The intent of these signage regulations is to promote and protect
the public health, safety and welfare by providing comprehensive time,
place and manner restrictions on signage, which shall include controls
on size, height, quantity, location, spacing, shape, scale, proportions,
lighting, motion, design and appearance. More specifically, the provisions
of this article are intended to accomplish the following:
A. Protect and enhance community appearance.
B. Encourage commercial signs and graphics to be designed so as to be
functional and compatible with the aesthetic appearance of the building
they are located on and the surrounding neighborhoods.
C. Reduce the frequency and magnitude of hazards to motorists and pedestrians
caused by sign obstructions and distractions.
D. Preserve and create more attractive business and residential environments.
E. Conserve the value of buildings and properties and preserve existing
neighborhood character.
Signs are important components of the streetscape. However,
signs do more than communicate information. By the quality of their
design, they can either contribute to or diminish the character or
appearance of structures as a whole. They can serve as attractive
accents, or they can clutter and detract from the street's character.
The purpose of these general requirements is to promote the visual
cohesiveness of the streetscape by encouraging signs to be harmonious
with the architecture of each building and the character of the surrounding
area.
A. No sign shall be permitted in any zoning district except in compliance
with the provisions of these regulations.
B. No sign shall be erected, altered, moved or used without first obtaining
a sign permit where required, and signs shall be used only for a permitted
use, conditionally permitted use or for a nonconforming use which
may lawfully continue in accordance with the terms of these regulations.
C. The Planning Board as part of site plan review, or the Zoning Officer
in reviewing sign permits not subject to such review, shall consider
the compatibility of the sign's location, color(s), lettering, size
and overall design with on-site and adjacent architecture and community
character.
D. If any sign consists of banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers,
spinners, balloons, searchlights and other similar moving, fluttering
or revolving, flashing, smoke-generating or visual signal generation
or animated devices that create an adverse impact on safe traffic
movements or strings of lights used for the purpose of advertising,
illumination or attracting attention, the Zoning Officer will have
the authority to have the offending sign or part thereof removed.
E. Pictorial designs, logos and trademarks shall be permitted, provided
that they are incorporated in and made a part of a permitted sign
face, and the area thereof is included in calculating the total permitted
sign face area allowed under these regulations.
F. No application for approval of signs or for a sign permit shall be
processed or permitted unless permission is granted from the property
owner.
G. No sign shall project across or over a property line or lease lien,
or be in a public right-of-way except in areas where hanging signs
are permitted.
H. All signs shall comply with applicable provisions of the State of
New York Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. Signs shall be
constructed to withstand wind loads appropriate to design and installation,
constructed of durable material, and securely anchored as determined
by the Zoning Officer or City Engineer.
I. Maintenance of all signs. All signs and all components thereof, including
supports, braces and anchors, shall be kept in a good state of repair.
J. Every principal building or structure shall have street identification
numbers subject to the provision in the applicable Cohoes Building
Numbering Law.
K. Billboards, as defined in Article
I of this chapter, are prohibited in all zoning districts.
L. Signs containing luminous material, sequin-studded letters or lettering
with fluorescent paint are prohibited. Illuminated signs may be permitted
in certain districts and with certain restrictions as set forth in
this article.
M. No sign shall be erected or allowed to exist so as to constitute
a traffic hazard. No sign or other advertising structure as regulated
by any of the provisions of this section shall be erected at the intersection
of any streets in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision;
or at any location where, by reason of position, shape or color, it
may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized
traffic sign, signal or device or makes use of words, phrases, symbols
or characters in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse
traffic.
N. No sign shall contain any obscene wording or depiction.
O. No sign or sign support shall be placed upon the roof of any building,
except those signs of a landmark, historic or other unique nature.
Off-premises signs are not permitted except as follows. Signs
permitted within this section may also be on-premises.
A. Signs necessary for the direction, regulation and control of traffic,
street name signs, legal notices, warnings at railroad crossings and
other official signs which are similarly authorized or erected by
a duly constituted governmental body.
B. Temporary signs directing persons to temporary exhibits, shows or events may be erected subject to the requirements in §
285-95C.
C. Political signs.
[Amended 5-14-2019 by Ord. No. 2-2019]
(1) No
political sign may be placed on public property or in the public right-of-way.
(2) No
political sign may be placed within 10 feet of the lot line.
(3) No
political sign may be placed that blocks the sight angle at any traffic
intersection
(4) Political signs shall be permitted off-premises, provided that permission is granted by the owner of the property and subject to the requirements in §§
285-5 and
285-95F.
The following signs are permitted in any appropriate district
without a permit:
A. A nameplate, which shall not exceed two square feet in area on each
side and must be attached to the building in some manner.
B. Signs denoting the name and address of the occupants of the premises,
which signs shall not exceed two square feet in area on each side.
C. Temporary commercial signs shall not exceed six square feet in area,
provided that such sign is erected or displayed not less than five
feet from the property line. There shall not be more than one such
sign per lot, except that on a corner lot two signs, one facing each
street, shall be permitted. Such signs shall not be posted more than
four weeks prior to the event and no longer than one week after the
event.
D. Signs customarily incidental to places of worship, libraries, museums,
social clubs or societies, which signs or bulletin boards shall not
exceed 16 square feet in area and shall be located on the premises
of such institution, provided that such signs or bulletin boards are
erected or displayed not closer than 10 feet to any property line.
There shall not be more than one bulletin board per lot, except that
on a corner lot two signs, one facing each street, shall be permitted.
E. Signs announcing no trespassing, signs indicating the private nature
of the road, driveway or premises, and signs controlling the fishing
or hunting on the premises, provided that the area of any one side
of any such sign shall not exceed two square feet.
F. Political signs.
[Amended 5-14-2019 by Ord. No. 2-2019]
(1) Political
signs shall not exceed 16 square feet and shall not extend more than
six feet above grade.
(2) Political
signs may not be displayed more than 45 days before the election,
referendum or political event to which they pertain and must be removed
within seven days after the election, referendum, or political event
involved.
G. Window signs are permitted in all districts, provided that the following
standards are complied with:
(1) See-through lettered window signs may not cover more than 80% of
the total window area.
(2) An opaque sign may not cover more than 20% of the total window area.
(3) In case of a door, a window sign may not cover more than 10% of the
window space in which it is located.
H. One temporary A-frame sign is permitted, which said sign shall not
exceed six square feet on each side and shall not exceed four feet
above the natural grade on which the sign is located. Such signs are
subject to the requirements provided in this section. No such sign
shall be located in the street right-of-way. Permanent A-frame signs
are prohibited.
I. On premises where construction, renovation, or repair is in progress,
one sign up to six square feet in surface area in a residential district
or 32 square feet in surface area in commercial, mixed-use, or industrial
districts, listing the contractor, owner, architect or engineer or
a description of the project.
J. Any temporary noncommercial sign, set back at least five feet from
the property line and no more than four square feet in surface area,
that complies with other general regulations contained in this article.
K. At gasoline stations:
(1) Integral graphics or attached price signs on gasoline pumps.
(2) Two auxiliary signs per station, each not exceeding two square feet
in area.
(3) One portable sign per station, not exceeding 12 square feet in area
and four feet in height.
The following signs are permitted in residential districts:
A. Home occupation sign. One home occupation sign shall be permitted
for an approved home occupation. Such sign shall be no larger than
two square feet in sign area; shall not be closer than 10 feet to
any property line; and, if a freestanding sign, shall not exceed four
feet in height above the natural grade on which the sign is located.
A sign permit is not required.
B. Neighborhood identification sign. One identification sign not to
exceed 16 square feet in area, indicating only the name and street
address of the project, shall be permitted for each project. Such
sign shall not be closer than 10 feet to any property line and shall
not project more than six feet in height above the natural grade on
which the sign is located. In the case of a wall sign, such sign shall
not exceed 12 square feet in area. Identification signs shall be subject
to the criteria and standards of this article and site plan review
by the Planning Board.
The following signs are permitted in commercial, industrial
and mixed-use districts:
A. Business identification signs.
(1) Wall signs.
(a)
One wall sign not to exceed two square feet for each linear
foot of width of the front of the wall of the building, or portion
of the building occupied by the business, or a maximum of 100 square
feet, whichever is less.
(b)
For multiple-story buildings, wall signs shall only be permitted
on the ground floor.
(c)
Where a building has frontage on more than one street or public
highway, one wall sign is permitted for each street frontage.
(2) Building directory sign for a multiple-use structure. One building
directory sign indicating the name of the occupants of the building
and the building number in order to direct persons to their proper
destination once they are on site shall be permitted. Signs are to
be no larger than 16 square feet in area on each side, including the
nameplates of all the tenants or uses, and shall project not more
than six feet in height above the natural grade on which the sign
is located. The proposed sign's construction shall complement the
architectural style and materials of the building it will serve. The
proposed sign shall be subject to Planning Board review through the
site plan approval process and shall require a sign permit. In determining
the design, location and hours of illumination, the Board shall be
guided by other pertinent sections of these regulations.
(3) Freestanding signs. One freestanding business identification sign
per property may be erected, subject to the following conditions:
(a)
No freestanding sign shall be located less than 15 feet from
the front property line or less than five feet from the side property
line.
(b)
If for any reason the property line is changed at some future
date, any freestanding sign made nonconforming thereby must be relocated
within 90 days to conform to the minimum setback requirements herein.
(c)
No freestanding sign shall be more than 20 feet in height above
finished grade. Such height shall be measured vertically from the
established average grade directly below the sign or entry level of
the building or structure, whichever is lower, to the elevation of
the highest point of the sign, including supporting structures.
(d)
No freestanding sign shall be less than 14 feet above any adjacent
parking or road surface or nine feet above any adjacent pedestrianway.
Such height shall be measured vertically from the established average
grade directly below the sign or entry level of the building or structure,
whichever is lower, to the elevation of the bottom edge or surface
of the stand-alone sign, including supporting structures.
(e)
No freestanding sign shall extend over or into the public right-of-way,
nor shall it overhang the property lines.
(f)
The maximum total sign area that shall be permitted under this
subsection shall not exceed 100 square feet.
B. One hanging sign, provided that:
(1) Such sign shall not exceed six square feet in area and shall not
project more than two feet from the wall or surface to which it is
mounted.
(2) Such sign shall be at least eight feet to the bottom of the sign
above the ground level immediately below and shall not in any way
interfere with normal pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
(3) There shall be no more than one hanging sign for each business or
public entrance.
(4) The supporting structure shall not be included in calculation of
the sign area.
C. Signs for direction, provided that such signs do not exceed two square
feet in area. Such signs may indicate the entrance and exit to the
property and location of parking. Such signs shall not project more
than four feet in height above the natural grade on which the sign
is located and shall be no closer than five feet to any property line.
D. Temporary advertising or promotional banners.
(1) Only one such sign shall be displayed by any business at one time.
(2) The size of any such banner shall count toward the total square footage of business identification signs allowed by §
285-97A(1).
(3) No sign permit shall be required.
E. Illuminated signs shall comply with the regulations set forth in Subsection B(11) and (12) of §
285-98, except with respect to review by the Historic Preservation and Architectural Review Board where a sign is not located in the Historic Overlay District.