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(1) Abandoned Sign. Any sign that is located on property which is vacant for a period of one (1) year or more, or any sign that relates to any occupant or business unrelated to the present purpose which no longer applies. Excluded from the definition are sign structures, permanent building plaques and cornerstones, and any sign which identifies a building by either common or historic name, provided that these exceptions shall not be construed as relieving the owner of the sign or sign structure from the responsibility of its maintenance.

(2) Animated Sign. Any sign that includes action or motion (including those that flash or oscillate) or the illusion of action or motion, or color changes of all or any part of a sign facing. Public service signs, changing message center signs, searchlights, flags or banners, and revolving signs are excluded from this definition.

(3) Balloon sign. Any sign placed on or made part of a balloon or other air- or gas-filled object.

(4) Billboard. See definition of “Outdoor Advertising Sign.”

(5) Bulletin Board. Any sign designed so that its message may be changed by removal or addition of letters that attach to the face of the sign. Marquees are excluded from this definition.

(6) Canopy Sign. Any sign that is a part of or attached to an awning, canopy, or other fabric, plastic, or structural protective cover over a door, entrance, window, or outdoor service area. A marquee is not a canopy.

(7) Changing Message Center Sign. Any electronically or electrically controlled sign where different automatic changing messages are shown on the same lampbank.

(8) Community Informational Sign. Signs of a public service nature such as Rotary, Kiwanis, city of Pullman and WSU, and other signs of similar content posted at entryways to the city.

(9) Construction Sign. Any sign used to identify the architects, engineers, contractors, or other individuals or firms involved in the construction of a building and to announce the character of the building or the purpose for which it is intended.

(10) Flashing Sign. Any electrified sign (or portion thereof) that changes light intensity in a sudden, transitory burst, or that switches on and off in a constant pattern in which more than one-third (1/3) of the non-constant light source is off at any one time. Public service and changing message center signs are excluded from this definition.

(11) Flush-mounted Sign. Any sign attached to the wall or window of a building, or erected against and parallel to the wall of a building, extending less than twelve (12) inches from that wall. For the purposes of this Chapter, the sign may be placed on the front of a marquee if parallel to the wall of the building to which the marquee is attached. A permanent illuminated sign located inside and affixed to or within three (3) feet of an exterior window and visible from any public way shall be considered to be a flush-mounted sign.

(12) Free-standing Sign. Any sign supported by one (1) or more uprights, poles, or braces in or upon the ground.

(13) Garage Sale Sign. Any temporary sign used to announce a sale including yard, moving, and patio sales of used items.

(14) Grand Opening Displays. Any temporary signs, posters, banners, lights, flags, balloons, or searchlights used to announce the opening of a completely new enterprise or the opening of an enterprise under new management.

(15) Ground Sign. Any free-standing sign not over forty-two (42) inches in height above grade.

(16) Identification Sign. Any flush-mounted, projecting, pole, or ground sign that identifies a multiple occupancy building or shopping center.

(17) Illuminated Sign. Any electrical sign that has lighted characters, letters, figures, designs, or outlines as part of the sign.

(18) Illumination, Indirect. Lighting from an exterior source not directly visible from any public way.

(19) Illumination, Interior. Lighting from within or behind a translucent surface.

(20) Incidental Sign. An on-premise sign, limited to four (4) square feet per sign, required for public convenience indicating information including, but not limited to, hours of operation, location of telephones and restrooms, accepted credit cards, the direction of an entrance, exit, object, place, or area, for guiding pedestrian and vehicular traffic on the premises but not containing commercial advertising.

(21) Legal Nonconforming Sign. A sign which: (1) on the effective date of this Title was lawfully maintained and had been lawfully erected in accordance with the provisions of any prior sign ordinance or code but does not conform to the applicable limitations established by this Chapter; or (2) on or after the effective date of this Title was lawfully maintained and erected in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter but which sign, by reason of amendment of this Title after the effective date thereof, does not conform to the applicable limitations established by the amendment of this Chapter.

(22) Mansard Roof. Any sloped roof or roof-like facade that may, for the purposes of this Chapter, be treated as a wall.

(23) Marquee. Any permanent roof-life structure projecting beyond a building, generally designed and constructed to provide protection from the weather.

(24) Marquee Sign. Any sign attached to and located under a marquee, except that a sign placed on the front of a marquee and parallel to the wall of the building to which the marquee is attached shall be considered to be a flush-mounted sign, and further provided that a sign erected upon, but directly above, a marquee shall be considered to be a projecting sign.

(25) Multiple Occupancy Building. Any single structure housing more than one (1) retail business, office, or commercial venture.

(26) Off-Premise Sign. Any sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service, activity or entertainment not conducted, sold or offered upon the premises where the sign is located.

(27) On-Premise Sign. Any sign that advertises the use of the premises on which it is located, including signs indicating the business transacted, services rendered, and goods sold or produced on the premises, or the name of the business, person, firm, or corporation occupying the premises.

(28) Outdoor Advertising Sign. Any off-premises sign used as an outdoor display for the purpose of making anything known, whether or not a charge is made for advertising thereon.

(29) Pole Sign. Any free-standing sign wholly supported by a sign structure in or on the ground. Ground signs are excluded from this definition.

(30) Political Sign. Any temporary sign advertising a candidate or candidates for public office, or a political party, or a sign urging a particular vote on any public issue decided by ballot.

(31) Portable Sign. Any sign made of durable material which is weather resistant and which is capable of being moved easily and is not permanently affixed to the ground or a structure.

(32) Projecting Sign. Any sign that is attached to and projects twelve (12) or more inches from the wall of a building.

(33) Public Service Sign. Any electronically or electrically controlled sign or portion of a larger sign that conveys only public service information such as the time, date, temperature, or general news information where different alternating copy changes are shown on the same lampbank. No advertising other than the name of the sponsoring agency or organization shall be allowed on any public service sign.

(34) Real Estate Sign. Any sign pertaining to the sale, lease, or rental of land or buildings.

(35) Revolving Sign. Any sign that rotates or revolves on or around a fixed base or pedestal.

(36) Roof Sign. Any sign erected upon, against, or directly above a roof or parapet of a building.

(37) Searchlight. Any apparatus containing an electric light and reflector on a swivel for projecting a far-reaching beam in any desired direction.

(38) Shopping Center. Any group of structures housing a number of separate retail business, office, and/or commercial ventures which share the same lot, access, and/or parking facilities.

(39) Sign. Any communication device, structure, or fixture that is intended to aid an establishment in identification and to advertise and/or promote a business, service, activity, or interest. For the purposes of this Chapter, a sign shall not be considered to be a building or structural design, but shall be restricted solely to graphics, symbols, or written copy used for any identification, promotional, or advertising purpose.

(40) Sign Structure. Any structure that supports any sign including a single pole or an integral part of a building.

(41) Sign Surface Area. The entire area of a sign on which copy is to be placed, but only one (1) side of a doublefaced sign is included in the calculation of sign surface area. The area of painted signs, individual letter signs, and other indirectly illuminated signs shall be calculated on the basis of the smallest rectangle, circle, or spherical figure that will enclose the entire copy area of the sign. All such calculations shall include the areas between letters and lines, as well as the areas of any devices, illuminated or non-illuminated, that are intended to attract attention.

(42) Special Event Signs. Any temporary sign used to announce a circus, carnival, festival, or similar event.

(43) Temporary Sign. Any sign, banner, pennant, flag but not including the flag of any nation, state, city, or other governmental agency, or non-profit organization, searchlights, balloons, or other air- or gas-filled figures, or advertising displays constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard, or other light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed for a limited period of time only. Types of temporary signs are construction, grand opening displays, real estate, special event, political, and garage sale signs. (Ord. 00-8 §4, 2000; Ord. 90-10 §1, 1990; Ord. 87-9 §1, 1987).