§ 9655.2. Definitions.

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 9120 et seq. of this article, for the purposes of this part, the following words and phrases are defined as follows:

A.

Address sign means the numeric reference of a structure or use to a street included as part of a wall or monument sign.

B.

Area, sign means the area in square feet determined by drawing a line around the outer perimeter of the writing, representation, emblem, or any figure of similar character, together with any material or color forming an integral part of the display or used to differentiate such sign from the background against which it is placed. If the sign consists of more than one section or module, all of the area, including the area between the sections or modules, shall be included in the computation of sign area. Supporting framework or bracing that is clearly incidental to the display itself shall not be computed as sign area

C.

Awning sign means any sign or graphic attached to, painted on or applied to an awning or awning canopy.

D.

Banner means a strip of cloth, thin plastic or other flexible material on which a sign is painted, printed, or otherwise displayed.

E.

Business sign means a sign that displays a business name or otherwise directs attention to a business or profession, or to goods, services, or entertainment offered or produced by the business located on the same property as the business sign.

F.

Commercial or business park complex means a group of two (2) or more businesses which are situated as an integral unit on a single parcel of land or separate parcels of land and which businesses utilize common off street parking or access.

G.

Construction sign means a temporary sign stating the names of those individuals or firms directly connected with the construction or development project, their addresses and their telephone numbers.

H.

Directional sign means an on-site sign on private property the sole purpose of which is to direct the flow of pedestrian and vehicle traffic, transmit parking information or convey similar such information.

I.

Director means the director of planning and community development or such director's designee.

J.

Directory sign means a freestanding sign containing the name of the commercial or business park complex on which the sign is located and the names of the separate businesses also located within that complex.

K.

Externally lighted sign means a sign whose immediate source of illumination is not enclosed by the surface of the sign structure.

L.

Flag. A piece of fabric, usually rectangular in shape, that is usually displayed hanging free from a staff or pole, to which it is attached by edge so that it will float, play, or shake in an air current.

M.

Frontage, building means the exterior building wall facing or oriented towards a public or private right-of-way. The amount of frontage shall be measured continuously along such building wall for the entire length of the subject business or use.

N.

Frontage, primary means the frontage, which provides the subject building with its main or principal orientation to a public or private right-of-way, whether or not such frontage has a public entrance to the building. In shopping centers or multiple tenant buildings, the primary frontage shall be established as part of a sign program.

O.

Frontage, secondary means any frontage, other than the primary frontage, that has a public entrance to the subject building.

P.

Halo illumination means a form of internal illumination where channel lettering is used and the light source is hidden behind and glows around the edges of letters or symbols giving the effect of a light halo.

Q.

Identification sign means a monument sign limited to the identifying name, symbol or insignia, or any combination thereof, of a building, use or persons occupying the premises on which the sign is located.

R.

Inflatable sign. An object made of an airtight material, generally greater than eighteen (18) inches in diameter at its widest point, filled with air or gas to form a three (3) dimensional shape and used as a sign.

S.

Informational sign means a sign stating the hours of operation of a business, emergency telephone numbers, credit card usage, or other information of a similar nature.

T.

Internally lighted means illumination produced by a light source contained within a sign and not directly visible from outside.

U.

Legal nonconforming sign means a sign that was originally erected or installed in compliance with all structural, locational, design, building, and electrical regulations at the time of its erection or installation, but which no longer conforms to the provisions of this division.

V.

Logo means an individual sign, separated from the business letters, consisting of any name, symbol, trademark, letter style, words, figures, or decorative motifs.

W.

Monument sign means a sign that is completely self-supporting has its sign face or base on the ground or a maximum of twelve (12) inches above the adjacent grade or base of the sign.

X.

Neon sign means an illuminated sign affected by a colorless, odorless light source consisting of a neon or gas tube, which is bent to form letters, symbols or other shapes.

Y.

Noncommercial sign means a sign with noncommercial copy intended to display religious, charitable, cultural, governmental, informational, political, educational, or artistic messages.

Z.

Noncommercial copy means a message that pertains primarily to matters other than commercial products, services or activities.

AA.

Outdoor advertising display, structure or sign means a commercial sign placed for the purpose of advertising products or advertising services that are not produced, stored, or sold on the property upon which the sign is located. This shall also mean a billboard.

BB.

Pole sign means a freestanding sign that is supported by one (1) or more poles or uprights on the ground.

CC.

Price sign means a sign limited to the name or identification of items, products or services offered for sale on the premises and the price of the items or products at gasoline service stations.

DD.

Portable or movable sign means any commercial sign which is intended to be movable or capable of being moved, whether or not on wheels or other special supports, including but not limited to "A frame" type signs. Portable or movable signs also include placards, signs, banners, or similar devices attached to vehicles for advertising purposes unless such devices are an integral part of such vehicle used in the normal course of business. Portable or movable signs also include signs that are carried or worn by a person, including but not limited to sandwich boards, are not attached to a sign structure or any other structure, and are not affixed to or resting on the ground. "For Sale" signs in vehicle windows shall not be classified as a portable sign.

EE.

Projecting sign means a sign other than a wall sign suspended from or supported by a building or structure and projecting outward more than twelve (12) inches there from and oriented to pedestrians.

FF.

Real estate sign means a temporary sign advertising the sale, lease, or rental of the property upon which it is located, and the identification of the person or firm handling such sale, lease or rental.

GG.

Revolving sign means a sign that turns around or rotates, as on an axis.

HH.

Right-of-way, public means a public street or highway, but not including a freeway.

II.

Right-of-way, private means an off-street parking area for a business or group of businesses that does not abut a public right-of-way.

JJ.

Roof sign means a sign that is mounted on the roof of a building, or which is dependent upon a building for support, and which projects above the highest point of a building with a flat roof, the eave line of a building with a gambrel, gable, or hip roof, or the deck line of a building with a mansard roof. Signs placed on flat surface integrated into the mansard roof design shall not be considered roof signs.

KK.

Secondary sign means any sign not located on a primary frontage.

LL.

Sign means any thing of visual appearance primarily used for, or having the effect of, attracting attention from streets, sidewalks or other outside public areas for identification purposes. A sign shall not mean displays of merchandise, products for sale on the premises, ornamentation, design, recreational equipment, statuary, architecture, landscaping pictures, paintings and other such art forms unless the display, because of the location, size, use or nature thereof, has the substantial effect of attracting attention for identification purposes when viewed from an outside public area. "Sign" shall include a neon sign at any location inside a building if such sign can be viewed from an outside public area. For the purpose of this part, a sign is not a sign if it is inside a building, more than three (3) feet behind a window and not facing a window in such a way as to be viewed from an outside public area.

MM.

Sign face means the surface or that portion of a sign that is visible from a single point as a flat surface or a plane and considered as such together with the frame and the background.

NN.

Single tenant building means a building used by one (1) occupant for an individual business.

OO.

Temporary sign means any sign intended to be displayed for a limited period of time and capable of being viewed from any public right-of-way, parking area or neighboring property. A temporary sign is any sign constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard, poster board or other light materials, with or without frames, and mounted in a nonpermanent manner.

PP.

Under canopy sign means a sign attached to or suspended from the underside of a projecting canopy protruding over a public or private sidewalk or right-of-way.

QQ.

Vehicle-related portable freestanding sign means a portable commercial sign affixed to a vehicle or on a trailer attached to a vehicle for the purpose of advertising products or advertising services that are not produced, stored, or sold on the property upon which the sign is located.

RR.

Wall sign means a sign attached to or erected on the exterior wall of the building or structure with the exposed face of the sign in a plane approximately parallel to the plane of the exterior wall.

SS.

Window sign means a sign directing attention to the principal business, profession or industry attached to or within three (3) feet of the inside of the window upon the premises where the sign is displayed, or to the type of products sold, manufactured or assembled, or to services or entertainment offered on said premises.

(Ord. No. 05-330, § 1, 5-11-2005; Ord. No. 06-340, § 1, 12-13-2006)