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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAmending Ordinance No. 2243 Article XLII Electric Signsi I ORDINANCE No. .10 Passed by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, Attest: Attest: City Clerk. Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, of Common Council. City Clerk Approved and signed by me I93-1,X� r Mayor ORDINANCE N0. 30 AN ORDINANCE AMENDIJG ORDINANCE NO. 2243 ADOPTED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND INDIANA MARCH 27, 1922 AND =LLIONLY KNO;fi7TN AS THE BUILDING CODE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND INDIANA: Section 1 That Article XLII of Ordinance No. 2243 be and is hereby amended to read as follows: ARTICLE XLII ELECTRIC SIGNS Section 503 Any sign device containing letters, figures or other designs intended for display or direction, illuminated by electricity shall be considered an electric sign within the intent and meaning of this article and shall be subject to the regulations and restrictions herein enumerated. Section 504 Classification. Electric signs are herein classified accord- ing to the following descriptions and uses. Class A Electric Sins Class A shall include all electric signs of which the characters and designs are formed of transparent or translucent material with interior lighting, and electric signs having letters or designs formed or outlined by illuminated glass tubing or electric lights and signs in which a combination of these methods of illumination is employed. Class B Electric Sims shall include electric signs which have within or upon them any wiring or fixture for purpose of electric illumination or any illuminated fixture which has upon it any letter or word other than address numbers. Class C Electric Signs shall include all electric signs and fixtures using higher voltage than 220 volts and which are erected, hung or operated with in the building. Class D Electric Signs shall include all electric sky or roof signs, con- structed or erected over or above the roof of any building, where the height of the bottom of such sign is fifteen (15) feet or more above the grade of the street. Section 505 Electric signs attached to the exterior walls of buildings or other rigid supports shall be designated as projecting signs or wall signs according as they extend from their support over the street alley, walk, court or areaway or are set flat against the wall. Section 906 Projecting Signs Projecting signs are designated as hori -. d/ zontal or vertical according aka their horizontal or vertical dimensions are the greater. No projecting sign shall be erected with the inner edge of the sign less than 12 inches or more than 19 inches front the,wall or sup- port to which it is attached or with the outer edge more than 12 feet from such support, and in no case shall the outer edge of the sign extend beyond the curb line of the street. The minimum clear height of projecting signs above sidewalks shall be 12 feet, and above alleys and driveways, 15 feet. Horizontal projecting signs of Class A or Class B shall not- have an area greater thin seventy -two (72) square feet. Vertical signs shall not extend more than five (5) feet above the roof line of a one story building, nor more than ten (10) feet above the roof line of a two story building and the maximum height permitted for three or more stories shall be fourteen (14) feet above the roof line of the building. Section 907 All electric signs shall be securely anchored to the structure of the building to which they are attached, or to other rigid support, by two or more brackets which brackets shall be built into the framework of the sign. Signs weighing 150 pounds and more, when anchored to a masonry wall, shall have the upper bracket anchored by means of bolt or bolts through the wall and secured with plates and nuts on the inside of the wall. In cases where bolts cannot be extended through the wall, two expansion bolts set not less than six inches into the masonry, -may be used if so placed that the stress will-be equalized upon them. Signs anchored to veneered frame walls or to walls veneered with terra cotta or other decorative material shall be anchored to the structure of the well independent of the veneering. Signs anchored to walls of tile or concrete blocks shall have the bolts through the wall with inside plates large enough to spread the stress to several blocks. No anchor for sign brackets shall be made to or through any masonry well above the roof line. ;Flhen 20 percent or more of the vertical length of a sign extends above its uppermost wall anchor or bracket, the upper portion shall be stayed against wind pressure by an approved superstructure of -2- of structural steel shapes anchored to the roof members of the building. Wind pressure of 25 pounds per square foot of exposed surface shall be used in designing the framework of signs and their stays and fastenings. All projecting signs shall be provided with lateral stays to stabilize them against wind pressure and vertical stays against the loosening of anchorage. Such stays shall consist of rust— resisting chains or cables which are firmly attached to the framework of the sign and securely and sep- arately anchored to the wall or other support and provided with turnbuckles with which the tension may be adjusted. All anchors into masonry shall be expansion bolts and no lag screws shall be used except in case of anchorage into the framework of wood construction.. Horizontal projecting signs shall not exceed 600 pounds in weight. Vertical projecting signs shall not exceed 2500 pounds in weight, except such signs as are supported upon steel beams built into the structure of the building which may not exceed 5000 pounds. No sign of any class or character shall be placed upon the face of or suspended beneath any electric sign. Wall signs shall not extend more than 18 inches from the face of the wall nor more than 10 inches from the wall at a height of feet above the grade of the walk. No electric or other sign shall be erected in a position which blocks passage through any window or to any fire escape. Section 809 No projecting sign shall be erected upon any part of the wall of a building enclosing space occupied by another tenant of the building or in such manner as to obstruct the view of or from another ten - ant's window without first filing with the Building Department the written consent of such tenant or owner of building. d Electric signs attached to or made a part of a marquise which is less than 12 feet in the clear above the sidewalk shall be built into the structure of the marquise, such sign shall not be more than 24 inches in vertical dimension and shall not encroach beyond the dimensions allowed for the marquise supporting them. electric or non— eleotr&c placed or maintained No sigwhall be erected etween the sidewalk and the curb line on any public street, nor shall any sign be attached to any post, pole tree or other support located between the sidewalk and curb. No person, firm or corporation shall have more than two pro- jecting electric signs erected o —any building or store front. were . Section 909 Electric signs of all classes shall be constructed throughout;of metal or other non - combustible material. Sheet metal shall not be lighter than twenty -eight (29) gauge, U.S. standard. The framework of electric signs shall be of angle iron or channel construction, braced and cross- braoed with all parts rigidly joined and of sufficient strength to withstand all stresses and pressures without deformation. All signs exposed to the weather shall be provided with drainage the holes to prevent /collection of moisture. Glass used in the construction of letters or designs shall be securely held in place by proper clips and fastenings and no such glass, ex- cept tubing, shall be greater than 18' inches in any dimension. No glass faced signs shall be erected unless such faces be of shatterproof glass or shall be a covered with a guard of wire mesh not coarser than 1/9-inch mesh. The size of such faces shall be limited to 30 inches. Vvhen shatter- proof glass is used it shall bear a distinctive mark by which it may be readily recognized. Section 910 All sky or roof signs shall be made entirely of metal or other non-combustible material. If such sign is of greater area than 100 scuare feet it shall be of skeleton construction so that a minimum of resistance is offered to the wind. No sky or roof sign shall be so placed that the face of such sign shall be nearer than three feet to the inner face of the outer wall of the building, nor shall the ends of such sign extend beyond the inner face of the outer wall. The structure supporting such sign shall be designed to allow a clearance at the bottom of the sign not lessthan one foot and not more than ten feet. Section 911 High voltage sins and fixtures All signs, decorative lighting or other fixtures, which are operated at a voltage higher than 220 shall be considered as high voltage signs or fixtures and shall be sub- ject to the provisions of this section whether erected or attached outside or inside the buildings of this city. No gas tube sign, outline or high voltage sign or fixture shall be erected., put into operation, maintained or changed in any manner so that the load will be increased until a permit for same shall have been obtained from the Building Department, such permit shall not be issued to any person or firm not licensed under the Electrioal Code of the City of South Bend to do electrical work. -�- Transformers tubes, conductors, insulators, and other items of equipment shall be of approved types. Except by special permission, transformers shall be of the type for which the rating does not exceed thirty millamperes secondary or 450 volt amperes primary. Tube shall be substantially supported and installed so that it shall be free from contact with inflammable materials or grounded metal objects. Approved electrode receptacles or housings shall be used on all signs, or approved bhshings may be used if the high voltage cable is substantialy supported on approved insulators to within two inches of each electrode and connection to electrode made with pigtail soldered to cable and approved connector. Transformers shall be secured in place in a reliable manner, but shall not be mounted on door or hung so the entire weight is suspended from a single sheet metal side, face or top. Branch circuits shall be so arranged that the connected load shall not place more than fifteen amperes on branch fuse. High tension conductors shall not be smaller than +14 B & S gauge stranded type of suitable insulation for the voltage it is to carry, and shall be property supported and separated at least two inches from each other. No electric sign of any kind, ;�hich has been connected for test shall'be left connected so that the same can be lighted until inspection has been.ma.de and approval given by the Building Department. Provisions shall be made for supply connection other than on top of the sign. If electrode receptacles are exposed to the weather or are in any position that water may enter the sign body, a rubber filler shall be used to exclude the water. All connections between electrodes on window signs must have suitable insulator of glass or other approved insulating material over the connection from cable to tube. Linen, friction or rubber tape will not be considered as a protection. Skeleton type window signs shall be supported by chain, wire or other suitable means, insulated at tube end and supporting entire weight of sign in such a manner that no strain will be placed on high voltage cables Except that the provisions of this section shall not apply to portable window signs bearing the Underwriter's label and spproval, and which are plugged to a fixed receptacle near enough to sign that no staples, nails or other holders are recuired to hold the cable in place. -5- PJindow signs operating from separate transformers shall not be hung over, under or attached to another sign in such manner that will permit cable supports or tube of one sign to come in contact with the other. Section 912 Annual Inspection The Building Department of the City of South Bend shall once each year between the dates of November 1, and May ,1 inspect each and every electric sign as well as every other sign, the erection of which comes under the supervision of that department and keep a record of the state of repair of each. 7rhen such inspection shall show any sign to be illegally or improperly erected or in need of repairs the Building Department shall with- hold approval of the sign and the owner shall be notified in 4w,rriting, of the defects of such sign and the owner shall have correction made ,4the Depart- ment so notified within thirty days of such notice. The Building Department is hereby empowered to employ competent persons to remove the defective sign from above the street, alley, court or areaway, and to place the same upon the premises of the owner. The cost of such removal shall be charged to the owner of the sign or, if such owner cannot be found, to the owner of the building, and recovered through appropriate legal proceedings. No permit for the erection of any sign for such owner shall be issued until such costs are paid. 'Rhen signs are found in safe condition, or have been corrected as directed, the Building Department shall issue certificate of inspection and permit for the year, provided however, that erection permit shall cover all inspection fees due within six months after the erection of the sign. Signs upon which the annual fee is allowed to become delinquent shall be considered unlawful signs and comdemned by the Building Department. Section 912 -A Any person, firm or corporation selling or offering to sell any signs, whether electric or unilluminated within the City of South Bend, Indiana, shall first be registered with the Building Depart- ment., which shall keep a record of the salesmen and the firm he represents, togeter with such other information as will facilitate inspection and keeping of records in the department. Any sign sold by unregistered salesman or company shall be refused permit until this section shall have been complied with. i 9 Section 813 No person, firm or c�rpor'ation shall erect any sign, electrld or unilluminated, until permit is obtained for such erection from the Building Department. Application for permit to erect a sign shall be accompanied by a plan showing the details of erection and the approval of the Building Commis- -sinner obtained before such permit shall be issued. -- Section 913 A. Upon erection or inspection of any sign covered by this ordinanee,there shall be attached thereto an insigna approved by the Building Commissioner and, bearing any dates or numbers pertaining thereto. of greater area this fee shall be at the rate of two een s �U-.-Qz7- ger- sauarE- foot of display face. Fee for erection permit for wall sign shall be seventy -five cents ($0.75) for each 25 lineal feet or fraction thereof. Fee for erection permit for Class D sign shall be ten dollars (�.s10; Fee for installation.permit for Class C sign or fixture shall be seventy -five cents ($0.75), Fee for yearly permit shall be fifty cents (ri0.50) for any pro - f1 jecting. sign, for which an erection permit is required, where the area of dis- play face is less than 20 square feet and seventy -fibve cents ($0.75) for signs having 20 square feet or more of display face. Fee for yearly permit shall become due thirty days after the passage of this ordinance and delinquent ninety days after that date. There- after they shall become due on January 1st each year and delinquent on July 1st. Permit to erect signs of Class A, B, or D shall not be issued to any person or firm except they have a Class A electrician's license or shall have complied with section .832 of this code. i Portable signs bearing the Underwriter's label Of approval require no permit or license if no alterations are made in connecting cord or sign itself. Portable signs not bearing the Underwriter's lable of approval shall be considered of 0 Class. Each sign shall be marked with manufacturer's name, the weight, primary input in volts and amperes (Volt - Ampere or K.V.A.) so as to be readily visible after installation. All licenses and permits issued through the provisions of the Building Code shall be displayed in conspicuous place on the premises of the licensee and it shall be the duty of the Police Department of the city to -7- see that these licenses and permits are- properly displayed in accordance wjth these provisions. All inspectors charged with the enforcement of the provisions of this Code shall be invested with police authority but shall not have police power beyond the terms of this Code, except as provided by law. Section 2 That Section 821 (b) of said Ordinance No. 2243 be amended to _ read as follows: Aye I;ngastr License Authorizing work by an individual as an employee of any qI one person, firm or corporation, not engaged in general elec- trical contracting, for the installation and maintenance of electrical wiring or apparatus on premises owned or controlled by such employer at only such address or addresses as shown on application and license. No person shall hold more than one Class °B° license at any time. The fee for such license shall be :25.00 and $10.00 for the annual renewal thereof. Sectionn 3 This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and legal publication. r 5'� y Member of Common Council