It is the purpose and intent of these sign regulations to permit
such signs that will not, by their aggregate number, size, location,
construction or manner of display, confuse or obstruct the vision
necessary for traffic safety or otherwise endanger public health,
safety and welfare and to regulate signs in such a way as to protect
property values, improve the physical appearance of commercial areas
and preserve and enhance the aesthetics of the community.
For the purposes of this article, the defined terms, phrases,
words, abbreviations and their derivations shall have the meaning
given in this section.
A sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service
or entertainment conducted, sold or offered at a location other than
the premises on which the sign is located.
A sign located on or attached to the facade of the principal
structure on each street frontage.
Any sign designed to be seen from outside a building that
advertises activities, goods, products, services or facilities available
on site that is not attached to a building and is supported by its
own structure.
A sign located on the front facade of a residential property
indicating the name and/or address of the occupant of that property.
An advertisement or informational sign of a public or semipublic
nature, which may only be used to display the following:
The name or location of a hospital, nursing home, day-care center,
clubhouse, funeral parlor, community center, public or private school,
YMCA, YWCA, church, synagogue or other place of worship. Not more
than one sign shall be placed on each property, unless such property
fronts on more than one street, in which case one such sign may be
erected on each street frontage.
The name or place of meeting of an official or civic body, such
as the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade or service club. Not more
than one such sign shall be placed on each property unless such property
fronts on more than one street, in which case one such sign may be
erected on each street frontage.
An event of public interest, such as a church or public meeting,
local, county or state fair, Volunteer Fire Department fair, special
events of service clubs and nonprofit organizations and other similar
community activities. Such signs shall be removed by the person, organization
or property owner within 15 days of the date specified for the event.
Customary signs identifying parking areas, loading zones,
entrances, exits and similar locations. Such signs may include a business
name or professional name but shall not include any advertising message.
A sign of a public nature related to elections and campaigns.
[Added 11-2-2017 by Ord.
No. 17-70; amended 11-21-2017 by Ord. No. 17-74; 4-5-2018 by Ord. No. 18-16]
A name, identification, description, display or illustration
which is affixed to, or printed or represented directly or indirectly
on a building, structure or parcel of land, and which directs attention
to a person, institution, organization, activity, place, object, product
or business. Any structure, device, letter, word insignia, or representation
that is designed to be seen from outside a building advertising activities,
goods, products, services or facilities available on the premises.
This definition includes signs attached onto the facade of buildings,
in windows, or doors, on canopies, marquees and awnings, but does
not include window displays of merchandise or signs incidental to
the display of merchandise. The display of official public notices
or the flag, emblem or insignia of a nation, political unit or temporary
displays are not included in this definition. Signs indicating operating
hours of a commercial business and credit cards which are accepted
are also not included in this definition.
A sign constructed or intended for use during a limited period
of time.
TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION SIGNA sign erected on a site during the period of construction to announce the name of the project, owner or developer, contractor, architect, landscape architect or engineer.
TEMPORARY REAL ESTATE SIGNA sign advertising the real estate upon which the sign is located as being for lease or sale.
TEMPORARY MECHANIC, PAINTER AND OTHER ARTISAN SIGNA sign erected only on a property where work is being performed to announce the name and contact information of the mechanic, painter or other artisan conducting the work on the site.
Customary warning, trespassing and posted signs that indicate
the private nature of a driveway or property.
All signs within the City shall be erected, constructed or maintained
in accordance with the provisions of this article. No existing sign
shall be enlarged, rebuilt, structurally altered or relocated except
in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The issuance of
a permit shall not relieve the owner or lessee of the premises from
the duty of maintaining safely any such structures. No sign of any
description shall be installed, erected, constructed or maintained
in such manner as to obstruct any fire escape or any window or door,
nor shall any sign be attached in any manner to a fire escape. Every
sign constructed or maintained shall be plainly marked with the name
of the person, firm or corporation erecting or maintaining such sign.
No sign shall be erected in the City that would:
A.
Obstruct the sight distance at an intersection along a public right-of-way.
B.
Would tend by its location, color, shape, message or nature to be
confused with or obstruct the view of traffic signs or traffic signals
by motorists or pedestrians.
C.
Use admonitions such as "stop," "go," "slow," "danger," etc., which
might be confused with traffic directional signs.
D.
Other than official traffic control devices or street signs, be erected
within, or encroach upon, the right-of-way lines of any street, unless
specifically authorized by other ordinances or regulations of the
City.
No sign shall be erected or constructed that will violate any
of the regulations as to health, required light, safety or air, as
defined in the Building Code of the City.[1] Signs shall not extend above the roof level of the building
to which they are attached.
Whenever a sign becomes structurally unsafe, endangers the safety
of the building or endangers the public safety, the Zoning Officer
shall order that such sign be made safe or removed. Such order shall
be complied with within 10 days of the receipt thereof by the person
owning or using the sign or the owner of the building or premises
on which the unsafe sign is affixed or erected. Failure to obey such
orders shall be a violation of this section.
No sign shall contain flashers, animators or mechanical movement
or contrivances of any kind, except clock-and-temperature-stating
devices.
Illumination devices, such as, but not limited to, floodlights
or spotlights, shall be so placed and so shielded as to prevent the
rays of illumination thereof from being cast into neighboring properties
and approaching vehicles.
The area of a permitted sign shall be determined by multiplying
the greatest horizontal dimension by the greatest vertical dimension,
including spaces between open-type letters and figures and including
the background structure or other decoration or addition which is
an integral part of the sign. Sign supports shall be excluded in determining
the area of a sign. Only one side of a double-faced sign structure
shall be used in computing total sign area.
No sign device in the nature of an advertisement or announcement
so constructed as to be movable, or which shall be placed on a standard
sitting upon the ground, shall be placed or permitted to remain on
any part of any street, sidewalk, parkway, curb or other public place.
[Amended 11-2-2017 by Ord. No. 17-70]
Temporary signs shall not remain in place for a period exceeding
six months with the following exception:
A.
Temporary real estate signs.
A.
Administration. The Zoning Officer shall only issue an approval for
the erection or construction of a sign which meets the requirements
of this article. Any aggrieved person may appeal the decision of the
Zoning Officer by filing such appeal with the Zoning Board of Adjustment
on forms provided therefor.
B.
Filing procedures. Application for a permit to erect, hang or place
a sign shall be submitted on forms obtainable from the Zoning Officer.
Each application shall be accompanied by plans showing the area of
the sign, size and character, method of illumination, if any, the
exact location proposed for such sign and, in the case of a projecting
sign, the proposed method of fastening such sign to the building structure,
the vertical distance between such sign and the finished grade and
the horizontal distance between such sign and the curb and also between
such sign and the right-of-way line.
C.
Additional information. Each applicant shall, upon the request of
the Zoning Officer, submit any additional information deemed necessary.
The following signs may be erected, constructed, placed and
maintained without a permit:
A.
Temporary real estate signs. Such signs shall not be illuminated
nor exceed four square feet.
B.
Temporary construction signs. Such signs shall not be illuminated
and shall not exceed 32 square feet in area and shall be removed promptly
upon completion of the work.
C.
Temporary signs of tradespeople, mechanics, painters and other artisans.
Such signs shall not exceed six square feet and shall be removed promptly
upon completion of the work.
D.
Warning and trespassing signs. Such signs shall not exceed three
square feet.
E.
On-site directional signs. Such signs shall not exceed two square
feet in area.
F.
Advertisement and informational signs. Such signs shall not exceed
eight square feet in area.
G.
Political signs. Such signs shall not be limited as to size.
No sign, except those listed in § 315-203 above, shall be erected, constructed, placed or structurally altered without a permit from the Zoning Officer.
A.
Only the following type of signs shall be permitted in the MU, BA
and BB Districts:
(3)
Facade signs. Such sign shall not project more than 18 inches beyond
the building and shall not exceed an area equal to either 10% of the
front wall area of the ground floor, including window and door areas,
or 25 square feet in an MU District or 50 square feet in BA and BB
Districts, whichever is smaller. Such sign shall not be closer than
eight feet to the ground level of the building and shall not have
a vertical dimension in excess of two feet in an MU District or 2 1/2
feet in BA and BB Districts.
B.
Number of signs. Unless otherwise specified herein, not more than
one facade sign shall be permitted for each commercial use on any
property, unless the property fronts on more than one street, in which
event not more than one facade sign may be erected for each commercial
use on each street frontage.
A.
Only the following signs shall be permitted in industrial districts.
(3)
Facade signs. Such sign shall not project more than two feet
beyond the building and shall not exceed an area equal to either 20%
of the front wall area of the ground floor, including window and door
areas, or 100 square feet, whichever is smaller. Such sign shall not
be closer than eight feet to the ground level of the building and
shall not have a vertical dimension in excess of four feet.
(4)
Freestanding signs. Such signs shall not exceed a height of
25 feet, measured from the ground level to the top of the structure.
The bottom edge of the sign shall not be less than 10 feet above ground
level. The area of such sign shall not exceed 75 square feet and may
be interior-lighted with nonglaring lights or may be illuminated by
shielded floodlights.
(5)
Billboards.
(a)
A billboard is a permitted use, provided that:
[1]
The maximum size of the billboard does not exceed 300 square
feet.
[2]
The billboard is not located within 500 feet of a residential
or mixed-use zone district.
[3]
The billboard is not located within 1,000 feet of the D&R
Canal.
[4]
No billboard shall extend over a public sidewalk or other public
area.
[5]
No billboard or billboards shall be stacked over or placed next
to any billboard.
(b)
A billboard is a conditional use if the advertising area, including any trim, of the billboard exceeds 300 square feet, but is no more than 672 square feet in size; or if the billboard is located within 500 feet of a residential or mixed-use zone. See Article XXII, Conditional Uses (§ 315-132 et seq.).
B.
Number of signs.
(1)
Unless otherwise specified herein, not more than one facade
sign shall be permitted for each commercial use on any property, unless
the property fronts on more than one street, in which event not more
than one facade sign may be erected for each commercial use on each
street frontage.
(2)
Unless otherwise specified, not more than one freestanding sign
shall be placed on any property unless the property fronts on more
than one street, in which event not more than one freestanding sign
may be erected on each street frontage.
