[Ord. No. 1072-04-10 §1, 10-21-2004]
The purpose of Chapter 525 is to minimize the possible adverse effect of billboards on nearby public and private property; to preserve and promote the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Palmyra, Missouri; and to minimize the possible adverse effect of billboards on pedestrian and traffic safety.
[Ord. No. 1072-04-10 §1, 10-21-2004; Ord. No. 1118-09-01 §1, 3-5-2009]
As used in this Chapter, the following terms shall have these prescribed meanings:
ABANDONED BILLBOARD
A billboard which has carried no message for more than one hundred eighty (180) days or which no longer identifies a bona fide business, lessor, service, owner, product or activity, date or time of past event and/or for which no legal owner can be found. The definition shall also include any billboard structure which no longer supports the billboard for which it was designed.
BILLBOARD
A billboard is an off-premises object, device, display, sign or structure or part thereof displayed outdoors or visible from a public way, which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event or location or to express a point of view by any means including words, letters, figures, designs, symbols, advertising flags, fixtures, colors, illuminations or projected images. Each substantially different face of a billboard structure shall constitute a separate billboard. Billboards do not include on-premises commercial or political signage nor small commercial or non-commercial signs temporarily placed in residential lawns by residents, owners, contractors, realtors or by or on behalf of political candidates or issues. An off-premises sign that is not larger than thirty-six (36) inches in either height or width, used to advertise, identify, direct or attract attention to a business, shall not be considered as a billboard under this Chapter and does not require permits or fee payments under Section 525.070 of this Chapter.
BILLBOARD AREA
The facing of a billboard, including copy, insignia, background, structural support, and border and trim. The measurements shall be determined by the smallest rectangle inclusive of all letters and images. The structural supports shall be excluded if they do not constitute a major part of the billboard or if the structure is not used to identify or attract attention to the business or product.
BILLBOARD PLAZA
An area which is designated as appropriate for the display of billboards.
CHANGEABLE COPY
Copy that changes at intervals of more than once every six (6) seconds.
COMMERCIAL BILLBOARD
A billboard which identifies goods or services that are not sold on the premises where the billboard is located.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A sign erected and maintained by local officials within the public right-of-way to indicate to the traveling public the route and distance to public accommodations, facilities, commercial services and points of scenic, historic, cultural, recreational, educational or religious interest. Such signs shall conform to all applicable State regulations regarding the placement of billboards in public rights-of-way.
EXPRESSWAY OR FREEWAY
A highway to which access is restricted except by ramps or interchanges.
ILLEGAL BILLBOARD
A billboard that was constructed in violation of regulations that existed at the time it was built.
NON-CONFORMING BILLBOARD
A billboard which was lawfully erected and maintained prior to October 21, 2004, or the date of any amendment to Chapter 525, that does not conform to the regulations of Chapter 525 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Palmyra, Missouri.
PREMISES
The contiguous land in the same ownership or control which is not divided by a street.
SPACING
Spacing of billboards shall be the minimum distance between outdoor advertising billboard structures measured along the nearest edge of the pavement between points directly opposite the billboards along each side of the highway and shall apply to outdoor advertising billboard structures located on both sides of the highway involved.
[Ord. No. 1072-04-10 §1, 10-21-2004]
A. 
New Billboards.
1. 
No new billboards shall be erected within the City limits of the City of Palmyra, Missouri, except in Billboard Plazas pursuant to Section 525.060.
2. 
Such new billboards as may be permitted by Chapter 525 shall conform to the height, size, lighting and spacing requirements prescribed by Chapter 525.
B. 
Height. All billboards shall be no greater than twenty-five (25) feet in height.
C. 
Size. All billboards shall be no greater than one hundred fifty (150) square feet in area. Except for exempted billboards in Section 525.050, only one (1) billboard shall be permitted on each billboard structure.
D. 
Lighting. In addition to the lighting restrictions of Section 226.540 (1) of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, which shall apply to all billboards located in the City of Palmyra, Missouri, no billboard shall be so illuminated that it:
1. 
Interferes with the safety of aircraft flight in the vicinity of the billboard.
2. 
Interferes with the use and enjoyment of property of any adjacent landowners.
3. 
Allows the illumination source to be directly visible from any right-of-way or adjoining property.
E. 
Spacing. (All measurements shall be made parallel to the roadway between perpendiculars extended from the billboard locations in question.)
1. 
Interstate highways, freeways and non-freeway primary highways:
a. 
No billboard shall be erected within two thousand (2,000) feet of an existing billboard on either side of the highway;
b. 
No billboard shall be erected within two thousand (2,000) feet of an interchange, intersection at grade or safety rest area.
F. 
Minimum Setbacks. All billboards and billboard structures must be located at least twenty (20) feet from any property line and placed so as not to pose a visibility or other hazard to vehicular traffic in the vicinity of the sign.
[Ord. No. 1072-04-10 §1, 10-21-2004]
A. 
The following are expressly prohibited unless specifically stated otherwise:
1. 
Off-premise billboards, except in Billboard Plazas.
2. 
Animated and moving billboards: Off-premise billboards employing movement including, but not limited to, changeable copy signs, pennants, flags, banners, streamers, propellers, disks and searchlights.
3. 
Flashing billboards: Off-premise billboards that include lights which flash, blink or turn on and off intermittently, not including time and temperature signs.
4. 
Glaring billboards: Off-premise billboards employing direct, indirect, internal, flashing, or other illumination with light sources or reflectivity of such brightness that constitute a hazard to ground or air traffic or a nuisance as determined by the Building Inspector.
5. 
Inflatable billboards and objects: Including, but not limited to, balloons.
6. 
Roof billboards: Off-premise billboards which are erected or painted on a roof or which extend in height above the roof line of the building on which a sign is erected.
7. 
Simulated traffic signs and obstructions: Any sign which may be confused with or obstruct the view of any authorized traffic sign or signal, obstruct the site distance triangle at any street or highway intersection or extend into the public right-of-way.
8. 
Vehicular billboards: Off-premise signs displayed on parked or stationary vehicles, where the primary purpose of the vehicle is to advertise a product or business or to direct people to a business or activity. For the purposes of this Chapter, vehicular billboards shall not include business logos, identification, or advertising on vehicles primarily used for other business purposes.
[Ord. No. 1072-04-10 §1, 10-21-2004]
A. 
The following signs do not require permits or fee payments under Section 525. 070 of this Chapter:
1. 
Traffic control signs.
2. 
Traffic flow informational signs. a) Directional signs.
3. 
Temporary signs.
4. 
Safety control signs.
5. 
Non-conforming billboards.
[Ord. No. 1072-04-10 §1, 10-21-2004]
Any property zoned "I-1" Industrial District pursuant to Chapter 400 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Palmyra is hereby designated as a Billboard Plaza. The City Council by ordinance may designate other areas within the City of Palmyra as a Billboard Plaza and may from time to time amend and revise areas to be included or excluded from Billboard Plazas.
[Ord. No. 1072-04-10 §1, 10-21-2004]
A. 
Enforcement Officer. All administration and enforcement of Chapter 525 shall be implemented by the Building Inspector.
B. 
Permit Procedure. All billboards, except as otherwise provided in Section 525.050, shall require a billboard permit prior to being constructed, reconstructed, moved, altered, placed or repaired. Billboard permits shall be issued by the Building Inspector.
C. 
Permit Application. All applications for billboard permits shall be submitted to the Building Inspector and shall contain or have attached at a minimum the following information in either written or graphic form.
1. 
Application date.
2. 
Name, address and telephone number of the billboard owner and, if different, the owner of the land on which the billboard will be erected.
3. 
Address of the property where the billboard or billboard structure will be erected.
4. 
Signature of the billboard owner and, if different, the owner of the land on which the billboard will be displayed.
5. 
Location of the billboard on the property in relation to public rights-of-way, lot lines, buildings, sidewalks, streets, zoning districts, other existing billboards and intersections.
6. 
General description of structural design and construction materials of billboard.
7. 
Drawings of the proposed billboard which shall contain specifications indicating height, perimeter and area dimensions, means of support, methods of illumination, if any, and any other significant aspect of the proposed billboard.
D. 
Permit Fee. Each application for a billboard permit shall be accompanied by an application fee in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500.00). The City Council of the City of Palmyra may from time to time amend the amount of the permit fee by resolution.
E. 
Permit Application Completeness. Within fifteen (15) working days of receiving an application for a billboard permit, the Building Inspector shall review the application for completeness. If the Building Inspector finds that the application is complete, the application shall then be processed. If the Building Inspector finds that the application is incomplete, the Building Inspector shall within such fifteen (15) day period send to the applicant a notice that the application is not complete.
F. 
Permit Issuance Or Denial. Within fifteen (15) working days of the submission of a complete application for a billboard permit, the Building Inspector shall either issue the billboard permit or deny the billboard permit if the application fails to conform with the requirements of Chapter 525. If the application for billboard permit is denied, the Building Inspector shall specify the reason the application is denied.
G. 
Lapse Of Permit. A billboard permit shall lapse if the billboard becomes an abandoned billboard. A billboard for which the permit has lapsed shall be in violation of Chapter 525. A billboard with a lapsed permit must comply with the provisions in Chapter 525 and shall require a new billboard permit before being further used as a billboard.
H. 
Permits For Non-Conforming Billboards. No billboard permit is required for any non-conforming billboard, provided however, that any non-conforming billboard becoming an abandoned billboard shall require a billboard permit and comply with the provisions in Chapter 525 before being further used as a billboard.
I. 
Expiration Of Billboard Permit. If the billboard identified in an application for billboard permit is not erected within twelve (12) months from the date the permit is issued, such billboard permit shall expire and become null and void.
J. 
Illegal Billboards. The Building Inspector may order the removal at the expense of the billboard owner or lessor of any billboard not in compliance with the provisions of Chapter 525.
[Ord. No. 1072-04-10 §1, 10-21-2004]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate the provisions of Chapter 525 shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than five dollars ($5.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each offense. Each day of violation shall be considered as a separate offense.