The purpose for regulating signs is to minimize aesthetic distractions, avoid placement of signs representing traffic-control signs, ensure maintenance of signs and protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of the city. To balance the need for signage with the impact of the signage by establishing minimum standards related to the use, location and intensity of particular land uses.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)

   No permanent or non-temporary sign shall hereafter be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted or structurally altered without a building permit and without being in conformance with the provisions of this chapter, excepting those official signs such as parking, traffic, street and highway signs and those identified in § 154.344.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)

   The owner, lessee or manager of the property on which a sign is located is responsible for the appearance of the sign, including the reasonable area around the base of the sign. Upon notification by the city that a sign is rotted, unsafe or unsightly, the owner of the sign or owner of property thereunder shall remove or repair the sign.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)

   All permanent signs shall be constructed to meet Building Code standards for wind resistance and wind loads. Signs shall be secured so as not to be free swinging. Signs with any electrical devices shall conform to the Electrical Code. In addition, adequate measures shall be taken to ground metallic parts of roof signs which may be exposed to lightning.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)

   The following shall be allowed without a permit in all zoning districts:

   (A)   Temporary political signs, not exceeding 32 aggregate square feet in area, meaning any sign the display surface of which is primarily constructed of cloth, canvas, fabric, paper board or other light material intended or suitable for only a temporary period of display and advertising a candidacy for political office or a proposition to be voted upon;

   (B)   Finder signs and real estate signs, not exceeding eight square feet in area;

   (C)   Official signs, such as traffic-control, parking restrictions, information and notices;

   (D)   Bulletin boards for public, charitable or places of worship not exceeding eight square feet in area;

   (E)   Historic markers, memorial signs, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of metal and affixed flat against a structure; and

   (F)   Warning and name signs not exceeding two square feet located on the premises.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020; Ord. 6.3-2021, passed 6-23-2021)

   The following shall be prohibited in all zoning districts:

   (A)   Any sign located in the public right-of-way or easements, except those listed in divisions § 154.344(B) and § 154.347(H);

   (B)   Any sign which resembles the size, shape, form and color of official traffic-control signs, emergency vehicle lights or official markers;

   (C)   Any sign which obstructs any window, door, fire escape, stairway or opening intended to provide light, air or access to any building or structure;

   (D)   Any sign which casts a distracting or confusing ray of light onto a public roadway; and

   (E)   Any sign which causes a safety hazard by interfering with sight lines and traffic visibility.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)

   (A)   No flashing, moving or intermittently lighted sign shall be permitted in any residential district, except on school district property;

   (B)   There shall be no more than one unilluminated name plate measuring not more than one and one-half feet in area attached near the building entrance;

   (C)   Construction/project signs are permitted for the duration of the project; and

   (D)   Area identification signs shall be allowed with a building permit.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)

   Signs shall be permitted in nonresidential districts subject to the following:

   (A)   Wall signs placed against the exterior wall of a building shall not extend more than six inches outside of a building's wall surface, shall not exceed 500 square feet in area for any one premises and shall not exceed 20 feet in height above the mean centerline street grade;

   (B)   Projecting signs fastened to, suspended from or supported by structures shall not exceed 100 square feet in area for any one premises, shall not extend more than six feet into any required yard, shall not project into the public right-of-way, shall not exceed a height of 20 feet above the mean centerline street grade and shall not be less than ten feet above the sidewalk nor 15 feet above a driveway or an alley.

      (1)   Projecting signs in the C-1 central business district may be allowed to extend over the public right-of-way; provided that, no sign shall project into the right-of-way more than five feet as measured from the point of the sign, or its supports, at the distance farthest from the property line.

      (2)   No projecting sign shall be permitted to use the public right-of-way for support apparatuses. Supports shall be located entirely on private property;

   (C)   (1)   Freestanding ground type signs shall not exceed 20 feet in height above the mean centerline street grade, shall not encroach on any public right-of-way and shall not exceed 100 square feet on all sides for any one premises;

      (2)   Lots within 1,000 feet of the centerline of Highway 14 in C-2, and C-3 Districts may, as a conditional use, be permitted an additional 300 square feet of area and a maximum elevation above sea level of 1,350 feet to increase visibility to highway traffic.

   (D)   Roof signs shall not exceed ten feet in height above the roof, shall meet all the setback and height requirements for the district in which they are located, sum of all sides shall not exceed 300 total square feet on any one premises;

   (E)   No flashing, moving or intermittently lighted sign shall be permitted on any nonresidential lot abutting directly or across any street to a residential district;

   (F)   Freestanding, billboard type of signs shall only be allowed if they meet the following:

   (I)   Electronic message signs and/or animated/flashing signs shall be allowed as a conditional use in all commercial/industrial districts and on school property.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)

   The following shall determine the sign area:

   (A)   Support structures or bracing shall not be considered part of the sign area unless used as a part of the sign message.

   (B)   In the case of two identical message faces back to back, and sandwich board signs, the area of only one face shall be considered the sign area. If a sign has more than one display face, and is not identical and back-to-back, each face shall be considered a separate sign.

   (C)   The entire surface area of freestanding, projecting, roof and marquee signs shall be considered the sign area.

   (D)   When a message is applied to a background that provides no boarder or frame, the sign area shall be the smallest rectangle which can encompass all words, letters, figures, emblems and other elements of the sign message.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)

   No sign shall exceed the permitted maximum height allowed in the underlying district. The height of a sign shall be determined as follows:

   (A)   A freestanding sign shall be measured from the finished elevation at the base of the sign to the top of the sign face.

   (B)   Projecting signs and wall signs shall be measured from the finished elevation below the sign to the top of the sign face.

   (C)   Roof signs shall be measured from the top of the outside building wall to the top of the sign area.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)

   No sign, whether permanent or temporary, shall be placed on private property without the consent of the property owner.

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)

   (A)   The city is specifically exempt from the maximum signage area restrictions in parks and other similar public areas. All signs are subject to regulation under M.R. Ch. 8810 and M.S. Ch. 173, as may be amended from time to time, regarding advertising devices on property adjacent to highways; and M.S. § 211B.045, as may be amended from time to time, regarding noncommercial signs exemption.

   (B)   M.S. Ch. 21, as may be amended from time to time, states "In any municipality with an ordinance that regulates the size of noncommercial signs, notwithstanding the provisions of that ordinance, all noncommercial signs of any size may be posted from August 1 in a state general election year until ten days following the state general election."

(Ord. 879, passed 10-28-2020)