A. Sign Legibility
In the interest of public safety, the following standards are meant to ensure that signs have adequate visibility and legibility. Deviations may be permitted through approval of a Master Sign Plan if it can be shown that the proposed deviation will not have a negative impact on visibility and legibility of the sign.
(1) Signs 15 Square Feet or Less
a. Maximum of seven items of information;
b. Maximum of two font styles.
(2) Signs over 15 Square Feet (See Figure 6-5)
a. Maximum of 12 items of information;
b. Maximum of three font styles.
Figure 6-5: Sign Legibility
(3) Items of Information (see Section 6.6, Sign Measurements and Calculations)
A brief message should be used whenever possible. A sign with a brief, succinct message is simpler and faster to read, looks cleaner, and is generally more attractive.
(4) Font Styles
a. An effective sign should do more than attract attention; it should communicate its message clearly. This is directly related to the readability of words and phrases. The most significant influence on legibility is lettering style and spacing. Typefaces that are difficult to read reduce the sign’s ability to communicate. Crowding letters, words, or lines will make any sign more difficult to read. Conversely, over-spacing these elements causes the viewer to read each item individually, again obscuring the message.
b. Signs should use letters on a contrasting background.
c. There should be an adequate amount of contrast between the colors to increase legibility. If there is little contrast between the brightness or hue of the message of a sign and its background, it will be difficult to read.