“Area” shall mean the area included within the outer dimensions of a sign. In the case of a multiple-faced sign, the area of each face shall be included in determining sign area, excepting double-faced signs placed no more than 24 inches back to back.

“Awning” means a temporary or movable shelter supported entirely from the exterior wall of a building and composed of nonrigid materials except for the supporting framework.

“Building or face wall” means all window and wall area of a building in one plane or two closely related planes or elevations. Walls are distinguished from roofs in that wall planes are erected at an angle equal to or less than 30 degrees from a vertical plane.

“Electrical sign” means a sign utilizing electrical wiring.

“Flashing sign” means any sign containing an intermittent or flashing light source or an externally mounted intermittent light source.

“Frontage” means the length of the property line of any one premises along each public right-of-way it borders.

“Grade” means the level of the surface of the soil, whether paved or not, immediately below a particular sign; when a slope is involved, the average grade.

“Ground sign” means a sign erected on a freestanding frame, mast or pole and not attached to any building. Also known as a “freestanding” or “monument” sign.

“Incidental sign” means a sign not exceeding two square feet in area identifying or advertising goods, products, services, or facilities available on premises. Such incidental signs include, but are not limited to, trading stamps, credit cards accepted, brand names of price signs; such signs larger than two square feet and used to identify the business or premises are not considered incidental signs.

“Joint-use sign” means when two or more businesses combine part or all of their total allowed sign area into ground sign for each common frontage of such business.

“Maintain” means to permit a sign, sign structure, or any part thereof to continue; or to repair, refurbish, or keep in good order and repair a sign, sign structure, or any part of each.

“Marquee sign” means a sign, which is painted on, attached to, or supported by a marquee, awning or canopy.

“Nameplate” means a nonelectrical sign identifying only the name, address, occupation, or profession of the occupant of the premises on which the sign is located. If any premises includes more than one occupant, the nameplate can have all names and occupations or professions as well as the name of the building and directional information.

“Off-premises sign” means a sign that directs attention to a business commodity, industry, or other activity, which is sold, offered, or conducted elsewhere than on the premises where the sign is located.

“Portable sign” means any sign that is not originally designed to be permanently affixed to a building, structure, or the ground. A sign originally designed, regardless of its current modification, to be moved from place to place. These signs primarily include, but are not limited to, A-frame or sandwich board signs, signs attached to wood or metal frames and designed to be self-supporting and movable, and also including trailer reader boards. Portable signs are not to be considered temporary signs as defined in this title.

“Projecting sign” means a sign that projects from and is supported by a wall or a building, with the display surfaces of the sign in a plane other than parallel to said wall.

“Reader board” means any sign that uses a continuous message system or a sign of a permanent nature, but which accommodates changeable copy. Also referred to as “bulletin board.”

“Roof sign” means a sign or any portion of which that is displayed above the highest point of the roof, whether or not such sign also is a wall sign.

“Shopping center or business complex” means any two or more businesses which are in a building or group of buildings with shared off-street parking, on one or more lots which are contiguous or which are separated by a public right-of-way or a privately owned flag drive used for access and not greater than 35 feet in width, which are constructed and/or managed as a single entity, regardless of individual ownership and/or function.

“Sign” means any sign, illuminated or nonilluminated, or presentation by words, letters, figures, designs, or pictures, visible in the public right-of-way to give notice relative to a person, business, goods, products, or service, an activity, or a solicitation. “Sign” includes identification, advertising, and informational signs. “Sign” also includes any permanently installed or situated merchandise (other than a structure), an emblem, a painting, a banner, a pennant, a placard, a poster, a temporary sign, a light (other than a device used primarily to illuminate a building or premises) that is intended to attract attention, advertise, identify, or inform. For the purpose of removal, “sign” shall include sign structure. This definition shall not include official notices issued by a court or public body or officers, or directions, warning or information signs or structures required by or authorized by law or by federal, state, county or city authority.

“Sign height” means the distance from the finish ground level to the top of the sign or the highest portion of the sign structure or frame, whichever is greater.

“Temporary sign” means any sign which is not permanently installed or affixed to any sign structure or building, to advertise a new business before a permanent sign is installed, or to advertise a business special or sale.

“Wall sign or graphics” includes, but is not limited to, any mosaic, mural or painting or graphic art technique or combination or grouping of mosaics, murals, or paintings or graphic art techniques applied, implanted or placed directly onto a wall or fence.

“Wayfinding system” means a color coordinated system of pedestrian-scale signs designed to solely provide directions within a shopping center or central business district zone (CBD) and is not intended as additional advertisement for each business listed on such system. [Ord. 817 § 8-3J.720, 2006.]