24-6-3 Business related temporary signs

(1) (a) Temporary signs announcing the initial opening of a business or the relocation or change of ownership of an existing business may be allowed provided the event shall not continue for more than 60 days and that the permit is issued within the first year of operation. There shall be no more than two such signs allowed per business. A combination banner and portable sign is acceptable. The signs must comply with general size and location standards in this chapter and must be removed at the end of the 60 day period. A temporary sign permit is required. (b) A business located in a commercial or industrial zone district may utilize on-premise banners or portable signs to advertise special promotions. The frequency of displaying a special promotion sign shall not exceed twelve periods during the calendar year. Each period may not exceed ten days in length and is limited to no more than twice a month with the beginning of a new period being no less than seven days from a previous display of a special promotion sign. Special promotion signs do not require a sign permit issued by the Department of Engineering, but shall meet the following standards: (i) The maximum allowable sign area for promotion signs, not affixed to a building, is 32 square feet for sites with less than one acre of property and 48 square feet for sites with more than one acre. Businesses may utilize multiple temporary signs when advertising a special promotion, but in no case shall the total square footage of all temporary signs not affixed to a building exceed the maximum allowed square footage for promotion signs for that business. Businesses shall maintain a 100 foot linear separation between promotion signs not affixed to a building. (ii) The maximum allowable sign area for promotion signs, affixed to the building, is 12 square feet, except as allowed in Section 3. Businesses may utilize multiple temporary signs when advertising a special promotion, but in no case shall the total square footage for promotion signs for that business. (iii) A business only utilizing a promotion sign affixed to the building may combine the allowed square footage from 24-6-3(b)(1) with the square footage in 24-6-3(b)(2). Business shall not be allowed to combine square footages to increase the maximum square footage of promotion signs, not affixed to a building. (iv) Special promotion signs must be kept in good repair and remain firmly attached to the building or securely to the ground. Poles existing on the business's property such as parking lot lighting may also be used. (v) Lighting for special promotion signs may be allowed with down directional low luminescence bulbs directed to illuminate only the sign if the sign is not illuminated from structures and parking lot lights. (vi) Special promotion signs shall be located as follows: (A) Special promotion signs shall be placed a minimum of two feet from the property line. (B) All special promotion signs may be along the frontage of the business location provided that they do not create an obstruction to traffic visibility and are not located within the clearview zone as identified by this chapter. (c) Signs advertising the liquidation of inventory for a failing business require a permit, which shall not exceed 90 days. Such permit will be allowed only once for any business license. A banner or portable sign is allowed during this period. (d) A business located in a commercial or industrial zone district may utilize one on-premise banner or portable sign to advertise up to two large scale sales events in a calendar year. Signs for such an event shall require a sign permit issued by the Zoning Administrator and may require a building permit. Large scale events signs shall not be displayed to exceed 45 days in any one period and there shall be at least 30 days between consecutive large sales events. An event sign shall not exceed 60 square feet in area. Signs shall be placed a minimum of two feet from the property line and shall not create an obstruction to traffic visibility or be located within the clearview zone as identified by this chapter. Lighting for large scale sales event signs may be allowed with down directional low luminescence bulbs directed to illuminate only the sign if the sign is not illuminated from structures and parking lot lights. (Ord. 2011-08, 3/15/11; Ord. 2009-02, 1/27/09; Ord. 2005-31, 11/22/05)