§ 62-122. Definitions.

The following definitions relate to the sign regulations contained in this article:

Abandoned on-premises sign. An abandoned on-premises sign is an on-premises sign which no longer correctly directs or exhorts any person, advertises a bona fide business, lessor, owner, entity, product, or actively conducted, or product available on the premises where such sign is displayed.

Abandoned off-premises sign. An abandoned off-premises sign is an off-premises sign which:

(1)

No longer correctly directs or exhorts any person; or

(2)

Has fallen into disrepair or otherwise deteriorated as a result of a lack of maintenance, repair or upkeep; or

(3)

With regard to billboards, which carries no advertising message other than a message concerning its availability for lease or hire on its structure for any period of 180 consecutive days.

Activity. An economic unit designated in the classification system given in the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Manual published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards.

Address sign. A sign which only conveys the numeric address of the premises on which it is located.

Architectural detail. Any projection, relief, cornice, column, change of building material, window or door opening on any building.

Attached sign. An attached sign is any sign which is physically connected to and derives structural support from a building or building appurtenance.

Audible sign. An audible sign is any sign which is designed to or which does produce sound.

Awning. A cloth, plastic, or nonstructural covering that either is permanently attached to a building or can be raised or retracted to a position against the building when not in use.

Banner. A sign composed of a logo or design on a lightweight material either enclosed or not enclosed in a rigid frame and secured or mounted to allow movement caused by the atmosphere.

Beacon. A strong or bright light focused or directed in one or more directions.

Bench sign. A bench sign is an advertising message on any portion of a bench or other nonmobile structure or device intended for public seating or convenience.

Billboards. A large panel designed to carry outdoor advertising.

Changeable message sign. A changeable message sign is a sign on which the copy, message or sign panels may be, when specifically issued a permit as a changeable message sign, changed either electronically or manually in the field through the removal, replacement, or rearrangement of letters, symbols, blocks or panels designed for attachment to said sign.

Construction sign. A construction sign is a temporary sign erected and maintained by an architect, contractor, developer, financial institution, subcontractor or materials supplier upon premises for which said person or persons is presently furnishing labor, materials, services or capital financing.

Directory sign. A directory sign is an outdoor sign listing and identifying the occupants within shopping centers, industrial centers, retail centers, office centers, and other multi-use commercial or industrial sites.

Flags, banners, seals. Flags, banners and seals are mottos, emblems, designs, shapes or symbols on cloth, plastic, canvas or devices of similar type and materials intended to convey any message or to identify any person, place, idea or thing other than duly adopted flags or seals of nations, states, parishes or municipalities.

Flashing lights. Any light or light source or reflection of light source which is intermittent in duration, color or intensity or which creates or is designed to create an illusion of intermittency in duration, color or intensity.

Flashing sign. A light source which, in whole or in part, physically changes in light intensity or gives the appearance of such change at intervals of less than six seconds.

Freestanding sign. A freestanding sign is a sign supported by a sign structure secured in the ground and which is wholly independent of any guy wire, support wire, building, fence, vehicle or object other than the sign structure, for support.

Ground sign. A ground sign is a monument sign or a pole sign supported by a sign structure secured in the ground and which is wholly independent of any guy wire, support wire, building, fence, vehicle or object other than the sign structure, for support.

Home occupation sign. A home occupation sign is any on-premises sign advertising a home occupation.

Identification sign. An identification sign is a sign which is limited to the name, address and/or number of a building or institution, person, or entity which is primary to the identification of the premises and to a general statement of the activity carried on in the building or institution.

Illuminated sign. An illuminated sign is any sign which has characters, letters, figures, designs or outlines illuminated by an interior or exterior light source which is primarily designed to illuminate such sign.

Individual letter sign. An individual letter sign is any sign made of self-contained letters that are mounted directly on the face of a building, a parapet, a roof edge of a building or on or below a marquee without being attached to a structure defined herein as a "sign face".

Inflatable sign. An inflatable sign is any sign dependent in whole or in part for its structural integrity on the infusion into said sign of compressed air or other fluids, and specifically including balloons larger than two feet in diameter or two-foot square in area or other gas or liquid filled figures.

Laser. A device emitting a narrow, very intense beam of light waves that have been amplified and concentrated by stimulated atoms, or the light produced by such device.

Marquee sign. A marquee sign is any sign attached to and made part of a marquee. A marquee is defined as a permanent roof-like structure projecting beyond a building wall at an entrance to a building or extending along and projecting beyond the building's wall and generally designed and constructed to provide protection against the weather. Signs painted or sewn onto awnings or canopies shall be considered marquee signs.

Monument sign. A monument sign is a freestanding ground sign:

(1)

Which is of monolithic construction in which the sign's base or support is of uniform composition with the material comprising the sign area of said sign and the base or support of said sign is directly affixed in or to the ground;

(2)

The sign face of which is encompassed on the top, sides and bottom by a border or column of the same or compatible material which border or column is not less than 12 inches wide and not more than 24 inches wide, and which border or column compliments and enhances the aesthetic effect of the sign; and

(3)

A double-faced monument sign shall be made of back-to-back sides unless visibility of such sign is impeded in which case the two sides may form a "V" shape in which the interior angle does not exceed 45 degrees.

Moving message or changing image sign. A moving message or changing image sign is any sign including public service signs designed to convey sign copy which changes in form or content with greater frequency than once an hour or which otherwise includes action or motion or the illusion of action or motion within its message or sign copy.

Multi-occupancy center. A single building or group of buildings situated in close proximity to each other that house more than one tenant or owner and whose parking facilities may be in common with other tenants, owner, or buildings, except those businesses which engage in the sale of automobile fuel products and other goods and services including, but not limited to, fast food restaurants and convenience stores.

Murals. A work of art painted or otherwise applied to an exterior wall surface.

Neon signs. Any white or colored tubular lighting bent or formed into a design or lettering of which the primary source of light is gaseous. Anything within the boundary of the outline of the neon will be considered a part of the sign face.

Nonconforming sign. A nonconforming sign is any sign structure or sign which was lawfully erected and maintained prior to such time as it came within the purview of this code or any amendments thereto and which fails to conform to all applicable regulations and restrictions of this Code, or a nonconforming sign for which a special permit has been issued.

Off-premises sign. An off-premises sign is a sign that directs a person to a different premises or location than that on which the sign is located; which identifies advertised goods, products, or services not available on the premises on which the sign is located; or which conveys a non-advertising idea or message; or identifies or advertises a business, person, firm or corporation not located on or occupying the premises where the sign is located; or which is not otherwise defined as an on-premises sign.

On-premises sign. An on-premises sign is a sign identifying or advertising a business, person, firm, corporation, activity, goal, product or service located or available on the premises where the sign is installed and maintained or which is displayed and maintained by the owner or occupant of the premises on which it is located.

Parapet sign. A parapet sign is a sign extending above a roof line or which serves as a parapet.

Pole sign. A pole sign is a ground sign (i) the structure of which consists of one or more vertical poles which are partially placed in the ground for stability, and which may have a horizontal pole at or near the top of a single vertical pole and which may be joined together by a horizontal pole, (ii) the sign face or faces of which are attached to the vertical pole(s) and/or horizontal pole and may be chained, cabled or attached to the vertical pole(s) and (iii) the sign face(s) of which do not touch the ground and, therefore, leave an open space between the bottom of the sign face and the ground. A pole sign cannot be connected to or affixed to a building.

Political sign. A political sign is any sign urging the election or defeat of any candidate seeking any political office, or urging the passage or defeat of any ballot measure, but not including any billboard owned or maintained by a commercial firm or advertising company when leased or used as a political sign.

Portable sign. A portable sign is any sign other than a trailer or vehicle sign that is not permanently affixed to a building, structure or the ground or a sign designed to be moved from place to place. These signs primarily include, but are not limited to. A frame or sandwich board signs, signs attached to wood or metal frames, and signs designed to be self-supporting and moveable.

Private directional signs. Private directional signs are on-premises signs directing vehicular or pedestrian traffic movement into a premises or within premises.

Project sign. A project sign is a temporary sign announcing a proposed land development or construction project.

Projected sign. A projected sign is a sign or visual image created by the projection of light onto a surface.

Projecting sign. A projecting sign is any sign other than a wall sign affixed to any building or wall which sign has a leading edge extending 12 inches or more beyond such building or wall. Projecting signs are of two types:

(1)

Fixed. A sign, other than a wall sign, which extends outward 12 inches or more from the facade of any building and is rigidly affixed thereto.

(2)

Swinging. A sign projecting 12 inches or more from the outside wall or walls of any building which is supported by only one rigid support affixed thereto.

Public directional signs. Public directional signs are either:

(1)

Signs permanently or temporarily erected in the public right-of-way or on public property with the approval of the city council which denote the name or route to any educational institution, public building of facility, historic place, shrine, church, synagogue, hospital, library or similar facility or institution; or

(2)

Signs permanently or temporarily erected identifying a person or entity who has undertaken to plant or maintain landscaping of that portion of the right-of-way.

Public service sign. A public service sign is a sign the primary purpose of which is to provide information as a service to the general public such as time, temperature or the promotion or announcement of public events, or other events of a civic, philanthropic, charitable or religious purpose of general interest to the public.

Real estate sign. A real estate sign is any temporary sign pertaining to the sale, lease or rental of land or buildings, which is erected or displayed on the lot or parcel to which it applies.

Resident identification sign. A resident identification sign is any on-premises sign limited in content to no more than the name of the premises, its municipal address and the names of the present occupant or occupants of the premises.

Revolving or rotating sign. A revolving or rotating sign is any sign whose sign face is designed to move or turn on any axis.

Roof sign. A roof sign is any sign erected or painted upon, against or directly above a roof or on top of or above the parapet of a building.

Searchlight. A strong or bright light with a reflector in a swivel so that its beam may be sent or directed in various directions.

Sign. "Sign" is defined as a medium of communication, including its structure and component parts, which is used or intended to be used to attract attention to its subject matter or location usually for advertising purposes, including paint on the surface of a building. Each distinctive message painted or placed on a building or other structure shall be considered an individual sign.

Sign area. The area of a sign shall be defined as the square foot area enclosed within the perimeter of the sign face with each face contributing to the aggregate area of any sign. With respect to signs which are composed of individual symbols, letters, figures, illustrations, messages, forms, or panels, the sign area shall be defined as that area enclosed by one continuous line connecting the extreme points or edges of the advertising message. In cases where there is no definable simple geometric shape, the simplest geometric shape or rectangle enclosing the outer edges of the advertising message shall determine the sign area. In cases of back-lighted awnings with advertising messages, the entire area of the awning shall be considered as the sign area.

Sign face. Sign face is the part of the sign that is or can be used to identify, advertise, communicate, inform or convey a visual representation which attracts the attention of the public for any purpose. "Sign face" includes any background material, panel, trim, frame, color and direct or self-illumination that differentiates the sign from the building, structure, backdrop surface or object upon which or against which it is placed. The sign structure shall not be included as a portion of the sign face provided that no message, symbol or any of the aforementioned sign face criteria are displayed on or designed as part of the sign structure, unless it is outlined in neon.

Sign height. Sign height of a sign shall be defined as the vertical distance from the finished grade to the highest point of either the sign or sign structure.

Sign message. The words or symbols on a sign face which convey a message to those viewing the sign.

Sign owner. A sign owner is that person who owns a sign and/or who is responsible for a sign. In those cases in which the sign owner cannot be determined; the owner of the premises upon which the sign is located shall be deemed the owner of the sign.

Sign, premises. A sign premises is defined as the contiguous land in the same ownership which is not divided by any highway, street, alley or right-of-way. For purposes of this article a single premises:

(1)

May include more than one lot of record when such lots are devoted to a single unity of use; or

(2)

May consist of a separate structure on the same lot of record when, in the opinion of the city, such separate structure appears to be a separate premises.

Sign structure. A sign structure is the supporting structure upon which a sign or sign face is fastened, attached or displayed or is intended to be fastened, attached or displayed; provided however, this definition shall not include a building or fence.

Signable area. An area which is free of architectural details on the facade of a building or part of a building in which an activity is located.

Snipe sign. A snipe sign is a sign which is tacked, nailed, posted, pasted, glued or otherwise attached to poles, stakes, fences, or to other like objects.

Store front. The facade of a space in a building, regardless of the type use of the space, which space must have a direct entrance, by door, from the exterior of the building through the facade, and which facade must face a street or a parking lot for the building.

Street banner sign. A street banner sign is any banner sign which is attached across and hung over a public right-of-way.

String of lights. A string of electrical conductors containing two or more lights or light sockets.

Subdivision sign. A subdivision sign is a sign identifying the subdivision and denoting the entrance or exit to the subdivision.

Temporary sign. A temporary sign is any sign, the display of which is limited by law, ordinance, or regulation and which advertises a situation or event that is designed, intended, or expected to occur and be completed within a reasonably short or definite period after the erection of such sign.

Trailer sign. A trailer sign is any sign or sign structure attached to or composed in whole or in part of a trailer frame or chassis or skid or skid frame or body or of any materials which have ever previously constituted in whole or in part such a trailer, skid, frame, chassis or body.

Vehicle sign. A vehicle sign is any sign displayed on or from any mode of transportation, including but not limited to cars, buses, trucks/trailers, trains, boats, or airplanes.

Wall sign. A wall sign is a sign other than a parapet sign which is painted on or which projects less than 12 inches from the wall of a building, and is painted on, attached to or erected against any exterior wall or window of a building or structure with the exposed face of the sign being in a plane parallel to the plane of said wall or window and not extending above the building.

Window sign. A window sign is any sign which is painted on, applied to, attached to or projected upon the exterior or interior of a building glass area, including doors, or located within one foot of the interior of a building glass area, including doors, whose identification, message, symbol, insignia, visual representation, logo type or any other form which communicates information, can be perceived from any off-premises contiguous property or public right-of-way.

(Ord. No. 2004-026, § 14, 2-21-2005; Ord. No. 2007-002, § 1 a., 3-19-2007)

Cross reference

Definitions generally, § 1-2.