§ 21.75.020. Definitions and abbreviations.

For the purpose of this chapter, definitions as defined in Chapter 21.06 and certain abbreviations, terms, phrases, words and their derivatives shall be construed as specified in this section:

"Abandoned sign" means any sign which is located on property which becomes vacant and unoccupied for a period of six months or more, or any sign which relates to any occupant or business unrelated to the present occupant or his business, or any sign which pertains to a time, event, or purpose which no longer applies.

"Advertising vehicles" means any vehicle or trailer on a public right-of-way or public property or on private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way which has attached thereto, or located thereon any sign or advertising device for the basic purpose of providing advertisement of products or directing people to a business or activity located on the same or nearby property or any other premises. This provision is not to be construed as prohibiting the identification of a firm or its principal products on a vehicle operating during normal course of business. Franchised buses or taxis are exempt from this chapter.

"Animated sign" means any sign which includes action or motion or the optical illusion of action or motion, or color changes of all or any part of the sign facing, requiring electrical energy, or set in motion by movement of the atmosphere. Excluded from the definition are public service signs, changing message center signs, searchlights and flags.

"Awning" means a temporary shelter supported entirely from the exterior wall of a building.

"Bulletin board (readerboard)" means a sign so designed that the message may be changed by removal or addition of specially designed letters that attach to the face of the sign.

"Changing message center signs" means an electronically or electrically controlled sign where different automatic changing messages are shown on the same lamp bank.

"Construction sign" means any sign used to identify the architects, engineers, contractors or other individuals or firms involved with the construction of a building and announce the character of the building or the purpose for which the building is intended.

"Flashing sign" means any sign which contains an intermittent or flashing light source or which includes the illusion of intermittent or flashing light by means of animation or an externally mounted intermittent light source. Excluded from the definition are public service and changing message center signs.

"Freestanding sign" means any sign which is supported by one or more uprights, poles or braces in or upon the ground.

"Garage sale signs," i.e., yard sales, moving sales, patio sales, means temporary signs used to announce a sale of used items.

"Grade" means the elevation or level of the street closest to the sign to which reference is made, as measured at the street's centerline, or the relative ground level in the immediate vicinity of the sign.

"Grand opening displays" means temporary signs, posters, banners, strings of lights, clusters of flags, balloons and searchlights used to announce the opening of a completely new enterprise or the opening of an enterprise under new management.

"Height" or "height of sign" means the vertical distance from the grade to the highest point of a sign or any vertical projection thereof, including its supporting columns.

"Landscaping" means any material used as a decorative feature, such as shrubbery or planting materials, planter boxes, concrete bases, brick work, decorative framing or pole covers, used in conjunction with a sign which expresses the theme of the sign and related structure but does not contain advertising copy.

"Legal nonconforming sign" means a sign which (1) on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter was lawfully maintained and had been lawfully erected in accordance with the provisions of any prior sign ordinance or code but which sign does not conform to the applicable limitations established by this chapter; or (2) on or after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter was lawfully maintained and erected in accordance with the provisions of this chapter but which sign, by reason of amendment of the ordinance codified in this chapter after the effective date thereof, does not conform to the applicable limitations established by the amendment of this chapter.

"Mansard roof" means a sloped roof or roof-like facade architecturally able to be treated as a building wall.

"Marquee" means a permanent roofed structure attached and supported by the building.

"Monument sign" means a ground-mounted sign which is higher than three feet above the average ground elevation and which is attached to the ground by means of a wide base of solid appearance.

"Multiple building complex" means a group of structures housing at least one retail business, office, commercial venture or independent or separate part of a business which shares the same lot, access and/or parking facilities.

"Multiple occupancy building" means a single structure housing more than one retail business, office or commercial venture.

"Portable (mobile) sign" means a sign made of any material which by its design is readily movable and is equipped with wheels, casters or rollers or which is not permanently affixed to the ground, structure or building (also includes sidewalk or sandwich board signs, and signs mounted upon the tops of vehicles).

"Public service signs" means an electronically or electrically controlled public service sign or portion of a larger sign which conveys only information such as time, date, temperature, atmospheric condition or general news information where different alternating copy changes are shown on the same lamp bank matrix.

"Real estate or property for sale, rental or lease sign" means any sign pertaining to the sale, lease or rental of land or buildings.

"Roof sign" means any sign erected upon, against or directly above a roof or on top of or above the parapet of a building.

"Searchlight" means an apparatus containing an electric light and reflector on a swivel for projecting a far-reaching beam in any desired direction.

"Sign" means any commercial communication device, structure or fixture that is intended to aid an establishment in identification and to advertise and/or promote a business, service, activity or interest. For the purpose of this chapter, a sign shall not be considered to be building or structural design, but shall be restricted solely to graphics, symbols or written copy that is meant to be used in the aforementioned way.

"Sign area" means the entire area of a sign on which copy is to be placed. Only one side of a doublefaced sign shall be included. The area of painted signs, individual letter signs, and other indirectly illuminated signs shall be calculated on the basis of the smallest rectangle, circle or spherical figure that will enclose the entire copy area of the sign. Any such calculation shall include the areas between letters and lines, as well as the areas of any devices, illuminated or nonilluminated, which are intended to attract attention.

"Special event signs" means temporary signs used to announce a circus, a carnival, festivals or other similar events.

"Temporary sign" means any sign, banner, pennant, valance, flags (not intended to include flags of any nation, state, city or other governmental agency or nonprofit organization), searchlights, balloons or other air-filled or gas-filled figures or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard or other light materials, with or without frame, intended to be displayed for a limited period of time only. Different types of temporary signs included in this category are: construction, grand opening displays, real estate, special event, noncommercial, and garage sale.

"Wall" means any member or group of members, which defines the exterior boundaries of a building and which has a slope of sixty degrees or greater with the horizontal plane. The height of a wall shall be measured as the two-dimensional height from the average finish grade of the particular architectural building elevation adjacent to the wall to the finish roof plane.

"Wall sign" means any sign attached to or painted directly on the wall, or erected against the wall of a building being parallel or approximately parallel to said wall; and does not exceed a distance of fifteen inches from such wall.

(Ord. 11274 § 1 (part), 1996)

(Ord. No. 15637 , § 1(Att. B, § I), 6-26-2018)