14-19-115 SIGNS PERMITTED IN THE DOWNTOWN (DN) ZONE

A. The following sign types are allowed in the Downtown (DN) Zones with a permit: 1. Each parcel of property shall be allowed monument signs and any wall and accessory signs as permitted. 2. Monument Sign. Monument signs shall meet the following requirements: a. A lot or parcel with less than one hundred (100) linear feet of frontage shall be allowed one (1) monument sign of up to thirty-two (32) square feet with a maximum height of four (4) feet. b. A lot or parcel with one hundred (100) linear feet of frontage or greater shall be allowed one monument sign of up to sixty-four (64) square feet with a maximum height of six (6) feet, or two (2) monument signs of up to thirty-two (32) square feet each with a maximum height of four (4) feet. c. Such sign shall be located at least five (5) feet from any property line, in an area of landscaping equal or greater than the area of the sign, and on a landscaped berm not to exceed two (2) feet in height as measured at the adjacent sidewalk or top back of curb. 3. Block Directory Signs. a. The City may erect, or permit to be erected, a sign or sign structure at each corner of Main Street within the Downtown Zone that indicates the businesses located within the physical block on which the sign is located. b. The design, size, and location of these signs shall be determined by the Planning Commission. c. The City Council, or its agent, may charge a fee to recover only the cost of installing, maintaining, and updating the signs. 4. Wall signs. Wall signs shall meet the following requirements: a. Maximum sign area of twenty percent (20%) of the primary facade of the building with secondary signs allowed on two (2) additional facades not to exceed five percent (5%) of those facades. b. No sign, nor part of any sign, shall extend more than two (2) feet above the highest point of a flat roof or mansard roof. Corner parcels may have a maximum of twenty percent (20%) sign area on both facades facing a public street. 5. Canopy or awning signs. Canopy or awning signs shall meet the following requirements: a. Sign copy, including logo, not to exceed fifty percent (50%) of the awning face area. b. No flashing or intermittent illumination permitted. c. Awning signs are considered wall signs for area calculation and location purposes. d. Properties fronting on Main Street may have an awning and/or awning sign that projects up to six (6) feet over the Main Street right-of-way, as long as all of the following are met: i. The awning is at least five (5) feet horizontally from the improved edge of any vehicle traffic lane or parking stall. ii. There is a minimum clearance of at least seven (7) feet between the sidewalk and any part of the awning. 6. Projecting signs on Main Street. Properties fronting on Main Street may have awnings and/or awning signs that project up to six (6) feet over the Main Street right-of-way, as long as all of the following are met: a. Any part of the sign is at least five (5) feet horizontally from the improved edge of any vehicle traffic lane or parking stall b. There is a minimum vertical clearance of at least ten (10) feet between the sidewalk and any part of the sign. c. The awnings are maintained in a safe manner. Any awning that is deemed unsafe by the City Engineer is declared to be a public nuisance and may be summarily removed. 7. Projecting signs not on Main Street. Projecting signs not along Main Street shall be allowed and shall meet the following requirements: a. Project not more than four (4) feet from the face of a wall and shall not project over any public right of way. b. Mounted no higher than fifteen (15) feet above the finished grade and allow no less than ten (10) feet of clearance between the bottom of the sign and the finished grade. c. The area of the sign shall be included in the total square footage allowed for flat and wall signs on the side of the building on which it is mounted. 8. Changeable copy signs. Manual changeable copy signs are allowed but are limited to not more than fifty percent (50%) of any sign area. Electronic reader boards and panels are prohibited. 9. Window Signs. Window signs shall meet the following requirements: a. Window signs which are intended to be visible from the public right-ofway and are painted on or temporarily affixed to the window surface shall cover no more than twenty five percent (25%) of the entire surface area of a group of windows. b. Shall not be affixed as to block clear view of exits or entrances or to create a safety hazard. c. This applies also to inside illuminated signs (e.g., neon, etc.) which are within eighteen (18) inches of the window surface. d. No sign permit required. e. All window signs will be counted as part of the total allowed sign area for wall signs. 10. Gas Stations Signs. Signs for canopies over gas islands are allowed as follows: a. Sign copy, corporate logos, etc. shall be a maximum of ten percent (10%) of one (1) face of the canopy. b. The height to the top of the canopy fascia shall not exceed twenty (20) feet from grade, and no canopy fascia shall exceed four (4) feet in height. c. Individual letters, logos, or symbols shall not exceed four (4) feet in height or project out from the fascia or wall more than six (6) inches. 11. Menu Boards. Menu boards for drive-up windows are to be reviewed and approved by the Planning Department. The following shall apply: a. Only two (2) menu boards are allowed per site and must be located behind the front landscaped setback area. b. Maximum area shall not exceed sixty-four64 square feet per sign and eight (8) feet in height. 12. On-Premises Development Identification Signs. Each lot or parcel of commercial or industrial property shall have not more than one (1) sign per public or private street frontage identifying future site development. The sign shall not be erected before the proposed development has been submitted for site plan review and must be removed before final inspection or before permanent signs are installed. The sign shall not exceed fifteen (15) feet in height, and the maximum size shall be determined by the lot or parcel size as follows: Less than two (2) acres: Sixty four (64) square feet. Two (2) acres or larger: One hundred twenty eight (128) square feet. B. Other Approvals. 1. All new multi-tenant centers/buildings shall submit a proposal for all on-premises signs to the Planning Commission for design and placement approval. 2. In cases with parcels of land of three (3) acres or larger, and with frontage of two hundred (200) feet or more, a proposal for the overall design and placement of all on-premises signs shall be submitted. Such signs may vary from the regulations set forth herein and shall be considered as a conditional use for existing projects, or as a condition of site plan approval for new projects. This provision does not grant the applicant any expectation of approval of any sign that differs from the requirements of this Title; rather it allows the City the ability to approve signing schemes appropriate to the scale and impact of a project. The approving body must determine that the proposed sign exceptions are not in conflict with the purpose and intent of this Chapter, are in harmony with the general plan and surrounding development, and are appropriate to the scale and impact of the project.