Compatible with the zoning regulations.

Designed, constructed, installed and maintained in such a manner that they do not endanger public safety or traffic safety.

Legible, readable and visible in the circumstances in which they are used.

Respectful of the reasonable rights of other advertisers whose messages are displayed.

Permits required. It shall be unlawful for any person to erect, construct, enlarge or structurally modify a sign or cause the same to be done in the City without first obtaining a sign permit for each such sign from the Building Inspector as required by this chapter. Permits shall not be required for a change of copy on any sign, nor for the repainting, cleaning, and other normal maintenance and repair of the sign and sign structure.

Application for a permit. Application for a permit shall be filed with the Building Inspector upon forms provided by the Building Inspector and shall contain the following information:

Permit fees. Application for permit shall be filed with the Building Inspector together with a permit fee for each sign in accordance with the schedule provided.

Signs requiring an annual special permit and inspection. Any sign which is permitted to extend beyond the lot line and into or over the highway, sidewalk or public right-of-way shall require a special annual permit therefor from the Building Inspector along with evidence of public liability insurance.

Permit issuance and denial. The Building Inspector shall issue a permit for the erection, structural alteration, enlargement, or relocation of a sign within the City when the permit application is properly made, all appropriate fees have been paid, and the sign complies with the appropriate laws and regulations of the City. If the sign permit is denied by the Building Inspector, he shall give written notice of the denial to the applicant, together with a brief statement of the reasons for the denial, along with the return of all permit fees and papers.

Sign permit appeal.

Indemnification for sign installation and maintenance. All persons engaged in the business of installing or maintaining signs which involves, in whole or in part, the erection, alteration, relocation, or maintenance of a sign or other sign work in, over, or immediately adjacent to a public right-of-way or on public property which is used or encroached upon by the sign contractor shall agree to hold harmless and indemnify the City, its officers, agents, and employees from any and all claims of negligence resulting from the erection, alteration, relocation, or maintenance of this sign or any other sign work insofar as this article has not specifically directed the placement of the sign.

Remedies. Violation or failure to comply with the provisions of this article shall be and is declared to be unlawful.

Notification of nonconformance. After enactment of this chapter, the Building Inspector shall survey the City to inventory all signs. Upon determination that a sign is nonconforming, the Building Inspector shall use reasonable efforts to so notify, either personally or in writing, the user and owner of the property on which the sign is located of the following:

Signs eligible for characterization as legal nonconforming signs. Any sign located within the City limits as of the date of adoption of this chapter, or located in an area annexed to the City hereafter, which does not conform to the provisions of this article is eligible for characterization as a legal nonconforming sign and is permitted, provided that it also meets the following requirements:

Loss of legal nonconforming status.

Legal nonconforming sign maintenance and repair. Nothing in this article shall relieve the owner or user of a legal nonconforming sign or the owner of the property in which the sign is located from the provisions of this article regarding safety, maintenance, and repair of the signs.

Maintenance and repair.

Abandoned signs. All signs or sign messages shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the premises upon which an on-premises sign is located when the business it advertises is no longer conducted or, for an off-premises sign, when lease payment and rental income are no longer provided. If the owner or lessee fails to remove the sign, the Building Inspector shall give the owner 60 days' written notice to remove said sign. Upon failure to comply with this notice, the City may cause removal to be executed, the expense of which will be assessed to the tax roll of the property on which the abandoned sign is located.

Deteriorated or dilapidated signs. The Building Inspector shall cause to be removed any deteriorated or dilapidated signs under the provisions of Wisconsin Statutes.

The Building Inspector is designated as the official responsible for administration and enforcement of this article.

The Building Inspector shall examine all applications for permits for the erection of signs, issue permits and denials, authorize the continued use of signs which conform to the requirements of this chapter, record and file all applications for permits with any accompanying plans and documents, and make such reports as the City may require.

Abandoned signs.

Flashing or moving signs. No sign shall be permitted which is animated by means of flashing, scintillating, blinking, or traveling lights of over 15 watts per lamp, and no animated sign may be located within 300 feet of any illuminated traffic control or warning light. Changeable message signs are not subject to this presentation. Signs with physically moving components visible from the public right-of-way are not permitted except for those which revolve around a vertical axis at speeds less than seven revolutions per minute.

Swinging signs.

Floodlighted signs. Reflection-illuminated signs whose light source is positioned so that 25% or more of its light intensity is visible from a public right-of-way by vehicular traffic or whose light source is visible from residential property are prohibited.

Roof signs.

Unclassified signs. The following signs are prohibited:

Off-premises signs located in the public right-of-way, excepting public directional safety or traffic control signs.

Construction signs. Two construction signs per construction site, not exceeding 100 square feet in area each, which shall be confined to the site of construction and shall be removed 30 days after completion of construction or prior to occupancy, whichever is sooner.

Directional and instructional nonelectric signs which provide instruction or direction and are located entirely on a property to which they pertain and do not exceed eight square feet each in area and do not in any way advertise a business. This includes, but is not limited to, such signs as those identifying rest rooms, telephones, parking areas, entrances, and exits.

On-premises nonilluminated emblems or insignia of any nation or political subdivision or profit or nonprofit organization.

Government signs. Government signs for control of traffic and other regulatory purposes, danger signs, railroad crossing signs, and signs of public utilities indicating danger, and aids to service or safety which are erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of his public duty.

Home occupation signs. Signs associated with a home occupation as defined in this chapter, provided that such signs are nonilluminated wall signs that do not exceed two square feet in area.

House numbers and nameplates. House numbers and nameplates not exceeding two square feet in area for each residential, commercial or industrial building.

Interior signs. Signs located within the interior of any building or structure which are not visible from the public right-of-way. This does not, however, exempt such signs from the structural, electrical, or material specifications of this article.

Memorial signs and plaques. Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection which are cut into the masonry surface or inlaid so as to be part of a building or when constructed of bronze or other noncombustible material not more than four square feet in area.

"No Trespassing" or "No Dumping" signs. "No Trespassing" and "No Dumping" signs not to exceed 1 1/2 square feet in area per sign.

Public notices. Official notices posted by public officers or employers in the performance of their duties.

Public signs. Signs required as specifically authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute or ordinance.

Political and campaign signs. Political and campaign signs on behalf of candidates for public office or measures on election ballots, provided that the sign is only displayed during the election campaign period as defined in § 12.04(1), Wis. Stats., does not exceed 16 square feet in area and is not located within a public right-of-way or vision clearance triangle.[1]

Real estate signs. One real estate sales sign on any lot or parcel, provided that such sign is located entirely within the property to which the sign applies and is not directly illuminated.

Temporary window signs. In business, commercial and industrial districts, the inside surface of any ground-floor window may be used for attachment of temporary signs. The total area of such signs, however, shall not exceed 50% of the total window area, and such signs shall not be placed on door windows or other windows needed to be clear for pedestrian safety.

On-premises symbols or insignia. Religious symbols, commemorative plaques of recognized historic agencies or identification emblems of religious orders or historic agencies.

On-premises temporary signs. Temporary signs not exceeding four square feet in area pertaining to drives or events of civic, philanthropic, educational, or religious organizations, provided that such signs are posted not more than 30 days before said event and removed within 15 days after the event.

Vehicular signs. A truck, bus, trailer or other vehicle, while operating in the normal course of business, which is not primarily the display of signs.

Neighborhood identification signs. In any zone, a sign, masonry wall, landscaping, or other similar material and feature may be combined to form a display for neighborhood or subdivision identification, provided that the legend of such sign or display shall consist only of the neighborhood or subdivision name.

Awnings. Awnings with signs consisting of one line of copy upon the border of the awnings.

All signs shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 164, Building Construction, of this Code and the National Electrical Code, as amended, and the additional construction standards hereinafter set forth.

All ground sign structures shall be self-supporting structures and permanently attached to sufficient foundations.

Electric service to ground signs shall be concealed wherever possible.

All signs, except those attached flat against the wall of a building, shall be constructed to withstand wind loads as follows, with correct engineering adjustments for the height of the sign above grade:

No sign shall be suspended by chains or other devices that will allow the sign to swing due to wind action. Signs shall be anchored to prevent any lateral movement that could cause wear on supporting members or connections.

Supports and braces shall be an integral part of the sign design. Ankle irons, chains, or wires used for supports or braces shall be hidden from public view to the extent technically feasible.

All electrical signs shall be marked with the manufacturer's name in a size which is easily visible from the ground. All electrical signs shall also include:

Safety. All signs shall be installed and maintained in a workmanlike manner using equipment which is adequate and safe for the task. This chapter recognizes that one of the greatest perils to public safety is improper performance of sign installers in the use of inadequate equipment. As such, the Building Inspector may deny a sign permit if the sign installer does not have or does not arrange for use of adequate equipment. The Building Inspector may also cite the sign installer for a violation of this article if he fails to use proper equipment in the maintenance of signs.

Electric signs. This chapter recognizes that electric signs are controlled under the special equipment provisions of the National Electric Code (Article 600) and Chapter 203, Electrical Standards, of this Code. It also recognizes that electric sign contractors have developed a specialized trade of high-voltage discharge electric sign installation and maintenance to properly install and service high-voltage electric signs. Electric sign contractors and their employees are authorized to perform the following specific tasks:

A ground sign, any part of which is closer than 15 feet to the right-of-way, shall have a minimum vertical distance of 10 feet between the bottom of the sign and the grade at the right-of-way line or shall not be more than two feet in height.

Any ground sign or projecting sign within 25 feet of an intersection or 15 feet of a driveway, measured from the point of intersection with a right-of-way, shall maintain a minimum of 10 feet between the bottom of the sign and the grade at the right-of-way line or shall be not more than two feet in height.

All other projecting and canopy signs shall maintain a minimum vertical distance between the bottom of the sign and the grade at the right-of-way line of eight feet.

Projecting signs may extend not further than eight feet from the building to which they are attached.

No sign may extend closer than five feet to the vertical plane of the street curb or, if no curb exists, not more than six feet beyond the vertical plane of the Official Map right-of-way line. No sign structure may be located in the right-of-way.

Off-premises signs facing the same direction may be spaced no closer than 100 feet.

The gross area of permanent window signs shall not exceed 15% of the gross window area of any given building fascia.

Any sign location that is accessible to vehicles shall have a minimum vertical clearance of 16 feet [see National Electrical Code Section 600.1(B)].

No sign facing a residential district shall be closer than 25 feet to that district line.

Surface display area. The total surface display area of business or industrial signs on the front facade of a building shall not exceed three square feet per linear foot of width of the building frontage. In the case of a building located on a corner lot, such display area on the side facing the secondary street may be increased by one square foot per linear foot of the length of the building which faces the secondary street. Said increased permitted display area shall be used only for the erection of a permitted sign on the length of the building which faces the secondary street. Where the premises abut a parking lot, the total display area may be increased by 0.5 square foot per linear foot of width or length of the building fronting on such parking lot. Such increased display area shall only be utilized for the erection of a permitted sign on that part of the building which abuts said parking lot. In no case shall the wall area usable for sign display be in excess of 200 square feet, and in no case shall more than one of the above-mentioned criteria be used to calculate allowable sign area on any one building facade.

Shopping centers or industrial parks. In a shopping center or industrial park, one freestanding identification sign may be permitted showing the name of said center or park and the represented businesses or industries. The area of said sign shall not exceed 100 square feet on one face and 200 square feet on all faces. Said sign shall not be permitted within 20 feet of the right-of-way line of the street.

Directional signs. Necessary directional ground signs, not exceeding four square feet in area, will be permitted. Permission to erect such signs must be obtained from the Police Department and from the Plan Commission.

Maximum number of signs. There shall not be more than two signs per side of any building consisting of not more than one projecting sign and one facade sign.

The maximum size of any projecting sign shall be 24 square feet.

Subdivision development signs. The Building Inspector may issue a special permit for a temporary sign in any zone in connection with the marketing of lots or structures in a subdivision, subject to the following restrictions:

Banners and other promotional devices.

Advertising vehicles. No persons shall park any vehicle or trailer on a public right-of-way property or on private property so as to be seen from a public right-of-way which has attached thereto or located thereon any sign or advertising device for the basic purpose of providing advertisement of products or directing people to a business activity located on the same or nearby property or any other premises. The Building Inspector may issue special permits for the parking of advertising vehicles for a period not to exceed five days per location.