City of DeKalb will hold a special meeting to discuss changes to the temporary signage ordinance on Tuesday, June 22 at 8am at City Hall.
City officials and the Temporary Sign Review Committee will present the proposed changes to the Temporary Sign ordinance regulations. The meeting will be held in the City of DeKalb Council Chambers, on the 2nd floor of City Hall, located at 200 South Fourth Street.
A full copy of the ordinance “DRAFT” is available on the City of DeKalb’s website, but we have included a copy of the changes below. Everyone interested in reviewing the proposed changes should plan to attend. Please call the Department of Public Works Administration Office at 748-2070 during normal business hours if you have any questions before the meeting.
City of DeKalb Unified Development Ordinance
Article 13 “Signs”
Proposed Amendments
Section 13.02.01 Definitions (pages 13-1 through 13-3)
“Big Box Store” to read:
“Commercial Activity Sign”to read: See definition of “Sign”.
“Community Event Sign” to read: A temporary sign, other than a commercial activity sign, posted to advertise an event sponsored by a Class I or Class III Use Group.
“Gasoline Station Price Sign” to read: A changeable copy sign advertising a gasoline price.
“Sidewalk Sign” to read: A temporary sign placed on the sidewalk in front of a business for the purpose of advertising a daily special such as menu items, promotions, or sales.
“Temporary Sign Use Group Classifications” to read:
Class I – Government Agency: A governmental taxing body including but not limited to, the City of DeKalb, DeKalb Park District, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb School District, Township County, State or Federal offices.
Class II Commercial/Industrial: An occupation, employment or service that involves retail or wholesale marketing of goods or services at a scale greater than a home industry.
Class III Religious/Benevolent/Philanthropic: Religious/Benevolent/Philanthropic – A person, firm, organization or corporation engaged in the giving of food, goods, financial assistance or grants while offering services or other socially useful programs on a benevolent basis.
Community Service Provider: A community based service, activity or program
undertaken to advance the welfare of the community.
Theaters/Arts: A type of activity conducted exclusively for the community or its
members/guests, with a service or facility for the purpose of providing amusement,
patronage, recreation or entertainment (definition does not include movie theaters).
Section 13.03 “Prohibited Signs”(page 13-7, 8):
Add additional language to #9 that will read, “Flashing signs including electronic Changeable Copy Signs; however, gasoline station price signs or digital time and temperature signs involving only that information and no further or additional information of an advertising nature shall be allowed.”
Add new subsection #17 to prohibit permitted signs (excluding temporary signs) on fences or walls that are not a part of a building structure.
Re-number current item #17 as the new #18.
Section 13.04 “Permitted Signs – No Permit Required” (page 13-9)
10. Neon signs, as well as all other approved signs, are permitted on the interior of a building and in display windows provided they do not cover more than 25% of a display window surface area.
11. Sidewalk Sign: A Temporary Sign in the Central Business District not exceeding four (4) feet in height and eight (8) square feet in area per side. No more than one (1) sign per business is allowed and said sign shall be located within the boundaries of the business frontage not interfering with pedestrian foot traffic. Sidewalk signs shall not be permanently installed or affixed to any object, surface or other means of support and shall be removed at the close of the business day.
Section 13.05″Permitted Signs” in “All Zoning Districts”(page 13-10):
Section 13.05, Subsection 3. Subdivision or development identification signage shall be mounted on a decorative masonry wall and said wall shall comply with Article 7, “Supplementary District Regulations.
Section 13.05, Subsection 6.
13.05.01 “Temporary Signs.” Temporary signs and attention-getting devices that are otherwise prohibited by this Article may be permitted for purposes of promoting special commercial activities, grand openings, sales, special events, etc., subject to the following provisions (exception see Subsection 13.07.07, Central Business District).
a. A fully completed temporary sign permit application and site plan shall be submitted to and approved by the Building & Code Division a minimum of seven days prior to the date of displaying a temporary sign.
b. A temporary sign permit must be obtained from the Building & Code Division.
c. Temporary sign permitsshall be limited to a fourteen(14) consecutive day maximum exposure period in accordance with the following specifications:
Class Number of Annual Permits Maximum Sign Size
I Six 40 Square Feet
II Six 40 Square Feet
III Six 40 Square Feet
Big Box Stores Six 1 square foot per
1 lineal foot of frontage
maximum of 100 Sq. Ft.
The Building & Code Division may extend the temporary permit time period provided the applicant does not have a history of violating the requirements of this temporary sign ordinance.
d. Class I governmental use groups whose property does not fall under the City of DeKalb’s jurisdiction are exempt from the on-premises provisions of this temporary sign ordinance provided the temporary signage is solely within or upon the jurisdictions property.
13.05, Subsection 7. Temporary Community Event Signs.
Section 13.05, Subsection 7, Paragraph b. A temporary community event sign permit must be obtained from the Building & Code Division.
Section 13.05, Subsection 7, Paragraph c. A temporary community event sign permit may be issued by the Building & Code Division provided that the permit shall not exceed an exposure period of more than fourteen (14) consecutive days. The issuance of a temporary community event permit shall not exceed six times per calendar year per sponsor. The Public Works Director may extend the temporary community event permit time period.
NEW Subsection, 8. Off -Premises Regulations for Temporary Signs:
a. Displaying Class II temporary signs advertising or promoting commercial marketing initiatives upon residential zoned properties is strictly prohibited.
b. Displaying temporary signs off-premises is prohibited for Class II use groups.
c. Displaying temporary signage off-premises for Class I and Class III use groups is permitted in accordance with the following regulations:
Class I use groups electing to display temporary signs upon government property or off-premises upon private commercially-owned property within the jurisdiction of the City of DeKalb shall comply with the temporary sign ordinance regulations as prescribed herein. Class I Use groups whose properties are within the City of DeKalb’s jurisdiction may display temporary signs upon the site where the governmental unit’s business offices are located or where the activity being promoted takes place.
Class II use groups may display approved temporary signs only on the property where the business is located. A Class II use group sponsoring a Class II commercial event within or upon a property owned and/or operated by a Class I or Class III use group shall comply with Class II Use group requirements for temporary signs.
Class III use groups may display temporary signs off premises in accordance with the limitations and locations as authorized in the approved permit.
1. A Class I or Class III community event sponsor shall submit written permission from the property owner of the proposed off-premises site where said temporary sign is to be located authorizing the placement of a temporary sign to advertise a community event.
2. A Class I or Class III community event sponsor shall insure removal of any and all temporary sign(s) are removed within seven (7) calendar days of the conclusion of their community event.
3. When approved by the Building & Code Division, an off-premises property owner may not post more than two temporary community event signs concurrently; each temporary sign shall not exceed more than forty (40) square feet; the host site shall have the required frontage necessary to accommodate the signage proposed.
4. An off-premises temporary sign shall be placed no more than fourteen (14) days in advance of the start date of the community event.
5. Where off-premises sites have two frontages, the off-premises temporary community event sign regulations shall apply for each frontage.
6. Temporary signs posted off-premises may be temporarily affixed to existing fencing at the frontage of the site provided the signage does not cover more than 50% of each frontage fence, does not exceed the height of the fence and does not interfere with the vision triangle or create a hazard thereby jeopardizing the public’s safety.
NEW Subsection 9., Temporary Sign Permit Fees
In accordance with the limitations as prescribed Section 13.05, Subsection 6, Paragraph c., the permit application fees for Temporary Sign Permits are as follows:
Class I – On Premises, No Fee, each event
Class I – Off premises, $10.00 each event
Class II – $10.00 each event
Class III – $10.00 each event
Big Box Store – $10.00 each event
Add a new Subsection 10., Removal of Unapproved, Existing Temporary Signs
On or within ninety (90) calendar days of the effective date of this Ordinance, Day/Month/Year, any and all existing Temporary Signs being displayed without a valid permit issued by the Building & Code Division, shall be removed until such time as a permit by the Building & Code Division has been issued. Failure to comply with this section shall result in a penalty as prescribed in Section 13.08, Violation – Penalty.
Section 13.07.01.05 “Permitted Signs in Commercial and Industrial Districts” (page 13-14):
1. Amend the title “Other Regulations and Exceptions” as a part of the section on ground signs to read “Other Regulations” because no exceptions or variances are granted within Article 13 “Signs.”
Section 13.07.02.06 “Permitted Signs in Commercial and Industrial Districts” (page 13-15):
1. Amend the title “Other Regulations and Exceptions” as a part of the section on wall signs to read “Other Regulations” because no exceptions or variances are granted within Article 13 “Signs.”
Section 13.07.05 Gasoline Station or Drive-Through Canopy Signs and Gas Station Price Signs
Amend section to read as followed:
1. Gasoline Station and Drive-Through Canopy Signs
A gasoline station or drive-through facility with a permitted canopy may have no more than one (1) sign, attached on each of any two (2) sides of the vertical face of the canopy. The area of each sign shall not exceed ten (10) square feet. When attached to the vertical face of the canopy, each sign shall be a flat sign and shall not project above or below the vertical face of the canopy by more than one (1) foot and shall not infringe upon the vertical clearance requirements of Article 7, Section 7.04 of this Ordinance. If illuminated, such signs shall only be illuminated by non-intermittent light sources.
2. Gas Station Price Signs
a. Gasoline price signs accessory to gasoline stations will be permitted to have one digital or manual changeable copy sign to show current gasoline prices at all times;
b. The total Electronic Changeable Copy sign(s) area shall not exceed a total of twelve (12) square feet per sign face. Lighting intensity shall be restricted to 500 nits;
c. Gasoline pricing information shall be a fixed, non-intermittent, static message with no wipes, fades, flashes or similar effects.
Add a New Section 13.08 Violation – Penalty to read as follows:
Any person, firm, corporation or other entity who violates any of the provisions of this Article shall be fined not less than $250.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense. Each day a violation continues shall be deemed a separate and distinct offense.
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