The purpose of this sign ordinance is to preserve and protect the health, safety, and general welfare of city residents and businesses by regulating the design, materials, size, number and location of signs. The purpose of this section is to achieve the following:

1. To reduce potential hazards to motorists and pedestrians by providing adequate signage in order to identify a business or facility while eliminating excessive, obtrusive, confusing sign displays, and excessive illumination. 
2. To preserve and improve the aesthetic appearance of the city by reducing or prohibiting signage that is overbearing, creates visual clutter or excessive illumination.
3. To encourage well-designed signs that contribute in a positive way to the city’s visual environment and help maintain an image of quality for the city. 
4. To provide for temporary signs in limited circumstances without regard to the communicative content of the sign
5. To provide each sign user an opportunity for effective identification.
6. To support the goals and policies of the Vineyard General Plan
7. To establish a process for the review and approval of a sign permit application. 
   

If any section, sentence, clause, phrase, word, portion or provision of this Title is held invalid or, unconstitutional, or unenforceable, by any court or competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect, impair, or invalidate any other section, sentence, clause, phrase, word, portion or provision of this Title which can be given effect within the invalid portion. In adopting this Title, the City Council affirmatively declares that it would have approved and adopted the Title even without any portion which may be held invalid or unenforceable. 

Subject to the land owner’s consent, a noncommercial message of any type may be substituted, in whole or in part, for any commercial message or any other noncommercial message provided that the sign structure or mounting device is legal without consideration of message content. Such substitution of message may be made without any additional approval or permitting. This provision prevails over any more specific provision to the contrary within this Title. The purpose of this provision is to prevent any inadvertent favoring of any particular noncommercial message over any other noncommercial message. This provision does not create a right to increase the total amount of signage on a parcel, nor does it affect the requirement that a sign structure or mounting device be properly permitted. This provision applies to all sections within this Title.

Signs shall be allowed within the city according to the regulations contained in this section. It shall be unlawful to erect or otherwise display a sign without complying with the applicable terms and provisions of this section. 

1. Sign Permit Required: Prior to erecting, construction, placement, relocation, alteration, and/or modification of any sign, a sign permit shall be obtained from the city except as exempted within this Title. Such application for sign permit shall be subject to standards, procedures and other requirements of this section.
2. Permit Exemptions: The following items are exempt from permit requirements but shall conform to the specifications of this Title and sign definitions listed in Section 15.48.080: 
   1. Official Signs, signs of a noncommercial nature and in the public interest, erected by, or on the order of a public officer
   2. Incidental signs not over 6 SF in size
   3. Standard sign maintenance
   4. Interior signs that are not visible or intended to be visible from the public-way
   5. Site address
   6. Flags
   7. Temporary signs except as stated within this Title
   8. Window Signs
3. Permit Application Process
   1. Except as otherwise noted in this Title, it shall be unlawful for any persons to erect, alter, construct, or relocate any sign within the city without first obtaining a permit. In addition, electrical permits are required for electrical signs.
   2. A sign permit application shall be submitted to the Planning Department on an application formatted and maintained by the city. The application shall contain:
      1. The number of proposed signs
      2. The location of the sign/s on the building or premises
      3. Plans and specifications including attachment details
      4. Final elevations/details, in color, showing the dimensions, materials, colors, design, method of illumination, and landscaping for all proposed freestanding signs
      5. Building elevations/details denoting the areas designated for wall mounted signage
      6. All plans shall show complete details to include size, materials, colors, method of support or attachment
      7. Any additional materials required by the city in order to approve the sign permit for issuance
   3. Prior to the issuance of any sign permit application, the city shall collect a sign permit fee in accordance with a fee schedule established by the city council.
   4. If installation of a sign has not commenced under any permit issued under the provision of this Title within one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of such permit, or upon completion of building, such permit shall become null and void.
   5. All signs for which a permit is required shall be subject to the following inspections:
      1. Footing inspection on all freestanding signs exceeding six (6’) feet in height
      2. Inspection of all braces, anchors, supports, and connections, including wall signs
      3. All signs containing electrical wiring shall be subject to the city’s adopted electrical code, inspected to meet code compliance and; all electrical components shall bear the label of an approved testing agency.
      4. Site inspection to ensure that the sign has been constructed according to the approved application and valid sign permit
4. Sign Standard Waiver
   1. Purpose: A Sign Standard Waiver may be approved by the Planning Commission as an alternative to the requirements set forth in this Title for the uses and developments listed below: 
      1. Stand-alone or Multi-tenant commercial, office or employment uses
      2. A multi-building complex for a single commercial or employment use in a project exceeding 40 net acres
      3. Shopping Centers
      4. Hospitals
      5. Hotels and Commercial lodging having at least 150 guest rooms and a full-service restaurant or conference and meeting rooms
      6. Conference Centers
      7. Auto malls
      8. Indoor or Outdoor commercial recreation areas
      9. Commuter/light rail stations
      10. Motor vehicle fueling stations
      11. Drive-thru facilities
      12. Gateway Feature
   2. Conditions: The Planning Commission may attach conditions, requirements, or standards necessary to assure that the signs covered by the Sign Standard Waiver meet the intent of this Title and will not be materially detrimental to persons or property in the vicinity. In making its determination the Planning Commission shall not base any condition on the message content of a sign.  The Planning Department will have the right to inspect that any conditions set by the Planning Commission are being met.
   3. Evaluation Criteria: Sign Standard Waivers shall be evaluated based on the following criteria:
      1. Placement: All signs shall be placed where they are visible and legible. Factors to be considered include its location relative to traffic movement and access points, site features, other structures, and orientation relative to viewing distances and sight triangles. Wall signs may be approved on building walls other than the wall space occupied by the tenant in commercial centers in which some tenants have little or no visibility from the street.
      2. Quantity: The number of signs that may be approved within any development shall be sufficient to provide necessary facilitation of internal circulation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic and way finding for safety of the occupants of vehicles and pedestrians. Factors to be considered shall be those that impact safety considerations such as the size of the development and the number of development sub-areas.
      3. Height: All signs shall be no larger than necessary for visibility and legibility. In no event shall a Sign Standard Waiver contain a freestanding sign that exceeds by more than twenty feet (20’) for multi-tenant signs and ten feet (10’) for single tenant signs.
      4. Sign Area: The Planning Commission may approve a wall signage area not to exceed 8% on any single elevation as long as the signage area is reallocated from an additional elevation.
         
      5. Design Features and Materials: Sign design themes and materials shall be compatible with the architecture, colors, and materials of the project.
   4. Procedure
      1. A sign permit application shall be submitted to the Planning Department on an application formatted and maintained by the city. The application shall contain:
         1. The number of proposed signs
         2. The location of the sign/s on the building or premises
         3. Plans and specifications
         4. Final elevations/details, in color, showing the dimensions, materials, colors, design, method of illumination, and landscaping for all proposed freestanding signs
         5. Building elevations/details denoting the areas designated for wall mounted signage
         6. Photometric Plan for signs with illumination
         7. All plans shall show complete details to include size, materials, colors, method of support or attachment
         8. A narrative describing why a waiver is needed
         9. Any additional materials required by the city planner or authorized designee
      2. Once staff has deemed the application complete the application will be taken to the next reasonable Planning Commission meeting.
   5. Other
      1. Prohibited signs are excluded from receiving a Sign Standard Waiver, except as allowed within this Title.
5. Nonconforming Signs
   1. Reasonable repair and maintenance of nonconforming signs shall be allowed. In the event a nonconforming sign is damaged or vandalized, the nonconforming sign must be restored to it previous condition within six (6) months or the nonconforming status of the sign shall be forfeited.
   2. If any entity that utilizes nonconforming sign ceases operation for a period of one (1) year, the nonconforming status of the sign shall be forfeited.
   3. Not later than six (6) months after forfeiture of nonconforming status, such nonconforming signs shall be removed at the property owners expense. Any forfeited nonconforming sign not removed with this six (6) month period shall be considered an abandoned sign for the purpose of enforcement. 
6. Prohibited Signs
   1. Signs located within any public street, right of way, or other public property, except as allowed in this Title.
   2. Any sign located so as to conflict with the clear visibility of public devices controlling traffic or to impair the safety of a moving vehicle by distracting the vision of the driver.
   3. Any sign which is not specifically permitted in this Title.
   4. Signs which bear or contain statements, words, symbols, images or depictions that are obscene or indecent as to minors as those terms are defined in the U.C.A.
   5. Signs with intermittent or flashing illumination, animated or moving signs and video/television/computer displays. Except as allowed within this Title.
   6. Any inflatable object used for promotional or sign purposes.
   7. Billboards.
   8. Pole or Pylon signs
   9. Portable/A-frame signs
   10. Abandoned signs
   11. Signs emitting sound
   12. Wall mounted box cabinet signs over six (6) square feet in size, not including projecting signs
   13. Bench signs
   14. Vehicle signs, does not include the use of business logos, identification or advertising on vehicles primarily and actively used for business purposed and/or personal transportation
   15. Roof signs
   16. Neon signs larger than 3 square feet in sign area
   17. Permanent signs installed, attached, or painted to fences
   18. Flying Banner Signs
7. Measurement of Sign Area
   1. Single-faced sign
      1. For signs having a distinct border or boundary, the sign area shall be calculated by multiplying the length times the width of the entire surface contained within the border, boundary, sign board, or sign face.
      2. For signs with no distinct border or boundary, the sign area shall be calculated by computing the area of a simple rectilinear figure consisting of not more than eight perpendicular lines that contain all of the writing, representations, emblems, logos, or other display elements of the sign.
   2. Double-faced sign
      1. For signs with two (2) identical faces, arranged back to back in parallel planes, and where the sign faces are separated by no more than thirty-six (36) inches, the sign area shall be calculated for one side only.
   3. Multi-faced sign
      1. For a sign with more than one face, the area shall be calculated by adding together the area of all sign faces visible from any point.
8. Measurement of Sign Height
   1. Sign height shall be measured as the distance from the base of the sign to the highest portion of the sign.
   2. Ground shall not be augmented in a manner that adds height to the sign.
   3. Clearance for projecting signs shall be measured as the smallest vertical distance between finished grade and the lowest point of the sign, including any framework or other structural elements.
9. Clear View Triangle
   1. No sign or sign structure shall obstruct traffic by obscuring the vision of motorist. A minimum sign distance triangle of thirty (30) feet shall be maintained at all street and driveway intersections; larger sign distance triangles may be deemed necessary by the City Engineer.
10. Sign Location
    1. No  sign shall be placed within the public right-of-way, park strips along roadways or within an easement.
    2. No sign shall be attached to any street post, street sign or other structures within the public right-of-way except where allowed.
    3. No sign may occupy a clear view triangle.
    4. No  sign or sign structure shall be located within five (5) feet of a property line.
    5. No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger pedestrian, bicyclists, or traffic on street by obscuring the view or by interfering with official street signs or signals by virtue of position or color.
    6. On any property where permission to erect and maintain the sign has not been given by the owner or lease holder.
11. Sign Illumination

The artificial illumination of signs, either from an internal or external source, shall be designed to eliminate negative impacts on surrounding rights-of-way and properties. The following standards shall apply to all illuminated signs: 

1. External light sources shall be steady, stationary, directed and shielded light sources directed solely onto the sign.
2. Signs shall not have exposed fluorescent tubes or incandescent bulbs.
3. Internally illuminated signs shall have opaque face panels so that only the letters, logos, numbers or symbols appear illuminated. A halo effect is not allowed except through a Sign Standard Waiver.
4. Electrical raceways and conduits shall be placed so that they are not within public view, not exceed the sign copy, and shall be painted the same colors as the wall surface.
5. Signs with electrical components shall be constructed, inspected and approved by the Building Department
6. Awnings with back-lit text or graphics are not allowed
7. Lighting fixtures shall be decorative and architecturally compatible with the building.
8. Illuminated signs located on a facade facing a residential structure within 150 feet may not be illuminated between the hours of 10:00pm and 7:00am.

The Sign Standard Table governs the maximum height, sign area, location, and quantity restrictions unless otherwise noted below. 

1. Freestanding Signs
   1. All permanent freestanding signs shall be located a minimum of 50 feet from any other permanent freestanding sign on the same parcel.
   2. All permanent freestanding signs shall be situated perpendicular to the street.
   3. All permanent freestanding signs shall be of monument style only and shall complement the site architecture.
   4. Landscaping shall be provided at the base of all permanent freestanding signage.
2. Drive-Thru Lane Signs
   1. Where drive-thru uses are allowed, drive-thru lane signs are permitted
   2. No more than two (2) drive-thru lane signs are allowed for a drive-thru business establishment.
   3. The total maximum sign area shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet and six (6) feet in height.
   4. A drive-thru lane freestanding sign shall be constructed with a solid base.
   5. A computer display may be used.
3. Changeable Copy Sign
   1. Changeable Copy signs shall have static displays that shall not change more than once every eight (8) seconds. Video, animation or special effects such as traveling, scrolling, fading, dissolving, and bursting shall not be permitted, except through a Sign Standard Waiver
   2. Shall not increase the brightness level by more than 0.3-foot candles over ambient brightness levels.
   3. Changeable Copy signs which incorporate electronic message displays are required to have an automatic dimmer control to allow for automatic dimming of the intensity of the sign illumination and accommodate varying light conditions. 
4. Flags
   1. Flags or Flagpoles shall not be located within any public right-of-way.
   2. Flagpoles shall have a maximum height of thirty-five (35) feet for residential and fifty (50) feet for commercial. Flagpoles over thirty (30) feet in height shall require a building permit.
   3. No more than two (2) flagpoles per lot in residential districts, no more than three (3) flagpoles per lot in all other districts.
   4. For each principal structure on a parcel, up to two (2) flag brackets or stanchions may be attached or placed for the display of flags.
   5. The maximum sign area of a flag displaying a commercial message shall not exceed twenty-four (24) square feet in residential districts, thirty-five (35) square feet in all other districts. For the purpose of determining the sign area of a flag, only one side of the flag shall be counted.
5. Wall Signs
   1. Signs may be either internally or externally illuminated
   2. Excluding vertically integrated mixed-use buildings which contain retail uses on the ground floor, buildings excess of two stories shall be allowed only one (1) wall mounted sign per elevation, to be located in a sign band between the top of the upper story windows and the top of parapet. Said sign shall not be required to be located over the tenant’s particular suite.
6. Awning Sign
   1. Logos, symbols and graphics that do not include text may be allowed on the shed (slope) portion of an awning and shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the shed.
   2. Lettering shall be located within the middle seventy percent (70%) of the valance area
   3. Awnings shall not be lit from under the awning (back-lit) so that the awning appears internally illuminated
   4. Awnings shall be regularly cleaned and kept free of dust and visible defects
7. Projecting Sign
   1. Shall not be less than eight feet (8’) above the surface over which they project in pedestrian areas
   2. Shall not project into alley more than three feet (3’) and shall not be less than fourteen feet (14’) above the alley surface where vehicles are allowed
   3. Internally illuminated projecting signs shall have opaque face panels so that only the letters, logos, numbers or symbols appear illuminated.
   4. Shall not be closer than fifteen feet (15’) to another projecting sign or a freestanding sign or five feet (5’) from an interior property line or a line dividing Two (2) separate business frontages
   5. May not project above the roof.
8.  Development Promotional and Directional Sign
   1. One sign per frontage, not to exceed ninety-six (96) square feet in area within residential, commercial, and industrial zones is permitted.
   2. Each sign must be approved by the Community Development Director or authorized agent with a one (1) year limitation per approval. Renewals may be granted on a yearly basis but not to exceed two (2) years.
   3. It is the intent of the City the Development Promotional Sign be displayed only during construction of the project.
   4. Must be located only on property in which the sign is advertising with a two foot setback from all properties. Each must comply with all clear view requirements (Refer to Section 15.48.04.09)
9. Development Fencing Signage
   1. Development fence signs are allowed during the duration of active construction and shall be removed upon issuance of a certificate of occupancy or final inspection of the project. Signage shall be printed on wrap material or designed within the fencing surface and shall not be attached to the wrap material or fence surface.
   2. Development fence signs shall only contain information regarding the subject project, designers, contractors and site directional information.
   3. Development fence signs shall not extend above the height or physical dimensions of the development fencing.
10. Wall Art and Building Murals
    1. Wall art, and murals shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of a building or structure facade.
    2. For development located on private property, the Planning Commission may approve a higher area dedicated towards wall art or murals if the allowable square footage is reallocated from other facades of the same building. 
    3. Wall art or murals located within the public right-of-way or on a public facility shall be reviewed by the Arts, Recreation & Parks, Cultural, and Heritage Advisory Commission (ARCH) for a recommendation to the City Council for approval. The City Council may approve wall art or murals for areas greater than 30% of facade.
    4. All lettering, logos, or symbols for advertising purposes shall meet the Wall Sign standards. 
    5. Wall art and murals shall not be permitted on single-family residential structures
       

1. Temporary signs exempt from permitting may only be displayed two (2) times per calendar year for a total maximum of thirty (30) days. 
2. Temporary signs intended to be displayed for more than thirty (30) days shall require a sign permit and meet the following criteria.
   1. A permit shall be issued for one (1) year and may be renewed annually.
   2. Once the event the temporary sign is intended for has ended or is completed the temporary sign permit shall not be allowed to renew and the temporary sign shall be removed within forty-eight (48) hours.
   3. The issued permit number shall be placed on the sign
   4. Refer to the permit application process, 15.48.040.3
3. Placement of Temporary signs
   1. Temporary signs are allowed on private property only. Signs shall not be placed in the public rights-of-way.
   2. The party posting the temporary sign is solely responsible for obtaining the permission of the property owner before posting their temporary sign.
   3. Signs may be placed only in locations where permanent signs are allowed
   4. Signs shall not be attached to permanent signs or temporary structures
4. Temporary Sign shall be placed a minimum of fifteen (15) feet from any other sign.
5. Temporary Signs shall not be illuminated
6. Temporary signs shall be constructed of durable, rigid material suitable to their location and purpose. Only interior window signs may be made of non-rigid (e.g. paper) material
7. Temporary signs and their components shall be promptly removed at the date of expiration or forty-eight (48) hours after the event has ended or is completed.
8. The city or the property owner may remove signs installed in violation of this Title. Neither the city nor the property owner is responsible for notifying sign owners of removal of an illegal sign. 

Abandoned Sign: A sign which has not identified or advertised a current business, service, owner, product, or activity for a period of at least 180 days. 

Address Sign: A sign that designates the street number and/or street name for identification purposes.

A-frame Sign: A portable, stand-alone sign comprised of two separate panels or faces joined at the top and spread apart at the bottom to form a base upon which the sign stands. 

Animated Sign: A sign that uses movement or change of lighting to depict action or appearance of motion. This definition includes blinking, flashing, moving and revolving signs. 

Awning: A cloth, plastic, or other nonstructural covering that projects from a wall for the purpose of shielding a doorway or window. An awning is either permanently attached to a building or can raised or retracted to a position against the building when not in use. 

Awning Sign: Any sign painted on, adhered to, or applied on, an awning. 

Banner: A temporary sign made of fabric, plastic, or other light, pliable, weather-resistant materials not enclosed in a rigid frame. 

Bench Sign: A sign located on the seat or back of a bench or seat placed on or adjacent to a public right of way.

Billboard: A sign portraying information or directing attention to a business, activity, commodity service, entertainment, or communication which is not conducted, sold or offered at the parcel on which the sign or structure is located or which does not pertain to the parcel upon which the sign or structure is located. 

Box Cabinet Sign: A three-dimensional box-like enclosed structure which includes all messages and copy with a single or double sign face. 

Building Façade: The exterior elevation of a building structure excluding any porches, overhangs, covered walkways, drive thru covers or similar appendages. 

Canopy: A structure other than an awning made of fabric, metal, or other material that is supported by columns or posts affixed to the ground and may also be connected to a building. 

Canopy Sign: Any sign that is part of or attached to a canopy. For the purposes of this ordinance a canopy sign shall be considered a wall sign.

Changeable Copy Sign: A sign or portion thereof on which the copy or symbols change either automatically through electrical or electronic means, or manually through placement of letters or symbols on a panel mounted in or on a track system. 

Channel Letters: Three-dimensional, individually cut letters or figures, illuminated or unilluminated, affixed to a structure. 

Commercial Sign: A sign that contains information or advertising for any business, commodity, service, product or attraction. 

Development Promotional and Directional Sign: A temporary sign for the purpose of guiding or directing pedestrian or vehicular traffic to new subdivisions, new development areas, or show homes and may include the development name, developer information, logograms, and directional arrows.

Directional Sign: An on-site sign that is designed to direct pedestrian and vehicular traffic into and out of, or within a site. 

Directory Sign: A sign listing the names, uses or locations of the various businesses or activities conducted within a building or group of buildings, that is centrally located and intended to provide on-site directions.

Drive-thru Menu Board: A freestanding sign that lists the products and prices of products for items available at drive-thru facilities, often containing a two-way communication device used by customers to place an order. 

Embellishment: Anything that enhances the appearance of a freestanding sign without having a functional purpose. For the purpose of this ordinance, embellishment may not include any symbol, representation, logo, insignia, illustration, or other form of advertising message for any business on site. It may contain the name and/or symbol, representation, logo, or insignia of a master planned shopping center, office park, commerce park, or other master planned multi-tenant development. 

External Illumination: An external source of illumination that is not part of or attached to a sign.

Flag: Any fabric or other flexible material designed to be flown from a flagpole or similar device. 

Flashing Sign: Any illuminated, on which the artificial source of light is not maintained stationary or constant in intensity and color at all times when such sign is illuminated. For the purposes of this definition, any moving illuminated sign affected by intermittent lighting shall be deemed a flashing sign.

Flying Banner Sign: A temporary, stand-alone sign comprised of light fabric that moves with the wind and can turn 360 degrees and is supported by a pole structure and a base.

Freestanding Sign: A sign anchored directly to the ground or supported by one or more posts, columns, or other vertical structures or supports and not attached to or depend.

Gateway Feature Sign: A sign that imparts to a motorist or pedestrian gains that they have entered the city or a particular part of the city. 

Government/Regulatory Sign: Any sign for the control of traffic or for identification purposes, street signs, warning signs, railroad crossing signs, and sign of public service companies indicating danger or construction, which are erected by or at the order of a public officer. 

Illegal Sign: Any sign which does not meet at least one of the following conditions:

1. An illegal, non-conforming sign that does not meet the standards of this Title
2. A sign erected without first obtaining a permit and complying with all regulations in effect at the time of its construction or use;
3. An abandoned sign that has not been removed with the time period specified by this Title;
4. A sign that was legally erected, but which later became nonconforming and then was damaged to the extent of 50 percent or more of its replacement value;
5. A sign that is a danger to the public or is unsafe; or
6.  A sign that pertains to a specific event that has not been removed within the specified time after the occurrence of the event. 

Inflatable Sign: A form of inflatable device or a sign that is displayed, printed or painted on the surface of a balloon or any other form of inflatable background and is used to attract attention to or advertise a noncommercial or commercial message or location. 

Incidental Sign: A sign displays general site information, instructions, directives, or restrictions that are primarily oriented to pedestrians and motor vehicle operators who have entered a property from a public street. These signs shall not contain any commercial advertising. 

Internally Illuminated: A light source entirely within a sign where the source of the illumination is not directly visible.

Maintenance: The replacing or repairing of a part or portion of a sign made unusable by ordinary wear and tear or by damage beyond the control of the sign’s owner.

Marquee Sign: A a sign structure placed over the primary entrance of a building such as a hotel or theater, bearing sign copy and which projects from and is attached to the building. For the purposes of this ordinance a marquee sign shall be considered a projecting sign.

Monument Sign: A freestanding sign where the entire supporting base of the sign is affixed to the ground and is not attached to or supported by a building.

Moving Sign: A sign designed or made to move freely in the wind or designed or made to move by an electrical or mechanical device. 

Multi-Tenant Sign: A freestanding sign used to advertise businesses that occupy a shopping center or complex with multiple tenants. 

Neon Sign: A sign using neon or any other inert gas under low pressure, which glows in a distinctive color when exposed to a high voltage electrical current.

Nonconforming Sign: An advertising structure or sign which was lawfully erected and maintained in compliance with the requirements in effect at the time, and which has subsequently come under new amended requirements and does not now completely comply. 

Off-Premises Sign: A sign whose message directs attention to a specific business, product, service, event or activity not located on the premises upon which the sign is located.

Pennant Flag Sign: A triangular or irregular piece of fabric or other material, commonly attached in strings or strands, or supported on small poles intended to flap in the wind. 

Permanent Sign: A sign that is intended to be and is so constructed as to be lasting and enduring condition, remaining unchanged in character, condition (beyond normal wear) and position.

Pole Sign: A freestanding sign that is affixed, attached, or erected on a pole that is not itself an integral part of or attached to a building or structure and where the width of the top of the sign structure is wider than the width of the base. 

Portable Sign: A sign designed to be transported or moved and not permanently attached to the ground, a building or other structure.

Primary Building Elevation: The side of a commercial, office, or industrial building or tenant suite that contains the main entrance. In instances where there is no singular main entrance, the primary elevation shall be the building’s most significant side as determined by the Planner. 

Projecting Sign: A sign, other than a wall sign, that is suspended from or supported by a structure attached to a building and projecting outward from the building.

Pylon Sign: A freestanding sign other than a pole sign, permanently affixed to the ground by supports, but not having the appearance of a solid base. 

Raceways: for electrical signs, the enclosure that holds sign elements, which may also be the structural element that is mounted on a wall or other support element.

Roof Sign: A building-mounted sign erected upon, against, or over the roof of a building. 

Shopping Center: A commercial development consisting of three (3) or more separate commercial establishments sharing a common building, or which are in separate buildings that share a common entranceway or parking area.

Sign: Any device, structure, fixture, painting, emblem, or visual that uses words, graphics, colors, illumination, symbol, numbers or letters for the purpose of communicating a message. Sign includes the sign faces as well as any sign supporting structure. 

Sign Area: The total dimensions of a sign surface used to display information, messages, advertising, logos, or symbols. 

Sign Height: Sign height shall be measured as the distance from the back of curb to the highest portion of the sign. 

Sign Structure: Poles, posts, walls, frames, brackets, or other supports holding a sign in place. 

Street Frontage: The side or sides of a lot abutting on a public street or right-of-way. 

Temporary Sign: A sign not permanently attached to the ground, a wall or a building, and not intended or designed for permanent display.

Vehicle Sign: A sign that is attached to or painted on a vehicle that is parked on or adjacent to any property, the principal purpose of which is to attract attention to a product sold or business located on the property.

Wall Sign: A sign that is attached to or painted on the exterior wall of a structure with the display surface of the sign approximately parallel to the building wall. 

Window Sign: A sign that is applied, painted, or affixed to the interior or exterior of a window, or any sign located inside a building within six (6) feet of the interior side of the window and displayed so as to attract the attention of persons outside the building.