§ 24.04.220. General requirements.  


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  • The signs regulated by this Title shall be subject to all applicable ordinances, conditions and special requirements as may be specified herein.

    (a)

    All signs shall comply with the provisions of the Wichita/Sedgwick County Unified Building and Trade Code relating to the design, structural members, connections and subject to all required permits therein.

    (b)

    All signs shall comply with the limitations of height, area, type, and illumination requirements as set forth in this Title.

    (c)

    No signs, except for Pennant Signs, shall be erected that will allow the sign to swing or rotate due to wind action. All signs shall be securely fastened so that movement in any direction is prevented.

    (d)

    Every sign, except for Banners or Pennant Signs, shall be erected level and plumb and be constructed of galvanized metal or otherwise protected from corrosion.

    (e)

    No Ground or Pole Sign of combustible material shall be erected closer to a property line or to a building than the distance required by the UBTC for type VN construction, except for Temporary Signs.

    (f)

    Sign Structures shall be fabricated of noncombustible materials and supported by concrete foundations or anchored with metallic connections to the supporting structure. All electrically illuminated signs shall be constructed as set forth in the UBTC; however, signs may be constructed of heavy timber or faced with combustible materials upon approval of the Director.

    (g)

    Wall signs shall not extend beyond the top or ends of the wall surface on which the sign is placed without the approval of the Zoning Administrator.

    (h)

    No Projecting Sign shall be erected closer to an adjacent property than the distance the sign projects from its support. All Projecting Signs shall be constructed entirely of incombustible material.

    (i)

    Signs erected on, attached to or made a part of a canopy or marquee projecting over public Right of Way shall be considered Projecting Signs.

    (j)

    Roof Signs shall be constructed of incombustible material and shall be so located as not to interfere with the drainage of the roof, or to prevent access onto any portion of the roof. A permit for any Roof Sign shall be issued only after compliance by the applicant with the following provisions:

    (1)

    The applicant shall give a bond in the sum of five thousand (5,000) dollars to save and hold the City free and harmless from all damages which may be occasioned by the erection and maintenance of such sign; the bond is to be signed by the sureties acceptable to the City and to be approved as to form by the City Attorney.

    (2)

    In lieu of this bond of five thousand (5,000) dollars for each Roof Sign permitted under this Section, it shall be permissible to file with the City Clerk a blanket surety bond to cover all roof signs erected and maintained by a person within the City.

    (3)

    Such bond shall be of such nature as to cover such Roof Sign erected and maintained, in the amount of five thousand (5,000) dollars. Such blanket surety bond shall be conditioned to save and hold the City free and harmless for any and all damages, claims or demands which may be occasioned by the erection and maintenance of such sign. Such bond shall be signed by sureties acceptable to the City and shall be approved as to form by the City Attorney.

    (k)

    Each sign, except Temporary Signs for which permits have been issued for thirty (30) days or less, shall have the name of the sign Owner affixed to the sign in a manner approved by the Zoning Administrator.

    (l)

    Sign Surface of an On-Site Sign. The Sign Surface area of a sign shall be the sum of all surface areas of all the Sign Surfaces, except that Ground or Pole Signs designed as double-faced signs, with both faces parallel and when the distance between the faces does not exceed three (3) feet, then only one face of the sign shall be considered in determining the sign area.

    In determining the surface of a sign, each face of a sign may be broken down into two (2) areas. Each surface area shall include the total area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the sign elements. Such perimeters need not include any structural elements lying outside the limits of such sign when they do not form an integral part of the display, nor shall it include either: (i) architectural embellishments when such do not contain any advertising or printed copy, are not lighted and do not exceed ten (10) percent of the permitted sign area; or (ii) a sign Pole or pylon cover or aesthetic wrap when such does not contain any advertising or printed copy and is not internally lighted.

    (m)

    Limitations. Limitations apply to the type, height, setback, number, and gross surface area of signs on each Zoning Lot.

    (n)

    Height of Sign. Sign height shall be measured from grade at the base of the sign to the highest portion of the Sign Structure.

    (o)

    Illuminated Signs. Signs shall be shaded wherever necessary to avoid casting bright light upon property located in any Residential Zoning District or upon any public street. Any Illuminated Sign located on a lot adjacent to or across the street from any Residential Zoning District, which sign is visible and within two hundred (200) feet of any Residential Zoning District, shall not be illuminated between the hours of eleven (11) p.m. and seven (7) a.m. Signs may not be illuminated unless so designated to permit same.

    (p)

    Electronic Message Signs. No Electronic Message Sign shall be erected or installed without dimming controls to ensure the sign is appropriately dimmed at night. Acceptable dimming controls include automated light sensing devices (photocells) and/or programmable controls that are set by the user to automatically dim the sign at night. Generally, the maximum nighttime brightness and/or light intensity shall not exceed 3,000 Nits (or equivalent). For Electronic Message Signs that have a maximum brightness and/or light intensity of 3,000 Nits or less (or equivalent), dimming controls shall not be required.

    (q)

    Flashing or Moving Signs. No Flashing Signs, Rotating or Moving Signs, animated signs, signs with moving lights, or signs which create the illusion of movement shall be permitted in a Residential Zoning District, or in the "NO" Neighborhood Office District, "GO" General Office District, "NR" Neighborhood Retail District, "OW" Office/Warehouse District, or the "IP" Industrial Park District.

    (r)

    Facing Direction of Travel. A sign shall be considered facing the direction of travel when it is visible from any lane of traffic proceeding along a street and the face of such sign is a plane within thirty (30) degrees of a line perpendicular to the centerline of the street. A sign shall be considered facing both directions of travel along a street if the angle exceeds the thirty (30) degrees as described above. Exception: A sign located within two hundred fifty (250) feet of an intersection of arterials or expressways, or combination thereof, shall be considered facing the line of traffic it is more directed toward providing the face of the sign is in a plane within thirty (30) degrees of a line perpendicular to the centerline of that street.

    (s)

    Distance between Off-Site Signs. Distance between Off-Site Signs facing a direction of travel shall be measured at the centerline of a street at the points where lines are projected perpendicular to the center line of the street to the center of the signs.

    (t)

    No portion of a sign that is located within the triangle formed by the imaginary intersection of curb lines at the intersection of two streets, and extending for a distance of fifty (50) feet each way from that imaginary intersection of a curb line of any corner lot, shall be permitted to extend closer than ten (10) feet to grade of adjacent roadway surface.

    (u)

    Any sign authorized in this Title is allowed to contain noncommercial copy in lieu of any other copy.

    (v)

    Alternative or additional requirements concerning the type, size, height, and location of signs may be established on specific sites by the requirements of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) or any Zoning Overlay District in accordance with procedures set forth therein.

(Ord. No. 45-975 § 4; Ord. No. 47-542 § 4, 8-14-07; Ord. No. 50-439, § 36, 4-25-17)