This chapter shall regulate the placement and size of any outdoor advertising, including signs, billboards, banners, etc., used as outdoor signs. The interpretation of nomenclature in this chapter shall be as provided in Sections 1111.05 and 1131.06.

   (a)   Unless otherwise permitted in Sections 1165.03 and 1165.04, no signs shall be placed in a Residence District, with the additional exceptions of approved conditional uses in R-4 Districts, as outlined in Section 1147.15.

   (b)   Except for traffic control, regulation or information signs, no sign shall be placed within a public right-of-way.

   (c)   No sign shall contain flashing or moving lights or lights of an intensity or hue and form which are similar to traffic control lights. Time and temperature signs, however, are permitted.

   (d)   No sign shall be rotated, nor shall any portion of any sign move with respect to the main sign itself.

   (e)   Unless otherwise prohibited herein, signs may be illuminated internally by globes, light tubes or other means, or externally by spot or floodlights attached to the sign or not extending more than six feet from it.

   (f)   No spot or floodlight source shall be directly visible from a public right-of- way.

   (g)   No advertising shall be placed on any awning, mansard roof or canopy, except that the name of the owner of the business, industry or pursuit conducted within the premises may be painted or otherwise permanently placed in a space with letters not exceeding twelve inches in height on the front and side portions thereof perpendicular to the ground. Also, such signage shall be allowed at an entrance to the store if the store is located in a mall or arcade-type structure. Such signage size shall be limited by the provisions of this chapter.

   (h)   No outdoor sign shall be placed so as to impair the view of any pedestrian or motorist along a public right-of-way or at intersections of the public right-of-way.

   (i)   No sign shall be placed on the roof of a structure or above the roof of a structure or above the roof line.

   (j)   No sign shall be affixed to a utility pole, tree or tree lawn area.

   (k)   No sign shall be placed upon any property without the permission of the property owner or the person responsible for the use and control of the property.

(Ord. 4320. Passed 11-15-93.)

   (a)   Pole signs shall be located only along a major street.

   (b)   The height of a free-standing on-site outdoor advertising structure shall not exceed thirty feet.

   (c)   No outdoor advertising structure shall be placed closer than twenty feet, or the front yard setback line, whichever is smaller, to a public right-of-way. Outdoor advertising structures shall not be placed within any required rear of side yard.

   (d)   No outdoor advertising sign shall exceed the following limitations:

 

 

   (e)   Not more than three outdoor advertising structures shall be used for each lot, and the same must be located on the same lot or premises as the business use advertised. Of the three signs, a maximum of one ground sign and one pole sign each are allowed. However, a shopping complex (three or more businesses located in a unified building or attached group of buildings) shall be permitted an additional ground or pole sign per lot and one wall sign per business.

   (f)   Total aggregate square footage for outdoor advertising for each lot or structure may not, with the exception of a shopping complex, exceed the following:

 

 

   (g)   When attached to a building, signs shall be placed a minimum of four feet

above the sidewalk elevation and extend not more than nine inches from the building face. Signs attached to a building shall not be located in a manner which is hazardous to pedestrians or vehicular traffic.

   (h)   Signs of one square foot or less may extend more than six inches from the building face, but the leading edge of such a sign shall be not more than two feet from the building face. Such a sign may project below a mansard roof, provided that the lowest portion of the sign is at least seven feet above the sidewalk elevation.

   (i)   Outdoor advertisement signs for nonconforming uses and conditional uses shall be limited as follows:

 

 

The total aggregated square footage for the three allowable signs shall not exceed 150 square feet. (Ord. 4320. Passed 11-15-93.)

   (a)   A single nonilluminated sign, not to exceed twelve square feet, advertising the sale or rental of a premises, may be permitted on lots of 12,000 square feet or less and may be placed within the front yard setback. Larger signs, not located within the required front yard setback, may be located on property exceeding 12,000 square feet. In this case, one half additional square foot of area beyond twelve square feet will be allowed for each 1,000 square feet of lot area beyond 12,000 square feet, to a maximum of 100 square feet. Such signs may be located within any district.

   (b)   Churches and other public and semipublic institutions shall be limited to two internally-illuminated signs, regardless of the district in which the use is located. Such signs shall be limited to ground or wall signs, shall each be not greater than twenty square feet in size and shall not be permitted in any side or rear yard setback. Churches, however, may also have a single bulletin board not more than thirty square feet in area.

   (c)   Temporary signs may be erected for the purpose of display at a construction site, temporary activity or civic event. Such signs must be nonilluminated and must not interfere with the visibility of pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Such signs may be erected up to four weeks prior to the event, with the permission of the Code Enforcement Officer, and they must be removed within forty-eight hours of completion of the event or of the structure. Construction signs must not exceed fifty square feet in area.

   (d)   Apartment complex signs may be erected in any district and on the same lot(s) as the apartment complex. When located in any district, except a Residence District or PUD District, such signs shall be considered on-site outdoor advertising signs and shall conform to all restrictions as set forth in Sections 1165.01 and 1165.02. When located in a Residence District or PUD District, such signs may not be placed within any required setbacks. may not exceed fifty square feet, must be nonilluminated, and may not be higher than fifteen feet above grade, unless the sign is attached to the apartment building itself. If the sign is attached to the apartment building itself, the sign may not be placed on the roof or above the roof line.

   (e)   Signs located at the entrance to a residential subdivision, identifying the name of the subdivision, are permitted, provided that the sign does not exceed twenty-four square feet in area. Such signs are limited to one per subdivision, shall not be located within the public right-of-way and must be approved by the City Development Commission during the subdivision process.

(Ord. 4320. Passed 11-15-93.)

   (a)   No signs erected under this section shall be more than six feet above the sidewalk elevation unless otherwise specified. All signs under this section shall be nonilluminated and must be removed within forty-eight hours after the completion of the event or structure, unless otherwise specified. Unless otherwise allowed, such signs may be placed within any yard setback, but may not be placed in a public right-of-way.

   (b)   The following signs may be erected without a zoning permit:

      (1)   Political signs comprising not more than sixteen square feet in area in a B-1 or Industrial District, or comprising less than four square feet in a B-2 or Residence District. Such signs may be erected only within seventy-five days of the election to which they pertain and must be removed within seven days after the election. Billboards or other permitted permanent signage used for this purpose are excluded from these provisions.

      (2)   Signs indicating private garage or yard sales, or private sales of a similar nature, provided that such signs are less than four square feet in area.

      (3)   Temporary signs indicating special sales, grand openings and events of a similar nature, when erected by commercial or institutional establishments. Such signs may be placed upon a building face and may be situated any place on the building face between the sidewalk elevation and the building roof line. The usage of any and all such temporary signage shall not exceed a total of ten days during any calendar month.

      (4)   Signs indicating the sale or lease of property and/or apartments and/or houses. Such signs shall not exceed six square feet in area and shall not be within a public right-of-way.

      (5)   Construction and development signs which do not exceed fifty square feet;

      (6)   Inspection or permit signs;

      (7)   Signs indicating entrances, exits and drive-up windows for commercial establishments, provided that such signs are flush-mounted and comprise no more than one square foot; and

      (8)   Signs indicating safety regulations or precautions when such signs are required by law or governmental regulations and do not conflict with any other provision of this Zoning Code in terms of placement within the confines of the property.

(Ord. 4320. Passed 11-15-93; Ord. 5487. Passed 11-19-12.)

   In the districts where billboards are permitted, each billboard may have two faces, provided that the faces are parallel to each other and facing opposite directions. The maximum visible display structure area of a billboard shall be 300 square feet, and the maximum height above grade at the top of the sign shall be thirty feet. Billboards may not be placed within ten feet of any right-of-way, and any billboard that is greater than 100 square feet in area shall be set back from the right-of-way an additional three feet for each twenty square feet, or portion thereof, of additional sign area. No billboard shall be placed closer than 250 feet from any Residence District. (Ord. 4320. Passed 11-15-93.)

   (a)   Each sign shall be kept safely, in a safe condition and in good order and repair at all times, so as to constitute no danger or hazard to public safety.

   (b)   Billboards and pole signs shall be landscaped, if feasible, and maintained so as to prevent the accumulation of noxious and unsightly weeds, growth and debris, which would detract from the appearance of the sign or sign structure.

   (c)   No sign shall be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent free ingress or egress to or from any door, window or fire escape. No sign of any kind shall be attached to a fire escape.

   (d)   The Code Enforcement Officer shall cause the removal and/or repair of any sign found to be unsafe or defective to the extent that it creates an immediate and/or emergency hazard to persons or property.

(Ord. 4320. Passed 11-15-93.)