Sec. 42-541. - General standards.
Sec. 42-542. - Building fronts and sides.
Secs. 42-543—42-560. - Reserved.
Sec. 42-541. - General standards.
The general standards for structures and sites within the district shall be as follows:
(1)
The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, or site and its environment, where still in existence, shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features shall not take place without the consent of the design review commission.
(2)
All building structures and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time and it is the intent of this division and these standards to preserve, as nearly as possible, the architectural features of such time. However, changes which may have taken place over time and which are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure or site and its environment, shall be preserved when possible, if those changes have acquired a recognized and respected significance of their own.
(3)
Distinctive stylistic features representing examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure or site shall be preserved whenever possible in a condition or appearance as near as possible to their original appearance.
(4)
Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired and restored rather than replaced, whenever possible. If replacement is necessary, the new material shall match the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features shall be based on accurate duplications of such features substantiated by historical, physical or pictorial evidence when available.
(5)
The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the least damaging method possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods which could damage historic building materials may not be used without prior approval of the department of licenses and inspections. The department shall not give such approval unless it has first satisfied itself that the means of cleaning is the least detrimental method available and that the area to be cleaned will not be damaged by such cleaning method.
(Code 1968, § 45-139(d)(1))
Sec. 42-542. - Building fronts and sides.
(a)
Scope. The standards for building fronts and sides abutting streets shall be as provided in this section.
(b)
Generally.
(1)
All structural and decorative elements of building fronts and sides abutting the mall shall be made structurally sound and deteriorated or missing portions shall be repaired or replaced in a workmanlike manner. All exposed wood surfaces shall be painted.
(2)
Show windows, entrances, signs, lighting, sun protection, security grills, and other like items, shall be designed to be compatible and consistent with the scale and character of the structure. All windows and building fronts shall be fully exposed and may not be boarded or otherwise concealed. All windows shall be repaired or replaced when necessary.
(3)
Solid or permanently enclosed or covered store fronts shall not be permitted, unless treated as an integral part of the building facade using wall materials and window detailing compatible with the upper floors. All damaged, sagging or otherwise deteriorated storefronts, show windows or entrances shall be repaired or replaced.
(4)
Single buildings with multiple tenants shall be rehabilitated in a unified and harmonious manner.
(c)
Upper floors. Upper floors of buildings which are comprised predominantly of original construction materials and structural and decorative elements shall, when necessary, be repaired in such a manner as to match as closely as possible the original materials and architectural features of such floors. Upper floors which have been predominantly resurfaced or which are in an advanced state of disrepair shall be repaired to match the materials and construction techniques of the resurfaced building front, or replaced to match those of the original facade or, in exceptional cases as determined by the design review commission, replaced with a modern facade, the design of which is compatible in terms of scale, color, and materials with neighboring structures on the Market Street Mall.
(d)
Rear and side walls. All side walls shall be repaired to present a neat and fresh appearance. Side walls, where visible from the mall, shall be finished or painted so as to be harmonious with the front of the building.
(e)
Roofs. Roofs, chimneys or other auxiliary structures on the roof shall be repaired and cleaned as required for rear and side walls. Any construction visible from the street shall be finished so as to harmonize with other visible building walls. Television and radio antennae shall be located in as inconspicuous a manner as possible.
(f)
Signs. Any sign coming under this section shall be subject to the following provisions:
(1)
Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this subsection, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
a.
Sign means any letters, pictorial representation, symbol, flag, emblem, or illuminated device situated outdoors or indoors in any manner whatsoever which directs attention of persons off the premises on or in which the sign is displayed to any object, subject, place, person, activity, service, institution, organization, or business. For purposes of this division signs do not include the following:
1.
Flags of nations, states and cities, or fraternal, religious, civic or similar organizations or their civic symbols or crests.
2.
Merchandise, pictures or materials or products or services or a restaurant menu included in a window display.
3.
Time and temperature devices but only such portion of a structure used as such a device shall be exempt from classification as a sign.
4.
Works of art which in no way identify a property or use conducted therein.
b.
Surface area of a sign is the entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of lettering, representations, emblems or other figures together with any material or color forming an integral part of the display or used to differentiate the sign from the background against which it is placed. Structural members bearing no sign copy shall be included. In the case of a multifaced sign, each face shall be deemed to be a separate sign for purposes of determining sign area, with the exception that, only one side of a projecting double-faced sign shall be included in calculating surface area, provided that the two display surfaces are joined at an angle no greater than 30 degrees.
(2)
Signs in general.
a.
No signs other than those identifying a property where they are installed or identifying the use conducted therein shall be permitted. Advertising by material or product manufacturers shall not be permitted, except as a part of the primary identification of an establishment.
b.
Any sign erected as part of a completely renovated facade must be designed to be an integral part of this new facade in terms of scale, color and materials.
(3)
Allowed signs.
a.
Any sign shall be allowed if it is determined to be an original part of the existing building facade. A sign will be considered to be an "original part" if it was included as a component of the existing facade design and construction. Such signs may be renovated and/or updated, subject to the review of the design review commission.
b.
Each occupant in a building may have one sign oriented to each street on which the premises have frontage identifying the building as a whole or its predominant use. For first floor occupants, signs shall be located between the first story lintel and second story window sills. For other than first floor occupants, signs shall be located between the second and third floors.
In addition one projecting sign relating to the same occupant shall be permitted which sign shall be included as part of the allowable sign area. For other than first floor occupants, the projecting sign shall be located at the ground floor entrance, which sign shall be shared equally by all such occupants desiring signage.
c.
A sign on a retractable cloth awning providing shelter to the public is permitted which sign shall be included as part of the allowable sign area. No wood, paper, cloth, or temporary sign shall be hung or attached to any awning. An awning may have painted on or fixed to the edges thereof the name of the tenant or owner of the building and the street address of the building. The letters or numbers shall not extend above the top surface or below the lower edge of the awning.
d.
No more than one projecting sign or cloth awning sign shall be permitted for any occupant.
e.
No projecting or awning sign shall be illuminated other than by light sources directed solely at the sign.
(4)
Sign size. With the exceptions listed below, the total surface area of all signs oriented to any street shall not exceed 15 times the square root of street frontage on that street, and the combined area of all signs shall not exceed 15 times the square root of the combined street frontage:
| Street Frontage (feet) |
Allowable Area (square feet) |
| 15 | 58 |
| 20 | 67 |
| 25 | 75 |
| 30 | 82 |
| 35 | 89 |
| 40 | 95 |
| 50 | 106 |
| 60 | 116 |
| 70 | 126 |
| 80 | 134 |
| 90 | 142 |
| 100 | 150 |
| 125 | 168 |
| 150 | 184 |
| 175 | 198 |
| 200 | 212 |
| 250 | 237 |
| 300 | 260 |
| 400 | 300 |
| 500 | 335 |
(5)
Exceptions. The following are allowed in addition to those signs listed above:
a.
Names of buildings, date of erection, monumental citations, and commemorative tablets shall not exceed 20 square feet in area when made a permanent and integral part of a building.
b.
Building directories shall not exceed 20 square feet in area if located outside.
c.
Educational signs shall not exceed 20 square feet providing bulletin or poster display space, identifying or explaining local history or processes going on out of sight within the building, if approved by the design review commission.
d.
Permanent signs affixed to or placed inside or attached to the inside surface of a display window or hung in the interior of a building so as to be visible through the display window, if approved by the design review commission. Such permanent signs shall cover no more than ten percent of a display window area fronting a street.
e.
Temporary signs which conform to the standards listed in subsection (7) of this subsection.
(6)
Illumination.
a.
Signs shall be illuminated only by steady, stationary, or shielded light sources directed solely at the sign, or internal to it, without causing glare for motorists, pedestrians or neighboring premises.
b.
The luminance of an illuminated sign measured in either candelas or foot-lamberts per square meter shall not exceed 300 times the luminance of the nighttime streetlighted background immediately adjacent to the sign, measured in the same units. Measurements shall be made with a luminance meter calibrated to CIE (Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage) standards for accuracy and spectral sensitivity and with the measured source filling the entire measuring area of the meter.
c.
All permanent outdoor lights such as those used for area lighting or building floodlighting shall be steady, stationary, shielded sources directed so as to avoid causing glare for pedestrians or neighboring premises.
(7)
Temporary signs. A temporary sign is any display sign, sandwich board, banner, pennant, valance, flag, poster, captive balloon, streamer or other advertising device constructed of cloth, canvas, fabric or other light temporary material, with or without a structural frame, intended for a limited period of display, including decorative displays for holidays or public demonstrations. Temporary signs may remain in place for a period of up to but not exceeding six months without a permit. The following temporary signs shall conform also to the standards listed immediately below:
a.
One unlighted construction site sign is permitted per occupant of up to 20 square feet identifying parties involved in construction on the premises where the sign is located. One unlighted sign of up to 40 square feet identifying the owner's name and the activity for which the building is intended and describing the construction process. These signs must be removed within 14 days after the beginning of the intended activity.
b.
Unlighted real estate signs of up to 12 square feet pertaining to the sale, rental, or lease of the premises on which the sign is displayed, to be removed within 14 days after sale, rental or lease.
c.
Unlighted event signs up to 20 square feet displayed on private property and limited to one per occupant announcing a campaign drive or event of a civic, educational, political or religious organization, to be removed within 14 days after the event.
d.
A restaurant may have one sandwich board for each street on which the premises have frontage of up to two feet by three feet in area. Lettering shall not exceed one inch in height.
e.
While a sale of goods or services is being conducted or while a store is being relocated, temporary "sale," "coming soon," "closing out sale," or similar signs may be displayed facing each street frontage provided the aggregate area of such signs does not exceed 25 percent of the display window area. Any such signs shall not be maintained for more than 30 days in any consecutive 180-day period.
(8)
Prohibited signs or devices.
a.
Colored lights and illuminated signs employing colors in use in authorized traffic control signals are prohibited within view of any signalized intersection.
b.
Fluorescent colors within the yellow to red spectrum are prohibited.
c.
Flashing signs or lights whether stationary, revolving or rotating which exhibit changing light or color effects are prohibited. For purposes of this article, revolving or rotating signs which exhibit no changing light or color effects, other than those produced by revolution of rotation, shall be deemed flashing signs only if they exhibit noticeable changes in light intensity or color effects.
(g)
Lighting and electrical requirements. All lighting and electrical elements, such as wires, conduits, junction boxes, transformers, ballasts, switches and panel boxes shall be concealed from view whenever possible. All nonfunctioning lighting and electrical elements shall be removed.
(Code 1968, § 45-139(d)(2); Ord. No. 92-053(sub 1), § 32(k), 7-2-92)