§ 20-18. Definitions.

Words and phrases used in this article shall have the meanings set forth in this section. Words and phrases not defined in this section, but defined in the city zoning ordinance, shall be given the meanings set forth in such ordinance. All other words and phrases shall be given their common, ordinary meaning, unless the context clearly requires otherwise. Section headings or captions are for reference purposes only and shall not be used in the interpretation of this article.

Abandoned sign. Any sign that contains or exhibits broken panels, visible rust, visible rot, damaged support structures, or missing letters or which is otherwise dilapidated, unsightly, or unkempt, and for which no person accepts maintenance responsibility.

Animated illumination or effects. Illumination or effects with action, motion, moving characters or flashing lights. This may require electrical energy, but shall also include wind-actuated devices. This definition includes light emitting diode (LED) and/or electronic variable message center (EVMC) signs. Specifically included is any motion picture or video mechanism used in conjunction with any sign structure in such a manner as to permit or allow the images to be visible from any public right-of-way.

Awning/canopy. A permanently installed cloth or canvas covering which hangs from a building facade or projects over the public walkway for beautification or shelter. Heretofore referred to as a canopy.

Awning sign. A sign, symbol, trademark or other message written on an awning attached to a wall. Awning signs are included in the definition of wall signs.

Banner. A sign other than a flag with or without characters, letters, illustrations or ornamentation applied to cloth, paper, vinyl or fabric that is intended to be hung either with a frame or without a frame. Neither flags, nor canopy signs are considered banners.

Billboard. A freestanding sign with an area of more than two hundred fifty (250) square feet and a height not to exceed thirty (30) feet, except as stated herein. Such signs shall have no more than (2) two faces.

Block out zone. An area that is measured from the intersecting points of a public right-of-way, street, road, highway, railroad, at any entrance onto or exit from any public road or other location and extending twenty (20) feet along the right-of-way in each direction and closed so as to form a triangle in the corner created by the intersection.

Buildable area of lot. That area of a lot within the building setback lines as set by the city zoning ordinance within which a principal building or structure may be erected.

Building facade area. The height of the facade multiplied by the width of the facade equals the facade area.

Building setback line. The minimum yard requirement adjacent to any public street or property line set by the city zoning ordinance beyond which no part of a principal building or structure may be erected.

Bunting. A long colored strip of cloth or other pliable material used for festive decorations and containing no message, logo, or emblem and attached to a permanent structure.

Business park overlay district. Designated area of the City of Cartersville as adopted by the mayor and council and shown on the Official Zoning Map of the City of Cartersville. The boundaries of this overlay district include the areas outlined on exhibit "B", attached to the ordinance from which this chapter derives, and is included herein by reference.

Canopy sign. A sign affixed to, imposed upon or painted on any permanent roof-like structure extending over a driveway or vehicle access area. Such signs may be mounted flush or suspended. A flush canopy sign is one that is mounted in such a manner that a continuous face with the canopy is formed. A hanging canopy sign is one suspended from or beneath the canopy.

Changeable copy sign. Any sign that incorporates changing lights, lettering, or images to form a sign message or messages, whether such changes are accomplished electronically or manually.

City. The City of Cartersville, Georgia.

Commemorative. A sign which identifies a site of memorable public interest.

Directional. Providing instructions for travel to or indicating the location of a place or event, whether by words, arrows or other symbols.

Director. The director of the city planning and development department or his designee.

Directory signs. A freestanding sign containing a directory for multiple commercial businesses.

Electronic sign. A sign whose message may be changed at intervals by electronic process or by remote control, including the device known as a commercial electronic variable message sign.

Electronic sign, stationary. A sign, kept constant in intensity when in use, which does not exhibit sudden or marked changes in lighting effects, and which does not exhibit any other changes of any nature within a continuous one-minute time interval.

Facade. The exterior surface or face of a building. The front facade is the building wall which contains the primary entry of the building. The side facade means the exterior walls other than the main or front view.

Flashing. Includes illumination which is not kept constant in intensity at all times when in use and which exhibits sudden or marked changes in lighting effects.

Footcandle. A quantitative unit measuring the amount of light cast onto a given point, measured as one (1) lumen per square foot.

Freestanding sign. Any sign supported by structures or supports that are placed on, or anchored in, the ground and that are independent from any building or other structure. A permanently affixed sign which is wholly independent of a building for support.

Graffiti. The defacing, damaging or destroying by spraying of paint, or marking of ink, chalk, dye or other similar substances on public and/or private buildings, structures and places.

Height. The height of a sign shall be computed as the distance from the base of the sign structure at normal grade to the top of the highest attached component of the sign. Normal grade shall be construed to be the newly established grade after construction, exclusive of any filling, berming, mounding, or excavating solely for the purpose of locating the sign. At the election of the permit holder, the height of a sign may be measured from the highest point on the sign to the level of the nearest road.

Home occupation. An occupation for gain or support customarily conducted on the premises by a person or family residing thereon. The term "home occupation" shall not be deemed to include a bed and breakfast inn.

Illuminated sign, external. A sign illuminated by an external light source. Such source cannot be a device that changes color, flashes or alternates.

Illuminated sign, internal. A sign illuminated by an internal light source. Such source cannot be a device that changes color, flashes or alternates.

Illustration. A design or drawing that visually explains, conveys, or decorates a text or message.

Includes. Denotes a partial definition.

Inflatable advertising devices. Includes air- or gas-filled signs, figures or balloons used for advertising purposes.

Instructional sign. A sign conveying instructions to the public, such as "entrance," "exit," "open," "closed," "no trespassing," etc.

Interior sign. Signs intended to be viewed from the interior of a building.

Interstate highway. I-75 and any road of the state highway system which is a portion of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, as officially designated or as may hereafter be so designated by the state department of transportation and approved by the United States Secretary of Transportation pursuant to 23 U.S.C. Section 103, or any limited access highway as officially designated or as may hereafter be so designated by the state department of transportation and approved by the United States Secretary of Transportation pursuant to the provisions of 23 U.S.C. Section 103.

Legal lot of record. A lot which meets the legal requirements set forth for the applicable zoning district.

Lot. Contiguous parcel(s) of land, legally platted and recorded as a legal lot of record, in single or common ownership, and not divided by a public street.

Lumen. A quantitative unit measuring the amount of light emitted by a light source.

Main Street overlay district. Designated area of the City of Cartersville as adopted by the mayor and council and shown on the Official Zoning Map of the City of Cartersville. The boundaries of this overlay district include the areas outlined on exhibit "A", attached to the ordinance from which this chapter derives, and is included herein by reference.

Major thoroughfare. A street or highway classified as an arterial or major collector as referenced in the City of Cartersville Street Classification Map.

Median. Area between two (2) roadways of a divided street or highway measured from edge of traveled way to edge of traveled way.

Monument sign. A sign supported by an internal structural framework on a base or foundation, or a sign enclosed by other solid structure features other than support pole(s) or post(s). No open spaces which allow a direct line of sight from one (1) side of the sign to the other are permissible in the area located beneath the widest part of the sign face where the message is located in a direct vertical plane to the ground. By way of example and without limitation the sign can not be attached to, resting upon, or supported by any pillars, columns, pylons which allow for open spaces or direct line of sight from one (1) side of the sign to the other beneath the widest area of the sign face in a direct vertical plane to the ground.

Nonconforming sign. Any lawfully erected sign which, as of the date of adoption of the ordinance from which this chapter derives, fails to comply with the requirements of this article.

Normal maintenance and repair. Normal maintenance and repair includes painting and cleaning. However, normal maintenance or repair conclusively does not include any structural alteration, any modification that requires a building permit or any alteration that costs in excess of fifty (50) percent of the value of the sign prior to such maintenance and repair. For purposes of this definition, the value of the sign shall be the replacement cost of the sign structure. The valuation of the sign as shown on the records of the tax assessor shall be presumed to be the replacement cost. If no amount appears in the records of the tax assessor for the individual sign, then the amount stated as the value of the sign on the original sign permit application shall be presumed to be the replacement cost. These presumptions of replacement costs may be rebutted by a city-approved appraisal.

Obscene. Material is obscene if to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, taken as a whole, it predominantly appeals to the prurient interest, that is, a shameful or morbid interest in nudity, sex or excretion; the material taken as a whole lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value; and the material depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined as:

(1)

Acts of sexual intercourse, heterosexual or homosexual, normal or perverted, actual or simulated;

(2)

Acts of masturbation;

(3)

Acts involving excretory functions or lewd exhibition of the genitals;

(4)

Acts of bestiality or the fondling of sex organs of animals; or

(5)

Sexual acts of flagellation, torture, or other violence indicating a sadomasochistic sexual relationship.

Outparcel. A portion of a larger parcel of land generally designed as a site for a separate structure and business from the larger tract. An outparcel may or may not be a subdivision of a larger parcel. To be recognized as an outparcel, the portion must be identified on a site plan approved for the larger parcel.

Owner. Includes any person having possession of or control of a sign or owner of record of real property.

Permanent sign. Any sign which, when installed, is intended for permanent use. A permanent freestanding sign shall be of a type and construction as not to be easily or readily removed from the lot on which it has been erected.

Permanent window sign. A sign with letters, words, or symbols which are displayed on and permanently attached to the window glass or framework.

Pole sign. A sign that is mounted on a freestanding pole or poles, columns, or similar support such that the bottom of the sign structure is not in contact with the ground as is typically found with monument ground signs. Also referred to as a pylon sign.

Portable sign. A sign which is not permanently affixed to the ground or to a structure including, but not limited to, signs on trailers or signs mounted or painted on vehicles which are parked in such a manner as to serve the purpose of a sign.

Primary highway. Any road of the state highway system which is a portion of connected main highways, as officially designated or as may hereafter be so designated by the state department of transportation and approved by the United States Secretary of Transportation pursuant to 23 U.S.C. Section 103.

Prohibited sign. Any sign, other than a legal nonconforming sign, not conforming to this article.

Projecting sign. Any sign which is suspended or projected from the wall, eave, or soffit of the building.

Proportion. Balanced relationship of parts of a building, signs and other structures, and landscape to each other and to the whole.

Roof sign. A sign that is mounted on the roof of a building (excludes flags).

Sandwich board or sidewalk sign. An outdoor double-sided portable sign, generally in the shape of an isosceles triangle, with the angle at apex being less than sixty (60) degrees. Such signs do not require a permit.

Scale. Proportional relationships of the size of parts to one another and to humans.

Setback. The distance from the property line to the nearest part of the applicable building, structure, or sign, measured perpendicularly to the property line.

Sign. Any device, fixture, placard or structure affixed to, supported by, or suspended by a stationary object, building, or the ground that uses any color, form, graphic, illumination, symbol, or writing to communicate information of any kind to the public. All signs shall have no more than two (2) faces.

Sign area. The entire face of a sign, including the advertising surface and any framing, trim, or molding, but not including the supporting structure.

Soffit sign. A sign which hangs or is suspended beneath the cover of a walkway or beneath a support extending from a building.

Streamers or pennants. Any lightweight plastic, fabric, or similar material generally triangular or rectangular in shape; suspended from a rope, wire, or string, often in series, designed to move in the wind.

Temporary sign. Any sign of nonpermanent nature. All such signs shall be removed within three (3) calendar days after the purpose of which the sign is intended to advertise has been accomplished.

Twirler and/or curb-cut signs. A sign of nonpermanent nature which may be pivoted, revolved, rolled, rotated, spun, swirled, swiveled, turned, twisted, and/or whirled, whether by self-made force, human force, wind-activated, or any other means.

Wall sign. Any sign attached parallel to a wall, painted on the wall surface, or erected and confined within the limits of an outside wall of any building or structure, which is supported by such wall or building and which displays only one (1) sign surface. Wall signs shall be flush with the wall, building, or structure to which it is mounted or affixed, except as otherwise set forth herein.

Window sign. Any sign that is affixed to the exterior of the window or window panes or within five (5) feet of the interior of the window or window panes and is visible from the exterior of the structure.

Yard sign. Small sign constructed from cardboard, coated paperboard, or corrugated plastic attached to a wooden post or set with a metal frame made of wire, set back a minimum of five (5) feet from the edge of pavement.

Zoning district. The zoning designation of parcels of land under the city zoning ordinance.

Zoning district DBD. Designated area of the City of Cartersville as indicated on the Official Zoning Map of the City of Cartersville.

(Ord. No. 26-12, 5-3-12; Ord. No. 01-15, §§ 1—3, 3-5-15)