No sign shall be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted, or structurally altered without an approved permit. The sign shall meet all the structural and safety requirements as set forth in this section.

Subject to the provisions of Subsections D through I, total gross signage allowed for any one parcel of land is two hundred (200) square feet. The total gross signage of a parcel's main front may not exceed two (2) square feet per linear foot of street frontage. No more than twenty-five percent (25%) of allowed signage for the parcel's main front can be used on other sides of the parcel. Total signage does not include any informational signage which is necessary for the lawful operation of the business, such as "Handicapped Parking," "No Parking," "Canopy Height," or directional signs.

Sign area is the entire surface area of a sign, including nonstructural trim. The supports, uprights or structures on which the sign is mounted are not included in size. Sign area for cutout letters, symbols, or statuary shall include the total area within the periphery of the display, which can be enclosed within a triangle. Multifaced signs shall be computed as the areas of a single face.

Projects or buildings containing more than one business shall have an overall planned sign program. Buildings with common entrances shall be allowed one group directory sign at each entrance. Buildings with individual entrances shall be allowed one group directory sign for common identification. Each individual entrance shall be allowed one sign per entrance whose size shall be determined by dividing the remaining total gross signage for the parcel by the number of businesses.

Allowable gross signage. Except for properties located in Business Park District (BPD) and Industrial Districts (I1 and I2), gross signage may not exceed two square feet per linear foot of street frontage. No more than 25% of allowed signage for the building's main front can be used on other sides of the building. Allowable gross signage for any parcel of land not located in Business Park District or Industrial Districts (I1 and I2) is 200 square feet. Allowable gross signage for properties located in Business Park District and Industrial Districts (I1 and I2) shall not exceed 10% of any vertical building wall area facing a public street.

Ground/freestanding signs. Ground/freestanding signs shall not exceed a maximum of eight feet in height. Ground/freestanding signs shall not have more than two faces and shall not be permitted to move or rotate in whole or part. One ground/freestanding sign (where permitted) is allowed per building. The use of ground/freestanding signs is encouraged and preferred over pylon signs.

Pylon signs. Pylon signs shall not exceed 20 feet in height and shall be set back one foot for every two feet of sign height from the property line. Pylon signs shall not have more than two faces and shall not be permitted to move or rotate in whole or in part. One pylon sign (where permitted) is allowed per building.

Wall signs. Wall signs, including dimensional letter signs, shall not exceed 48 square feet. A wall sign shall not extend above the lowest point of the roof nor beyond the ends of the wall to which it is attached, and not extend more than eight inches outside a building's wall surface.

Projecting signs. One projecting sign is allowed per building, not to exceed 48 square feet, and must be 25 feet from another projecting sign. Minimum clearance to grade shall be 10 feet measured from the lowest part of the sign. Projecting signs may extend not more than five feet over the lot line and in no case shall extend to within three feet of the street curb face.

Changeable copy signs. Changeable copy signs are allowed as follows: only one (1) changeable copy sign is permitted per parcel, and is limited to two (2) faces not exceeding twenty (20) square feet with a maximum letter height of four (4) inches. All changeable copy signs must be permanently installed. Service stations are allowed one (1) message center for each street frontage to indicate fuel prices. Time-and-temperature signs and message centers shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet in surface.

Awning or canopy signs. Awning or canopy signs, or any lettering or imagery applied on an awning or canopy, is considered a sign. The size of the lettering shall not exceed one-quarter of the total surface area of the awning. Additional signs cannot extend beyond or be attached to the underside of an awning or canopy.

Window signs. Window signs shall not exceed 25% of the total area of the windows on each individual face of the building.

Group directory signs. The maximum size shall be 24 square feet per sign. Also see Subsection C(4) for further instruction.

Off-premises advertising signs. Off-premises advertising signs are regulated under Subsection I.

Illumination.

Structural and safety specifications.

Pylon signs are prohibited.

Ground/freestanding signs shall not exceed 32 square feet per sign face.

Projecting signs shall not exceed 20 square feet surface area.

Off-premises advertising signs are prohibited.

Changeable copy signs, time-and-temperature signs, and message centers are prohibited.

Illumination shall be external only.

Only cloth awnings are allowed, whether plain or with lettering.

Canopies, whether plain or with lettering, are prohibited.

Painted wall or ghost signs of historic significance to the community shall not be covered up or destroyed, but rather allowed to fade, or be repainted to restore original style and appearance.

Reliefs, such as sculptured figures, letters, or forms projecting from a flat surface and usually made of masonry, wood, or metal, shall not be covered or destroyed.

Secondary entrance signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in surface area. These may be projection signs but must conform to placement requirements stated in Subsection D(5).

All signs in the historic districts must use only colors from the Historic Color Palette as officially adopted by the Common Council by resolution.

All signs in the historic districts require approval from the Historic Preservation Commission before any sign permit is issued.

Pylon signs shall not exceed 48 square feet per sign face.

Ground/freestanding signs shall not exceed 48 square feet per sign face.

Projecting signs shall not exceed 24 square feet surface area.

Secondary entrance signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in surface area. These may be projection signs, but must conform to placement requirements stated in Subsection D(5).

Pylon signs shall not exceed 48 square feet per sign face.

Ground/freestanding signs shall not exceed 48 square feet per sign face.

Projecting signs shall not exceed 48 square feet surface area.

Wall signs shall not exceed 10% of any vertical building wall area facing a public street.

Pylon signs, changeable copy signs, time-and-temperature signs, message centers, wall signs, and projecting signs are prohibited.

One ground/freestanding sign identifying a residential business, not to exceed two square feet in area, is permitted. Signs must be set back at least five feet from the edge of the sidewalk or five feet from the right-of-way line if sidewalks are not in place. Signs shall not exceed four feet in height.

Off-premises advertising signs are prohibited.

Signs that exclusively identify a subdivision or residential area and are located at principal entrances shall not exceed 24 square feet in area and shall be maintained by a corporation or association of homeowners. If the corporation or association disbands, signs must be removed.

Permitted zoning districts. Off-premises advertising signs are permitted only in BPD, C2, C3, I1, and I2 Zoning Districts.

Size requirements. Off-premises signs shall not exceed 100 square feet of sign surface area per face, with no more than two sides per sign structure and only one face per side. The sign surface area per face shall be calculated by adding together the area of the off-premises sign face(s) that can be read from one direction at a time. Where two identical off-premises signs are placed back-to-back on the same sign supports, the signs shall not be separated by more than four feet so that both faces cannot be read from one direction simultaneously.

Setback requirements. Off-premises signs shall be set back from the public right-of-way of any street or highway 15 feet and must comply with setback requirements of state regulations when located on federal or state highways or interchanges. No off-premises signs shall be any closer than 30 feet from any building.

Spacing between off-premises signs. Off-premises signs shall comply with the spacing requirements of state laws, rules, and regulations, and in no case shall be permitted within a 750-foot radius of another off-premises sign.

Height. Off-premises advertising signs shall not exceed 20 feet in height, as measured from the elevation of the public right-of-way roadway pavement to the top of the structure.

Prohibited off-premises signs. Off-premises signs are prohibited in any historic or residential district. Off-premises signs shall not be erected or constructed within 150 feet of any residential district or within 500 feet of any historic site or district, school, church, public park or recreation area, public playground, or environmental corridor. This distance shall be measured from the outermost portion of the off-premises sign structure.

Replacement sign credit.

Abandoned signs that are no longer in use or a sign providing obsolete or outdated copy.

Animated signs, either alternating, rotating or swinging, in whole or part, or signs which emit audible sound, odor or visible matter. Exceptions include the rotation of barber poles and currently licensed vehicles or trailers that display, in a permanent manner, the name of the product they deliver and/or the name and address of the owner.

Obstructing signs of a size, location, content, coloring, or manner of illumination that may be confused with an official traffic control device, or which hides any traffic sign or signal, or obstructs the view at an intersection.

Displaced signs, those erected on a tree or utility pole or painted on or attached to any fence or wall that are not structurally a part of a building, except to identify a residence, or as traffic control.

Obscene signs that contain statements, words, or pictures of a pornographic or immoral character.

Inflatable signs, such as balloons, used as off-premises advertising devices. On-premises devices of this nature may be used only for the opening of a new business or special promotion in Commercial/Modern Concept and Industrial Districts.

Mobile signs on a vehicle parked primarily for the purpose of displaying an advertisement.

Roof signs.

Banners, flags and pennants used for the purpose of advertising items shall not exceed 100 square feet or 10% of the area of the wall on which they are placed.

Ground/freestanding signs advertising special business promotions or events shall not exceed 12 square feet in area or four feet in height.

Searchlights or balloons used as advertising devices may not be used on a permanent basis. A permit for such may be issued for up to five days, and two permits are allowed per year.

Subdivision advertising signs, including banners and flags used for the promotion of developing residential areas, may be issued a permit for a period of two years, and may be annually renewed after two years. The sign must be located on the property. Subdivision advertising signs may not exceed 32 square feet for properties less than five acres. More than five acres are a maximum of 96 square feet. One sign is allowed for each major street adjacent to the subdivision.

Construction signs used for identifying building contractors are allowed on-site for the duration of construction. Signs 12 square feet to a maximum of 32 square feet require a temporary permit.

Governmental or other signs required by federal, state or local law, including off-premises directional signs.

House number and name plates indicating occupants and/or address.

Interior signs located within any building or structure which are not visible from the public right-of-way.

Landmark signs and plaques showing names of buildings and commemorative dates, which are cut into masonry surfaces, or made of bronze or other permanent-type construction and made to be an integral part of the building.

No-trespassing and no-dumping signs no more than two square feet.

Miscellaneous signs, posters, banners, flags, or pennants promoting civic, charitable, educational or religious events may be temporarily displayed and removed after the event.

Election campaign signs can be displayed no earlier than the period beginning on the first day for circulation of nomination papers by candidates, or the first day on which candidates would circulate nomination papers were papers to be required and ending on the day of the election. In the case of a referendum, the period beginning on the day on which the question to be voted upon is submitted to the electorate and ending on the day on which the referendum is held. Permission must be granted by the owners or tenants of the property upon which the sign is erected. No sign shall be located on public property or within 100 feet of a designated polling place. In order to ensure traffic and pedestrian safety, political signs shall not exceed 11 square feet in area, and no more than one sign per land parcel is permitted for each candidate or issue.

Real estate signs promoting the sale of a property are limited to one on any lot or parcel. In residential and commercial districts, such signs shall not exceed eight square feet, and in the Business Park District and Industrial Districts, 16 square feet. Such signs shall be removed within 30 days after sale, rental, or lease. Illumination is prohibited.

Rummage sale signs used for advertising merchandise at a private residence shall be posted only on the days of the sale and cannot be attached to public property.

Over-the-street banners promoting community events may be displayed for 20 days and removed promptly after the event.

Portable signs not permanently mounted to the ground or a structure, such as special announcement signs or a menu board, shall be structurally sound, displayed in a safe manner, and brought indoors after the close of the business day.

Nonprofit organizations, civic groups, religious group signs or emblems are governed by the regulations and conditions specified in Subsection D, General physical requirements for all signs. Placement of such signs on City-owned land must be by the approval of the Common Council.

Window signs that comply with Subsection D(8).

Signs existing at the time of adoption of this section, although the use, size or location does not conform with the provisions of this section, shall be deemed a nonconforming use or structure, and the following provisions shall apply.

A sign will lose its existing nonconforming status and must, within 30 days of occurrence, be brought into compliance with this section and a new permit secured if one or more the following occurs:

The nonconforming sign shall be removed at the owner's expense. Nothing in this section shall relieve the owner or user of a legal nonconforming sign or the owner of the property in which the sign is located from the provisions of this section regarding safety, maintenance, and repair of signs.

The administrator of this section is the Common Council and the City Administrator or their designee, who will enforce and carry out all provisions of this section. The City Administrator, or designee, shall record and file all applications for permits with any accompanying plans and documents, make inspections of the signs in the City of Sheboygan Falls, and make such reports as the Mayor or Common Council may require.

Certain signs, because of unusual circumstances, may require a special variance for conformance to this section. These variances must be approved by the Board of Appeals.

If the City Administrator, or designee, refuses to issue a permit because the proposed signage does not meet the requirements of this section, the applicant will be issued a written decision outlining the reasons for any denial. Such denial may be appealed to the Board of Appeals within 45 days of the date of decision. Information regarding the appeal process shall be included in the City Administrator's or designee's written decision.

Application for a permit to erect or replace a sign, or to change copy thereon, shall be made by the owner of the parcel or their authorized agent to the Zoning Administrator by submitting the required forms, fees, exhibits, and information.

Fees for sign permits for all signs shall be as designated in the fee schedule.

Application for a sign permit shall be made on forms provided by the Zoning Administrator and shall contain the following information: