Itasca City Zoning Code
§ 13.01
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.
1. All signs shall be in compliance with this Ordinance.
2. Permits Required. No person, firm or corporation shall hereafter erect, construct, move, alter or maintain any sign, or other advertising device, upon any parkway, street or alley owned or installed by the Village, or upon any public or private property in the Village, without first having obtained a permit and an inspection certificate therefore from the Building Department as hereinafter provided.
The permits required by this ordinance shall be obtained from the Building Department, by written application by the person, firm or corporation erecting, constructing, or maintaining the sign, and such application shall be accompanied by the plans and specifications showing the size and character of such proposed signs and locations of same. Plans and specifications being in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance, said Building Department shall thereupon issue a permit for the erection of such sign upon the payment of applicable fees.
Fees to be charged for sign permits shall be established by the Village Board of Trustees and published in a “Schedule of Fees”.
The Building Department shall not be obligated to issue a permit for the erection or construction or maintenance of any sign in any location where said sign will or might constitute a dangerous obstruction of the view or a menace to the welfare of persons on any highway, sidewalk, path or street abutting thereon.
3. Bond Requirements. Every applicant for a permit to erect any ground, wall, projecting, electric and non-electric signs and all awnings, canopies, and marquees projecting over public right-of-way shall file with the Building Department a bond in the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) executed by the applicant, and with sureties approved by the Village Board, conditioned upon the faithful observance and performance of every condition and provision of said permit and conditioned further to indemnify, keep, and save harmless the Village against all liabilities, judgments, costs, damages, and expenses which may in any way come against the Village as a consequence of granting the permit, or which may accrue against, be charged to, or recovered from the Village by reason of the authority given in such permit. This bond shall be filed with the plans in the Building Department. The bond and the liability of the sureties thereto shall be kept in force throughout the life of the permit and, if at any time it shall not be in full force, then the authority and the privileges thereby granted shall be terminated by the Building Commissioner. A liability insurance policy issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in the State of Illinois conforming to the requirements of this section may be
permitted, in lieu of a bond, provided the limits of liability shall not be less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for property damage and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for public liability. A certificate of insurance under an existing liability policy which meets the above requirements will be sufficient, provided the policy will have the Village as an additional insured and a certificate from the insurance company with a ten (10) day cancellation clause notice to that effect, is filed with the Building Department.
4. Temporary Permits. Permits may be issued for temporary signs identified in this section upon payment of the fee established by the Village Board of Trustees and published in a “Schedule of Fees.” Signs in residential districts that are less than six (6) square feet and are in accordance with Section 13.03.1. do not require a temporary permit pursuant to this subsection.
5. Permit Duration. Permits required by this section are valid for a period of one (1) year.
6. Inspection. It shall be the duty of the Building Inspector to inspect or cause to inspect any sign or canopy. If any sign or canopy is found to be insecurely fastened, the inspector shall report this fact to the owner of the sign or to the owner or occupant of the premises on which it is fastened. If the sign or canopy is not made secure within ten (10) days after such notice, it shall be removed.
7. Unsafe or Unlawful Signs. If the Building Inspector shall find that any sign or other advertising structure regulated herein is unsafe, unsightly, 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 Ordinance, the Department shall give written notice to the permittee, or property owner thereof. If the permittee or property owner fails to remove or alter the structure so as to comply with the standards herein set forth within ten (10) days after such notice, such sign or other advertising structure may be removed or altered to comply when so directed by the Building Department at the expense of the permittee or owner of the property on which it is located. The Building Commissioner shall recommend to the Village Board that the permit covering said sign or other advertising structure which is an immediate peril to persons or property be revoked.
8. Non-Conforming Existing Signs. Every sign or other advertising lawfully in existence on the effective date of this Ordinance shall not be altered or moved unless it be made to comply with the provisions of this Ordinance.
9. Sign Locations. Every projecting sign erected or maintained over a public sidewalk shall be placed not less than ten (10) feet above the level of the sidewalk and at a distance not greater than eighteen (18) inches from the face of the wall to which it is attached, measured from the point of the sign nearest thereto. The projecting sign or portion thereof shall not extend more than eight (8) feet from the structure to which it is attached or be nearer the curb line than two (2) feet, whichever is lesser.
10. Ground Signs. May be erected parallel to or at any angle with the adjacent public street or streets so long as they do not project over the street, sidewalks or other public places adjoining the lot or parcel on which it is installed. These signs shall be subject to the specific area restrictions for the applicable zoning district.
11. Pole Signs (Pylon). Are not allowed unless specifically provided for in the applicable zoning district.
12. Additional Sign. No additional sign or advertisement of any nature shall be attached to or suspended from any sign or other advertising devices.
13. Sign Erection. No sign shall be erected or maintained on any parcel of land other than that upon which the business advertised is located.
14. Prohibited Signs. No flashing, moving, rotating, or animated signs, or revolving beacons shall be permitted.
15. No Obstruction Allowed. No sign or other structure shall be erected or maintained in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision, or as to distract the attention of the driver of any vehicle by reasons of the position, shape, or color thereof. No sign or structure shall be erected or maintained in such a manner as to be likely to interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with, any authorized traffic sign, signal or device.
16. No Portable Sign. Portable signs require approval by the Village Board.
17. Sign Illumination. Signs may have constant illumination provided that any sign located in direct line of vision of any traffic control signal shall not have illumination of red, green, or amber color.
18. Non-Allowed Signage. Signs consisting of neon or series lighting for window or building outlining borders is specifically prohibited unless recommended by the Plan Commission and approved by the Village Board.
19. Sign - Square Foot Area. Both faces of a double sided, or all faces of a multiple sided sign shall be counted for calculation of total sign area. Where reference is made to size allowed in square feet in this Ordinance, it shall apply to the square footage of all faces.
Ground signs, pole signs, and pylon signs may be double faced.
20. Address Numerals. All properties and buildings shall have address numerals that are legible from the street which shall be in addition to all other approved signage.
21. Temporary Sign. A temporary sign shall include any sign, banner, pennant, valance or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wall board or other light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed for a limited period of time. Temporary signs require a permit issued by the Building Department in accordance with Subsection 4 of this section. Issuance of a temporary permit shall mean that the permittee understands that representatives of the Building Department have the authority to enter his/her property to remove any temporary sign in violation of this section. Temporary signs must meet the applicable zoning district requirements with respect to size, height, location, and allowable time period. Temporary signs that require the approval of the Village Board prior to issuance of a permit are as follows:
a. Inflatable devices, as defined by Section 3.02.
b. Portable signs, including, but not limited to, “A” frame or sandwich board signs and wheeled changeable copy signs (whether or not permanently mounted on wheels).
c. Signs located on properties that are for sale or lease and are larger than the maximum sign area permitted within the applicable zoning district, pursuant with this section.
22. Placement of Signs on Lots. Only signs erected by the Village of Itasca or the State of Illinois shall be permitted within a public right-of-way. All other signs shall be placed no closer than five (5) feet from any lot line.
No signs having a height of more than thirty (30) inches above the crown of the adjacent streets shall be constructed or placed within the part of the yard or open area of a corner lot which is included within a triangular area of twenty-five (25) feet from the point of intersection of the two (2) street right-of-way lines forming such corner lot. No signs shall be located within a triangular area of fifteen (15) feet from the point of intersection of a public street right-of-way and driveway or private street.
23. No Off-Premises Sign. No off-premises signs are permitted in any zoning district.
24. Master Sign Plan. Multi-business buildings shall submit a Master Sign Plan prior to receiving any and all permits pertaining to a sign. The Master Sign Plan shall be in a format determined by the Zoning Administrator and, at a minimum, shall state what percentage of the gross surface area of all signs on each frontage and on the lot shall be allocated to each business. The Master Sign Plan shall be kept on file at the Community Development Department. No permit shall be issued for a sign unless a Master Sign Plan for the property, approved by the Zoning Administrator, is on file with the Community Development Department and the proposed sign conforms to the Master Sign Plan and this ordinance.
25. Dynamic Display signs, as defined in Section 3 of the Zoning Ordinance, are subject to the following, in addition to other applicable regulations and restrictions contained in this ordinance, regardless of the content of the messages on said signs:
a. Dynamic Display signs are permitted by right in B-1, B-2, B-3, ROC, O-R, and M Zoning Districts when lot lines do not directly adjoin an existing residential use or property.
b. Dynamic Display signs may be allowed by Special Use Permit in accordance with the provisions of Section 14 of the Zoning Ordinance on property featuring school, church, governmental, or other similar institutional uses in R-1 , R-2, and R-3 zoning districts and those lots in the B-1, B-2, B-3, ROC, O-R, and M Zoning Districts which are adjacent to existing residential use or property.
c. The dynamic display component of a sign shall comprise no more than 40% of the total allowable sign face area and may only be installed in monument style signs. Such panels may not be installed in other types of signs such as pole, pylon, wall, window signs, etc.
d. The dynamic display component of a sign must be accessory to the primary ground sign; the panel must be mounted or located below the primary business/location identification area.
e. All messages, images, and transitions must be static-without motion, illusion of motion, animation, flashing, video, or other special effects. No live or pre-recorded video is permitted.
f. All transitions between messages must be instantaneous.
g. Messages must be complete in and of themselves, without continuation of content or sequencing from one message to the next.
h. Messages cannot change more than once every 15 seconds.
i. Dynamic display signs adjacent to or located within residential district or uses must be dimmed between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
j. The dynamic display portion of the sign shall include a control panel to regulate the intensity of illumination. The module must include dimmer controls which can be adjusted to meet Village light emission standards and eliminate any light spillover at the lot line. Proof of such module controls must be presented at the time of permit application. The dynamic display portion of the sign shall have the same appearance in terms of brightness as non-dynamic display signs at all times of day and under all weather conditions. No dynamic display sign shall be of such intensity or brilliance as to impair the driver's operation of a motor vehicle or interfere with the effectiveness of an official traffic sign, control device, or signal. Dynamic display signs shall be dimmed after sunset and adjusted seasonally to account for dusk.
k. The dynamic display sign shall be designed and equipped so that if the display should fail, the display shall immediately discontinue, turn black, or shut off until the appropriate repair can be made.
l. Off premise advertising is prohibited by Section 13.01.13. of the Zoning Ordinance.
m. Failure to comply with the standards of the Village ordinances and conditions of approval will require that the owner immediately discontinue the use of the dynamic display portion of the sign.
(Ord. 963-97, passed 4-8-97; Am. Ord. 1314-06, passed 5-2-06; Am. Ord. 1343-06, passed 12-5-06; Am. Ord. 1355-06, passed 12-5-06; Am. Ord. 1469-08, passed 11-18-08; Am. Ord. 1481-09, passed 3-3-09; Am. Ord. 1527-10, passed 5-18-10; Am. Ord. 1818-16, passed 10-4-16; Am. Ord. 1894-18, passed 11-21-18; Am. Ord. 1945-20, passed 8-18-20)