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Sign Ordinance

 

Building Inspection Information

Building inspections require a 24 hour advance notice.

Building Department office hours: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mon-Fri.

No office hours or inspections on weekends or holidays.

Special office hours can be made by appointment.

Sign Ordinance

14.01 Purpose
This chapter is established for the following purposes:
  1. To limit the size and height of signs placed on buildings or on the ground.
  2. To regulate signs which advertise products, businesses or services not on the premises with the sign.
  3. To control the placement of illuminated or reflective signs.
  4. To locate signs in specific areas.
  5. To permit temporary signs in strict accordance with specific areas.
  6. To control the height of signs above the height of buildings.
  7. To place limits on the length of signs and to establish other controls.

14.02 Signs in R-1, R-2 and R-3 Zoning Districts
  1. Nameplates and Signs: Nameplates shall be permitted in accordance with the following regulations:

    1. For single-family and two-family dwellings, one nameplate, not to exceed 120 square inches in area for each dwelling unit, indicating the name and address of the occupant may be permitted. For multi- family dwellings, one nameplate not to exceed 400 square inches in area may be permitted provided such nameplate contains only the name and address of the building; the nameplate may also contain the name, address and telephone number of the management thereof.

    2. Such nameplates may be affixed flat against the building or may be located in a yard adjoining a street, provided they are not nearer to the street than one-half of the depth of the yard and do not exceed four feet in height.

    3. Nameplates may be illuminated by non-flashing direct or indirect illumination from a source of artificial lighting customarily accessory to residential uses.

  2. "For Sale" and "For Rent" Signs: These signs, pertaining only to the sale or rental of property on which they are located, shall be permitted in accordance with the following regulations:

    1. There shall be no more than one sign on a lot and it shall not have artificial illumination, except that on a corner lot or through lot, one such sign facing each street shall be permitted.

    2. A sign shall not have more than 12 square feet of area and it shall be located not less than eight feet from the nearest interior lot line. Such a sign, when affixed to a building wall, shall not project higher than 10 feet above grade, and a ground sign shall not project higher than five feet above the ground grade elevation below it.

  3. Identification Signs/Non-Resident Uses: Such signs shall be permitted in accordance with the following regulations:

    1. One identification sign affixed flat against a building wall and one ground sign which, in both cases, may be illuminated by nonflashing direct or indirect illumination arranged in a manner that direct rays of light are not beamed onto adjoining lots and streets, shall be permitted.

    2. On a corner or through lot, one additional sign shall be permitted facing the side street of a corner lot or the street adjoining the rear lot line of a through lot.

    3. Each sign shall contain not more than 16 square feet of area and when:

      1. Affixed to a building wall, it shall not project higher than 10 feet above floor grade at entrance doorways; and

      2. A ground sign shall not be located nearer than eight feet from the nearest interior lot line and not less than one-half the depth of the required yard from the nearest lot line adjoining a street and it shall not project higher than 10 feet above ground grade elevation at the sign.

  4. Temporary Signs: These signs, for unified housing developments containing more than 12 dwelling units, are permitted in accordance with the following:

    1. One sign may be erected along each street frontage of the development.

    2. Such sign may be a ground sign or be attached to a building.

    3. Such sign shall contain not more than 180 square feet of gross surface area.

    4. Such sign:

      1. May be illuminated with nonflashing illumination, provided direct rays of light are not beamed onto adjacent lots or streets;

      2. Shall not project higher than 30 feet above grade;

      3. Shall not be located nearer than 15 feet from a property line abutting a street, except it shall not be nearer than 50 feet from the lot corner formed by the intersection of any two street right-of-way lines and no nearer than 20 feet from a lot line of an adjacent lot; and

      4. Shall be removed within three months after construction of the development is completed, or one year after the first dwelling unit is occupied, whichever is sooner.

    5. One off-premise billboard sign, not exceeding 16 square feet, shall be permitted for each subdivision under construction subject to the following: (Ord. 2000-105,§3,2000)

      1. Maximum sign height shall be eight feet, supported by not more than two posts which are not less than 42 inches below grade.

      2. The sign shall be at least 10 feet from the roadway and its location shall be approved by the City's Building Department;

      3. The sign shall not be illuminated;

      4. Construction materials shall be waterproof and such sign shall be maintained in good condition; any peeling, flaking and chipping of paint or other materials shall be promptly repaired and/or repainted;

      5. If the sign is located on a state right-of-way written permission from the state shall be submitted with the building permit application;

      6. The sign shall be removed when the subdivision has been built out.

    14.03 B-1 Zoning District
    Awnings, marquees and non-flashing illuminated business signs with no moving parts are permitted in a B-1 Zoning District subject to applicable regulations set forth in other ordinances of the City and the following:

    1. Signs, awnings and marquees shall not be illuminated between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

    2. A sign in direct line of vision of any traffic signal shall not have red, green or amber illumination.

    3. The gross surface area in square feet of all signs on a lot shall not exceed 128 square feet.

    4. All signs shall be affixed against the building walls and not extend therefrom more than 12 inches. No sign affixed against a building shall project higher than the building height.

    5. A ground sign shall not project higher than 30 feet above the grade below it, and when located within 15 feet from an intersection of two or more streets or within 10 feet of a driveway or parking area, it shall have its lowest level not less than eight feet above the grade. A ground sign may be supported by not more than two columns.

    6. Awning and marquees shall have a headroom of not less than eight feet.

    14.04 B-2 Zoning District
    Awnings, marquees and non-flashing illuminated business signs with no moving parts are permitted in a B-1 Zoning District subject to applicable regulations set forth in other ordinances of the City and the following:

    1. A sign in direct line of vision of any traffic signal shall not have red, green or amber illumination.

    2. The gross surface area in square feet of all signs on a lot shall not exceed 128 square feet.

    3. All signs shall be affixed against the building walls and not extend therefrom more than 12 inches. No sign affixed against a building shall project higher than the building height.

    4. A ground sign shall not project higher than 30 feet above the grade below it, and when located within 15 feet of the intersection of two or more streets or within 10 feet of a driveway or parking area, it shall have its lowest level not less than eight feet above the grade below it. A ground sign may be supported by not more than two columns.

    5. Awnings and marquees shall have a headroom of not less than eight feet.

    14.05 B-3 Zoning District
    Awnings, marquees and signs in a B-3 Zoning District shall be as follows: As in the B-2 Zoning District, except ground signs shall be permitted to have a gross surface area, in square feet, on all signs on a lot of not more than 300 square feet.

    14.06 B-4 Zoning District
    Awnings, marquees and signs in a B-4 Zoning District shall be as follows: As in a B-3 Zoning District, except the gross surface area in square feet of all ground signs on a lot shall not exceed 400 square feet.

    14.07 Signs in B-P, M-1 and M-2 Zoning Districts
    (Ord. 95-170,§1, 1995)

    Signs in the B-P, M-1 and M-2 zoning districts are permitted, subject to the following conditions:

    1. Signs on awnings shall be exempt from the limitations imposed by this chapter on the projection of signs from the face of the wall of any building or structure provided any sign:

      1. Any sign located on the awning shall be affixed flat to the surface thereof;

      2. Any sign shall be non-illuminated;

      3. The sign shall indicate only the name and address of the establishment; and

      4. No such sign shall extend vertically or horizontally beyond the limits of said awning.

    2. Signs may have constant illumination, provided that such sign located in the direct line of vision of a traffic control signal, shall not have illumination of red, green or amber color. Where sign is illuminated by light reflected upon it, direct rays of light shall not beam upon any part of any existing residential buildings, nor into a residential district, nor into a street.

    3. The gross area in square feet of all signs on a lot shall not exceed four times the lineal feet of street frontage of such lot.

    4. Signs shall be affixed flat against the building walls and may project therefrom not more than 18 inches and shall not project higher than four feet above the building height, except one sign not attached to a building wall shall be permitted along each side of a lot fronting on a street. Such sign shall be located not less than 20 feet from a lot line adjoining a street, nor project higher than 30 feet above curb level, and if located within three feet of a sidewalk, driveway or parking area on the lot or adjoining lot, or within 50 feet or a greater distance if required by the Illinois Compiled Statutes, of the intersection of two or more streets, shall have the lowest elevation at least 12 feet above the curb level, or 12 feet above the highest grade of the street pavement at the street intersection, or 12 feet above the grade of the sidewalk, driveway or parking area directly opposite the sign, whichever is the higher grade.

    5. For business and industrial parks, one additional sign on each street frontage, other than those regulated in this section, shall be permitted, subject to the following: (Ord. 95-170,§1, 1995)

      1. Content: Such sign shall advertise only the name and location of such business or industrial park and the name and type of business of each occupant of the park; (Ord. 95-170,§1, 1995)

      2. Area: The gross area in square feet of the additional sign on a lot shall not exceed two times the lineal feet of street frontage of such lot;

      3. Setback: Such a sign shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the front lot line of such business or industrial park; and (Ord. 95-170,§1, 1995)

      4. Height: No sign shall project higher than 30 feet above curb level.

    14.08 Non-Conforming Signs
    Any sign, awning, marquee or canopy which lawfully existed prior to September 6, 1988, and which become nonconforming by reason of the adoption of this Chapter 14, may be maintained only as follows: (Ord. 2003-107,§8,2003)

    1. No such nonconforming sign, awning, marquee or canopy shall be repaired, altered or moved, nor shall any sign, awning, marquee or canopy which is blown down, destroyed or removed by being re-erected, reconstructed, rebuilt or relocated unless it complies with the applicable requirements of this Chapter 14. (Ord. 2003-107,§8,2003)

    2. For purposes of this Section 14.08, a sign, awning, marquee or canopy shall be deemed to be destroyed if it is damaged to the extent of 50 percent of its replacement cost, based upon the prevailing costs at the time of such damage, as determined by the City Administrator. (Ord. 2003-107,§8,2003)

    14.09 Off Premises Signs
    Except as provided herein, off-premise signs are strictly prohibited in any zoning district. (Ord. 2000-105,§2,2000)

    14.10 Temporary/Portable Signs
    A temporary or portable sign, as defined in Appendix A herein, shall be prohibited in any use district for more than 30 cumulative days in any calendar year. Temporary and portable signs include those signs designed for mobility using wheels or statuary. Any temporary or portable signs currently used within the City and in violation of this Code shall be removed 30 days from the date of the passage of this Ordinance. (Ord. 97-126,§3,1997)

    14.11 Sign Permit
    All permitted signs shall require an application for and the issuance of a sign permit from the City indicating that the sign conforms to the provisions of this Code before it may be erected. Sign permits shall be administered by the Building Department. (Ord. 97-126,§4,1997)

    14.12 Sign Maintenance
    (Ord. 2000-105,§3,2000)

    Maintenance of signs shall be required, according to the following standards:

    1. The owner of a sign and the owner of the premises on which such sign is located shall be jointly and severally liable to maintain the sign and its illumination sources (if applicable)in neat and orderly condition, in good repair, and in good working order at all times, to replace burnt-out light bulbs, and to prevent the development of any rust, corrosion, rotting, peeling of paint or other deterioration in the physical appearance, structural integrity or safety of such sign.

    2. The owner of any sign regulated by this Chapter 14 shall be required to have properly painted or finished all parts and supports of said sign when necessary, unless the same are galvanized or otherwise treated to prevent rust or deterioration.

    3. Nothing in this Section 14.12 shall be construed to permit as maintenance or repair activities, the changing of a sign face by replacement or repainting of copy with new copy, except for the changeable portion of a changeable copy sign. A new sign permit application shall be required for face changes, and the sign shall then be subject to all provisions of this Chapter 14.

    14.13 Violation, Penalty
    Any person, firm or corporation violating or failing to comply with any provision of this chapter may be fined not less than $25.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense plus reasonable attorney fees incurred by the City in the prosecution of such violation. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on such a violation or failure to comply occurs or continues. (Ord. 97-126,§3,1997)

 

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