(a) Wall and Permanent Window Signs.
(1) Wall and permanent window signs shall be not be placed above the window sill or the second floor of the building unless the business is conducted above the first floor in which case the sign shall not be placed above the window sill of the third floor nor above the maximum height allowed for the zone.
(2) Murals shall be reviewed by the planning commission for consideration and approval. Any written message used for advertising a business shall be counted as part of the allowable aggregate sign area. In granting or denying approval, the planning commission shall consider the extent to which the proposal fulfills the following standards:
(A) The mural shall demonstrate superior artistic quality or theme as opposed to direct or indirect illustrative advertising.
(B) The mural or graphic shall be designed to enhance or distinguish the architectural features of the structure on which it is placed.
(C) The design and colors used shall be harmonious with the surrounding environment and shall not be used for the exclusive purpose of calling attention to the mural or graphic.
(D) Possible historic value.
(3) Permanent window signs shall be limited to twenty percent of the ground floor frontage window area occupied by a given business. Theses signs will be counted as part of the building overall sign allowance.
(b) Ground Signs.
(1) Each parcel or group of contiguous parcels developed as a unit is permitted one sign placed on one ground sign structure. Additional ground signs are permitted only under the following conditions:
(A) Where a single business or development unit has frontage and primary public access on parallel streets, one ground sign is permitted for each separate street.
(B) Gasoline service stations are permitted one separate price sign not to exceed twenty square feet in area or six feet in height. The price sign shall be permitted even when pricing information is incorporated into the primary ground sign and can take the form of a permanent illuminated ground sign or non-illuminated portable sign. A price sign is required to have city approval for design and location.
(C) Fast-food restaurants with drive-up windows are permitted one separate menu board adjacent to the drive-up lane.
(2) Accessory signs shall not be attached to ground sign structures.
(3) Each premise in any commercial or industrial zone shall not place more than one-half their permitted aggregate sign area on a ground sign. When identifying two or more premise, the total ground sign area shall not exceed the maximum aggregate indicated for the appropriate zone in Table 1.
(4) Freeway oriented signs, within five hundred feet of a freeway interchange right-of-way in the C-H Highway Commercial Zone, shall be permitted a maximum height of sixty feet.
(5) A ground sign that displays nameplates shall be considered as a single sign regardless of the number of nameplates attached.
(c) Projecting Signs.
(1) An activity is allowed one projecting sign only when neither ground sign or a roof sign is present in the development.
(2) Projecting signs are subject to the limitations in Table II and shall not be permitted closer than twenty feet from each other.

(3) Projecting signs may project into the public right-of-way, not to include alleys, if they conform to all other regulations. Refer to Section 25-24-50(d) for encroachment permits required for East Street (State Route 113).
(4) Signs may not project within two feet of the curb line.
(5) Projecting signs may not exceed the maximum height limits permitted for the zone. Further, they may not extend vertically above the second floor window sill or when there is no second floor, they may not extend above the parapet, eaves, or roof line.
(d) Canopy Signs.
(1) Awnings, canopies, and marquees that project into the public right-of-way may have only individual cut-out-letters and/or symbols attached, painted, stenciled, or otherwise placed on their faces.
(2) Awnings, canopies, and marquees may have a nameplate suspended beneath without being considered a projecting sign. Nameplates must be at least eight feet above the sidewalk and cannot extend beyond the canopy or within two feet of the curb line.
(3) Signs attached above awnings, canopies, and marquees that are connected to buildings shall not extend beyond the maximum projections listed in Table II. No projecting sign shall be permitted when signing is placed directly on canopies.
(4) Signs may not be attached above freestanding canopies.
(5) Awning signs shall not cover more than fifty percent of the end panel area and not more than twenty percent of the front (street facing) panel. These signs shall be counted as part of the building’s overall sign allowance.
(e) Roof Signs.
(1) One roof sign is permitted, below the roof peak, for each business in the C-1, CBD, C-2, C-3, C-H, and I zones only.
(2) Signs are not permitted above the roof peak or parapet wall and not above the maximum height allowed for the zone.
(3) The bottom of roof signs shall be mounted flush with the surface of the roof and shall not interrupt roof lines or other major architectural features.
(f) Temporary Signs.
(1) Unless specified, do not require a permit but must conform to all restrictions of this article.
(2) Temporary signs are not counted as part of the permitted aggregate area for permanent signs. However, the total area of temporary signs shall not exceed the total permitted area for permanent signs.
(3) No single temporary sign shall exceed one hundred square feet in area.
(4) Temporary signs shall not be attached to ground, projecting, or roof signs unless the latter types of signs are specifically designed for this use.
(5) Attention getting devices are permitted for special events subject to zoning administrator approval, and limited to a period of no more than three consecutive days and no more than thirty days per year.
(6) One non-illuminated sign denoting the intended use of the building, architect, engineer, contractor, builder, realtor, and financial backer may be permitted upon premises during construction, provided, that such sign does not exceed fifty square feet in area and is no more than ten feet in height. Such signs shall be removed prior to the final inspection of the project.
(7) One temporary real estate sign for a subdivision may be permitted on each arterial or collector street within that subdivision. When there are no arterial or collector streets within the subdivision, one such sign may be permitted on a local street within the subdivision. It shall not exceed fifty square feet or is not more that ten feet in height. Such signs shall not be illuminated. Such signs shall be removed after completion of sales activities of the property or subdivision by the builder.
(8) One sign for each parallel street frontage of a lot pertaining to the lease or sale of a building or property provided it shall not exceed the following size and height limitations and is not illuminated:

(9) Noncommercial signs expressing the opinion of the owner or occupant of the appurtenant property regarding political, religious, social, or economic topics of public interest shall be permitted so long as the messages remain noncommercial in nature. Such signs shall not be placed on fences, trees, utility poles, street furniture, or in the public right-of-way.
(10) Temporary Direction Signs. See subsection (i)(2) of this section.
(g) Political Campaign Signs.

No limit per candidate and all signs shall be removed within five days after the election.
(1) No signs or structural features shall extend into the cross visibility area between three feet and seven feet above the grade of the nearest street curb. The cross visibility area for:
(A) Intersection of driveways and public rights-of-way is defined as a triangle having two sides ten feet long and running along the driveway and public right-of-way, said length beginning at their intersection and the third side formed by a line connecting the two ends.
(B) Intersection of two public rights-of-way is defined as a triangle having two sides "x" feet long and running along each public right-of-way (measured from the face of curb) said length beginning at their intersection and the third side formed by a line connecting the two ends.
(C) Such signs shall not be placed on fences, trees, utility poles, street furniture, or in the public right-of-way.
(h) Portable Signs (Not withstanding provisions outlined above).
(1) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to allow for A-Frame and other portable signs for pedestrian -- level advertising of individual businesses in a professional and aesthetically pleasing manner.
(2) Location of Sign. The sign is placed on a sidewalk, public or private, within fifteen feet of the business entrance. Portable signs are not permitted in landscape planters or within parking areas.
(3) Size. Maximum size of six square feet.
(4) Quantity. One sign per building. In the case of multi-tenant buildings or shopping centers, multiple businesses may be allowed on one sign and one sign per business may be allowed if the total number of signs does not exceed one sign per twenty feet of building frontage.
(5) Content. Advertising of businesses immediately adjacent to the sign. Content is limited to the name, logo, by-line, and hours of operation. Advertising of sales and specific products is prohibited.
(6) Clearance Area. A minimum clearance of five feet is maintained on the sidewalk at all times to allow for pedestrian traffic. Signs are not to be placed where they would in any way block the view of drivers of vehicles or pedestrians when approaching intersection. Sign should, where possible be placed at least eighteen inches from the edge of sidewalk to prevent injury to the sign or a vehicle while the vehicle is parking.
(7) Display Hours. Portable sign can be displayed on sidewalks only when the business is open for business. Signs must be moved out of sight within the business property when the business is closed.
(8) Maintenance. It is the business owner’s responsibility to assure that once a sign is approved that it remains in good condition and repair, i.e., no peeling paint, tacked on notices, or general unkempt appearance.
(9) Enforcement. Signs which do not comply with these requirements can be removed by the city. Section 25-24-70 of the Zoning Ordinance.
(10) Quality Standards. See community design standards.
(11) Attachments. No attached attention-getting devices such as flags, balloons, or lights, except for temporary promotions as allowed by subsection (f)(5) of this section.
(12) Developments with conditional use permit restrictions prohibiting portable signs will still apply to that development.
(13) Sign Permit Process. See Section 25-24-50.
(14) Time Frame. The ordinance allowing portable signs shall be subject to a sunset cause. Two years after the effective date (February 13, 2004) amending the sign ordinance, all portable sign will no longer be allowed unless the city council amends the sign ordinance and continues to allow portable signs. Portable signs existing at the time the sunset provision takes effect will no longer be allowed and cannot be "grandfathered in signs."
(i) Off-Premise Signs.
(1) Billboards are allowed by use permit in the I zone if the planning commission finds the following conditions to be present:
(A) The planning commission finds that the location of a billboard applied for is consistent with the purposes of the sign regulations of this article as set forth in Section 25-24-10;
(B) The sign shall be placed only along and facing the following major highways: I-5 and State Route 113;
(C) Freeway-oriented billboards within five hundred feet of the freeway right-of-way shall not exceed six hundred seventy-two square feet in area or forty feet in height. All other billboards shall not exceed three hundred square feet in area; or
(D) No other billboard shall be closer than five hundred feet along the same side of a street, except that no new billboard constructed on or after March 17, 1994 shall be situated closer than one thousand feet from any other billboard along the same side of the street. If a freeway oriented billboard erected prior to March 17, 1994 is destroyed, it may be replaced in the same location even if it is less than one thousand feet from another billboard on the same side of the street, provided all other requirements are met;
(E) The sign shall not impair the visibility of another sign;
(F) The sign shall have indirect lighting;
(G) The sign shall be freestanding;
(H) The sign shall meet all other provisions of this article;
(I) The sign post and other surfaces should be of a finished nature. The billboard application shall state the color of such structures;
(J) The sign shall not extend over a building;
(K) Where the base of the billboard support is visible from the public right-of-way, landscaping and irrigation plans shall be considered during the conditional use permit process.
(2) Temporary directional signs are permitted for a period not exceeding ten days per year. Where signs are to be displayed for longer periods of time a zoning administrator permit is required. In every case such signs must meet the following conditions:
(A) The location of the directional sign applied for is consistent with the purposes of the sign regulations of this article as set forth in Section 25-24-10;
(B) The sign shall display only the name and directions to the event, location, or offering;
(C) The sign shall be non-illuminated;
(D) The sign shall not exceed the size and height limitations in Table 3;
(E) The sign is to be placed only at points where a turning movement is to be made;
(F) The sign shall not impair the visibility of another sign;
(G) The sign shall be removed after completion of activities on the property or subdivision;
(H) A cash deposit to cover the removal of the sign is required before the sign is erected, which is refundable upon proof that the sign has been removed:

(3) Public Service Directional Signs.
(A) Guide signs are intended to direct individuals to locations which are difficult to locate and are placed as a public service, not for promotional purposes.
(B) Public service directional signs require approval of the zoning administrator.
(C) The zoning administrator shall approve the erection and maintenance of all guide signs. (Amended during the March 2009 supplement.)