§ 7-2. Definitions.

(a)

Abandoned sign: Any sign located on property is considered abandoned if the advertised business, activity or other purpose is no longer licensed or is no longer doing business or operating at that location, or such other advertised location, for a period of 30 days or more.

(b)

Animated sign: A sign or any part thereof that uses motion by any means or that displays flashing, oscillating, sequential or intermittent lights.

(c)

Awning sign: A sign painted on an awning that is supported entirely from the exterior wall or building.

(d)

Balloon sign: Any sign of fabric-type material inflated for the purpose of floating on or above the ground or a building.

(e)

Banner sign means a sign having letters, characters or illustrations applied to cloth, plastics, paper or fabric of any kind with only such material for backing. This definition includes flag banners, sail banners, teardrop banners or feather banners.

(f)

Billboard: Any sign advertising a commercial establishment, activity, person, product, facilities, service or entertainment that is sold, produced, manufactured, available or furnished at a place other than on the property upon which the sign is located.

(g)

Box wall sign: A sign consisting of a box made of plastic, metal, wood or similar material which is mounted on a wall.

(h)

Building frontage: The horizontal ground floor distance from one end of the building to the other, oriented to any street or drive, as determined by the director. If the end of the building is curved or angled, then the terminus will be established by interpolation.

(i)

Bus bench sign: Any sign painted on or attached to a bench or shelter designed or intended for people awaiting public transportation.

(j)

Canopy sign: A sign hanging underneath a pedestrian shelter canopy in a multitenant commercial center.

(k)

Changeable copy sign: Sign copy or messages intended to be changed by removable letters and numerals.

(l)

Channel letters: Letters affixed individually to a wall surface.

(m)

Construction sign: A sign designating the name(s) of an owner, contractor, architect, engineer, or similar firm involved in demolition, renovation or construction at the site or location where the services are being rendered or work is performed.

(n)

Copy area: See Sign area.

(o)

Development identification sign: Any sign installed on a building or on the perimeter of a residential development identifying the name of the building or development.

(p)

Director: The director of the City of Hialeah Planning and Development Department.

(q)

Directory sign: An occupancy index of a residential, commercial or industrial building or multitenant center.

(r)

Externally illuminated sign: A sign illuminated by shielded or indirect lighting which is not part of the sign.

(s)

Facade: The building face from the ground to the roofline.

(t)

Freestanding sign: A monument, pole or pylon sign.

(u)

Garage or yard sale sign: Any point-of-sale sign that advertises a garage or yard sale on residential property consisting of the sale of used or old personal effects, clothing, furnishings, objects, furniture, books, appliances and similar items of the property owner or occupant that were not purchased or obtained for resale.

(v)

Ground sign: See Monument sign.

(w)

Internally illuminated sign: Any sign having characters, designs, logos or outlines illuminated by lights within the sign or luminous tubes designed for that purpose.

(x)

LED sign means any sign made primarily of Light Emitting Diodes (LED). A full color LED sign means a sign that uses red, green and blue (RGB) colors comprising a "pixel" and which is similar to a computer monitor or television that displays colors to achieve high impact resolution or video. A single color or grayscale LED sign means any sign where the pixels comprise a single color, usually red or amber. Grayscale describes the ability of individual LEDs to vary in brightness to create shaded pictures or graphics. A nit is a unit of measure that measures the light emitted from an LED device.

(y)

Instructional sign:

(1)

A noncommercial sign permanently erected and/or maintained by any governmental agency.

(2)

A noncommercial sign relating to an activity on premises upon which the sign is located, providing information to pedestrian and vehicular traffic, e.g., "entrance," "caution" and "no trespassing."

(3)

A sign within, or at the entrance to, a development showing the name and directions to the location of the subdivisions comprising the development, the sales office, etc.

(4)

A model sign defined as a sign designating a particular unit exhibited to depict similar units that are for sale or rent.

(z)

Monument sign: A freestanding structure containing a sign face, supported solely by its own ground-mounted base (or two pole-like supports not to exceed 18 inches height) that is not attached or affixed in any way to another structure.

(aa)

Multitenant center: A shopping, office or business complex in which two or more occupancies abut each other or share common parking facilities or driveways or are otherwise related.

(bb)

Mural: An artistic picture on a wall whether painted, comprised of tile or other material which is not used primarily for purposes of identification, advertisement, display or information.

(cc)

Nonconforming sign: An existing sign installed with a building permit which does not conform to the requirements of this chapter [regulation].

(dd)

Painted sign: A sign painted on an external surface.

(ee)

Point-of-sale sign: Any sign advertising a commercial establishment, activity, person, product, facilities, service or entertainment that is sold, produced, manufactured, available or furnished on the property upon which the sign is located.

(ff)

Pole sign: Any sign erected upon a single pole, which is wholly independent of any other structure for support.

(gg)

Political campaign sign: Any sign that indicates the name, cause or affiliation of anyone seeking public office or that describes an issue for which a public election is scheduled to be held.

(hh)

Portable sign: Any sign designed to be transported or any sign not permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent structure. Portable signs include, but are not limited to, signs capable of transport by wheels, skid-mounted signs, A-frame signs, T-frame signs, sandwich board signs and signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked for the purpose of advertising on or near to the public right-of-way.

(ii)

Projecting sign: A sign directly attached to and extending from a building or other structure.

(jj)

Pylon: A solid or double pedestal structure, either freestanding or as a vertical extension of a building extending from ground level to a point no higher than the roof line, used as support for a sign. A pylon constructed as a vertical extension of a building shall have the appearance of a solid structure.

(kk)

Pylon sign: A flat sign attached to, or painted on, the face of a pylon. The outer edge of the sign shall neither extend beyond the pylon nor above the roof line.

(ll)

Real estate sign: A temporary sign erected on site by the owner or his agent, indicating property which is for rent, lease or sale, open for inspection, shown by appointment or similar announcement.

(mm)

Roof sign: A sign erected over, across or on the roof of any building that is dependent on the roof, parapet or upper walls of a building for support. A sign that is supported by the upper walls of a building is considered a roof sign only if the sign projects above the parapet or roof line.

(nn)

Sign: Any structure and all parts composing the same, together with the frame, background or support therefor, that is used for identification, advertising, informational or display purposes or any statuary, sculpture, molding, casting or other objects used for identification, advertising, informational or display purposes. Merchandise, vehicles or equipment used to attract attention or to advertise, with or without a printed message, shall be considered a sign.

(oo)

Sign area: The square foot area enclosed by the perimeter of the sign structure. When a sign is composed of individual letters, symbols or logos only, the sign area is the area enclosed by a perimeter line (forming a single rectangle or square or the aggregate of a series of rectangles and/or squares, if such calculation achieves a smaller sign area) enclosing all letters, symbols and logos. The sign area of a monument sign shall be measured by multiplying the height times the width.

(pp)

Sign height: The height of the sign measured from the finished ground elevation to the top of the sign. If the area around the sign is bermed, then the height of the sign is determined from the crown of the fronting street.

(qq)

Snipe sign: A sign nailed, glued or otherwise attached to trees, poles, walls, trash receptacles, fences or other objects. Legal notices required by law are exempted.

(rr)

Swinging sign: Any sign that swings freely from or on supports regardless of guy wires used in connection therewith.

(ss)

Temporary sign: Any sign to be displayed for a limited period as specified elsewhere herein.

(tt)

Time and temperature sign: A display containing flashing, digital or illuminated numerals showing the time and/or temperature.

(uu)

Wall sign: A sign which is affixed to or painted on and lying flat against an exterior wall, fascia, cantilever or marquee of any building that is parallel thereto and supported by such wall, fascia, cantilever, marquee or building. No wall sign shall project higher than the top of the wall, fascia or building and no sign shall be attached to a decorative architectural feature.

(vv)

Window sign: Any sign attached to a store front window or door.

(Ord. No. 97-17, § 2, 3-25-1997; Ord. No. 99-52, § 2, 4-27-1999; Ord. No. 2002-29, § 2, 5-14-2002; Ord. No. 2010-67, § 1, 11-9-2010; Ord. No. 2013-54, § 1, 9-10-2013)