Chapter 8 Sign Regulations Part 3 Business Signs

  1. Freestanding business signs for lots adjacent to Scenic Corridors, Olmsted Parkways and Parkways and for lots within the Traditional Marketplace Corridor, Neighborhood, Traditional Neighborhood, Campus and Village Form Districts shall meet one of the following design standards:
    1. The sign shall be a monument style sign; or
    2. The sign shall be a columnar sign; or
    3. In locations where the permit issuer identifies a potential sight distance problem and when the Director of Works determines that the design standards 1 or 2 above would negatively affect sight distance necessary for pedestrian and vehicular traffic accessing the site or using adjacent intersections, another sign style may be approved by the Planning Director.
  2. Form District Specific Freestanding Sign Restrictions:
    1. Traditional Neighborhood Form District
      1. Freestanding signs are permitted only when the linear street frontage of the lot exceeds 120 feet.
    2. Suburban Workplace Form Districts:
      1. One freestanding master plan project identification sign shall be permitted adjacent to the primary entrance to developments having more than five lots and having an access point from an arterial level street. This sign shall not be counted towards the number of allowed freestanding business signs on a lot. The sign shall not exceed 150 square feet in area and 24 feet in height.
    3. Campus Form Districts:
      1. In multiple lot developments the base, side and frame of freestanding signs shall be uniform in design, materials and color.
      2. One freestanding master plan project identification sign shall be permitted adjacent to the primary entrance to developments having more than five lots and having an access point from an arterial level street. This sign shall not be counted towards the number of allowed freestanding business signs on a lot. The sign shall not exceed 100 square feet in area and 18 feet in height.
      3. Signs may be located within the building setbacks, established within Section 5.3.5.
    4. Downtown Form District:
      1. NOTE: The freestanding business sign prohibition in DFD is not subject to the LDC waiver process.
        Freestanding signs shall be limited to small freestanding business signs, directory signs and directional signs. Freestanding signs shall only be permitted within the storefront zone of the sidewalk, subject to the licensing requirements established by the Director of Works, or as Part of the plaza, park or other open space designed in conjunction with the structure(s).
  3. The maximum area and height of freestanding business signs within non-residential zoning districts (these districts include: OR, OR-1, OR-2, OR-3, OTF, C-R, C-N, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-M, M-1, M-2, M-3, EZ-1, PEC, PRO, W-1, W-2, W-3, PD (non-residential uses)) are listed in Table 8.3.2.

TABLE 8.3.2 FORM DISTRICT FREESTANDING BUSINESS SIGN RESTRICTIONS

Form District Street Functional Class Single Business Area (S.F.) Single Business Height Shared 2-3 Business Area (S.F.) Shared 2-3 Business Height Shared 4 > Business Area (S.F.) Shared 4> Business Height
Neighborhood Local 40 6 60 8 80 10
Collector 60 8 80 10 100 12
Arterial 4 Lanes or less 80 10 100 12 120 14
Arterial > 4 Lanes 80 12 100 14 120 16
Town Center See Neighborhood Above
Campus See Neighborhood Above
Regional Center Local 60 12 80 14 100 16
Collector 80 18 100 20 120 22
Arterial 4 Lanes or Less 100 22 120 24 140 26
Arterial >4 Lanes 100 24 120 26 140 28
Suburban Marketplace Corridor See Regional Center Above
Suburban Workplace See Regional Center Above
Traditional Neighborhood Local 24 4 48 6 64 8
Collector 32 6 56 8 72 10
Arterial 4 Lanes or less 48 6 72 8 88 10
Arterial >4 Lanes 48 8 72 10 88 12
Village See Traditional Neighborhood Above
Traditional Workplace Local 40 10 60 12 80 14
Collector 60 14 80 16 100 18
Arterial 4 Lanes or Less 80 18 100 20 120 22
Arterial > 4 Lanes 80 22 100 24 120 26
Traditional Marketplace Corridor Local 32 6 60 6 80 10
Collector 48 6 64 6 72 10
Arterial 4 Lanes or less 48 6 64 6 72 10
Arterial > 4 Lanes 64 8 72 10 88 12

* Lanes refer to driving lanes, which include center turn lanes and medians, de-acceleration lanes are not included.

8.3.4 Freestanding Directional Signs

Freestanding directional signs, i.e., signs used primarily to direct on premise vehicular or pedestrian circulation or traffic, are allowed to a maximum height of three (3) feet, with a maximum area of five (5) square feet. Such signs shall not be counted toward the number of freestanding signs allowed on a lot. One single faced "Menu Board" type sign is allowed for a "drive through" facility and shall not be counted toward the number of freestanding business signs allowed, provided such sign is no larger than forty (40) square feet. Freestanding directional signs shall be permitted within form district setbacks/yards.

NOTE: See definitions for illustration.

8.3.5 Attached Directional Signs

Attached directional signs, i.e., signs used exclusively to direct on premise vehicular or pedestrian circulation or traffic, are allowed to a maximum area of five (5) square feet. Such signs shall not be counted toward the number of attached business signs allowed on a lot. No attached directional sign may exceed a height greater than 10 feet from the grade of the property on which the sign is located.

NOTE: See definitions for illustration.

8.3.6 Projecting Signs

Buildings on lots which contain no freestanding sign (other than a freestanding directional sign) may not have more than one sign which projects perpendicularly from the facade (but not the roof) of the building providing that the sign does not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area, does not extend below nine (9) feet above the ground or sidewalk, or more than eight (8) feet from the facade of the building, or closer than two (2) feet to the abutting roadway. The area of the projecting sign shall be Part of the total allowable signage allowed on any one facade of the building as listed in Section 8.3.2B. of this Part. Multiple use buildings may have one projecting sign for each business, subject to the total maximum sign area permitted in Table 8.3.1.

NOTE: See definitions for illustration.

8.3.7 Special Provisions

  1. A single use building may have one attached sign for the sole purpose of furnishing emergency telephone numbers or other such emergency information. Such a sign shall not be counted toward the number of attached signs allowed provided it does not exceed one square foot in area. Multiple use buildings may have one such emergency sign for each independent use. A sign in a gasoline service station identifying a self service and/or full service pump island may be attached to canopy supports or light standards over a pump island at a height greater than the three (3) feet allowed for other directional signs, provided the area of such a sign does not exceed five (5) square feet.
  2. Shared Business Signs shall not be considered outdoor advertising signs by this regulation.