§ 33-3.53.7. Signs.

(a)

Generally.

(1)

The general sign regulations of Chapter 40 of this Code shall apply for any standards that are not provided in this section.

(2)

Sign landscaping. Section 33-6.25, Landscaping, buffering, and screening, shall apply.

(3)

Sign placement. No sign shall be placed upon a balcony, roof, door, or window, an accessory building, or placed in any manner that conceals any window, door, balcony, awning, or cornice of a building.

(4)

Sign illumination. Signs may be illuminated internally or externally in accordance with the following:

a.

A sign shall not be illuminated both internally and externally.

b.

All signs may be illuminated externally, but only the following signs may be illuminated internally:

1.

Monument;

2.

Wall;

3.

Projecting;

4.

Hanging; or

5.

Window.

c.

Illumination of the sign face shall not exceed fifty (50) lumens per square foot.

d.

Flashing, blinking, or scintillating lights are prohibited.

(b)

Detached signs. One (1) monument sign is allowed in compliance with the maximum height and area established in Table 33-3.53.7-1. In the FC-1 and FC-3 districts, an electronic variable message (EVM) sign may be part of the permitted monument sign provided that:

(1)

The development site has frontage on and the sign is oriented to traffic on Severn Avenue or West Esplanade Avenue; and

(2)

The portion of the permitted monument sign that employs EVM technology shall have a maximum area of twenty-five (25) square feet.

Table 33-3.53.7-1. Monument Sign—Fat City Districts

		Height (feet), maximum	Area (square feet), maximum
FC-1	On east side of sites abutting Severn Ave.	10	50
	All other sites	8	20
FC-2		8	20
FC-3	Along W Esplanade Ave.	12	1.5 per linear foot of street frontage, up to 100
	All other sites	10	50

 

(c)

Attached signs.

(1)

Flat, projecting, hanging, awning.

a.

Flat or projecting. Each tenant space having a direct entry to a sidewalk or exterior walkway at ground level may have flat or projecting sign(s), in compliance with the maximum number and area established in Table 33-3.53.7-2, and in accordance with the following:

1.

Projecting signs shall not extend more than four (4) feet from the building façade, except that where lots do not abut 17 ^th or 18 ^th streets or for any lot in the FC-3 district, a projecting sign may extend up to ten (10) feet from the building façade but may not penetrate the furniture zone. Any projecting sign that is located in whole or in part in the public right-of-way must be approved by the department of public works.

2.

For corner lots or corner units, where more than one (1) flat or projecting sign is permitted, no more than one (1) flat or projecting sign may be located on each street-facing building façade.

b.

Hanging. Instead of a projecting sign, a hanging sign limited in area to six (6) square feet is allowed and shall not be included in maximum allowable sign area.

c.

Awning.

1.

Awning sign area shall not exceed twenty (20) square feet per awning; or

2.

In the FC-3 district, where an awning sign is used instead of a flat or projecting sign, the awning sign area shall not exceed the lesser of the allowable flat or projecting sign area or forty (40) percent of the area of the awning on which the sign is located.

(2)

Window. Window signs shall occupy no more than twenty-five (25) percent of a window.

(3)

Building directory. For buildings with tenant spaces lacking direct entry from a sidewalk or exterior walkway at ground level, a single building directory sign not larger than six (6) square feet in area may be attached to a wall within eight (8) feet of the building's primary entry.

Table 33-3.53.7-2. Flat or Projecting Sign—Fat City Districts

			Number of flat or projecting signs, maximum	Area (square feet), maximum
FC-1	Corner fronting Severn Ave.	New building	2	30 combined; 20 each
		Existing building	2	50 combined
	All other sites		1	20
FC-2			1	20
FC-3	Corner fronting Severn Ave. or W Esplanade Ave.		2	150% of the permitted sign area measured along the building face that contains the main entrance of the business , combined; 100 each
	All other sites		1	1.5 per linear foot of individual tenant space width as measured along the facade where the tenant has its main public entrance, up to 100

 

Fifty (50) square feet maximum for any building constructed before September 22, 2010 and set back at least twenty (20) feet from a public street.
When the main entrance of the building is located on a building corner, the permitted sign area shall be measured along the building face associated with the business address.
Five hundred (500) square feet maximum per street frontage for buildings that are ten (10) or more stories, if the sign is placed at least one hundred (100) feet above grade.

(d)

Directional signs. Directional signs are allowed, shall not be included in maximum allowable signage, and shall be limited to:

(1)

Six (6) square feet in area each; and

(2)

Six (6) feet in height for detached directional signs.

(e)

Menu. A single portable menu sign measuring four (4) square feet or less may be placed in approved courtyards behind the front setback line or in the furniture or frontage zone for a restaurant or snack bar.

(f)

Building name. The name of a building:

(1)

May be built into or attached to the wall of the building or may be a part of the monument sign, but not both wall and monument; and

(2)

Shall not exceed eight (8) square feet in area, which shall not be included in maximum allowable signage.

(g)

Prohibited signs. All other sign types, including, but not limited to, off-premises advertising signs and projector, animated, or electronic variable message signs, unless specifically provided for, are prohibited.

(Ord. No. 25411 , § 4, 8-23-17)