§ 102-1. Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
A-frame sign means any impermanent or manually movable sign placed on the ground.
Anchor tenant means a retail store(s) in a shopping center that is/are in excess of 15,000 square feet of gross floor area and possess at least 100 feet of building frontage.
Animated sign means a sign employing actual motion, the illusion of motion, or light and/or color changes achieved through mechanical, electrical, or electronic means.
Architectural feature means any construction attending to, but not an integral part of the sign, such as, by way of example not limitation, landscape, building, or structural forms that enhance the site in general; it also includes, graphic stripes and other architectural painting techniques applied to a structure that serves a functional purpose, or when the stripes or other painting techniques are applied to a building provided such treatment does not include lettering, logos or pictures.
Awning is an architectural projection or shelter projecting from and supported by the exterior wall of a building and composed of a covering of rigid or non-rigid materials and/or fabric on a permanent supporting framework.
Awning sign means a sign displayed on or attached flat against the surface or surfaces of an awning.
Background structure means the parts of a sign, exclusive of the copy area, such as beams, buttresses, poles, cables, and stringers, which support the sign face.
Banner sign means those signs having the characters, letters, illustrations, or ornamentation applied to or impregnated into cloth, paper or fabric of any kind.
Billboard or billboard sign means any sign in excess of 32 square feet of copy area on its own structure or on a building which provides to the observer information of any kind concerning any products or services offered or sold or activity that takes place on property other than that where the sign is located, but excluding digital billboards. Each display face of a billboard shall constitute a separate billboard.
Building frontage means the horizontal length of a wall of a building where such wall faces a street. The measurement of such length is along a line parallel to the street. Where a building is arranged to include establishments with exterior public entrances but no wall space facing a street, the horizontal dimension of one wall of each such establishment which faces a mall or other private way may be considered to be building frontage.
Building signs means any sign attached to any part of a building, including but not limited to, awning, wall, roof and/or projecting signage.
Bulletin board means any device that accommodates temporary notices of personal or public nature affixed to a board by tape, tacks or other temporary means and where such board is designed with doors or other means of closure, and is permanently affixed to a permanent structure.
Canopy sign. See "marquee sign".
Changeable sign means a sign with the capability of content change by means of manual or remote input, including the following types:
Manually activated means a changeable sign whose message copy or content can be changed manually on a display surface.
Electronically activated means a changeable sign whose message copy or content can be changed by means of remote electronically energized on-off switching combinations of alphabetic or pictographic components arranged on a display surface. See "electronic message center".
Circular sign means a sign that is generally round or cylindrical where the contents of the sign covers all or part of the surface.
Cladding is a non-structural covering designed to conceal pole(s) and/or the actual structural support(s) of a sign.
Commemorative sign means a sign placed on or imbedded in the external surface of a wall for purposes of commemoration, identification, or such other purpose as relates to the structure and not the activities housed by the structure.
Commercial sign means any sign related primarily to the economic interests of the owner or lessee of such sign and its readers.
Copy area means the actual area of the letters, numerals, figures, symbols, logos and graphic elements comprising the content or message of a sign, exclusive of numerals identifying a street address only, as applied to any background.
Digital billboard means any sign in excess of 32 square feet of copy area on its own structure or on a building which provides to the observer information of any kind concerning any products or services offered or sold or activity that takes place on property other than that where the sign is located and provides information to the observer in an electronic manner that utilizes an LED display, fiber optics, or other light-emitting or backlight electronic display technology. Each display face of a digital billboard shall constitute a separate digital billboard.
Directional sign means any of the following:
(1)
Signs permanently erected or permitted by the city, the county, or the state to denote the name of any thoroughfare; to denote the route to any city, town, village, educational institution, public building, historic place, shrine or hospital; to direct and regulate traffic; to denote any railroad crossing, bridge, or other transportation or transmission company information for the direction or safety of the public.
(2)
Signs, notices or symbols of the Federal Aviation Administration for information as to locations, directions, landings and conditions affecting safety in aviation.
(3)
Signs, notices or symbols as to the time and place of regular civic meetings and religious activities and services.
(4)
Signs erected or maintained upon private property giving the name of the owner, lessee, or occupant of the premises and the street address of the premises.
Discontinued signs means a sign which no longer identifies or advertises a bona fide business, lessor, service, owner, product or activity and/or for which no legal owner can be found within a specified period of time.
Dissolve means a mode of message transition on an electronic message center accomplished by varying the light intensity or pattern, in which the first message gradually appears to dissipate and lose legibility with the gradual appearance and legibility of the second message.
Double-faced sign means a sign with two parallel or dihedral faces consisting of one or two sheets of sign material, of the same size, affixed to a single support device or structure, where the base of the sign sheets, if more than one, are equidistant from the ground, and where the sign sheets, if more than one, are not more than three feet from each other and where any such separation results from the intrusion of the supporting device. These types of signs are considered single signs.
Dynamic frame effect means an electronic message center sign frame effect in which the illusion of motion and/or animation is used.
Electrical sign. See "illuminated sign".
Electronic message center means any sign which has the capability of changing message content through the use of an electronically controlled device, but excluding digital billboards.
Facade sign means a sign serving also as a front of a building and presenting a false, superficial or artificial appearance or effect.
Fade means a mode of message transition on an electronic message center sign accomplished by varying the light intensity, where the first message gradually reduces intensity to the point of not being legible and the subsequent message gradually increases intensity to the point of legibility.
Flashing sign means any sign which attains an intermittent, flashing or varying intensity light source, or which includes or gives the illusion of intermittent or flashing light by means of animation, or an externally mounted intermittent light source. Digital billboards permitted and operated in accordance with section 102-94 are excluded from the definition of flashing sign.
Frame means a complete, static display screen on an electronic message center sign.
Frame effect means a visual effect on an electronic message center sign applied to a single frame.
Freestanding signs means a sign principally supported by one or more columns, poles or braces placed in or upon the ground and not attached to any building. Types of freestanding signs include but are not limited to monument signs and pole signs.
Foot candle means an English unit of measurement of the amount of light falling upon a surface (illuminance). One foot candle is equal to one lumen per square foot. Can be measured by means of an illuminance meter.
Gasoline station signs means signs for buildings and premises in which the primary source of revenue is the retail dispensing of motor fuels. That the primary source of revenue is the retail dispensing of motor fuels for such buildings and premises must be verified to the city by the applicant prior to the issuance of sign permits.
Gross floor area means the sum of the fully enclosed covered floor area and the unenclosed covered floor area of a building at all floor levels.
Illuminance means the amount of light falling upon a real or imaginary surface, commonly called "light level" or "illumination". Measured in foot candles (lumens per square foot) in the English System.
Illuminated sign means a sign where electrical current, connections, or fixtures are used as part of the sign or where electrical means are not integral to the sign.
Improved property means property upon which a structure or building is located.
Incidental sign means a sign restricted to incidental information, such as: credit cards accepted, services offered or trade affiliations; offers of trading stamps or coupons accepted.
Marquee sign means a sign affixed or inherent with the structure of metal, glass, canvas or other appropriate material projecting over and from points of ingress or egress of a building or other structure.
Monument sign means a sign which has the vertical structure supports concealed in an enclosed base. The width of such enclosed base shall be equal to at least two-thirds the horizontal width of the sign surface.
Multiple-faced sign means a sign consisting of more than two faces not more than one foot from each other at their closest point, affixed to a single-support device or structure, and where the base sign sheets are equidistant from the ground. These types of signs are considered single signs.
Multi-tenant parcel means a parcel of property, or parcels of contiguous property, existing as a unified or coordinated project, with a multi-tenant structure.
Multi-tenant structure means a building used, designed or constructed for occupation by more than one tenant.
Noncommercial sign means any sign relating primarily to interests other than to economic interest of the speaker and its audience.
Off-premises sign means any sign relating to commodities, accommodations, services, or any other activities on premises other than the premises upon which the sign is located.
Outdoors, out-of-doors means any area external to the walls, roof or windows of a structure and includes on the surface of the walls, roof or windows.
Owner means legal owner, lessee, or anyone in control of the property with authority, explicit or implicit, to emplace signs thereon.
Parapet means the extension of a false front or wall above a roof line.
Permanent signage means any sign that is displayed longer than 30 days.
Pole sign means a sign supported by at least one upright pole or post in which the vertical support(s) are not concealed within an enclosed base and the sign-face exceeds two feet above the finished grade level. Pole signs are required to be wrapped with cladding.
Portable sign means a sign affixed to any object that because of integral wheels or tracks has the capability of moving or being moved and a sign that is designed or constructed such that the sign has the capability of moving or being moved for freestanding display.
Projecting sign means a sign mounted on a building wall or fascia in such a manner that one or more copy areas are not parallel to the building wall.
Roof sign means a sign supported by uprights, braces or itself permanently placed on or into the roof structure wherein the sign is dependent on the roof structure for support.
Safety sign means a sign intended to prevent danger or harm.
Scroll means a mode of message transition on an electronic message center sign in which the message appears to move vertically across the display surface.
Shingle sign. See "wall sign".
Shopping center means any complex of three or more commercial establishments located proximately.
Shopping center sign means a sign of any type that pertains to the shopping center as a whole. Signs for individual shops within the center are covered in the specific categories of this chapter.
Sidewalk sign. See "A-frame sign".
Sign means every media or device used around, about or affixed to a structure or isolated from a structure that in any manner or means, whether by intent or by inadvertence, presents information to others through the media of human perception.
Single-tenant parcel means a parcel of land with a structure located thereon that is occupied by only a single establishment or entity.
Single-tenant structure means a structure that is occupied by only a single establishment or entity.
Snipe sign means a sign made of any material when such sign is tacked, nailed, stapled, pasted, glued or otherwise attached to a tree, pole, stake, fence or to other object and/or is capable of being manually inserted into the ground by a single individual and which is capable of being viewed from the public right-of-way.
Sound sign means a sign designed to transmit information to the public or to attract the attention of the public or any portion thereof primarily and essentially through auditory means and for commercial purposes.
Suspended or suspension sign. See "swinging sign". Also, supported by vertical means of a flexible nature.
Swinging sign means a sign suspended in such a way that it is free to swing on a relatively fixed axis.
T-frame sign means a portable sign utilizing an inverted "T" style of framing to support the sign.
Temporary sign means a sign with an intended duration of 30 days or less and which does not in fact exceed a duration of 30 days.
Transition means a visual effect used on an electronic message center sign to change from one message to another.
Travel means a mode of message transition on an electronic message center sign in which the message appears to move horizontally across the display surface.
Wall sign means a sign affixed to or painted upon the wall of a structure.
Window sign means a sign which may or may not be affixed directly to the surface of a window with its message intended to be visible to the exterior environment.
(Code 1988, § 3-1; Ord. No. 13-19, § 1, 5-23-13; Ord. No. 15-49, § 1, 5-28-15)
Cross reference
Definitions generally, § 1-2.