§ 41-4. Business signs.

A permit shall be required for the signs covered by the provisions of this section. Each side of a building facing a public right-of-way, private street, the Fox River, or an interior lot line, shall be considered separately for purposes of determining compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

(1)

Ground and projecting signs (for office, business and manufacturing uses and multifamily dwellings.)

a.

Number. Any number of such signs are permitted per frontage, provided total permitted sign area is not exceeded.

b.

Setback. The minimum setback (measured from all property lines) of ground signs shall be equal to the height of the sign, unless otherwise specified.

c.

Area. Unless otherwise specified, the maximum area of ground signs shall be:

TABLE 1. GROUND SIGN MAXIMUM AREA

	Zoning districts
Frontage feet	Residential, Office, ORI, R&D	Business and Manufacturing
Up to 50	18 sq. ft.	30 sq. ft.
Over 50 to 100	30 sq. ft.	50 sq. ft.
Over 100 to 200	45 sq. ft.	60 sq. ft.
Over 200 to 300	60 sq. ft.	80 sq. ft.
Over 300 to 400	67.5 sq. ft.	90 sq. ft.
Over 400 to 500	75 sq. ft.	100 sq. ft.
Each additional 100 ft.		10 sq. ft.
Maximum area	75 sq. ft.	150 sq. ft.

 

d.

Height. Unless otherwise specified, the height of ground signs shall be:

TABLE 2. GROUND SIGN MAXIMUM HEIGHT

	Zoning Districts
Frontage feet	Residential; Downtown Core	Office; ORI; R&D	Business and Manufacturing
Up to 50	5 ft.	5 ft.	8 ft.
Over 50 to 100	5 ft.	7 ft.	12 ft.
Over 100 to 300	5 ft.	10 ft.	14 ft.
Over 300 to 400	5 ft.	13 ft.	18 ft.
Over 400 to 500	5 ft.	16 ft.	22 ft.
Each add. 100 ft.		3 ft.	4 ft.
Maximum height	5 ft.	20 ft.	30 ft.

 

e.

Tollway/expressway signs. The maximum height of ground signs along tollways and expressways shall be fourteen (14) feet. The minimum setback of such signs shall be equal to the height of such signs, or twenty-five (25) feet, whichever is greater. The maximum area of such signs shall be as follows:

TABLE 3. TOLLWAY/EXPRESSWAY SIGN MAXIMUM AREA

Frontage feet	Maximum area
Over 50 to 100	60 sq. ft.
Over 100 to 200	90 sq. ft.
Over 200 to 300	120 sq. ft.
Each additional 100 ft.	15 sq. ft.

 

f.

Fox River signs. The maximum height of ground signs along the Fox River shall be five (5) feet. The minimum setback of such signs shall be fifteen (15) feet. The maximum area of such signs shall be:

TABLE 4. FOX RIVER SIGNS MAXIMUM AREA

Frontage feet	Maximum area
Up to 50	15 sq. ft.
Over 50 to 100	30 sq. ft.
Over 100 to 200	45 sq. ft.
Over 200 to 300	60 sq. ft.
Each additional 100 ft.	7.5 sq. ft.

 

g.

Projecting signs.

1.

The maximum height of such signs shall be the same as for ground signs or the roofline, whichever is less.

2.

The minimum setback of such signs shall be the same as for ground signs at the same location.

3.

The maximum area of such signs shall be the same as for ground signs at the same location.

h.

Corner signs. In order for a ground or projecting corner sign to be erected, both frontages shall be separately eligible as a location for such a sign. If a corner sign is erected, no other ground or projecting sign shall be permitted on either frontage. The permitted area for a corner sign may be calculated from either frontage, but frontages shall not be combined for the purpose of determining sign area.

i.

Combined ground signs. Signs for abutting uses may be combined, if the area of such combined sign is calculated from the combined frontage.

j.

Commercial flags. Such signs are permitted as ground or projecting signs, and they count toward the permitted sign area of a location.

k.

Clocks and time/temperature devices. Such signs are permitted as ground or projecting signs, and they count toward the permitted sign area.

l.

Readerboards. Such signs in shopping centers are permitted as ground or projecting signs. A readerboard in an area other than in a shopping center is permitted as a part of a ground or projecting sign if:

1.

It is an integral part of such sign; and

2.

If electronically operated, it constitutes no more than thirty (30) percent of the area of such sign and any electronic message (other than a time or temperature message), which remains fixed within the display area for a minimum of fifteen (15) seconds to avoid a flashing or blinking effect, or moves slowly from right to left; and

3.

If manually operated, it constitutes no more than fifty (50) percent of the area of such sign.

m.

Athletic readerboards. Such signs are permitted as ground or projecting signs.

n.

Ground signs for lots with no frontage. Unless otherwise prohibited, lots with no frontage shall be entitled to one (1) ground or projecting sign, with a maximum height of fourteen (14) feet, minimum setback from all property lines of fourteen (14) feet, and maximum area of twenty (20) square feet.

o.

Multifamily dwelling signs. Such signs are permitted as ground signs.

p.

Barber poles. Such signs are permitted as ground or projecting signs.

q.

Public service signs. Such signs are permitted as ground or projecting signs, but do not count toward the permitted sign area.

r.

Ground signs for shopping centers with no frontage. Shopping centers with access but no frontage or only partial frontage on an arterial street (with outlots between the shopping center and the street) shall be permitted signage as if the outlots were part of the shopping center. Such signage shall be permitted in addition to the signage permitted for the outlots.

s.

Off-premises commercial signs. Such signs are permitted as ground or projecting signs, but only in the B3, M1 and M2 districts. Such signs shall also be permitted as ground signs in the B2 districts, providing such signs are located on vacant parcels (with no other structures). Notwithstanding anything in paragraph (c) hereof, the area of any such sign otherwise permitted under section 41-7(c)(2) hereof and not located on a vacant parcel shall be excluded from the "Ground Sign Maximum Area" for business signs, provided for therein.

t.

Landscaping. For all ground signs that are supported by one (1) or more uprights, poles, or braces or other structure placed in or upon the ground, landscaping shall be provided at the time of sign installation. If weather conditions do not allow for landscaping installation, appropriate securities shall be deposited with the building official to assure completion of same. Landscaping shall be established so that no less than fifty (50) percent of the area between ground level and the lowest part of the sign will be totally screened within one (1) year of planting.

(2)

Wall signs (for office, business and manufacturing uses, and multifamily dwellings.)

a.

Area in residential or office districts. The maximum permitted area of all wall signs on a facade shall be five (5) percent of the building facade.

b.

Area in other districts. The maximum permitted area of all wall signs on a facade shall be ten (10) percent of the building facade up to twenty-two (22) feet high.

c.

Placement. No sign shall cover or cross window frames, door frames or visible lintels. No wall sign shall project above or beyond the facade of its building.

d.

Clocks and time/temperature devices. Such signs are permitted as wall signs.

e.

Readerboards. Such signs are permitted as wall signs, but only in shopping centers.

f.

Athletic message boards. Such signs are permitted as wall signs in any district.

g.

Canopy and marquee signs. Such signs are permitted as wall signs.

h.

Street address numbers larger than eight (8) inches high. Such signs are permitted as wall signs.

i.

Signs for mixed residential/nonresidential building uses. The permitted area of such signs shall be calculated only from and placed only upon that portion of the facade enclosing the nonresidential use.

j.

Multibusiness buildings. The owners of such a building may allocate the permitted sign area to the various businesses at their discretion.

k.

Public service signs. Such signs are permitted as wall signs, but do not count against the permitted sign area.

l.

Off-premises commercial signs. Such signs are permitted as wall signs, but only in the B2, B3, M1 and M2 districts.

(Ord. No. O03-159, § 1, 12-9-03)