The purpose of this article is to regulate and establish a permit
process for the accessory use of City sidewalks by adjoining businesses
open to the general public which wish to place sidewalk signs advertising
their businesses on City sidewalks.
[Amended 9-25-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017; 6-24-2019 by L.L. No. 3-2019]
For City sidewalk areas adjacent to parcels which are zoned
C-2 (Central Commercial), C-3 (General Commercial), and WF-2 (Waterfront
Inland) Districts only, which parcels have a certificate of occupancy
for a business open to the general public, the owner of the business
may obtain an annual sidewalk sign permit from the Director of Public
Works or the Director's designee, subject to the following terms and
conditions:
A. The application fee for a sidewalk sign permit shall be set forth
in the Consolidated Fee Schedule maintained in the office of the City
Clerk.
B. Only one sidewalk sign shall be permitted for each such business.
C. The maximum area of each face of the sidewalk sign shall be six square
feet. The maximum height of the sidewalk sign shall be four feet,
with the height of the sign to in all events exceed its width.
D. Sidewalk signs shall be placed at ground level and may not be attached
to any other structure such as trees, lampposts, utility poles, benches,
bicycle racks, boulders, planters, vehicles or other signs.
E. Sidewalk signs shall be kept in neat and clean condition.
F. Sidewalk signs shall be moved indoors when the adjoining business
is not open to the public and during snow emergencies.
G. Sidewalk signs shall not obstruct the vision of motorists or interfere
with the opening of car doors, bus stops, loading zones, driveways
or pedestrian traffic.
H. Sidewalk signs shall not contain information about the sale or lease
of the business.
I. The location of the sidewalk sign shall be determined by the Director
of Public Works or the Director's designee, based on the need to maintain
an acceptance sidewalk width for pedestrian and wheelchair traffic.
J. The permittee shall produce evidence of public liability insurance
naming the City of Peekskill as additional insured in a minimum amount
of $1,000,000 per individual and $2,000,000 per occurrence.
K. The permittee shall execute a release agreeing to defend, indemnify,
and hold the City harmless from any and all liability in connection
with any claims, actions, proceedings, and lawsuits arising out of
or brought in connection with the permittee's use of the City sidewalk
for the sidewalk sign.
L. Applications for sidewalk signs to be located in the Downtown Peekskill
Historic District shall be referred to the Historic and Landmarks
Preservation Board (HLPB) for recommendation and report to the Director
of Public Works prior to the initial issuance of the sidewalk sign
permit, in accordance with the HLPB's established review criteria
for sidewalk signs. Such referral, recommendation, and report shall
not be required for the annual renewal of a sidewalk sign permit,
if the sign has not changed from the initially issued permit.
A person or entity violating any of the provisions of this article
shall be subject to a warning for the first offense and a fine of
not less than $50 nor more than $1,000 for each subsequent offense.
Each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall
constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such hereunder.