Martinez Municipal Code Ch. 16.24 Definitions

For the purposes of Chapters 16.20 through 16.68 certain words and terms herein are defined as set out in this chapter.

(Prior code § 10,201.1; Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Accessory sign (on-premises sign)"

means any sign which advertises goods manufactured or produced or services rendered on the property upon which such sign is located.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(3); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Approved plastic material"

means a material which the building official has found to meet the requirements of the Uniform Building Code approved standards of the City.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(4); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Area identification sign"

means a permanent sign used to identify a neighborhood, subdivision, shopping district, industrial district or any area composed of more than one ownership.

(Prior code § 10, 201.1(5); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Awning"

means any movable structure attached to a building and projecting over a thoroughfare or sidewalk.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(6); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Building area"

means the total square footage of floor area of a building used for commercial, office, industrial, quasi-public or agricultural farm product sale.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(7); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Building line"

means a line established by ordinance beyond which no building may extend.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(8); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Combination sign"

means a sign incorporating any combination of the features of ground sign, sign tower, projecting and roof signs.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(9); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Curbline"

means the line at the face of the curb nearest to the street or roadway.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(10); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Double-faced sign"

means a sign designed to be viewed from two directions and which at no point is thicker than 24 inches measured from the exterior surfaces of each face, and the two faces of the sign are either parallel or the angle between them is less than 30 degrees.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(11); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Electric sign"

means any sign containing electrical wiring, but not including signs illuminated by an exterior light source.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(12); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Erect"

means to build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend or affix, including the painting of wall signs.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(13); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Flyer"

means letters, figures, characters or representations in cut-out or irregular forms attached to or superimposed upon any sign structure or display surface.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(14); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Free-standing sign"

means a sign supported by one or more uprights, poles or braces in or upon the ground, with no portion of the sign over a building, other than a combination sign or a portable sign as defined herein.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(15); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Freeway"

means a highway to which the owners of abutting lands have limited or no access.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(16); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Frontage"

means the property line of a site abutting on a street, other than the sideline of a corner lot.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(17); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Incombustible material"

means material which meets the requirements of the Uniform Building code approved standards for the City.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(18); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Marquee"

means a permanent roofed structure attached to and supported by the building and projecting over public property.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(19); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Non-commercial sign"

means any sign which does not advertise goods or commercial services, events or establishments Non-commercial signs include signs expressing ideological or political views.

(Ord. 1059 C.S. § 5, 1986)

"Nonstructural trim"

means molding, battens, caps, nailing strips, latticing, flyers and walkways which are attached to the sign structure or display surface.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(20); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

Except as otherwise provided herein, all signs shall only identify the occupant of the building upon which the sign is attached. Such signs shall contain only the name of the business and the type of service rendered. Such signs are referred to herein as "occupancy signs." No occupancy sign shall be placed upon any portion of the building except that portion occupied by the business which is identified by the sign.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(21); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Off-site sign"

means a sign which advertises products, services or other uses not associated with any use established on the premises on which such a sign is located. Nonaccessory includes, but is not limited to, such terms as "billboard" and "outdoor advertising structures."

(Prior code § 10,201.1(22); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Permanent sign"

means any sign which from the nature and effect of its proposed composition, construction, message to be carried or its proposed placement, would make it reasonable to determine that it was intended for continuous display for a period of time greater than 90 days.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(23); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Person"

means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(24); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Political sign"

means any sign which is designed to influence the action of the voters either for the passage or defeat of a measure appearing on the ballot of any national, State or local election, or which is designed to influence the action of the voters either for the election or defeat of a candidate for nomination or election to any public office at any national, State or local election.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(25); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Portable free-standing sign (including A-frame type signs)"

means a sign that is designed to be movable and is not structurally attached to the ground, a building, a structure or any other sign. Such sign may or may not be in the configuration of an "A."

(Prior code § 10,201.1(26); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Projection"

means the distance by which a sign extends over public property or beyond the building line or eaves of a building.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(27); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Projecting sign"

means a sign other than a wall sign which projects from and is supported by a wall or roof of a building, structure or sign structure, and projects beyond the eaves of a building.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(28); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Roof sign"

means a sign erected upon the roof or parapet of a building or structure.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(29); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Shall"

is mandatory and not directory.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(1); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Sign"

means any lettering or symbol made of cloth, metal, paint, paper, plastic, wood or other material of any kind whatsoever erected for advertising, identification or other purposes upon the ground, or upon any bush, tree, rock, wall, post, fence, roof, building, structure, vehicle or any place whatsoever; provided however that the following shall not be included in the application of the regulations herein:

A.

Any device not exceeding 2 square feet in area and bearing only the property address numbers, post box number, names of occupants or premises, or other identification of the premises not having commercial connotation, providing such device is not located where other signs are prohibited;

B.

Flags or insignia of any government except where displayed in connection with commercial promotion;

C.

Legal notices, identification, information or directional signs erected or required by governmental bodies;

D.

Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except letters, trademarks, moving parts or moving lights;

E.

Signs directing and guiding traffic on private property providing such sign contains no business or product name or trademark or otherwise identifies the use of the premises upon which such sign is located and further provided that such sign is not located where other signs are prohibited;

F.

Window signs not exceeding 36 square inches identifying acceptable credit cards or trading stamps.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(30); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Sign area."

The area of a sign having an integral part of a building as its background shall be the area within the smallest of a circle, square or rectangle drawn to include all letters, designs and tubing which are a part of the sign. The area of all other signs shall be the smallest of a circle, square or rectangle drawn to encompass all portions of the sign including background and tubing, but excluding posts without attached sign lighting. In computing the area of a double-faced sign, only the 1 face of the sign shall be included.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(31); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Sign structure"

means the supports, uprights, braces and frame work of the sign.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(32); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Sign tower"

means a tower erected for the specific purpose of supporting a sign or having a sign attached flat against the face or faces. The tower may or may not be an integral part of the building.

(Prior code 10,201.1(33); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Street"

means any public street, alleyway, place or thoroughfare. The sidelines of the right-of-way constitute the sidelines of a street.

(Prior code 10,201.1(34); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Structure"

means that which is built or constructed, any edifice or building of any kind, or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together with some definite manner.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(35); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Temporary sign"

means any sign, banner, pennant, valance or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard or other light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed for a period of not more than 90 calendar days.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(36); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Uniform Building Code"

means the latest edition of the Uniform Building Code adopted by the City.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(37); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"Wall sign"

means any sign attached to or erected against the wall of a building or structure, with the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to the plane of the wall, and not extending beyond the eaves or building face.

(Prior code § 10,201.1(38); Ord. 822 C.S. § 2, 1975)

"City gateway signs"

that identify the City, are signs located at the primary gateways to the City, on land owned by the City or on land in which the City has an interest and which may be sponsored by a specific commercial enterprise. Gateway signs shall be permitted only at the following 6 gateway points to the City:

Within the City median on the north side of State Route 4 at the Morello Avenue exit;

On the south side of State Route 4 and on the west side of the Pine Street/Center Avenue exit (directly adjacent to the John Muir Inn);

On the east side of Alhambra Avenue directly north and adjacent to the freeway exit from westbound SR 4;

Within the landscaped median on Alhambra Avenue north of Devon Avenue (in the proximity of the existing City sign);

Within the landscaped median between Marina vista and Escobar; and

Within the City right of way on the north side of the Pacheco Boulevard/Bush Street intersection.

(Ord. 1278 C.S. § 2, 2000)