(a) Except as otherwise allowed or restricted in this chapter, noncommercial signs are subject to the following restrictions:

    (1)    They shall be ground or wall signs, except when placed in a location where other types of signs are allowed.

    (2)    They shall not exceed sixteen (16) square feet in sign surface area per premises; provided, that any noncommercial sign may have a sign surface area as large as that of any allowable sign in the same location.

    (3)    They shall not exceed a maximum height of ten (10) feet; provided, that any noncommercial sign may be as high as any allowable sign in the same location.

    (4)    The area and height limitations of this section shall not apply to any noncommercial message placed on a structure that has existed as a nonconforming billboard.

    (5)    Any structure which may be lawfully used for an on-premise commercial sign may be used for a noncommercial sign.

    (b) The restrictions of this section shall not apply to banners on the campus of any college, university or hospital. Such banners, however, shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in sign surface area and if the banners are for a purpose other than identifying the college, university or hospital, the banners shall not remain in place for more than thirty (30) days.

(Code 1964, § 19.860; Ord. No. 13191, § 1, 12-16-91; Ord. No. 13898, § 1, 12-20-93; Ord. No. 14200, § 1, 9-6-94; Ord. No. 17734, § 1, 7-7-03)