding signs, as follows:

1.

Signs shall be no taller than 40 feet in height, and no larger than 200 square feet.

2.

Number of signs shall be limited to one sign per separate principal permitted structure.

Examples of Various Sign Types
Zoning District

□ = Sign type permitted within the designated zoning district.

X = Sign type not permitted within the designated zoning district.

Note: Some restrictions pertain to individual sign types within certain zoning districts. Reader is cautioned to confirm permissible signs with the text.

(Ord. No. 2922, § 1(29-202), 5-7-2018)