This chapter shall regulate any and all signs constructed within the C-1, C-2, C-3, M-1, M-2, A-1, A-2 zones, and area of city impact as adopted by the city. See residential zones for other regulations. Any person or entity constructing, building, changing, or altering a sign shall submit an application to the city, which shall be reviewed by the city staff or planning and zoning commission, where appropriate, prior to receiving a permit for the same. The permit application shall be submitted by the property owner where the sign will be located or by the designated contractor of the property owner. Sign permit fees will be set by resolution of the city council.

This chapter shall also regulate the installation of flagpoles.

(Ord. 514 §2(A), 1989).

(Ord. No. 677, § 1, 11-20-2019).

Editor's note— Ord. No. 677, § 1, adopted November 20, 2019, repealed § 17.63.020 which pertained to sign content limitations and derived from Ord. 514 §2(B), adopted 1989.

A.

A freestanding sign, that being a sign erected on a freestanding frame, mast or pole, and not attached to any building, shall not exceed twenty-five feet in height measured from the ground.

B.

Flagpoles shall not exceed the height regulation for buildings/structures in the zone district in which they are located. The city administrator or building official can review and approve a height in excess of the regulation if necessary due to a unique circumstance. The greater of thirty-six inches or ten percent of the exposed height shall be the in-ground depth of the pole. If deemed necessary by the city administrator or the building official, plans from a licensed engineer will be required to provide information as to the effects of wind, seismic forces, allowable stresses, combined loads, overturning movement from lateral forces, and the stresses of wire, rope and their fastenings. Governmental flags shall be displayed according to the guidelines of the U.S. Flag Code (U.S.C. 173-178). All other flags shall be considered signage and shall be regulated as such.

C.

Any sign shall be proportional to the building on which it is to be mounted and the length of a sign shall not exceed the building frontage. Up to two free standing signs shall be permitted per business. Each sign shall not exceed two hundred square feet of total sign area per one side which includes the border, trim, cutouts and extensions, but does not include supports and decorative bases.

D.

No sign shall project closer to a street than eighteen inches from the back of the adjacent street curb, and if there is no curb, said sign shall project no closer to a street than eighteen inches from the inside of the property line. Under no circumstances shall a sign be permitted to project into a street which would interfere with the clear, unobstructed view of approaching or merging vehicular traffic thereon and no sign is permitted to project within the right-of-way of any highway. No projecting sign shall be lower than eight feet above any pedestrian walkway or parking lot.

E.

All signs shall be Underwriter Laboratory (UL)-approved except for signs typically not requiring Underwriter Laboratory approval, such as wood signs that are indirectly lighted. All other signs shall comply with the most current printing of the National Electric Code or International Building Code. Drawings of all signs showing size, location, type, materials of construction and support, method of lighting and content shall be submitted to the city prior to receiving a permit for said sign. All plans for freestanding signs, including roof-mounted signs, shall be submitted with the signature and stamp of a licensed engineer, if deemed necessary by the city administrator to provide information as to the effects of wind, seismic forces, allowable stresses, combined loads, overturning movement from lateral forces, and the stresses of wire, rope and their fastenings.

F.

No sign shall display any red, blue or blinking intermittent light likely to be mistaken for a warning or danger signal or be illuminated with such brilliance and so positioned as to blind or dazzle the vision of travelers.

G.

Any nonconforming sign, that being a sign which was placed or erected prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, which does not conform to the provisions of this chapter, shall be allowed to remain so long as it advertises a bona fide business in operation and being conducted upon said premises. Nonconforming signs of a bona fide ongoing business changed in height, size or placement shall thereafter comply with all the provisions of this chapter.

H.

All signs shall be maintained in a safe, neat and presentable condition. Those signs damaged by weather conditions, or by accident shall be repaired, replaced or removed at the land owner's expense.

I.

All signs located along a state highway shall comply with all state requirements and permitting.

(Ord. 514 §2(C)—(H), 1989).

(Ord. No. 677, § 1, 11-20-2019).

All signs of a political nature within the above designated zones shall be no larger than thirty-two square feet in area. For political sign regulations in residential zones please see permitted uses for the appropriate zone. All political signs within the city shall be removed within five days after the date of election to which said signs pertain.

(Ord. 514 §3, 1989).

(Ord. No. 677, § 1, 11-20-2019).

Any person or entity violating any of the provisions or failing to comply with any of the mandatory requirements of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not to exceed three hundred dollars or by imprisonment not to exceed six months in the county jail, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Every such person or entity is guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of this ordinance is committed, continued, or permitted by any such person.

(Ord. 514 §4, 1989).