The purpose of this chapter is to promote and protect the public health, welfare and safety by regulation existing and proposed outdoor advertising, outdoor advertising signs and outdoor signs of all types. It is intended to protect property values, create a more attractive economic and business climate, enhance and protect the physical appearance of the community and preserve the scenic and natural beauty of designated areas. It is further intended to reduce sign or advertising distractions and obstructions that may contribute to traffic accidents, reduce hazards that may be caused by signs overhanging or projecting over public right of way, provide more open space, curb the deterioration of the natural environment and enhance community development. (Ord. 402, 5-5-1987; amd. Ord. 2021-619, 9-14-2021)

For the purpose of this chapter "sign" does not include signs erected and maintained pursuant to and in discharge of any governmental function, or required by any law, ordinance, or governmental regulation. (Ord. 402, 5-5-1987; amd. Ord. 2021-619, 9-14-2021)

The regulations contained in this section shall apply to all signs and all use districts.

   A.   Any illuminated sign or lighting device shall emit a light of constant intensity, and no sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating, or moving light or lights. In no event shall an illuminated sign or lighting device be placed or directed to permit the beams and illumination therefrom to be directed or beamed upon a public thoroughfare, highway, sidewalk or adjacent premises to cause glare or reflection that may constitute a traffic hazard or nuisance;

   B.   No sign shall employ any parts or elements which revolve, rotate, whirl, spin or otherwise make use of motion to attract attention. Subsection A of this section and this subsection shall not apply to any sign performing a public service function indicating time, temperature, stock market quotations or similar services;

   C.   All writing, fittings and materials used in the construction, connection and operation of electrically illuminated signs shall be in accordance with the provisions of the local electrical code in effect, if any;

   D.   No projecting sign shall be erected or maintained from the front or face of a building a distance of more than two feet (2') or four feet (4') in the Downtown Business District, including those projecting from the face of any theater, hotel or motel marquee. In general, projecting signs are not encouraged except in the Downtown Business District;

   E.   No sign shall be placed on the roof of any building, except those signs whose supporting structure is screened so the sign appears to be a continuation of the face of the building;

   F.   No portable or temporary sign shall be placed on the front or face of a building or on any premises, except as herein provided;

   G.   No sign or part thereof shall contain or consist of banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners or other similar moving devices. Such devices, as well as strings of lights, shall not be used for the purpose of advertising or attracting attention when not part of a sign;

   H.   No sign erected or maintained in the window of a building, visible from any public or private street or highway, shall occupy more than twenty percent (20%) of the window surface;

   I.   No sign of any classification shall be installed, erected or attached in any form, shape or manner to a fire escape or any door or window giving access to any fire escape;

   J.   All signs hung and erected shall be plainly marked with the name of a person, firm or corporation responsible for maintaining the sign;

   K.   Should any sign be or become unsafe or be in danger of falling, the owner thereof or the person maintaining the same shall, upon receipt of written notice from the Administrator, proceed at once to put such sign in a safe and secure condition or remove the sign;

   L.   No sign shall be placed in any public right of way except publicly owned signs, i.e., traffic-control signs and directional signs. Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property but bearing no advertising matter shall be permitted on any property; and

   M.   Signs along interstate and primary highways shall conform to the Idaho State Transportation Department regulations. (Ord. 402, 5-5-1987; amd. Ord. 2021-619, 9-14-2021)

The surface area of a sign shall be computed as including the entire area within a regular, geometric form or combinations of regular, geometric forms comprising all of the display area of the sign and including all of the elements of the matter displayed. Frames and structural members not being advertising matter shall not be included in computation of surface area. (Ord. 476, 5-18-1999; amd. Ord. 2021-619, 9-14-2021)

The following signs may be permitted upon the issuance of a zoning certificate by the Administrator:

   A.   Signs advertising the sale, lease or rental of the premises upon which the sign is located shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet in area, except in all residential districts where the area of the sign shall not be more than six (6) square feet;

   B.   Professional nameplates not to exceed four (4) square feet in area;

   C.   Signs denoting the name and address of the occupants of the premises, not to exceed two (2) square feet in area;

   D.   Temporary signs not exceeding fifty (50) square feet in area announcing special public or institutional events, the erection of a building, the architect, the builders or contractors may be erected for a period of sixty (60) days plus the construction period;

   E.   On-premises wall signs pertaining to a nonconforming use shall be permitted on the same premises of such use, provided that, the area of such sign does not exceed twelve (12) square feet; and

   F.   Political signs, provided that, such signs shall not be posted in any place or in any manner that is destructive to public property upon posting or removal. No political sign shall be posted in a public right of way nor shall any such sign be posted on a utility pole. No political sign shall be posted more than sixty (60) days before an election. All candidates for public office, their campaign committees or other persons responsible for the posting on public property of campaign material shall remove such material within two (2) weeks following election day. (Ord. 402, 5-5-1987; amd. Ord. 2021-619, 9-14-2021)

Signs exceeding the following requirements will not be allowed without specific approval of the Planning Commission via variance or other administrative action:

   A.   Signs or bulletin boards customarily incidental to places of worship, libraries, museums, social clubs or societies, which signs or bulletin boards shall not exceed fifteen (15) square feet in area and which shall be located on the premises of such institution;

   B.   Any sign advertising a commercial enterprise, including real estate developers or subdividers, in a district zoned residential shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet in area and shall advertise only the names of the owners, trade names, products sold and/or the business or activity conducted on the premises where such sign is located;

   C.   In a commercial or manufacturing district, each business shall be permitted one flat or wall on-premises sign. Projection of wall signs shall not exceed two feet (2') measured from the face of the main building. The area of all permanent on-premises signs for any single business enterprise may have an area equivalent to one and one-half (1 1/2) square feet of sign area for each lineal foot of building width, or part of a building, occupied by such enterprise but shall not exceed a maximum area of one hundred (100) square feet;

   D.   In a commercial or manufacturing district, two (2) off-premises signs with a total area not exceeding six hundred (600) square feet may be permitted at a single location. No single off-premises sign shall exceed one thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet, nor shall off-premises signs visible to approaching traffic have a minimum spacing of less than two hundred feet (200'). Off-premises signs shall conform to all applicable yard and height regulations for the appropriate zoning district, except that such signs intended to be viewed from an elevated highway shall be not more than twenty feet (20') above the level of the roadway at its nearest point. Off-premises wall signs shall have all structural and supporting members concealed from view; and

   E.   Freestanding on-premises signs not over thirty feet (30') in height, having a maximum total sign area of one hundred (100) square feet per display area and located not closer than ten feet (10') to any street right-of-way line and not closer than thirty feet (30') to any adjoining lot line may be erected to serve a group of business establishments. There shall be only one freestanding sign for each building, regardless of the number of businesses conducted in said building. (Ord. 402, 5-5-1987; amd. Ord. 476, 5-18-1999; Ord. 2021-619, 9-14-2021)

Off-premises signs shall not be erected in front of the required setback line for the appropriate zoning district, except for the following:

   A.   For every square foot by which any on-premises sign exceeds fifty (50) square feet, the setback shall be increased by one-half foot (1/2') but need not exceed one hundred feet (100');

   B.   Real estate signs and bulletin boards for a church, school or any other public, religious or educational institution within residential zoning districts may be erected not less than ten feet (10') from the established right-of-way line of any street or highway provided such sign or bulletin board does not obstruct traffic visibility at street or highway intersections; and

   C.   On-premises signs where permitted shall be erected or placed in conformity with the side and rear yard requirements of the district in which located, except that in any residential district, on-premises signs shall not be erected or placed within ten feet (10') of a side or rear lot line. (Ord. 402, 5-5-1987; amd. Ord. 2021-619, 9-14-2021)

In case any sign shall be installed, erected, constructed or maintained in violation of any of the terms of this chapter, the Planning Administrator shall notify in writing the owner or lessee thereof to alter such sign to comply with this chapter. Political signs posted in violation of this chapter are subject to removal by the Administrator five (5) days after written notice of violation. (Ord. 402, 5-5-1987; amd. Ord. 2021-619, 9-14-2021)

In all residential districts, a sign identifying residential use of a lot may be located on the lot, such signs shall be limited to one per principal use and shall not exceed one square foot in area for each dwelling unit up to a maximum of eight (8) square feet. A sign identifying an accessory commercial use in a residential district shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet in area and shall be limited to one sign per accessory use. In any commercial or industrial district, signs identifying the use of the premises may be located on the lot. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent location of a temporary sign in any district advertising sale or lease of the premises, provided such sign does not exceed twelve (12) square feet in area. (Ord. 402, 5-5-1987; amd. Ord. 2021-619, 9-14-2021)

No billboards shall be allowed within city limits. (Ord. 2025-650, 1-23-2025)