“Appeal authority” means the body tasked with hearing appeals to decisions of the review authority or community development director or designee. The site and architectural design review board hears appeals for decisions of the community development director or designee, the planning commission hears appeals for decisions of the site and architectural design review board, and the city council hears appeals for decisions of the planning commission.

“Awning” means a roof-like cover, usually of canvas, extending over or before a place.

“Compliant sign” means a sign that complies with the provisions of this chapter and requires an administrative sign permit issued by the community development director or designee.

“Exempt sign” means a sign that does not require a sign permit.

“Height,” when used in reference to a monument sign, means the vertical distance from the average of the lowest and highest points at the finished grade at the base of sign to the topmost point of the sign.

“Noncompliant sign” means a sign that does not comply with the provisions of this chapter and requires a sign permit issued by the review authority.

“Official signs and notices” means signs and notices placed by public officers or public agencies within their territorial or zoning jurisdiction and pursuant to and in accordance with direction or authorization contained in federal, state or local law for the purposes of carrying out an official duty or responsibility. Historical markers authorized by state law and placed by state or local government agencies or nonprofit historical societies shall be considered as official signs.

“Primary business frontage” or “PBF” means that frontage of a building containing the primary or most important entrance to the occupancy thereon. In such cases where there are multiple entrances, the community development director or designee shall determine which frontage is the primary frontage. In no case shall more than one primary business frontage be permitted.

“Public directional signs” means signs containing directional information about public places owned or operated by federal, state or local governments or their agencies; publicly owned natural phenomena, historic, cultural, scientific and educational sites; and publicly owned or operated areas of natural scenic beauty or naturally suited for outdoor recreation, deemed to be in the interest of the traveling public.

“Public utility signs” means warning signs, informational signs, notices or markers which are customarily placed by public or private utilities, as essential to their operations.

“Real estate signs” means signs used to advertise the sale, rental, lease, subdivision, or construction of property.

“Review authority” means the body tasked with reviewing and approving noncompliant sign permit applications and may include the site and architectural design review board or planning commission.

“Secondary business frontage” or “SBF” means that frontage of a building containing any entrance other than a primary business frontage. In no case shall more than two secondary business frontages be permitted.

“Service station” means a business which is primarily in the business of providing service to vehicles such as gasoline, oil, tire, mechanical assistance, parts, etc.

“Shopping center” means commercial and retail buildings and associated facilities which have been designed and developed as an integrated unit containing more than four separately owned and operated businesses which function as an integral unit and which utilize common off-street parking.

“Sign” means any letters, figures, design, symbol, trademark or illuminating device intended to attract attention to any person, partnership, corporation or unincorporated association, or any place, subject, public performance, article, machine or merchandise, whatsoever, and painted, printed, constructed, erected or displayed in any manner whatsoever.

“Sign area” means that area enclosed by a square, rectangle, triangle or other shape which connects the extreme points or edges of the sign, excluding the supporting structure which does not form part of the sign proper. The area of a sign composed of characters, words or individual letters attached directly to a surface shall be the smallest shape that encloses the whole group. Sign area shall include only one face of any double-faced sign and shall include all faces of any multi-faced sign containing more than two faces. For the purpose of this definition, the faces of a double-faced sign shall be parallel.

“Sign area allotment” means the maximum area of signs that may be displayed on any site, premises, business, building, parcel, lot or otherwise not including signs specifically exempted in this chapter.

“Temporary sign” means a sign posted not more than sixty days prior to an event to which it pertains.

“Uniform Building Code” or “UBC,” “Uniform Electrical Code” or “UEC,” “Uniform Mechanical Code” or “UMC” means those codes which are currently in full force and effect as adopted by the city council, including any amendments or additions thereto adopted from time to time by the city council. (Ord. 2023-05 § 3 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 2020-07 § 2, 2020; Ord. 95-10 § 1, 1995; Zoning Ordinance dated 7/94, 1994. Formerly 17.46.150)