Flags or emblems of government or of a political, philanthropic, or educational organization displayed on private property; for the purpose of this Section, emblems shall mean signage of not more than nine (9) square feet in area.

Signs of a duly constituted governmental body, including traffic or similar regulatory services, legal notices, warnings at railroad crossings, and other institutional or regulatory signs having to do with health, hazards, parking, swimming, dumping and of a similar nature.

Scoreboards, municipal golf course tee signs, sports field fencing, and park signs.

Independent school district or private school athletic facilities, temporary banners and special event signs.

Merchandise and pictures or models of products or services incorporated on the inside of the building/lease space on the window.

Holiday decorations, clearly incidental and customary, and commonly associated with any national, local, or religious holiday, provided that such signs not be displayed more than thirty (30) days prior to holiday; and removed within ten (10) days after said holiday. Number, height, location, illumination, or animation, and may not refer to any business, product or service. (Last sentence needs clarification. [sic])

Permanent signs designating historic tours, permanent Town Square directional signage showing Town Square location, and permanent signs showing Country View Golf Course, Chamber of Commerce, municipal parks, and municipal office locations.

All City and State directional and traffic-control signs.

One temporary sign not exceeding twelve (12) square feet in area which advertises the sale, rental or lease of the premises on which such sign is located.

The changing of messages or copy of signs designed and intended to be changed on a regular basis provided the sign is not altered. Examples of these type signs are theater marquees, menus, fuel prices, directories, and the like.

Signs which display date, time and temperature exempted must not exceed six (6) square feet in addition to the allowed business signage.

Signs which display help wanted, and do not exceed six (6) square feet. However, the number of signs, square foot and location to meet the regulations set forth in this ordinance.

Signs of 2.5 square feet or less on private property which include warnings and notices such as "do not enter," "beware of dog" and "alarm system."

On-site directional signs necessary for the movement and circulation of traffic which are three (3) square feet or less in size.

Window signs.

Garage sale signs erected on private property.

Political signs regulated under State Law.

Temporary construction signs designating the architect, engineer or contractor and other facts relating to the structure under construction and permitted only as accessory to an approved building permit project. Maximum permitted size shall be 100 square feet, maximum permitted height shall be 10 feet. Signs may be erected and maintained for a period not to exceed 60 days prior to the commencement of construction and removed before issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.

Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection, when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other noncombustible materials.

The owner or occupant of any property upon which there is located a temporary portable sign in violation of this Subsection or the owner or lessee of any temporary portable sign which is in violation of the Subsection as herein defined shall be given notice by the Building Official or his designee, stating the nature of the violation and ordering that the violation be corrected or removed from said property within forty-eight (48) hours.

Notice shall be given by one of the following methods:

1f the owner, lessor, lessee or person in control of the temporary portable sign fails to remove such sign within forty-eight (48) hours of the notification, the owner, lessor or lessee shall be issued a citation.

The Building Official or any duly authorized agent may enter upon private property which is accessible to the public for the purposes specified in this subsection.

Illuminated signs are permitted in nonresidential districts, provided that they shall not be erected within one hundred (100) feet of any residential district unless properly and adequately shielded so that light from such sign is not directed toward such residential district.

In no case can a sign be placed closer than fifteen (15) feet from a residential property.

No high-intensity lights shall be permitted as part of a sign display visible from an adjacent street.

No sign shall be illuminated to intensity greater than two hundred (200) footcandles. The restrictions of luminance in this Subsection shall be determined from any other premise or from any public right-of-way other than an alley.

An illuminated sign greater than 10 feet in height may not be located within one hundred (100) feet of a single-family lot. Illuminated signs shall be shielded so that light from such sign is not directed towards residential district.

No sign shall be illuminated to such intensity or in such a manner as to cause a glare or brightness to a degree that it constitutes a hazard or nuisance.

Illuminated signs are subject to the National Electric Code, and permit and fee requirements.

No sign shall be illuminated to such intensity or in such a manner as to cause a glare or brightness to a degree that it constitutes a hazard or nuisance.

No sign shall be located as to obstruct the vision or sight distance of vehicle operators or pedestrians at any intersection or street crossing. In order to maintain visual clearance and sight distance for vehicle operators and pedestrians:

No sign shall be posted upon any tree, utility pole, fence post, or any style or type of fence. No detached sign shall be suspended over any building or structure.

No pole signs shall be placed in the City Right-of-Way or public or private easements, nor may any portion of any sign be erected upon or over public property or public right-of-way, except as otherwise specifically permitted.

It shall be unlawful to erect, relocate or maintain any sign in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision at any location whereby, by reason of position, size, movement, shape, color, flashing, manner or intensity of illumination such sign may interfere with vehicular or pedestrian traffic. Further it shall be unlawful to erect or maintain any sign in such a manner as to interfere with or obstruct the view of any authorized traffic sign, signal or device. No sign shall make use of the words "Stop," "Go," "Look," "Slow," "Danger," or any other similar words, phrase, animation, symbol or character, that otherwise interfere with vehicular or pedestrian traffic. It shall be unlawful to have persons holding, carrying or advertising any business, function or event while in public right-of-way or on private property that is seen as a distraction to pedestrians or vehicular traffic.

Signs obstructing doors, windows and fire escapes are prohibited. It shall be unlawful to erect, relocate or maintain a sign which prevents free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape.

No sign shall be illuminated to such intensity or in such a manner as to cause a glare or brightness to a degree that it constitutes a hazard or nuisance.

Directional signs shall be limited to four (4) square feet, with one (1) sign per street entrance allowed.

Identification of services is permitted on such a sign, such as "emergency services entrance." Such signs are limited to two (2) square feet or less in area for non-institutional uses, with no limit on the number of signs permitted for such uses [and] may be erected on-site to direct flow of traffic within a parking lot or parcel i.e. entrance, exit. For non-institutional uses, identification of services is not permitted on such sign.

No cloth, paper, banner, pennant and flag device, or other similar advertising matter shall be permitted to be attached, suspended from or allowed to hang loose from any sign, building, or structure, except as allowed by other provisions of this Section. Such advertising matter shall be a violation of this Section and shall be removed immediately upon notice by the Building Official.

No person shall place on, or suspend from any building, fence, pole, structure, sidewalk, parkway, driveway, or parking area, any goods, wares, merchandise, or other advertising object or structure for the purpose of advertising such items, except as otherwise permitted.

It shall be unlawful to attach any sign to a trailer, skid or similar mobile structure, where the primary use of such structure is to provide a base for such sign or constitute the sign itself. This provision does not restrict the identification signs on vehicles used for bona fide transportation activity.

Signs attached to or upon vehicles shall be prohibited where any such vehicle is allowed to remain parked in the same location or in the same vicinity for frequent or extended periods of time, where it is apparent to be one of using the vehicle and signs for the purposes of advertising an establishment, service or product. Vehicles operating under a City franchise shall be excluded from this provision.

Signs placed on or affixed to vehicles and/or trailers which are parked on public right-of-way, public property or private property, so as to be visible from a public right-of-way, where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct people to a business or activity on the nearby property, are prohibited.

Banner signs are to be used as supplemental signs only. Permanent signs are required prior to issuance of a banner permit, except that new occupants may place a banner sign for a maximum of 60 days while waiting on a permanent sign to be manufactured and installed.

Banner signs may only be displayed for a total of four, thirty (30) day periods per calendar year. There shall be a minimum of 30 days elapsed time period, between banner permit periods.

Banner signs shall have a certificate of flame spread resistance when placed over combustible materials.

Banner signs shall not impede doors, windows, exits or pedestrian traffic on public or private walkways.

Banners shall be maintained in good condition. Sagging, tattered, torn, dirty or faded banners are not permitted.

Banners shall only be supported by a building structure and not to trees, fence posts, fences or any other structure or device.

Maximum size banner shall be forty (40) square feet.

The total number of banner signs allowed is as follows:

Billboard off-premise signs are not allowed to be constructed within the City limits or Extraterritorial Jurisdiction.

All billboard signs require a sign permit whenever a copy change is made to any existing billboard sign.

A development on-site sign providing information about a future or current approved development on a site and the parties involved in the project.

Maximum size is 100 square feet per side.

Temporary off-site development sign promoting residential developments and housing are prohibited in public right-of-way except as otherwise allowed in this ordinance as a Kiosk sign.

Such on-site development signs may not exceed 100 square feet in sign area or more than 25 feet in height. Sign shall be placed 20 feet from adjacent property lines or right-of-way.

Development signs shall be removed upon completion of the sale of 90 percent of the homebuilder's lots or dwellings in the subdivision or the developer/builder shall post a $500.00 performance bond with the City insuring that their sign will be removed thirty (30) days after Building Inspection final inspection is conducted on the last dwelling unit.

CEVMS signs are permitted in the same locations as signs, other than temporary signs, are permitted by this Ordinance, including the same height, size and setback requirements applicable thereto.

Message displayed shall not be changed more than once every five seconds while in use.

CEVMS signs shall not scroll, flash, blink or contain animation while sign is in use.

One sign announcing a garage sale may be displayed on the premises where the sale is permitted and being conducted.

Signs must be removed within four hours of completion of the sale.

Signs may be a maximum of five square feet and a maximum of 40 inches in height.

Signs shall not be placed in such a way as to create a traffic hazard. Signs may not be placed any closer than three (3) feet behind the curb or edge of street pavement.

Signs may not be mounted on or placed in vehicles.

Inflatable signs must be set back a minimum of ten (10) feet from any property line.

Inflatable signs are allowed for three (3) ten (10) day periods per calendar year. Permit periods may not run consecutively.

Placement of inflatable signs in right-of-way is prohibited.

Signs and their anchors or attachments shall not be placed in such a way as to create a traffic hazard.

A minimum of thirty (30) days must elapse between expiration and issuance of a new permit.

The air- or gas-filled device must be anchored to a building, structure, device, object or the ground and used for advertising purposes on a temporary basis.

Kiosk signs will provide a uniform, coordinated method of providing homebuilders and developers a means of utilizing directional signs, while minimizing the negative impacts to the City of Lancaster and its residents. The following definitions apply:

All Kiosk signs and individual panels must have approval by the City of Lancaster. Fees for kiosk signs shall be set forth in the license agreement.

Kiosk signs shall not distract traffic or create a traffic hazard. The Engineering Division must approve the placement of all kiosk signs prior to installation.

Kiosk sign structures shall not exceed twelve (12) feet in height and four (4) feet in width.

Kiosk sign structures shall be ladder type with individual sign panels of uniform design. The color of all kiosk sign structures and panel background color will be approved by the city.

The City Council may, by a duly executed service contract, grant to a qualified person or company the right to design, erect and maintain directional kiosk signs within the city. All kiosk signs are to comply with the standards set forth in this section and City Code. The contractor shall provide, at no cost to the city, municipal directional kiosk sign panels, which will comprise up to twenty percent (20%) of all sign panels permitted, for uses of public purpose directional signage to municipal sites, as designated by the city.

Illegally placed or non-permitted signs placed in city right-of-way may be removed by the City upon discovery.

any business fronting any interstate shall have the option of one freestanding sign. If a monument sign is proposed to be constructed for the one allowed freestanding sign that sign would be allowed a maximum sign area of one (100) hundred square feet and a maximum sign structure height of fifteen (15) feet from grade level, and placed a minimum of five (5) feet from any adjacent property line.

any business where there are multiple tenants in individual lease spaces contained in one building structure under one roof, said business is allowed one freestanding sign. If a monument sign is proposed to be constructed for the one allowed freestanding sign that sign would be allowed a maximum sign area of seventy (75) [sic] square feet and a maximum sign structure height of ten (10) feet from grade level, and placed a minimum of ten (10) feet from any adjacent property line.

for a one tenant building occupancy, containing one business occupant, one freestanding sign may be installed. If a monument sign is proposed to be constructed for the one allowed freestanding sign that sign would be allowed a maximum sign area of fifty (50) square feet in sign area and a maximum sign structure height of ten (10) feet from grade level, and placed a minimum of ten (10) feet behind adjacent property lines.

Pole signs which are illuminated internally must be constructed of materials that are noncombustible or slow burning in the case of plastic inserts and faces.

Pole signs must be supported by noncombustible materials only. Wood or non-painted steel supports, except Corten pipe or similar steel, are specifically prohibited.

Pole signs shall not have any attached guys or braces.

Freestanding pole signs require a Texas engineer's seal and footing design and must meet wind and structural load resistance minimum standards according to adopted building code for this area.

Pole signs are expressly prohibited on any property not adjacent to and fronting interstate highways. Said signs shall not be placed in City rights-of-way or in private easements.

Maximum Height, thirty (30) feet from ground level for a pole sign to top of sign structure.

Maximum Areas, two hundred twenty-five (225) square feet.

Allowed Location of pole signs are limited to those properties fronting an Interstate highway. Pole signs are limited to on-site advertisement only unless approved by a Specific Use Permit.

Maximum Number allowed is one per 600 feet of property frontage or a fraction thereof along the freeway corridor.

Pole signs must be a total of sixty (60) feet away from any other sign.

Maximum sign face of a pole sign shall not exceed fifteen (15) feet in any direction from outer edge to outer edge.

Political signs are strictly prohibited from any and all public property and rights-of-way within the city, except as provided in subsection (2). Political signs may not be illuminated or have moving elements.

One projecting sign is allowed per building provided it does not extend over public property and meets the following restrictions:

Except for property described in the following paragraph, signs advertising the sale or rental of property shall be a maximum size of 32 square feet in area. One such sign is permitted on the site of the property being advertised for sale or rent and shall be removed by the agent or owner within three (3) days of the completion of the sale or rental of the premises.

Interstate frontage or five-acre sites. Temporary signs advertising the sale of property fronting on interstate highways or property consisting of five or more acres may be a maximum size of 200 square feet. One such sign shall be removed by the sale or rental of the property being advertised for sale and shall be removed by the agent or owner within three (3) days of the completion of the sale or rental of the premises. Signs allowed under this subsection shall be the owner's right rather than a sales agent. Authorization by the owner to an agent to erect a sign shall be in writing and be dated and signed by the owner[.]

Wall signs shall be no larger than 40 square feet or the product of two times the lineal footage of the building or store frontage for which such signs are intended, whichever is greater.

Signs shall not have a vertical height which exceeds one-third the height of the wall, with a maximum height of 10 feet, nor exceed 75 percent of the width of such building or store frontage.

Sign shall not extend above the wall to which it is attached, and placement is limited to the exterior wall of the tenant space served.

Wall signs shall be constructed of noncombustible materials.

Signs must be located totally on private property, not on city right-of-way.

No such sign shall be located within twenty-five (25) feet of a residential lot.

No such sign shall be located within one hundred (100) feet of a similar such sign.

No signs shall be placed within fifty (50) feet of street or alley intersections.

When a new freestanding building is constructed the tenant or occupant may be allowed to post temporary signage advertising the Grand Opening of the business for one (1) week after a certificate of occupancy is approved. The use of pennants, [or] temporary signage along right-of-way that does not interfere with traffic visibility and banners in excess of the number allowed would be allowed for a one-week period to promote the new business opening.

Signs located within the Historic Landmark District A as defined in Chapter 10, Article 10.800, Section 10.803 [sic] of the Lancaster Code of Ordinances, shall be subject to the following special regulations in addition to the review as required in this Article:

Any person, firm, corporation, or association erecting a sign on Town Square public or private canopy shall comply with the following regulations pertaining to sign style, size, materials, media and placement:

A sign erected without first obtaining a permit and complying with all regulations in effect at the time of it construction or use;

A sign that was legally erected but whose use has ceased because the business it identifies is no longer conducted on the premises for a period of at least thirty (30) days;

A nonconforming sign for which the amortization period has expired;

A sign that was legally erected but which later became nonconforming and then was damaged to the extent of 50 percent or more of its current replacement value;

A sign that is a danger to the public or is unsafe; or

A sign that pertains to a specific event that has not been removed within five days after the occurrence of the event.

The owner of a nonconforming sign, upon receipt of a notice of nonconformity, may register the sign with the City as an existing, nonconforming sign for continued use by the original business.

Registered, nonconforming signs may be maintained and repaired with like materials, provided that there is no extension, enlargement, change in location, or structural modification to any nonconforming aspects of the sign.

When a nonconforming sign is demolished or damaged to the extent that the cost of repairing the sign is more than 50 percent of the cost of erecting a new sign of the same type at the same location, such sign shall be eliminated or made to conform to the current sign regulations.

Signs that violate the sight triangle provision.

Signs using the words "stop," "slow," "caution," "danger" or any other word, phrase, symbol or character in such a manner as is reasonably likely to be confused with traffic, directional and regulatory signs.

Signs erected so that by their location, color, nature or message are likely to be confused with or obstruct the view of traffic signals or signs, or are likely to be confused with the warning lights of an emergency or public safety vehicle.

Strings of lights not permanently mounted to a rigid background, except those exempt under Section 12.01(d) Exempted Signs.

Signs affixed to trees or utility poles.

Any sign constructed, erected or placed in violation of the provisions of this or prior ordinances;

Any sign expressly prohibited by Section 12.02, Prohibited Signs;

Any sign that represents a clear and present danger to the health or safety of the public due to its structural condition.

The sign area for a sign with more than one face shall be computed by adding together the area of all sign faces visible from any one point. 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 when such sign faces are substantially similar, and when such sign faces are part of the same sign structure the sign area shall be computed by the measurement of one of the faces.

The height of a sign shall be computed as the mean distance from the base(s) of the sign at normal grade to the top of the highest attached component of the sign. Normal grade shall be construed to be the lower of (1) existing grade prior to construction or (2) the newly established grade after construction, exclusive of any filling, berming, mounding, or excavating solely for the purpose of locating the sign.

The spacing between a sign and a lot line or two signs. The distance is measured horizontally from a vertical plane at the outer extremity of each sign.

Pursuant to this Article, each lot is allocated the maximum number of signs allowed per District. Where indicated, additional signs beyond the identified allowance shall be determined by the lineal frontage of the lot.

It shall be unlawful for any person to paint on any wall or surface, or construct, erect, alter, enlarge or repair any sign within the city limits of the City of Lancaster without first obtaining a permit from the Building Official and paying the fee as listed elsewhere in the City Code. The Building Official shall have the authority to double the permit cost if a sign is painted, constructed, erected, altered or repaired without first obtaining permit approval prior to installing the sign.

Signs or signs with moving parts shall be approved by the Sign Control Board.

Signs shall meet all adopted building codes and fire codes.

All freestanding signs shall be designed by a structural engineer in the State of Texas and constructed to withstand the wind load per square foot and shall be constructed to receive a dead load as required in the adopted building code of the City of Lancaster.

No person, firm or corporation shall install, erect or maintain any sign, or contract for such service, until such person, firm or corporation has applied to the Building Inspection Department for a registration to install, erect and maintain signs, and until such registration has been approved and issued.

The fee for such registration shall be established by City Council.

No registration for the installation, erection and maintenance of signs shall be issued to any person, firm or corporation until such person, firm or corporation has filed with the Building Inspection Department a liability insurance certificate in an amount established by the Building Official. Such certificate shall meet the requirements of the City of Lancaster and the laws of the State of Texas, and shall provide for the indemnification of the City of Lancaster, for any and all damages or liability which may accrue against it by reason of faulty installation, erection, demolition, repair, removal or defects in, or collapse of, any sign for a period of one (1) year. Such liability insurance shall further provide for the indemnification of any persons, firm or corporation who shall, while upon public property or in any public place, incur damage for which principal named in the insurance policy is legally liable.

The registration of any sign contractor may be canceled by the City manager upon the recommendation of the Building Official, when such contractor persistently violates the requirements of this code. Conviction in Municipal Court, whether appealed or not, on three (3) violations over a period of two (2) calendar years shall constitute evidence of persistent violation. Any registration thus canceled shall not be renewed for such contractor or anyone operating his shop until such violations have been corrected. Upon correction of the violations, the contractor's registration may be renewed.