§ 28-252. General provisions.

(a)

Character. All signs must be designed, constructed, and maintained to be appropriate in appearance with the existing or intended historic character of the city and to maintain the essential character of the area. Signs must be discernible and easy to read for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

(b)

Location/projection. Unless otherwise permitted herein, no signs, except those established by the city, county, state, or federal government, may be located in, projected onto, or overhang any city-owned public right-of-way unless a revocable license is issued by the neighborhood and economic operations department (see section 28-166). Signs cannot extend above the roof or parapet of the structure to which it is attached. Signs cannot be located within ten (10) feet of a fire hydrant.

(c)

Enlargement, alteration or relocation. Signs cannot be enlarged, structurally altered, or relocated except to increase their conformity to the provisions of this chapter.

(d)

Calculation of total sign area. The area of a sign is limited to the size of the cabinet or structure (excluding the base) except awnings and gas station canopies (see section 28-253 and the following diagram).

(e)

Setbacks. All signs, unless otherwise provided for, shall be located outside any public street right-of-way line, unless a revocable license is granted, and shall comply with section 28-262, visibility at intersections.

(f)

Substitution. The owner of any sign which is otherwise allowed by this sign ordinance may substitute non-commercial copy in lieu of any other commercial or non-commercial copy. This substitution of copy may be made without any additional approval or permitting. The purpose of this provision is to prevent the favoring of commercial speech over non-commercial speech, or favoring of any particular non-commercial message over any other non-commercial message.

(g)

Illumination. Signs shall be illuminated only by steady, stationary, shielded light sources directed solely at the sign (i.e. front lit signs) or internal to it (i.e. back lit signs). No sign shall be illuminated by any open spark or flame, intermittent, or flashing illumination, except as otherwise permitted by this chapter.

(1)

Front lit signs. "Front lit signs" are signs that are illuminated by an external light source. An example of a front lit sign is a monument sign that is illuminated by a spot light that is located several feet in front of the sign. The background of front lit signs may be any color, provided they are not reflective at night. However, such signs may use light reflecting lettering and messaging.

(2)

Back lit signs. "Back lit signs" are signs that are illuminated by an internal light source. An example of a back lit sign is a monument sign that is illuminated by several fluorescent bulbs that are located within the sign cabinet. The background of back lit signs may be any color—which complements the character of the surrounding area (except white)—provided the background is blacked out at night so that only the lettering and message is illuminated.

(3)

[Illumination of signs.] Illumination of signs shall meet the standards included in section 28-109; and shall be directed or shielded downward, so that no direct ray from such illumination shall interfere with the vision of persons on the adjacent streets or of adjacent property owners. The use of colored lights that could reasonably be confused with traffic signals shall not be permitted. Underground wiring shall be required for all illuminated signs not attached to a building.

(Ord. No. 2016.07, § 2, 3-29-16)