Definitions

The following words are hereby defined in accordance with the requirements of this article:

AWNING — Any nonrigid material, such as fabric or flexible plastic, that is supported by or stretched over a frame that is attached to an exterior wall.

AWNING SIGN — A sign placed directly on the surface of an awning.

BILLBOARD — All off-site signs or off-site advertising, and any sign that is used to attract attention to an object, person, product, institution, organization, business, service, event or location that is not located on the premises upon which the sign is located. This definition does not include governmental traffic, directional or regulatory signs or notices of the federal, state, county or City government or their public agencies.

CANOPY — An extension of the roof of a building or a freestanding structure that has a roof with support, but no walls.

CANOPY SIGN — A sign painted on or attached to a hood, awning or roof-like canopy. Individual letters, words or symbols may be affixed or applied to any surface, provided that the area of the sign does not exceed the maximum area allowed in § 410-88. A canopy sign is not considered a projecting sign. In no event shall such sign or part thereof be erected closer than two feet to the curbline.

CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN — A sign that is designed so that characters, letters or illustrations can be manually changed or rearranged without altering the face or surface of the sign.

[Amended 8-25-2004 by Ch. No. 2739]

CHANNEL LETTER OR DIMENSIONAL LETTER SIGN — A sign comprised of individual letters and graphics without a frame or separate background.

[Added 2-25-2010 by Ch. No. 2934]

COPY AREA OF A SIGN — The actual area of the characters and letters displayed on a sign face.

DIRECTIONAL SIGN — A sign identifying on-premises traffic, parking or other functional activity bearing no commercial advertising. Such signs are permitted in all zones except in residential zones and shall be limited to four square feet in area per sign.

DIRECTORY SIGN — A sign which displays the names and/or addresses of the establishments or uses of a building or group of buildings.

ELECTRONIC MESSAGING CENTER/ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD — An exterior computer-programmable sign capable of displaying words, symbols, figures or picture images that can be altered or rearranged by remote means without altering the face or surface of the sign.

[Added 2-25-2010 by Ch. No. 2934]

ERECT — To assemble, construct, build, raise, place, install, affix, attach, create, paint, draw or in any other way bring into being or establish.

FACADE — The exterior front surface of a building.

FREESTANDING SIGN — A sign that is attached to, erected on or supported by some structure (such as a pole, mast, frame or other structure, but not any kind of antenna) that is not itself an integral part of or attached to a building. A sign that stands without supporting elements, such as sandwich sign, is also a freestanding sign. All permanently installed freestanding signs shall be protected from vehicular circulation and parking areas.

FRONTAGE, BUILDING — The length of a building that faces a street, parking area or private drive.

FRONTAGE, LOT — The length of that part of a zoning lot that fronts a public street.

ILLEGAL SIGN — Any sign erected or maintained in violation of a preceding ordinance or erected, altered, removed or replaced in violation of this chapter.

ILLUMINATED SIGN — A sign illuminated in any manner by an artificial light source, whether internally or externally illuminated.

LANDMARK SIGN — An older sign of artistic or historic merit, uniqueness or significance.

MARQUEE — A permanent structure other than a roof, attached to, supported by and projecting from a building and providing protection from natural elements.

MARQUEE SIGN — A sign attached to and made part of a marquee or any other similar projection from a building.

MONUMENT SIGN — A freestanding sign with a base affixed to the ground which measures at least 2/3 the horizontal length of the sign.

NONCONFORMING SIGN — A sign that met all legal requirements when constructed, but is not in compliance with the present sign regulations. An illegal sign is not a nonconforming sign.

OFF-SITE SIGN or OFF-SITE ADVERTISING (see "billboard") — Any sign that is used to attract attention to an object, person, product, institution, organization, business, service, event or location that is not located on the premises upon which the sign is located. This definition does not include governmental traffic, directional or regulatory signs or notices of the federal, state, county or City government or their public agencies.

ON-PREMISES SIGN — Any sign that is used to attract attention to an object, person, product, institution, organization, business, service, event or location that is located on the premises upon which the sign is located.

POLE SIGN — A freestanding sign with a base at least eight feet above the ground which is supported from the ground by a pole or a similar support structure of narrow width.

PROJECTING SIGN — A sign which is supported by an exterior wall of a building and which is displayed perpendicular to the face of the building. In no event shall such sign or part thereof be erected closer than two feet to the curbline.

ROOF SIGN — A sign that projects more than two feet above the roof, parapet or ridge line of the building; or mounted upon any roof, parapet or ridge line of a building.

SANDWICH BOARD (SIDEWALK) SIGN — Any freestanding, movable or immobile sign placed within the City right-of-way (sidewalk). See § 351.14 of Chapter 351, Streets and Sidewalks, of the Code of the City.

[Added 6-23-1999 by Ch. No. 2531]

SIGN — Any object, device or structure, or part thereof, situated outdoors which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event or location by any means, including words, letters, figures, designs, symbols, fixtures, colors, illumination or projected images. Signs include, but are not limited to, flags, banners, pennants and bunting.

[Amended 2-25-2010 by Ch. No. 2934]

SUBSTANTIAL OWNERSHIP INTEREST — Any ownership interest in excess of 5% of the total ownership interest.

TEMPORARY SIGN — A sign that is displayed only for a specified period of time with a permit from the Division of Zoning and Code Enforcement.

VISIBILITY TRIANGLE — Signs shall be located so that at every street intersection there is a clear view between three feet and 10 feet above the plane of a triangle formed by the two street lines and a third line joining points on the street lines 20 feet from their intersection.

WALL SIGN — A sign attached to a wall of a building or is made of any material, including vinyl and cloth signs, and which extends not more than 15 inches from the face of the wall.

[Amended 6-23-1999 by Ch. No. 2531; 9-21-2006 by Ch. No. 2825]

WINDOW SIGN — A sign that is attached to the inside of any window or situated within a building, so that the sign is visible from the public right-of-way.

Editor's Note: The former definition of "banner," which immediately followed this definition, was repealed 6-23-1999 by Ch. No. 2531.