Section 17.104.020 Definitions.
Definitions in Section 17.04.040 shall have the same meanings in this chapter.
Other specific
terms are defined in this chapter.
"Abandoned sign" means a sign which no longer identifies or advertises
a bona fide business,
lessee, service, owner, product or activity and/or which no legal owner can be found.
"Awning, canopy" or "marquee" means a roof like shelter
attached to or extending from part
or all of a building face.
"Balloon sign" means any tethered inflatable structure, not including
passenger balloons used
for air travel.
"Banner" means a sign of lightweight material, including flags, that
is mounted to a pole or a
building at one or more edges. National, state, municipal or other official flags shall not be
considered banners.
"Billboard" means an off-premises sign two hundred fifty (250) square
feet or larger of sign
area on any plane surface.
"Building frontage" means the linear length of a building facing the
public access or right-of-way.
"Changing sign" (automatic) means a sign as an electronically or electrically
controlled
public-service time, temperature and date sign, messages or reader board, where different copy
changes are shown at a frequency of more than once per hour.
"Freestanding sign" (also known as a ground sign) means a sign which
is detached from a
building, supported by uprights or braces permanently placed upon the ground and not attached
to any building.
"Frontage" means the length of the property line of any one premises
along each public right-of-way it borders excluding alleys and service ways.
"Incidental signs" means a small sign, emblem or decal which may include
a small
commercial logo or trademark not exceeding three square feet in area informing the public of
location, open hours, traffic flow or other similar information (e.g., entrance, exit, parking).
"Multi-faced sign" means a sign with more than one face not part of
the same geometric
plane.
"Nonconforming sign" means an advertising structure or sign which
was lawfully erected and
maintained prior to the adoption of this Title 17 and any amendments thereto, and which fails to
comply with all applicable regulations and restrictions of this Title 17, or a nonconforming sign
for which a special permit has been authorized.
"Off-premises sign" (off-site sign) means a sign which directs attention
to a business,
commodity, service or entertainment not located on the zoned lot upon which the sign is located.
"Pennant" means a sign made of lightweight flexible material, designed
to move in the wind,
suspended from a wire or string, with or without a commercial message of any kind.
"Permanent sign" means a durable sign securely affixed to the ground
or to a structure.
"Premises" means an area of land with its appurtenances and buildings
which, because of its
unity and use, may be regarded as the smallest conveyable unit of real estate.
"Projecting sign" means a sign which is attached to, suspended from
or supported by a
building and which projects more than sixteen (16) inches from the building.
"Public nuisance" is defined under Section 27-30-102, MCA.
"Reader board sign" means a sign or portion thereof with characters,
letters or illustrations
that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or surface of the sign.
"Roof sign" means a sign erected, constructed and maintained upon,
or connected to any roof
of any building with the principal support on the roof structure.
"Sidewalk sign" means any sign designed in a "sandwich board"
format and that sits on the
sidewalk.
"Sign" means any device, structure, fixture or placard using graphics,
symbols and/or written
copy designed specifically for the purpose of advertising or identifying any establishment,
product, goods or service.
"Temporary or portable ground sign" means a sign which rests on the
ground and which is
not securely (permanently) affixed to the ground or to any structure.
"Under canopy sign" means a sign suspended below the ceiling or roof
of a canopy, awning
or marquee.
"Wall sign" means a single-sided sign permanently affixed, erected
flush against or painted
on any side of a building and roughly parallel to the face of a principal building wall and
projecting not more than sixteen (16) inches from the plane of the wall. Permanent signs in
windows shall be considered wall signs.
"Window signs" means a permanent window sign affixed to the interior
of a window. (Ord.
225 (part), 2003)
