“Ambulatory health care center” means a medical institution building which is designated for delivery of a range of health care and high acuity specialty care services and is not licensed as a hospital.

“Area” or “surface area” means the greatest area of a sign, visible from any one viewpoint, enclosed within not more than three circles, rectangles or squares, or any combination of these forms which produces the smallest area, excluding sign support structure which does not form part of the sign proper or of the display. “Surface area” includes only one face of a multiple-faced sign.

“Architectural blade” means a roof sign or projecting sign with no exposed legs or braces, designed to look as though it could have been part of the building structure rather than something suspended from or standing on the building.

“Banner” means a sign intended to be temporary, made of flexible, sturdy material and affixed to a building or other structure (excludes flags).

“Barricade sign” means a sign affixed to construction barricades during the construction period.

“Billboard” means an outdoor advertising sign containing a message, commercial or otherwise, unrelated to any use or activity on the property on which the sign is located, but not including directional signs as defined herein. Billboards do not include signs that are specifically permitted to be located in the public rights-of-way or off the site of the property on which the activity is located pursuant to this chapter.

Building Line – Boulevards for Urban Design Treatment. The building line for signs for any property outside the limits of downtown and abutting a street designated by the urban design element of the comprehensive plan as a boulevard to be given urban design treatment shall be 65 feet from the centerline of the right-of-way. However, the director may administratively approve a modification of the required building line if the result of such modification would be consistent with the policies of the urban design element of the comprehensive plan.

Building Line – Downtown. The building line for signs for any property within the limits of the downtown and abutting a street classified by LUC 20.25A.170, Streetscape and public realm, as now or hereafter amended, shall be 25 feet from the property line. However, the director may administratively approve a modification of the required building line if the result of such modification would be consistent with the urban design policies of the comprehensive plan and the requirements of Part 20.25A LUC, as now or hereafter amended.

Building Line – General. Except as otherwise provided in this code, the building line for signs shall be the setback required for the property by the Land Use Code. In any area of the city, except downtown, where the applicable line is located more than 65 feet from the centerline of the city street on which it faces, the building line shall, for purposes of limiting size or placement of signs under this code, be deemed to begin 65 feet from the centerline of the street and run parallel thereto.

“Building-mounted sign” means a single or multiple-faced sign attached to the face of a building or marquee.

“Canopy” means a freestanding structure affording protection from the elements to persons or property thereunder.

“Canopy sign” means any sign erected upon, against or directly above a canopy.

“Construction barricade” means a structure set up to obstruct access to a construction site.

“Construction period” means the time between issuance of a building permit and issuance of certificate of occupancy.

“Construction sign” means an information sign which identifies the architect, engineers, contractors and other individuals, or firms involved with the construction of a building, and/or announces the character of the building or enterprise, and which is erected during the building construction period.

“Directional sign” means a single- or double-faced sign not exceeding six square feet in surface area, except as provided in BCC 22B.10.115 for major institutions, major office buildings, and major mixed-use complexes, BCC 22B.10.110 for hospitals in any land use district and ambulatory health care centers located in medical institution land use districts and in BCC 22B.10.030 for downtown, as now or hereafter amended, which is designed to guide or direct pedestrian or vehicular traffic to an area, place or convenience.

“Director” means the director of the development services department or his or her designated representative.

“Enterprise” means the owner, tenant, user, or other occupant of a structure seeking signs under this sign code.

“Entertainment/public assembly use” means those uses permitted in any downtown land use districts classified as indoor public assembly, motion picture, or theater by the Culture, Entertainment, and Recreation Use Chart in LUC 20.25A.050.D, as now or hereafter amended.

“Facade” means the area of that continuous front, side or back surface, including doors and windows, but excluding any roof area and structures or elevators or air conditioning equipment thereon; provided, that in the case of a roof sign, the surface area or facade shall be the area of that continuous front, side or back surface immediately beneath the roof, including doors and windows, but excluding the roof area and structures for elevators or air conditioning thereon.

“Freestanding sign” means a single- or multiple-faced sign, supported from the ground by one or more columns, uprights or braces.

“Freeway corridor” means a corridor paralleling each side of the freeway with a width of 375 feet on each side of the freeway right-of-way. The freeway corridor does not include land within the boundaries of downtown, as defined in the Land Use Code.

“Grade” means the elevation or level of the street closest to the sign to which reference is made, as measured at the street’s centerline, or the relative ground level in the immediate vicinity of the sign.

“Halo lighting” means a method of sign illumination that consists of a light source external to the sign or sign elements and mounted behind the sign or sign elements. The sign elements of a sign illuminated through halo lighting shall be opaque, so that the light does not appear to emit from within or through the sign elements.

“Height” means the vertical distance from the grade to the highest point of a sign or any vertical projection thereof, including its supporting columns, or the vertical distance from the relative ground level in the immediate vicinity of the sign.

“High-rise building” means a building with a roofline that is equal to, or exceeds, 75 feet above the average finish grade.

“Hospital” means a building requiring a license pursuant to Chapter 70.41 RCW and designed and used for the medical, surgical diagnosis, treatment and housing of persons under the care of doctors and nurses and including ancillary uses such as cafeterias, florists and patient- and visitor-related services. Rest homes, nursing homes, convalescent homes and clinics are not included.

“Illegal sign” means any sign which does not comply with the requirements of this code within the city limits as they now or hereafter exist, and which does not have a nonconforming sign permit under BCC 22B.10.200(B)(2).

“Incidental sign” means small signs, two square feet or less in surface area, of a noncommercial nature, intended primarily for the convenience of the public. Included are signs designating restrooms, address numbers, hours of operation, entrances to buildings, directions, help wanted, public telephone, etc. Also included in this group of signs are those designed to identify an area or place on the premises of a business building or development by means of a directory designating names and addresses only.

“Institution, major” means a use such as a hospital, convention center, performing arts center, college, or sports arena, or a major office building or mixed-use complex containing 300,000 gross square feet or more, located in the downtown.

“Lease-up/sales period” means the time between issuance of certificate of occupancy (CO) or temporary certificate of occupancy (TCO) and when the building becomes substantially leased up or until substantially all the units in the building are sold. For purposes of this definition, the period shall be the longer of six months from CO/TCO or 95 percent occupancy or sale. The director may approve an extension if deemed necessary.

“Major institution” means a use such as a hospital, convention center, performing arts center, college, or sports arena, or a major office building or mixed use complex containing 300,000 gross square feet or more, located in the downtown or in Bel-Red.

“Marquee” means a covering structure projecting horizontally from and attached to a building, affording protection from the elements to persons or property thereunder.

“Multiple building complex” means a group of structures housing more than one type of retail business, office or commercial venture and generally under one ownership and control.

“Multiple occupancy building” means a single structure housing more than one type of retail business office or commercial venture.

“Noncommercial public service sign” means noncommercial signs devoted to religious, charitable, cultural, governmental or educational messages, including, but not limited to, the advertising of events sponsored by a governmental agency, a school, church, civic or fraternal organization or other organizations engaged in activities for profit.

“Office building” means an office building in the PO, O, BR-ORT, and other land use districts as provided by the Land Use Code.

“Parapet” means that portion of a building wall which extends above the roof of the building.

“Penthouse” means a structure on top of a building roof such as houses an elevator shaft or similar form.

“Permanent signage” means signage affixed to a building or property and intended for the life of the project.

“Political sign” means signs advertising a candidate or candidates for public elective office, or a political party, or signs urging a particular vote on a public issue decided by ballot.

“Portable sign” means a sign which has no permanent attachment to a building or the ground, including A-frame signs, pole attachments, and mobile signs.

“Primary sign or signs” means all signs of a user which are not exempt (see BCC 22B.10.130), or which do not come within the category “incidental signs” (see definition in this section), or which do not come within the category “directional signs” (see definition in this section). The term “primary sign” is intended to include virtually all signs of a commercial nature.

“Property line” means the line denoting the limits of legal ownership of property.

“Readerboard” means a sign or part of a sign on which the letters are readily replaceable such that the copy can be changed from time to time at will.

“Roof sign” means any sign erected upon, against or directly above a roof or on top of or above the parapet of a building, including a sign affixed to any structure erected upon a roof, including a structure housing building equipment.

“Sign” means any letters, figures, design, symbol, trademark or device intended to attract attention to any activity, service, place, subject, person, firm, corporation, public performance, article, machine or merchandise whatsoever. Sources of light used primarily to illuminate a sign, or a building, or grounds surrounding the building shall not be considered signs themselves; provided, however, that sources of light used primarily to attract attention to the light itself or as a decorative feature of the display shall be considered as part of the sign. Excluded from the definition are official traffic signs or signals, sheriff’s notices, court notices or official public notices, the flags of a government or noncommercial institution, signs not visible from the street or sidewalk or way open to the public (see BCC 22B.10.130 for more detailed treatment of exempt signs), and religious symbols.

“Sign code” means this chapter.

“Sign master plan” means a plan for the design and placement of all signs intended for a project site for the life of a project.

“Single occupancy building” means a commercial building or structure with one major enterprise, generally under one ownership. A building is classified as “single occupancy” only if: (A) it has only one occupant; (B) it has no wall in common with another building; and (C) it has no part of its roof in common with another building.

“Street” means any automobile thoroughfare so designated by city ordinance. “Street” includes portions thereof used for parking.

“Subdivision signs” means signs used to identify a land development, which is to be or was accomplished at essentially one time.

Substantial Remodel. As defined in the Land Use Code.

Surface area. See “Area” or “surface area.”

“Temporary event” means the advertising of a grand opening, change in ownership/management, substantial remodel, or going out of business sale.

“Temporary sign” means a nonpermanent sign intended for use for a limited period of time. Types of temporary signs are construction signs, grand opening displays, real estate signs, and political signs. (See BCC 22B.10.120).

“Upper-level high-rise sign” means a sign located on a high-rise building more than 75 feet above average grade, except as provided in this chapter.

“Way open to public” means any paved or unpaved exterior areas on private property open to the general public for pedestrian or vehicular ingress and egress into a site or between sites that are open to and provide services to the public.

“Window sign” means all signs located inside and affixed to or within three feet of windows of a building, whether temporary or permanent, lighted or unlighted, which may be viewed from the exterior of the building. The term does not include merchandise located within three feet of a window. (See BCC 22B.10.030(H), as now or hereafter amended.) (Ord. 6427 § 2, 2018; Ord. 6288 § 1, 2016; Ord. 6116 § 1, 2013; Ord. 5877 § 1, 2009; Ord. 5821 § 19, 2008; Ord. 5743 § 1, 2007; Ord. 5679 § 1, 2006; Ord. 5542 §§ 1, 2, 2004; Ord. 5490 §§ 1 – 4, 2003; Ord. 5357 § 1, 2002; Ord. 4818 § 2, 1995; Ord. 4683 § 1, 1994; Ord. 4626 §§ 2, 3, 1994; Ord. 3822 § 2, 1987; Ord. 2953 § 2, 1981; Ord. 2045 § 1, 1974; 1961 code § 17.01.020.)