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This section defines specific terms to be applied where used in Chapter 19.36 EMC.

Abandoned sign” means a sign which no longer identifies or advertises a bona fide business, lessor, service, owner, product or activity, or for which no legal owner can be found.

Awning sign” means the use of an awning attached to a building for advertisement, identification or promotional purposes. Only that portion of the awning which bears graphics, symbols and/or written copy shall be construed as being a sign.

Billboard” means an exterior sign which contains a message that is unrelated to the use or activity of the property or facilities on which the sign is located, and which is supported by a substantial permanent sign structure. Billboards are typically owned or leased separately from the principal buildings or uses on the property upon which they are located and are larger and/or taller than would otherwise be permitted by this title.

Cabinet sign” means an internally illuminated sign in which a removable sign face (usually with translucent sign graphics) is enclosed on all edges by a metal cabinet.

Canopy” means an overhead structure attached to a building that provides weather protection for pedestrians.

Clearance of a sign” means the smallest vertical distance between grade and lowest point of any sign, including framework and embellishments, extending over that grade.

Commercial sign” means a sign erected for a business transaction or advertising the exchange of goods and services.

Construction sign” means any sign used to identify the architects, engineers, contractors or other individuals or firms involved with the construction of a building, or to announce the character or type of building.

Directional sign” means a single- or double-faced sign designed to guide or direct pedestrian or vehicular traffic from the public right-of-way to a location, activity or service on the site.

Electrical sign” means a sign or sign structure in which electrical wiring, connections or fixtures are used.

Electronic changing message sign” means an electrically activated sign whose message content, either in whole or in part, may be changed by means of electronic programming. These signs shall include those displaying time, temperature, and messages of a public or commercial nature.

Feather or sail sign” means a vertical portable sign that contains a harpoon-style pole or staff driven into the ground for support or supported by means of an individual stand.

Flag” means a flat piece of cloth, with distinctive colors, patterns or symbols used to represent a country or group, having one end of the cloth attached to a vertical staff (directly or by rope and pulley mechanism) and all other ends free-flowing under natural movement of wind.

Flashing sign” means a sign or a portion thereof which changes light intensity or switches on and off in a constant pattern, or contains motion or the optical illusion of motion by use of electrical energy.

Freestanding sign” means a permanent pole, ground or monument sign attached to the ground and supported by uprights or braces attached to a foundation in the ground and not attached to any building.

Halo lighting” means a method of sign illumination that consists of opaque sign elements with light projected behind them illuminating the mounting surface.

Incidental sign” means a small sign, emblem or decal informing the public of goods, facilities or services available on the premises, e.g., a credit card sign or a sign indicating hours of business, which does not exceed two square feet in size.

Indirect lighting” means lighting displayed or reflected on the surface or face of a sign which is not inside the sign and not a part of the sign proper.

Interior-oriented sign” means a sign that is used to direct persons on a site to a particular location, activity, or service on the same site, or to provide persons a list of products or services offered on the site such as a menu board. Text, pictures and logos must be of a size that is intended to be read by persons on the site.

Monument sign” means a freestanding sign attached to a permanent foundation or decorative base and not attached to or dependent on support from any building, pole, posts or similar uprights.

Noncommercial sign” means any sign that is not a commercial sign. This definition also includes signs regarding fund raising or membership drive activities for noncommercial or nonprofit entities or groups.

Off-premises sign” means an advertising, informational, directional or identification sign other than a billboard, which relates to products, businesses, services or premises not located on or otherwise directly associated with the site on which the sign is erected.

Permanent sign” means a sign constructed of weather-resistant material and intended for permanent use and that does not otherwise meet the definition of “temporary sign.” Wall-mounted sign holders designed for insertion of signs and posters shall be considered permanent signage and subject to all standards of Chapter 19.36 EMC.

Pole sign” means any freestanding sign more than five feet in height that does not meet the definition of monument, ground or portable sign. These signs are composed of the sign cabinet or base and the sign pole or pylon by which it connects to the ground.

Portable sign” means any sign not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported. Portable signs include, but are not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels, A-frame signs, menu and sandwich board signs, and advertising flags.

Projecting sign” means any sign, other than a flat wall sign, which is attached to and projects more than twelve inches from a building wall or other structure not specifically designed to support the sign.

Readerboard” means a sign or a part of a sign on which the letters are readily replaceable such that the copy can be changed from time to time at will.

Roof sign” means any sign erected over or on the roof of a building, or attached to the wall of a building and extending above the roofline.

Sign” means any device, structure, fixture, placard, painted surface, awning, banner or balloon using graphics, lights, symbols and/or written copy designed, used or displayed for the purpose of advertising, informing, identifying, attracting attention to, or promoting the interest of any person, institution, business, event, product, goods or services; provided, that the same is visible from a street, way, sidewalk, or parking area open to the public.

Sign area” means the entire area of a sign on which copy is to be placed. Sign structure, architectural embellishments, framework and decorative features which contain no written or advertising copy shall not be included. Sign area shall be calculated by measuring the perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the module or background containing the advertising or identifying message; provided, that individual letters using a wall as the background, without added decoration or change in wall color, shall have a sign area calculated by measuring the smallest rectangle enclosing each letter and totaling the square footage thereof. For double-faced signs, total sign area shall be calculated by measuring only one face.

Sign height” means the vertical distance from grade to the highest point of a freestanding sign or any vertical projection thereof, including its supporting columns. Grade shall be determined by taking the average elevation at finished grade for the midpoints of the four sides of the smallest rectangle that will enclose all area which is within a five-foot horizontal radius of the sign and its supporting structure.

Temporary sign” means any sign that is intended and designed to be displayed for a limited period of time, including, without limitation, a sign that is not permanently mounted, painted or otherwise affixed, excluding portable signs as defined by this chapter, including any poster, banner, placard, stake sign or sign not placed in the ground with concrete or other means to provide permanent support, stability and rot prevention. Temporary signs may only be made of nondurable materials including, but not limited to, paper, corrugated board, flexible, bendable or foldable plastics, foamcore board, vinyl canvas or vinyl mesh products of less than twenty-ounce fabric, vinyl canvas and vinyl mesh products without polymeric plasticizers and signs painted or drawn with water soluble paints or chalks. Signs made of any other materials shall be considered permanent and are subject to the permanent sign regulations of Chapter 19.36 EMC. Blade and feather signs are not considered temporary signs.

Under-canopy sign” means a sign suspended from a horizontal building projection (i.e., weather protection) over a public or private sidewalk.

Video board” means an electronically activated sign that creates the effect of motion or animation, except as allowed by Chapter 19.36 EMC for changing electronic message signs which are in compliance with the 2-1-2 provision.

Wall sign” means a sign attached, painted onto or erected parallel to and extended not more than one foot from the facade or face of any building to which it is attached and supported throughout its entire length, with the exposed face of the sign parallel to the plane of said wall or facade.

Wall sign, upper story” means a wall sign located above the floor plate of the second floor for buildings containing more than one story.

Window sign” means a sign affixed to windows of a building, whether temporary or permanent, lighted or unlighted, which may be viewed from the exterior of the building. The term does not include merchandise located within a building. (Ord. 3774-20 § 5(D) (Exh. 3), 2020.)