14.12.040 Flashing signs.
A. In all of the types of electrical sign effects designated in subsection B of this section, it is expressly prohibited, where incandescent lamps are used as part of the effect, to use any incandescent lamp of more than twenty-five watts in size.
B. The following types of rapidly flashing signs that .simulate motion or flash through a series of rapid light changes, are prohibited because of their confusing and distracting effect on traffic, as a public safety measure, as follows:
l. Alternating Flashers. These are flashing actions in which one message or lighting unit switches on at the exact instant that another light unit or message is extinguished. It is prohibited to have any on phase of an alternating flasher to have a time duration of less than two seconds. It is also prohibited to have the total candle power or luminescence of any on phase of an alternating flasher exceed that of any other on phase on the same sign by more than twenty-five percent.
2. Traveling Effects. A traveling effect is defined, for the purposes of this section, as a flashing effect achieved by switching evenly spaced lamps or neon tube sections off and on in a steady and repetitious sequence. The use of one-point or two-point or three-point flasher controls in the installation of traveling effects on a sign are prohibited. Also it is prohibited to have the on phase of any individual lamps or neon tubes or groups of lamps or tubes within the traveling effect on for a time duration of less than two seconds.
3. Scintillating Effects. A scintillating lighting effect in a sign is defined, for the purposes of this section, as an effect achieved by switching a group or groups of incandescent lamps or neon tubes on and off in a random pattern. It is prohibited to have any phase of the random pattern in which the variation in total candle power or luminescence exceeds twenty-five percent from that of any other phase within the random pattern. The use of one-point, two-point or three-point flasher controls in the installation of scintillating effects in illuminated signs is expressly prohibited.
4. On and Off Flashers. On and off flashers are defined, for the purpose of this section. as illuminated signs or portions of signs in which one or more messages or lighting units are switched on, and then off. and then on and then off at a regular time interval. It is expressly prohibited to have the on phase of an off and on flasher on for a time duration of less than two seconds. It is also prohibited to have an off phase of an on and off flasher remain off for a time duration of less than one second. If more than one on and off flashers is installed as part of the same sign face, there shall not be variation in total candle power or luminescence of more than twenty-five percent in any combination of on and off phases of the multiple on and off flasher installed on the sign face.
5. Speller Flashers. For the purpose of this section, speller flashers are defined as a number of individual incandescent lamps or neon tubes, or groups thereof, which are switched on in sequence and produce an effect of spelling out the sign advertising message. As to speller flashers, the time intervals between each phase in the total sequence shall not be less than one second. (Ord. 89-3 (part), 1989)