Glenwillow City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 1157
Sign Regulations
1157.01 INTENT.
The intent of these regulations is to balance the need to protect the public safety and welfare, the need for a well maintained and attractive community, and the need for adequate identification, communication and advertising. The regulations for signs have the following specific objectives:
(a) To ensure that signs are designed, constructed, installed and maintained according to minimum standards to safeguard life, health, property and public welfare;
(b) To foster public safety along public streets within the Village by assuring that all signs are placed in safe and appropriate locations;
(c) To reflect and support the desired ambience and development patterns of the various zones districts and promote an attractive environment;
(d) To allow for adequate and effective signs whose dimensional characteristics further the interests of public safety and the needs of the motorist, where signs are viewed from a street or roadway;
(e) To protect and preserve the aesthetic quality and physical appearance of the Village;
(f) To ensure that the constitutionally guaranteed right of free expression is protected;
(g) To provide review procedures that enable the Village to comprehensively evaluate the proposed sign and its relationship to the site, building, and surroundings; and
(h) To prohibit all signs not expressly permitted by this Chapter.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.02 APPLICABILITY.
(a) The regulations contained in this Chapter shall apply to all signs, sign structures, awnings, and other types of sign devices located within the Village of Glenwillow, except when specifically stated otherwise.
(b) No sign shall be permitted within a public right-of-way unless specifically stated otherwise.
(c) No sign shall be erected, established, painted, created, or maintained in Glenwillow without the issuance of a zoning certificate and payment of the required fee unless otherwise exempted in this Chapter.
(1) No zoning certificate is required for:
A. The non-structural maintenance of a sign,
B. A change of copy on changeable copy signs;
C. Temporary signs in residential districts
(2) A zoning certificate is required for changes to sign panels, painted signs or letters that are attached to a structure or wall.
(3) All structural changes to a sign or supporting structure shall require a zoning certificate.
(4) Signs in nonresidential districts shall be reviewed by the Architectural Review Board and the Planning Commission according to Chapter 1115.
(d) Architectural features that are either part of the building or part of a freestanding structure are not considered signs and are thus exempt from these regulations. Architectural features include any construction attending to, but not an integral part of the sign, and which may consist of landscape or building or structural forms that enhance the site in general.
(e) Any sign permitted by this Chapter may contain a non- commercial message.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.03 SEVERABILITY.
If any word, sentence, section or any other provision or portion of this Chapter or rules adopted hereunder is invalidated by any court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining words, sentences, sections, chapters, provisions, or portions will not be affected and will continue in full force and effect.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.04 COMPUTATIONS AND RULES OF MEASUREMENT.
The following regulations shall control the computation and measurement of sign area, sign height, window area, and building frontage:
(a) Determining Sign Area or Dimension.
(1) For a sign that is framed, outlined, painted or otherwise prepared and intended to include a background for the sign display, the area or dimensions shall include the entire portion within such frame or background.
(2) For a sign comprised of individual elements such as letters, symbols, or other graphic objects or representations that are painted, attached to, or otherwise affixed to a surface such as a wall, window, canopy, or awning, the sign area shall be based on the sum of the individual areas of the smallest geometric shape or combination of geometric shapes capable of encompassing the perimeters of the individual elements comprising the sign. When separate elements are organized to form a single sign, but are separated by open space, the sign area and dimensions shall be calculated by determining the geometric shape, or combination of shapes, that comprises all of the display areas, including the space between different elements. Minor appendages to a particular regular shape, as determined by the Chief Building Official or Planning Commission, shall not be included in the total area of a sign.
(3) Double sided signs. When two identical sign faces are placed back to back so that both faces cannot be viewed from any point at the same time, and are part of the same sign structure, the sign area shall be computed as the measurement of one of the two faces.
(4) No more than two sign faces shall be permitted for freestanding or projecting signs.
(b) Determining Sign Height.
(1) The height of a freestanding sign shall be measured from the base of the sign or supportive structure at its point of attachment to the ground, to the highest point of the sign. A freestanding sign on a man-made base, including a graded earth mound, shall be measured from the top of the nearest street curb.
(2) Clearance for freestanding and projecting signs shall be measured as the smallest vertical distance between finished grade and the lowest point of the sign, including any framework or other embellishments.
(c) Sign Setbacks.
(1) The required setbacks for a sign shall apply to all elements of the sign, including its frame and base.
(2) The setback of a projecting sign shall be measured horizontally from the outward edge of the sign frame to the street right-of-way or lot line, as applicable.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.05 RESIDENTIAL SIGNS AND SIGNS IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
Permanent signs for all residential uses and for nonresidential uses in residential districts shall comply with the regulations set forth in this Section.
(a) Single-family residential properties:
(1) All single family residential properties are permitted unlighted signs not to exceed four (4) square feet in total sign area.
(2) Corner lots and lots with frontage on more than one street are entitled to four (4) square feet per frontage.
(3) This sign area allowance covers but is not limited to: address signs, home occupation signs, real estate signs, contractor signs, and roadside stand signs.
(4) Signs may be freestanding, mounted to a permanent building structure or displayed in a window.
(5) Freestanding signs shall be located on private property, a minimum of twenty (20) feet from the edge of the street pavement.
(6) Freestanding signs shall exceed four (4) feet in height.
(b) Residential Subdivision Entrance Sign:
(1) Residential subdivisions shall be permitted a freestanding sign not to exceed thirty-six (36) square feet for each street entrance.
(2) The height of such signs shall not exceed six (6) feet.
(3) Such signs shall be placed on private property no closer than five (5) feet to the street right-of-way line, and no closer than twenty-five (25) feet to a side lot line.
(4) A maximum of two (2) sign faces shall be permitted per entrance: either as a double-sided freestanding sign or as two (2) single-sided signs either mounted on a wall or other entrance feature.
(5) No part of a freestanding sign, the wall or entry feature on which a sign is mounted, or the landscaping shall obstruct the view of vehicles entering or exiting the property.
(c) Nonresidential Uses in Residential Zoning Districts:
(1) Nonresidential uses are permitted unlighted signs not to exceed thirty-six (36) square feet in total sign area. The sign area may be either a wall sign or a freestanding sign or a combination of the two (2).
(2) The height of a freestanding sign shall not exceed six (6) feet.
(3) A maximum of thirty percent (30%) of the area of a freestanding sign may be devoted to changeable copy, provided the changeable copy shall not be changed more than once per day.
(4) Additional sign area may be permitted as part of conditional use approval by the Planning Commission.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.06 SIGNS IN NONRESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
Permanent signs for all uses in nonresidential districts shall comply with the regulations set forth in this Section.
(a) Building Signs.
(1) Building signs include wall or fascia signs, and signs otherwise permanently applied parallel to the building wall or other surfaces, including awnings.
(2) Building signs erected on the building frontage shall not, in total, exceed five percent (5%) of the total area of the building façade on which the sign is located.
A. For the purposes of these sign regulations, building frontage shall include the building elevation facing a public street, facing a primary parking area for the building or tenants or containing the public entrance(s) to the building or building units.
B. For the purposes of these sign regulations, the building unit is equivalent to the tenant space. The frontage of the tenant space on the first floor shall be the basis for determining the permissible sign area for wall signs.
(b) Freestanding Signs.
(1) Freestanding signs shall be limited to one (1) per property held in single and separate ownership, unless specifically permitted otherwise.
(2) Unless otherwise regulated by specific reference herein, freestanding signs shall comply with the standards specified in Table 1157.06 below.
Village Center Business | Limited Industrial District | General Industrial District | |
A. Maximum Area (square feet) | 8 | 24i | 36 ii |
B. Maximum Height (feet) | 6 | 6 | 8 |
C. Minimum Setback from Street Right-of-way (feet) | 5 | 10 | 10 |
D. Minimum Setback from Side lot line (feet) | 5 | 10 | 10 |
Notes to Table 1157.06: i Plus 1 sq ft for every 7 ft of lot frontage >200 ft. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section, the area of any freestanding sign shall not exceed 200 square feet. ii Plus 1 sq ft for every 5 ft of lot frontage >200 ft. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section, the area of any freestanding sign shall not exceed 200 square feet. | |||
(3) Signs on Lots with Multiple Street Frontages. For lots that have frontage on multiple streets, each street frontage shall be calculated separately.
A. The allowable sign area permitted by this Section may be distributed to one or more freestanding sign(s) for each 200 feet of lot frontage or fraction thereof.
C. Two signs may be aggregated into a single sign provided that the area of any freestanding sign face shall not exceed 175% of the maximum area permitted for a single sign.
(4) Additional Freestanding Signs for Large Lots. The number of freestanding signs on a large lot may be increased as follows. The allowable sign area permitted by this Section may be distributed to one or more freestanding sign(s) for each 200 feet of lot frontage or fraction thereof. The total area of all freestanding signs shall comply with Table 1157.06.
(5) Minimum Separation of Freestanding Sign. Freestanding signs on the same lot shall be separated by a minimum of 200 feet, as measured along the street right-of-way line. For corner lots, both sides of the intersection shall be used in measuring spacing.
(6) Landscaping. Freestanding signs shall be erected in a landscaped setting and not on sidewalks, drives or in parking lots. Neither the landscaping nor the freestanding sign shall obstruct the view of vehicles entering or exiting the property.
(7) In the case of a property designated as a planned industrial park, additional freestanding signs shall be permitted for each vehicular entrance to the property. Permitted sign area for these additional freestanding signs shall comply with the sign area and sign height permitted in Table 1157.06.
(c) Projecting Signs.
(1) Projecting signs are a permitted sign type only in the Village Center Business District, and shall be permitted as an alternate to a freestanding sign.
(2) Projecting signs shall be limited to one (1) per building facade on which any such sign is mounted except for a use that fronts on more than one (1) street, in which case, one (1) such sign shall be permitted per facade for each separate street frontage.
(3) Projecting signs shall be designed and placed for the purpose of identifying the businesses for a pedestrian walking along the same side of the street as the business they seek or under a continuous rain canopy projecting from the building.
(4) The area of a projecting signs shall not exceed eight (8) square feet, which shall be in addition to the area allowance for building signs.
(5) All projecting signs shall have a maximum height of fourteen (14) feet and a minimum clearance of eight (8) feet from the ground to the bottom of the sign, except when the projecting sign is located above a landscaped area or other area that does not permit pedestrian traffic beneath the sign.
(d) Small Freestanding Signs Located at Lot Entrances.
(1) Freestanding signs that meet the standards of this subsection are allowed in all nonresidential districts in addition to the square footage of permanent freestanding signs permitted in Table 1157.06.
(2) Freestanding signs located at a lot entrance shall not exceed six (6) square feet in area and four (4) feet in height, and shall be located within ten (10) feet of the access drive to the site, in compliance with clearance requirements set forth in Section 1157.09.
(3) Such signs may have internal or external illumination.
(e) Instructional Signs. Instructional or "way-finding" signs shall be permitted in addition to all other signs when they are of such size and location that satisfy the intended instructional purpose. Instructional signs shall be permitted without limitation as to number or size and may include the name of the business and logos.
(f) Window Signs. Notwithstanding the permitted sign area set forth in Table 1157.06, signs placed in or on a window shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the total glass area of the ground floor windows. For the purposes of determining the window area of a ground floor, the ground floor shall be considered to be no more than fifteen (15) feet in height above grade.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.07 ELECTRONIC MESSAGE/CHANGEABLE COPY SIGNS.
(a) Changeable copy by non-electronic means may be utilized on any permitted sign.
(b) In the Village Center Business District, electronic message centers (EMCs) are permitted in accordance with the sign areas permitted in Table 1157.06 and when in compliance with the following:
(1) An EMC sign may be a portion of a building sign or freestanding sign, or may comprise the entire area of the sign, and shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the total sign area permitted on the site.
(2) Only one (1) EMC sign is permitted on a lot for each street on which the development fronts and the sign is visible unless additional EMCs are approved by the Planning Commission.
(3) All EMC signs shall have automatic dimming controls, either by photocell (hardwired) or via software settings, in order to bring the EMC lighting level at night into compliance with Section 1157.09.
(4) EMC signs shall have a minimum display time of eight (8) seconds. The transition time between messages and/or message frames is limited to three (3) seconds and these transitions may employ fade, dissolve, and or other transition effects.
(5) The following EMC display features and functions are prohibited: continuous scrolling and/or traveling, flashing, spinning, rotating, and similar moving effects, and all dynamic frame effects or patterns of illusionary movement or simulating movement.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.08 TEMPORARY SIGNS.
(a) Signs that meet the standards of this subsection are exempt from the standards for permanent signs and are not counted in the total square footage of signage allowed on any particular property or site. Signs that do not meet the standards of this subsection are subject to the standards for permanent signs.
(b) Temporary Signs in Residential Districts. Temporary signs in Residential Districts are subject to the following provisions:
(1) All single family residential properties are permitted unlighted temporary signs not to exceed four (4) square feet in total sign area and four (4) feet in height.
(2) A temporary sign shall not be displayed longer than ninety (90) days.
(3) Temporary freestanding signs shall be located on private property no closer than twenty (20) from the edge of the street pavement or a side lot line.
(c) Temporary Banners: In nonresidential districts, one banner no larger than thirty-two (32) square feet in size is permitted per property or, on a multi-use property, per storefront.
(1) Only one (1) of these banners may be hung on each building wall or on each separate structure. Any additional banners, or banners larger than thirty-two (32) square feet in size, must meet the following standards for permanent signs in this Code.
(2) Temporary banners are subject to the following regulations:
A. In no case may a site or storefront have more than two (2) temporary banners.
B. In no case shall a temporary banner be larger than fifty (50) square feet in size.
C. A temporary banner may be displayed no longer than ninety (90) days per calendar year.
D. Banners that do not meet the regulations of this subparagraph, must meet the standards for permanent signs.
(d) Temporary Freestanding Signs in Nonresidential Districts.
(1) One (1) temporary freestanding sign is permitted per lot in nonresidential districts.
(2) The temporary freestanding sign shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area and shall not be located closer than three (3) feet to the street right-of-way and three (3) feet from the side lot line.
(3) A temporary freestanding sign shall be displayed no longer than ninety (90) days per calendar year.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.09 SIGN ILLUMINATION, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE STANDARDS.
(a) Signs may be illuminated only in compliance with the following standards:
(1) Permanent signs in nonresidential districts may be illuminated at night.
(2) All illuminated signs must comply with the maximum luminance level of seven hundred fifty (750) cd/m² or Nits between dusk to dawn as measured from the sign's face at maximum brightness, regardless of the method of illumination
(3) Signs that have external illumination, whether the lighting is mounted above or below the sign face or panel, shall have lighting fixtures or luminaires that are fully shielded.
(4) On-premise signs do not constitute a form of outdoor lighting at night, and are exempt from any other outdoor lighting regulations established in Chapter 1159.
(b) Construction Standards. The construction, erection, safety and maintenance of all signs shall comply with all requirements of the building code and all of the following:
(1) Signs shall be structurally sound and located so as to pose no reasonable threat to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
(2) All permanent freestanding signs shall have self-supporting structures erected on, or permanently attached to, concrete foundations.
(3) Signs should not be in locations that interfere with safe vehicular and pedestrian circulation or public safety signals and signs
(4) If possible, signs should not be in locations that obscure architectural features such as pilasters, arches, windows, cornices, etc.
(5) No sign shall be erected, constructed or maintained so as to obstruct any fire escape, required exit, window, or door opening used as a means of egress.
(6) Signs shall be structurally designed in compliance with ANSI and ASCI standards. All elective signs shall be constructed according to the technical standards of a certified testing laboratory.
(c) Clearances:
(1) Vision clearance areas. Vision clearance areas are triangular shaped areas located at the intersection of any combination of rights-of- way or driveways. No sign shall be installed within the clear sight triangles defined below.
A. At the intersection of two (2) street rights-of-way, the triangle shall extend thirty (30) feet from the intersection of the rights-of-way in either/each direction.
B. At the intersection of a street right-of-way and a driveway, the triangle shall be established by locating the intersection of the street curb with the driveway edge, and by measuring from this point a distance of ten (10) feet along the driveway to a point and a distance of twenty (20) feet along the street curb to a point and connecting these points.
(2) Vehicle area clearances. In areas outside of rights-of-way, when a sign or awning extends over an area in which vehicles travel or are parked, the bottom of the structure must be at least fourteen (14) feet above the ground. Vehicle areas include driveways, alleys, parking areas, and loading and maneuvering areas.
(3) Pedestrian area clearances. When a sign or awning extends more than twelve (12) inches over a sidewalk, walkway, or other space used by pedestrians, the bottom of the structure must be at least eight (8) feet above the ground.
(d) Maintenance Requirements. All signs shall be maintained in accordance with the following:
(1) The property owner shall maintain the sign in a condition appropriate to the intended use and in compliance with all Village standards; and has a continuing obligation to comply with all building code requirements.
(2) The Chief Building Official may order any sign to be painted or refurbished whenever needed to keep the sign in a neat and safe condition. All supporters, guys, braces and anchors for such signs shall be maintained in a safe condition.
(3) If the sign is deemed by the Chief Building Official to be in an unsafe condition, the owner of the business shall be immediately notified in writing, and shall, within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of such notification, respond to the village with a plan to correct the unsafe condition, remove the unsafe sign, or cause it to be removed. If after fourteen (14) days, the unsafe condition has not been corrected through repair or removal, the Chief Building Official may cause the repair or removal of such sign, at the expense of the property owner or lessee. If the total costs are not paid in full within thirty (30) days of the repairs or removal, the amount owed shall be certified as an assessment against the property of the sign owner, and lien upon that property, together with an additional fifty percent (50%) penalty for collection as prescribed for unpaid real estate taxes.
(4) In cases of emergency, the Chief Building Official may cause the immediate removal of a dangerous or defective sign without notice.
(5) Whenever any sign, either conforming or nonconforming to these regulations, is required to be removed for the purpose of repair, relettering or repainting, the same may be done without a permit or without any payment of fees provided that all of the following conditions are met:
A. There is no alteration or remodeling to the structure or the mounting of the sign itself;
B. There is no enlargement or increase in any of the dimensions of the sign or its structure;
C. The sign is accessory to a legally permitted, conditional or nonconforming use.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.10 SIGNS EXEMPT FROM THESE REGULATIONS.
The following signs shall be exempt from regulation under this Zoning Ordinance.
(a) Signs required by federal or state law or by the Village of Glenwillow.
(b) Works of art that do not include a commercial message.
(c) Religious and other holiday lights and decorations containing no commercial message, and displayed only during the appropriate time of the year.
(d) Flags of the United States, the state, foreign nations having diplomatic relations with the United States, and any other flag adopted or sanctioned by an elected legislative body of competent jurisdiction. These flags must be flown in accordance with protocol established by the Congress of the United States for the Stars and Stripes. Any flag not meeting these conditions shall be considered a sign and shall be subject to regulations as such.
(e) Building markers.
(f) Signs that do not exceed two (2) square feet and that are not visible from a public or private street; however, these signs must comply with any building and construction provisions enacted by the Village of Glenwillow.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.11 PROHIBITED SIGNS.
The following signs are prohibited in the Village:
(b) Animated, flashing, rotating signs and festoons as defined in Section 1157.13, inflatable signs, tethered balloons, banners, pennants, searchlights, streamers, exposed light bulbs, strings of lights not permanently mounted to a rigid background and any clearly similar features, except those specifically exempt from regulation in Section 1157.10, temporary banners permitted in Section 1157.08, or electronic message centers as permitted in Section 1157.07.
(c) Signs placed on or painted on a motor vehicle or trailer parked with the primary purpose of providing signage not otherwise allowed by the Code. Prohibited is any sign displayed on a parked trailer or truck or other vehicle where the primary purpose of the vehicle is to advertise a product, service business, or other activity. This regulation shall permit the use of business logos, identification or advertising on vehicles primarily and actively used for business purposes and/or personal transportation.
(d) Signs containing any words or symbols that would cause confusion because of their resemblance to highway traffic control or direction signals.
(e) Merchandise, equipment, products, vehicles or other items which are not available for purchase, but are intended to attract attention, or for identification or advertising purposes.
(f) Signs located on trees, utility poles, public benches or any other form of public property or within any public right-of-way unless explicitly permitted by the regulations.
(g) Other signs or attention getting devices that raise concerns substantially similar to those listed above.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.12 NON-CONFORMING SIGNS.
(b) Alteration. A nonconforming sign shall not be altered, modified or reconstructed except:
(1) When such alteration, modification or reconstruction would bring such sign into conformity with these regulations;
(2) When the existing use has new ownership which results in a change in the name or logo of the use or business on the property, and such change complies with subsection (4) below;
(3) When the space is reoccupied by a similar use and the new occupant requires no external building or site renovation, and such change complies with subsection (4) below;
(4) Any alteration, modification or reconstruction permitted in this section shall be limited to the replacement of a sign panel, replacing individual letters and logos within the same area or repainting a sign face, and does not permit changes to the structure, framing, erection or relocation of the sign unless such changes conform to subsection (1) above.
(c) Limitations for Non-Conforming Signs. A nonconforming sign shall be removed whenever the use to which such non-conforming sign refers has been abandoned for more than 180 consecutive days.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)
1157.13 DEFINITIONS.
(a) Abandoned Sign. A sign that no longer identifies or advertises an ongoing business, product, location, service, idea, or activity conducted on the premises on which the sign is located. Whether a sign has been abandoned or not shall be determined by the intent of the owner of the sign.
(b) Alteration. Any change in copy, color, size or shape, which changes the appearance of a sign, or a change in position, location, construction or supporting structure of a sign, except that a copy change on a sign is not an alteration.
(c) Animated Sign. A sign which has any visible moving part, flashing or osculating lights, visible mechanical movement of any description, or other apparent visible movement achieved by any means that move, change, flash, osculate or visibly alters in appearance in a manner that is not permitted by these regulations.
(d) Awning Sign. A sign displayed on or attached flat against the surface or surfaces of an awning. See also: Wall or Fascia Sign.
(e) Banner. A flexible substrate on which copy or graphics may be displayed.
(f) Banner Sign. A sign utilizing a banner as its display surface.
(g) Building Sign. A sign that is applied or affixed to a building.
(h) Changeable Sign. A sign with the capability of content change by means of manual or remote input, includes the following types:
(1) Manually Activated - Changeable sign whose message copy or content can be changed manually on a display surface.
(2) Electrically Activated - Changeable sign whose message copy or content can be changed by means of remote electrically energized on-off switching combinations of alphabetic or pictographic components arranged on a display surface. Illumination may be integral to the components, such as characterized by lamps or other light-emitting devices; or it may be from an external light source designed to reflect off the changeable component display. See also: Electronic Message Center.
(i) Display Time. The amount of time a message and/or graphic is displayed on an Electronic Message Sign.
(j) Dissolve. A mode of message transition on an Electronic Message Sign accomplished by varying the light intensity or pattern, in which the first message gradually appears to dissipate and lose legibility with the gradual appearance and legibility of the second message.
(k) Electronic Message Center or Sign (EMC). An electrically activated changeable sign whose variable message and/or graphic presentation capability can be electronically programmed by computer from a remote location. Also known as an EMC.
(l) Fade. A mode of message transition on an Electronic Message Sign accomplished by varying the light intensity, where the first message gradually reduces intensity to the point of not being legible and the subsequent message gradually increases intensity to the point of legibility.
(m) Foot Candle. An English unit of measurement of the amount of light falling upon a surface (illuminance). One foot candle is equal to one lumen per square foot. Can be measured by means of an illuminance meter.
(n) Freestanding Sign. Any sign which is permanently affixed in or upon the ground, supported by one or more structural members, with air space between the ground and the sign face.
(o) Illegal Sign. Any sign placed without proper approval or permits as required by this Code at the time of sign placement. Illegal sign shall also mean any sign placed contrary to the terms or time limits of any permit and any nonconforming sign which has not been brought into compliance with any applicable provisions of this Code.
(p) Illuminated Sign. Any sign for which an artificial source of light is used in order to make readable the sign's message, including internally and externally lighted signs and reflectorized, glowing or radiating signs.
(q) Nonconforming Sign. A sign that was legally installed by permit in conformance with all municipal sign regulations and ordinances in effect at the time of its installation, but which may no longer comply with subsequently enacted laws and ordinances having jurisdiction relative to the sign.
(r) Parapet. The extension of a building facade above the line of the structural roof.
(s) Portable Sign. Any cord-connected sign not permanently attached to the ground and can be removed without the use of tools.
(t) Projecting Sign. A sign which projects from and is supported by a wall or parapet of a building with the display surface of the sign in a plane perpendicular to or approximately perpendicular to the wall.
(u) Roof Sign. Any sign erected upon a roof, parapet, or roof-mounted equipment structure and extending above a roof, parapet, or roof-mounted equipment structure of a building or structure.
(v) Scroll. A mode of message transition on an Electronic Message Sign in which the message appears to move vertically across the display surface.
(w) Sign. Any device visible from a public place whose essential purpose and design is to convey either commercial or noncommercial messages by means of graphic presentation of alphabetic or pictorial symbols or representations.
(x) Sign Structure. Any structure designed for the support of a sign.
(y) Sign Copy. The letters, numerals, figures, symbols, logos and graphic elements comprising the content or message of a sign, exclusive of numerals identifying a street address only.
(z) Temporary Sign - A sign intended to display either commercial or noncommercial messages of a transitory or temporary nature. Portable signs or any sign not permanently embedded in the ground, or not permanently affixed to a building or sign structure that is permanently embedded in the ground, are considered temporary signs.
(aa) Transition. A visual effect used on an Electronic Message Sign to change from one message to another.
(bb) Travel. A mode of message transition on an Electronic Message Sign in which the message appears to move horizontally across the display surface.
(cc) Wall or Fascia Sign. A sign that is in any manner affixed to any exterior wall of a building or structure and that projects not more than twelve (12) inches from the building or structure wall. Also includes signs affixed to architectural projections that project from a building provided the copy area of such signs remains on a parallel plane to the face of the building facade or to the face or faces of the architectural projection to which it is affixed.
(dd) Window Sign. Any sign viewable through and/or affixed in any manner to a window or exterior glass door such that it is intended to be viewable from the exterior (beyond the sidewalk immediately adjacent to the window), including signs located inside a building but visible primarily from the outside of the building.
(Ord. 2016-07-24. Passed 8-3-16.)