Chapter 25 ZONING ORDINANCE.
Article 24. Signs.
Sec. 25-24-15. Definitions.
Note: The uses of examples in the following definitions are for
illustration purposes and are not intended to be all inclusive in
"Abandoned sign" means a sign located on a parcel of land or on a
structure either of which is vacant for a period of ninety days, a sign
pertaining to a past occupant or business different from the present occupant of
or business on the premises, a sign pertaining to a past event or any sign
abandoned as the term is used in state law. Sign of obvious historic value are
exempt (Section 25-24-20(c)(6)).
"Accessory sign" means a separate sign that
provides specific information concerning the business which is not indicated on
the major sign(s). Accessory signs indicate such services as store hours,
accepted credit cards, quality ratings or affiliations, vacancies,
"Aggregate area" means the total area of all permanent signs on the
"Alley access" means a public thoroughfare less than thirty feet
in width, which affords only a secondary means of access to abutting
"Arcade" means a covered passageway with business establishments
along at least one side.
"Attention getting devices" means any flag,
streamer, spinner, light, balloon, or similar device or ornamentation used for
purposes of attracting attention for promotion or advertising.
sign" means a sign which is affixed to and made an integral part of a building
or structure. Attached signs include, but are not limited to wall signs, roof
signs, and projecting signs, to distinguish them from freestanding and ground
"Attraction board" means a sign constructed so that letters or other
advertising material can be changed, and which relates to businesses or
organizations which depend, on a large part, upon trade and attendance generated
by temporary, independent and frequently changing events or showing, such as
those engaged in providing live or filmed entertainment or sporting
"Awning" means a shelter supported entirely from the exterior wall
of a building and composed of non-rigid materials except for the supporting
framework. (See also "Canopy").
"Billboard" means a sign which directs
attention to a product, place, activity, person, institution, business, or
subject which is not entirely related to the premises on which the sign is
located. Included are signs erected upon benches.
"Building frontage" is
that portion of a building, which faces a street, parking lot, pedestrian mall,
arcade or walkway. The primary business frontage is one which contains a
customer entrance or which includes a glass-enclosed showroom facing the street.
If a building has more than one business, frontage is that portion of a
building, which faces a street, parking lot, pedestrian mall, arcade or walkway.
The primary business frontage is one which contains a customer entrance or which
includes a glass-enclosed showroom facing the street.
"Canopy" means a
structure attached to or supported by a building, designed for shelter over a
pedestrian or vehicular way and which may or may not project over public
property. Canopy is synonymous with marquee.
"Changeable copy sign" means an
announcement sign, bulletin board, or sign which makes provision for frequent
changing of individual letters and other copy.
"Conformance" means a sign
shall be said to conform when it meets all the standards and regulations
established by this article and the Uniform Building Code, as adopted by the
city of Woodland.
"Construction sign" is a sign located on a construction
site during the course of construction, which identifies the architects,
engineers, contractors, financiers or other persons and other individuals or
firms involved with the construction, or announcing the building, enterprise or
function for which the construction is intended.
"Convenience sign on
premise" is a sign which facilitates traffic flow and safety, not erected by a
governmental agency, such as entrance-exit, caution, parking, (i.e.,
"Copy" means any graphic, letter, numeral,
symbol, insignia, text, sample, model, device, or combination thereof which
relates to advertising, identification, or notification.
means any on-premise sign that includes information assisting in the flow of
pedestrians or vehicular traffic such as enter, exit, one-way, and
"Erect" means to construct, place, relocate, enlarge, alter,
attach, suspend, paint, post, display, hang, or affix.
"Ground sign" means a
sign which is supported by itself, one or more uprights, poles, or braces in or
upon the ground or by a structure other than a building.
Height of a
Freestanding Sign. See "Sign heights."
"Illuminated sign" means a sign which
is illuminated by an artificial light source provided for that
"Lot frontage" means the property line of a lot abutting on a
public street which affords access to the lot. In the case of a corner lot and
other lots which are bordered on more than one side by a street, lot frontage is
the lot line on the primary business frontage.
"Maintenance" means the
upkeep of signs, and their support structures, in a condition of good repair.
This includes the replacement or repainting of sign faces which have been
damaged or have otherwise lost their ability to convey the message intended.
Maintenance does not include the changing of location, orientation, size, or
height of a sign.
"Major architectural feature" means ornamentation or
decorative features attached to or protruding from an exterior wall.
Architectural features of a building shall include cornices, eaves, gutters,
belt courses, sills, lintels and dentils, windows, chimneys, and decorative
Marquee. See "Canopy."
"Nameplate" means a sign which
displays only the name, address, and occupation of the occupant of the premises,
is not illuminated and does not exceed two square feet in
"Neighborhood identification sign" is a ground sign situated where a
street enters a residential neighborhood, which serves only to identify the
"Nonconforming sign" means any sign which was lawfully erected
or maintained prior to time of adoption of this chapter that does not comply
with requirements of the ordinance codified in this article.
means any person(s), partnership, association, corporation or other group whose
activities are conducted for unselfish, civic, or humanitarian motives, or for
the benefit of others, and not for the gain of any private individual or group
and may include, but shall not be limited to patriotic, philanthropic, social
service, welfare, benevolent, educational, civic, fraternal, cultural,
charitable, scientific, historical, athletic, or medical
"Off-premises sign" is any sign not located on the same
development/parcel as the entity it advertises.
"Political sign" means is
any sign, which is intended to influence the vote for the passage or defeat of a
measure, or nomination, election or defeat of a candidate.
is a sign which is movable, not structurally attached to the ground, nor to a
building, structure, or sign. For example, "A"-frame, sandwich signs, and
"Premises" means a defined area of real property occupied by
a single business, institution, or use.
"Projecting sign" is any sign
erected and supported on the wall of a building or structure, or suspended from
an overhang, with display surfaces generally perpendicular not parallel to the
"Property line" means any line bounding a lot as herein defined. The
property lines bounding the lot (see lot line, Article 3,
"Roof sign" means a sign erected upon or above a roof or
parapet wall of the building.
"Shingle sign" means a type of projecting sign
under or over a canopy regulated by site, design, material and
"Sign" means any device, fixture, placard, or structure that uses
any color, form, graphic, illumination, symbol, or writing to advertise,
announce the purpose of, or identify the purpose of a person or entity, or to
communicate information of any kind to the public.
"Sign face" means the
part of the sign that is or can be used to identify, advertise, or communicate
information, or visual representation that attracts the attention of the public
for any purpose.
"Sign permit" is the permit issued by the community
development director to evidence approval by any of the bodies or persons
authorized by this article to erect a sign.
"Sign area" means the entire
area within a single continuous perimeter composed of straight lines or curves
which enclose the extreme limits of the message including all background or
structural material. The area of multi-faced signs shall be the sum of the
maximum display surface which is visible from any ground position at one
"Sign height" means the vertical distance measured from the grade of
the nearest street curb, or street grade other than on an elevated roadway, to
the uppermost point of the freestanding sign or structure. (Provide
"Statuary sign" means any sign, which is the modeled,
outlined, or sculptured likeness of a living creature or inanimate object, is
also a statutory sign. Also embossing which projects more than four inches
beyond a sign face shall be considered statuary.
"Temporary sign" means a
sign designed and displayed for a seasonal or brief activity such as, but not
limited to sales, specials, promotions, holidays, business grand
"Temporary directional sign" means a sign which directs persons to
an event location, or offering, which is not permanent in nature, such as a new
"Time and temperature sign" means a sign which provides
information about time and temperature in the public interest without
transmitting any advertising message.
"Wall sign" means any sign erected on
and parallel to the wall face of a building. This shall include permanent window
"Wall" is a surface which has a slope steeper than one foot
horizontal to two feet vertical.
"Window sign" means any sign affixed to or
within three feet of the inside of a window in view of the general public.
(Amended during the March 2009 supplement.)