§ 16.60.030. General provisions.

Unless exempt by Section 16.60.050, off-site signs shall not be allowed. Signs may be erected, altered and maintained only for those uses permitted in the zone in which they are located. Signs shall be located on the same legal parcel as the permitted use and shall be clearly incidental, customary and commonly associated with the operation of the permitted use. For the purposes of this chapter, a shopping center shall be considered a single parcel regardless of whether the center is comprised of more than one legal parcel.

A.

Determining the Number of Signs.

1.

For the purpose of determining the number of signs, a sign shall be considered to be a single display surface or display device containing sign faces physically connected and having a coterminous boundary, with the following exception: combination canopy and under-canopy signs shall be considered as one sign.

2.

A two-sided or multisided sign shall be regarded as one sign subject to the following:

a.

A "V-type" sign shall be regarded as a single sign only if the two sides are separated by no more than three feet at any point.

b.

Double-faced (back-to-back) signs shall be regarded as a single sign only if the distance between the backs of each face of the sign does not exceed two feet.

B.

Computation of Sign Surface Area and Height.

1.

All Signs Except Awning Signs.

a.

The surface area of a sign shall be the total number of square feet calculated by enclosing the extreme limits of the writing, logo, representation, emblem, or other display, together with any frame, background area, structural trim, or other material or color forming an integral part of the background of the display or used to differentiate the sign from the backdrop or surface against which it is placed, within a single continuous perimeter composed of circles, squares or rectangles. The surface area of spherical signs shall be the actual sign surface area calculated by the following formula: Area = 12.56 x r ; where r = radius of the sphere. See Figure 16.60.030-A for an illustration of how surface area is calculated. Notwithstanding Figure 16.60.030-A, the community development director may allow an increase in sign area in rough proportion to the open area in a sign not comprised of squares or rectangles.

b.

Supporting framework or bracing that is clearly incidental to the display itself shall not be included as sign surface area.

c.

If the sign consists of more than one section or module, all of the area, including

the area between the sections of modules, shall be included in the computation of sign surface area. Sections or modules must touch one another to count as one sign.

d.

For multisided signs, the sign surface area shall be computed by including the total area of all sides designed to attract attention or communicate information.

e.

For two-sided signs, the sign surface area shall be computed by including the total area of only one side; provided, that double-faced (back to back) signs have a distance of two feet or less between the backs of each face; or provided, that faces of "V-type" signs are separated by no more than three feet at any point.

2.

Awning or Canopy Signs.

a.

The sign surface area of a canopy or awning sign shall be calculated by enclosing the extreme limits of the writing, logo, representation, emblem, or other display within a single continuous perimeter composed of circles, squares or rectangles.

b.

If more than one surface of the awning or canopy is utilized for signage or if an under-canopy sign is attached to the main canopy, the aggregate sign area shall be calculated by totaling the surface area of each surface.

3.

Height of Signs. The height of a sign shall be determined by measuring the distance from the average adjacent ground level within five feet of the base of the sign to the top of the sign.

Figure 16.60.030-A
Computation of Sign Area

C.

Illumination of Signs.

1.

All sign illumination shall be from the interior or by indirect lighting that shall be turned off after business hours, or at ten (10) p.m., whichever is later.

2.

Neon tubing as a sign material shall be permitted to the extent that it composes twenty (20) percent or less of the total allowable sign surface area for the use as set forth in Table 16.60.040-A. Neon tubing used as an architectural detail is prohibited in the village core and village mixed use districts. Neon tubing as an architectural detail may be used in limited quantities in the other mixed-use districts subject to approval as part of a sign application or architectural review. All neon tubing used as an architectural detail shall be integrated into the design of the building. Visible neon tubing outlining the interior of a window shall be considered a sign.

D.

Projecting Signs and Sign Clearances.

1.

All projecting signs, except awning or canopy signs, must be double-faced.

2.

An encroachment permit from the city engineer is required for signs that project more than two inches over the public right-of-way.

3.

Projection Allowed.

a.

No awning or canopy sign may project more than six feet over a public right-of-way.

b.

No projecting sign may project more than six feet over a public right-of-way; however, the sign itself may not occupy more than four feet of the projection. The remaining two or more feet may be a gap between the building wall and the sign or the distance between the edge of the sign and the sign support.

c.

The outside face of a wall sign may extend no more than twelve (12) inches from the surface of a building or wall.

4.

All signs that project more than two inches over a public right-of-way shall have a minimum height clearance of seven feet.

5.

No permit for any sign shall be issued and no sign shall be constructed or maintained that has less horizontal or vertical clearance from communication lines and energized electrical power lines than that prescribed by the laws of the state of California or rules and regulations duly promulgated by agencies thereof.

E.

Accessory Signs. Signs that advertise products sold or services provided on the premises, such as beer signs or an automated teller machine (ATM) signs, shall be considered accessory signs and do not count towards the permitted signage listed in Table 16.60.040-A if they are restricted to ten (10) percent or less of the wall area on which it is placed. Accessory signs between ten (10) and twenty (20) percent of the wall area can be allowed with a recommendation from the architectural review committee, however areas greater than ten (10) percent shall be considered toward total permitted sign area. The design, number, location and size of accessory signs shall be reviewed and approved as part of an administrative sign permit, administrative sign program, or planned sign program by the architectural review committee if the following findings are made:

1.

The proposed general design, arrangement, texture, colors, and lighting placement are consistent with the purposes and regulations of this chapter and any applicable design guidelines; and

2.

The appropriateness of the proposed accessory signs are compatible with other signs and other structures on the premises and contiguous area and do not exceed twenty (20) percent of the wall area on which they are placed.

F.

Incidental and Supplemental Signs. Signs that are incidental or supplemental to the use of the property, such as drive through menu boards or vending machine signs do not count towards the permitted signage listed in Table 16.60.040-A if they are no larger than sixteen (16) square feet. Incidental and supplemental signs between sixteen (16) and thirty-two (32) square feet can be allowed with a recommendation from the architectural review committee, however areas greater than sixteen (16) square feet shall be considered toward total permitted sign area. Incidental or supplemental signs shall not be legible to a person of average eyesight standing on any property line. The design, number, location and size of incidental or supplemental signs shall be reviewed and approved as part of an administrative sign permit, administrative sign program, or planned sign program with the recommendation from the architectural review committee if the following findings are made:

1.

The proposed general design, arrangement, texture, colors, and lighting placement are consistent with the purposes and regulations of this chapter and any applicable design guidelines; and

2.

The appropriateness of the proposed signs are compatible with other signs and other structures on the premises and contiguous area.

G.

Portable Signs ("Sandwich Board Signs") that are allowed per Section 16.60.040, Table 16.60.040. A., must meet the following criteria:

1.

Portable signs cannot block doorway, access, or Americans with Disabilities access.

2.

Portable signs must be constructed from wood or plastic and have a professional appearance.

3.

Only one portable sign is allowed per business.

4.

Portable signs cannot be located on any public right-of-way.

5.

Portable signs that are proposed for a store or restaurant located in shopping centers must be located immediately adjacent to that business.

H.

Message Substitution. Subject to the property owner's consent, a noncommercial message of any type may be substituted, in whole or in part, for any duly permitted or authorized commercial message or any duly permitted or allowed noncommercial message, provided that the sign structure or mounting device is legal without consideration of message content. Such substitution of message, if in conformance with the originally approved sign design, may be made without any additional approval or permitting. In addition, on non-residential uses, any display area for permanent signs, which is unused, may be used for display of noncommercial messages on temporary signs for a maximum of sixty (60) days in any one calendar year. The purpose of this provision is to prevent any inadvertent favoring of commercial speech over noncommercial speech, or favoring of any particular noncommercial message over any other noncommercial message. This provision:

1.

Does not create a right to increase the total amount of permanent signage on a parcel, lot or land use;

2.

Does not affect the requirement that a sign structure or mounting device be property permitted;

3.

Does not allow a change in the physical structure of a sign or its mounting device;

4.

Does not allow the substitution of an off-site commercial message in place of an on-site commercial message or noncommercial message.

However, simple face changes not involving off-site commercial advertising or changes to the physical structure or mounting device of the sign may be made without further permitting when the sign structure has already been permitted and is in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

(Ord. 590 § 2, Exh. A (part), 2007)

(Ord. No. 634, §§ 5, 6, 6-28-2011; Ord. No. 692, § 3, 5-22-2018)