No sign shall be erected, moved, or altered, except as otherwise allowed in accordance to this Part 5, unless and until a certificate of zoning compliance for such work has been obtained.
The following signs shall be exempt from regulations prescribed within this Part 5 but may be subject to other laws enacted by an AHJ where applicable:
A. 
Business hours signs.
B. 
Closed/open signs.
C. 
Decals and/or logos affixed to windows or door glass panels, such as those indicating membership in a business group or identifying credit cards accepted at the establishment.
D. 
Emblems, flags and insignia of government agencies, religious, charitable, public or nonprofit organizations.
E. 
Governmental signs.
F. 
Identification signs.
G. 
Instructional signs.
H. 
Interior signs.
I. 
Livestock breed and/or crop/seed identification signs.
350 Figure 109 Crop Seed ID Sign .tif
Figure 109 - Crop/Seed Identification Sign
J. 
No vacancy/vacancy signs.
K. 
Noncommercial message signs.
L. 
Painted and/or applied wall accents and decorations.
M. 
Public art, except for murals.
N. 
Religious symbols and holiday decorations/displays within the appropriate holiday season, which shall include lighting.
O. 
Safety signs.
P. 
Security and warning signs.
Q. 
Signs in cemeteries designating graves and/or memorials.
R. 
Signs incorporated into machinery or equipment by a manufacturer or distributor which identifies or advertises only the product or services dispensed by the machine or equipment, such as signs integrated into the design of vending machines, newspaper racks, telephone booths and gasoline pumps.
S. 
Temporary signs.
T. 
Utility line identification and location signs.
U. 
Window signs.
The following signs and their associated design elements shall be prohibited within the Town:
A. 
Prohibited signs. The following signs are prohibited in all areas of the Town:
(1) 
Abandoned signs.
(2) 
Animated or moving signs that are visible from public rights-of-way, including any moving, swinging, rotating, flashing, blinking, scintillating, fluctuating, or otherwise animated light. Exemption(s):
(a) 
Electronic changeable message centers.
(b) 
Landmark signs.
(3) 
Roof signs.
(4) 
Signs that contain the following content:
(a) 
Text or graphics that are obscene as defined and regulated by § 235.05 of the Penal Law of NYS, as currently in effect and as hereafter amended from time to time; or
(b) 
Text or graphics that display offensive sexual material as defined and regulated by § 245.11 of the Penal Law of NYS, as currently in effect and as hereafter amended from time to time.
(5) 
Signs that have more than two sign faces.
(6) 
Signs that prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, fire escape or that prevent free access from one part of a roof to any other part. No sign shall be attached to a fire escape or components of a fire protection system (e.g., sprinkler and standpipe systems). Exemption(s):
(a) 
Signs mandated by the Uniform Code.
(7) 
Signs or sign structures that, by reason of their size, shape, design, location, content, coloring, or manner of illumination, constitute a traffic hazard or a detriment to traffic safety by obstructing the vision of drivers, by obscuring or otherwise physically interfering with any official traffic control device, or which may be confused with an official traffic control device. No rotating beacon, beam, or flashing illumination resembling an emergency light shall be used in connection with any sign or sign structure. No words such as "stop," "look," "danger," or any words, phrases, symbols, or characters which in any manner may interfere with, mislead, or confuse vehicle operators shall be used in a location that is visible to vehicular traffic. No sign shall be located in such a manner as to impede a vehicle operator's line of sight (AKA "visibility triangle") at a road intersection.
(8) 
Sign or sign structures that violate any provision of any local, state or federal law relative to outdoor advertising.
(9) 
Vehicle signs.
B. 
Prohibited design elements of a sign or sign structure. The following elements shall not be used as an element of signs or sign structures, whether temporary or permanent:
(1) 
Bare light bulbs. Exemption(s):
(a) 
Landmark signs.
(2) 
Elements that cause interference with radio, telephone, television or other communications transmissions.
(3) 
Flashing lights. Exemption(s):
(a) 
Changeable message centers, electronic.
(b) 
Landmark signs.
(4) 
Mirrors and/or reflective materials or signs which produce light of such brightness as to constitute a hazard.
(5) 
Vehicles, unless:
(a) 
The vehicles are functional, used for their intended design as a vehicle, and have current registration and tags; and
(b) 
The display of signage is incidental to the vehicle use; and
(c) 
The vehicle is properly parked in a parking space or it is not visible from a public way.
(6) 
Semitrailers, shipping containers, or portable storage units, unless:
(a) 
The trailers, containers, or portable storage units are functional, used for their primary storage purpose, and, if subject to registration, have current registration and tags; and
(b) 
The display of signage is incidental to the use for temporary storage, pickup, or delivery; and
(c) 
The semitrailer is parked in a designated loading area or on a construction site at which it is being used for deliveries or storage.
(7) 
Sound, smoke, or odor emitters.
(8) 
Stacked products (e.g., tires, soft drink cases, bagged soil or mulch).
(9) 
Spinning or moving parts.
(10) 
Unfinished or untreated wood support structures.
A. 
General provisions. Any sign legally existing at the time of the passage of this chapter that does not comply with the applicable provisions of this chapter shall be classified as a nonconforming sign. A nonconforming sign shall not be altered, modified or reconstructed except:
(1) 
When such alteration, modification or reconstruction would bring such sign into conformity with the applicable provisions of this chapter;
(2) 
When the existing use has new ownership that results in a change in the name and/or logo of the use or business on the property, and such changes comply with Subsection A(4) of this section;
(3) 
When the space is reoccupied by a similar use and the new occupant requires no external building or site renovations, and such changes comply with Subsection A(4) of this section; or
(4) 
Any alteration, modification or reconstruction permitted in this section shall be limited to the replacement of a sign panel, replacing individual letters and logos within the same area or repainting a sign face, and does not permit changes to the structure, framing, erection or relocation of the sign unless such changes conform to Subsection A(1) of this section.
B. 
Limitations on nonconforming signs. A nonconforming sign shall be removed upon verification that the use to which such nonconforming sign refers has been abandoned for more than one year, which would classify such sign as an abandoned sign.
C. 
Ownership. The status of a nonconforming sign is not affected by changes in ownership.
D. 
Repair and maintenance. A nonconforming sign or sign structure that has nonconforming elements may be removed temporarily to perform sign maintenance or sign repair.
E. 
Unintentional destruction. When a nonconforming sign or sign structure that has nonconforming elements is partially or totally damaged by fire or other causes beyond the control of the owner, the sign and sign structure may be rebuilt to the same size and height.