154.43.05        PERMITTED SIGNS

154.43.05.01   The following signs are permitted in all zoning districts.

(a)        Construction Signs, subject to the time limits set forth within this definition.           

(b)        Temporary signs announcing or relating to a campaign, drive or event of a civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organization, provided that no such sign is permitted except within 45 days prior to the event and all such signs must be removed no later than 7 days after the event. In addition, no such signs may be placed upon public property or within the public right-of-way, without the prior consent of the Board of Public Works.

(c)        Campaign signs, provided no such sign is permitted except within 45 days prior to the primary and/or general election to which it pertains, and all such signs must be removed no later than 7 days after the election. In addition, no such signs may be placed within a public property or public right-of-way, and no such sign shall be placed on private property without the consent of the owner or occupier of the property.

(d)        Signs which are within a ballpark or other similar private recreational use and which cannot be seen from a public street or adjacent properties.

(e)        Any informational or directional sign or historic marker elected by a public agency.

(f)         Identification sign containing the name of a community and the names of various civic organizations.

(g)        Home occupation signs.

(h)        Signs advertising a private garage sale, not to exceed six (6) square feet in surface area and permitted only within forty-eight (48) hours prior to the sale and to be removed within twenty-four (24) hours thereafter.

(i)         Artisan signs, provided no such sign is permitted except within forty-five (45) days prior to and during the time work is being engaged on the site, and all such signs must be removed no later than seven (7) days after the work is complete.

(j)         Booster signs, not to exceed two (2) such signs at any one time and not to exceed six (6) square feet in surface area each. Such signs shall be permitted only once for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days during any calendar year.

154.43.05.02   The following signs are permitted in the "R-1" and "R-2" Residence Zoning Districts:

(a)        One indirectly illuminated bulletin board not exceeding twenty-four (24) square feet in surface area for any church, school, community center or other public or semi-public institution.

(b)        One unlighted Real Estate Sign not exceeding eight (8) square feet in surface area placed flat against the building or set back from the street one-half (1/2) the distance of the established yard.

(c)        One indirectly illuminated temporary tract sign not exceeding sixty (60) square feet in surface area in subdivisions containing less than twenty-five (25) lots and located therein and set back from every street line the distance required for a principal building in the "R-1" District.

(d)        One indirectly illuminated temporary tract sign not exceeding one hundred (100) square feet in surface area in subdivisions containing twenty-five (25) or more lots located therein and set back from every street line at least a distance in feet equal to the number of square feet of the sign, but such setback shall not be less than the distance required for a principal building in the "R-1" District, and need not be more than one hundred (100) feet in any case.

(e)        One indirectly illuminated temporary tract or real estate sign similar to subsection (d) above for each additional arterial or collector street adjacent to such tract or property, provided the total number of such signs does not exceed four (4).

(f)         One sign not exceeding two (2) square feet in surface area indicating only the name and/or address of the owner or occupant of a building.

(g)        One indirectly illuminated subdivision identification sign not exceeding sixty (60) square feet in surface area, provided that it is of permanent construction.

154.43.05.03   The following signs are permitted in the "R-3" and "R-4" Residence Districts:

(a)        Signs permitted in the "R-1" and "R-2" Residence Districts.

(b)        One (1) sign, illuminated by indirect or diffused lighting, indicating only the name of the building, not exceeding forty (40) square feet in surface area mounted on the face of the building or free-standing and set back from every street line a distance not less than the distance required for a principal building, except as otherwise permitted in this Section.

(c)        One (1) utility sign, indicating entrance, exit or location of parking area accessory to the principal use, illuminated by indirect or diffused lighting not exceeding six (6) square feet in surface area and six (6) feet in height attached flat against the building or set back from every street line at least ten (10) feet.

154.43.05.04   The following signs are permitted in the "C-3" Central Business District:

(a)        One (1) Business Wall Sign illuminated by indirect or diffused lighting, not exceeding two (2) square feet in area for each lineal foot of building frontage occupied by the use identified by such sign, or one (1) square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot frontage occupied by the use identified by such sign, whichever is greater, but in no case shall the sign exceed one hundred (100) square feet in area.

(b)        One (1) Business Projecting Sign, but not extending more than twenty-four (24) inches, illuminated by indirect or diffused lighting, and not exceeding one and one-half (1 ½) square feet in area for each lineal foot of building frontage occupied by the use associated with such sign, or one (1) square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot frontage occupied by the use identified by such sign, whichever is greater, but in no case shall the sign exceed one hundred (100) square feet in area.

(c)        Business or Advertising Signs on the inside of a building improvement, but visible to the outside.

(d)        Any number of Advertising Signs attached to the outside walls or windows of the business, or constituting a portable sign in the lot of the business; provided, the surface area of all such signs shall not exceed two (2) square feet in area for each lineal foot of building frontage occupied by the use identified by such sign, or one (1) square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot frontage occupied by the use identified by such sign, whichever is greater, but in no case shall the total signs exceed one hundred (100) square feet in area.

154.43.05.05   The following signs are allowed in the "C-1" and "C-2", Commercial Districts:

(a)        Signs permitted in the "R-3", "R-4" or "C-3" Districts. In addition, the Advertising Signs specifically allowed in 154.43.05.04 (d) for the "C-3" District, may include a Message Center or Electronic Reader Board if located in a "C-1" or "C-2" District.

(b)        One (1) Business Projecting Sign, which extends horizontally outward from such canopy, marquee or wall more than two (2) feet but less than seven (7) feet, illuminated by indirect or diffused lighting, and not exceeding one (1) square foot in area for each lineal foot of building frontage occupied by the use associated with such sign, or one-half square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot frontage occupied by the use identified by such sign, whichever is greater, but in no case shall the sign exceed one hundred (100) square feet in area. In addition, such sign must be at least 9 feet from the ground.

(c)        Any Business Projecting Sign which is at least ten (10) but no more than twenty (20) feet in height above ground level may be located no closer than four (4) feet to the edge of the curb and any overhanging business sign which is at least twenty (20) feet in height above ground level shall be no closer than two (2) feet to the edge of the curb.

(d)        One (1) Business Ground Sign illuminated or non-illuminated, and not exceeding two (2) square feet in area for each lineal foot of building frontage, or one (1) square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot frontage occupied by the use identified by such sign, whichever is greater but in no case shall the sign exceed one hundred (100) square feet.

(e)        One Business Wall Sign for each street frontage of the building, illuminated or non-illuminated, attached flat against the building, not projecting above the roof line, indicating only the name and type of business conducted on the premises, and with a total area meeting either one of the two following situations:

(1)        Two (2) square feet in area for each lineal foot of building frontage on the particular street; or,

(2)        One (1) square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot frontage on the particular street.

(f)         One real estate sign advertising the sale, lease or rental of only the premises on which it is maintained not exceeding two (2) square feet in area for each lineal foot of building frontage, or one (1) square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot frontage occupied by the use identified by such sign, whichever is greater, but in no case shall such real estate sign exceed one hundred (100) square feet in area.

(g)        The total business sign area for any lot or use (i.e.: projecting signs, ground signs and wall sign) shall not exceed two (2) square feet in area for each lineal foot of building frontage or one (1) square foot in area for each lineal foot of lot whichever is greater. If the lot has multiple frontage, an additional sign area of one-half (1/2) square foot for each additional lineal foot of lot frontage shall be allowed. 

154.43.05.06   The following signs shall be allowed in the "C-4" Commercial District and "M-1" and "M-2" Industrial Districts:

(a)        Signs permitted in the "C-1" and "C-2" Districts.

(b)        Off-Premise Signs, provided such signs shall be set back from the paved portion of [established right-of-way lines of] any street at least thirty (30) feet and no more than one hundred (100) feet. In addition, such Off-Premises Signs may only be single-face (no double-face) and back-to-back (No V-type greater than 30 degrees is allowable); no individual facing shall exceed three hundred (300) square feet; no such sign shall exceed twenty-five (25) feet in height; and all such signs shall be at least six hundred (600) feet apart.

(i)         For any Off-Premise Signs located on land or lots immediately adjacent to an interstate highway (defined at this time as solely Interstate 70 within the jurisdiction of this Code), the above requirements shall be modified to allow a facing not to exceed six hundred (600) square feet, a set back of at least fifty (50) feet from the established highway right-of-way, and a height not to exceed sixty (60) feet. 

(ii)        Notwithstanding the terms of this section, by Ordinance of Common Council, the City may designate any area of the City as a "Billboard Restricted Area", in which a prohibition of all Off-Premise signs shall be allowed. At this time such area shall include all land adjacent to Industries Road between Round Barn Road and U.S. 27 North.        In addition, such area shall include any area within the permitted "C-4", "M-1" or "M-2" district, but which area is within three hundred (300) feet of any Residential District or within 100 feet of a residential structure.

154.43.05.07   The following signs shall be allowed in the "A-1" Agricultural District or the "O-1" Greenbelt District:

154.43.05.08   Automobile Service Station Signs. Any business which dispenses gasoline products at the pump to the public for motor vehicles may display, in addition to all other signs permitted in its zoning district, not more than two (2) additional signs, each of which shall not exceed eight (8) square feet in surface area, for the purpose of indicating the pump price of fuel sold or the announcement of special offers. Said sign or signs may be attached to an existing ground sign, lighting standard, the pump, or the wall of a building. The area of such signs shall not be counted against the total sign area limit of the zoning district in which such business is located.