Wapakoneta City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 1286
Signs
1286.01 PURPOSE.
It is the purpose of these sign regulations to:
(a) Permit the use of signs as a means of communication in the City;
(b) Maintain and enhance the City's natural and manmade environment;
(c) Encourage a safe, attractive and healthy economic environment;
(d) Minimize the possible adverse effects of signs on nearby public and private property; and
(e) Enable the fair and consistent enforcement of these sign regulations.
The purpose as stated above is based on the following findings concerning signs:
(a) That excessive signs can create dangerous traffic conditions and, as such, are detrimental to the public health, safety and general welfare of the City.
(b) That businesses and other institutions located along public and private streets have a need to identify themselves and their activities to motorists and pedestrians by means of signs.
(Ord. 2010-29. Passed 7-5-10.)
1286.02 COMPLIANCE REQUIRED.
No sign shall be permitted in any district except as specifically provided in this chapter.
(Ord. 2010-29. Passed 7-5-10.)
1286.03 SIGNS IN PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY; TEMPORARY SIGNS; ILLUMINATION.
(a) Except as provided in this section, no sign shall be placed in any public right-of- way, except publicly owned signs, such as traffic control signs and directional signs and no sign shall be posted on any public utility poles, on any park trees or street trees as defined by Section 1028.01 of the Codified Ordinances, or to any publicly owned sign posts or hydrants.
(b) Temporary signs not exceeding 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 specific pre-designated time period and shall be promptly removed when they have fulfilled their function.
(c) Self-standing garage sale signs not exceeding two feet by three feet may be placed in the tree lawn for one day prior to the date of the sale and shall be removed by one day after the date of sale. The sign may not be displayed more than five days and must have the dates for the sale clearly marked.
(d) Realty directional arrows and open house signs are permitted in the City right-of-way if the realty business obtains an annual permit to place such signs. This type of sign must be placed as near as possible to existing City sign posts so no additional maintenance to the area of the sign is required. The fee for such a permit is established by ordinance by City Council, per year, and can be obtained at the City Engineering Department.
(e) At a business property where the City right-of-way adjoins the front of a building, the business may place a sandwich board type sign or any self-standing signs (referred to as ground sign boards in other ordinances) for the purpose of daily advertising. The sign may be no larger than four feet in height and two feet in width. Such a sign may be placed on the sidewalk in front of the business' building during business hours and must be placed so that the sign does not restrict pedestrian traffic. The business accepts all liability of the sign. A permit is required for each such sign. The fee for such a permit is $25.00 per year and can be obtained at the City Engineering Department.
(f) Signs shall not be illuminated in any manner which causes undue distraction, confusion or hazard to vehicular traffic.
(g) Lighting used to illuminate a sign shall be shielded from residential properties.
(h) No political signs shall be placed in the public right-of-way or any public property.
(Ord. 2010-29. Passed 7-5-10; Ord. 2017-24R. Passed 7-17-17.)
1286.04 SIGNS PERMITTED IN ALL DISTRICTS.
(a) One non-illuminated temporary real estate sign, advertising the sale, rental or lease of the premises on which it is maintained and not over 12 square feet in aggregate area, shall be permitted on any lot. Such signs shall be removed at such time as the premises are sold, rented or leased.
(b) Professional nameplates and signs shall not exceed two square feet in area.
(c) Signs denoting the name and address of the occupants of the premises shall not exceed two square feet in area.
(d) Signs or bulletin boards customarily incidental to places of worship, libraries, museums, social clubs or societies shall not exceed 24 square feet in area and shall be located on the premises of such institution.
(Ord. 2010-29. Passed 7-5-10.)
1286.05 BUSINESS SIGNS.
Permitted sign types include wall mounted and ground mounted signs. Business signs shall be permitted in connection with any legal business or industry when they are located on the same premises and if they meet the following requirements:
(a) All faces of all signs shall have an aggregate surface size no greater than five square feet for each foot of width of the principal structure on the premises.
(b) Signs shall not project over public right-of-way.
(c) Signs shall conform to the height requirements of the district in which they are located, except that when they are within 1,500 feet of the right-of-way of an Interstate highway, they may be erected at a height not to exceed 125 feet above ground level.
(Ord. 2010-29. Passed 7-5-10.)
1286.06 BILLBOARDS; OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS AND STRUCTURES.
(a) Outdoor advertising signs and structures, where permitted, shall be set back 20 feet from the intersection of any established right-of-way line of any street or highway, except that at the intersection of any State or Federal highway, with a major or secondary street, the setback of any outdoor advertising sign or billboard shall not be less than 100 feet from the established right-of-way of each such highway or street.
(b) No such billboard, sign or advertising structure shall be permitted which faces the front or side lot line of any lot in any residential district within 20 feet of such lot line.
(c) The total height of a billboard structure shall not exceed 25 feet. Individual billboards mounted on the structure shall not exceed 16 feet in width and eight feet in height.
(Ord. 2010-29. Passed 7-5-10; Ord. 2018-04. Passed 2-19-18.)
1286.07 MEASUREMENT OF SIGNS.
The following standards shall be used to determine the area and height measurements for all signs in the City:
(a) The area of a sign shall be computed by means of the smallest square, circle, rectangle, triangle, or combination thereof that will encompass the exterior display limits of a sign. Frames and structural members not bearing advertising matter or which are not an integral part of the sign message shall not be included in the computation of surface area.
(b) The sign area for a sign with more than one face shall be computed by adding together the area of all sign faces visible from any one point.
(c) In the case of irregularly shaped three dimensional signs the area of the display surface shall be measured on the plane of the largest vertical cross section.
(d) The height of a sign shall be determined by measuring the vertical distance between the top part of the sign to the elevation of the ground beneath the sign prior to construction, excluding additional elevation added by creation of berming or mounding. If the grade prior to construction cannot be determined, the elevation of the base of the sign shall be computed using the elevation of the nearest point of the crown of a public street or the grade of the land at the principal entrance to the principal structure on the premises, whichever is lower.
(Ord. 2010-29. Passed 7-5-10.)