20.960.050 Higher Density Residential Districts

20.960.050 Higher Density Residential Districts.

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In all Higher Density Residential Districts, the regulations of this Section shall apply:

A. Billboards. Not allowed.

B. Off-premises signs. Not allowed except as provided in 20.960.090.

1. Allowable Area: 32 square feet per face.

2. Number of Signs: 1 per frontage.

3. Height of Sign: Maximum 8 feet to be measured from grade.

4. Encroachment: No part of the freestanding sign shall project into any public right-of-way.

5. No freestanding sign shall project or extend into any vision clearance area unless approved by the Planning Official.

6. Any freestanding sign must be integrated. That is, all supports or sign elements shall be an integral part of the design. Auxiliary projections or attachments not a part of a single design are prohibited.

1. Allowable Area: 5 percent of buildings’ elevation with a maximum of 32 square feet.

2. Number of Signs: 1 per business. (There shall be no more than one free-standing sign per frontage, and no more than one fascia sign. If both are used, they must be on different frontages).

3. Height of Sign: Not to extend above parapet or eave line.

E. Projecting signs. Not allowed.

F. Rooftop signs. Not allowed.

G. For sale/lease/rent signs. As specified in Section 20.960.090.

1. Allowable Area: Maximum 6 square feet per face and as specified in Section 20.960.020(C).

2. Number of Signs: 1 per frontage.

3. Encroachment: Not allowed.

H. Rotating signs. Rotating signs are prohibited.

I. Electronic Message Center signs. Allowed subject to the following standards:

1. Allowed in association with nonresidential uses only which meet the following criteria:

a. The site has frontage on a major or minor arterial; or

b. The site has frontage on a collector arterial and is at least 2 acres in size

2. Number of signs: 1 per use

3. Type: Fascia or monument-style sign only

4. Maximum size: 16 square feet (50% of allowed area of fascia or monument sign); such sign shall not be in addition to allowable area of fascia or monument sign

5. Maximum height: 8 feet measured from grade if monument sign; fascia signs shall not extend above the parapet or eave line

6. Location: The EMC sign shall either face or be located adjacent to the arterial street

7. Hours of operation: The EMC sign shall be completely turned off between the hours of 9:00 pm and 7:00 am, seven days a week

8. Additional performance standards of VMC 20.960.060, I, 2-9 shall apply to EMC signs in residential districts

9. Signs with an electronic message center which meet all of the above standards may also provide internal illumination to the remainder of the sign.

1. Allowable Area. Maximum 6 square feet per face per sign.

2. Number of Signs. 1 per function per frontage.

K. Business complex signs (free-standing signs only)

1. Allowable Area: 2 square feet per business or professional tenant per face for tenant identification, and 15 square feet per face for business complex identification.

2. Height of Sign: Maximum height of 10 feet to be measured from grade. (It is recommended that the design be compatible with character of the neighborhood and the profile of the sign be as low as possible.)

3. Number of Signs: 1 per business complex.

1. There shall be no combinations of permanent sign types on a single street frontage.

2. Business Complex Signs are required for any business in a business complex desiring a Free-Standing Sign. The use of a Business Complex Sign shall replace all other Free-Standing Signs on the premises, except temporary or directional signs.

1. No neon may be used as a light source.

2. For internally illuminated signs, the background must be opaque and the illuminated portion of the sign face must not exceed 40 percent of the sign face area.

3. For Business Complex Signs, only that portion of the sign identifying the complex may be illuminated. (Ord. M-3868 § 7, 02/25/2008; Ord. M-3730, Amended, 12/19/2005; Ord. M-3643, 01/26/2004)