Montague Municipal Code Ch. 14.04 Definitions

Sections:

As used in this title, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this chapter. Explanatory diagrams of some of the sign definitions set forth herein are provided in figure 14.04.010 A through L at the end of this chapter. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Accessory sign” means any sign or sign device not exceeding twenty square feet in area and not exceeding six and one-half feet in overall height above the surface of the ground adjacent to the sign and carrying only advertising appurtenant to the lawful use of the premises upon which it is located. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Advertising surface (facing)” means the entire surface plane on which any type of letter, figure, emblem, trademark, picture, or other advertising material is placed, or may be placed. In the case of the sphere of any type, only one-half thereof shall be considered the “advertising surface (facing)” unless the sphere may be observed on all sides by the public, in which event the entire surface area of the sphere shall be considered the “advertising surface (facing).” In the case of freestanding letters, numerals, pictures, or other advertising material, the “advertising surface (facing)” shall be computed by enclosing the entire area constituting the advertising message within a parallelogram or triangle. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Alley” means a public way permanently reserved as a secondary means of access to abutting property. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Approved combustible materials” means wood or material not more combustible than wood. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Approved combustible plastics” means those plastics which, when tested in accordance with ASIM standard method of testing for flammability of plastics over 0.050 inches in thickness (D635-44), bum no faster than two and one-half inches per minute in sheets of 0.060 inches in thickness. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Appurtenant sign” means a sign pertaining to the business or activity carried on at the premises upon which the sign is located, constructed or erected. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Awning” means and includes any structure made of cloth, metal or other suitable material with a fixed or movable metal frame attached to a building and projecting over a thoroughfare. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Building” means any structure having a roof supported by columns or by walls and designed for the shelter and housing of any person, animal or chattel, including any underground shelter, swimming pool, or any commercial or industrial structure designed for the sale, storage or manufacture of anything of value. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Canopy” means a structure made of cloth or metal with a metal frame, projecting over a public thoroughfare, and supported by the ground or sidewalk. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Canopy sign” means any advertising of any nature which is painted, printed, sewed or otherwise attached to a canopy. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Cloth sign” means any advertising of any nature, except awning and canopy signs, delineated on a cloth or fabric surface, regardless of the method of support. Plain banners and similar devices when used for advertising purposes are cloth signs. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Curbline” means the line at the face of the curb nearest to the street or roadway. In the absence of a curb, the curb line shall be established by the maintenance supervisor. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Electrical code” means the electrical code of the state of California. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Electrical sign” means any sign which is wired to provide current employed in illuminating or animating any part of the sign, except floodlighting. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Embellishments” mean that portion of any sign structure or sign which contains no moving parts, is not animated nor illuminated, and which contains no advertising copy, nor conveys any portion or all of any advertising message, and is generally located above the message portion of any sign and is constructed for aesthetic purposes as part of the decorative trim of design of the overall sign or sign structure. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Erect” means to build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend or affix to or upon any surface. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Face of building” means the general outer surface of a pole, structure or wall of a building facing a street and located on the street line. Where the outer surface of the pole, structure or wall is not on the street line, the projection of a sign from the face of a building shall be measured from the street line. Where bay windows or pillars project beyond the wall, the outer surface of the windows or pillars shall be considered to be the face of the building. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Facing” or “surface” mean the surface of the sign upon, against, or through which the copy or message is displayed or illustrated on the sign. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Freeway” means highway in respect to which the owners of abutting lands have no right of easement of access to or from their abutting lands, or in respect to which such owners have only limited or restricted right of easement of access, and which is declared to be such in compliance with the Streets and Highway Code of the state. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Landscaped freeway” means a section of a freeway which is improved by the planting of at least one side of the freeway right-of-way in lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers or other ornamental vegetation which shall require reasonable maintenance. Planting for the purpose of soil erosion, traffic safety requirements, reduction of fire hazards or traffic noise abatement, shall not change the character of a freeway to a landscaped freeway. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Marquee” means a permanent roofed structure, attached to and supported wholly by the building and projecting over public property. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Outdoor advertising structure” means any structure and all parts and supports thereof erected upon or attached to the ground and used for advertising purposes, regardless of the material, character, construction, location or method of attachment of the advertising medium, but shall not include real estate, electric, pole, post or accessory signs. Any such outdoor advertising structure attached to and supported by the ground, and also attached to the wall of a building and supported thereby in lateral directions only, is an outdoor advertising structure. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Pole sign” or “post sign” means any advertising of any nature which is wholly supported by one or more poles or posts set in or attached to the ground and appurtenant to the use of the property on which it is located. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Projecting sign” means any sign which is suspended from or supported by any building, pole, post, or structure which projects outward therefrom over public property. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Real estate sign” means any sign advertising for sale or lease of the lot or parcel of land upon which it is erected or maintained. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Roof sign” means any sign of any nature, together with all its parts and supports, which is erected, constructed, or maintained on or above the roof or parapet of any building, including wall signs which extend above the roof or parapet of any building. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Sign” means any medium including its structure and component parts, which is erected out-of-doors and which is used or intended to be used to attract attention to the subject matter for advertising purposes. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Sign business” means the business of selling, offering for sale, leasing or renting, electric and nonelectric signs and includes the business of painting, construction, erection, maintenance or repair of signs upon buildings, fences, windows, posts, structures and surfaces. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Sniping” means advertising by pasting, posting, sticking, tacking, hanging, affixing or placing of cloth, paper or cardboard bills, cards or posters, or metal signs, to or upon fences, posts. trees, buildings, structures or surfaces other than outdoor advertising structures. This definition does not include any sign or notice issued by any court or public office or posted by any public officer in performance of a public duty or by a private person in giving a legal notice, or any cloth, paper or cardboard sign advertising for sale or lease the property upon which it stands or any type of sign permitted elsewhere in this title. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Sniping business” means the business of advertising by the placing of sniping as defined in Section 14.04.300. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Street” means a public or private thoroughfare which affords the principal means of access to abutting property, including avenue, place, way, drive, lane, boulevard, highway, road and any other thoroughfare except any alley as defined herein. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Street clock” means a timepiece erected on the exterior of any building and projecting over a public right-of-way. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Structural trim” means the molding, battens, capping, nailing strips, latticing, platforms and letters, figures, characters or representations in cutout or irregular form which are attached to the sign structure. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Structure” means anything constructed or erected, the use of which required location on the ground or attachment to something having location on the ground or underground. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Temporary signs” as regulated by this title mean and include any sign, banner, pennant, valance or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wall board, or other light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed for a short period of time only. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Wall” means any exterior surface of a building or any part thereof. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)

“Wall sign” means any sign of any nature which is attached to or supported by a wall of a building and shall include all parts and supports of such sign, but shall not include cloth signs, signs painted directly on the wall of a building or outdoor advertising structures supported from the ground. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)