19.36.050 Development standards for specific sign types

19.36.050 Development standards for specific sign types.

The following standards shall apply in addition to the standards listed elsewhere in this chapter. For signs that meet the definition of more than one sign type, the planning director shall determine which standards apply based on the sign’s function, location and orientation.

a. A minimum lettering height of six inches for the primary tenant or entity and three inches for secondary tenant or entity is required for readability.

b. Freestanding signs for individual businesses are encouraged to include the street address number.

2. Freestanding signs must have a substantial base that is at least half as wide and thick (measured horizontally) as the sign itself. Sign bases must have an architectural treatment that incorporates materials similar to the sign and/or building.

3. Protective Islands Around Sign Base. At the time of installation, all freestanding signs shall include protective islands and curbing to prevent vehicles from hitting the sign structure and to improve the overall visual appearance of the structure. Protective islands shall be designed and constructed so as to provide protection at least three feet in all directions from the sign structure and shall be landscaped in accordance with the following standards:

a. Install one square foot of landscaping at the base of the sign per one square foot of sign face.

b. Landscaping shall include a decorative combination of ground cover and shrubs to provide seasonal interest in the area surrounding the sign.

c. The city may reduce the landscaping requirement where the signage incorporates stone, brick, or other decorative materials.

4. Location. Freestanding signs shall not be located within the public right-of-way.

5. Identification Signs for Residential Development. Each entrance to a subdivision development or manufactured home park may have a freestanding or fence-mounted identification sign up to twenty-four square feet in area. The height of such signs shall not exceed four feet.

a. Wall signs shall not cover windows, building trim, or ornamentation. This includes blank areas above canopies, areas between vertical piers or columns or blank areas on a gabled roof.

b. Upper Story Wall Signs Outside Metro Everett. Tenants on upper levels may include window signs or wall signs placed on the facade above the business, provided the permitted sign square footage shall be shared with the tenant below.

2. Maximum Height. Wall signs may not extend above the roof of the building. Exception: within sign categories A and B, individual letters may extend above the building parapet, soffit or eave line by a maximum of eighteen inches. There shall be no backing material or exposed/visible supports.

C. Electronic Changing Message Signs. For any sign which meets the definition of electronic changing message sign, as defined in this title, the following provisions shall apply:

1. The sign category for the zone in which the sign is proposed must allow for internal illumination of signs, except as provided in subsection (C)(8) of this section.

2. The maximum sign area for an electronic changing message center shall be as listed in Table 36-3.

3. Any form of technology may be used for electronic changing message signs. However, animation, movement or video imaging is prohibited.

4. Electronic changing message signs shall maintain a 2-1-2 transition frequency. “2-1-2” means a message display time of a minimum of two seconds, a transition time between messages of a maximum of one second, followed by a message display time of a minimum of two seconds with all segments of the total message to be displayed within ten seconds. Displays which scroll onto the signboard must hold for a minimum of two seconds including scrolling.

a. Integrate automatic dimming capability that adjusts to the brightness of ambient light at all times of the day and night;

b. Daytime, based on the time from sunrise to sunset as calculated for Everett, WA: five thousand maximum nits (a measure of luminance that will keep signage balanced with surrounding landscape); and

c. Nighttime, based on the time from sunset to sunrise as calculated for Everett, WA: one hundred fifty maximum nits (a measure of luminance comparable to typical nighttime signage and consistent with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA)).

d. Light Trespass Standards. Adopt a trespass limit of one-tenth foot-candle at the property line of any park or residential property.

6. All changing message signs shall be constructed as an integral part of a permanent sign constructed on site. “Integral” shall be considered to be incorporated into the framework and architectural design of the permanent sign.

7. Video boards shall be prohibited.

8. Schools and Religious Facilities in Residential Zones. One electronic changing message sign may be approved for a school or religious facility located in areas designated sign category C or D, subject to Review Process II, if it meets all of the following criteria and conditions:

a. The sign shall not be located closer than one hundred feet from any existing residence located within a residential zone and shall be of such light intensity to not cause any disruption of surrounding residential uses;

b. The sign shall display only one color for the message and one color for the background within each message;

c. Sign display shall not change more frequently than one time per hour;

d. There shall be no transition effects, including scrolling or other movement, allowed between messages;

e. The sign shall not be used for commercial purposes;

f. The sign shall not be operated as a video board;

g. The sign shall not be illuminated between ten p.m. and six a.m.;

h. A sign permit is required. The planning director shall have the authority to condition or deny an electronic changing message sign if it would be incompatible with neighborhood aesthetic character; and

i. The maximum sign area and maximum area of the electronic changing message component of the sign shall comply with Table 36-3.

Table 36-3:
Arterial Classification	Sign Category A	Sign Category B	Sign Category C		Sign Category D
Arterial Classification	ECM sq. ft.⁽²⁾	ECM sq. ft. ⁽²⁾	Total sq. ft. ⁽¹⁾	ECM sq. ft. ⁽²⁾	Total sq. ft. ⁽¹⁾	ECM sq. ft. ⁽²⁾
Principal Arterial	Lesser of 50% of sign area or 40 sq. ft.	Lesser of 50% of sign area or 24 sq. ft.	32	24	24	18
Minor/Collector	Lesser of 50% of sign area or 40 sq. ft.	Lesser of 50% of sign area or 24 sq. ft.	24	18	20	15

1Total area for entire sign.

2Total area for electronic changing message component of sign.

“ECM” means electronic changing message.

D. Portable Signs. Portable signs allowed in sign categories A and B. The following regulations shall apply to all portable signs:

1. Portable signs shall not exceed eight square feet per side or forty-two inches in height.

2. No more than one portable sign may be displayed per entity.

3. All portable signs shall be located on the premises which they are serving unless located on the public sidewalk, in which case a minimum six-foot clear zone is provided. The intent of this requirement is to allow for safe and unobstructed use of the sidewalk by pedestrians.

4. Signs shall be located directly in front of the sponsoring entity during business hours only.

5. Signs shall be located so as not to create a traffic safety hazard by obstructing the vision of motorists on private property or public right-of-way.

6. Owners of such signs shall assume liability for damage or injury resulting from their use and shall provide the city with an appropriate legal document satisfactory to the city attorney holding the city harmless and indemnifying the city for such resulting loss and/or injury.

7. Portable signs shall be nonilluminated.

8. Portable signs shall be displayed only during business hours.

E. Window Signs. Window signs meeting the following conditions are allowed for commercial uses:

1. Maximum Size. Permanent and temporary window signs are limited to a maximum of twenty-five percent of the window area. Every effort should be made to integrate window signs with window display.

2. Materials. Window signs constructed of neon, stained glass, gold leaf, cut vinyl, and etched glass are allowed. Painted signs shall display the highest level of quality and permanence as determined by the city.

3. Internally lit neon or stained glass window signs are allowed, provided they meet the above sign standards and there is no more than one sign for each fifteen feet of building frontage.

4. Window signs shall not be included in the calculation of sign area for wall signs.

F. Projecting Signs. Projecting signs are allowed for sign categories A and B and may be used in conjunction with wall signs. Projecting signs shall meet the following standards:

1. Projecting signs shall not exceed twenty-four square feet in area. Exception: In the MU zone in Metro Everett, there shall be no size limitations for projecting signs on designated transit-oriented development (TOD) streets or pedestrian streets unless otherwise noted herein.

a. Horizontal oriented signs: no more than eight feet.

b. Vertically oriented signs: no more than three feet.

c. Signs may project into a public right-of-way for storefront buildings, subject to a right-of-way use permit.

d. Minimum clearance above grade shall be eight feet.

e. Projecting signs shall not extend above the building parapet, soffit, the eave line or the roof of the building except that a vertically oriented neon sign on Hewitt Avenue may project up to twenty-five percent above the roofline.

f. Projecting signs shall not revolve or rotate and/or employ moving or flashing lights except on Hewitt Avenue east of Grand Avenue if the sign conforms to other applicable standards and does not create excessive glare as determined by the city.

3. Structural Support. Projecting signs shall be supported only with ornamental structural supports; guy wires and angle iron are prohibited.

4. Number of Signs. One primary sign on each street.

5. Location. Projecting signs shall not be located directly over windows or in conflict with other signs or architectural features of the building as determined by the city.

1. Canopy and awning signs may be used in place of permitted wall signs, provided they meet the following conditions:

a. Location. Signs may be placed on the front, above, or below the canopy.

b. Clearance. Signs shall be placed a minimum of eight feet above the sidewalk or walkway.

a. Signs placed under canopies are in addition to allowable wall signs and shall meet the following requirements:

i. Projection. Under-canopy signs shall have one foot minimum between the sign and the outer edge of the marquee, awning, or canopy and between the sign and the building facade.

ii. Clearance. Under-canopy signs shall maintain a minimum clearance of eight feet between the walkway and the bottom of the sign, or as approved by the city engineer.

iii. Number and Size. One sign is permitted per street frontage. Under-canopy signs shall not exceed six square feet in area.

iv. Under-canopy signs shall be mounted perpendicular to the customer entrance so as to be visible from the sidewalk.

H. Interior-Oriented and Directional Signs. On-premises directional signs shall be allowed provided:

a. Each sign shall be oriented to persons who are already upon the premises; and

b. Signs shall not be designed or located so as to be intentionally legible from the abutting street right-of-way or residentially zoned properties; and

c. Each sign shall not exceed thirty-two square feet in area; and

d. Signs shall not be internally illuminated unless other signs for the use of the property are permitted to be internally illuminated by the sign category for that particular use; and

e. Each sign shall be located a minimum of ten feet from any street right-of-way; and

f. A sign permit shall be required if the sign is illuminated or if it exceeds six square feet in area.

a. Directional signs shall not exceed six square feet in area per side and four feet in height.

b. Advertising shall be limited to incidental graphics such as trade names and trademarks.

1. Permitted Sign Illumination. For sign categories C and D, only external illumination is permitted. For sign categories A and B, all signs may be internally or externally illuminated. Examples of internal lighting include:

a. Signs with individual backlit letters. Such signs may consist of individual letters mounted on a wall (containing necessary wiring through the wall) or individual letters placed on a raceway, where light shines only through the letters.

b. Opaque signs with backlit letters or logos. In such signs, light only shines through letter or logo openings.

c. Halo lighting, where letters are backlit, but light shines only through the edges of the letters.

d. Neon (letters and accessory graphics).

e. Electronic changing message signs, consistent with the standards of this chapter.

f. Cabinet signs, where permitted, when the lighting element is contained entirely within the cabinet housing.

2. Performance Regulations. The light directed upon, or internal to, any sign shall be shaded, shielded or directed so that the light intensity or glare shall not adversely affect surrounding or facing premises, or adversely affect safe vision of operators of vehicles moving on public or private roads, highways or parking areas, or adversely affect safe vision of pedestrians on a public right-of-way. Glare and intense lighting of signs shall not shine on, or directly reflect into, residential structures. Externally lit signs shall not be directed towards the sky.

1. Signs within areas under the jurisdiction of the shoreline master program shall comply with the requirements of the underlying zoning and sign category, and the following standards:

a. Billboards are prohibited in shoreline areas.

b. Conceptual sign plans and designs shall be submitted for review and approval at the time of shoreline permit approval.

c. All signs shall be located and designed to minimize interference with vistas, viewpoints, and visual access to the shoreline.

d. When feasible, signs shall be mounted flush with the building or awning. No sign, other than directional signs, shall be placed in a required view corridor or vista unless mounted flush against the building.

e. Overwater signs or signs on floats or pilings shall be permitted only when related to water dependent uses.

f. Signs marking historical or cultural sites must be approved by the historical commission.

g. Lighted signs shall be hooded, shaded, or directed downward onto the site and away from surrounding properties or watercourses.

h. Signs within the municipal watershed shoreline designation shall be limited to directional signs only.

i. Signs within areas designated urban conservancy or urban conservancy agriculture shall be limited to interpretive and public access signs.

2. Signs Within Shoreline Master Program Jurisdiction. Signs for water dependent uses shall comply with the sign category of the landward adjacent zone. Standards for educational and interpretive signs shall be determined through the shoreline permit requirements. (Ord. 3774-20 § 10 (Exh. 8), 2020; Ord. 3684-19 § 2(A)(Exh. 1 § 5), 2019.)