§ 40-682. Regulations of general applicability.

Requirements herein shall be applicable to both on- and off-premises signs.

(1)

Setback requirements. Unless otherwise specified in this Chapter, all signs shall comply with the yard requirements of the district in which they are located.

(2)

Height requirements. Unless otherwise specified in this Chapter, all signs shall meet the height requirements of the district in which the sign is located.

(3)

Electronic variable message signs. Electronic variable message (EVM) signs shall meet the following criteria:

a.

Sign area. An EVM sign may be a portion of a sign or may comprise the entire area of a sign. Only one (1) sign panel per sign face may utilize EVM technology.

b.

Display. The EVM sign shall display static messages/images only and the transition from one (1) static message or image to the next shall be instantaneous.

c.

Dwell time.

1.

On-premises EVM signs.

i.

For on-premises EVM signs located on streets classified as a minor arterial, major arterial, freeway, or interstate on the Jefferson Parish Thoroughfare Plan, each message or image shall have a minimum dwell time of three (3) seconds.

ii.

For on-premises EVM signs located on streets classified as a collector, neighborhood collector, or local street on the Jefferson Parish Thoroughfare Plan, each message or image shall have a minimum dwell time of six (6) seconds.

2.

Off-premises EVM signs. For off-premises EVM signs, each message or image shall have a minimum dwell time of eight (8) seconds.

d.

Malfunction display lock. The sign shall be programmed with a static default message or image. If a malfunction occurs:

1.

The default message or image shall freeze the sign in one (1) position; and

2.

The maximum light intensity shall be automatically set at three hundred twenty-three (323) candelas per square meter or the sign's illumination shall be turned off.

e.

Lighting. The sign shall be equipped with light sensors in accordance with the following:

1.

Controls. Ambient light sensors shall be installed prior to the sign's erection on a site and shall automatically adjust the light intensity of the sign based on ambient light conditions.

2.

Certification. At the time of application for a sign permit, written certification from the sign manufacturer shall be provided certifying that:

i.

Ambient light sensors are installed;

ii.

The light intensity of the sign has been preset to not exceed the levels established by this section; and

iii.

The preset intensity is protected from end user manipulation by password protected software or other approved method.

3.

Nighttime lighting. Between sunset and sunrise, as determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the maximum light intensity shall not exceed three hundred twenty-three (323) candelas per square meter, or three-tenths (0.3) of a foot-candle above ambient light levels.

f.

Sound. EVM signs shall not emit audible sound.

g.

Prohibited EVM signs. EVM signs are prohibited for the following sign types:

1.

Temporary signs;

2.

Portable signs;

3.

Animated signs; and

4.

Vehicle signs which are used as an on-premises sign, a permanent identification, or to circumvent other parts of this Code.

h.

Conversion.

1.

Existing, legally conforming signs may be converted to an EVM sign when all applicable requirements are met.

2.

Nonconforming signs shall be prohibited from converting to an EVM sign unless such conversion shall cause the EVM sign to come into full compliance with all applicable regulations of this Code.

i.

Glare. Lighting on an EVM sign shall not cause glare which impairs the vision of the driver of a motor vehicle or to otherwise interfere with the safe operation of a motor vehicle.

j.

Maintenance. EVM signs and their components shall be properly maintained in full operational order, in accordance with section 32-8 of this Code.

k.

Nonconforming EVM signs. Nonconforming EVM signs in the H-2 Medical Service and more restrictive districts, including all residential districts, shall be prohibited from changing messages/images between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

l.

Variances. Variances to the EVM sign regulations may be granted under the following conditions:

1.

A variance for the EVM sign's height may be granted by the parish council when:

i.

The need for the variance was not created by the applicant; and

ii.

The variance is the minimum amount needed to relieve a hardship that is unique to the property.

2.

For off-premises EVM signs, the parish council may grant a variance to the spacing requirements between off-premises EVM signs, but in no case shall the council grant a variance allowing an off-premises EVM sign to be within five hundred (500) feet, measured radially, of another off-premises EVM sign.

3.

For on-premises signs, the board of zoning adjustments may grant a variance to allow one (1) attached EVM sign in place of a detached EVM sign.

m.

Exceptions.

1.

Pedestrian-oriented directory and menu signs shall not be considered an EVM sign when the following criteria are met:

i.

Number. For the site, only one (1) directory sign or one (1) menu sign shall be permitted to use EVM technology.

ii.

Sign area. The sign shall have a maximum area of three (3) square feet.

iii.

Location. The sign shall be attached to the wall within four (4) feet of the building's entrance or window serving walk-up customers.

iv.

Copy changes. The sign's copy does not change more than once per day.

2.

Menu boards for businesses offering drive-thru services shall not be considered an EVM sign and shall be subject to the following criteria:

i.

The EVM portion of the menu board shall comprise no more than fifty (50) percent of the menu board's area.

ii.

The menu board shall not be located within the first twenty (20) feet of the front of the development site and shall be located a minimum of twenty (20) feet from any lot line abutting a residential zoning district.

3.

The advertised price of motor fuels dispensed by a retail dealer may be displayed on more than one (1) EVM sign panel provided that the EVM sign panels shall be embedded in a non-EVM sign panel on a detached sign. See Figure 40.682.1, Embedded EVM sign panels within a non-EVM sign panel.

Figure 40.682.1, Embedded EVM sign panels within a non-EVM sign panel

4.

An EVM sign may use a travelling transition subject to the following criteria:

i.

The sign has an area of fifteen (15) square feet or less.

ii.

If the EVM sign is located in the H-2 Medical Service District or a more restrictive district, including any residential district, the sign shall have no message/image changes between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

n.

Enforcement procedure for nighttime lighting requirements. The department of inspection and code enforcement shall use one (1) of the following procedures to issue citations for an EVM sign's lighting during nighttime hours:

1.

Illuminance measure using a light meter. EVM sign owners and/or operators shall be required to cooperate with the department of inspection and code enforcement when testing the sign.

i.

Upon receiving a complaint about an EVM sign's lighting at night, the department of inspection and code enforcement shall send a letter to the property owner. The letter shall include the following information:

A.

A summary of Jefferson Parish's sign lighting requirements for nighttime hours.

B.

Date and time a Code Enforcement officer will perform the inspection.

C.

Requirement that the sign owner/operator be present for the inspection of the EVM sign's lighting.

D.

Requirement that a solid white message (for monochrome displays, the message shall be the solid color of the display) be prepared prior to and available during the inspection.

ii.

During the inspection, the director of inspection and code enforcement or the director's designee shall take three (3) measures of the EVM sign's illumination, following the procedure set forth in section 40-681 of this article. The average of the three (3) measures shall be the sign's illumination.

2.

Luminance measure using a nit gun. During the inspection, the director of inspection and code enforcement or the director's designee shall take three (3) measures of the EVM sign's illumination, following the procedure set forth in section 40-681 of this article. The average of the three (3) measures shall be the sign's lumination.

(4)

The following signs shall be prohibited and no variance or special exception shall be granted authorizing such signs:

a.

Signs of any size mounted on trailers.

b.

Other portable signs with an area on one (1) side in excess of ten (10) square feet.

(Ord. No. 24364, § L, 11-7-12)