[Ord. No. 19-2020, 6-8-2020; amended 9-25-2023 by Ord. No. 18-2023; 6-9-2025 by Ord. No. 8-2025]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
Naturally occurring accumulations of sand in ridges or mounds landward of the beach.
Outdoor or site lighting that is portable, temporary, decorative, and used in connection with holidays and traditions. This includes, but is not limited to, string lighting, icicle lighting, and lighted inflatables, none of which are intended for general illumination.
Illumination used specifically to protect people, property, and infrastructure from criminal threat.
An open, unobstructed area that is required to be provided by this zoning chapter between a structure and a lot line.
A luminaire design, optical intervention, or physical accessory (such as a louver) preventing light emission from traveling into a particular area, angle, or region.
Any object, device, display, structure, or part thereof, situated or visible from outdoors, which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event, or location by any means, including words, letters, figures, designs, logos, symbols, fixtures, colors, illumination, or projected images. The following are not regulated as signs under this zoning chapter:
Traffic control and other government messages located within a right-of-way.
Decorations that are incidentally and customarily associated with any national holiday or religious holiday or with any community festival or similar event.
Flags which do not contain a commercial message, logo, or colors.
Art works, including, but not limited to, wall murals which do not contain a commercial message, logo, or colors, and/or which contain pictorial representations referring to businesses, merchandise, or products.
Building colors and lighting which do not contain a commercial message, logo, or colors.
Interior site signs located on the interior of the grounds of the following land uses: a passive outdoor public recreational facility, an active outdoor public recreational facility, or an outdoor institutional facility, which are primarily oriented to persons within the grounds.
Interior building signs located on the interior of a building and not attached to a window, which are primarily oriented to persons within the building.
Window displays of merchandise, pictures, or models of products or services incorporated in a window display, which are not directly attached to an interior or exterior window surface.
The entire display surface area of a sign upon, against or through which copy is placed.
A freestanding sign, integral sign or flat mounted sign that is erected and maintained within the view of motorists who are driving on a highway. In the Village of Mount Pleasant, these signs are limited to parcels located within 1,000 feet of an interstate.
A sign or portion thereof that displays electronic text information in which each alphanumeric character, graphic, or symbol is defined by a small number of matrix elements using different combinations of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), fiber optics, light bulbs or other illumination devices within the display area. Electronic changeable-copy signs include computer-programmable, microprocessor-controlled electronic displays.
A sign or portion thereof that displays electronic, static images, static graphics or static pictures, with or without information, defined by a small number of matrix elements using different combinations of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), fiber optics, light bulbs or other illumination devices within the display area where the message change sequence is accomplished immediately or by means of fade, repixelization or dissolve modes. Electronic graphic display signs include computer-programmable, microprocessor-controlled electronic or digital displays. Electronic graphic display signs include projected images or messages with these characteristics projected onto buildings or other objects.
An electronic changeable-copy sign or an electronic graphic display sign.
A directly or indirectly illuminated sign or portion thereof that exhibits changing light or color effect by any means so as to provide intermittent illumination that changes light intensity in sudden transitory bursts and creates the illusion of intermittent flashing light by streaming, graphic bursts showing movement, or any mode of lighting which resembles zooming, twinkling, or sparkling.
A sign painted on a building, and any other sign, the back of which is attached to the facade of a building and where no part of the structure of the sign extends more than 12 inches out from the facade, as measured near the points of attachment to the building.
A sign which has its own base of support from the ground, extending more than three feet in height from the ground and not attached to a building. These include ground (or monument) signs, dual-post (or two-pole) signs, and pylon (or highway) signs.
A sign that is constructed, placed or maintained by the federal, state or local government or a sign that is required to be constructed, placed or maintained by the federal, state or local government, either directly or to enforce a property owner's rights.
A freestanding sign, not extending more than three feet in height from the ground.
Any sign which contains an element designed to emanate artificial light internally or externally.
A sign that is embedded, extruded or carved into the material of a building facade; a sign made of bronze, brushed stainless steel or aluminum, or similar material attached to the building facade.
A sign related to commercial or similar activities, other than the activities actually engaged in on the site on which such nonaccessory sign is located. Such signs are also known as "billboards" and "off-premises advertising signs."
A category of sign that is permanently affixed, attached, or otherwise a part of a building. These include: wall signs, awning signs, canopy signs, marquee signs, projecting signs, and cabinet signs.
A category of sign mounted just at or above sidewalk level, designed for pedestrian visibility rather than motorists. These include: blade signs and suspended signs.
A sign attached to a building, portions of which extend out beyond 12 inches from the point of attachment, typically having two or more viewable sides, but for purposes of this division, only one side need be counted as a side for measuring its allowable area and the sign count. Signs printed on or affixed to awnings and canopies shall also be considered projecting signs.
A sign, the lowest point of which is visually separate from and above the highest point of the roof.
A banner, pennant, poster or advertising display constructed of paper, cloth, canvas, plastic sheet, cardboard, wallboard, plywood or other like materials and that appears to be intended or is determined by the Code Official to be displayed for a limited period of time.
Any sign attached to or displayed on a vehicle.
A sign that changes its message or background in a manner or method of display characterized by motion or pictorial imagery, which may or may not include text, and depicts action or a special effect to imitate movement, the presentation of pictorials or graphics displayed in a progression of frames which give the illusion of motion, including, but not limited to, the illusion of moving objects, moving patterns or bands of light, or expanding or contracting shapes, not including electronic changeable-copy signs. Video display signs include projected images or messages with these characteristics projected onto buildings or other objects.
The number obtained when the smoke density, in Ringelmann number, is multiplied by the time of emission, in minutes.
A system intended to convert solar energy into thermal, mechanical or electrical energy.
A solar energy system that is an integral part of a principal or accessory building, rather than a separate mechanical device, replacing or substituting for an architectural or structural part of the building. Building-integrated systems include, but are not limited to, photovoltaic or hot water systems that are contained within roofing materials, windows, skylights, shading devices and similar architectural components.
A solar energy system that is mounted flush with a finished building surface, at no more than six inches in height above that surface.
A solar energy system mounted on the ground and not attached to any other structure other than structural supports.
A solar energy system that is mounted on the facade or roof of either a principal or accessory structure.
A group of photovoltaic cells assembled on a panel. Panels are assembled on-site into solar arrays.
The date the building permit was issued, provided that the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, placement, or other improvement was within 180 days of the permit date. The actual start means either the first placement of permanent construction on a site, such as the pouring of slab or footings, the installation of piles, the construction of columns, or any work beyond initial excavation, or the placement of a manufactured home on a foundation. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, such as clearing, grading and filling, nor does it include the installation of streets and/or walkways, nor does it include excavation for a basement, footings, piers or foundations or the erection of temporary forms, nor does it include the installation on the property of accessory buildings, such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main structure. For an alteration, the actual start of construction means the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor or other structural part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the building.
The portion of a building included between the surface of a floor and the surface of the floor next above it or, if there is no floor above it, then the space between the floor and the ceiling next above it. A basement or cellar having 1/2 or more of its height above grade shall be deemed a story for purposes of height regulations.
A public or private right-of-way usually affording primary access to abutting property.
A dividing line between a lot, tract or parcel of land and a contiguous street.
The area of a lot located between the street right-of-way and the principal building on the lot.
Any change in the supporting members of a building or any substantial change in the roof structure or the exterior walls.
Any human-made object with form, shape and utility, either permanently or temporarily attached to, placed upon or set into the ground, stream bed or lake bed, including, but not limited to, roofed and walled buildings, gas or liquid storage tanks, bridges, dams and culverts.
A structure that meets the criteria established in §
90-330.10(b).
A structure placed on or in the ground or attached to another structure in a fixed and determined position and intended to remain in place for a period of more than nine months.
Any structure, other than a permanent structure.
Damage of any origin sustained by a structure, whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its predamaged condition would equal or exceed 50% of the equalized assessed value of the structure before the damage occurred.
Any repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or improvement of a building or structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the equalized assessed value of the structure before the improvement or repair is started. If the structure has sustained substantial damage, any repairs are considered substantial improvement regardless of the work performed. The term does not, however, include either any project for the improvement of a building required to correct existing health, sanitary or safety code violations identified by the Building Official and that are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions; or any alteration of an historic structure, provided that the alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation as an historic structure.