BACK TO ZONING TABLE OF CONTENTS

1222.01 Purpose

1222.02 General Provisions

The purpose of this Section is to achieve the following objectives:

A.     To establish standards which permit reasonable and equitable opportunity for business identification.

B.     To preserve and promote civic beauty and prohibit signs which would detract from this objective because of size, shape, height, location, condition, cluttering or illumination.

C.     To insure that signs do not create safety hazards.

D.     To preserve and protect property values.

SECTION 1222.02 GENERAL PROVISIONS:

The following regulations shall apply to all signs as hereinafter permitted.

A.     Permitted Signs.

        1.     A freestanding sign shall be located no closer than fifty (50) feet from any property line.

        2.     Signs, other than those of the City, public agency, or other governmental unit, shall not be permitted within the public right-of-way or easements except that the City Council may grant a special permit for temporary signs and decorations to be placed on a right-of-way for a period to be specified at the discretion of the City Council.

        3.     For the purpose of selling or promoting real estate, signs are limited to one sign per nine hundred (900) feet of frontage on a public street, but no less than one (1) sign per property shall be permitted. The sign is not to exceed eight (8) square feet. Real estate signs may be located at the property line. Said sign shall be removed no later than fifteen (15) days from the date of sale of the property (date of sale does not mean date of closing).

        4.     Residential identification of directional signs of sufficient number for the purpose of control, direction or orientation may be allowed by the city Council, but such signs shall not exceed two (2) square feet per surface. Such signs may be located at the property line.

        5.     Temporary signs denoting an architect, engineer or contractor, when placed upon work currently under construction, provided that each sign is no more than sixteen (16) square feet in area and is removed upon the completion of construction. There shall be a maximum of one (1) sign per company and not more than two (2) of these signs allowed per property.

        6.     Campaign Signs.

                a.     State General Election Years. In a state general election year, the size and duration of campaign sign display shall comply with the provisions of Minnesota Statute 211.B.045, as amended. These signs shall be confined within private property and shall not be less than fifteen (15) feet from the nearest edge of the pavement and one hundred (100) feet from the nearest intersection of any street or road.

                b.     Other Election Years. In years when no state general election is to take place, signs announcing candidates seeking public political office and other data pertinent thereto shall be permitted up to a total of nine (9) square feet for each lot. These signs shall be confined within private property and shall not be less than fifteen (15) feet from the nearest edge of the pavement and one hundred (100) feet from the nearest intersection of any street or road. These signs may be displayed sixty (60) days prior and seven (7) days after the election for which intended. In cases where a final election follows within seventy-five (75) days of a primary election, those candidates who won in the primary election may continue to display their signs during the interim period and up to seven (7) days after the final election.

Campaign signs not exceeding five (5) square feet are allowed thirty (30) days prior to a special, primary or general election. Signs shall be removed within seven (7) days after said election. Campaign signs may be located at the property line, but are prohibited from public property and public rights-of-way.

        7.     Sign for the sale of agricultural products limited to those grown on the respective site, subject to the following:

                a.     Are located only on the private property of the farm owner/operator and are no more than one hundred (100) feet from the point of sale.

                b.     Are limited to no more than two (2) structures totaling no more than sixteen (16) square feet.

                c.     Are erected and removed daily and are not to be displayed at times when the sales operation is closed.

        8.     Signs for permitted uses allowed in Section 1242 and conditional permit uses allowed in Sections 1241 and 1242 shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet per side if freestanding or one hundred (100) square feet if wall mounted.

       9.     For the purpose of calculating the square footage of a sign, each surface utilized to display a message or to attract attention shall include symbols, flags, pictures, working fixtures or other forms of graphics painted on or attached to windows, walls, awnings, or freestanding structures. To derive the area of said sign, the outside dimension of the frame shall be used.

     10.     Permanent signs may be illuminated, provided that the source of the light shall beam directly on the sign surface only. Flashing lights of any kind are prohibited.

    11.     Signs must be legible and lettering must be type-set, stenciled, printed, stamped, commercially produced, or mechanically produced. 

B.     Prohibited Signs. Signs not specifically identified as permitted shall be prohibited.

BACK TO ZONING TABLE OF CONTENTS