[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees
of the Village of Southampton 7-21-2020 by L.L. No. 6-2020. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
It is the finding of the Board of Trustees that window displays
contribute to the vitality and economic health of the Village's
business districts by visually connecting interior activities with
public space and pedestrians on the street. It has been found that
storefront windows that are vacant or boarded over have a negative
impact on the aesthetic character of the Village's business districts.
It is the intent and purpose of this chapter to promote the success
of the businesses and the overall health of the Village's business
districts, encourage an active and lively streetscape and maintain
the historic aesthetic character of the Village's business districts
by establishing regulations requiring the owner or tenant of a nonresidential
building to place a window display in all storefront windows in accordance
with certain standards.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
indicated meanings:
Any window located in the Village and Highway Business Districts
that permits an unobstructed public view into the interior of the
building from an adjacent street, sidewalk or right-of-way. This term
includes doors.
A storefront window shall be deemed vacant if no person or
persons conducts a lawfully licensed business there for a period of
one month or more.
A visual representation of information or graphics for viewing
by the public in a storefront window. The display may consist of,
for example, the Village of Southampton logo, fine art, sculpture,
or photography.
A window display shall be required in a vacant storefront window,
subject to the following standards:
A.Â
The aggregate area of window displays shall not exceed 50% of the
storefront window.
B.Â
Adhesive materials used to affix the window display shall not be
visible from the outside of the storefront window.
C.Â
The window display shall be maintained in a clean and neat appearance.
D.Â
The window display shall face the exterior of the storefront window
and shall not be further than three feet from the interior of the
storefront window.
E.Â
The window display may be illuminated by means of shielded, direct,
white light sources not exceeding 75 watts and in such a manner that
no glare shall extend beyond the property lines or disturb the vision
of passing motorists or constitute a hazard to traffic.
F.Â
Window screening, including, but not limited to, blinds, drapes,
curtains or shades, or a covering which is constructed of durable
material such as cardstock or paper, which covers a portion of or
the entire storefront window shall not be considered a window display
for purposes of this chapter and is hereby prohibited.
G.Â
All proposed window displays to be installed pursuant to this chapter
shall be approved prior to installation, by the Village Administrator;
except that if such window display consists of contemporary or historical
images of the Village of Southampton, the Village of Southampton logo,
or one of the preapproved graphic images located in the Administrator's
office and online, no such additional approval shall be required.
The provisions of this chapter shall be in addition to all building,
zoning, historic, fire, health or environmental laws that have been
or may hereafter be imposed. Nothing herein shall be construed to
repeal, modify, or constitute an alternative to any lawful regulation
that is more restrictive than this chapter.
Any person committing an offense against any provision of this
chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be guilty of a violation punishable
by a fine in an amount not less than $1,000 nor exceeding $2,500 for
each offense. The continuation of an offense against the provisions
of this chapter shall constitute, for each day the offense is continued,
a separate and distinct offense hereunder.
