accent lighting means electric discharge tubing attached as an integral decorative or architectural feature of the building and not connected or giving the appearance of any connection to the overall signage of the project.

air inflated devices means attention getting devices that are inflated with lighter than air gas or are supplied inflation from a blower or fan that, when energized, keep the device erect.

animated or flashing sign means any sign which uses lights that flash or alternate or which includes action, motion or illusion of motion, designed electronically, usually to give messages by means of slight progressive changes. This definition shall also include signs with rotating panels, generally referred to as tri-vision signs.

attraction board means any sign on which the copy may be manually changed from time to time by use of changeable letters or panels.

attraction-getting devices means any gadget or mechanical contrivance, scheme, drawing, ruse or trick, symbol, emblem, insignia, regalia or motto, including murals, but excluding ornate architectural features of a building, selectively narrowing or focusing receptive consciousness.

Awning means any structure, fixed or capable of being raised or lowered, made of fire resistant cloth, wood, metal or plastic with or without a metal frame, which protrudes from a building facade as a roof-like structure and is supported entirely by the building without the use of ground supports.

banner sign means any sign having the characters, letters, illustrations or ornamentation applied to cloth, paper or fabric including animated, rotating and or fluttering devices, flags and pennants but excluding government flags for the purposes of this ordinance, designated to attract attention.

billboard means a sign advertising a product or service, including entertainment, whose product or service is not available for sale or performance at the place where the sign is located.

building art shall mean two and three dimensional murals, mosaics, paintings and artistic applications, which are applied to buildings, structures and properties, intended to draw attention to a business, place, event or attraction. building art does not include the portion of a building that is permitted to accommodate a wall sign.

canopy means any structure other than an awning, made of fire resistant cloth, wood, metal or plastic with or without metal or wood frames, attached or detached and supported, in part, or entirely, by the ground.

code enforcement board means a board established in section 2-256 et seq. to enforce this code.

construction sign means any sign of a temporary nature placed at a construction site after the issuance of a building permit that depicts the name, address and state license number of the primary or sub contractors. A construction sign may or may not contain information relating to the project under construction at the location of the sign.

directional sign means a sign directing or guiding traffic or people to entrances, exits or parking.

Electric discharge tubing (neon or fluorescent) shall mean an illumination system using an electrified inert gas (such as neon), placed inside clear or colored transparent tubes, which can be bent into various letters, designs and shapes.

Erect means to build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend or affix and also includes the painting of wall signs.

exempt signs means signs exempted from normal permit requirements.

flag means the flying of individual national, state, county, city or flags of political national origin attached to a free standing pole, mounted on the ground or to flags attached to the facade of a structure, limited to five in number, provided such flags shall not be used in such a way to attract attention of the public for commercial purposes. flags larger than three feet by five feet shall be considered signs and shall be calculated as part of the maximum square footage and maximum number of signs.

ground sign means a sign supported by poles, uprights or braces, visible or enclosed that are placed in or upon the ground.

marquee sign means a projecting sign attached to or hung from a marquee or such marquee shall be known to mean a canopy or covered structure projecting from and supported by a building, when such canopy or covered structure extends beyond the building, building line or property line.

Noncombustible material means a material, which, in the form and thickness in which it is used, meets any of the following:

nonconforming sign means any advertising structure or sign which was lawfully erected and maintained prior to such time as it came within the purview of this chapter and any amendments thereto, and which fails to conform to all applicable sections and restrictions of this chapter, or a nonconforming sign for which a special permit has been issued.

off-site or off-premises sign means a sign not related in its subject matter to the use of the premises on which it is located.

on-site sign means a sign related in its subject matter to the premises on which it is located.

outdoor advertising display means any letter, figure, character, mark, plane, point, design, poster, pictorial picture, stroke, stripe, line, trademark, reading matter or illuminated service which shall be constructed, placed, attached, painted, erected, fastened or manufactured in any manner whatsoever so that such shall be used for attraction of the public to any place, subject, person, firm, corporation, public performance, article, machine or merchandise whatsoever, which is displayed in any matter whatsoever outdoors.

Owner means the person owning the fee simple title to the property upon which a permit is required.

Permittee means the person in possession or having the beneficial use of property upon which a sign is located for which a permit is required.

political sign means any sign used solely to present information suggesting a candidate's suitability for elected public office or presenting an issue to be voted upon in the upcoming election.

portable signs means signs that may be hauled or towed from one location to another, are self supporting, are designed to be temporarily placed without a permanent base or fastening.

projecting sign means a sign which is affixed to any building wall or structure and extends beyond the building wall, structure, building line or property line more than 12 inches.

public interest sign means a temporary sign used to advertise a charitable, educational or religious special event.

real estate sign means any sign used solely for the sale or lease of property on which the sign is located.

registered engineer means an engineer registered in the state whom is in good standing with the state board of engineering examiners.

roof sign means any sign erected upon, against or directly above a roof or on top of or above the parapet of a building.

shopping center or multi-tenant center means a building with two or more businesses.

significant interest means an event having a community, local, regional and or national interest. significant interest does not pertain to advertisements for proprietary or personal gain.

Sign means and includes every display, billboard, ground sign, wall sign, illuminated sign, projecting sign, temporary sign, awning sign, canopy sign, and street clock and includes any announcement, declaration, demonstration, display, illustration or insignia used to advertise or promote the interests of any person, business or event when such is placed out-of-doors in view of the general public.

Sign erector or contractor means any person engaged in the construction, reconstruction, or erection of any sign requiring structural framework and support or using electric power or requiring a scaffold for erection or applications.

sign of general election means any sign in the support of or not in support of, candidates for political or non-political office, referenda, propositions, taxes, levy or any other issue(s) that requires a vote for approval.

Sign writer or painter means any person engaged in the painting or application of signs on windows, doors, walls, awning or elsewhere, when such signs require no structural framework or electrical power.

snipe sign means a small sign of any material, including but not limited to paper, cardboard, wood or metal, attached to any object and having no application to the premises where located.

Street right-of-way means property, which is committed for use as a public access route and primarily intended for vehicular movement.

Temporary signs means signs constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard, plywood or other light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed for the extent of time as allowed in the specific sections of this chapter.

Tenant space means that portion of a building separated by walls or partitions that extend from the floor to the ceiling or roof deck without interconnecting openings.

vehicular sign means any sign applied to, affixed to, or placed upon a vehicle in such a manner as to be visible to the public.

wall sign means a sign that is affixed to the wall of any building, when such sign shall project not more than 12 inches from the building. wall signs may not extend above the roofline or facade.

window sign means illuminated and non-illuminated signs placed in the exterior windows of a structure, and which can be viewed from the outside of the structure.