§ 58-3. Definitions.

Words and phrases used in this chapter shall have the meanings set forth in this section. Words and phrases not defined in this section, but defined in the Zoning Ordinance of Riverdale Georgia, shall be given the meanings set forth in such Zoning Ordinance. All other words and phrases shall be given their common, ordinary meaning, unless the context clearly requires otherwise. Section headings or captions are for reference purposes only and shall not be used in the interpretation of this chapter.

Abandoned sign. Use of the sign and/or supporting structure ceases for any reason for more than 90 days or sign and/or supporting structure is damaged and not repaired within 90 days.

Air and gas filled device. Any sign using, either wholly or in part, forced air or other gas as a means of supporting its structure.

Animated sign. Any sign, or part of a sign, that uses any movement or change of lighting or color to depict action or create a special effect or scene.

Attention getting device. Any pennant, valance, propeller, spinner, ribbon, streamer, search light, or similar device or ornamentation designed for or having the effect of attracting the attention of potential customers or the general public.

Audible sign. Any sign which emits a sound which is audible or emits a signal which can be converted into audible sounds, whether by radio or other means.

Awning/canopy sign. Any sign that is a part of, or attached to, an awning, canopy or other fabric, plastic or structural protective cover over a door, entrance, window, or outdoor service area. A marquee is not a canopy.

Banner. A sign other than a flag with or without characters, letters, illustrations, or ornamentation applied to cloth, paper, vinyl, plastic, or fabric that is intended to be hung either with a frame or without a frame. Neither flags nor canopy signs are considered banners.

Beacon. Any light with one or more beams directed into the atmosphere or directed at one or more points not on the same lot as the light source; also, any light with one or more beams that rotate or move.

Bench sign. A sign located on any part of the surface of a bench or seat placed on or adjacent to a public right-of-way.

Billboard sign. A freestanding sign with an area of more than 72 square feet but not more than 672 square feet.

Building elevation. The area of the face of a building (height × width).

Changeable copy sign. Any sign that incorporates changing lettering or images to form a message or messages, whether such changes are accomplished electronically or manually. Changeable copy signs shall not incorporate changing lights or electronic images.

Department. The department of planning and community development.

Director. The director of the department of planning and community development or his or her designee for a particular purpose.

Directory sign. A single sign for multiple businesses, offices, professionals, industries, or other entities located within a planned center.

Drive-through/drive-in facility. A location where products and/or services are distributed to, or business is transacted with, a person seated in a motor vehicle.

Electronic message board. Any sign that uses changing lights or colors to form a sign message or messages wherein the sequence of messages and the rate of change are electronically programmed and can be modified by electronic processes.

Façade. The face of a building, especially the principal face.

Fall zone. An area equal to 133 percent of the height of the structure in every direction.

Flag. Any fabric, banner or bunting attached at one or more points such that it hangs loosely containing distinctive colors, patterns, or symbols and which is used as an official symbol of any government, business, institution or organization.

Flashing sign. A sign, the illumination of which is not kept constant in intensity at all times when in use and which exhibits marked changes in lighting effects.

Freestanding sign. A monument style sign. Any sign supported by structures or supports that are placed on, or anchored in, the ground and that are independent from any building or other structure. A permanently affixed sign which is wholly independent of a building for support with a base of a width not less than the width of the sign face.

Illuminated sign, external. A sign illuminated by an external light source. Such source cannot be a device that changes color, flashes, or alternates.

Illuminated sign, internal. A sign illuminated by an internal light source. Such source cannot be a device that changes color, flashes, or alternates.

Internal development sign. Signs not visible from a public right-of-way, including but not limited to signs such as parking lot information, directional, safety signs, and signs delineating internal sub-components of the overall development.

Lot. A parcel of land that is of sufficient size to meet minimum zoning requirements for lot area, coverage, and use and that can provide such yards as required by the zoning standards.

Marquee, marquee sign. Any permanent roof-like structure projecting beyond a building or extending along and projecting beyond the wall of the building, generally designed and constructed to provide protection from the weather.

Moving sign. A sign which revolves, rotates, swings, undulates, or otherwise attracts attention through the structural movement of parts.

Multi-tenant. One or more buildings, located on a single premises, containing two or more separate and distinct individual establishments, which occupy separate portions of the building and which are physically separated from each other by walls.

Nonconforming sign. An existing sign that does not conform to the current Sign Ordinance.

Obscene. Material is obscene if to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, taken as a whole, it predominantly appeals to the prurient interest, that is, a shameful or morbid interest in nudity, sex or excretion; the material taken as a whole lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value; and the material depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined as: (A) acts of sexual intercourse, heterosexual or homosexual, normal or perverted, actual or simulated; (B) acts of masturbation; (C) acts involving excretory functions or lewd exhibition of the genitals; (D) acts of bestiality or the fondling of sex organs of animals; or (E) sexual acts of flagellation, torture, or other violence indicating a sadomasochistic sexual relationship.

Out of store marketing device. An out-of-store marketing device is any facility or equipment which is located outside of a primary building on a site zoned for nonresidential uses, which is used for the primary purpose of providing a product or service without the owner's immediate presence, and which is manufactured to include a color, form, graphic, illumination, symbol, and/or writing thereon to communicate information regarding the product or service provided thereby to the public. Examples of out-of-store marketing devices include: fuel pumps, bank ATM units, vending machines, newspaper racks, drink machines, ice boxes, and phone booths.

Pennant, streamer. Any lightweight plastic, fabric, or other material, whether or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a rope, wire, or string, usually in a series, designed to move in the wind.

Permanent sign. Any sign which, when installed, is intended for permanent use. A permanent freestanding sign shall be of a type and construction so as not to be easily or readily removed from the lot on which it has been erected.

Permit. A sign permit reviewed, approved, and issued by the city.

Permittee. The person and/or entity owning or leasing the land on which the sign is erected or for which an application has been submitted.

Person. A natural or legal person, including a firm, organization, partnership, trust, and corporation.

Pole sign. A freestanding in which the sign face is mounted on one or more poles and the base of the sign face is situated more than six inches above the ground.

Portable sign. A sign which is not permanently affixed to the ground or to a structure, including but not limited to signs on trailers or signs mounted or painted on vehicles which are parked in such a manner as to serve the purpose of a sign.

Principal building. The building in which the principal use of the lot is conducted. Nonresidential lots with multiple principal uses may have multiple principal buildings, but storage buildings, garages, and other structures with clearly accessory uses shall not be considered principal buildings.

Projecting sign. A sign that is wholly or partly dependent upon a building for support and which projects more than 15 inches from such building.

Public sign. Any sign erected by a governmental entity.

Roof sign. A sign projecting over the coping of a flat roof, or over the ridge of a gable, hip or gambrel roof, and supported by or attached to said roof, including a sign directly painted on or affixed to a flat roof, or over the ridge of a gable, hip or gambrel roof.

Sign area. The entire area within a continuous perimeter, enclosing the extreme limits of sign display, including the base and any frame or border of the monument. Curved, spherical or any other shaped sign face shall be computed on the basis of actual surface area. The copy of signs composed of individual letters, numerals or other devices shall be the sum of the area of the smallest rectangle or other geometric figure encompassing each of said letter or device as well as spaces between each letter or device. The calculation for a double-faced sign shall be the area of one face only where the sign faces are parallel or where the interior angle formed by the faces is 60 degrees or less. The area of the larger side shall be computed in cases in which the two sides do not coincide. For a multiple sided sign, the sign area of all sides shall not exceed twice the maximum permitted sign area.

Sign, door. A sign that is applied or attached to the exterior or interior of a door or located in such manner within a building that it can be seen from the exterior of the structure through a door.

Sign, double-faced. A sign which has two display areas against each other or where the interior angle formed by the display areas is 60 degrees or less, where one face is designed to be seen from one direction and the other from the another direction.

Sign face. That part of a sign that is or can be used for advertising purposes.

Sign, height of. The distance in vertical feet from the elevation of the adjacent dedicated public street, edge of pavement, to the highest point of the sign structure. For property with an elevation higher than the adjacent public street, the height shall be measured from ground level at base of sign to the highest point of the sign structure. The ground shall not be altered for the sole purpose of providing additional sign height.

Sign, mobile. Any sign which is attached to, mounted on, painted on, pasted on, drawn on or placed on any vehicle, whether motorized or drawn, which is placed, parked or maintained at one particular location for the express purpose and intent of promotion or conveying an advertising message, including any such vehicle that is parked or lined up parallel or adjacent to a public right-of-way and which interferes with or obstructs the safe and orderly movement of pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic.

Sign, monument. A freestanding sign with a solid, decorative base and/or frame. The base shall be at least as wide as the sign and/or frame upon it and a maximum of three feet in height. Decorative base materials include stone, brick, or stucco. Decorative frame materials include stone, brick, or stucco. No support posts shall be exposed.

Sign. Any device, fixture, placard, or structure affixed to, supported by, or suspended by a stationary object, building or the ground that uses any color, form, graphic, illumination, symbol, or writing to communicate information of any kind to the public.

Standard informational sign. A sign with an area of not greater than 20 × 24 inches, with a sign face made for short term use (90 days or less), containing no reflecting elements, flags, or projections and which, when erect, stands at a height not greater than three feet and is mounted on a stake or metal frame with a thickness or diameter not greater than one and one-half inches. Each lot may display two standard informational signs without a permit, except that during a political election, each lot may display no more than six standard informational signs with an area not greater than four square feet during the period of 90 days before the date of the election and the final determination on each ballot issue or candidate.

Temporary sign. Any sign or device which is not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure, which is designed to be mobile or is designed to remain in place for a limited time. This includes, but is not limited to, signs which are designed to be transported regularly from one location to another, signs which are designed with wheels, regardless of whether the wheels remain attached to the sign, signs placed into the ground on a temporary basis or nonpermanent foundation, or signs tethered to an existing structure.

Wall sign. Any sign attached parallel to a wall, painted on the wall surface, or erected and confined within the limits of an outside wall of any building or structure, which is supported by such wall or building and which displays only one sign surface. Wall signs may be allowed to extend up to 15 inches from any wall, building or structure when a raceway is utilized. Raceways shall be painted to match the color of the exterior walls to which they are attached. Wall signs shall not cover architectural features or details, and not extend beyond the horizontal roof line or vertical edges of the building. Except for principle anchors, wall signs shall be uniform in alignment and height in developments in which multiple businesses share a building.

Window sign. Any sign that is placed inside a window or upon the window panes or glass, either inside or outside the building, and is visible from the exterior of the structure. Not more than three window signs per lot of record shall be allowed and shall not be larger than four square feet or cover more than 25 percent of the area of each window in which a sign is placed, whichever is less. Such signs shall not be illuminated. Unless the window sign is a poster for security purposes, they will be approved by the department on a case-by-case basis.

(Ord. No. 13-2011, § 1(Att. § 3), 6-29-11)