Chapter 17.40
SIGNS*
Sections:
17.40.020 Permanent on-premises signs.
17.40.025 Permanent off-premises directional signs.
17.40.040 Sign permit requirements.
* Prior ordinance history: Ords. 1013, 1312-98, 1451-03, 1484-04 and 1522-05.
17.40.010 General provisions.
The intent of the sign regulations is to provide businesses and organizations an opportunity to advertise while minimizing sign clutter along the city’s roadways. Signs along the two state highways shall be designed in a manner that is consistent with the guidelines for state scenic highways, either existing or as subsequently developed.
A. No sign shall be erected or employed that:
1. Impairs scenic views or the appearance of the surrounding area;
2. Creates traffic hazards by blocking vision or causing excessive diversion of attention;
3. Is structurally incapable of withstanding stresses to which it is likely to be subjected;
4. Contains flashing or uncomfortably intense light;
5. Is designed to attract attention through mechanical or wind-generated movement;
6. Is employed without consent of the property owner;
7. Is a festoon, banner, or pennant type sign; or
8. Digital signs, except as provided in Section 17.40.045.
B. Obsolete signs must be removed within ninety days of the change in business or offering. An “obsolete sign” is defined as any sign that advertises a business, product, or service that is no longer available or, for on-premises signs, no longer located on the same site on which the sign is posted.
C. Size of signs includes the surface area, spaces and voids within a perimeter that connects the outermost points of the signs’ lettering or devices, measured on the plane(s) to which the sign is oriented. Both sides of double-faced signs, such as projecting, freestanding or sandwich board signs with information on both sides, shall be counted. Frames or supports containing information or constituting integral design elements shall also be included.
D. Except in residential areas, where only external illumination is allowed, signage may be either externally illuminated or have only letters internally illuminated. All lighting shall be directed so as not to shine onto adjacent residential properties or into the night sky.
E. Each sign shall be maintained in good visual and structural condition at all times including color integrity and all parts and supports associated with the sign in accordance with its original approval by the city. Any repair to a sign shall be done using materials and design that are of equal or greater quality than the original sign.
F. Exceptions. The following shall not be regulated by this chapter:
1. Signage at public athletic fields;
2. Any vehicle or trailer that is road-ready, currently licensed and complies with all other ordinances and laws. (Ord. 1982-21 § 1 (Exh. 1), 2021; Ord. 1577-07 § 1 (part), 2007)
17.40.020 Permanent on-premises signs.
A. In the residential zones, signs shall be limited to a total combined size of five square feet or one percent of the gross floor area of buildings, whichever is greater.
B. In all other zones, the following limitations apply:
1. All freestanding signs shall be ground-oriented. Each sign’s area may not exceed two percent of the gross floor area of the buildings nor two hundred square feet total surface area, whichever is less, but in no case must signs be less than thirty-two square feet per side. Though uses or business may overlap spatially, gross floor area shall not be claimed more than once in computing allowable size of signs. See also SWMC Section 17.40.010(D).
2. Facade signs must meet the size requirements listed below.
|
Facade Area |
Maximum Sign Area |
|---|---|
|
0—499 |
50 sq. ft. maximum |
|
500—999 |
10% or 75 sq. ft. maximum, whichever is less |
|
1,000—1,499 |
9% or 100 sq. ft. maximum, whichever is less |
|
1,500—2,999 |
8% or 150 sq. ft. maximum, whichever is less |
|
3,000 or greater |
6% or 200 sq. ft. maximum, whichever is less |
|
Distance from Primary Street |
Maximum Letter Size |
|---|---|
|
Up to 10 ft. |
12 inches |
|
10—25 |
18 inches |
|
25—50 |
24 inches |
|
50—100 |
36 inches |
|
Over 100 |
48 inches |
3. Freestanding signs may not exceed twenty feet in height as measured from the centerline of the adjoining road to the top of the sign structure.
C. Freestanding signs shall meet the clear vision triangle requirements in the city code.
D. Each building may have one freestanding sign per frontage on a public right-of-way. Each business may have one facade sign per frontage on a public right-of-way. (Ord. 1577-07 § 1 (part), 2007)
17.40.025 Permanent off-premises directional signs.
The intent of this provision is to provide directional and location information to the general public about places of general interest, such as tourist information services, school or public recreational facilities, central business district or other special districts, historic sites, and regional developments; or, to provide information of a general community nature, such as those found at city entrance locations identifying the city and historic dates, or listing local service clubs and organizations or to provide business identification for sites located on a dead-end street. Such signs may be allowed, subject to the following:
A. Any such sign which is visible from a state highway shall be subject to approval by the Department of Transportation;
B. Approval of the owner of the property on which the sign is to be placed;
C. Location. Any such sign shall not be placed where it may cause a hazard, or obstruct the vision of any driver;
D. Size shall be no larger than necessary to clearly inform or direct the public. City identification/community service club type signs shall not exceed fifty square feet per side. Business identification directional signs on dead-end streets shall meet the following criteria: all units will have letters six inches in height, light color on a dark background, not longer than four feet per unit and meeting corner visibility requirements; details to be approved by the planning director for each installation. (Ord. 1577-07 § 1 (part), 2007)
17.40.030 Temporary signs.
A. “Temporary signs” are defined as exterior signs related to temporary sales or events. Interior and window signs are not regulated by this chapter.
B. Each business may have two temporary signs simultaneously, in addition to the allowed permanent signs.
C. No business may display any temporary signs more than thirty days a year.
D. All temporary signs must be permanently marked with the date the sign was erected. Signs without such marking shall be immediately removed as directed by the code enforcement officer. (Ord. 1577-07 § 1 (part), 2007)
17.40.035 Portable signs.
A. “Portable signs” include all a-frame, sandwich board, sidewalk signs and other signs that are mobile.
B. Each business may have up to one portable sign in addition to allowed temporary or permanent signs.
C. Portable sign area may not exceed thirty-six inches by forty-eight inches on each face. Exception: Portable signs placed adjacent to State Route 9 or State Route 20 may not exceed forty-eight inches by forty-eight inches on each face.
D. Portable signs must be securely weighted or anchored to prevent movement.
E. Portable signs must be brought indoors or out of sight from the general public during such hours that the business associated with the sign is not open for business.
F. Portable signs must not interfere with vehicle or pedestrian traffic.
G. Portable signs must not interfere with vision clearance triangles as described in SWMC Section 17.44.020. (Ord. 1577-07 § 1 (part), 2007)
17.40.040 Sign permit requirements.
A. All permanent signs require a sign permit.
B. A new or relocated business may use a single unpermitted interim on-premises sign to identify the business for ninety days while they permit and construct a permanent sign. Such an interim sign is not exempt from the other provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 2042-23 § 2, 2023; Ord. 1577-07 § 1 (part), 2007)
17.40.045 Digital signs.
The intent of this provision is to allow for a limited number of digital signage in a manner that is safe, does not produce excessive light and does not create a distraction. These regulations apply to digital signs, which include message boards, message displays, electronic reader boards, LED signs, video displays and similar programmable technologies.
A. Digital Sign Location Restrictions.
1. Digital signs are not permitted in any residential zones.
2. Digital signs are not permitted in the central business district except:
a. On Eastern Street between the railroad to the north and State Street to the south;
b. On Murdock Street between the railroad to the north and State Street to the south;
c. On Puget Street between Pacific Street to the north and State Street to the south;
d. On State Street; and
e. On Ferry Street between State Route 20 to the west and Eastern Street to the east.
B. Display Standards in Mixed Commercial and Industrial Zone.
1. All digital signs shall come equipped with an automatic dimming photocell device which will automatically adjust the display’s brightness based on preset levels relative to ambient light conditions. All digital signs shall operate at brightness levels of no more than three-tenths of one foot-candle above ambient light levels with a maximum of five thousand nits during daylight hours and five hundred nits at night. Certification of these limits shall be provided by the developer prior to sign permit issuance;
2. Measurement of brightness (nits) shall be measured from the sign’s face at its maximum brightness;
3. Audio speakers are prohibited in association with a digital sign;
4. Digital signs must be directed away from adjacent residentially zoned or open space zoned properties including properties across a public right-of-way. No digital sign may be located closer than one hundred feet from residentially zoned or open space zoned properties as measured from the sign location to the nearest property line of the residential or open space zoned property;
5. Static messages shall have a minimum of five seconds of dwell time for all static images. Displays which scroll onto the signboard must hold for a minimum of five seconds including scrolling. Flashing, strobing, video imaging and scrolling messages faster than described above are prohibited. Changes between static messages and images must be one second or less and fading or dissolving is not permitted;
6. No more than one digital sign is allowed per property. A digital sign may be double-sided; and
7. A digital sign shall be integrated into a standard sign surface area; digital signs are not permitted independent of a standard sign. Up to fifty percent of the sign surface area may be used for digital sign purposes. The digital sign shall count towards the allowed sign surface area as calculated in Section 17.40.020.
C. Display Standards in CBD and Public Zone.
1. All digital signs shall come equipped with an automatic dimming photocell device which will automatically adjust the display’s brightness based on preset levels relative to ambient light conditions. All electronic digital signs shall operate at brightness levels of no more than three-tenths of one foot-candle above ambient light levels with a maximum of five thousand nits during daylight hours and five hundred nits at night. Certification of these limits shall be provided by the developer prior to building permit issuance;
2. Digital signs may be used after dusk only until eleven p.m. or, if the advertising is an on-premises message about an event at the site where the sign is located, for up to one hour after said event;
3. Measurement of brightness (nits) shall be measured from the sign’s face at its maximum brightness;
4. Audio speakers are prohibited in association with a digital sign;
5. Digital signs must be directed away from adjacent residentially zoned or open space zoned properties including properties across a public right-of-way. No digital sign may be located closer than one hundred feet from residentially zoned or open space zoned properties as measured from the sign location to the nearest property line of the residential or open space zoned property;
6. Digital signs in the CBD and public zones may only contain message board capabilities – only text shall be permitted, not images or other nontext display. The display shall be limited to one color for the text displayed and a darkened (absence of light) background. Messages shall have a minimum of seven seconds of dwell time for all text. Flashing, animation, movement, video imaging and scrolling messages are prohibited. Changes in messages and images must be one second or less and scrolling, fading or dissolving is not permitted;
7. No more than one digital sign is allowed per property. The single digital sign may be double-sided;
8. A digital sign shall be integrated into a standard sign surface area; digital signs are not permitted independent of a standard sign. Up to fifty percent of the sign surface area may be used for digital sign purposes. The digital sign shall count towards the allowed sign surface area as calculated in Section 17.40.020; and
9. Digital signs may be used only to advertise activities or goods or services available on the property on which the sign is located, or to present public service information. (Ord. 1982-21 § 1 (Exh. 1), 2021)