The square footage of a sign that is composed of letters, words or symbols within a frame shall be determined from the outside edge of the frame itself. The square footage of a sign composed of only letters, words, or symbols shall be determined from an imaginary rectangle drawn around the entire copy or grouping of such letters, words or symbols. Double faced signs shall be calculated as the area of one side only. Three dimensional or multifaced signs shall be calculated as the maximum area visible from any single direction at any point in time.

For business, public, and industrial uses, the maximum is one freestanding sign per zoned lot, or one freestanding sign per 100 feet of street frontage. Zoned lots with multiple uses or multiple users shall provide for common or shared use of the sign.

In addition to the above setback requirements, signs must be located such that at every street intersection and entrance way, there is a clear view between heights of three feet and ten feet of all traffic lanes. No sign is hereafter permitted to be erected or installed in any zoned area which creates confusion, impairs vision or otherwise distracts drivers of automobiles using the public streets.

No signs shall be allowed in the public right-of-way except public signs placed by a governmental entity, or informational signs posted by a public utility concerning poles, lines, pipes, or other facilities.

Nonconforming signs may continue in use until they are removed, destroyed, or dilapidated as defined by appropriate City ordinance, whereupon they may only be replaced with a sign meeting the sign standards herein.

All signs must be regularly maintained, and all support structures, including hardware, braces, guys, anchors, must be kept in proper repair and in a good working order. Poles must be maintained in a uniform and sound condition and according to the sign construction, must be repaired or replaced if out of plum, damaged, or there is observable damage to the support or hangers affixed to the poles. Evidence of disrepair includes but is not limited to tears, cracks, and holes, warps, fading, rusting, and peeling. An out of maintenance sign is a nuisance for purposes of this Ordinance and is also a nuisance for safety purposes under Ordinance 1424.2.

No sign may become obsolete, defined as an on-premises sign, or a sign displayed on any part of a premises, which identifies or advertises a business, person, product, accommodation, service or activity that has ceased to operate on the premises upon which the sign is located.

All copy on obsolete signs must be removed, covered or painted over within forty-five (45) [days] of notification from the Code Enforcement Official. If a sign is internally lit, a blank panel or cover must be utilized to obscure the copy. The failure to remove, cover or paint over obsolete copy after forty-five days notice is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200.00 dollars per day for each day the sign copy remains exposed. In addition, after notice and hearing in the Municipal Court for the City of Reno, the sign can be ordered removed, covered, or painted over, at the expense of the owner.