Duluth UDC § 604.03

All principal freestanding and principal building signs erected or placed on a property or development occupied by a nonresidential use shall comply with the following provisions: a. Principal freestanding signs. Principal freestanding signs on a property shall comply with the provisions of this Section and the restrictions for such signs as shown on Table 6-B for the zoning applicable to the property. 1. Type of freestanding signs allowed. Principal freestanding signs on nonresidential use properties shall be monument or hybrid monument signs (as defined in this Development Code). All such signs shall be mounted on a base constructed of the same material matching the façade of the principal use (brick, stone, stucco or wood) or similar quality, color and texture as the primary masonry materials used in the exterior finish of the primary structure on the site. The accent materials may be approved by the Planning and Development Director on a case-by-case basis. 2. Joint signs. Multiple businesses in a planned center on a single parcel shall share the number of free-standing signs allowed on the parcel as joint signs. 3. Any principal freestanding sign located within a parking lot or other area accessible by vehicles shall be surrounded by protective curbing, the area within which shall be landscaped in accordance with the requirements of Section 606.01. No freestanding sign shall be permitted to encroach in a parking area to such extent that the remaining parking spaces fail to meet the standards of this Development Code for off-street parking. 4. Freestanding sign faces shall be mounted on architecturally treated sign structures. 5. A principal freestanding sign must be set back at least 10 feet from the edge of any entrance driveway providing direct access from a street. This setback shall not apply to any parking lot spaces, parking lot aisle or internal drive on the property. See also Section 603.08 regarding height limitations within the Visibility Clearance Area. 6. Land-locked properties. i. Places of business within non-residential zoning districts that do not own road frontage, may be granted approval of a principal freestanding sign on or near the access easement to their business provided written permission is obtained from the property owner. ii. Multiple buildings or properties served by a common access easement shall share one joint sign at the road frontage as described in Paragraph (2) above. The Planning and Development Director may allow one principal freestanding sign serving multiple parcels that share the same access easement. b. Principal building signs. Principal building signs on a non-residential property shall comply with the provisions of this Sub-section and the restrictions for such signs shown on Table 6-B for the use applicable to the property. 170 | P a g e Article Six. Sign Regulations 1. Wall, projecting or canopy signs. i. Wall or projecting signs shall not extend above the parapet wall of a building or eave line of a pitched roof. ii. Canopy sign, projecting sign and wall sign requirements shall be interchangeable; all such signs are regulated collectively as “building signs”. 2. Window signs coverage. Window signs are collectively allowed to cover up to 20% of the total area of all windows and glass doors, per tenant façade. Window signs are allowed in all non- residential zoning districts except the O-N zoning district.