§ 12.8. Electronic message boards.

Electronic message boards are permitted only in the locations described in this section and only after site plan approval from the director of planning and development. The mayor and council may request a hearing to review the site plan and sign permit.

A.

Permitted zoning districts: Electronic messaging signs are permitted in the following zoning districts:

CI - Civic institutional district

OP - Office professional district

BN - Neighborhood business district

BG - General business district

HSB - Highway service business district

LM - Light manufacturing district

TC-MU - Towne center mixed use district

Residential zoning districts with an approved conditional use permit or approved special use permit.

B.

Sign types to utilize electronic message boards: Electronic messaging may be an element of a monument, freestanding, fuel pump canopy, menu board, pre-menu board or window/door sign. Wall signs may not contain electronic messaging.

C.

Size and location requirements: Electronic message boards shall meet the size and placement requirements of this article section with the exception that electronic message boards shall not be allowed as off-premises devices.

1.

Maximum allowable electronic message board sign area as an element of:

a.

Monument sign: 50 percent of allowable sign area in subsection 12.4.B.5.

b.

Menu board/pre-menu board: 100 percent of allowable sign area in subsection 12.4.B.12.

c.

Fuel pump canopy: 100 percent of allowable sign area in subsection 12.4.B.9.

d.

Window/door: 100 percent of allowable sign area in subsection 12.4.B.3. for one window/door. Only one window/door electronic message board sign allowed per location. No electronic message board window/door sign may exceed 15 sq. ft. in total display area.

2.

Sign area variances of subsection 12.6.A.3. are not allowed.

D.

Reserved.

E.

Duration of display:

1.

Any electronic message displayed shall remain unchanged for a minimum of 15 minutes prior to switching messages.

a.

Exception: Time and temperature displays shall have the time and temperature remain static for not less than five seconds.

2.

The following display types are prohibited:

a.

Animation is prohibited;

b.

Flashing, blinking, fade in, fade out or scrolling text is prohibited; and

c.

Video images are prohibited.

F.

Intensity of light:

1.

The maximum luminance produced by the sign shall not exceed three-tenths foot candles greater than the ambient light level.

2.

The light level produced by the sign shall be measured using the following equation based on typical sign-to-viewer distance: the square root of the product of the sign area and 100. Example using a 12 square foot sign:

√(12 × 100) = 34.6 feet measuring distance

3.

Automatic dimming capability shall adjust the signs illumination to the ambient light at all times of the day or night.

G.

Default control:

1.

The sign shall be equipped to freeze the display in one position if a malfunction occurs.

2.

The sign must also be equipped with a means to immediately discontinue the display if it malfunctions.

3.

The sign owner must immediately stop the display when notified by the director of planning and development that the sign is not complying with the standards of this article.

(ZOA 2013-01, § 1(exh. A), 2-25-2013; Ord. No. 2015-16, § 1, 12-14-2015; ZOA 19-02, § 1, 4-22-2019)