5.a) Draft Ordinance No 165 Sign OrdOrdinance No. 165 Page 1 of 7
CITY OF SCANDIA
ORDINANCE NO. 165
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 122, THE SCANDIA DEVELOPMENT CODE,
CHAPTER 1, SECTION 4.2 and CHAPTER 2, SECTION 4.30 REGARDING
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR SIGNS
The City Council of the City of Scandia, Washington County, Minnesota hereby ordains:
Section 1. Amendment. Ordinance No. 122, the City of Scandia Development Code
(“Development Code” or “Code”), Chapter One, Section 4.2, Definitions, shall be amended to
add the following definitions:
Abandoned Sign: Any sign and/or its supporting sign structure which remains without a
message or whose display surface remains blank for a period of one (1) year or more; or
any sign which pertains to a time, event or purpose which no longer applies; or any sign
whose permit has expired shall be deemed to have been abandoned. Signs applicable to a
use temporarily suspended because of a change in ownership or management of such use
shall not be deemed abandoned unless the property remains vacant for a period of one (1)
year or more. Any sign remaining after demolition of a principal structure shall be
deemed to be abandoned. Signs which are present because of being legally established
nonconforming signs or signs which have required a conditional use permit or a variance
shall also be subject to the definition of abandoned sign.
Banner: A temporary sign made of lightweight fabric or similar material with no
enclosing framework that is mounted to a pole or a building at one or more edges.
National flags, state or municipal flags or the official flag of any organization shall not be
considered a banner if displayed for noncommercial purposes.
Height of sign: the height of the sign shall be computed as the vertical distance measured
from the base of the sign at grade to the top of the highest attached component of the
sign.
Pennant: Any lightweight plastic, fabric or other material designed to move in the wind,
whether containing a message or not.
Sign: Any letter, word or symbol, poster, picture, statuary, reading matter or
representation in the nature of advertisement, announcement, message or visual
communication, whether painted, posted, printed, affixed or constructed, including all
associated brackets, braces, supports, wires and structures, which is displayed for
information al or communicative purposes.
Sign, Animated (also called Dynamic Display signs): Any characteristics of a sign that
appear to have movement or that appear to change, caused by any method other than
physically removing and replacing the sign or its components, whether the apparent
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movement or change is in the display, the sign structure itself, or any other component of
the sign. This includes a display that incorporates a technology or method allowing the
sign fact to change the image without having to physically or mechanically replace the
sign face or its components. This also includes any rotating, revolving, moving, flashing,
blinking or animated display, and any display that incorporates rotating panels, LED
lights manipulated through digital input, “digital ink,” or any other method or technology
that allows the sign face to represent a series of images or displays.
Sign, Awning: A building sign or graphic printed on or in some fashion attached directly
to the awning material.
Sign, Back-lit or Illuminated: A sign which contains an element designed to emanate
artificial light internally or externally.
Sign, Freestanding: A sign which has a supporting framework that is placed on, or
anchored in, the ground and which is independent from any building or other structure.
Sign, Monument: Any freestanding sign with its sign face mounted on the ground or
mounted on a base at least as wide as the sign.
Sign, Off-Premises: A sign that directs attention to a use not located upon the premises
where the sign is located or to which it is attached.
Sign, Portable: A sign, with or without copy and/or graphics, that is constructed or placed
upon a chassis with wheels or skids in order to be movable from one location to another,
such as may be mounted on an automobile or trailer. This definition does not include
permanent identification signs painted directly on vehicles, principally used for
transportation, but does include such signs if the vehicles are not used for transportation
purposes but are intended as a structure to support a sign.
Sign, Pylon/Pedestal: A permanent, freestanding sign mounted on one (1) central shaft or
post that is solidly affixed to the ground.
Sign, Roof: Any sign erected and construction wholly on and above the roof of a
building, supported by the roof structure, and extending vertically above the highest
portion of the roof.
Sign, Sandwich-Board: A sign composed of two boards and being either carried by a
person, with one board in front and one behind, creating a "sandwich" effect; or set up in
a triangle shape, hinged along the top.
Sign, Temporary: A sign designed or intended to be displayed for a short period of time
and that is not permanently installed.
Sign, Wall: a Building sign attached parallel to, but within two (2) feet of a wall, painted
on the wall surface, or erected an confined within the limits of an outside wall of any
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building or structure, which is supported by such wall or building, and which displays
only one (1) sign surface.
Section 2. Amendment. Ordinance No. 122, the City of Scandia Development Code
(“Development Code”, or “Code”), Chapter Two, Section 3.13, Signs, shall be amended to read
as follows:
3.13 Signs
(1) Applicability. The regulations contained herein do not apply to signs painted, attached by
adhesive or otherwise attached directly to or visible through windows and glass portions of
doors.
(2) Permit Required. Except as otherwise provided in this Development Code, no sign shall be
erected, constructed, altered, rebuilt or relocated until an Administrative Permit or Conditional
use permit as may be required for the sign has been issued. Application for a permit shall be
accompanied by the established fee.
No permit will be required under this Development Code for the following signs:
(A) Signs up to ten (10) square feet in area.
(B) Noncommercial Signs that comply with Minnesota Statutes 211B.045 or successor
statutes.
(C) Signs may be placed on parcels that are currently offered for sale providing such
signs are not closer than 10 feet to any property line and shall not exceed ten (10)
square feet in area. One sign shall be permitted for each street frontage.
(D) Signs may be erected on parcels that are currently under construction for single-family
or multiple-family residences. The plat of the development shall be recorded with the
Washington County Recorder prior to the erection of a sign. Signs are subject to the
following standards.
1. Such signs shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet in area.
2. Only one (1) such sign shall be erected on each road frontage with a maximum of
three (3) such signs per project.
3. Such signs shall be removed when the project is eighty percent (80%) completed,
sold or leased.
4. Such sign shall be located on the property which is for sale. Off-site development
project signs are prohibited.
5. One sign shall be allowed for each street entrance to a parcel currently under
construction. The sign shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet per surface
and no sign shall have more than two surfaces. The sign shall not exceed eight
(8) feet in height.
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If the work authorized under a sign permit has not been completed within six (6) months after
the date of issuance, the permit shall become null and void.
(3) Signs by Conditional Use Permit. Where a use is permitted in a zoning district by Conditional
Use Permit, the sign for that use shall require a Conditional Use Permit unless the sign is
otherwise provided for in this Chapter.
(4) General Standards.
(A) Signs located in the Village Mixed Use (VMU A and B),Village Neighborhood (VN),
and Rural Commercial (R COMM) Districts shall be reviewed for compatibility with
the Scandia Architectural Design Guidelines, as applicable.
(B) No sign may be erected that, by reason of position, shape, movement, color or any
other characteristic, interferes with the proper functioning of a traffic sign or signal or
otherwise constitutes a traffic hazard; nor shall signs be permitted which would
otherwise interfere with traffic control.
(C) All signs, other than public utility warning signs, are prohibited within a public right
of way.
(D) Backlit or illuminated signs shall be diffused or indirect so as not to direct rays of
lighting onto any public right-of-way. No backlit/ illuminated signs or their support
structures shall be located closer than twenty five (25) feet to any roadway surface or
closer than ten (10) feet to a road right of way line, notwithstanding more restrictive
portions of this section.
(E) Flashing signs and animated signs (also called Dynamic Display signs) shall be
prohibited. Signs giving off intermittent, rotating, or direct light, which may be
confused with traffic, aviation, or emergency signaling, are also prohibited.
(F) One (1) wall sign shall be allowed for each street frontage on a building for each use
located within such building. The total area of all wall signs affixed to a building wall
shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the total area of that wall. No individual
wall sign shall exceed one hundred and fifty (150) square feet.
A wall sign shall not project more than eighteen (18) inches from the wall to which the
sign is to be affixed. Wall mounted signs shall not exceed the roof line on any
building. Wall signs located in the Village Mixed Use (VMU A and B), Village
Neighborhood (VN), and Rural Commercial (R COMM) Districts shall be reviewed
for compatibility with the Scandia Architectural Design Guidelines.
The City Council may approve the placement of murals on building walls that exceed
the standards for wall signs.
(G) Signs shall not be painted on a fence, tree, stone or other similar object in any district.
(H) Roof signs are prohibited in all districts.
(I) All signs and displays using electric power shall have a cutoff switch on the outside of
the sign and on the outside of the building or structure to which the sign is attached.
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No electrically illuminated signs shall be permitted in the Agriculture District- Core
(AG-C), Agriculture Preserves (AP), General Rural (GR) and Village Neighborhood
(VN) districts.
(J) Multi-faced signs shall not exceed two (2) times the allowed square footage of single
faced signs.
(K) Except for more restrictive parts of this Chapter, no sign that exceeds one hundred
(100) square feet in area shall be erected or maintained:
1. Which would prevent any traveler on any road from obtaining a clear view of
approaching vehicles on the same road for a distance of five hundred (500) feet.
2. Which would be closer than one thousand three hundred fifty (1,350) feet to a
national, state or local park, or historic site.
3. Which would obstruct more than fifty (50) percent of the view of a lake, river,
rocks, wooded, area, stream or other point of natural and scenic beauty.
(L) Any sign for which no permit has been issued shall be taken down and removed by the
owner, agent or person having the beneficial use of the building, or land upon which
the sign may be found within thirty (30) days after written notice from the Zoning
Administrator.
(M) Any sign which is abandoned or becomes structurally unsafe or endangers the safety
of a building or premises or endangers the public safety, shall be taken down and
removed or structurally improved by the owner, agent or person having the beneficial
use of the building, structure or land upon which the sign is located within ten (10)
days after written notification from the Zoning Administrator.
(N) If the work authorized under a sign permit has not been completed within six (6)
months after the date of issuance, the permit shall become null and void.
(5) Signs in Agriculture – Core (AG-C), Agriculture Preserves (AP), General Rural (GR) and
Village Neighborhood (VN) Districts.
(A) The maximum area permitted for a single sign shall be 10 square feet per surface. The
total area of all signs permitted per parcel is 30 square feet.
(B) No sign shall be so constructed as to have more than two (2) surfaces.
(C) Noncommercial signs shall conform to Minnesota Statutes 211B.045.
(D) The top of the display shall not exceed ten (10) feet above grade.
(E) Any sign over two (2) square feet shall be setback at least ten (10) feet from any
property line. In no case shall any part of the sign be closer than two (2) feet to a
vertical line drawn at the property line.
(F) The following types of signs are not permitted in the AG C, AP, GR and VN Districts:
1. Animated signs
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2. Awning signs
3. Canopy signs
4. Flashing signs
5. Portable signs
6. Pylon signs
7. Pennants
(6) Signs in Village Mixed Use - A (VMU-A), Village Mixed Use – B (VMU-B), Rural
Commercial (R-COMM) and Industrial Park (IP) districts.
(A) Noncommercial signs shall conform to Minnesota Statutes 211B.045.
(B) The total square footage of permanent sign area for each lot shall not exceed one (1)
square feet of sign area for each lineal foot of building front. No sign shall exceed two
hundred (200) square feet in area.
(C) Each lot may display one temporary or portable sign (including sandwich-board signs)
in addition to the area of permanent signs permitted. The temporary sign shall not
exceed forty (40) square feet in size, and shall be permitted for a period of no more
than thirty-four (34) consecutive days.
(D) The top of a monument sign shall not exceed fifteen (15) feet above the average grade.
(E) Any sign over six (6) square feet shall be setback at least ten (10) feet from any
property line. In no case shall any part of a sign be closer than two (2) feet to a vertical
line drawn at the property line.
(7) Shopping Center Signs.
(A) Shopping Centers or buildings containing more than one (1) tenant are allowed one (1)
monument sign which may contain the names of all tenants in the project. Individual
tenants may be identified by way of signs attached to the building. The total square
footage of sign area may not exceed the limits set forth in Section 6(B) above.
(B) Signs shall in no case project from a building or structure to any point within two (2)
feet of a line drawn perpendicularly upward from a curb line. No projecting sign shall
be less than nine (9) feet above the sidewalk or the ground level. All projecting signs
for which a permit is required shall be constructed entirely of fire resistant material.
(8) Off-Premises Signs
(A) Up to two multi-tenant off-premises signs (one for each roadway direction) may be
permitted per each intersection of State or County Highways within the VMU A and
VMU B Districts Scandia. The sign may be a monument sign or directional sign.
(B) The City Council shall grant a Conditional Use Permit for any off-premises sign.
When the applicant is any person other than the owner of the property, the owner of
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the property shall also sign the application. The application shall contain the
following information:
1. Name, address and telephone number of the property owner, sign owner, and
erector.
2. Proposed location of the sign structure, including property identification number
and address.
3. Scaled drawing showing the position of the sign structure in relation to the
property lines, nearest buildings, structures, public streets, and rights-of-way.
4. Plans, specifications, materials, and method of construction or attachment to the
ground or a structure, including all dimensions, all construction materials, a
description of al light sources, wattage, types and color of lights, and details of
light shields.
5. Any electrical permit required for the sign.
6. If the sign is proposed within the right-of-way of a state or county highway, the
applicant shall obtain any required permits and provide a copy of the approved
permit to the City.
7. Other information as required by the city.
(C) In addition to the above application, an agreement must be entered into with the city
which will authorize and direct the city to:
1. Remove at the expense of the owner, the sign and sign structure, where
maintenance is required, but not furnished after a hearing and a 10-day notice to
the owner specifying the maintenance required by the city.
Section 2. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect upon its adoption and
publication according to law.
Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Scandia this ________, 2015.
Randall Simonson, Mayor
ATTEST:
Kristina Handt, Administrator/Clerk