The city planning commission finds that signs have an obvious impact on the character and quality of the city. Further, it finds that failure to regulate their size, location, and construction has in specific instances resulted in poor identification of individual businesses, deterioration of the business and residential areas of the city, intensification of the conflicts between different types of land use, reduction in the effectiveness of traffic control devices, and safety hazards to pedestrians and motorists.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.1, 8-19-81)

The purpose of this article is to regulate signs and outdoor advertising in a manner which will minimize their harmful effects while permitting latitude for creative and effective advertising and identification. To achieve this purpose, this article has the following objectives:

(1)

To prevent the placement of onsite signs in a manner that will conceal or obscure signs of adjacent businesses;

(2)

To keep the number of onsite signs at a level reasonably necessary to identify a business and its products;

(3)

To keep onsite signs within a reasonable scale with respect to the building to which they relate;

(4)

To prevent offsite signs from conflicting with business, residential, and public land uses;

(5)

To keep an area adjacent to streets clear of signs which might obstruct the view of motorists;

(6)

To reduce the visual distractions for motorists on the streets;

(7)

To control the use of signs and of their motion, colors, illumination, and their insistent and distracting demand for attention which can be injurious to the mental and physical well-being of the public and can be destructive to adjacent property values and to natural beauty;

(8)

Accordingly, it has become necessary to the public interest to regulate the sizes, location, character and other pertinent features of all signs in the city.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.2, 8-19-81)

Signs are prohibited which:

(1)

Contain statements, words, or pictures of an obscene, indecent, or immoral character such as will offend public morals or decency.

(2)

Contain or are an imitation of an official traffic sign or signal or contain the words stop, go slow, caution, danger, warning, or similar words. Traffic directional signs in a private parking area are exempted from this provision.

(3)

Are of a size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination which may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device or emergency vehicle.

(4)

Obstruct a motorist's view of any traffic signs, street sign, or traffic signal.

(5)

Contain or consist of banners, pennants, pinwheels, ribbons, streamers, strings of light bulbs other than holiday decorations, or similar devices.

(6)

Have a moving part except for the conveyance of noncommercial information.

(7)

Are freestanding exterior signs and are not anchored or secured to a building or the ground.

(8)

Are a part of a structure designed to be moved from one location to another with a change in message.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.3, 8-19-81)

(a)

Any sign erected, altered, or converted and subsequent to the passage of this article and in violation of any on the provisions thereof is hereby declared to be a nuisance per se.

(b)

Upon discovery of a violation of this article, the building inspector shall provide written notice to the person in possession of the property upon which the sign is erected as shown by the records of the city assessor. Such notice shall state the defects found upon inspection of the sign and order the sign to be brought into compliance with this article or removed.

(c)

The building inspector shall also post a copy of such notice upon the violative sign or upon the premises upon which the sign is erected.

(d)

If the violative sign has not been removed or brought into compliance with this article within seven days from the issuance of the order specified in subsection (b) above, the owner of the sign and the owner of the premises on which the sign is located shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(e)

Nothing is this section shall prevent the building inspector from ordering the summary removal of any sign presenting an immediate threat to the safety of the public.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.4, 8-19-81; Ord. No. 442-21, § 1, 4-17-96)

(a)

Signs in residential districts may be illuminated with not more than 200 watts of nonflashing white light. Such lights must be shielded so that they illuminate only the surface of the sign.

(b)

No sign shall have blinking, flashing, rotating, or fluttering illumination.

(c)

No sign shall be illuminated in a manner which changes light intensity, brightness or color.

(d)

No sign shall have colored lights which may be confused with or construed as traffic control devices or emergency vehicles.

(e)

No sign shall be illuminated in such manner that the direct or reflected light from the sign creates a traffic hazard for motor vehicle operators on public thoroughfares.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.5, 8-19-81)

(a)

Signs lawfully erected prior to the effective date of this article which do not meet the standards thereof may be maintained except as hereafter provided.

(b)

No nonconforming signs:

(1)

Shall be changed to another nonconforming sign;

(2)

Shall have any changes made in the message displayed unless the sign is specifically designed for periodic change of message;

(3)

Shall be structurally altered so as to prolong the life of the sign or so as to change the shape, size, type, or design of the sign unless such change renders the sign conforming;

(c)

If the owner of a sign or the premises on which a sign is located changes the location of a building, property line or sign or changes the use of a building so that any sign on the premises is rendered nonconforming, such sign must be removed or made to conform to the article.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.6, 8-19-81)

(a)

Onsite signs for any building or land use not conforming to the zoning provisions for the district in which it is located shall not exceed the following size limitations, whichever results in the larger sign area:

(1)

One-half square foot of sign area for each lineal foot of building frontage or one-fourth square foot of sign area for each lineal foot of lot frontage whichever is greater, not to exceed a maximum of 25 square feet in area; or

(2)

The maximum sign area permitted for the zoning district in which the sign is located.

(b)

Offsite signs shall comply with all the provisions of the district in which the nonconforming use is located.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.7, 8-19-81)

(a)

Offsite signs are permitted only in the M-1 and M-2 districts. The maximum area per sign face of an offsite sign shall not exceed 350 square feet.

(b)

Offsite signs shall not be located in any required yard area.

(c)

No offsite sign structure shall be closer than 300 feet to another offsite sign structure.

(d)

Offsite signs shall comply with the height limitations for the respective zoning districts in which the signs are located.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.8, 8-19-81)

Public signs are exempted from the provisions of this article.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.9, 8-19-81)

The following signs shall be permitted in any zoning district:

(1)

Unilluminated signs which identify a construction project and the architects, engineers, contractors, and other firms or individuals involved with such construction project. However, such signs shall not include product advertisements or endorsements. Such signs shall be confined to the construction site and must be removed within 14 days from the beginning of the intended use of the project. The total area of all such signs is limited to 16 square feet per firm.

(2)

Signs announcing the candidates seeking political office and other pertinent data are permitted provided the maximum area of all such signs on one lot does not exceed 32 square feet. Removal of such signs must be accomplished within seven days after the election for which they were made.

(3)

Unilluminated signs pertaining to the availability for sale, lease, or rent of a lot or building existing thereon, provided that the total area of all such signs on any one lot shall not exceed six square feet, for lots of less than one acre in size, 30 square feet for lots from one to five acres in size, and 100 square feet for lots exceeding five acres in size. Each such sign shall be removed immediately after the sale, lease, rent, or development of the property. In no event shall any type of sold sign be permitted.

(4)

Special event signs or banners approved by the city council in conjunction with an exhibition provided that all such signs and banners are removed immediately after the end of the exhibition.

(5)

One unilluminated rummage sale sign not exceeding three square feet in area provided any such sign is removed promptly after the end of the sale.

(6)

All such signs may be erected anywhere within the limits of the property.

(7)

No such sign displayed flatly against the surface of a building shall project above the roof line of the associated structure. No other such sign shall extend more than ten feet above the average grade at the base of the sign.

(8)

Unless otherwise provided any such sign may be illuminated in accordance with section 24-475.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.10, 8-19-81)

(a)

In any R-1 or R-2 district, only the following onsite signs may be displayed either flatly against the surface of the building involved or, at least ten feet from any street lot line.

(1)

Signs indicating the names and addresses of the occupants, not to exceed a total of two square feet.

(2)

One temporary announcement sign or permanent bulletin board for each church not to exceed 12 square feet in area and located a minimum of ten feet from any lot line.

(3)

For other nonresidential uses, one identification sign not to exceed four square feet in area.

(b)

No sign displayed flatly against the surface of a building shall project above the roof line of the associated structure. No other sign shall extend more than six feet above the average grade at the base of the sign.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.11, 8-19-81)

(a)

In any R-3 or R-4 district only the following onsite signs may be displayed either flatly against the surface of the building involved, or at least ten feet from any street lot line:

(1)

Any sign permitted in the R-1 or R-2 districts, as permitted therein.

(2)

One identification sign for each apartment project of three stories or less in height, not to exceed 12 square feet in area.

(3)

One identification sign for each apartment building of four or more stories in height, not to exceed 16 square feet in area.

(4)

One identification sign for each nonapartment use, not to exceed eight square feet in area.

(b)

The height restriction on signs in the R-3 and R-4 districts shall be the same as specified for the R-1 district.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.12, 8-19-81)

(a)

In any C-1 or C-2 district, only the following onsite identification signs may be displayed, provided no portion of such sign is located nearer than ten feet from any street lot line unless otherwise provided:

(1)

Signs facing the front lot line whose area does not exceed 1½ square feet for each lineal foot of building frontage or one-half square foot for each lineal foot of lot frontage, whichever is greater, to a maximum of 100 square feet.

(2)

Signs located on corner lots facing other than the front lot line whose area does not exceed three-fourths square foot for each lineal foot of building length along the respective lot line or one-fourth square foot for each lineal foot of lot length along the respective lot line, whichever is greater, to a maximum of 60 square feet.

(3)

Signs on the vertical faces of marquee provided that no such sign shall project above or below the marquee if the marquee is located over the required yard area or public right-of-way.

(4)

Signs attached to the principal building and signs for automobile service stations are exempt from the setback requirements of this section, except that no flat sign may overhang the public street right-of-way by more than 18 inches.

(b)

No sign shall be displayed on, attached to, or over a building to project above the roof line of the associated structure. No other sign shall extend more than 35 feet above the average grade at the base of the sign.

(c)

The total area of all signs permitted for any property use, including corner lots, shall not exceed 200 square feet.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.13, 8-19-81)

(a)

In any PB-1 district only the following onsite signs may be displayed either flatly against the surface of the associated building, provided that such sign not extend more than 18 inches into the public street right-of-way, or at least ten feet from any street lot line:

(1)

One identification sign for each office building use, not to exceed one-half square foot in area for each lineal foot of building frontage or one-fourth square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot frontage, whichever is greater. However, no sign shall exceed a maximum of 25 square feet in area.

(b)

The height restriction on signs in PB-1 districts shall be the same as specified for the R-1 district.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.14, 8-19-81)

(a)

In any M-1 or M-2 district, only the following onsite signs are permitted, provided no portion of such sign is located closer to the street lot line than the required front yard building setback:

(1)

One onsite sign per use facing each lot line that abuts a street subject to the following size limitations:

a.

The onsite sign facing the front lot line shall not exceed 1½ square feet in area for each lineal foot of building frontage, or one-half square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot frontage, whichever is greater, to a maximum of 300 square feet.

b.

The onsite signs facing other than the front lot line shall not exceed three-fourths square foot in area for each lineal foot of building length along the respective lot line or one-fourth square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot length along the respective lot line, whichever is greater, to a maximum of 200 square feet.

(b)

Maximum height for signs in the M-1 and M-2 districts shall be the building height limit allowed in those districts.

(c)

Offsite signs are permitted in accordance with section 24-478.

(Ord. No. 442, § 18.15, 8-19-81)