9-15-5: DEFINITIONS:
A. Words or phrases defined in the town's Development Code (chapter 1 of this title) apply to this chapter unless such definition conflicts with a definition in this chapter.
B. Where terms are not defined, they shall have their ordinary accepted meanings within the context that they are used.
C. As used in this chapter, the following words have the following meanings:
ACCENT: Twenty five percent (25%) or less of the area of a sign.
ADVERTISE: The non-personal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services, or ideas by identified persons.
ATTENTION GETTING DEVICE: Any flag, streamer, spinner, pennant, costumed character, light, balloon, continuous string of pennants, flags or fringe or similar device or ornamentation used primarily for the purpose of attracting attention to a commercial use if visible by the general public. "Bistro lights" and "decorative lights" as defined in section 9-12-7 of this title are not an attention getting device.
BANNER SIGN: A strip of cloth or other flexible material on which a sign or message is placed.
BUILDING AND TECHNICAL CODES: The town's Building and Technical Codes adopted by title 8, chapter 1 of this Code.
BUILDING FRONTAGE: The length of a building facing a street or alley or, where a mall exists, building frontage means that portion of the mall that is parallel to the street. In the case of a corner lot, the building frontage may be either of the street frontages, but not both, at the option of the property owner. Where a property is tandem with another lot and has no frontage on a public street, the adjacent tandem property shall be disregarded, and the building frontage means the façade of the building nearest the public street. A depiction of building frontage is as follows:
BUILDING OFFICIAL: The building official of the town, or such person's designee acting pursuant to section 1-7-2 of this Code.
BUSINESS: A commercial use of real property for which a valid business and occupational (BOLT) license has been issued under title 4, chapter 1 of this Code.
COMMERCIAL MESSAGE SIGN: A sign that contains primarily a commercial message.
COMMERCIAL USE: Has the meaning provided in section 9-1-5 of this title.
CONSERVATION DISTRICT: Has the meaning provided in section 9-1-5 of this title.
COPY (MESSAGE OR CONTENT): Any graphic, letter, numeral, symbol, insignia, text, sample, model, device, or combination thereof located on a sign.
CORNER LOT: A lot bounded on two (2) sides by streets that intersect with each other.
DAY: A calendar day, unless a business day is specified. A "business day" is a day that the offices of the town of Breckenridge are open for business.
DEPARTMENT: The town's Department of Community Development.
DIRECTOR: The town's Director of Department of Community Development, or such person's designee acting pursuant to section 1-7-2 of this Code.
DIRECTORY SIGN: A sign that serves as a common or collective identification of two (2) or more uses on the same property and which may contain a directory to the uses as an integral part thereof or may serve as a general identification for such developments as shopping centers, industrial parks, and similar uses. An example of a directory sign is as follows:
DISPLAY BOX: A freestanding or wall sign located immediately outside of or near the entrance to a restaurant, bar, or lounge.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE SIGN: A sign that uses LEDs (light emitting diodes), CCDs (charge coupled devices), plasma, or functionally equivalent technologies to display a series of still images or full motion, usually remotely programmable and changeable. Also known as "electronic message centers", "message centers", and "electronic signs".
FLAG: A sign containing a noncommercial message that is typically made of cloth and is displayed outdoor by being hung on a pole or hung from a building.
FLASHING SIGN: A sign that has lights or illumination that flashes, has a reflective surface, rotates, revolves, oscillates, blinks, flickers, varies in intensity of color, or uses intermittent electrical pulsations. An electronic message sign is not a flashing sign.
FREESTANDING SIGN: A permanent sign that is supported by one or more columns, upright poles, or braces extended from the ground or from an object on the ground, or which is erected on the ground, where no part of the sign is attached to any part of a building, structure, or other sign. The term includes a "pole sign", "pedestal sign", and "ground sign". An example of a freestanding sign is as follows:
GARDEN LEVEL: The floor of a building located more than fifty percent (50%) below average grade with an exterior entry accessing such level as depicted below:
GATEWAY ENTRANCE MONUMENT: Has the meaning provided in section 9-1-5 of this title.
GOVERNMENT SIGN: A sign that is the expression of the Federal or any state or local governmental entity when erected and maintained according to law and includes, but is not limited to, traffic control devices that are erected and maintained to comply with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices adopted by the State of Colorado.
HISTORIC DISTRICT: Has the meaning provided in section 9-1-5 of this title.
HISTORIC PLAQUE: A sign placed on the outside of a building or structure that has received designation as a landmark under the town's historic preservation ordinance (chapter 11 of this title), or applicable Federal law.
INDUSTRIAL USE: Has the meaning provided in section 9-1-5 of this title.
INTERNALLY LIT SIGN: An indirect source of light which illuminates a sign by shining through a translucent surface of a sign, lit from an internal light source or gas (e.g., neon, argon).
LEANING SIGN: A one sided sandwich board sign supported by another object such as a building or tree.
LOT: A parcel of real property designated with a separate and distinct number or letter on a recorded plat filed with the Summit County Clerk and Recorder, or when not so platted, a parcel of real property occupied or intended to be occupied by a building and all allowed accessory structures, held in unified ownership in fee or co-tenancy, or under legal control tantamount to such ownership.
MARQUEE SIGN: A tall roof like projection above a theater entrance, usually containing the name of a currently featured play or film and its stars. An example of a marquee sign is as follows:
MASTER SIGN PLAN: A sign plan for an office or commercial building that contains three (3) or more separate businesses, which plan includes the number, size, description, and location (but not the content) of all signs located, or to be located, in or upon such property.
MOBILE SIGN: A sign or signage placed on or wrapped onto a vehicle or by other mobile means of travel.
MONUMENT SIGN: A freestanding sign with a base, including any portion of the sign or supporting structure that exceeds two (2) square feet in ground area. An example of a monument sign is as follows:
MOVING SIGN: A sign that moves or simulates motion.
MURAL: Has the meaning provided in section 9-1-5 of this title.
NONCOMMERCIAL MESSAGE: Any message that is not a commercial message.
NONCOMMERCIAL MESSAGE SIGN: A sign that contains primarily a noncommercial message.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN: A commercial message sign that does not advertise a business, merchandise, product, service, or entertainment that is sold, produced, manufactured, furnished, or that is available on the property where the sign is located.
ON-PREMISES SIGN: A commercial message sign that advertises a business, merchandise, product, service, or entertainment that is sold, produced, manufactured, furnished, or that is available on the property where the sign is located.
PERMANENT SIGN: A sign that is to be placed or erected for an indefinite period of time pursuant to a permit issued under this chapter. Permanent signs are typically made of durable material such as wood or material that mimics wood such as high density urethane, glass, or metal.
PUBLIC AREA: Any outdoor place to which the public or a substantial number of the public has access, including, but not limited to, transportation facilities, schools, places of amusement, parks, playgrounds, and the outdoor common areas of public and private buildings and facilities.
PUBLIC ENTRANCE: An entrance into a business that is unlocked and available for use by the general public for access to and egress from the business during regular business hours. A "deliveries only" entrance is not a public entrance.
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY: A public street or alley.
REFLECTIVE SURFACE: Any material or device that has the effect of intensifying reflected light, including, but not limited to, Scotchlite, Day-Glo, glass beads, mirrors, highly reflective metals and luminous paint.
RESIDENTIAL USE: Has the meaning provided in section 9-1-5 of this title.
REVIEWING AUTHORITY: The Director with respect to all permit applications submitted under this chapter, except an application for a Master Sign Plan permit. The reviewing authority for a Master Sign Plan permit application shall be the Planning Commission.
ROOF SIGN: A sign painted on the roof of a building, or supported by poles, uprights, or braces extending from the roof of a building, or projecting above the roof of a building, but not including a sign projecting from or attached to a wall.
SANDWICH BOARD SIGN: A sign that is constructed with two (2) pieces of non-reflective metal, blackboard, whiteboard, or wood or similar material, connected at the top, which pieces form a triangular shape and are self-supporting; also known as an "A-frame" sign. An example of a sandwich board sign is as follows:
SEASONAL DECORATION: Temporary, noncommercial decorations or displays erected or displayed only on a seasonal basis, when such are clearly incidental to the primary use of the building.
SEPARATE FRONTAGE: A second building frontage, parallel and adjacent to a public right-of-way and on the opposite side of a building's primary frontage that includes a public entrance.
SIGN: A lettered, numbered, symbolic, pictorial, or illuminated visual display designed to identify, announce, direct, or inform, and includes the sign structure. Signs are either permanent or temporary, and may contain a noncommercial message or a commercial message. Clothing is not a sign. A mural painted on a structure is not a sign subject to this chapter, but is regulated by the Development Code.
SIGN AREA OR SURFACE AREA: The surface area of a sign, as determined by the Director, including its facing, copy, insignia, background, and borders, that is described by a combination of plane geometric figures.
SIGN ON PROPERTY UNDER DEVELOPMENT: A sign erected in connection with the development of real property.
SIGN OWNER: The permittee with respect to any sign for which a sign permit has been issued; or, with respect to a sign for which no sign permit is required, or for which no sign permit has been obtained, "sign owner" means the person entitled to possession of such sign, the owner, occupant, or agent of the property where the sign is located, and any person deriving a pecuniary benefit from the sign.
SIGN STRUCTURE: All supports, uprights, braces, housings, mounting devices, and framework of a sign to the extent necessary to support the sign.
STATUARY SIGN: Any sign which is a modeled or sculptured likeness of a living creature or inanimate object.
STREET: The entire width of every dedicated public way owned or controlled by the town.
STRUCTURE: Anything that is built or constructed with a fixed location, but does not include utility poles, lines, cables or other transmission or distribution facilities of public utilities, or structures associated with a wireless communications facility as defined in the town's Development Code.
TEMPORARY SIGN: A sign that is not a permanent sign.
TOWN-OWNED PROPERTY: Has the meaning provided in title 11, chapter 8 of this Code.
TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE: A sign, signal, marking, or other device used to regulate, warn, or guide traffic, placed on, over, or adjacent to a street, highway, pedestrian facility, or shared- use path by authority of a public agency having jurisdiction.
WALKING SIGN: Any sign that is carried by any person while walking on a public street or sidewalk that is visible from a public right-of-way, adjacent property, or a public area.
WALL SIGN: Any sign attached to, or erected against the building or structure, with the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to the plane of said wall.
WINDOW SIGN: A sign that is painted on, applied, or attached to a window. Merchandise that is a part of a window display is not a window sign.
WINDOW SIGN WRAP: A sign that extends horizontally across a business window or series of business windows that is placed towards the top or bottom of the window so as not to detract from the inside display of merchandise. An example of an allowed window wrap sign is as follows:
WOOD RELIEF SIGN: A carved sign constructed of wood and other similar materials that replicate wood with a three- dimensional (3-D) textured surface that is integral to its design, such as extensively carved, routed, or sandblasted signs. A wood sign with a simple raised or routed border, or simple raised or routed letters, shall not constitute a wood sign with relief. (Ord. 3, Series 2019)