Chapter 18.175
SIGNS
Sections:
18.175.030 Authority – Permits.
18.175.050 Limitations on permitted signs –Number, height, size and location.
18.175.060 Master sign program.
18.175.070 Conditional use permits for signs.
18.175.010 Short title.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “sign code” of the city of Cornelius. [Ord. 810, 2000; Code 2000 § 11.40.50; Ord. 857 Exh. 1, 2005.]
18.175.020 Purpose.
The general purpose of this chapter is to provide one of the principal means for implementation of the Cornelius comprehensive plan, to ensure continued aesthetic improvement to the city’s environment, and to promote traffic safety, all by classifying and regulating the locations, size design, type and number of signs and related matters. [Ord. 810, 2000; Code 2000 § 11.40.51; Ord. 857 Exh. 1, 2005; Ord. 2016-011 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016.]
18.175.030 Authority – Permits.
It is unlawful for any person to erect, alter or relocate any sign without first obtaining a sign permit and paying the required city fee. Applications for sign permits must be made on forms provided by the city planning department and accompanied by a scale drawing of each sign proposed.
(A) If the work authorized under a sign permit has not been started within 180 days and completed within 225 days after the date of issuance, the permit will become null and void. The time for commencing and completing work may be extended for an additional 45 days upon showing a reasonable cause for delay, if the request for extension is filed in writing with the community development director prior to the expiration of the original time period.
(B) Permits may be revoked by the community development director upon failure of the holder to comply with any provision of the sign code requirements. All signs and other advertising structures must conform to adopted and applicable editions of the Uniform Building Code. In addition to other requirements, all signs shall satisfy wind and deadload requirements, and all wood parts coming into contact with the ground must be treated. All exposed sign parts must be painted or treated in a manner to prevent deterioration. When required by the building code, plans must be stamped by a registered engineer or architect licensed by the state of Oregon.
(C) Permit Fees. Prior to issuance of a sign permit, the applicant shall pay a one-time fee to the city in accordance with the adopted fee schedule.
Fees for alteration of nonconforming signs are the same as for new signs. Signs that have faces on more than one side shall be calculated by totaling the area of all sign faces.
(D) The community development director may authorize the placement of seasonal displays and signs on public property, including streets and public ways, subject to review by the city engineer and building official for compliance with public works and building code standards.
(E) Violations of the Sign Code. The building official and the community development director or both of the city of Cornelius are hereby authorized to enforce the terms and provisions of the sign code.
(1) Removal of Illegal Signs. If any sign or other advertising structure regulated by this or any other code has been constructed or erected or is being maintained in violation of the provisions of this or any other code, written notice will be given to the owner. If the owner or occupant of the land upon which the sign is erected fails to remove or alter the sign to comply with the applicable code within 30 days after the date of said notice, the sign shall constitute a nuisance and a violation. Signs or other advertising structures, which constitute an immediate peril to persons or property, may be removed by the building official summarily and without notice.
(2) Approved Materials and Maintenance. All parts of any sign must be of such materials or treated in such a manner that normal rainfall, moisture or sunlight will not harm or deface the surface. Unsafe portions of the sign will be repaired or replaced, i.e., deteriorated wood or metal.
(3) Signs to Be Removed. Any sign, which no longer advertises a licensed business or product, must be removed. The owner will be notified by certified mail and asked to remove the sign within 30 days.
(4) Damaged or Deteriorated Signs. All signs shall be kept in good condition and repair. Signs which are damaged or become deteriorated shall be repaired, replaced or removed. The owner or occupant of the land upon which the sign is located shall be given written notification to repair or remove the sign, and in the event that repairs or removal are not effected within a 30-day period after the date of said notice, then the building official shall be authorized to remove the sign at the expense of the owner.
(5) Materials and Attachment of Letters. All letters, figures or characters must be attached in a safe and secure manner, as determined by the building official, to the sign structure. [Ord. 810, 2000; Code 2000 § 11.40.52; Ord. 841 Exh. 2, 2003; Ord. 857 Exh. 1, 2005; Ord. 2024-03 § 1 (Exh. A), 2024.]
18.175.040 Types of signs – Permanent signs, temporary signs, prohibited signs, existing signs and exempt signs.
(A) Permanent Signs. Signs attached to a building, structure, or the ground in some manner and of materials intended for long term use. Authorized permanent signs shall not have a time limitation. A sign permit and fee are required.
(B) Temporary Signs. A sign, banner, pennant or advertising display constructed of fabric, wood, or other light materials not permanently attached to a building structure or the ground. A permit and fee are required.
(1) Temporary signs shall be permitted for no more than 90 days.
(2) Temporary signs shall not exceed 16 square feet per face, except in the residential zones.
(3) Temporary signs in residential zones shall not exceed four square feet in size.
(4) Temporary signs shall not exceed six feet in height.
(5) One temporary sign at a time shall be permitted for a permitted event/activity per property annually.
(6) Temporary signs shall conform to locational requirements of permanent signs. No signs shall be placed in the public right-of-way.
(C) Prohibited Signs. It is unlawful to erect, display or maintain any sign or advertising structure falling within any of the following descriptions:
(1) All signs, except as permitted in the sign code.
(2) Any sign located within public rights-of-way, except as identified in the central mixed use or corridor commercial zoning districts and in subsection (E) of this section.
(3) Signs that obstruct doorways, fire escapes or windows.
(4) Signs that constitute a traffic hazard as determined by the facilities and design review committee. Signs shall not be erected or placed so as to obstruct free and clear vision or, by reason of their position, shape or color, interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device.
(5) Signs adjacent to rights-of-way may not protrude into the right-of-way.
(6) Signs that interfere with the operation and maintenance of public or private utilities.
(7) Roof signs, except by approval of a conditional use permit.
(D) Existing Signs. All signs existing prior to May 1, 2000, and all signs erected after May 1, 2000, which are in compliance with applicable sign regulations in effect on May 1, 2000, so long as they are maintained, both cosmetically and structurally, shall be lawful.
(1) Nonconforming Signs. A nonconforming sign shall not be changed, enlarged, or altered without complying with the existing sign code. A nonconforming sign is a lawful sign that exists on the effective date of adoption or amendment of this code, which is not in compliance with applicable sign regulations in effect on May 1, 2000.
(E) Exempt signs shall conform to the standards of this section. No fee or permit will be required for the following:
(1) Architect, engineer or contractor signs on a job site, which do not exceed 32 square feet in area and are removed within five days of the completion of the project.
(2) Traffic or other municipal signs, legal notices, railroad crossing signs, danger signs, public/semi-public signs and such temporary emergency or nonadvertising signs as may be approved.
(3) Signs or banners on or over public thoroughfares within the city, erected by city personnel.
(4) Temporary property for sale, real estate, garage sale and property management signs located on the subject property in compliance with this section.
(5) Signs affixed to the interior of a window.
(6) Political campaign signs – Political campaign signs must not be placed within the public right-of-way, must adhere to the size limitation of the underlying zoning, and must be removed within 10 days after an election. [Ord. 810, 2000; Code 2000 § 11.40.53; Ord. 857 Exh. 1, 2005; Ord. 2018-05 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 2019-10 § 1 (Exh. A), 2019.]
18.175.050 Limitations on permitted signs –Number, height, size and location.
(A) Height shall not exceed 20 feet from grade to top of sign for freestanding and/or ground signs. The height of a sign shall be measured from the finished ground level, excluding mounds, berms, etc., to the top of the sign or the highest portion of the sign structure or frame, whichever is greater.
(B) Size. The size of a sign shall be the entire area within any type of perimeter or border, which encloses the outer limits of any writing, representation, emblem, figure, or character. The area of the sign having no such perimeter or border shall be computed by enclosing the entire area with a parallelogram or a triangle of the smallest size sufficient to cover the entire area of the sign and computing the area of the parallelogram or triangle. Where a sign has two or more faces, the area of all faces shall be included in determining the area of the sign. Conforming and/or nonconforming signs in existence at the time of the enactment of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be counted in establishing the permitted area or size of all new signs to be allowed on the property. The total area of all signs (freestanding and wall) on any one piece of property may not exceed the maximum permitted under subsection (B) of this section.
(1) Ground and freestanding signs as defined in Chapter 18.195, Definitions, may be permitted on any street, but may not protrude into the right-of-way, except as permitted within the central mixed use or corridor commercial zoning districts. All signs shall comply with the vision clearance standards. One ground and/or freestanding sign shall be allowed per business establishment or tax lot, whichever is less. Tax lots created by fee ownership land division and contiguous tax lots under the one ownership shall be considered one tax lot for the purposes of calculating the number of freestanding signs allowed. The maximum overall dimensions or maximum area of such signs may not exceed the following:
|
Commercial and Industrial Zoning Districts |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
C2 |
GMU |
CMU, CC |
MI, LI |
|
Number |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Size (Maximum for any one face) |
32' |
32' |
18' |
32' |
|
Height Maximum |
20' |
20' |
16' |
20' |
(a) No permanent ground sign may be within 30 feet (measured diagonally at corner locations) of another permanent ground sign.
(b) In the case of a through lot which has a distance of 200 feet or greater at its shortest measurement point between the streets, and the frontages are on streets which have a collector or higher status, a freestanding sign may be placed on each street frontage, so long as all freestanding signs on the lot are a minimum of 200 feet apart.
(c) In the central mixed use and corridor commercial zoning districts signs shall emphasize pedestrian orientation. Signs shall project no more than two feet out from a building elevation, or 12 inches into a pedestrian space (i.e., sidewalks, courtyards, etc.), with the exception of signs on weather protection features such as awnings and arcades. Signage projecting into ODOT right-of-way shall be subject to ODOT standards. Sign lettering in the central mixed use and corridor commercial districts shall not exceed 12 inches in height. Movable/portable outdoor signs or displays shall be limited to business hours only and shall be no more than two feet wide by three feet tall with a maximum of one sign per business.
(d) Projecting signs in mid-block alleys in the CMU district require a minimum 13-foot vertical clearance.
(2) Wall signs shall be permitted for each business not to exceed 20 percent of a linear building face. The 20 percent may be divided among the building faces, for example, 10 percent of two building faces or five percent of four building faces. The area of each sign shall be computed by applying the allowable percentage to the wall to which the sign will be attached. The building front includes all wall and window area. The 20 percent shall include the total area of all lettering, characters or designs. The background color or colors will also be included in the case of trademarks. No wall sign shall project more than 12 inches from the wall surface it is attached to, except for awnings that serve as coverage for the sidewalk. [Ord. 810, 2000; Code 2000 § 11.40.54; Ord. 857 Exh. 1, 2005; Ord. 2016-011 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016; Ord. 2019-10 § 1 (Exh. A), 2019; Ord. 2020-05 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020.]
18.175.060 Master sign program.
For developments containing three or more businesses or that exceed 300 feet in lineal street frontage, a master sign program may be required by the planning commission through the site design review process. [Ord. 810, 2000; Code 2000 § 11.40.55; Ord. 857 Exh. 1, 2005.]
18.175.070 Conditional use permits for signs.
Certain signs may require special consideration where unique conditions involving topography, nonconforming uses and/or structures, size or shape of property, regulatory requirements, building design, or other situations exist. An application to request a conditional use permit for a sign(s) shall be made per Chapter 18.105 CMC and the appropriate fee paid. [Ord. 810, 2000; Code 2000 § 11.40.56; Ord. 857 Exh. 1, 2005.]