The purpose of this article is intended to accomplish the following
objectives:
A.
To encourage a high standard for signs to enhance the aesthetic appearance
and attractiveness of the community, and to further create an environment
that contributes to the ability of the community to attract economic
development and growth.
B.
To ensure that signs are designed, constructed, installed, and maintained
so that public safety and traffic safety are not compromised.
C.
To minimize distractions and obstructions of view that contributes
to traffic hazards and may endanger the public.
D.
To allow for adequate and effective signs for communicating identifications
and promoting businesses.
E.
In the interest of public safety, the visibility of street name signs,
street address information, and address numbers for use by emergency
responders (fire, police, and medical) is of preeminent importance
and should be considered during the placement of signs covered under
this chapter.
Any signs existing as of the effective date of this chapter
shall be considered to be preexisting, nonconforming signs as to placement
and size only and grandfathered to that extent.
A.
No sign shall be designed and located in such a manner as to impair
public safety; restrict clear vision between a sidewalk and street;
be confused with any traffic sign or signal; or prevent free access
to any door, window or fire escape.
B.
No portion of any sign shall encroach upon any public right of way,
with the exception of projecting signs in the Village Center zone,
which shall be no lower than eight feet off the ground.
C.
Signs shall be set back 10 feet from any property boundary, with
the exception of signs attached to buildings that are less than 10
feet from a property boundary.
D.
Signs shall not be placed in side or rear yards in all Neighborhood
Commercial and Residential Zones.
[Amended 7-20-2022 by L.L. No. 5-2022]
E.
Signs shall be designed to withstand a wind pressure load of at least
30 pounds per square foot.
F.
All signs shall comply with the appropriate provisions of the New
York State Building Code, and shall maintain clearances from all overhead
electrical conductors in accordance with the National Electric Code,
provided that no sign shall be installed closer than 10 feet horizontally
or vertically from any conductor.
G.
No sign shall be allowed to have more than 20% of its display area,
reverse side, or structure missing or covered with disfigured, chipped,
cracked, ripped, or peeling paint or poster paper for a period of
more than 30 successive days.
H.
No sign shall be allowed to remain with a bent or broken display
area, broken supports, loose appendages or struts, or stand more than
15° away from the perpendicular for a period of more than 30 successive
days.
I.
No sign shall be allowed to have weeds, trees, vines, or other wild
vegetation growing upon it for a period of more than 30 successive
days.
J.
No indirect or internally illuminated sign shall be allowed to have
only partial illumination for a period of more than 30 successive
days.
K.
Temporary signs must be erected in a location that does not present
any safety hazard or litter problem. Once placed, they are intended
to remain in that location.
L.
No signs shall be erected or allowed to remain erected that, in the
opinion of the Code Enforcement Official or Public Works Department,
is structurally unsafe and constitutes a danger to the public safety.
If any sign should become insecure, in danger of falling, or otherwise
unsafe, the owner thereof or the person maintaining the sign shall
immediately secure or remove the sign.
M.
Any sign that fails to comply with the requirements above must be
immediately removed by the owner of the property or the person responsible
for the sign. Should a hazardous sign not be removed in a timely manner,
the Village of Lowville retains the right to remove a sign, holding
it until the owner retrieves it.
N.
Any individual not in compliance with this section may be subject
to a fine of $50.
A.
Audible signs. No sign shall be allowed which emits any sound capable
of being detected on a public street or adjoining property.
B.
Flashing signs. No sign shall be allowed which utilizes flashing
or strobe-type lights, or any type of pulsating or moving light. Electronic
message boards may only be used in accordance with the provisions
of this chapter.
C.
Signs attached to or painted on selected features. No sign shall
be allowed which is attached to a utility pole or street sign, or
is attached to or painted on tree trunks, rocks, or other natural
objects unless it is the personal property of the person/business
applying the sign.
D.
Signs imitating traffic or emergency signals. No sign shall be allowed
which imitates an official traffic sign or signal, or contains words
or symbols displayed in a manner which might mislead or confuse drivers
of vehicles, or which displays intermittent lights resembling the
color, size, shape, or order of lights customarily used in traffic
signals, on emergency vehicles, or on law enforcement vehicles, except
as part of a permitted private or public traffic control sign.
E.
No rooftop
signs shall be permitted within the Village of Lowville. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, rooftop signs existing as of the effective date of
this chapter may remain and may be maintained and, if damaged or destroyed
beyond repair, may be replaced in the same location with a sign of
the same dimensions.
[Added 6-19-2019 by L.L. No. 4-2019]
Temporary signs are to be placed for a period specified by sign type below and must meet all size, safety and construction regulations in § 201-715 of this chapter. Signs that are placed for greater than the number of days listed below are to be considered permanent signs and will be permitted pursuant to permanent sign regulations.
A.
Banner over public right-of-way. Banners advertising community events
spanning over public rights-of-way are allowed, subject to approval
by the appropriate state DOT agency or appropriate local governmental
(county or municipal) agency responsible for maintenance of the right-of-way.
Banners attached to existing utility poles shall require the approval
of such utility agency. Banners shall be removed no later than seven
calendar days after events end. Placement requires a permit.
B.
Contractor sign. Contractor signs displaying the names of the builders,
contractors, architects, engineers, craftsmen, artisans, and similar
information may be erected upon the premises of any work, construction,
major repairs, or improvements. The display area of such signs shall
not exceed 24 square feet. Signs shall be removed no later than seven
calendar days after project completion. Placement does not require
a permit.
C.
Election sign. Signs announcing candidates seeking public office
or relating to any election or public referendum shall be allowed.
Such signs shall be placed only on private property, and removed within
seven calendar days after the election or referendum. These signs
are not required to be set back from road right-of-ways. Placement
does not require a permit.
D.
Inflatable sign. Inflatable signs are either expanded to their full
dimensions or supported by gases contained with the sign parts at
a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. Signs must meet manufacturer
specifications and be securely anchored. Signs must not be placed
in the public right-of-way. Inflatable signs shall be removed no later
than one calendar day after event end. Placement requires a permit.
E.
Off-premises directional sign. Temporary directional signs are intended
for use with activities for civic, church, or community special events,
and real estate signs not associated with permanent business activities.
These signs shall not exceed 12 square feet per sign and must be located
on private property with the property owner's permission. There may
be only one sign per 500 feet of street frontage or portion thereof
and such signs do not have to be set back from the street rights-of-way.
These signs must be removed within seven calendar days after the end
of the event for which they were intended. Placement does not require
a permit.
F.
On-premises seasonal advertising sign. Seasonal signs are on-premise
signs advertising seasonal or holiday products or services. These
signs shall not exceed 24 square feet in area. There may be only one
sign per 500 feet of street frontage or portion thereof and such signs
must be removed within seven calendar days after the end of the season.
These signs shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the street
rights-of-way. Placement does not require a permit.
G.
Pennant. Pennants are any lightweight plastic, fabric, or other material,
regardless of shape, whether or not containing a message of any kind,
suspended from a rope, wire, or string, usually in series, designed
to move with the wind. Pennants shall be limited to two strands for
every 100 feet of road frontage or portion thereof. A strand is defined
as being between two attachment points. Banners shall be removed no
later than seven calendar days after event end. Pennants and/or attachment
points shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the road rights-of-way.
Placement does not require a permit.
H.
Personal message sign. Short-term personal information signs, such as garage sale, lost and found pets, and wedding and reception directions, are allowed provided they are located on private property. These signs shall not exceed six square feet in size, are limited to no more than seven consecutive days, and must be removed within one calendar day after the completion of the event. These signs do not have to be set back from road rights-of-way. Signs intended to be in place longer than seven days shall require a permit under § 201-735 of this chapter. Placement does not require a permit.
I.
Real estate sign. Real estate signs are temporary signs offering
real estate for sale, rent, or lease; one sign per road frontage not
to exceed six square feet advertising the sale, rental, or lease of
the premises on which displayed. Placement shall not exceed seven
calendar days following the sale, rental or lease of the property.
All such signs shall be set back at least 10 feet from any property
line. Placement does not require a permit.
J.
Sponsorship sign. Sponsorship signs are signs employed by a school or by a civic, fraternal, religious, charitable or similar organization, which identifies the sponsor (by name, address and/or logo, crest, insignia, trademark or emblem only) of recreational or sports facilities provided on the premises where such signs are displayed. "Sponsorship fence signs" shall mean sponsorship signs affixed to permanent fencing. "Facility" shall mean the entire premises of an elementary or secondary school or a recreation or a sports facility. These signs are intended to be used for a specific event or sporting season. They must meet all safety standards and local event/location restrictions imposed by the event committee, site owner, etc. Such signs intended to remain beyond the event or sporting season limitation shall require a permit under § 201-735 of this chapter. Placement does not require a permit.
K.
Subdivision sign. Subdivision signs advertise three or more lots
for sale on a site. One sign shall be allowed per road entrance to
the subdivision and located on the property to be subdivided, not
to exceed 32 square feet. Such sign may not be erected until the subdivision
has been approved by the appropriate officials. Placement shall not
exceed one year from the date of subdivision approval. The display
period may be extended upon approval of the Planning Board for a reasonable
period of time, not to exceed one year at any given time. Placement
does not require a permit.
Signs that are placed for greater than 30 days are to be considered
permanent signs. Placement of permanent signs listed below does not
require a zoning permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer. See Appendix
A for more information regarding permits.[1]
A.
Architectural features. Integral decorative or architectural features
of buildings, except trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights.
B.
Address sign. Signs bearing only property numbers, post box numbers,
or names of occupants of premises, not to exceed two square feet.
C.
Flag. Official flags of government jurisdictions, including flags
indicating weather conditions and flags which contain graphics that
are decorative in nature or emblems of on-premises religious, charitable,
public, and nonprofit organizations.
D.
Incidental sign. Signs used in conjunction with equipment or other
functional elements of a use or operation. These shall include, but
not be limited to, drive-through window menu boards, and signs on
automatic teller machines, gas pumps, vending machines, or newspaper
delivery boxes.
E.
Parking sign. Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on
private property, but bearing no advertising matter.
F.
Plaque. Commemorative plaques placed by agencies recognized by local
or state government.
G.
Public sign. Signs of a public or noncommercial nature, which shall
include community service information signs, public transit service
signs, public utility information signs, safety signs, danger signs,
trespassing signs, signs indicating scenic or historic points of interest,
traffic control signs, and all signs erected by a public officer in
the performance of a public duty.
H.
Window sign. Signs inside buildings intended for viewing from the
exterior of a window or door.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said appendix is included as an attachment to this chapter.
Signs that are placed for greater than 30 days are to be considered
permanent signs. Placement of permanent signs listed below requires
a zoning permit from the zoning enforcement officer. See Appendix
A for more information regarding permits.[1]
A.
Mural. Paintings of a noncommercial/nonadvertising nature applied
to and made integral with the surface of walls shall be permitted
by site plan review.
C.
On-premises business sign. On premises business/advertising signs
shall conform to the following standards:
(2)
Wall sign.
(a)
Number allowed: one per business.
(b)
Maximum size: one square foot per building front length.*
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*
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"Building front" is defined as the side of the building that
faces the street used in the property address.
| |
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*
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Buildings that house multiple businesses are allowed one wall
sign per business; total square footage of all wall signs combined
must not exceed one square foot per building front.
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[1]
Editor's Note: Said appendix is included as an attachment to this chapter.
