§ 44-354. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Abandoned sign means a sign which no longer advertises or identifies a business, lessor, owner, or activity conducted upon or product available on or off the premises where such sign is displayed.

Accessory sign means an accessory structure used for advertising and located on the same lot or parcel as the principal building.

Animation means a rapid display or a sequence of images or blinking lights in order to create an illusion of movement.

Announcement bulletin means a sign related to a public school, parochial school, private school, clubs or organizations, public park or recreation facility, church or other religious institution which identifies activities or events to take place involving the patrons of such specific use.

Billboard means a surface whereon advertising matter is set in view conspicuously and which advertising does not apply to premises or any use of premises wherein it is displayed or posted (an off-site sign) and is regulated in accordance with regulations governed by the Highway Advertising Act of 1972, Public Act No. 106 of 1972 (MCL 252.301 et seq.).

Canopy sign means any sign attached to or constructed within or on a canopy or on an awning, canopy, or other fabric, plastic, or structural protective cover over a door, entrance, window or outdoor service area. A marquee is not a canopy and a protective roof over gasoline filling station areas shall not be considered a canopy for purposes of this article.

Changeable copy sign means a sign or portion thereof with characters, letters, or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or the surface of the sign. A sign on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of time or temperature shall be considered a "time and temperature" portion of a sign and not a changeable copy sign for purposes of this article.

Copy area means the area of the sign upon which the message is displayed or illustrated.

Directory sign means an off-premises ground sign listing only the names of tenants or occupants of a building, group of buildings, and/or business district, their professions or business activities, and their direction or location. (See figure 10-1.)

Fig. 10-1

Electronic message sign/LED means a sign with a fixed or changing message composed of a series of lights or light-emitting diodes (LED) that may be changed through electronic means. A time and/or temperature sign shall not be considered as an LED sign.

Facade means a continuous area on the front or back of the building which is free of windows and doors.

Face area means the area of the sign face that shall be computed by means of measuring the smallest square or rectangle that will encompass the extreme perimeter of the writing, representation or emblem.

Footcandle means a unit of measure of the intensity of light falling on a surface, equal to one lumen per square foot and originally defined with reference to a standardized candle burning at one foot from a given surface.

Freestanding sign means a sign which is attached to or part of a completely self-supporting structure. The supporting structure shall be placed in or below the ground surface and not attached to any building or any other structure, whether portable or stationary.

Identification sign means a sign which carries only the name of the firm, the major enterprise, the principal product or service offered for sale on the premises, or a combination of these things, only to identify location of said premises and not to advertise. Such signs shall be located only on the premises on which the firm or major enterprise is situated, or on which the principal product is offered for sale.

Inflatable sign means a sign consisting of a balloon or other gas-filled structure.

Marquee sign means a permanent roof-like projection over the entrance to a theater, movie house, etc.

Monument sign means a sign extending upward from grade which is attached to a permanent foundation for a distance not less than 50 percent of its length, and which may be attached or dependent for support from any pole, posts, or similar uprights, provided such supports are concealed within the sign structure.

Off-premises sign means a display sign, including billboards, that contains a message unrelated to or not advertising a business transacted or goods sold or produced on the premises on which the sign is located.

On-premises sign means a sign which advertises or identifies only goods, services, facilities, events, or attractions on the premises where located.

Portable temporary sign means a single or double surface painted or poster panel type sign or some variation thereof, which is temporary in nature, easily movable, and not permanently attached to the ground or a building.

Projecting sign means a sign which is perpendicularly attached to and projects from a structure or building wall not specifically designed to support the sign.

Real estate sign means a temporary sign placed upon property for the purpose of advertising to the public the sale or lease of said property.

Roof sign means any sign wholly erected, constructed or maintained on the roof structure of any building.

Sign means a device which is affixed to, or otherwise located or set upon a building, structure or parcel of land which directs attention to an activity or business. This includes interior signs which are directed at persons outside the premises and exterior signs, but not signs primarily directed at persons within the premises. This definition does not include goods for sale displayed in a business window.

Sign area means the area of a sign that shall be computed by means of the smallest square, circle, triangle, rectangle, or combination thereof, that will encompass the extreme limits of the representation, writing, emblem, or other display, together with any material or color forming the background of the display or used to differentiate the sign from the backdrop or structure against which it is placed. Frames and structural members not bearing copy shall not be included in computation of sign area. Where a sign has two or more faces, the area of all faces shall be included in determining the area of the sign, except where two such faces are placed back-to-back, parallel to one another, and less than 24 inches apart, the area of the sign shall be the area of one face. That portion of the sign structure connecting the sign face shall not be used for display purposes. (See figure 10-2.)

Fig. 10-2

Sign height means the height of a sign shall be computed as the distance from the base of the sign at normal grade to the top of the highest attached component of the sign. Normal grade shall be construed to be the lower of existing grade prior to construction or mounding, or excavating solely for the purpose of locating the sign. In cases in which the normal grade cannot reasonably be determined, sign height shall be computed on the assumption that the elevation of the normal grade at the base of the sign is equal to the elevation of the nearest point of the crown of a public street or the grade of the land at the principal entrance to the principal structure on the zoning lot, whichever is lower.

Sign surface means any part of the sign upon, against, or through which the message is displayed or illustrated.

Temporary sign means a sign that is intended to be displayed for a limited period of time.

Wall sign means a sign that shall be affixed parallel to the wall or printed or painted on the wall of any building; provided, however, said wall sign shall not project above the top of the wall or beyond the end of the building. For the purpose of this chapter, any sign display surface that is affixed flat against the sloping surface of a mansard roof shall be considered a wall sign.

Welcome sign means a sign displaying the name of the owner or a sign saying "Welcome."

Window sign means a sign installed inside a window and intended to be viewed from the outside.

(Code 1992, § 24-342; Ord. No. 304, § 1002, 6-2-2003; Ord. No. 321, 8-17-2009; Ord. No. 339, § 1002, 7-16-2012)