Table 15 Function:

The following tables illustrate Sign design standards for specific Sign types allowed within Restricted(R), Limited(L) and Open(O) categories of specified Transect Zones. Calculated Aggregate Area maximum shall not be exceeded for any establishment or Sign type. Sign Area calculation shall be determined by the establishment length fronting a street multiplied by the Aggregate Area Ratio specific to each Transect. In review and approval of Signs, the City shall ensure compliance with all applicable sections of the Florida Building Code and ensure that the Signs comply with this Code including:

1. Size and area
2. Location standards
3. Sign placement
4. Illumination Sign regulations

BUILDING SIGN TYPES

Disclaimer: The following image serves to illustrate the types of building signs and not the placement, design or size of signs for any particular site.

The purpose of this section is to provide a comprehensive system of regulations for Signs visible from the public right-of-way and to provide a set of standards designed to optimize communication and design quality of Signs. Through these regulations, the City of Miami will uphold the United States Constitution and State of Florida Constitution, conserve and protect scenic beauty, regulate signage for the purpose of visual clutter, and preserve the aesthetic character of the City. In addition, special permits which may have been approved under previous Ordinance 11000 or under previous sections of this ordinance may also contain conditions that regulate Signs on certain properties. No Signs or advertising devices of any kind or nature shall be erected or maintained on any premises or affixed to the inside or outside of any Structure to be visible from the public right-of-way except as specifically provided for by these regulations.

The following types of Signs, and Changeable Copy Signs, are exempted from permit requirements because such Signs are needed in order to convey messages to protect lives, give direction, identify public access ways, and protect civil rights.

Such Signs shall comply with size and location requirements as set forth in these regulations for the specific Transect Zone in which they are to be located.

1. Address, Notice, Directional or Warning Signs. No Sign permit shall be required for Address, Notice, Directional or Warning Signs except as otherwise required in this section. Any Sign that exceeds the area below is subject to Building Identification criteria within Section 10.2, Table 15.
   1. Address Signs, not to exceed one (1) for each Dwelling Unit or other Use for each Lot Line adjacent to a street. Each address sign shall be limited to two (2) square feet in Area.
   2. Notice, Directional or Warning Signs, not to exceed one (1) for each Dwelling Unit or other Use for each Lot Line adjacent to a street. Each Notice, Directional and Warning Sign shall be limited to two (2) square feet in Area.
2. Cornerstones, memorials, or tablets. Due to their historic or civic significance to the community, no Sign permit is required for cornerstones, memorials, or tablets when part of any masonry surface or constructed of bronze or other incombustible and durable material. Signs shall be limited to identification and date of construction of Buildings, persons present at dedication or involved in Development or construction, or significant historical events relating to the premises or development.
3. U. S. Mail delivery receptacles. No Sign permit shall be required for delivery receptacles for U.S. mail which have been approved for use by postal authorities.
4. Flags. Limited to one (1) per property and shall not exceed twenty-five (25) square feet. National flags, state flags and flags of political subdivisions within the State of Florida shall not be subject to these regulations; however, in no case shall more than three (3) flags be flown per property. The flags permitted by this subsection shall not be used in mass to circumvent this subsection by using said flags primarily as an advertising device.
5. Celebratory Flags and Banners. A Sign permit shall not be required for celebratory flags and Banners located within Regional Activity Complexes related to community wide celebrations or commemorations. Such Signs shall not include any form of commercial advertising, shall not be located within any public right-of-way, and shall be removed within thirty (30) days of such event.
6. Vehicle Signs. No Sign permit shall be required for display of Signs on automobiles, trucks, buses, trailers, or other vehicles when used for purposes of transportation.
7. Changeable Copy Sign. No Sign permit shall be required for routine Change of Copy on a Changeable Copy Sign, the customary use of which involves frequent and periodic changes, provided such change of copy does not result in increase of total Sign Area beyond permissible limits and meets all other requirements of this Code and the City Code. Signs with the capability of content change by means of manual or remote input include the following types:
   1. Manually Activated - Changeable sign whose message copy or content can be changed manually on a Display Surface.
   2. Electronically Activated - Changeable sign whose message, copy or content can be remotely programmed electronically.

The following general requirements and limitations shall apply with regard to Signs, in addition to provisions appearing elsewhere in this Code. No Variance or Waiver from these provisions are permitted unless otherwise stated within Article 10:

1. Any Sign allowed herein may contain, in lieu of any other message or copy, any lawful non-commercial message, so long as said Sign complies with the size, Height, Area, location and other requirements of this Code and the City Code.
2. False and misleading Signs shall be unlawful to post.
3. Illuminated Sign Requirements:
   1. Illuminated Signs containing functions of Animated Signs are prohibited. Illuminated Signs within a T1, T3, T4, T5-R, T6-R or CS Transect Zone shall be reviewed by process of Warrant as per Table 15. Illuminated Signs in all other Transect Zones shall be allowed by Right subject to the regulations specified within Table 15.
   2. Signs may be Internally Illuminated or Indirectly Illuminated from any external source. Illuminated Sign fixtures or luminaries shall not shine directly on adjacent properties, motorists or pedestrians. Illumination will provide visibility to the Sign and eliminate glare and intensity which might pose safety hazards to drivers and pedestrians.
   3. Signs that are Internally Illuminated may not exceed a maximum brightness level of 0.3 foot candles above ambient light as measured at a preset distance depending on Sign size. Measuring distance shall be calculated by taking the square root of the product of the Sign Area multiplied by one-hundred (Example using a 12 square foot Illuminated Sign: √[12x100] = 34.6 feet measuring distance). All applicants shall provide a written certification from the Sign manufacturer that the light intensity has been factory preset not to exceed the levels specified.
   4. No Illuminated Sign shall be permitted within one hundred (100) feet from any portion of a T1, T3, T4-R, T5-R or T6-R property, as measured along the street Frontage on the same side of the street, or as measured in a straight line to a property across the street, unless Signs are specifically authorized by Warrant as per Table 15.
4. Structural members of all Signs, including supports, electrical conduit and receptacle boxes, or any other operational devices shall be covered, painted, or designed in such a manner as to be visually unnoticeable.
5. Devices used to attract attention such as blinking or flashing lights, streamer lights, pennants, banners, balloons, streamers, and all fluttering and spinning devices shall be prohibited.
6. Portable Signs shall be prohibited, including those that are tied down with metal straps, chaining, or otherwise temporarily anchored to an existing Structure or other similar method of anchoring.
7. Roof Signs shall be prohibited in all Transects. No Sign shall extend above the roof line or parapet wall.
8. Any Sign issued a Certificate of Appropriateness that meets the criteria of Section 23-6.4 of the City Code may be exempted from these Sign limitations through a Warrant process..
9. All Class A and Class C Signs shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 62 of the City Code.
10. All Signs shall comply with the vision clearance standards within this Code.
11. Master Sign packages or vertical shopping center Signs approved under zoning ordinance 11000 or Special Area Plan Sign packages adopted under the provisions of Article 3, Section 3.9.1 of this Code shall be governed by approved conditions and may be modified through the provisions of Section 10.3.7 of this Article.

1. All nonconforming Signs shall be subject to the provisions within Article 7, Section 7.2
2. Repair or Maintenance of Signs; Decrepit or dilapidated Signs.
   1. All Signs shall be properly maintained in a safe and legible condition at all times. Signs that are not properly maintained (whether or not determined to be unsafe as provided by the Florida Building Code) shall be removed, repaired, or replaced. No Zoning permit shall be required for such maintenance, however a permit may be required by other departments or agencies.
   2. No Zoning Sign permit shall be required for routine maintenance on a Sign, providing such maintenance does not result in alteration of the Sign as originally permitted. Any Sign allowed herein may contain, in-lieu of any other message or copy, any lawful non-Commercial message, so long as said Sign complies with the size, height, location and other requirements of this Code.
3. Removal, repair or replacement of any Sign with regard to any official order as indicated below.
   1. Signs otherwise lawfully permitted, except for the condition or circumstance leading to an order issued by any official City or County Board with applicable jurisdiction in accordance with the applicable provisions of the City Code, the Florida Building Code or this Code, shall require repair or replacement within a stated time, not to exceed ninety (90) days from the date of the order, or removal prior to the expiration of such period. No Zoning permit shall be required for such repair or replacment, however a permit may be required by other departments or agencies.
   2. In the event that an official order is issued for a having a Sign for a discontinued use for a period of thirty (30) days or longer, all signs identifying the use are to be removed from the site or in the case of a painted Sign, painted out. Sign removal shall be the responsibility of the owner of the property.
   3. The building official or Code compliance officer may issue a written notice to the responsible party of any Sign found to be unsafe. The written notice shall specify either the repair or removal of the Sign within the time specified in the notice by the responsible party. The building official or code compliance officer shall serve this notice on the responsible party in accordance with the Florida Building Code and City Code and the responsible party may seek review of such decisions as provided in the Florida Building Code and City Code.
4. Change or Replacement of a Sign not due to any official order for removal.
   1. Replacement of any Sign that is not a Changeable Copy Sign shall conform to Section 10.2 Table 15 of this Code.
   2. Class B Signs previously associated with the premises on which erected, but no longer there or otherwise bearing other obsolete matter, shall be removed within thirty (30) days from the time such activity ceases.
   3. A twenty percent (20%) increase in Sign Area may be allowed, by Waiver, for all Freestanding Signs replaced with a Monument Sign. Such Monument Sign shall conform with Table 15 and shall not be cumulative with any other increase in Sign Area.

For the purposes of this Article, Class A Signs shall be removed from the event or location to which they are related in a timeframe described below, unless otherwise specified.

1. Class A (construction, development and special events signs). All construction, development and special events signs shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 62 of the City Code.
2. Class A (real estate Signs). No Sign permit shall be required for real estate Signs displayed on private property. Such real estate Signs shall be removed within thirty (30) days of the sale or rental of the property. All such real estate Signs shall be subject to the following regulations:
   1. In T5-L,O, T6-L,O, CI, CI-HD, D1, D2 and D3 Transect Zones, Signs shall not exceed fifteen (15) square feet in Sign surface Area; or
   2. In T3, T4-R, T5-R or T6-R Transect Zones, Signs shall not exceed one (1) for each Dwelling Unit and not exceed four (4) square feet in Sign surface Area.
3. Class A (political election Signs). No Sign permit shall be required for political election Signs displayed on private property. Such political election Signs shall be permitted no earlier than three (3) months prior to the date of the election and removed within fifteen (15) days after the election. All such political election Signs shall be subject to the following regulations:
   1. In T5-L,O, T6-L,O, CI, CI-HD, D1, D2 and D3 Transect Zones, Signs shall not exceed fifteen (15) square feet in aggregate of Sign surface Area; or
   2. In T3, T4, T5-R and T6-R Transect Zones, Signs shall not exceed four (4) square feet in aggregate of Sign surface Area.

For the purposes of this Article, Class B Signs for Entertainment Establishments may install no more than two (2) outdoor display encasements for event posters per fifty (50) feet of linear Frontage subject to the following guidelines:

1. Shall be located within thirty (30) feet of Entertainment Establishments main entrance.
2. Shall be permanently wall-mounted, maintained in good condition and contain current events.
3. Shall not exceed forty-six (46) inches in height by thirty-two (32) inches in width by for (4) inches in depth.
4. Framing materials (other than fasteners) for event posters shall be made of wood, brass or aluminum, and shall blend in and be consistent with the color of the building façade.
5. Illuminated Sign encasements shall be subject to requirements of Section 10.1.4 (c) of this Article.
6. Information displayed on posters shall be limited to the specific Entertainment Establishments events and event show times.

All Class C Signs shall comply with the requirements of the City Code, Article IX of Chapter 2 for Outdoor Advertising on City Buildings and Article XIII of Chapter 62 for Murals and Billboards.

All Home Office Signs shall be limited to one (1) sign and not to exceed one (1) square foot in Area located on the front facade.

Except as otherwise provided in a specific Transect Zone, all Signs higher than fifty (50) feet above Average Sidewalk Elevation shall be permitted by Warrant and shall be reviewed based on the following guidelines:

1. Signs shall be limited to the Building Identification or the name of one (1) major Commercial, Office or Lodging tenant of the Building occupying more than five percent (5%) of the gross leasable Building Floor Area. Not more than two (2) Signs per Building on two (2) separate Building Facades shall be permitted.
2. Signs shall consist only of individual letters or a graphic logotype. No graphic embellishments such as borders or backgrounds shall be permitted.
3. The maximum Sign Area shall be as indicated in the table below.

   	AREA
   any portion of a Sign over fifty (50) feet or greater, but less than two hundred (200) feet above grade	140 s. f.
   any portion of a Sign at two hundred (200) feet or greater, but less than three hundred (300) feet above grade	210 s. f.
   any portion of a Sign at three hundred (300) feet or greater, but less than four hundred (400) feet above grade	280 s. f.
   any portion of a Sign over four hundred (400) feet above grade	350 s. f.

4. When text and a graphic logotype are combined in an integrated fashion to form a seal or emblem representative of an institution or corporation, and when this emblem is to serve as the principal means of Building identification, the following regulations shall apply:

   	AREA
   any portion of a Sign over fifty (50) feet or greater, but less than two hundred (200) feet above grade	200 s. f.
   any portion of a Sign at two hundred (200) feet or greater, but less than three hundred (300) feet above grade	300 s. f.
   any portion of a Sign at three hundred (300) feet or greater, but less than four hundred (400) feet above grade	400 s. f.
   any portion of a Sign over four hundred (400) feet above grade	500 s. f.

5. The maximum length of the Sign shall not exceed eighty percent (80%) of the width of the Building wall upon which it is placed, as measured at the height of the Sign. The Sign shall consist of not more than one (1) horizontal line or one (1) vertical line of letters or symbols, unless it is determined by the Planning Director that two (2) lines of lettering would be more compatible with the Building design. The total length of the two (2) lines of lettering, end-to-end, if permitted, shall not exceed eighty percent (80%) of the width of the Building wall.
6. No Waiver from maximum logotype, length of Sign or Number Of Signs shall be granted.
7. The following design guidelines shall be applied to all Signs higher than fifty (50) feet above Average Sidewalk Elevation:
   1. Signs should respect the Architectural Features of the Facade and be sized and placed subordinate to those features. Overlapping of functional windows, extensions beyond parapet edges obscuring architectural ornamentation or disruption of dominant Facade lines shall not be allowed.
   2. The Sign’s color and value (shades of light and dark) should be harmonious with Building materials. Strong contrasts in color or value between the Sign and Building that draw undue visual attention to the Sign at the expense of the overall architectural composition shall be prohibited.
   3. In the case of an Illuminated Sign, a reverse channel letter that silhouettes the Sign against an Illuminated Building face is desirable. Illumination of a Sign should be accompanied by accent lighting of the Building’s distinctive Architectural Features and especially the Facade area surrounding the Sign. Illuminated Signs on unlit Buildings shall not be allowed.
   4. Feature lighting of the Building, including exposed light elements that enhance Building lines, light sculpture or kinetic displays that meet the criteria of the Miami Dade County art-in-public places ordinance, shall not be construed as Signage subject to these regulations.

The purpose of a Special Sign Package is to allow greater flexibility in Sign regulations to result in a higher or specialized quality design for (i) buildings exceeding 200,000 square feet of commercial or office gross leasable Building Floor Area, (ii) mixed use developments over four (4) stories (excluding residential uses), (iii) entertainment establishments and Civil Support Uses exceeding 200,000 square feet of Building Floor Area, (iv) and buildings that solely serve the needs of neighborhood children and are affiliated with an abutting approved Rescue Mission. It is important that Sign designs preserve the characteristics of the surrounding community and create a Sign package that will contribute to the character of the area. Specific Sign standards may be exceeded for various Sign types with the exception that the total Aggregate Area is not exceeded. Comprehensive signage proposals for Special Sign Package may only be permitted by Warrant. Aggregate Areas that exceed Table 15 Sign Design Standards may be permitted only by Exception.

Comprehensive signage proposals for Regional Activity Complexes may only be permitted by Exception. Proposed Aggregate Area shall not exceed three (3) square feet for each linear foot of wall fronting on a street. In determining whether an Exception should be granted, the PZAB shall consider the following guidelines as well as Article 4, Table 12:

1. Certain deviations from the Sign standards and areas otherwise applicable may be considered within comprehensive signage proposals for Regional Activity Complexes. Specific Sign criteria may be waived to achieve specific objectives commensurate with the facility’s regional purpose, size, bulk and scale.
2. Signs should respect the Architectural Features of the Structure and be sized and placed subordinate to those features. Overlapping of functional windows, extensions beyond parapet edges obscuring architectural ornamentation or disruption of dominant Facade lines are examples of Sign design problems considered unacceptable.
3. The Sign’s color and value (shades of light and dark) should be harmonious with Building materials. Strong contrasts in color or value between the Sign and Building that draw undue visual attention to the Sign at the expense of the overall architectural composition shall be avoided.
4. In the case a Sign is Illuminated, a reverse channel letter that silhouettes the Sign against a lighted Building face is desirable. Illumination of a Sign should be accompanied by accent lighting of the Building’s distinctive Architectural Features and especially the Facade area surrounding the Sign. Illuminated Signs on unlit Buildings are unacceptable. The objective is a visual lighting emphasis on the Building with the lighted Sign as subordinate. Automatic electric changing Signs acceptable under the Miami-Dade County Code Section 33-96.1 may be reviewed for compliance under this Section.
5. Feature lighting of the Building, including exposed light elements that enhance Building lines, light sculpture or kinetic displays that meet the criteria of the Miami Dade County art-in-public places under Miami-Dade County Code Section 2-11.15, shall not be construed as Signage subject to these regulations.

1. Promote the effectiveness of Signs by preventing their improper placement, deterioration and excessive size and number.
2. Regulate and control Signs and Sign Structures in order to prevent property damage and personal injury resulting from improper construction or poor maintenance.
3. Promote the free and safe flow of traffic and protect pedestrians and motorists from injury and property damage attributable to cluttered, distracting, or illegal signage.
4. Control and reduce visual clutter and visual blight.
5. Prevent any deleterious effects arising from the unrestricted use of Signs by providing a reasonable, flexible, efficient, comprehensive and enforceable set of regulations that will foster a high quality, aesthetic, visual environment for the City, enhancing it as a place to live, visit and do business.
6. Assure that public benefits derived from expenditures of public funds for the improvement and beautification of streets and other public Structures and Open Spaces shall be protected by exercising reasonable control over the character and design of Sign Structures.
7. Address the business community’s need for adequate business identification and advertising communication by improving the readability, and therefore, the effectiveness of Signs by preventing their improper placement, over-concentration, excessive Height, area, and bulk.
8. Coordinate the placement and physical dimensions of Signs within the different Transects.
9. Protect property values, the local economy, and the quality of life by preserving and enhancing the appearance of the Streetscapes that affect the image of the City.
10. Acknowledge the differing design concerns and needs for Signs in certain specialized areas such as tourist areas.
11. Require that Signs be properly maintained for safety and visual appearance.
12. Protect non-Commercial speech such that any Sign allowed herein may contain any lawful non-Commercial message, so long as said Sign complies with the size, Height, Area location and other requirements of these regulations.
13. Provide no more restrictions on speech than necessary to implement the purpose and intent of this section.

These regulations are specifically intended to be severable such that if any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of these regulations is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, the decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of these regulations.

Except for classes of Signs exempted from permit requirements as specified in Section 10.1.3, all Signs shall require permits. Applications for such permits shall be made separately or in combination with applications for other permits as appropriate to the circumstances of the case and shall provide at a minimum the information as specified in Section 7.1.2.9.