Chapter 17.80
SIGNS
Sections:
17.80.040 Minor repairs and sign types that do not require a permit.
17.80.050 Permit requirements.
17.80.060 General permit procedures.
17.80.080 How to measure sign components.
17.80.100 Design, construction and maintenance of signs.
17.80.110 Nonconforming signs.
17.80.130 Amortization for billboard signs.
17.80.150 Violations and enforcement.
17.80.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to:
A. Clarify which types of signs are allowed in the city;
B. Establish permitting procedures for a variety of sign types;
C. Set standards for the type, number, location, size, and lighting of signs; and
D. Enable fair, consistent, and content-neutral enforcement of sign regulations. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.020 Applicability.
This chapter applies to all signs erected, placed, established, painted, created, modified, or maintained in the city. Displays of art, statues, seasonal decorations, fountains, clock towers, and other features that do not contain copy are not considered signs regulated by this chapter. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.030 Prohibited signs.
A. Location. Signs attached to fences, utility poles, traffic signs, poles, control stations, trees or natural features are prohibited, regardless of sign type.
B. Types. The following types of signs are prohibited:
1. Abandoned and Damaged Signs. Signs left in place on land left vacant for one hundred eighty or more consecutive days or any sign that is defaced or damaged to an extent where the cost of repairs exceeds fifty percent of the replacement cost for the entire sign.
2. Animated Signs. Any sign where all or part of the sign is affected by the movement of air or other atmospheric or mechanical means, or that uses natural or artificial changes of lighting to depict action or create a special effect or scene. Animated signs include, but are not limited to, flashing signs, inflatable signs, rotating signs, streamers, balloons, searchlights, spinners, and propellers. Changeable copy signs that change less frequently than every ten seconds are not considered animated signs.
3. Beacons and searchlights.
4. Billboards.
5. Flags (except for national and state flags) larger than twenty square feet.
6. Obscene Signs. Signs which bear or contain statements, words or pictures which are obscene under the prevailing statutes or U.S. Supreme Court decisional law are prohibited.
7. Off-Premises Signs. Signs advertising businesses not located on or adjacent to the property where sign is placed.
8. Roof Signs. Any sign mounted in such a way as to be higher than the roof of the building.
9. Traffic Hazards. Any sign that obstructs the vision of drivers or pedestrians, hinders visibility of traffic control devices, misleads or confuses traffic, or is otherwise a detriment to traffic safety by reason of its size, location, shape, movement, or method of illumination.
10. Vehicles Used as Signs. Signs greater than five square feet in area attached, painted or otherwise affixed to a vehicle or trailer for the primary purpose of displaying a sign. This applies to vehicles that are not used during the normal course of business, vehicles parked in the same location for more than seventy-two hours, and any unlicensed or inoperable vehicle. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.040 Minor repairs and sign types that do not require a permit.
A. The following actions do not require a sign permit provided they are on a legal, conforming sign and do not alter the sign frame, supports, or electrical parts:
1. Replacement of copy, including notices on community bulletin boards;
2. Repair or replacement of light bulbs or neon tubing; and
3. Painting.
B. The following types of signs do not require a sign permit:
1. Address. Letters or numerals or a combination of both that provide building identification installed in compliance with the premises identification requirements of Chapter 15.08.
2. Community Bulletin Board Signs. Community bulletin board signs used for posting public or legal notice required by a governmental entity, as required by regulation or ordinance.
3. Historical Signs. Plaques on a historic building or site, including gravestones.
4. Human Signs. Signs worn or carried by a person.
5. Incidental Signs. Informational signs less than four square feet in area pertaining to the facilities on site, such as restrooms, telephone, help wanted, hours of operation, parking space designations, entrance/exit, intended primarily for the convenience of the public while on those premises.
6. Inside Building. Any sign inside a building, not attached to a window, that is not legible from a distance of more than three feet beyond the lot line of the zone lot or parcel on which such sign is located.
7. Flags. National and state flags of any size and number are allowed without a permit. Two additional flags allowed per lot, provided they are twenty square feet or smaller.
8. Public Notice. Any public or legal notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, or by a governmental entity, regulation, or ordinance.
9. Signs installed by governmental agency or transportation authority. Traffic control, wayfinding, public service, and other signs installed in public rights-of-way by a governmental agency that meet Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) standards.
10. Window signs.
11. Pole sign on property when property is for sale and sign is less than eight square feet. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.050 Permit requirements.
A. Permit Required. A permit is required prior to placement, construction, or modification of a sign unless specifically exempted from permitting requirements by Section 17.80.040.
B. Application Form. Applicants must submit a completed sign permit application, in format provided by the city, for review.
C. Owner Signature Required. The signature of the property owner is required on the sign permit application.
D. Supplemental Materials. Applicants must provide sufficient information for the city to determine compliance with applicable code requirements—typically including a site plan, building elevations, structural details, and a description of the type/wattage/milliamps of any illumination.
E. Fees. A fee will be charged based on processing costs as provided for in the city’s most current fee resolution.
F. Compliance Required. Properties with unpermitted signs must first resolve the compliance issue before applying for a different sign permit. In multi-tenant buildings, this requirement will be applied narrowly and only apply to the space or tenant with the unpermitted sign. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.060 General permit procedures.
A. Submittal. The applicant shall submit a completed sign permit application and any supplemental materials for review. Once the application is complete, the city will begin review.
B. Department Review. The city will review the application for compliance with applicable regulations, including zoning, traffic safety, and International Building Code standards.
C. Decision. If the proposed sign complies with all applicable regulations, city will notify the applicant that the permit is ready to issue. If the sign does not comply with applicable regulations, the permit will either be denied or returned for revisions to bring it into compliance.
D. Timeline. Applicants have six months to pay fees once they have been notified the permit is ready to issue. Permits that are not paid for and issued within six months will expire. An issued permit will become null and void if work is not commenced within one year of issuance.
E. Inspection and Approval. The applicant must contact the building department upon completion of the sign installation to obtain a final inspection. No sign will be deemed approved until the building official or designee has conducted a final sign inspection and indicated approval.
F. Suspension of Permit. The building official or designee may suspend or revoke an issued permit for any false statement or misrepresentation of fact in the application.
G. Permit Expiration. Sign permits that have been inspected and approved are valid until such time as the use is vacated or the sign is replaced. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.070 Sign standards.
Unless modified through a master signage plan, the standards in the table below shall apply.
|
Sign Type |
SFR |
MFR |
Commercial |
Industrial |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Signs in the shoreline jurisdiction |
Only public service directional or informational signs are allowed in the urban conservancy environment. Over-water signs are only allowed when related to a water-dependent use, transportation facility or when necessary for navigation or other public information purposes. |
||||
|
Wall |
Sign Area |
Prohibited for residential uses. One wall sign up to 75 square feet is allowed for nonresidential uses in RD 7.5, RD 8.4, RD 9.6 and MR zones, if the sign is at least 50 feet from residential uses. |
Main: 10% of building facade or 20 square feet, whichever is larger Secondary: 5% of building facade Window signs are included in wall signage for the purpose of calculating maximum sign area per facade. |
||
|
Maximum Number Allowed |
Generally: 2 per main facade 1 per secondary facade A maximum of 3 facades may have signs For canopies on sites with approved fuel/service station uses, one company logo no greater than four square feet in area is allowed per canopy face. |
||||
|
Window |
Sign Area |
3 square feet |
Maximum of 15% of window or 50 square feet (whichever is smaller). Window signs are included in the calculation of allowed wall signage area but not counted as a wall sign in the calculation of the number of wall signs allowed. Calculated for each distinct section of uninterrupted window glass. |
||
|
Maximum Number Allowed |
1 per unit |
No limit. |
|||
|
Projecting or Suspended |
Sign Area Clearance Separation |
Prohibited |
10 square feet maximum (3 square feet for mixed-use) Sidewalk clearance 8 feet minimum Minimum separation 20 feet between signs |
||
|
Maximum Number Allowed |
1 |
||||
|
Pole/Pylon |
Sign Area |
Prohibited for residential uses, except when property is for sale and sign is less than 8 square feet. Nonresidential uses follow commercial/industrial standards. |
Maximum sign dimensions: • 8 feet tall • 10 feet wide • 60 square feet total Maximum copy area dimensions: • 6 feet wide • 24 square feet per side • Maximum two sides Pole signs are prohibited in the DB and WMU zones. |
||
|
Maximum Number Allowed |
Prohibited for residential uses, except when property is for sale. Then, one sign per frontage. One pole sign is allowed for nonresidential uses in RD 7.5, RD 8.4, RD 9.6 and MR zones, if the sign is at least 50 feet from residential uses and follows the commercial/industrial pole sign standards. |
One freestanding sign (pole/pylon/monument) per lot or multi-tenant complex |
|||
|
Design |
Supports for pole/pylons signs must be made of treated wood and painted wood, brick, rock, masonry, aggregate or treated concrete or metal having a unique architectural design. Aluminum cabinets or wrappings are prohibited. |
||||
|
Monument |
Sign Area |
Maximum of two sides. Generally, a maximum of 32 square feet of copy area per side. For sites with approved fuel/service station uses, the copy area may be increased to 45 square feet. In the DB zone, limited to 30 square feet total per side, with maximum copy area of 20 square feet per side. |
|||
|
Maximum Number Allowed |
Maximum of two neighborhood and community identification signs allowed per entrance. |
Generally, one freestanding sign (pole/pylon/monument) per lot or multi-tenant complex. Two monument signs are allowed for multi-tenant complexes where: • There are no existing pole/pylon signs; • There are no nonconforming signs on the property; and • The lot or complex has either two public street frontages or at least 300 feet of frontage on a single public street; and • The monument signs are at least 150 feet apart. Monument signs are prohibited in the WMU zone. |
|||
|
Design |
Base must be a minimum of 12 inches tall. Total sign height may not exceed 8 feet. In the DB zone, maximum 4 feet height and 8 feet width; otherwise, maximum height and width are dependent on each other: • Height < 4.5 feet = maximum width 15 feet • 4.5 to < 5.5 feet high = maximum width 13 feet • 5.5 to < 6.5 feet high = maximum width 8 feet, 4 inches • 6.5 to < 7.5 feet high = maximum width 7 feet, 3 inches • 7.5 to 8 feet high = maximum width 6 feet, 3 inches |
||||
|
Neighborhood/Community Identification |
Sign Area |
Copy area maximum: 32 square feet and no more than 8 feet from ground level. Signs may be attached to ground-mounted site elements such as a wall, fence, architectural focal point, or landmark. These elements are excluded from the sign area and height calculations. |
|||
|
Maximum Number Allowed |
Maximum two per entrance to subdivision, neighborhood, community, community center, city facilities, city entrance, or school. The presence of a neighborhood or community identification sign on a property does not limit the number or type of other signs allowed for that particular property. |
||||
|
Design |
Must incorporate three-dimensional relief into either the sign area, adjacent surfaces, or mounting. Ground-mounted site elements are excluded from sign area and height calculations. |
||||
|
Temporary Signs |
General |
Only allowed when consistent with all rules and review criteria in Section 17.80.090. |
|||
|
Complex Identification (4+ tenants) |
Style |
Complex identification signs may be either: Attached (for property 2.5 acres or larger with 200+ lineal feet of frontage on one street): placed on a complementary architectural feature that is attached to an integral part of the main building, such as a clock tower; or Detached (for property 5 acres or larger with 300+ lineal feet of frontage on one street): placed on a detached complementary architectural feature, focal point or identity landmark. |
|||
|
Maximum Number Allowed |
One per commercial or industrial development complex with 4+ tenants on a common development lot of 2.5 acres or more, provided complex has at least 200 lineal feet on one street frontage. |
||||
|
Design |
Feature sign is attached to must have a minimum of three sides; Maximum copy area of 32 square feet per sign face; No more than two sign faces; External illumination only (backlit or floodlit); For detached features only: width of the structure base must be equal to or greater than the width of the sign. Base must be constructed of treated metal, treated concrete, treated masonry, decorative rock, wood or a combination thereof. The detached feature must have a distinct top feature or roof. |
||||
|
Height |
Attached: maximum height of underlying zone Detached feature: 10 feet minimum; 20 feet maximum. Top of sign no higher than 15 feet |
||||
(Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.080 How to measure sign components.
A. Facade. Measurement includes front wall of a structure, excluding towers, cupolas, parapets, pitched roofs, trusses, poles, chimneys, portions above the bearing walls, and other architectural, artistic or mechanical features. For multiple-tenant buildings, the facade includes only the front wall area leased by the tenant.
B. Copy Area. The area of sign copy is calculated by measuring the smallest circle, square, rectangle or triangle that fits around the extreme limits of the advertising copy on all externally facing surfaces of the sign.
C. Height. The height of a sign is measured from the average existing grade to the top of the highest attached component or structural element of the sign. Average existing grade excludes any filling, berming, mounding or other alteration solely for the purpose of increasing sign height. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.090 Temporary signs.
A. Applicability. This section regulates any sign not permanently attached to the ground or a structure that is intended to be displayed for a limited period of time, excluding window signs and legal notice signs.
B. Allowed Types of Temporary Signs.
1. A-frame signs made of durable materials.
2. Banners attached to a building at all four corners or those sponsored by a public agency or nonprofit organization and attached to a city-managed structure.
3. Lawn signs.
C. Standards.
1. Number.
a. A-frame: One sign per business/tenant on site.
b. Banners: Two banners per building or city-managed structure.
2. Design. This section shall not be construed as permitting any sign or feature (such as animation or balloons) otherwise prohibited in this chapter. Temporary signs may not be illuminated.
3. Installation. No landscaping, other than holes in sod, may be damaged or modified to accommodate a temporary sign.
4. Location.
a. Temporary signs may not be attached to any fence, streetlight, crosswalk, curb, curbstone, lamppost, street sign, utility pole, hydrant, tree or shrub.
b. Signs may not be in a street median, on a sidewalk, or located anywhere that disrupts the circulation of vehicles or people.
5. Size.
a. A-frame: Maximum of eight square feet per sign face.
b. Banners: Maximum of forty-five square feet in surface area.
c. Lawn signs: three square feet per sign face.
6. Height. Maximum of four feet tall for signs on ground. Banners attached to building may not be mounted above roof line.
7. Duration of Display.
a. A-frame: Allowed to be displayed during operating hours of business.
b. Banners: Maximum of thirty consecutive days; maximum of two temporary banners per calendar year. Minimum of sixty days between banner display periods.
c. Lawn signs: Allowed in sixty-day increments, which are renewable. Event-specific signs expire ten days after event.
8. Registration Requirements. All temporary signs shall be registered with the city to provide sign owner contact information, location, and duration information. Unregistered signs will be considered in violation of this chapter and subject to the provisions of Section 17.80.150. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.100 Design, construction and maintenance of signs.
A. Design. All signs must be designed to comply with applicable provisions of the International Building Code (IBC), National Electric Code (NEC), United Laboratories (UL) certificate requirements, Scenic Vistas Act of 1971 (WSDOT), as well as any other applicable regulations not listed.
B. Construction. Except for temporary and window signs conforming with the requirements of this chapter, all signs must be constructed of permanent materials and permanently attached to the ground, a building, or another structure by direct attachment to a rigid wall, frame or structure.
C. Maintenance. All signs must be maintained in good structural condition, in compliance with all building and electrical codes, and in conformance with this code. As soon as a malfunctioning sign illumination system becomes known, the sign owner must turn off the illumination system until repairs are made. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.110 Nonconforming signs.
A. Signs existing on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter that do not comply with the requirements in this chapter are considered nonconforming unless they were permitted by the city’s master signage plan provisions.
B. Signs permitted as part of a master signage plan that do not comply with the requirements of this chapter become nonconforming on January 1, 2029. Until that date, they may be replaced in the same location with the same size and height allowances.
C. A nonconforming sign must be brought into compliance with current regulations if:
1. The sign is replaced with another sign; or
2. The sign requires repairs beyond normal maintenance; or
3. The sign is expanded, moved or replaced.
D. Normal maintenance—such as cleaning, painting, or light bulb replacement—is allowed so long as the repairs do not modify the sign in any way that structurally alters or extends the useful life of the sign. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.120 Illumination.
A. Applicability. This section governs lighting for signs. It does not apply to lighting for the purpose of directing or controlling navigation, traffic, highway or street illumination; aircraft warning lights; temporary lighting used for repair or construction as required by governmental agencies; or use of lights related to religious and patriotic festivities.
B. Shielding Required. The light from any illuminated sign must be shaded, shielded or directed so that the light intensity and brightness do not:
1. Shine on, or directly reflect into, residential structures or lots;
2. Adversely affect surrounding properties;
3. Interfere with safe vision of drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians.
C. Illumination of signage, for both new and remodeled signs, should incorporate feasible energy-efficient lighting technologies and design techniques.
D. Prohibited Lights. Exterior lighting or illumination systems or interior illumination systems visible from a public street shall not contain or use any of the following:
1. Exposed incandescent lamps over seventy-five watts.
2. Exposed incandescent lamps with internal or external polished mirror reflectors.
3. Exposed lamps used on the exterior surface or raceway lighting. Exposed neon tubing is allowed.
4. Incandescent lamps inside internally lighted signs.
5. Eight hundred milliamp ballast lamps spaced closer than ten inches on center for internally lighted signs.
E. Permitted Sign Illumination by Zone.
|
Illumination Type |
SFR |
MFR |
Commercial |
Industrial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Internal Illumination: (indirect, concealed light source recessed or contained within sign) |
Prohibited |
Prohibited |
Permitted1 |
Permitted |
|
External Illumination (light source separated from/external to sign structure such as floodlight or backlighting) |
Permitted |
Permitted |
Permitted |
Permitted |
|
Exposed LEDs, Bulbs or Neon |
Prohibited |
Prohibited |
Permitted2 |
Permitted |
|
1 Prohibited in the DB, PSP, and WMU zones. 2 Neon signs are prohibited in the DB zone. |
||||
(Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.130 Amortization for billboard signs.
A. Annexations. Any legal nonconforming billboard not located on a state highway but located on property annexed into the city shall be discontinued and removed within ten years of the annexation, or according to the annexation agreement established at the time of annexation. A three-year time extension may be approved by the hearing examiner if the applicant meets the criteria listed in subsection C of this section.
B. Notice. The city will provide written notice of the expiration of the period for removing nonconforming billboards in areas annexed, as noted above, to the person responsible for such sign(s) at their last known address and provide notice to the owner of the property on which the sign is located. The city will use the tax assessor’s office to find the latest, updated address for the property owner in question. Such notice will be provided by mail, postmarked no later than thirty days prior to the cut-off date provided for in this section. A request for consideration/extension must be submitted six months prior to expiration of amortization period.
C. Request for Consideration/Extension. The city has established the time period stated in subsection B of this section with the understanding that these time periods provide a reasonable time period to recover the life expectancy of most signs. However, the city recognizes that there are special, unusual circumstances that may fall outside of those parameters.
1. Any person aggrieved by the imposition of the amortization period established in subsection A of this section may request review of the clause. The request for review shall be filed with the city not later than six months prior to the expiration of the amortization period. The review shall be heard by the city’s hearing examiner. A fee will be charged based on the processing costs as provided by the city’s most current fee resolution.
2. The aggrieved applicant has the burden of establishing the unreasonableness of the amortization period and must provide evidence showing that the amortization period is unreasonable.
3. The hearing examiner shall consider such things as lease obligations, remaining period of life expectancy of the nonconformance, depreciation and the actual amount invested in the nonconforming sign.
4. The hearing examiner shall consider the preservation and improvement of the city’s physical environment, natural amenities and desirable characteristics of the city as asserted in the purpose of the city’s land use regulations as well as the goals and policies adopted in the city’s comprehensive plan. The hearing examiner may consider any combination of these legitimate public concerns; however, the hearing examiner may not rely solely upon the promotion of the aesthetic values to the city in supporting the amortization period.
5. The hearing examiner shall conduct a balancing of interests, considering the interest and hardship as to the applicant, and whether the hardship to the applicant reasonably overbalances the benefit that the public would derive from the termination of the nonconformance. If, after careful consideration, the hearing examiner feels that the amortization period, as applied to the applicant’s nonconformance, would result in a greater hardship to the applicant than benefit to the public, the hearing examiner may extend the amortization period to a point in time where the balancing of interests would support the termination of the nonconformance. In no event should this amortization period be greater than three additional years. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.140 Variances.
A. Allowed. Any person may apply for a variance from the requirements of this chapter.
B. Procedures. The sign variance will be processed in the same manner as zoning variances as described in the zoning code, Chapters 17.13 and 17.64.
C. Criteria. To approve a sign variance, the permit authority must adopt findings of fact and conclusions to support the following criteria:
1. The variance does not conflict with the purpose and intent of the sign regulations;
2. The variance does not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with the limitation upon signage of other properties that have had to conform to the provisions of this title;
3. There are exceptional or extraordinary circumstances or conditions applicable to the property involved, or to the intended use of the property, that are not contemplated or provided for by this chapter;
4. The granting of such variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity and zone in which the subject property is situated;
5. The variance will not increase the number of signs allowed by the title or allow a prohibited type of sign; and
6. Approval has been conditioned as necessary to ensure compatibility with this chapter. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)
17.80.150 Violations and enforcement.
A. Liability. This chapter shall not be construed as relieving or lessening the responsibility of any person owning, building, altering, constructing, removing or moving any sign in the city for damages to anyone injured or damaged, either in person or property, by any defect or action therein. Nor shall the city or any agent therefor assume the liability by reason of issuance of a permit or inspection authorized in this chapter. The city shall not be liable for any damage to or destruction of signs during the removal and/or disposal of signs as provided for in this chapter.
B. Enforcement. Except as expressly provided in the following sections, enforcement of this code shall proceed in accordance with Title 18.
C. Interpretation. The administration of this chapter shall be in accordance with the provisions contained in Chapters 17.13 and 17.72 unless specifically provided for herein.
D. Removal and Disposal of Signs.
1. Removal. City staff may remove signs when they are:
a. Determined by the director to present an immediate threat to the safety of the public;
b. In violation of this chapter; or
c. Determined to be abandoned, provided the city attempts to reach the property owner with a fourteen-day advance notice that the sign is deemed abandoned and will be removed.
2. Disposal. When a sign has been removed, the city must:
a. Hold a sign for at least seven days prior to disposing to allow sign owner a chance to pick it up (subject to twenty-five dollar impoundment fee per sign).
b. For signs with an estimated fair market value exceeding five hundred dollars, the city shall provide written notice to the following:
i. Sign owner, if contact information can be determined by the city with a half hour or less of staff time.
ii. Underlying property owner, as shown on assessor records, if the sign owner cannot be reasonably ascertained.
iii. No notice is required if the sign owner cannot be reasonably ascertained and the underlying property owner is the city or the property is identified as State Route 525 or State Route 526. (Ord. 1488 § 2 (Exh. A), 2024)