A.    Signs. It is the purpose of this section to regulate and control the location, erection, number and maintenance of signs and matters relating thereto within the business park zoning districts in order to promote the public safety, health and general welfare of the community. These regulations are specifically designed to:

    1.    Provide for uniform regulation and orderly development of signs consistent with established policies and ordinances of the city;

    2.    Prohibit hazardous and dangerous signs;

    3.    Provide a desirable and uniform system of signage to enhance the overall function and appearance of the business park.

    B.    Scope. The provisions of this section shall not apply to:

    1.    Flags of any nation, state, county, city or other governmental unit and any not-for-profit organization;

    2.    Real estate signs not exceeding six square feet in area, which advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which the signs are located; which signs shall be removed within five days following the sale or lease of the property being advertised for sale or lease;

    3.    Memorial signs or tablets, incorporating names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other noncombustible materials;

    4.    Signs erected inside a building not visible through windows.

    C.    Permitted Signs. Within the business park zoning districts, only the following signs shall be permitted:

    1.    Monument Signs. A monument sign is a type of sign in which the entire bottom of the sign is generally in contact with or in close proximity to the ground; it is not attached to a building but is erected upon or supported by the ground, a ground planter box, or similar low support structure; the total height of a monument sign measured from the ground to the top of the sign shall not exceed six feet; masonry materials or other approved materials consistent with materials used in the building's exterior front facade are to be used for monument signs; one monument sign per lot shall be allowed in all business park zoning districts; the total outline area of the sign shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet.

    2.    Directional Signs. Signs indicating directions for vehicular or pedestrian traffic or movement on a site shall be allowed upon approval of the building inspector; one sign per entry/exit not exceeding nine square feet in size shall be permitted. Additional directional signs within parking lots and along driveways shall be allowed upon approval of the building inspector, which approval shall not be withheld as long as the sign does not violate the other requirements of this section.

    3.    Identification Signs. One nonilluminated sign attached to the building it identifies not exceeding two square feet in size, displaying the name, occupation and/or service located on the premises and the address shall be permitted.

    4.    Directory Signs. For buildings or groups of buildings with multiple occupancies, a directory sign may be substituted in lieu of the allowable monument sign subject to review and approval by the street graphics advisory committee; however, such directory sign shall be subject to the same square footage and material requirements as a monument sign.

    D.    Prohibited Signs. The following signs and advertising devices are prohibited:

    1.    Animated signs;

    2.    Any sign attached to any public utility pole, tree, fire hydrant, curb, sidewalk or other surface located on public property;

    3.    Any sign erected in any location where, by reason of its location, it will obstruct the view of any authorized traffic sign, signal or other traffic control device; nor may any sign, by reason of its shape, position or color interfere with or be confused with any authorized traffic signal sign or device; further, no sign shall be erected in a location where it will obstruct vision of the public right-of-way to a vehicle operator during ingress to, egress from, or while traveling on the public right-of-way;

    4.    Any on-premises sign advertising an article or product not manufactured, assembled, processed, repaired or sold or a service not rendered upon the premises upon which the sign is located;

    5.    Any sign or advertising device such as banners and pennants affixed to poles, wires, ropes or streamers, wind-operated devices, fluttering signs,pinwheels, streamers, banners, street banners, and "A" frames or other portable signs of like nature, and other similar contraptions or devices;

    6.    Signs placed or affixed to vehicles and/or trailers which are parked on a public right-of-way where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct people to a business or activity located on the same or other property; however, this is not in any way intended to prohibit signs placed on or affixed to vehicles and trailers, such as permanent lettering on motor vehicles, where the sign is incidental to the primary use of the vehicle or trailer;

    7.    Flashing signs including electronic message centers; however, not including digital time and temperature signs involving only that information and no further or additional information of any advertising nature;

    8.    Portable signs, signs not permanently affixed to the ground;

    9.    Signs which contain characters, cartoons, statements, words or pictures of an obscene, indecent, prurient or immoral character;

    10.    Signs which would be located closer than ten feet from any property line.

    E.    Sign Lighting. All signs permitted in the business park zoning district shall be illuminated only by way of ground-mounted flood-lighting or by means of low intensity back-lighting. No neon or similarly illuminated signs shall be permitted. Attached, illuminated lighting for restaurant, hotel and motel uses in the BP-5 zoning district shall be reviewed and approved on an individual basis by the city council.

    F.    Variances. Variances from the strict application of this section may be granted by the city council in accordance with and as is contained in Section 15.44.380.

    G.    Supremacy Clause. In the event there is a conflict between the sign regulations for business park zoning districts and regulations contained in this section and any other section of the city's street graphics control ordinance, or any other ordinance or resolution of the city, the regulations contained in this section shall control. (Ord. 1191 § 4, 1993: Ord. 892 § 4-7, 1991)