(1)

Regulations.

(a)

General. No sign shall hereafter be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged or structurally altered without compliance with these regulations and first obtaining a land use permit as provided for in section 17.03, except as follows:

1.

Signs not larger than eight square feet in gross area, non-illuminated and used for temporary political campaigns, for rent, for sale, no hunting, no trespassing, home occupations or similar signs.

2.

Traffic signs and other regulated or required signs.

3.

Temporary signs placed for public purposes with prior approval of the mayor.

4.

Window signs used for seasonal decoration or local advertising not to exceed 60 days.

(b)

Structural requirements. Signs shall be constructed in a structurally sound manner.

(c)

Prohibitions. Signs shall not resemble, imitate or approximate the shape, size, form of, color of any railroad or traffic signs, signals or devices. Signs shall not obstruct or interfere with the effectiveness of railroad or traffic signs, signals or devices. No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility.

(d)

Vision clearance.

1.

Signs which otherwise meet the requirements of this section may be permitted in the vision clearance triangle, as that term is defined in section 17.02.

2.

Notwithstanding subsection (1)(d)1 of this section, no sign shall be allowed in the vision clearance triangle unless the bottom of said sign is at least 9½ feet above the centerline street grade at the location of the sign.

3.

This section shall not apply to ground signs less than 2½ feet above the centerline street grade at the location of the sign.

(e)

Free ingress/egress required. No sign shall be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape, and no sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.

(f)

Advertising signs. No advertising signs, posters, banners and circulars shall be permitted on any public right-of-way or public property unless they are placed or approved by the city.

(g)

Obscenity prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to display upon any sign or other advertising structure any matter which is obscene, indecent, immoral or otherwise offends the public.

(h)

Unsafe signs. If the zoning administrator shall find that any sign regulated herein is unsafe or insecure, or is a menace to the public, or has been constructed or erected or is being maintained in violation of the provisions of this section, the administrator shall give written notice to the permittee or owner thereof. If the permittee or owner fails to remove or alter the sign or structure so as to comply with the notice within ten days after such notice, such sign or other structure may be removed or altered to comply by the administrator at the expense of the permittee or owner of the property upon which it is located. The administrator may cause any sign or other advertising structure which is an immediate peril to persons or property to be removed summarily and without notice.

(2)

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

Ground sign includes any sign supported by uprights or braces placed upon the ground and not attached to any building.

Projecting sign includes any sign which is attached to a building or other structure and extends beyond the line of the building or structure or beyond the surface of that portion of the building or structure to which it is attached more than eight inches.

Roof sign means any sign erected, constructed and maintained wholly upon or over the roof of any building with the principal support on the roof structure.

Sign means and includes every sign, billboard, ground sign, wall sign, roof sign, illuminated sign, projecting sign, temporary sign and street clock, and shall include any announcement, declaration, demonstration, display illustration or insignia used to advertise or promote the interests of any person when the same is placed out of doors in view of the general public.

Square footage of sign means the entire square foot surface area of the advertising media or message, including the trim area or border and including all structural trim, cappings and moldings.

Temporary sign means a sign that is to be removed from the premises within six months from said authorization of placement.

Wall sign means all signs attached, placed or painted against the exterior wall of buildings and shall not exceed eight inches beyond the building's wall surface.

Window sign means any sign that is hung, placed or erected so as to be seen from any window. This is not meant to cover any advertising painted directly upon any window pane.

(3)

Signs in R1, R2, W and PUD districts. All signs are prohibited in R1, R2, W and PUD districts, except the following:

(a)

All those signs listed under subsection (1)(a) of this section.

(b)

Bulletin boards or signs for public, charitable, health care or religious institutions exceeding eight square feet in area and located on the premises provided a conditional use permit is obtained as provided in section 17.04.

(c)

Temporary signs or banners when authorized by the plan commission or the mayor.

(4)

Signs in C, GR and I districts. Signs are permitted in the C, GR and I districts subject to the following restrictions:

(a)

Wall signs. Wall signs shall not:

1.

Exceed 500 square feet in area for any one premises.

2.

Exceed 20 foot in height above the mean centerline street grade.

3.

Block or cover windows.

(b)

Projecting signs. Projecting signs shall not:

1.

Exceed 100 square feet in area for any one premises.

2.

Project more than eight feet from the supporting building.

3.

Extend into any public right-of-way.

4.

Be less than eight feet from all side or adjacent lot lines.

5.

Exceed a height of 20 feet above the mean centerline street grade.

6.

Be less than ten feet above the sidewalk nor 15 feet above a driveway or alley.

(c)

Ground signs. Ground signs shall not:

1.

Exceed 30 feet in height above the mean centerline street grade.

2.

Exceed 200 square feet on one side nor 400 square feet on all sides for any one premises.

(d)

Roof signs. Roof signs:

1.

Shall not exceed ten feet in height above the roof.

2.

Shall meet all the yard and height requirements for the district in which it is located.

3.

Shall not exceed 200 square feet on all sides for any one premises.

(e)

Window signs. Window signs shall be placed only on the inside of commercial buildings.

(f)

Combination signs. Combinations of any of the above signs shall meet all the requirements for the individual signs.

(g)

Temporary signs. Temporary signs or banners, when authorized by the plan commission or the mayor.

(5)

Nonconforming signs. Signs lawfully existing on the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived or any amendment thereto may be continued although the use, size or location does not conform with the provisions of this chapter; however, such signs shall be deemed nonconforming uses or structures and the provisions of section 17.06 shall apply.

(6)

Signs in R3 district. All signs are prohibited in the R3 district except the following:

(a)

All those signs listed under subsection (1)(a) of this section, except ground signs that do not exceed 30 square feet gross area or 15 square feet per side and are non-illuminated with an overall height restriction of eight feet.

(b)

Bulletin boards or signs for public, charitable, health care or religious institutions exceeding eight square feet in area and located on the premises provided a conditional use permit is obtained as provided in section 17.04.

(c)

Temporary signs or banners when authorized by the planning commission or the mayor.

(Code 1997, § 17.22; Ord. of unknown date(4))