“Banner” means a temporary sign having characters, letters, illustrations or ornamentations applied to flexible material (e.g., vinyl, plastic, canvas, cloth, fabric or other lightweight nonrigid material) with only such material for a backing, which projects from, hangs from or is affixed to a building or structure. Banners include pennants, cable-hung banners and wave banners.

“Copy” means the wording, symbols, figures or images on a sign.

“Height (of a sign)” means the vertical distance measured from the highest point of the sign structure to the grade of the adjacent street (at the flow line of the gutter or edge of the nearest travel lane if no gutter exists) or the surface grade beneath the sign, whichever is less.

“Maintenance” means, for the purposes of this chapter, the cleaning, painting, repair or replacement of defective parts of a sign in a manner that does not alter the basic copy, design or structure of the sign.

“Message hold time” means the time interval a static message must remain on the display before transitioning to another message.

“Mural” means a picture or graphic illustration applied directly to a wall of a building or structure that does not advertise or promote a particular business, service or product.

“Sign” means any written copy, display, illustration, insignia or illumination used to communicate a message or idea which is displayed or placed in view of the general public, and shall include every detached sign and every sign attached to or forming a component part of any marquee, canopy, awning, pole, vehicle or other object, whether stationary or movable.

“Sign, animated” means any sign which uses movement or change of lighting to depict action or to create a special effect or scene. Such motion does not refer to transition methods or duration of changing copy.

“Sign, awning” means a sign permanently affixed to a sheet of canvas or other material stretched on a frame and used to keep the sun or rain off a storefront, window, doorway, or deck.

“Sign, canopy” means a sign permanently affixed to a roofed shelter covering a sidewalk, driveway or other similar area which shelter may be wholly supported by a building or may be wholly or partially supported by columns, poles or braces extended from the ground.

“Sign, changeable copy (automatic)” means a sign on which the copy changes electronically or mechanically by remote or automatic means. An automatic changeable copy sign is also known as an electronic message center.

“Sign, changeable copy (manual)” means a sign on which copy is changed manually.

“Sign, directional” means any sign on a lot that directs the movement or placement of pedestrian or vehicular traffic with or without reference to, or inclusion of, the name of a product sold or service performed on the lot or in a building, structure or business enterprise occupying the same.

“Sign face” means an exterior display surface of a sign including nonstructural trim, yet exclusive of the supporting structure.

“Sign, flashing” means a sign which contains an intermittent or sequential flashing light source used primarily to attract attention. Such motion does not refer to transition methods or duration of changing copy.

“Sign, freestanding” means any sign supported by structures or supports that are placed on or anchored in the ground and are not attached to any building or structure.

“Sign, home occupation” means a sign identifying a use conducted principally within a dwelling unit and carried on by the inhabitants thereof.

“Sign, illuminated” means a sign with an artificial light source incorporated internally or externally for the purpose of illuminating the sign.

“Sign, incidental” means a small sign affixed to a building or structure, machine, equipment, fence, gate, wall, gasoline pump, public telephone, or utility cabinet.

“Sign, inflatable” means a balloon, blimp or other inflated object used for attracting attention.

“Sign, marquee” means any sign made a part of marquee and designed to have changeable copy.

“Sign, monument” means a permanent freestanding sign supported by, or integrated into, a base or pedestal at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the sign width.

“Sign, neon” means a sign consisting of glass tubing, bent to form letters, symbols, or other shapes and illuminated by neon or a similar gas through which an electrical voltage is discharged.

“Sign, nonconforming” means:

“Sign, permanent” means any sign constructed of durable materials and affixed, lettered, attached to or placed upon a fixed, nonmovable, nonportable supporting structure.

“Sign, pole” means a permanent freestanding sign supported by one (1) or more poles or pylons.

“Sign, portable” means a moveable sign that is not permanently affixed to a building, structure, or the ground. Portable signs include signs mounted on trailers, wheeled carriers, or frames that are designed to be placed onto a surface without being secured to it.

“Sign, projecting” means a sign which is attached perpendicular to the wall of a building or structure.

“Sign, roof” means a sign on a parapet or a roof of a building or structure.

“Sign, rotating” means a sign in which the sign itself or any portion of the sign moves in a revolving or similar manner. Such motion does not refer to transition methods or duration of changing copy.

“Sign, sidewalk” means a type of portable sign that is intended to be placed on a hard surface, most commonly a sidewalk. These signs include A-frame signs, signs that are suspended from the top member of an A-frame, signs with weighted bases, and comparable signs.

“Sign, site” means a temporary freestanding sign constructed of vinyl, plastic, wood or metal and designed or intended to be displayed for a limited period of time on a vacant lot or a lot under construction.

“Sign, swing” means a sign that is suspended from a horizontal support (a swing post) that is attached to a vertical support mounted in the ground. A swing sign may also include riders.

“Sign, temporary” means any sign which is, based upon materials, location and/or means of construction, e.g., light fabric, cardboard, wallboard, plywood, paper or other light materials, with or without a frame, intended or designed to be displayed for a limited period of time.

“Sign, traffic control” means a sign erected in a public right-of-way by an authorized governmental agency for the purposes of traffic regulation and safety.

“Sign, wall” means any sign painted on or affixed to the wall of a building or structure, or any sign consisting of cut-out letters or devices affixed to a wall with no background defined on the wall in such a manner that the wall forms the background surface of the sign.

“Sign, wayfinding” means a sign authorized by a governmental body for placement in the public right-of-way that is designed to orient and navigate the general public from place to place.

“Sign, window” means a sign which is applied or attached to either the interior or exterior of a window and intended to be viewed from outside the building or structure.

“Sign, yard” means a temporary portable sign constructed of paper, vinyl, plastic, wood, metal or other comparable material, and designed or intended to be displayed for a limited period of time on a lot with one (1) or more existing permanent structures.

“Snipe sign” means a temporary sign on any public property or within a public right-of-way.

“Transition duration” means the time interval it takes the display to change from one (1) complete static message to another complete static message.

“Transition method” means a visual effect applied to a message to transition from one (1) message to the next. Transition methods include:

“Works of art” means a sculpture, painting, graphic or other type of art that does not advertise or promote a particular business, service or product. (Ord. 711 §1 (Exh. A), 2017)