Sec. 24-05. Maximum sign area allowed determined by use.

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Chapter 24. Sign Code

Each use permitted in the city is limited to a specific amount of signage. Table 1, Maximum Sign Area by Use, describes the appropriate measurements for determining the maximum signage allowed by any particular use.

(1) Table 1 contains more than one measurement standard per use. These are expressed in terms of:

Maximum number of signs;
Sign area permitted as a function of linear front footage of a lot; and/or
Maximum sign size. The maximum total sign area may not exceed the most restrictive (lesser) of the standards for measurement identified in Table 1.

(2) Notwithstanding section 2(a) above, all existing non-residential lots shall be permitted a minimum of 50 square feet of signage, except in the central business district, which shall be permitted a minimum of 25 square feet, all of which at any location may be subject to standard or alternative sign permit approval.

(3) Lots fronting on two or more streets are allowed the permitted sign area for each frontage; however, the total sign area that is oriented toward a particular street may not exceed the portion of the lot's total sign area allocation that is derived from the lot, building or wall area frontage on that street.

(4) A "use" shall include all purposes or activities, for which the land or buildings are arranged, designed or intended, or for which land or buildings are occupied or maintained. A use may include multiple ownership, tenancy or affiliations and may include accessory, conditional and temporary uses.

(5) Any measurement not specifically provided for in Table 1 may be determined by reasonable interpretation of Sign Code Table 1 by the director of planning and economic development.

(6) The maximum sign size for individual tenant wall signs in multi-tenant developments shall be the same as the maximum size for individual uses, unless the size is restricted through a master sign plan or otherwise restricted in Table 1, such as through the size and/or location of the building. For example, the maximum size of a wall sign for an individual tenant in an office park would be 200 square feet; provided the building facade is of a sufficient size to permit the full 200 square feet of signage (wall signs are limited to ten percent of building facade).

(7) Additional sign area would be allowed under the following conditions:

If the business or development qualifies as a large building, which is defined as any building exceeding 125 feet in length/frontage or having three or more stories or have square footage in excess of 60,000 square feet. If the business or development qualifies under any of the three they will be allowed additional sign area per building elevation of up to 150 square feet, provided the following:

This must not exceed two percent of gross floor area of building for manufacturing or industrial facilities or big box retail.
This must not exceed ten percent of building facade for office buildings, public or quasi-public facilities.

If the building has an additional set-back it may be allowed additional sign area. The amount of signage may be increased by a percentage to be determined by dividing the number of feet the building is set-back from the front lot line, measured from the closest point of the building to the lot line, by the required amount of set-back.

(8) Site difficulties. If there are unusual site factors, which preclude an allowed sign from being visible to the street immediately in front of the site, an adjustment will be granted to achieve visibility standards. This adjustment is not intended to be used to make signs visible to other streets or to freeways. Site difficulties may include the sign face being blocked due to topography of the site, existing development or landscaping on the site, or from abutting development or landscaping. This set of adjustment criteria is generally intended for freestanding and monument signs and allows greater flexibility in placement of the sign. This would also be a guideline for pole signs in the 'B-4' and 'B-5' commercially zoned areas. The adjustment will be approved if all four of the following criteria are found to be met:

There is no reasonable place on the site for an allowed sign without an adjust to achieve visibility standards to the street immediately in front of the site.
If the proposed sign extends past the five-foot setback requirement, the sign will not create a traffic or safety hazard.
Of potential adjustments to meet the visibility standard, the request is the most consistent with the surrounding development and sign patterns.
The adjustment is the minimum needed for a sign to meet the visibility standards.

TABLE 1: MAXIMUM SIGN AREA BY USE

Use	All Signs	Freestanding Signs	Building Signs		Other Signs
	Maximum Area	Maximum Number and Type, Sign Permit Required	Maximum Number and Type, Sign Permit Required	Maximum Exempt Signs	Maximum Number and Type, Sign Permit Required
Residential
Household (Home Occupation requires a permit)	6 s.f. total sign area;	1 per frontage on public right-ofway	0	1 per frontage on public right-ofway	0
Subdivision And Multi- Family Development	120 s.f. sign area, not including monument base;	2 per entrance; other signs through Master Sign Plan	0, signs determined by individual use	0	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Group	32 s.f. sign area;	0	0	1 per frontage on public right-ofway	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Public and Quasi-Public and Other Non-Commercial Uses	Maximum sign area 100 s.f. per building elevation on elevations facing public right-of-way., 200 s.f. would be considered under the alternative permit process.
Airport and Medical Facilities	2 s.f. of sign area per linear foot street frontage	1 per frontage on collector street or higher; 1 informational per driveway	10 percent of building facade, only facades facing public right-of-way	As permitted by maximum area measurement	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
College, Planning & Economic Service, Day Care, Religious Assembly, Safety Services & Schools or similar uses	2 s.f. of sign area per linear foot street frontage	1 per frontage on collector street or higher; 1 informational per driveway	6 percent of building facade, only facades facing public right-of-way	As permitted by maximum area measurement	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Commercial	Maximum sign area 200 s.f. per building elevation on elevation facing public right-of-way
Recreation, Entertainment, Theater, Retail Sales and Service	2 s.f. sign area per linear foot street frontage	1per frontage on public right-ofway; 1 informational per driveway	10 percent of building facade, only facades facing public right-of-way	As permitted by maximum area measurement	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Office, Banks and Financial Institutions	2 s.f. sign area per linear foot street frontage	1per frontage; 1 informational per driveway	10 percent of building facade, only facades facing public right-of-way	As permitted by maximum area measurement	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Office Park	2 s.f. sign area per linear foot street frontage	1 per frontage, in addition to individual building and wall signs as determined by Master Sign Plan; 1 informational per driveway	Determined by individual building use	Determined by individual building use	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Parking, Commercial	.5 s.f. sign area per linear foot street frontage	One per frontage; one informational per driveway	10 percent of building facade, only facades facing public right-of-way	As permitted by maximum area measurement	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Restaurant	2 s.f. sign area per linear foot street frontage	1 per frontage; 2 changeable copy signs per drivethrough lane; 1 informational per driveway	10 percent of building facade, only facades facing public right-of-way	As permitted by maximum area measurement	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Self-Service Storage	2 s.f. sign area per linear foot street frontage	1 per frontage; 1 informational per driveway	Amount of signage determined by 10 percent of building facade that faces public right-of-way	As permitted by maximum area measurement	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Shopping Center	2 s.f. sign area per linear foot street frontage	1 per frontage, in addition to individual building and wall signs pursuant to Master Sign Plan	Determined by individual building	Determined by individual building	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Vehicle Repair/ Service and Sales	2 s.f. sign area per linear foot street frontage	1 per frontage; 1 informational per driveway	10 percent of building facade, only facades facing public right-of-way	As permitted by maximum area measurement	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Motor Fuel Sales	2 s.f. sign area per linear foot street frontage	1 per frontage; 1 changeable copy per frontage on public right-of-way only for pricing at service stations, 1 informational per driveway	10 percent of building facade, only facades facing public right-of-way	As permitted by maximum area measurement	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Manufacturing	Maximum sign area 200 s.f. per building elevation on elevations facing public right-of-way
Manufacturing, Warehousing, Wasterelated and Wholesale Sales	Two percent of gross floor area of principal building	1 per frontage; one informational per driveway	5 percent of building facade, only facades facing public right-of-way	As permitted by maximum area measurement	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Industrial Park	2 percent of gross floor area per building, allocated by building	1 per frontage in addition to individual building and wall signs pursuant to master sign plan; one informational per driveway	Total number of banners determined by available maximum sign area
Central Business District	25 percent wall area below 26 feet in height plus ten percent wall area over 26 feet in height	As determined by use category above

Other: Anything not specified in this Table may be determined by reasonable interpretation of the sign code by the director of planning and economic development

(Ord. No. 987, § 1—3, 9-9-2003; Ord. No. 999, § 1—3, 10-27-2003; Ord. No. 1136, § 1, 8-26-2008)

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