[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Russell Gardens 3-1-2012 by L.L. No. 1-2012. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 12.
Design Review Board — See Ch. 16A.
Zoning — See Ch. 60.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
SIGN
Shall include every kind of billboard, signboard, easel, awning and other shape or device or display arranged, intended, designed or used as an advertisement, announcement or direction, including any text, symbol, marks, letters or figures painted on or incorporated in the composition of the exterior surface of a building or structure.
A. 
The erection and maintenance of all advertising structures, signs, advertising devices, pennants, streamers or flags, whether or not the same contain or have imprinted thereon any writing or print, or displays shall conform to the provisions of this chapter.
B. 
No person, firm, association or corporation shall erect, maintain or display any sign described in § 41-6A, Residence AA, A and B Districts; § 41-6B, Apartment District; and other signs in § 41-6 upon buildings, structures or land within the Village without first obtaining a permit therefor as hereinafter provided for.
A separate application for a permit, as herein required, shall be made for each sign on a form furnished by the Village Clerk. Each application shall be accompanied by the written consent of the owner and, if applicable, the tenant of the real property upon which such sign shall be erected or maintained. Application shall be made in like manner for a permit to maintain any existing sign or to renew a permit.
A. 
No sign, whether new or existing, shall hereafter be erected, altered, rebuilt or enlarged, extended or relocated except in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.
B. 
Any nonconforming sign that is legally in existence at the time of the enactment of this chapter shall be removed within two years of the enactment.
C. 
Within 15 days after the date of the expiration or revocation of a permit for a sign, such sign shall be removed.
D. 
Any existing sign which advertises a business or industrial use not in operation for a period of 90 days or more shall be removed.
No sign permit shall be issued until the sign has been approved by the Design Review Board pursuant to Chapter 16A. Such permit shall be issued for a period not exceeding one year. All permits expire each year on July 1. Permits can thereafter be renewed annually by the submission of an application and the payment of a fee as set forth in Chapter 12 of this Code.
A. 
Residence AA, A and B Districts:
(1) 
The house number of the premises in figures that do not exceed six inches in height.
(2) 
The house number of the premises in figures affixed to a sign with a maximum size of eight inches in height and 12 inches in width. Such sign is subject to approval of the Design Review Board and shall not be illuminated except upon approval by the Design Review Board.
(3) 
Notice or advertisement required by law in any legal proceeding or erected by public authority.
(4) 
A danger or precautionary sign relating to the premises erected by public authority.
(5) 
Garage sale signs: a maximum of four signs not exceeding one square foot each, for no more than 24 hours.
(6) 
As long as there is legally a medical office (as otherwise permitted in the Code) at 111 Clent Road, there shall be permitted a sign no larger than 10 inches in height and 22 inches in width indicating the name and address of the property owner and identifying the owner as a medical doctor.
B. 
Apartment District. One sign displaying separately or in any combination, street number of the premises in numbers not to exceed six inches in height. Such sign shall not be illuminated except upon approval by the Design Review Board.
C. 
Business District.
(1) 
One sign displayed or applied to or attached to each front wall of a building facing on the public street known as Northern Boulevard and projecting not more than nine inches from such wall, when used for advertising of the premises on which the same is erected for any business conducted in such building. The overall dimensions of such sign shall not exceed a maximum vertical measurement of two feet and a maximum horizontal measurement equal to 80% of the building frontage or 18 feet, whichever is less.
(2) 
Any sign applied to or attached to the wall of a building shall be of substantial construction.
(3) 
No exposed neon sign or other sign or show window display shall in any case be so brilliantly illuminated as to be hazardous to traffic or to disturb the occupants of any residence building in the opinion of the Building Inspector or Design Review Board. No flashing or moving illuminated sign or show window display shall be permitted in any case.
D. 
No signs, posters or other advertising or display material shall be placed in any window area, show window or the like or upon any building area other than as set forth in this chapter as being specifically permitted.
E. 
One sign advertising the property on which it is located as "For Sale" or "For Rent" is permitted for each property, provided such sign is:
(1) 
Not illuminated;
(2) 
No more than 15 inches in height or width;
(3) 
Erected so that there is no more than two feet between its bottom and the ground;
(4) 
Erected in conformity with front and side yard restrictions;
(5) 
Erected for no more than 60 days pursuant to a permit issued by the Village Clerk.
F. 
Notice or advertisement required by law in any legal proceeding or put up by public authority, no permit is required.
A. 
No sign shall be erected on the roof of any building or structure, nor shall any part of a sign project higher than the building roof.
B. 
No sign shall be permitted which is painted on the surface of any building.
C. 
No sign shall be permitted which is constructed of any destructible material, such as cloth, paper or oilcloth.
D. 
No sign shall be permitted which projects more than nine inches from the face of the building, if a wall sign.
E. 
No sign shall be permitted which directs, emits, radiates or reflects any beam, ray or glare of light away from the lot.
F. 
No banners and/or pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners or other similar moving, fluttering or revolving devices constructed of cloth, oilcloth, paper, plastic or other destructible or indestructible material shall be erected or maintained across any street or attached to or upon any building or part thereof or upon any premises.
G. 
No sign or any part thereof, including lighting devices and reflectors, shall be placed so as to frame or outline two more sides of any wall.
H. 
No sign designed generally for the use of vertical lighting shall be erected.
I. 
No sign shall be attached to any tree, fence or utility pole.
J. 
All signs which direct, emit, radiate or reflect any beam, ray, gleam or glare of light on an abutting residential district shall be extinguished within 1/2 hour after the close of business and in no event later than 11:00 p.m. The close of business shall be deemed to be that time at which the premises are closed to the general public. Lights within business establishments may be kept on during the entire night, provided that the total amount of illumination does not exceed 20 footcandles.
K. 
Except as otherwise permitted in this chapter, no sign shall be erected or maintained which extends or projects to any right-of-way.
L. 
No sign, display or advertising device not heretofore classified in this article shall be permitted in any use district.
M. 
Billboards, easels or post signs are prohibited.
N. 
No sign shall be permitted which is so placed or designed as to be conflicting with public signs or signals.
O. 
No sign shall be permitted which moves, revolves, flashes, contains intermittent illumination or strings of lights or has lighting of changing degrees of intensity, or has any parts which contain such conditions.
P. 
No sign shall be permitted which directs attention to a business, service, entertainment or commodity conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than upon the premises.
Q. 
No sign shall be permitted which remains lighted after 11:00 p.m., prevailing time.
R. 
No sign shall be permitted which, because of its size, location, shape, height, wording, design or lighting, might be confused as a traffic directional or stop sign or might interfere with the vision or discernment of a traffic directional or stop and go sign or might otherwise imperil the safety of travel on streets and highways.
S. 
No sign shall be permitted which is a right-angle or projecting sign extending over the village or public right-of-way.
T. 
No sign shall be permitted which is not heretofore classified in this chapter.
U. 
Commercial signs on residential property which shall include, but not be limited to, signs stating that the property or part thereof is for sale or rent; engineers', architects', building contractors' and/or subcontractors' signs maintained on buildings or structures.
V. 
No sign that has not received the required approval by the Design Review Board.