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(1) Compliance with the Uniform Building Code. All signs requiring a development permit shall be constructed in accordance with the State of Oregon Structural Specialty Code in effect at the time of permit application submittal.

(2) Limitation of Sign Types. All signs not expressly permitted under the sign standards or exempt from regulation in accordance with EC 9.6610 Exemptions to Sign Standards are prohibited.

(3) Calculation Standards. For purposes of calculation of all areas and distances under the sign standards, the following apply:

(a) Street Frontage. Except as otherwise provided, the limitations on numbers of signs permitted on a development site is based on the development site having only 1 street frontage. Development sites fronting on 2 or more streets are allowed the number of signs permitted for each street frontage. However, the total number of signs that are oriented toward a particular street may not exceed the portion of the development site’s total sign allocation that is derived from the frontage on that street.

(b) Perimeter Walls. The exterior wall of a building shall be measured at the floor level of each floor, including the ground floor. Alcoves, entryways and extruding portions shall be treated by measuring through such areas as though along the flat wall of a building. The length of each perimeter wall shall be the average of the floor lengths on that wall. (See Figure 9.6640(3)(b) Perimeter Wall Area for Sign Standards.)

(c) Back-to-Back Sign Area. When 2 sign faces supported by the same sign structure are placed back-to-back, the sign surface area shall be the area of the larger sign. As used herein, back-to-back means signs which face in opposite directions and are parallel or form an angle of no greater than 30 degrees.

(d) Sign Area. The area of all sign elements which together convey a single, complete message shall be combined and considered as a single sign. The area of a sign face shall be the entire area of each sign element included within a single, continuous perimeter which encloses the extreme limits of a sign, except for trim or structural elements lying outside all portions of the sign devoted to display, and in no case passes through or between any adjacent elements of the sign. Irregularly shaped signs or elements of a sign shall be measured in increments of 1 foot. (See Figure 9.6640(3)(d) Sign Area Calculation.)

(e) Rotating Signs. For rotating signs, each side or element containing display copy shall be counted in the total allowable sign area.

(f) Sign Height. The sign height is the vertical distance from the grade to the highest point of a sign or sign structure. All sign heights, including roof signs, shall be measured from the grade. (See Figure 9.6640(3)(f) Sign Height Calculation.)

(4) Location Standards.

(a) Setbacks. All signs shall comply with the setback requirements beginning at EC 9.2000 through EC 9.3980 and EC 9.6745 Setbacks – Intrusions Permitted.

(b) Obstruction Prohibited. No sign shall substantially obstruct the view of another sign when the obstructed sign is viewed from a distance of 200 feet along the closest sign-facing travel lane in the public right-of-way.

(c) Projecting Over the Public Way. Except as specified in EC 9.6670 Central Commercial Sign Standards, no privately owned sign may project over any public right-of-way.

(d) Vision Clearance. Signs must comply with vision standards as specified in EC 9.6780 Vision Clearance Area. (See also EC 9.6255 Vision Clearance Area Landscaping.)

(5) Construction Standards.

(a) Structural Design. Signs shall comply with adopted state building codes.

(b) Clearance Over Pedestrian Way. The minimum clearance of all signs projecting over a pedestrian way shall be 8 feet except that where a marquee projects more than 2/3 of the distance from the property line to the curb, the minimum clearance shall be 12 feet.

(c) Clearance Over Vehicle Use Area. The minimum clearance of all signs projecting over any portion of a vehicle use area shall be 16 feet. Bollards or other physical barriers capable of protecting all portions of the sign projecting over the vehicle use area may be used to satisfy this standard.

(d) Rotating Signs. No sign shall rotate or have a rotating or moving part or parts that revolve at a speed in excess of 2 revolutions per minute. Readerboard signs shall not rotate.

(e) Roof Signs. Roof signs shall be mounted so that the bottom of the roof sign is not more than 1 foot above the surface of the roof or parapet wall at the sign location.

(f) Wall Signs. Wall signs may project up to 12 inches from the wall, except that wall signs shall project no more than 4 inches from the wall when the sign is less than 8 feet above a sidewalk or public way.

(6) Illumination Standards.

(a) Maximum Exposed Illumination. No single light source element which exceeds 15 watts shall be used in connection with a sign or to illuminate a sign in a way which exposes the face of the bulb, light or lamp when viewed from a public street.

(b) Glare Reduction. No sign shall be illuminated or use lighting where such lighting is directed at any portion of a traveled street or will otherwise cause glare or impair the vision of the driver of a motor vehicle or otherwise interfere with the operation thereof. Exterior illumination shall be top mounted and shielded to aim light downward only.

(c) Illumination From Signs on Nonresidential Property. Illumination resulting from all signs and lighting on any property in a non-residential zone shall not exceed 2 foot candles at a height of 5 feet when measured at any point on property in a residential zone. External illumination shall be shielded so that the light source elements are not directly visible from property in a residential zone which is adjacent to or across a street from the property in the non-residential zone.

(d) Illumination From Signs on Residentially Zoned Property. Lighting from all light sources operated for the purposes of sign illumination on property in a residential zone shall not be more than 2 foot-candles at any point along the boundary of the development site. Externally illuminated signs shall be shielded.

(7) Readerboard Standards. Except as specified in EC 9.6670 Central Commercial Sign Standards, no sign within 15 feet of a street property line shall have a proportion greater than 40 percent of the sign face used as a readerboard sign.

(8) Maintenance. All signs, together with all of their supports, braces, guys, anchors and electrical equipment, shall be kept fully operable, in good repair and maintained in safe condition, free from excessive rust, corrosion, peeling paint or other surface deterioration.

(9) Electronic Message Centers. Except electronic message centers operated as public signs by governmental agencies, electronic message centers are subject to the following limitations:

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, that portion of any sign used as an electronic message center, shall be limited to 3 square feet in area, may display no more than 5 characters, and must not change the displayed message at intervals of less than once every 3 seconds. No electronic message center, except for temporary construction use, shall exceed a maximum 1-hour equivalent A-weighted sound pressure level of 50 dBa at the receiving property line when the receiving property is occupied by a dwelling, hospital, school, library or assisted care center.

(b) Each service station may include up to 6 rectangular digital signs, constructed a minimum of 3 inches from each other, limited to 20 square feet in area cumulatively, and must not change the displayed message at intervals of less than once every 24 hours.

(10) Digital Signs. One digital sign up to 20 square feet in area is permitted per institutional use on a development site. Digital signs must be located a minimum of 50 feet from the property line of any residentially zoned property. All digital signs shall be subject to the following standards:

(a) The change from one message to another message shall be no more frequent than once every 10 seconds.

(b) The change from one message to another message shall be instantaneous.

(c) Animation, scrolling or other perceived movement is not allowed.

(d) The digital sign shall operate at an internal illumination intensity level of not more than 0.3 foot-candles over ambient light levels as measured from a distance of 45 feet perpendicular to the sign face.

(e) The digital sign shall be equipped with a light sensor that automatically adjusts the intensity of the digital display according to the amount of ambient light.

(Section 9.6640, see chart at front of Chapter 9 for legislative history from 2/26/01 through 6/1/02; amended by Ordinance No. 20269, enacted November 25, 2002, effective December 25, 2002; Ordinance No. 20353, enacted November 28, 2005, effective January 1, 2006; Ordinance No. 20528, enacted May 14, 2014, effective June 23, 2014; Ordinance No. 20569, enacted November 14, 2016, effective December 17, 2016; and Ordinance No. 20642, enacted October 12, 2020, effective November 20, 2020.)