§ 15.9. Special requirements for signs in Residential-Transitional (R-T), Central Business (C-1), and Service Business (C-2) Districts.

All signs permitted in Residential-Transitional (R-T), Central Business (C-1), and Service Business (C-2) Districts shall also meet the following special requirements:

a.

Ground signs:

1.

Materials required. All ground signs shall be constructed of durable materials designed to withstand normal weather conditions for the area. Wooden signs shall be constructed of cedar, marine grade plywood, pressure-treated wood, or other wood that is treated and otherwise designed to resist rot and water damage and which is acceptable to the city manager or his designee. All wooden signs shall be painted with an exterior grade of paint. Plywood signs shall further have a minimum thickness of three-fourths of an inch and shall include ornamental trim to enhance the appearance and weather resistant properties of the sign.

2.

Letters, etc. All letters, figures, characters or representations in cut-out or irregular form, maintained in conjunction with, attached to or superimposed upon, any sign, shall be safely and securely built or attached to the sign structure.

3.

Height and area limitations; location. No person shall erect any ground sign the height of which is greater than 12 feet above the level of the street upon which the sign faces, or above the adjoining ground level, if such ground level is above the street level. No ground sign shall have a single surface area exceeding 32 square feet for a single face sign or 64 square feet for signs of two or more faces.

Ground signs shall be placed on the same parcel of property as the building or use to which they are accessory.

4.

Projection. A ground sign may not extend into a public right-of-way.

5.

Anchorage and support. All ground signs shall be securely built, constructed and erected upon posts and standards sunk at least three feet below the material surface of the ground and embedded in concrete. Such supports shall be so constructed as to meet the requirements of section 15.6.b.

6.

Number of signs. Not more than one ground sign shall be erected accessory to any single building, structure or shopping center regardless of the number of separate parties, tenants or uses contained therein.

7.

[Monument signs.] Monument signs may be substituted for an equal number of ground signs.

b.

Wall signs:

1.

Surface material. Wall signs which have an area exceeding 40 square feet shall be constructed of metal or other approved noncombustible material except for nailing rails. Wall signs which have an area less than 40 square feet may be constructed of other durable materials designed to withstand normal weather conditions for the area. Wooden signs shall be constructed of cedar, marine grade plywood, pressure-treated wood, or other wood that is treated and otherwise designed to resist rot and water damage and which is acceptable to the city manager or his designee. All wooden signs shall be painted with an exterior grade of paint. Plywood signs shall further have a minimum thickness of three-fourths of an inch and shall include ornamental trim to enhance the appearance and weather resistant properties of the sign.

2.

Limitation on placement. No wall sign shall cover wholly or partially any wall opening or project beyond the ends or top of the wall to which it is attached.

3.

Projection and height. No wall sign shall have a greater thickness than 18 inches measured from the wall to which it is attached to the outer surface. No wall sign shall be attached to a wall at a height which would interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

4.

Area limitations. The total surface area of any wall sign placed on the front of a building shall not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of building frontage. A wall sign placed on other than the front of a building shall not exceed a total surface area of 50 square feet.

5.

Supports and attachment. All wall signs shall be safely and securely attached to the building by means of metal anchors, bolts or expansion screws. In no case shall any wall sign be secured with wire, strips of wood or nails.

6.

Aesthetic requirements. Painted wall signs shall further be subject to the design review guidelines of section 15.14.

c.

Roof signs. Roof signs, except as described in paragraphs c.1. to 4. hereof, are prohibited, and no roof sign shall be permitted if a marquee sign exists on the same building.

1.

Limitation on placement. A roof sign parallel with the front wall of the building on which it is erected is permitted.

2.

Area and height limitations. The total surface area of a roof sign placed on the front of a building shall not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of building frontage. A roof sign shall not exceed three feet in height. In no event shall a roof sign extend above the peak of the roof of the building to which it is affixed.

3.

Materials required. Every roof sign, including the upright supports and braces thereof, shall be constructed entirely of noncombustible materials. However, combustible structural trim may be used thereon.

4.

Bracing, anchorage, and supports. Every roof sign shall be thoroughly secured to the building by iron, steel, aluminum, or other metal anchors, bolts, supports, rods, or braces.

d.

Projecting signs. Projecting signs shall meet the following requirements:

1.

Construction. Every part of a projecting sign shall be constructed of incombustible material.

2.

Movable parts to be secured. Any moving part of a projecting sign, such as the cover of a service opening, shall be securely fastened by chains or hinges.

3.

Area limitations. No projecting sign shall be larger than 15 square feet.

4.

Thickness limitation. The distance measured between the principal faces of any projecting sign shall not exceed 18 inches.

5.

Projecting over public property. No projecting sign shall project beyond the property line or into a public right-of-way.

6.

Bracing, anchorage, and supports. Projecting signs of a greater total surface area than ten square feet or 50 pounds in weight shall not be attached to or supported by frame buildings or the wooden framework of a building. All projecting signs shall be thoroughly secured to the building by iron, steel, aluminum, or other metal anchors, bolts, supports, rods, or braces.

7.

Height limitation. No projecting sign shall exceed a height greater than the roof line of the building to which it is attached.

8.

Distance from other signs. No projecting sign shall be erected within 20 feet of any other projecting sign. This provision, however, shall not deny any place of business at least one projecting sign, so long as any such proposed sign is in compliance with all other provisions of this Ordinance.

e.

Marquee signs. Marquee signs shall meet the following requirements:

1.

Materials required. Every marquee sign, including the upright supports and braces thereof, shall be constructed entirely of incombustible material.

2.

Bracing, anchorage, and supports. Every marquee sign shall be thoroughly secured to the building by iron, steel, aluminum, or other metal anchors, bolts, supports, rods, or braces.

3.

Advertising. Advertising on marquee signs is restricted to the listing of the firm name and street number, and no advertising shall be permitted thereon, except that theaters may announce changes of programs on marquee signs.

4.

Prohibited with roof sign. No marquee sign shall be permitted if a roof sign exists on the same building.

f.

Monument signs. No monument sign shall exceed a height of six feet as measured from the surface of the ground.

g

Changeable copy signs. Unless otherwise specified by this Ordinance, any sign herein may use manual or automatic changeable copy.

h.

Temporary signs. The following regulations shall be applicable to all temporary signs placed or situated at any place other than inside a building. Not withstanding these provisions, a temporary sign required to advertise a business during times of construction of public improvements shall be permitted provided not more than one sign per use is erected, the location is approved by the building department prior to its placement, and the sign is consistent with the intent of this section.

1.

Permits required. Permits are required to erect any yard sale sign or temporary sign in excess of four square feet; provided, however, that signs advertising the rental, sale or lease of the property upon which they are located may be erected without a permit. Not more than one temporary sign shall be permitted per each display period as provided herein. Signs advertising such rental, sale or lease shall not have a surface area greater than 20 square feet, nor shall there be more than two signs on any one lot. Any sign surface attached to any other sign surface and separated by a distance greater than six inches at any point shall be considered two signs.

2.

Display period. Cloth or canvas signs, pennants, and banners shall be erected for a period not to exceed three weeks for each display period permitted. A maximum of three display periods shall be permitted per year for a total of nine weeks of display per year. All other temporary signs may be displayed for not more than two months in any calendar year.

Inflatable signs, portable signs, and other special events signs shall be erected for a period not to exceed 15 days in any six-month period.

3.

Projection into right-of-way. No temporary sign shall be strung across any public right-of-way nor shall a temporary sign project beyond the property line except by specific approval of the board of zoning appeals.

4.

Area and height. No temporary sign shall have a single face greater than 20 feet in area or have a greater total surface area than 40 square feet or be a greater height than six feet above the ground.

5.

Materials required. Temporary signs shall be constructed of durable materials designed to withstand normal weather conditions for the area. Wooden signs shall be constructed of cedar, marine grade plywood, pressure-treated wood, or other wood that is treated and otherwise designed to resist rot and water damage and which is acceptable to the city manager or his designee. All wooden signs shall be painted with an exterior grade of paint. Plywood signs shall further have a minimum thickness of three-fourths of an inch and shall include ornamental trim to enhance the appearance and weather resistant properties of the sign.

6.

Removal. Temporary signs shall be removed promptly at the end of the display period provided for in paragraph h.2. hereof.

7.

Unsafe signs. Any temporary sign found by the city manager to be in an unsafe condition must be removed or repaired by the owner within three days after his or her receipt of notice to do so from the department.

8.

Yard sale/garage sale signs. No person shall attach in any way posters, notices or advertisements to utility poles, meter posts, or trees in or along any street right-of-way within the city; and that no person shall put up any notice upon any building, wall or fence or other property of another person without having first obtained the consent of the owner of such property. A temporary sign of not more than four square feet may be used to advertise a garage or yard sale. Said sign shall not be erected more than 24 hours in advance of the sale and must be removed at the conclusion of the sale.

i.

Window signs. Window signs shall not exceed 25 percent of the total window surface area.

j.

Fence signs:

1.

Surface material. Fence signs which have an area exceeding 20 square feet shall be constructed of metal or other approved noncombustible material except for nailing rails. Wall signs which have an area less than 20 square feet may be constructed of other durable materials designed to withstand normal weather conditions for the area. Wooden signs shall be constructed of cedar, marine grade plywood, pressure-treated wood, or other wood that is treated and otherwise designed to resist rot and water damage, and which is acceptable to the city manager or his designee. All wooden signs shall be painted with an exterior grade of paint. Plywood signs shall further have a minimum thickness of three-fourths of an inch and shall include ornamental trim to enhance the appearance and weather resistant properties of the sign.

2.

Limitation on placement. No sign shall project beyond the ends or top of the fence to which it is attached. The maximum height of a fence on which a sign is affixed shall not exceed six feet.

3.

Area limitations. The total surface area of any fence sign shall not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of building frontage, with a maximum of 50 square feet.

4.

Supports and attachment. All fence signs shall be safely and securely attached to the fence by means of metal anchors, bolts or expansion screws. In no case shall any wall sign be secured with wire, strips of wood or nails.

5.

Aesthetic requirements. Signs attached to fences shall be subject to the design review guidelines of section 15.14.

k.

Temporary signs advertising the rental, sale or lease of the property upon which they are located. "For Sale" and "For Rent" signs shall not have a surface area greater than 20 square feet, nor shall there be more than two signs on any one lot. Any sign surface attached to any other sign surface and separated by a distance greater than six inches at any point shall be rendered two signs. Said signs shall be either wall or freestanding signs, and shall not be illuminated.