17-7-11.10 Signage | Midvale Municipal Code

17-7-11.10 Signage.

1. Intent. This section seeks to enhance the economic and aesthetic appeal of the town center neighborhood through the reasonable, orderly, safe, and effective display of signage. Signage should contribute to the identity and brand of the town center.

2. General Requirements. Compliance with the regulations outlined shall be attained under the following situations:

a. Newly Constructed or Reconstructed Signage. All new signs and structural improvements to existing signs shall comply with these regulations.

b. Change in Use for Single Business Signage. For signage serving one business, whenever the existing use is changed to a new use requiring any change of signage content, the new sign and sign content shall comply with these regulations.

c. Maximum Sign Area. Unless otherwise specified, the total area of all permanent signage associated with any building shall be fifteen percent of the area of the primary building facade.

d. Sign Quantity. Indicates the number of signs permitted per building unit such as quantity per facade bay or a percentage of window square footage. Multiple sign types may be used on the same building when the sign quantity indicates one maximum per facade bay and indicates that the quantity is cumulative across sign types. Any mix of such sign types is permitted on a single building as long as the maximum quantity per facade bay is maintained for the entire building

e. Sign Location. Unless otherwise specified, signs shall only be located within the boundaries of the lot and not in the right-of-way or on public property.

i. Certain sign types may project beyond a property line into the right-of-way or into public property.

ii. No sign shall be attached to a utility pole, traffic pole, tree, standpipe, gutter, drain, or other vertical support structure that was not purposely built to support the sign.

iii. Signs shall be erected so as to permit free ingress to and egress from any door, window, the roof, or any other exit-way required by the building code or by fire department regulations.

iv. No sign shall be erected or maintained in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision of, interfere with, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device, or where it may interfere with vehicle or train line-of-sight.

v. Signs oriented to the pedestrian realm are required for each entryway on a public street. These signs should be mounted at a comfortable height and be clear and legible from the close range at which a pedestrian encounters the sign. The bottom edge of each sign should be no higher than nine feet from the ground plane and shall not exceed a total area of twenty-five square feet.

f. Illumination. All signs shall be illuminated according to the following provisions unless otherwise stated:

i. Signs shall be illuminated only by steady, stationary light sources directed solely at the sign or internal to it, except as permitted for electronic message boards for marquee signs.

ii. Individual letters or logos may be internally illuminated as permitted per each sign type; when this type of lighted lettering is used, no other portion of the sign shall be internally illuminated.

iii. Gas-discharge tube signage, commonly known as “neon signs,” is not permitted, unless such neon element is used to (1) reproduce a historic sign that used to exist in the location along Main Street even if the historic building has been removed, or (2) replace an existing sign that is located on an existing historic structure along Main Street, or (3) create a new sign that is located on an existing historic structure along Main Street.

iv. Marquee signs, with either electronic or manually changed lettering, are permitted unless otherwise prohibited.

v. When an external artificial light source is used to illuminate a sign, the lamp (or bulb) shall be located, shielded, and oriented so as to not be visible from any public street or private residence.

(A) No receptacle or device housing a permitted light source which is attached to the sign itself shall extend more than one and one-half feet from the face of the sign.

(B) Sign lighting output shall count towards maximum light output allowed per property.

g. Temporary Signs. The following standards apply to temporary signage:

i. Each tenant may be allowed one temporary A-frame sign.

ii. Temporary signs shall not be located in the public right-of-way or clear view area.

iii. Temporary sign exposure is limited to three thirty-day periods per year.

iv. Temporary signs shall not count toward the requirements of any other sign type.

h. Double-sided signs are permitted with certain sign types. A double-sided sign has two sign faces of equal dimensions that are coplanar and face in opposite directions. When a double-sided sign is permitted, the sign area requirements apply to each side of the sign separately.

i. Sign Type Requirements. The following pertain to specific sign types detailed in this section:

i. Temporary signs are A-frame signs constructed of white plastic or wood and internally weighted are allowed. Such signs shall be no greater than eight square feet per side. No other temporary signs are permitted.

ii. Window signs shall not count toward the signage quantity and area or size requirements for any other sign type.

iii. Signs Facing onto Parking Lots. One parking lot facing sign is permitted in addition to the maximum requirements for other sign types.

(A) Permitted sign types for parking lot facing signs are wall, projecting, or awning signs.

(B) Maximum sign area is thirty square feet.

(D) If such signs face existing single family homes, they may not be illuminated.

iv. Iconic Sign Elements. Iconic signs may be allowed at the discretion of the city if the lighting of the sign does not significantly impact adjacent neighbors and the sign helps to identify the town center area. Such signs shall comply with the following:

(A) Symbol or Logo Size. The symbol or logo may not be larger than ten feet in any direction.

(B) No moving parts or external illumination of the symbol or logo may be provided.

v. Historic Signs. Any existing signs that the city has identified as historic shall be included in the site plan approval process in order to encourage their preservation and/or reuse.

1. Intent. Wall signs, also known as flat, channel letter, or band signs, are mounted directly to the building face to which the sign is parallel. Refer to the figures below.

2. Regulations. Wall signs shall be developed according to the standards in Table 10.01.

a. Wall signs shall not cover windows or other building openings.

b. Wall signs shall not cover architectural building features and shall be architecturally compatible with the building.

c. Painted signs, a type of wall sign painted directly onto the building facade, are permitted.

d. Nameplate signs indicate the name or occupation of the tenant. They shall be subject to all of the requirements of the wall sign type but shall be no larger than three square feet maximum per tenant.

e. No wall signs shall be permitted on any facade facing an existing single family residential zone, except for iconic sign elements as approved by the city.

3. Calculation. The area of a wall sign is calculated using the following information:

a. For attached signs, area is calculated by drawing the smallest possible square or rectangle around the largest letters and/or elements, as illustrated in Figure 10.01.

b. For painted signs, area is calculated by measuring the area of the smallest square or rectangle that can be drawn around all of the sign elements, including any painted background.

Table 10.01. Wall Sign Requirements
1.	Permitted Districts	MS, TCC
2.	Sign Area	2.0 SF of sign area per linear foot of facade bay width; 200 SF max. area per sign; 3.0 SF max. area per tenant for nameplate signs.
3.	Height	3' max letter or element height
4.	Location	Permitted on all facades
5.	Placement	1' max. projection from building face
6.	Quantity	1 max. per primary facade bay (cumulative across all permitted sign types)
7.	Internal Illumination	Permitted for individual letters and logos
8.	Materials	Solid wood, metal, masonry, and glass are permitted. Plastic and synthetics are permitted only as separate alphanumeric characters or logo elements. Vinyl banners or similar signs are not permitted.

Figure 10.01. Wall Sign Measuring Diagrams

1. Intent. A sign that is mounted, painted, or otherwise applied on or attached to an awning.

a. Awning signs shall be developed according to the standards in Table 10.02 and the encroachment regulations in Section 17-7-11.5.

a. The area of the awning is defined as the rectangular area of the building facade that is covered by the awning, i.e., awning height multiplied by awning width.

b. The sign area is a percentage of the surface area of the awning. The surface area is the total area of the sides and front of the awning, including both vertical and sloped or rounded parts of the awning.

c. Sign area is calculated by drawing the smallest possible square or rectangle around the largest letters and/ or elements of the sign portion of the awning, as illustrated in the top image in Figure 10.01.

Table 10.02. Awning Sign Requirements
1.	Permitted Districts	MS, TCC
2.	Awning Area	3.0 SF of awning area per linear foot of primary facade bay width; 300 SF max. area per sign.
3.	Sign Area	Up to 50% of the awning surface may be used for signage.
4.	Height	8' min. vertical clearance above ground plane.
5.	Location	Permitted on all facades
6.	Placement	Maximum projection from the building facade is determined by street frontage type. Awnings shall not project within 2' from the back of curb and shall not overlap, block, or cover any window, door, or roof.
7.	Quantity	1 max. per primary facade bay (cumulative across all permitted sign types)
8.	Internal Illumination	Not permitted
9.	Materials	Awning surface shall be made of canvas, metal, glass, or wood. Plastic is not permitted. All structural supports shall be made of metal or wood.

1. Intent. A projecting sign is attached to and projects from a building face or hangs from a support structure that projects from the building face. Sign faces are typically perpendicular to the building face but may be angled away from the facade no less than forty-five degrees. The sign may be vertically or horizontally oriented.

a. Projecting signs shall be developed according to the standards in Table 10.03.

b. Double-sided signs are permitted.

c. No projecting signs shall be permitted on any facade facing an existing single family residential zone, except for iconic sign elements as approved by the city.

d. Backlit box or cabinet signs are not permitted.

Table 10.03. Hanging/Projecting Sign Requirements
1.	Permitted Districts	MS, TCC
2.	Sign Area	1.5 SF of sign area per linear foot of facade bay width; 160 SF max. area per sign face
3.	Total Size	8' max. width by 20' max. height, including sign face(s) and all support structures
4.	Location	Permitted on all facades facing a public right-of-way
5.	Placement	10' min. clearance above the ground plane. Hanging/projecting signs shall not project further than 8' from the building face and shall not project within 2' from the back of curb. Sign faces and structural supports shall not extend above any eave or parapet.
6.	Quantity	1 max. per primary facade bay (cumulative across all permitted sign types)
7.	Internal Illumination	Permitted for individual letters and logos
8.	Materials	Solid wood, metal, masonry, and glass are permitted. Plastic and synthetics are permitted only as separate alphanumeric characters or logo elements. All structural supports shall be made of metal or wood.

1. Intent. A monument sign is freestanding and located in a front or side yard of a lot.

a. Monument signs shall be developed according to the standards in Table 10.04.

b. Multiple tenant buildings on a lot with a width of greater than three hundred feet, measured across the front property line, may have signage with the following parameters:

i. Up to two monument signs on one frontage.

ii. Signs shall be at least one hundred fifty feet apart.

iii. Monument signs may not be pole mounted.

iv. Manually changeable text is not permitted for monument signs.

v. May serve multiple purposes such as seating.

vi. If placed closer than five feet from the front and corner side property lines, signs must meet clear view requirements.

vii. Double-sided signs are permitted.

c. Buildings on a lot with a width of greater than six hundred feet, measured across a primary frontage, may have signage with the following parameters along such frontage:

i. Up to nine feet tall and a maximum area of seventy-five square feet per sign face.

ii. Up to two monument signs on one frontage.

iii. Signs shall be at least three hundred feet apart.

iv. Monument signs may not be pole mounted.

v. Manually changeable text is not permitted for monument signs.

vi. May serve multiple purposes, such as seating.

vii. If placed closer than five feet from the front and corner side property lines, signs must meet clear view requirements.

viii. Double-sided signs are permitted.

Table 10.04. Monument Sign Requirements
1.	Permitted Districts	TCC
2.	Sign Area	50 SF max. area per sign face.
3.	Total Size	6' height by 10' width by 3' depth, including sign face(s) and all support structures.
4.	Location	Primary street and side street BTZ.
5.	Placement	1 max. per street frontage. When placed at the intersection of two street frontages, the sign shall not obstruct the sight distance triangle.
6.	Quantity	1 max. per street frontage.
7.	Internal Illumination	Permitted for individual letters and logos
8.	Materials	Solid wood, metal, masonry, and glass are permitted. Plastic and synthetics are permitted only as separate alphanumeric characters or logo elements. All structural supports shall be made of metal or wood.

1. Intent. Freestanding post signs are pedestrian-scale signage and may be mounted on one or two poles. Three configurations are permitted:

a. A sign mounted onto a double set of poles.

b. A sign mounted on a single pole.

c. A sign hanging from a single pole.

a. Freestanding post signs shall be developed according to the standards in Table 10.05.

b. Double-sided signs are permitted..

Table 10.05. Freestanding Post Sign Requirements
1.	Permitted Districts	MS, TCC
2.	Sign Area	8 SF max. area per sign face
3.	Height	8' max. for signs mounted or hanging on a single pole; 5' max. for signs mounted on a double set of poles.
4.	Pole Size	4'' by 4'' max. pole cross-section
5.	Location	Primary street and side street BTZ
6.	Placement	Pole setback 2' min. from right-of-way property lines; property line overhangs are not permitted.
7.	Quantity	1 max. per primary facade bay (cumulative across all permitted sign types)
8.	Internal Illumination	Not permitted
9.	Materials	Solid wood, metal, masonry, and glass are permitted. Plastic and synthetics are permitted only as separate alphanumeric characters or logo elements. All structural supports shall be made of metal or wood.

Figure 10.05. Freestanding Post Sign Examples

1. Intent. A window sign is posted, painted, placed, or affixed to or near the interior surface of a window for public viewing on the exterior of the window. Window signs should be durable and adhered permanently to the interior surface.

a. Window signs shall be developed according to the standards in Table 10.06.

a. The total window area is a sum of the areas of individual windows and glass doors. A “continuous set” of windows is a group of one or more windows or glass doors that are separated by mullions or frames less than eight inches in width.

b. To measure sign area percentage, divide the total sign area by the total window area.

c. Window signs are not counted toward a site’s maximum signage allowance.

d. Address and hours of operation signs are considered exempt and are not counted in the window sign area calculation.

e. Temporary window signs shall be included in the total percentage of signage per window calculation.

f. Window signs may not be internally illuminated. Neon (gas-discharge tube), LED screens and shapes, marquee signs, and other similar illuminated signs are not permitted.

Table 10.06. Window Sign Requirements
1.	Permitted Districts	MS, TCC
2.	Sign Area	Maximum signage coverage for any continuous set of windows is 25%. Maximum signage coverage for any individual window is 40%.
3.	Height	No max. or min.
4.	Location	Permitted on all facades
5.	Placement	Permitted on ground and upper-story windows where not occupied by a residential use. Window signs shall not obstruct the visibility from employee stations outside the building or of law enforcement personnel into the business.
6.	Quantity	Ground story: no maximum, determined by sign area. Upper stories: 1 individual window or continuous set of windows per tenant per floor.
7.	Internal Illumination	Not permitted
8.	Materials	Paint, wood, glass, plastic, metal, and other similar materials are permitted.

(Ord. 2022-15 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 2021-08 § 1 (Att. A); Ord. 2020-04 § 1 (Att. A (part)))