Article 2 — DEFINITIONS Revised 4/25

911.2.005 IN GENERAL.

For the purpose of this Chapter the words and phrases set forth shall have a meaning ascribed to them as follows in this Article.

911.2.010 ADVERTISING DEVICE.

"Advertising device" means any balloon, flag, pennant, banner, propeller, oscillating, rotating, pulsating or stationary light, or other contrivance (except lawfully permitted signs) used to attract attention.

911.2.020 ADVERTISING DISPLAY.

"Advertising display" means any device, contrivance, statue, or structure (other than a sign) used as a display, regardless of size and shape, for the purpose of attracting attention.

911.2.030 AERIAL SIGN.

"Aerial sign" means a sign or device that is either floating or flying in the air but is secured to a structure or to the ground by strings or cables and is primarily installed to attract attention to or advertise a business, a business location, a service, a product or an event.

911.2.040 ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENT.

"Architectural element" means an integrated component of the design of a building including walls, windows, rafters, roofs, neon bands and other physical components.

911.2.050 AREA OF SIGN.

"Area of sign" shall mean the total area within the extreme perimeter of the attraction area intended to draw attention to the sign, including all open spaces and the supports which the sign rests upon if said supports are designed to attract attention rather than be aesthetically pleasing. The area of the sign with two (2) faces, approximately opposed, shall be that of the larger face if such condition prevails; but, if the angle between the planes of the faces exceeds forty-five (45) degrees the total area of both faces shall be considered the sign area. For multi-sided or circular signs, the area shall be the total projected area as used for wind load design in the Building Code of the City.

911.2.060 BILLBOARD.

"Billboard" shall mean any sign, signboard or outdoor advertising display which is used for advertising purposes or display purposes, except advertising displays used exclusively:

a) To advertise the sale or lease of the property upon which such advertising displays are to be placed.

b) To designate the name of the owner or the occupant of the premises upon which such advertising display is placed, or to identify such premises.

c) To advertise goods manufactured, produced, or for sale or services rendered, on the property upon which such advertising display is placed.

911.2.070 BUILDING LINE.

"Building line" shall also mean a property line whose boundaries are established by a building line ordinance.

911.2.080 COMMERCIAL MASCOT.

"Commercial mascot" means humans or animals used as advertising devices for commercial establishments, typically by the holding or wearing of insignia, masks or costumes associated with or advertising the commercial establishment, including sign twirlers.

911.2.090 COMMERCIAL MESSAGE OR COMMERCIAL SPEECH.

"Commercial message or commercial speech" is a message displayed on a sign that proposes a commercial transaction or is related primarily to the economic interests of the speaker and its audience. Messages promoting professional services are within this definition.

911.2.100 DEVELOPMENT.

"Development" shall mean any nonresidential property improvement or properties improved as a unit with a common parking area that is contiguous to the development. A shopping center under single or multiple ownership constitutes a development.

911.2.110 ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTER OR SIGN.

"Electronic message center or sign" means an electronically activated changeable sign whose variable message and/or graphic presentation capability can be electronically programmed by computer from a remote location. Time and temperature displays are excluded from this definition.

911.2.120 FACE OF BUILDING.

"Face of building" shall mean the general outer surface not including cornices, bay windows or other ornamental trim, of any main exterior wall of the building.

911.2.130 FLASHING SIGN.

"Flashing sign" means any illuminated sign on which the artificial light is not maintained stationary or constant in intensity and color at all times when such sign is in use. For the purposes of this Chapter any moving illuminated sign, except electronic message centers, must be considered a flashing sign.

911.2.140 FREEWAY.

"Freeway" shall be deemed to mean highway in respect to which the owners of abutting lands have no right or easement of access to or from their abutting lands or in respect to which such owners have only limited or restricted right or easement of access, and which is declared to be such in compliance with the Streets and Highways Code of the State of California.

911.2.150 FREEWAY, LANDSCAPED.

"Landscaped freeway" shall be deemed to mean a section or sections of a freeway which is now or hereafter may be improved by the planting of at least one (1) side of the freeway right-of-way of lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers or other ornamental vegetation which shall require reasonable maintenance. Planting for the purpose of soil erosion control, traffic safety requirements, reduction of fire hazards, or traffic noise abatement shall not change the character of a freeway to a landscaped freeway.

911.2.160 GOVERNMENT SIGN.

"Government sign" means a sign that is constructed, placed or maintained by the Federal, State or local government or a sign that is required to be constructed, placed or maintained by the Federal, State or local government either directly or to enforce a property owner’s rights. City of Torrance signs, when sponsored by a local business and authorized by City Council or City Manager, may contain the name of said sponsor subject to the satisfaction of the City Council or City Manager.

911.2.170 GROUND SIGNS.

"Ground sign" shall mean a sign not wholly supported on a building or on a structure other than a sign structure, including monument, pole or pylon signs.

911.2.180 INFLATABLE DEVICE.

"Inflatable device" means a sign or advertising display that is an air-inflated or air-activated object, which may be of various shapes, made of flexible fabric, resting on the ground or structure and equipped with a portable blower motor that provides a constant flow of air into the device. Inflatable devices are restrained, attached or held in place by a cord, rope, cable or similar method.

911.2.190 LIGHT BULB STRINGS.

"Light bulb strings" means external or internal displays within twelve (12) inches of the inside of the window which consist of light bulbs, strings of open light bulbs, LED light strips or lighted tubing.

911.2.200 MARQUEE SIGN.

"Marquee sign" shall include any hood or awning of permanent construction projecting from the wall of a building or other structure.

911.2.210 MONUMENT SIGN.

"Monument sign" means a low profile, freestanding sign with its base on the ground and designed to incorporate design and building elements which complement the architectural theme of the buildings on the premises.

911.2.220 MURAL.

"Mural" means a display or illustration within public view painted on an exterior surface of a structure that does not contain the name of the business, product or service on the premises.

911.2.230 NEON OR LIGHT BAND.

"Neon or light band" means a neon or other light tube, including LED light strips, used to accent the lines of a building, features of a building, sign or window, which follows the form of the structure.

911.2.240 NONCOMMERCIAL SPEECH OR NONCOMMERCIAL MESSAGE.

"Noncommercial speech" or "noncommercial message" is sign copy or graphics that do not relate primarily to the economic interests of the speaker or the audience, or do not propose an economic transaction or the providing of professional services.

911.2.250 NONCONFORMING SIGN.

"Nonconforming sign" means a sign that was legally erected and maintained at the effective date of the ordinance codified in this Chapter or amendment thereto, that does not currently comply with sign regulations as contained in this Code.

911.2.260 ORIGINAL ART DISPLAY. Revised 4/25

(Amended by O-3941)

"Original art display" means a work of visual art that is either affixed, placed or painted directly on to the exterior wall of a structure with the permission of the property owner.

911.2.270 POLE SIGN.

"Pole sign" means a freestanding sign directly supported by a pole with air space between the grade level and sign face.

911.2.280 PORTABLE SIGN.

"Portable sign" means any sign designed to be moved easily and not permanently affixed to the ground or to a structure or building including but not limited to an A- frame sign, "sandwich sign," a sign on wheels, bow banners, air-assisted devices or a sign which leans against a stationary object, building or structure or any sign held or supported by a person.

911.2.290 PROJECTING SIGN.

"Projecting sign" shall mean a sign suspended from or supported from a building or structure and projecting out therefrom more than one (1) foot.

911.2.300 PYLON SIGN.

"Pylon sign" means a sign supported by two (2) or more uprights, poles or braces, including those surrounded by a decorative cover forming one (1) sign support.

911.2.310 QUALIFIED STREET FRONTAGE.

"Qualified street frontage" shall mean the width of property of a commercial or industrial development fronting on a major or secondary thoroughfare. In cases of corner or through lots, only one (1) street frontage may be used as qualified street frontage for purposes of calculating permitted sign area.

911.2.320 RESPONSIBLE PARTY.

"Responsible party" means the owner of the sign, or, where ownership is not known, the owner of the property where the sign is posted. In the absence of persuasive evidence to the contrary, the person, persons or business entity who benefitted from the sign shall be presumed to be the person who was responsible for the placement of the sign.

911.2.330 ROOF SIGN.

"Roof sign" shall mean any sign supported by the roof of a building or placed above the apparent flat roof or eaves of a building as viewed from any elevation.

911.2.340 SIGN.

"Sign" shall mean a display board, screen, structure, object or part thereof, used to announce, declare, demonstrate, display or otherwise advertise and attract the attention of the public to any business, service or product provided on the premises upon which such sign is placed, other than:

a) Official notices authorized by a court, public body or public officer; and

b) Directional, warning or information signs authorized by Federal, State or municipal authority; and

c) Murals or original art displays, as defined in this Section.

911.2.350 SIGN PROGRAM.

"Sign program" means a comprehensive program intended to provide incentive, latitude and variety in order to achieve aesthetically appealing and compatible signage for shopping centers, professional office centers and industrial parks with two (2) or more occupants. A sign program may also be applicable for a single business proposing two (2) or more signs. This includes master sign programs and creative sign programs.

911.2.360 SNIPE SIGN.

"Snipe sign" means a sign tacked, nailed, posted, pasted, glued or otherwise attached to trees, poles, stakes, fences, public benches, streetlights or other objects, or placed in the public right-of-way or on any public property or on any private property without the permission of the property owner.

911.2.370 STREET POLE BANNER.

"Street pole banner" means a banner suspended above a public street or sidewalk and attached to a single street pole. These signs shall not contain any commercial advertising.

911.2.380 TEMPORARY SIGNS.

"Temporary signs" shall mean a sign, banner, pennant or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard or other light material with or without frames intended to be displayed for a short period of time only.

911.2.390 VEHICLE SIGN.

"Vehicle sign" means a sign affixed to a vehicle in such a manner that the sign is used primarily as a stationary advertisement for the business on which the vehicle sits or is otherwise not incidental to the vehicle’s primary purpose.

911.2.400 WALL SIGN.

"Wall sign" shall mean any sign painted on, attached to or projecting from the wall surface of a building (including permanent window signs and signs on awnings and/or marquees). A wall sign shall not project above the apparent flat roof or eave line as viewed from all elevations.

911.2.410 WINDOW SIGN.

"Window sign" means any sign attached, painted or pasted, either permanent or temporary, on the interior or within twelve (12) inches of the interior or on the exterior of a window and intended to be viewed from the outside.

911.2.420 DIRECTOR.

"Director" shall refer to the Community Development Director, or designee.