Definitions.
Chandler City Code § 39-3
in effect39-3. - Definitions.
Balloon, common party: A common party balloon is a bag made of thin rubber or other light material that when fully inflated does not exceed three (3) feet in diameter. Common party balloons are typically inflated with air or gas that is lighter than air and tethered with a string or thin rope.
Balloon, fixed: A fixed balloon is any lighter-than-air or gas-filled balloon that is greater than three (3) feet in diameter when fully inflated and is attached by a tether to a fixed place and elevated to a height that is greater than fourteen (14) feet in order to attract attention to the business or property.
Banner: A temporary sign of fabric, plastic, paper or other flexible substrate on which copy or graphics may be displayed. Detached banners are not attached to a building and are secured to a freestanding temporary support structure, uprights, stakes or poles. Vertical banners are those that are affixed to a permanent structure such as a light pole located within a permitted outside display area. For vertical banners that are mounted in-ground or on top of the ground see the definition for feather signs.
Billboard: A permanent sign portraying information not related to an event, business, commodity, product, service, or entertainment occurring on the premises upon which the sign is located.
Block: At least seven hundred (700) feet of street frontage, including rights-of-way.
Building Code: Chapter 29 Building Regulations of the City Code.
Building envelope: The exterior area located within twenty (20) feet of the front of a building. Said area is typically designed for pedestrian use and may include features such as a sidewalk or colonnade parallel to the building front, the primary business entrance, signs, sidewalk furniture and planters.
Business frontage: For single tenant buildings the business frontage is the lineal distance of the building measured along a straight line parallel to the street. Where said building is not parallel to the street, the business frontage shall be measured along the exterior front wall of the building. For an individual business located within a multi-tenant building, the business frontage shall be the length of the space occupied by said business measured in a straight line along the exterior front wall of the building, except for an individual business with minimal exterior frontage occupying the interior corner space of an "L" shaped multi-tenant building, in which case the business frontage may be determined by the length of the space occupied by the individual business measured in a straight line parallel to the nearest street.
Day: Unless otherwise specified, a day shall mean calendar day.
Fascia: A parapet-type wall used as part of the fascia of a flat-roofed building and projecting not more than six (6) feet from the building face. Such a wall shall enclose at least three (3) sides of the project flat roof and return to a parapet wall or the building.
Ground level: The finished grade of existing sidewalk; or where there is no sidewalk, the street centerline elevation shall be the established ground level.
Halo: See definition for internal indirect lighting.
Indirect lighting: A source of external illumination located a distance away from the sign, which lights the sign, but which is itself not visible to persons viewing the sign from any normal viewing position.
Internal indirect lighting: A source of illumination entirely within the sign visible at night by means of lighting the background upon which the freestanding character is mounted. The character itself shall be opaque, and thus will be silhouetted against the background. The source of the illumination shall not be visible.
Institutional: See definition for quasi-public.
Maintenance: The replacing or repairing a part or portion of a sign made unusable by ordinary wear or tear, not exceeding fifty (50) percent of the sign's value, as determined by a licensed sign contractor.
Model home cluster: A group of two (2) or more model homes (including the parking area) located next to each other, or on opposite sides of the same street that share a common sales office.
Mural: Any graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly on a wall that does not directly or indirectly name, advertise, or call attention to a business, organization, product, service, or commercial activity.
Non-commercial message: A message that does not propose a commercial transaction.
Parapet wall: An exterior wall of a building extending above the roof line.
Panel: The portion of a freestanding monument sign that is reserved for use by a single business, organization or other entity that is located in a commercial or industrial center. Panels can be replaced without replacing or modifying the entire freestanding sign structure.
Public right-of-way: Any highway, street, road, lane, thoroughfare, avenue, boulevard, path, alley or other right-of-way that is maintained for public use and is publicly accessible. Public right-of-way does not include access easements on private property or any privately owned street, road, driveway, path or other similar passageway that may be connected to a public right-of-way. Public right-of-way typically includes sidewalks and landscaping on both sides of a street.
Quasi-public: Essentially public (as in services rendered) although under private or non-profit ownership or control. Quasi-public and institutional uses include educational institutions, medical institutions, religious institutions, fraternal organizations, civic organizations, and other similar uses.
Reverse pan channel: A three-dimensional letter or other sign component with opaque face and side walls and an open or translucent back that faces the wall on which it is mounted, concurrently blocking view of the light source within and allowing the wall behind to be illuminated, creating a halo effect around the letters or sign components.
Roof line: The height of the main roof structure but not to include cupolas, pylons, projections or other minor raised portions of the roof.
Seasonal decorations: Temporary decorations displayed around a holiday.
Sign: Any visual communication which is used to attract the attention of the public, when the display is visible beyond the boundaries of the property, and that directly or indirectly names, advertises, or calls attention to a business, organization, product, service, or commercial activity.
Sign, abandoned: A sign structure that is vacant, unoccupied, devoid of any message, or a sign that displays a message pertaining to a time, event, or purpose that no longer applies.
Sign, A-frame: A type of temporary sign that is portable, self-supporting, and consists of a structure that resembles an "A" shape.
Sign, air-activated: Air-activated signs are temporary signs which include common party balloons, inflatable figures, balloon sculpture/arches, air-dancers, wind-driven spinners, pennants, streamers, and other figures or graphics that are filled with air or a gas that is lighter than air, or move with natural or artificially generated air flow, all of which are typically used in conjunction with a special event or activity.
Sign, awning: A permanent sign that is a part of or attached to an awning, canopy, or other fabric, plastic, or structural protective cover over a door, entrance, window, or outdoor service area.
Sign, blade: A blade sign is a type of projecting sign mounted on a building façade, storefront pole, hanging from a roof overhang or colonnade, or attached to a surface perpendicular to the normal flow of traffic. A blade sign may be referred to as a hanging blade sign or a projecting blade sign depending on the manner in which it is attached to the building or other structure.
Sign, cabinet: A permanent sign that is internally illuminated in which a removable sign face, that is entirely or mostly translucent, is enclosed on all edges by a cabinet, and the source of illumination is not visible. A cabinet sign may be multi-faced. Individual pan channel letters mounted to a backer panel or cabinet that has an opaque face, or a cabinet with an opaque face that is routed with push through acrylic, shall be excluded from this definition.
Sign, change panel: A permanent sign designed to permit immediate change of copy.
Sign, digital: A permanent sign with an electrically activated changeable sign face whose variable message and/or graphic presentation capability can be electronically programmed by computer from a remote location. Digital signs may also be known as Electronic Message Centers or EMC.
Sign face: The entire display surface area of a sign upon, against or through which copy, symbol or similar component is placed.
Sign, feather: A type of temporary sign made of flexible material that is plain or includes copy and/or graphics and is supported by a vertical pole that is anchored in or on the ground. Such signs may also be referred to by other names such as feather flag, feather banner, teardrop flag, shark fin flag, blade flag, or bow sign.
Sign, freestanding monument: A permanent sign that is supported by one (1) or more uprights, poles, a base or other similar structural foundation that is braced in or upon the ground, is detached from any other structure or building, and is typically between six (6) feet to fourteen (14) feet in height.
Sign, illegal: Illegal signs include any sign except the following:
A. A sign allowed by this chapter and not requiring a permit.
B. A sign allowed by this chapter with a permit and carrying a valid permit.
C. A sign not allowed by this chapter but which has been legalized by PAD zoning or variance and proper permit.
D. A sign allowed by this chapter subject to a use permit, provided the use permit has been granted and a proper permit is in force.
E. A nonconforming sign as defined by this chapter.
Sign, nonconforming: Any permanent sign which is not permitted by this chapter, but which, when first constructed, was legally permitted by the City or the political subdivision then having jurisdiction and regulation over construction of signs.
Sign, permanent: Any sign constructed and intended to be of an enduring and lasting condition, remaining unchanged in character, condition (beyond normal wear) and position.
Sign, projecting: Any permanent sign attached to a building or other structure in such a manner that its face is not parallel to the wall and is extending in whole or in part beyond the building line (e.g., hanging or projecting blade signs).
Sign, T-frame: A type of temporary sign that is portable, self-supporting, and consists of an upright component that is attached to a flat base, which resembles an upside-down "T".
Sign, temporary: Any sign not permanently embedded in the ground or not permanently affixed to a building or structure, which is not intended to be a long term permanent sign. Temporary signs include signs affixed to the ground by a temporary anchoring system such as, but not limited to, stakes or ballast, or footing for large temporary freestanding signs.
Sign, temporary freestanding: A temporary sign that is made of a rigid and durable material that will withstand the elements, is supported by one (1) or more posts, uprights or poles and is braced in or upon the ground. Each temporary freestanding signs may be single-faced, double-faced, or V-shaped with an interior angle that is forty-five (45) degrees or less as provided for in Subsection 39-7.9(A)3.
Sign, V-shaped: Signs erected upon common or separate structures which present a V-shape appearance and having an exterior angle between faces of not more than forty-five (45) degrees with a distance between faces of such signs at their closest point not exceeding two (2) feet.
Sign, vehicle: Any sign mounted or painted upon or otherwise erected on a trailer, truck, automobile or other vehicle.
Sign, wall: Any sign which is attached, fastened, connected or supported in whole or in part by a building or structure other than a freestanding sign structure which is supported wholly by the ground. Wall signs include wall-mounted signs, projecting signs, awning signs and window-mounted signs. A window-mounted sign is not a window sign as defined herein.
Sign, window: Any sign, painted on or adhered to the interior or exterior of a glass door or window or placed inside a glass door or window and is visible from the exterior of the window.
Sign, yard: A type of temporary sign that is typically less than six (6) square feet in area and is supported by one or more stakes or metal wires inserted into the ground. The sign face is typically made of a semirigid material such as corrugated plastic, sheet metal, foam board, cardboard or placard. Yard signs may also be referred to by other names including lawn signs, road signs, bandit signs, or placard signs.
Zoning Administrator: The person appointed and responsible for the enforcement of the Sign Code, or said person's designee.
(Ord. No. 4729, § I, 5-25-17; Ord. No. 4931, § 2(Exh.), 8-13-20; Ord. No. 5075, § 2(Exh.), 2-22-24)
Source: City of Chandler, Arizona, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/az/chandler/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTVIPL_CH39SICO_39-3DEFetched: 11/1/2026