22.64.060 General provisions.
The following provisions shall apply to all signs governed by this chapter:
A. Landscaping. Landscaping shall be required only for freestanding signs that are installed as a result of construction of a new business/development, or when the rehabilitation of the business/development exceeds fifty percent of its valuation. Landscaping shall be installed at the base of the sign to prevent automobiles from hitting the sign support structure and to improve the overall appearance.
1. Landscaping with plants and shrubs shall be used whenever the size, location and physical properties of the lot are not a problem and planting can be easily maintained.
2. Landscaping shall be maintained, and no dead shrubs, broken parts, cracked or extremely chipped other material shall be allowed to remain without repair or replacement.
B. Construction Provisions.
1. Each sign shall be adequately constructed and securely and substantially anchored so as to withstand wind pressure in accordance with the requirement of the Uniform Building and Sign Codes and shall meet the currently adopted edition of the Uniform Building Code and sign code standards in every other respect.
2. Signs containing electrical circuitry shall meet the requirements of the National Electrical Code and all state laws, and shall include an approved testing lab sticker.
C. Clearance, Height and Sight Distance.
1. A marquee sign, or sign projecting over areas where motor trucks may be required to pass beneath them shall be erected to maintain a minimum vertical clearance of fourteen feet for the free passage of motor trucks.
2. Signs must meet vehicular sight distance requirements established by the utilities superintendent. Where signs are adjacent to or abutting an alley, the minimum vertical clearance shall not be less than fourteen feet.
D. Exposed Angle Irons and Guy Wires. When a projecting or roof sign is used, no angle irons, guy wires or braces shall be visible, except those that are an integral part of the overall design, such as decorative metals or woods, or unless they are required for safety.
E. Light Restrictions.
1. No person shall construct, establish, create, and no person shall maintain any stationary exterior lighting or illumination system or any interior system which is intended to be viewed from a public street, highway or other thoroughfare used for vehicular traffic which system contains or utilizes:
a. Any exposed incandescent lamp with a wattage in excess of twenty-five watts;
b. Any exposed incandescent lamp with an internal metallic reflector;
c. Any exposed incandescent lamp with an external reflector;
d. Any revolving beacon light;
e. Any continuous or sequential flashing operation in which more than one-third of the lights are turned off at any one time and/or which used light of more than twenty-five watts.
2. These provisions shall not apply to:
a. Lighting systems owned or controlled by any public agency for the purpose of directing or controlling navigation, traffic or highway or street illumination;
b. Aircraft warning lights;
c. Electronic information systems which display the time of the day and/or the atmospheric temperature or programmable electronic messages of a public service or commercial nature;
d. Temporary lighting used for repair or construction as required by governmental agencies.
F. Portable Signs. Portable signs are allowed in place of or in conjunction with premises signs; provided, that such signs:
1. Shall be included in the total allowable sign area and number of sign allowed for the business and shall require a permit except real estate signs;
2. Shall conform to all other structural and safety requirements;
3. Shall not be electrical signs, unless a state electrical permit has been issued;
4. Shall be allowed only fifty percent of the sign area otherwise allowed for a freestanding sign for that business; these signs must be in compliance with setback and spacing requirements and may not be located on public property;
5. Real estate directional signs or open house signs less than two square feet in area are permitted; provided, that they do not create a safety hazard, do not exceed four per property, someone is present at the open house and they are removed immediately after the open house promotion has ended. In no case shall they remain for more than twenty-four hours, and in no case shall they be placed in the traveled portion of the roadway or sidewalk.
G. Sign Area and Placement.
1. The allowable signage area shall be calculated from the building frontage or lot frontage, whichever is greater, but the business person may place the sign or signs any place on the business establishment or lot.
2. Freestanding signs must be located entirely upon private property.
3. In order to encourage the setting back of freestanding signs, an additional 1.25 percent of sign area may be added for each one foot of setback provided, up to a maximum of twenty-five percent.
4. Off-premises freestanding signs, including billboards will have twenty-foot setback, no bonuses of sign area will be allowed for additional setback.
H. Projection Clearance.
1. No projecting sign shall project more than six inches above or over the wall, roof line or parapet of the building to which it is attached.
2. Signs shall not project more than five feet from property line or building face and must be a minimum of two feet from a curb unless otherwise specified by this code, and shall also conform to Section 403 of Uniform Sign Code.
3. All projecting signs over the public right-of-way must be a minimum of eight feet above the sidewalk; except when located in an alley or in an area where motor trucks may be required to pass minimum vertical clearance, shall be fourteen feet, and shall also conform to Section 403 of Uniform Sign Code.
4. No freestanding sign may project over public property.
I. Civic and Church Signs. The building inspector may approve and permit to be erected entrance signs, at or near the city limits, on private property when possible, with owner’s permission, for the benefit of visitors, on which may be listed institutional names, churches, and points of interest. Civic organizations and churches may be permitted by the building inspector, each name or insignia shall not exceed a size of sixteen inches by seventy-four inches for each organization. If more than one insignia is placed on the sign, the total aggregate area of such sign shall not exceed twenty-four square feet. Such sign shall not be placed so as to cause a traffic hazard, and shall be approved as to placement by the city engineer.
J. Electioneering Signs.
1. General Regulations. Electioneering signs shall not be placed upon public streets, public property, highways or rights-of-way within the corporate limits of the city. Electioneering signs shall be removed within fourteen days after the election, except that a candidate who wins a primary election may continue to display electioneering signs until fourteen days after the general election. (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).