22.64.070 Regulation by district.
No sign of any kind shall be permitted to be constructed, erected, or maintained in various zoning districts of the city, except as follows:
A. Residential Districts (R-L) and (R-M).
1. In all single-family residential districts, only one nonilluminated real estate sign (either owner or agent) per street frontage of not over three square feet per sign face shall be permitted. Such sign shall not need a permit.
2. One removable sign of not over one and one-half square feet in area, with the words “open house,” or words “open to inspection,” may be used only when the owner or owner’s agent is on the premises. A permit or permit fee shall not be necessary for such a temporary sign.
3. One home occupation sign, nonilluminated, not exceeding two square feet, and attached flat to a wall or window, shall be allowed where home occupations are permitted.
4. One nameplate sign, situated on the premises and bearing only the name of the principal occupant(s) and the street number of a private dwelling, or both, but not to exceed three square feet.
5. A temporary building sign not exceeding sixteen square feet.
6. One permanent development sign, indirectly lighted, not exceeding fifty square feet in area, per main entrance to the development.
7. Off-premises real estate directional signs as provided in Section 22.64.060(F)(5).
8. Each nonresidential use permitted in the zone, such as churches, schools, clinics, shall be allowed on-premises signs, as determined by the building inspector.
9. No revolving signs are permitted.
B. General Commercial (C-1, C-2) and Light Industrial (M-1) Districts.
1. On-premises signs are permitted, and illumination is permitted except where specifically prohibited.
2. Revolving pole or freestanding signs shall not exceed eight revolutions per minute.
3. Signs attached to the bottom of a marquee, canopy or permanent walkway cover (under-marquee signs) shall not exceed one for each of the business entrances on the premises, with a sign area not to exceed six square feet per sign face. Such sign shall be located in front of the business adjacent to the main entrances and shall be located no less than eight feet above the grade of the sidewalk or walkway nearest the sign.
4. Freestanding signs shall not exceed forty-five feet in height, and shall be permitted as follows:
a. Each single tenant building shall be permitted one freestanding sign, with a maximum sign area of one square foot for each one foot of main street frontage, not to exceed two hundred square feet.
b. Each multitenant building shall be permitted one freestanding sign with a maximum sign area of one and one-half square feet for each one foot of main street frontage, not to exceed two hundred fifty square feet of directory sign.
c. Each multibuilding complex shall be permitted one freestanding sign with a maximum sign area of one and one-half square feet for each one foot of main street frontage, not to exceed two hundred fifty square feet. In addition, a maximum of twenty-five square feet of directory sign for each tenant shall be allowed, not to exceed one hundred square feet total per complex.
d. On a business, multitenant building, or multibuilding complex with total frontage on the main street of more than three hundred feet, the business shall be allowed one additional freestanding sign for each three hundred feet of frontage, not to exceed one hundred fifty square feet. Each sign shall be placed one hundred fifty feet apart.
5. A projecting or roof sign is permitted in lieu of a freestanding sign and shall not exceed one for each business, with the sign area not to exceed fifty percent of that allowable for a freestanding sign for that business.
a. Roof signs may not extend more than five feet in height above the roof.
6. Businesses located in a multibuilding complex or a multitenant building may be permitted a projecting sign in lieu of a wall sign. This does not apply to commercial shopping centers.
7. Wall signs (painted or other) shall be calculated by two square feet of signage for each one foot of street frontage, up to a maximum of three hundred sixty square feet per business. If any business has only a wall sign it shall be permitted at least sixty square feet regardless of street or building frontage.
a. In a multitenant building, any business which has an outside wall and an outside entrance which opens directly to the business shall be allowed a wall sign with an area equal to two square feet per one foot of length of the business facade. If the businesses located within the building do not have outside entrances, the total square footage shall be assigned on the basis of two square feet per linear foot of main street frontage, and it shall be the responsibility of the building owner or manager to establish the signage allowed to each business.
b. In a multibuilding complex, each building shall be allowed wall signage based on the building frontage.
c. Marquee signs and mansard roof signs shall treated as wall signs.
8. Temporary signs are permitted for special functions such as a grand opening or liquidation sale and shall require a special use permit as defined in Section 22.64.045(B).
9. Paper or other temporary signs (including painted signs which can be easily removed by washing) may be affixed or otherwise attached to or displayed with glass display windows of commercial establishments and stores without the requirement of a permit being obtained. Permits shall however be required for temporary window signs if they exceed fifty percent of the window area and are present for more than thirty days.
a. Signs which are permanently painted upon a window surface shall be treated as a wall sign and included in the total allowable sign area.
10. Conditional use permits when a conditional use permit has been approved, the type of signs shall be determined by the board of adjustment.
11. Signs may be erected upon off-street parking lots which are operated in connection with stores and other places of business.
a. One such sign, not larger than twenty square feet, shall be permitted at each entrance, or two square feet per contributor.
b. A permit shall be required for such signs.
12. Vacant stores shall be controlled as follows:
a. Any owner or person entitled to possession of any vacant store prohibited from displaying upon the windows of such vacant store any sign, lettering or printed matter except one sign, consisting of a maximum thirty-two square feet, advertising the availability of the premises, and except as otherwise allowed by this chapter.
b. Within ninety days after a store becomes vacant, the owner or person entitled to possession of such vacant store is required to remove all signs including structures, lettering or printed matter, visible to the public and placed upon the premises of such vacant store by or on behalf of the previous owner or occupant, except the sign advertising its availability as allowed in subsection A of this section.
13. Freestanding off-premises signs not to include boards are permitted as follows:
a. No such sign shall be located closer than one hundred fifty feet to any residential zone, and shall not interfere with or obstruct the view of natural beauty from any residential zone.
b. No such sign shall obstruct the visibility of any off-premises signs.
c. There shall be a minimum distance of one hundred fifty feet between any two outdoor advertising signs, except that double-faced signs with the faces in opposite directions may be permitted. Those signs for which a permit was first issued shall be used to establish the minimum distance.
d. Such signs shall not exceed a height equal to one foot for each foot of setback, not to exceed thirty feet, and in no case shall the setback be less than twenty feet.
e. No such sign shall be allowed to exceed forty-eight square feet of sign area per sign face.
f. No permit shall be issued for freestanding off-premises signs without a landscape plan.
14. Additional signs are permitted as follows:
a. Directional signs giving directions to motorists regarding the location of parking areas, delivery areas, access drives, and accessways shall not exceed six square feet per sign face and shall meet the locational requirements of the off-street parking ordinance. Permits are not required.
b. Real estate signs shall not exceed one for each street frontage and shall not exceed thirty-two square feet per sign face and shall not be illuminated. Permits are not required.
c. Incidental signs shall be restricted to one per twenty-five feet of principal street frontage, shall not exceed nine square feet per face, and no such business shall be allowed more than four such signs. Incidental signs shall include, but are not limited to, gasoline price signs, bank interest signs and signs advertising a specific product or service. Such signs shall conform to the regulations of this chapter, but shall not be included in number of signs allowed. (Ord. 817 § 2, 1996).