Section 23-1 Definitions and rules of construction.

Animated sign. A sign with action or motion, flashing or color changes, requiring electrical energy, electronic or manufactured sources of supply, but not including wind actuated elements such as flags, banners, or specialty items (not to include time and temperature signs, safety warning signs and devices, revolving barber poles, or display signs.)

Central business district. The central business district includes all property located within the boundaries of the Columbia Special Business District except property located adjacent to Providence Road .

Civic sign. A sign that describes services available, function of, activities conducted upon, use of premises or facilities used, maintained, or owned by any government entity.

Development. Includes development by cooperative or collective or other similar means of development through common ownership or through the use of leasehold estates.

Display sign. A structure that is arranged, intended, designed or used as an advertisement, announcement or direction; and includes a sign, screen billboard, poster panel and advertising devices of every kind. Display sign includes electronically operated changing alpha-numeric message signs. Display sign does not include animated signs or signs placed on the inside of display cases or show windows fronted with glass which do not protrude more than six (6) inches from the outside surface of the building wall.

Elevation. A side of a building that faces a public or private street or alley. One of the exterior walls of a building, inclusive of windows, doors and other openings, but not including any structural or nonstructural elements which extend beyond the roof of a building.

Floor level. The level of habitable space in a building. “Street level” shall be the lowest floor level in a building in which no less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the interior side of the business adjacent to a street or alley is above the adjacent grade. “Lower level” shall be a level below the street level; “second level” shall be the first level above the main street level; and “upper level” shall be any level above the second. Floor level shall be determined for each elevation. Where buildings are situated on sloping lots and are adjacent to more than one street or alley, the level of a business may differ from one elevation to another.

Freestanding sign. Any sign supported by structures or supports that are placed on, or anchored in, the ground, and that are independent from any building or any other structure.

Marquee. A roofed structure projecting from and supported by a building, or free-standing when such roofed structure extends beyond the building line, building wall or street lot line.

Maximum height. The maximum height of a sign shall be measured from the elevation of the point nearest the sign on the center line of the public street or highway nearest the sign upward to the elevation of the highest part of the sign or its supporting structure, whichever is higher. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise specified in this chapter, all signs may have a height of eight (8) feet measured from the ground location of the sign to the highest part of the sign or its supporting structure, whichever is higher.

Monument sign. A freestanding sign of which the entire bottom of the sign is generally in contact with or in close proximity to the ground, other than a pylon sign.

Multiple-family dwelling. A dwelling or group of dwellings on one plat, each containing separate living units for three (3) or more families, but which may have joint services or facilities. This may include orphanages, housing for elderly and handicapped, nursing homes, convalescent hospitals, fraternities, sororities, cooperatives, rooming houses, boarding houses, dormitories and residence halls.

Off-premise sign. A sign which contains a message unrelated to a business or profession conducted, or to a commodity, service or entertainment, sold or offered upon the premises where such sign is located.

Portable sign. A sign which is not designed or manufactured to be permanently anchored or affixed to the ground, building or other structure, but rather is designed or primarily used as a sign which is movable from place to place and which includes but is not limited to signs affixed to a trailer or other portable structure and "A" frame or sandwich signs.

Projecting sign. Any sign which projects from and is supported by a wall of a building with the display surface of the sign perpendicular to the building wall .

Pylon sign. A freestanding sign of which the entire bottom of the sign is generally in contact with or in close proximity to the ground and which has a width of two feet or a height at least three times the width.

Sandwich board. Any sign designated or constructed in such a manner that it can be moved or relocated without involving any structural or support changes.

Shopping center. A separate and distinct commercially used area in single ownership or under unified control, including more than one separate business establishment.

Shopping center master sign and industrial park master sign. A sign indicating the name of the shopping center or industrial park and/or names of businesses in the shopping center or industrial park.

Sign. A structure that is arranged, intended, designed or used as an advertisement, announcement or direction; and includes a sign, sign screen, billboard, poster panel and advertising devices of every kind, but does not include signs placed on the inside of display cases or show windows fronted with glass which do not project more than six (6) inches from the outside surface of the building wall.

Structure. Anything constructed or erected, which requires location on the ground, or attached to something having a location on the ground, including but not limited to, advertising signs, billboards and poster panels, but exclusive of customary fences or boundary or retaining walls.

Surface area. Total area of that part of a sign structure that carries any sort of written or graphic materials or in any way conveys a message as seen from any one direction at any one time; except when cut-out letters and/or graphics only are used for wall signs or only lettering and/or graphics are used on awning signs in which cases the surface area is measured as the area of the basic geometric shape that would enclose the message and/or graphics. When individual cut out letters or graphics are installed on a wall, whether that wall be a part of a building or other structure, the area of the basic geometric shape that encloses the message is the surface area of the sign. This definition shall not apply to section 23-24.1.

Temporary signs. A commercial sign promoting or providing information concerning a sale, event or activity which is occurring or shall occur on the property where the sign is displayed.

Time and temperature signs. A sign which displays the current time or outdoor temperature or both, but which sets forth no other advertisement, other than the name of the business or establishment located upon the premises where such sign is located.

Wall sign. A sign attached to the wall of a building with the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to the face of said wall, not extending more than twenty-five (25) per cent above the roof line or parapet of the building, nor more than twenty-four (24) inches from the wall surface.

(Code 1964, § 19.730; Ord. No. 10666, § 1, 8-5-85; Ord. No. 10715, § 1, 9-3-85; Ord. No. 11304, § 1, 12-8-86; Ord. No. 12502, § 1, 2-5-90; Ord. No. 13191, § 1, 12-16-91; Ord. No. 13621, § 1, 3-15-93; Ord. No. 13898, § 1, 12-20-93; Ord. No. 15155, § 1, 3-3-97; Ord. No. 16161, § 1, 9-20-99; Ord. No. 16972, § 1, 8-6-01; Ord. No. 19431, § 1, 3-5-07)

(Ord. 19431, Amended, 03/05/2007, Prior Text; Ord. 16972, Amended, 08/06/2001, Prior Text; Ord. 16161, Amended, 09/20/1999, Prior Text)