§ 46-980. Signs permitted in all business, manufacturing and quarrying/extractive districts with a sign permit.
Signs are permitted in all business, manufacturing and quarrying/extractive districts, subject to the following restrictions:
(1)
On-premises wall and fascia signs. On-premises wall and fascia signs placed against the exterior walls of buildings shall not extend more than 12 inches outside of the building's wall surface. The total area of copy of wall or fascia signs for any one business, manufacturing or quarrying/extractive establishment shall not exceed one square foot per lineal foot of building frontage occupied by the establishment. Wall and fascia signs above the first story or the second floor window sill, whichever is higher, are prohibited. Such signs shall not be internally illuminated, except in the B-1, B-2 and M-1 districts, however all such signs may be externally illuminated.
(2)
On-premises projecting signs. On-premises projecting signs fastened to, suspended from or supported by structures attached to buildings shall not exceed a sign area of 12 square feet for each business or manufacturing establishment on premises containing no more than two such establishments. A premise having three or more business or manufacturing establishments shall submit a sign plan for architectural board review and approval to determine the number, size and location of projecting signs that may be allowed, including potentially providing only one projecting sign which may collectively advertise or identify the businesses, persons, activities, goods, products or services located on the premises. All on-premises projecting signs shall not extend more than four feet from the building; shall not extend more than three feet into any public right-of-way; shall not exceed a height of 20 feet above the adjacent mean centerline street grade or extend beyond the height of the roofline or above the top of the second floor window, whichever is lower; and shall not be less than ten feet above a sidewalk nor 15 feet above a driveway or an alley. The architectural board may grant up to two feet of exception to the minimum height requirement above a sidewalk. Such signs shall not be internally illuminated, but may be externally illuminated.
(3)
On-premises awning, canopy and marquee signs. On-premises awning, canopy and marquee signs shall be affixed flat to the surface of an awning, canopy or marquee; shall not extend vertically or horizontally beyond the limits or edges of said awning, canopy or marquee; shall not exceed a sign area of 35 square feet; shall not extend more than three feet into any public right-of-way; shall not exceed a height beyond the first story or the second floor window sill, whichever is higher; and shall not be less than ten feet above a sidewalk, nor 15 feet above a driveway or an alley The architectural board may grant up to two feet of exception to the minimum height requirement above a sidewalk. A name sign not exceeding two square feet in sign area located immediately in front of the entrance to an establishment may be suspended from an awning, canopy or marquee provided that the name sign shall be at least eight feet above a sidewalk. Such signs shall not be internally illuminated, but may be externally illuminated.
(4)
On-premises monument (ground) signs. Monument signs shall not exceed eight feet in height; shall be set back at least 15 feet from front, side or rear lot lines for the district in which it is located, except the B-3 district; and shall not exceed a sign area of 35 square feet. Only one sign may be permitted for any one premise unless section 46-980(10) applies. Such signs shall not be internally illuminated, but may be externally illuminated.
(5)
On- and off-premises pole or pylon signs. Pole or pylon signs may only be allowed in B-1, B-2 and B-3 districts on a case-by-case basis as determined by the architectural board based on physical site limitations, visual restrictions and other limiting factors. Such signs shall not exceed a sign area of 35 square feet; shall not exceed 20 feet in height above the base of the sign location or the adjacent mean centerline street grade only if the sign location is below the street grade, whichever is higher; shall meet the side and rear yard requirements of the district in which they are located; and shall have a minimum street yard requirement of 15 feet in all districts, with the exception of signs in the B-3 district which shall have no minimum street yard requirement. The illumination of such signs shall be subject to review and approval by the architectural board.
(6)
On- and off-premises driveway ingress/egress and direction signs. Incidental accessory signs such as those to identify parking lot entrances and exits or to direct customers, for example, to drive-in or drive-through services may be placed on the premises provided that no such signs are placed in the public street right-of-way unless approved by the architectural board; and no sign area shall exceed four square feet per sign.
(7)
On-premises window signs. On-premises window signs, except for painted signs or decals, shall be placed only on the inside of buildings, shall not exceed 25 percent of the glass area of the pane upon which the sign is displayed, and shall not be placed on glass doors or window areas that will impede pedestrian safety or prohibit view by police.
(8)
Special real estate development monument signs (permanent). Special real estate development monument signs (permanent) located at entrances or along streets or highways which designate a particular development and which only include the name of the development; provided that such sign area shall not exceed 35 square feet; provided that such signs shall be at least 15 feet from the outer edge of the highway or street right-of-way; and further provided that such signs shall be constructed and properly maintained so as to be aesthetically pleasing to the surrounding development. Such signs shall not be internally illuminated, but may be externally illuminated.
(9)
Special real estate development signs (temporary promotional signs; does not include for sale or rental signs, which are regulated by section 47-978(1)). Special real estate development signs (temporary) for the purpose of directing attention to the opening and location of a new building or a new business or manufacturing development, provided that such signs shall not exceed a sign area of 35 square feet; and further provided that such signs shall be at least five feet from the outer edge of the street right-of-way. Sign permits for such signs may be issued for a period not to exceed six months, but may be renewed prior to expiration at no additional fee charge.
(10)
Combinations. Combinations of any of the above signs shall meet all the requirements for that type of individual sign. The total number of signs on any premises shall be limited as follows:
a.
Up to two advertising signs may be permitted per premise, but no more than one freestanding sign unless approved by the architectural board. Owners may elect for them to be any combination of wall, fascia, awning, canopy, projecting, monument or pole/pylon signs, if a pole/pylon sign is permitted in accordance with section 46-980(5), not exceeding a total of two. For premises containing two or more individual business or manufacturing establishments, in lieu of separate signs for multiple individual business or manufacturing establishments on a premise, one sign having a total sign area not exceeding 100 square feet may be permitted to collectively advertise or identify the business or manufacturing establishments, persons, activities, goods, projects or services on the premises. Further, for premises containing two or more individual businesses or manufacturing establishments, the architectural board shall have the authority to vary from this Code to determine the type, number, size, height, and location of such signs.
b.
Multi-tenant buildings may provide a tenant directory near an entryway as one of the two signs permitted.
c.
Separate individual projecting, wall, fascia, awning or canopy signs may be allowed for each tenant in a shopping center or business complex subject to review and approval by the architectural board of an overall coordinated sign plan for the shopping center or business complex. The size of signs approved in this manner shall be calculated using the width of the business unit frontage or bay occupied by each tenant and shall not exceed one square foot per lineal foot of building frontage occupied by the business unit.
d.
Large developments with one or more buildings totaling a floor area of 25,000 square feet or greater with multiple arterial street frontages may have an additional monument sign to identify the development, upon architectural board review and approval.
e.
Price signs for gasoline, diesel or alternative fuel sales shall be limited to one sign per business site.
f.
Changeable copy reader boards may be incorporated in a sign upon architectural board review and approval without reducing the allowable size of the wall, monument or pole/pylon sign, if the latter is permitted in accordance with section 46-980(5); however, such reader boards shall not exceed 20 square feet in sign area.
(Ord. No. 818-14, § 1, 2-24-2014)