§ 64.400. Downtown Special Sign District.

(a)

District and subdistricts established. There is hereby established a "Downtown Special Sign District," with four subdistricts to be known as the "Downtown Core Special Sign Subdistrict," the "Midtown Special Sign Subdistrict," the "Creative Village Special Sign Subdistrict," and the "Uptown Special Sign Subdistrict." The boundaries of the district and each of the subdistricts is depicted in Figure 64.400-1. All district and subdistrict boundaries follow the centerline of the public rights-of-way shown in this figure. Notwithstanding any other provision of the City's Land Development Code to the contrary, within the Downtown Special Sign District, and its subdistricts, the following sign regulations of this section apply. Unless otherwise provided in this section, and then only to the extent necessary to implement the provisions of this section, all other ordinances of the City remain effective and applicable to signs within the Downtown Special Sign District, and its subdistricts.

Figure 64.400-1
Downtown Special Sign Subdistricts

(b)

Purpose and intent. The regulations of this section are intended to allow signs that distinguish Downtown Orlando as a regionally unique retail, entertainment, and cultural destination where innovative and vibrant signs enliven the pedestrian experience, contribute to the commercial success of downtown businesses, and identify downtown as an exciting urban environment.

(c)

High-rise signs. Buildings within the Downtown Special Sign District are hereby made exempt from the part of section 64.246 of this Code that halves the maximum copy area of signs located below 30 feet above the ground on buildings with high-rise signs.

(d)

Gobo projection signs. Gobo ("goes between optics") projection signs are signs displayed on a fixed surface by projecting light through a semitransparent template that contains a static image. Each principal building in the Downtown Special Sign District may display one static gobo sign. Additionally, each ground floor retail use may project one static gobo sign onto the adjacent sidewalk. All gobo signs are subject to the following regulations:

1.

Gobos may only project from dusk to 2:00 a.m. the following day.

2.

Gobo images may not change until the following dusk.

3.

Gobo signs may not flash, animate, or distract passing motorists.

4.

Gobo signs may only project onsite messages.

5.

Gobos may not project upon parts of buildings that are used for residential or lodging purposes.

6.

Because gobos are temporary in nature, they do not count toward the calculation of maximum allowable copy area.

(e)

Animated gobo projection signs in the Downtown Core Subdistrict. Animated gobo ("goes between optics") projection signs are signs displayed on a fixed surface by projecting light through a semitransparent template that contains animated videos. Each principal building in the Downtown Core Subdistrict may display one animated or static gobo sign. Additionally, each ground floor retail use may project one animated or static gobo sign onto the adjacent sidewalk. All animated gobo signs are subject to the following regulations:

1.

Gobos may only project from dusk to 2:00 a.m. the following day.

2.

Gobo signs may only project onsite messages.

3.

Gobos may not project upon parts of buildings that are used for residential or lodging purposes.

4.

Because gobos are temporary in nature, they do not count toward the calculation of maximum allowable copy area.

5.

Animated gobos may not exceed 1,600 square feet and may not be visible from a limited access highway.

(f)

Interactive storefronts. Interactive storefronts are digital signs oriented and designed to interact with pedestrians passing along the adjacent sidewalk. Interactive storefronts are allowed within the Downtown Core, Midtown, and Creative Village subdistricts. All interactive storefronts are subject to the following regulations:

1.

Interactive storefronts must be designed, installed, and maintained to function as a computer-generated interactive display that responds to the physical activity of engaged pedestrians passing along the adjacent sidewalk.

2.

Interactive storefronts do not count towards the calculation of maximum allowable copy area.

3.

Interactive storefronts may display onsite and offsite messages.

4.

Messages displayed on interactive storefronts must be oriented towards the pedestrian, not passing motorists.

5.

Interactive storefronts are only allowed along sidewalks that are at least 15 feet wide, measured perpendicular to the storefront, or along publicly-accessible plazas that are at least 15 feet wide, measured perpendicular to the storefront.

6.

Interactive storefronts may comprise no more than 15% of a block face, and no more than 25% of the width of the applicable building face.

7.

Buildings with interactive storefronts are not exempt from minimum transparency requirements.

8.

The applicable Downtown Special Sign subdistricts may have no more than eight interactive storefronts. However, each commercial ground floor use that meets the above dimensional requirements for sidewalk and plazas may have one interactive sign of up to a maximum of three square feet or a 28-inch monitor (e.g., interactive menus, catalogs, etc.).

9.

All interactive storefronts are subject to the operational requirements of subsections 64.277-B(3) f), g), h), i), j), and k), of this Code.

(g)

Kinetic signs. Kinetic signs are signs with components that spin, rotate, or otherwise mechanically move or display the perception of movement through the manipulation of light. Kinetic signs are allowed throughout the Downtown Special Sign District, subject to the following regulations:

1.

Kinetic signs may move, flash, or display the perception of motion only from dusk to 2:00 a.m. the following day.

2.

Freestanding kinetic signs are prohibited.

3.

Kinetic signs count towards the calculation of maximum allowable copy area.

4.

Kinetic signs must be turned off if they are not fully operational as designed and permitted.

(h)

Digital onsite signs. Digital onsite signs are onsite signs that display images or messages through a digital medium. Digital onsite signs are allowed within the Downtown Core, Midtown, and Creative Village Special Sign subdistricts, subject to the following regulations:

1.

Digital onsite signs are only allowed as a marquee sign.

2.

Digital onsite signs are only allowed for commercial uses.

3.

Digital onsite signs count towards the calculation of maximum allowable copy area.

4.

Digital onsite signs are prohibited on contributing structures within the Downtown Orlando Historic Preservation Overlay District, but may be allowed on City-designated Historic Landmarks outside of the Downtown Orlando Historic Preservation Overlay District if approved by certificate of appropriateness.

5.

Digital onsite signs must conform to the operational requirements of section 64.277-B(3) of this Code, except for subsection e).

6.

Digital onsite signs may not be a high-rise sign.

(i)

Digital screens. Digital screens are signs comprised of a television-like screen that displays full-motion images and messages through the digital manipulation of light. Digital screens are allowed within the Creative Village Special Sign subdistrict, and sites within the Downtown Core Special Sign subdistrict that abut the Church St. right-of-way and the Orange Ave. right-of-way between Jackson St. and Pine St., and that conform to the requirements of this part. All digital screens are subject to the following regulations:

1.

Digital screens may display onsite and offsite messages.

2.

Digital screens must be flush with the building façade, architecturally integrated into the building onto which it is affixed, and oriented towards the pedestrian and not passing motorists.

3.

Digital screens are only allowed on mixed-use sites.

4.

Digital screens are only allowed on sites that contain ground floor retail uses throughout a majority of the ground floor leasable area.

5.

Digital screens are only allowed on sites with at least 250,000 square feet of building area.

6.

Digital screens are only allowed on sites with a public or private plaza at least 0.1 acres in area.

7.

Digital screens may not be visible from a limited access highway.

8.

All digital screens on the same site must be part and parcel of a singular, master sign plan that is controlled by a common computerized control system. Individual screens must work in coordination with each other and may not be controlled separately by different tenants of the site.

9.

Digital screens may not exceed 400 square feet per principal building or 1,600 square feet per principal building if built and maintained behind glass windows designed for such purpose. A building site may only have outdoor or indoor digital screens, but not both. Buildings with such a display are not exempt from regular building transparency requirements.

10.

Digital screens are prohibited above 60 feet from the ground, or the top of the building's second floor, whichever is less, and may not be below 9.5 feet above the surface of the nearby sidewalk, plaza, or other walkway.

11.

Digital screens are subject to the operational requirements of subsections 64.277(3) f), g), h), i), j), and k), of this Code.

12.

Within the Downtown Core subdistrict, digital screens must be primarily oriented towards Church St. or Orange Ave.

(j)

Digital kiosks. Digital kiosks are kiosks containing primarily digital signs. Subject to approval from the City to use its right-of-way for such purpose, digital kiosks are allowed within public sidewalks throughout the Downtown Special Sign District, and may display offsite messages as well as static sign copy.

(k)

Monument signs. Monument signs are allowed throughout the Downtown Special Sign District, subject to the following regulations:

1.

Monument signs are only allowed on sites with at least 250,000 square feet of building area and a public or private plaza at least 0.1 acres in area

2.

Only one monument sign is allowed per site.

3.

Monument signs must be located within a public or private plaza and may not be located within five feet of any public right-of-way.

4.

Monument signs may not exceed 10 feet in height, and may not exceed 60 feet square in area.

5.

Monument signs may only display onsite material.

6.

A monument sign may contain an electronic directory screen of up to 50 inches diagonal, provided that it is not visible to motorists on nearby roads.

(l)

Televisions. Outdoor and indoor televisions visible from the public right-of-way are allowed throughout the Downtown Special Sign District, subject to the following regulations:

1.

Televisions are only allowed on the first and second floors, and never above 30 feet from the ground.

2.

Television screens count towards the calculation of maximum allowable copy area when located within 6 feet of either the public right-of-way or a window, and oriented primarily toward the public right-of-way, even if the television is located within a building.

3.

Televisions may only broadcast during the business hours of the business at which the television is located.

4.

Televisions may only broadcast onsite messages and regular broadcast television programming.

5.

Buildings with television screens are not exempt from minimum transparency requirements.

6.

Only one television of no more than 50 inches is allowed per commercial use, except that approved sidewalk cafes may have one television of no more than 50 inches per 50 feet of lineal right-of-way frontage.

7.

Television studios are allowed one outdoor television over 50 inches in size broadcasting programs originating from the building site. The size of the television is counted towards the building site's sign area allocation.

(m)

Temporary special event signs. Council may, by resolution, approve a sign package of banners and building-wrap signs for significant downtown-wide special events. The proposed package must be reviewed by the Planning Official before consideration by Council. Signs approved pursuant to this part may be displayed no more than 30 days before the special event, and must be removed no later than 7 days after the special event.

(Ord. No. 2011-16, § 1, 7-25-2011, Doc. #1107251101; Ord. No. 2014-3, § 3, 2-24-2014, Doc. #1402241204; Ord. No. 2017-41, § 3, 1-8-2018, Doc. #1801081208)