§ 21.11.040. Computations and rules of measurement.

The following regulations shall control the computation and measurement of sign area, sign height, building frontage, and public street frontage:

A.

Determining sign area or dimensions of signs.

1.

The sign area shall include the face of all the display area(s), the sign frame, the structural support, and any attendant construction of the sign, except as follows:

a.

Architectural features as defined in chapter 21.14 shall not be considered sign area, as long as the architectural feature area is no larger than 50 percent of the sign area, provided, however, that the total sign size (sign area and architectural feature area) never exceeds 135 percent of the maximum sign size for the site.

b.

Structural support that is located below the sign face area and its accompanying frame, does not contain a message other than the street number in conformance with subsection 5.a. below, and is clearly distinguishable from the sign face area, shall not be considered sign area or architectural feature in conformance with subsection 5.b. below.

2.

For a sign that is framed, outlined, painted, or otherwise prepared and intended to provide a background for a sign display, the area of the sign shall be the area of not more than three geometric shapes that encompass the entire area of the sign including the background or frame.

3.

For a sign comprised of individual letters, figures, or elements on a wall or similar surface of a building or structure, or an irregular shaped freestanding sign, the area of the sign shall be the area of not more than three regular geometric shapes that encompass the perimeter of all the elements in the display.

a.

When separate elements are organized to form a single sign, but the elements are separated by open space, the area of the sign shall include all the display areas, including the space between the elements.

b.

Up to five percent of the permitted sign area may be considered minor protrusions, and extend outside of the maximum limitation of three geometric shapes and are, therefore, exempted from being included as part of the sign area.

4.

For freestanding and projecting signs the sign area shall be computed by the measurement of one of the faces when two display faces are joined, are parallel, or are within 30 degrees of being parallel to each other and are part of the same sign structure. For any sign that has two display surfaces that do not comply with the above regulation, or has more than two display surfaces, then each surface shall be included when determining the area of the sign.

5.

In determining the area of freestanding and projecting signs, the following shall be exempted from being considered as part of the maximum permitted area:

a.

One-half square foot of sign area shall be exempted for each digit of the street number, up to a maximum of three square feet.

b.

The portion of a solid sign base up to a maximum height of four feet that is at least 50 percent screened by landscaping.

c.

The air space under a freestanding sign between supporting posts and air space between a projecting sign and the wall to which it is attached.

All other exemptions to the area of a sign may only be approved by the urban design commission.

6.

Except as provided in Table 21.11-1 for non-residential uses located within residential districts, the height of a freestanding sign shall be measured from the elevation of the edge of the public right-of-way immediately adjacent to, or nearest the sign structure, to the highest point of the sign, its frame, or decorative features.

B.

Determining building frontage and building unit. For the purposes of this chapter and for determining allowable wall sign area, the building frontage shall include the building walls that: face a public street, face a parking lot which serves the use, or contains a public entrance to the uses therein. For the purposes of these regulations, a public alley is not considered a public street.

1.

The building frontage shall be measured along such building wall between the exterior faces of the exterior sidewalls.

2.

In the case of an irregular wall surface, a single straight line approximating such wall surface shall be used to measure the wall's length.

3.

For multi-occupant buildings, the portion of a building that is owned or leased by a single occupant shall be considered a building unit. The building frontage for a building unit shall be measured from the centerline of the party walls defining the building unit.

4.

The primary frontage shall be the portion of a frontage that serves as the main access point to a building or building unit. (See Figure 2)

5.

The secondary frontage shall be all other frontages. (See Figure 2)

C.

Determining public street frontage for freestanding signs. For the purposes of this chapter and for determining allowable freestanding sign area, public street frontage is the length of a lot line, measured between two corners of the lot, which abuts the public street along which the sign is to be located. The length of public street frontage along one lot line shall only be used to calculate the allowable freestanding sign size for a sign to be located on that lot line. Lots with more than one public street frontage shall not add these street frontages together to calculate an allowable freestanding sign area. For the purposes of these regulations a public alley is not considered a public street. For the purposes of this section, standards, which are based on a minimum length of the public street frontage, shall also apply to "any portion thereof" unless the specific section states otherwise. For signs placed at the intersection of two streets, equidistant from two lot lines, the length of either lot line, but not both, may be used to determine the allowable sign size.

D.

Determining sign setbacks. The required setbacks for the sign shall apply to all elements of the sign including its frame and base.

(AO 2012-124(S), 2-26-13; AO No. 2015-138, §§ 1, 2, 1-12-16 )