It is the intent of this article to:
A. Encourage sound aesthetic practices and lessen the
objectionable effects of competition in respect to size and placement
of signs.
B. Safeguard and enhance property values in all zoning
districts.
C. Protect public investment in, and the character and
dignity of, public buildings, open spaces and thoroughfares.
D. Protect the distinctive appearance of the Town of
Ellicott, which is derived from its unique geography, topography,
street patterns, skyline and architectural features.
E. Provide an environment which will promote the orderly
development of the Town.
F. Reduce hazards to motorists and pedestrians traveling
on the public way.
G. Thereby promote the public health, safety and welfare.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A. General terms.
SIGN
An emblematic design, including those which are composed
of light rays only, designed to attract public attention to an industry,
business, commodity, product, service or activity, on or off the premises
where such products, service or activity is or is intended to be sold
or conducted.
OFF-PREMISE ADVERTISING SIGN
A sign which directs attention to an industry, business,
commodity, product, service or activity which is offered or conducted
elsewhere other than on the premises upon which such sign is located.
This term does not include the flag, pennant or insignia of any nation
or association of nations, or any state, city or other municipal unit,
or any charitable, educational, philanthropic, civic, religious, or
like campaign, drive, movement or event.
B. Sign types.
ANIMATED SIGN
A sign, or any portion thereof, having movement effected
by mechanical or natural means, including by way of illustration and
not limited to rotating signs, wind signs and signs where movement
is simulated by illumination devices. This term shall include the
use of blinking, flashing and general intermittent light, as opposed
to light of a constant intensity and value.
GROUND SIGN
A sign which is supported by one or more uprights or braces
in or upon the ground.
MARQUEE SIGN
A sign affixed to or hung from a marquee. "Marquee" means
a canopy or similar structure projecting from a building.
PROJECTING SIGN
A sign which is affixed to any building wall or structure
and extends beyond the building wall or parts thereof, structure,
building line or property line more than 15 inches horizontally, and
no portion of which projects above the roofline or parapet of a building.
ROOF SIGN
A sign of which any portion thereof is either situated above
the upper edge of any building wall or parapet (except as otherwise
provided for in the definition of "wall sign" below) or erected or
painted on or above the roof covering any portion of the building,
including signs supported on the roof or on an independent structural
frame or located on the side or roof of a penthouse, roof tank, roof
shed, elevator housing or other roof structure.
WALL SIGN
A sign which is affixed and parallel to an exterior wall
of a building, projecting not more than 15 inches therefrom and extending
not more than three feet above the roofline or parapet of the building.
Where a sign extends more than three feet above the roofline or parapet
it shall be considered a roof sign.
C. Structural characteristics.
APPROVED COMBUSTIBLE PLASTICS
Combustible plastic materials which, when tested in accordance
with the American Society for Testing if Materials Standard Method
for Test for Flammability of Plastics over 0.050 inch in thickness
(D635-44), adopted in 1944, but no faster than 2.5 inches per minute
in sheets of sixty-thousandths-inch thickness.
AREA
The entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing
the extreme limits of writing, representation, emblem or any figure
of similar character, as included within the definition of a sign,
together with any frame or other material or color forming an integral
part of the display or used to differentiate such sign from the background
against which it is placed, excluding the necessary supports or uprights
on which such sign is placed. The total area of each face of double-faced
permanent and double-faced temporary signs shall be considered as
one area.
DISPLAY SURFACE
The surface made available by the structure, either for the
direct mounting of letters and decoration or for the mounting of facing
material intended to carry the entire advertising message.
FACING
The surface of the sign upon, against or through which the
message of the sign is exhibited.
HEIGHT
The vertical distance from the uppermost point of a sign,
including the sign structure or structural trim, to the average grade
directly below the sign.
LETTERS AND DECORATIONS
The letters, illustrations, symbols, figures, insignias and
other devices employed to express and illustrate the message of the
sign.
STRUCTURAL TRIM
The moldings, battens, cappings, nailing strips, latticing
and platforms which are attached to the sign structure.
STRUCTURE
The supports, uprights, bracing and framework of the sign.
The following types of signs may be erected
and maintained, without permits or fees, as an accessory use to the
principal use on the premises, provided that the standards set forth
herein are met. No such sign shall be placed so as to cause a visual
hazard or obstruction to vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
A. Historical markers, tablets and statues, memorial
signs and plaques may be placed at the location of the event or subject
of commemoration. Names of buildings and dates of erection in the
form of a plaque or single letters and numbers, when cut into a masonry
surface or when constructed of bronze, stainless steel or similar
material, may be installed upon the subject building. Emblems of governmental
agencies, religious or nonprofit organizations may be installed upon
the building occupied by the organization or agency they represent
or at a location approved by the Code Enforcement Officer. Such signs
shall not exceed six square feet of area.
B. On-premise informational signs identifying public
parking areas, fire zones, public accommodations, traffic directions
and traffic control signs shall not exceed four square feet and shall
not contain any commercial copy other than business identification.
C. Public safety signs containing information designed
for the protection and safety of the general public such as warnings,
danger, trespassing, work areas, utility warnings, railroad crossing,
sentry dogs, security systems, etc.
D. Nonilluminated "warning," "private drive," "posted"
or "no trespassing" signs, not exceeding two square feet per face.
E. Number and name plates identifying residents and/or
name of structure, mounted on the building or mailbox and not exceeding
two square feet in area. Such signs, if constructed as a lawn sign,
shall not exceed four feet in height, shall not be illuminated nor
contain an advertising message and shall be mounted 10 feet from property
lines.
F. Required price signs on fuel pumps.
G. Signs situated within an open-air theater, arena,
stadium or similar enclosure shall be designed so as not to be visible
to the general public outside the enclosure.
H. Planned development or subdivision signs shall contain
only the name of the development or subdivision and shall exclude
products, services or other forms of advertising.
(1) Restrictions. All such signs shall be contained within
the boundary lines of the planned development or subdivision.
(2) Signs situated within any district shall not exceed
20 square feet of gross accumulated area of one side when the sign
is erected parallel to the street and shall not exceed 40 square feet
of gross accumulated area of both sides when the sign is erected perpendicular
to the street.
(3) No more than one sign shall be permitted to identify
such a planned development or subdivision. The maintenance of such
signs shall be the responsibility of the developer or other party
and/or entity responsible for the general maintenance of the planned
development or subdivision.
(4) A proposed subdivision identification sign shall be
considered a permitted principal use and shall situated on its own
platted lot. Such lot shall require the approval of the Town Zoning
Board of Appeals. "Planned development" shall mean, by way of example
only, condominiums.
[Amended 1-15-2018 by L.L. No. 1-2018]
The following regulations are applicable to
all signs:
A. Prohibited signs. All signs not expressly permitted
in this code are prohibited. No roof signs, billboards, off-premise
advertising signs or animated signs are permitted in any district.
No time, temperature or media displaying devices shall be allowed
in residential or a agricultural-residential districts.
B. Location. No sign shall be located nearer than 10
feet to any property or roadway boundary line, whichever dictates
the greater setback. Setback regulations specified herein shall apply
to any and all parts of the sign, including but not limited to structural
supports and lighting equipment.
C. Corner visibility. On a corner lot, within the areas
formed by the right-of-way lines of intersecting streets and a line
joining points such right-of-way lines at a distance of 25 feet from
their intersection, no sign shall project into the elevation between
a height of two and a height of 10 feet above the average grade of
each street at the center line thereof, except that this prohibition
shall not apply to any official signs or to wall or marquee signs
affixed to structures situated within such area.
D. Placement. No sign shall be placed upon or attached
to any public or private utility pole, lamppost, water or fire hydrant,
sidewalk, bridge, tree or similar installation or improvement, whether
situated upon public or private property.
E. Obstructions. No sign shall obstruct by physical or
visual means any fire escape, window, door, or any opening providing
ingress, egress, or that is designed for fire or safety equipment,
or any passageway from one area of a structure or roof to another
portion thereof, or any opening required for ventilation or which
is required to remain unobstructed by any applicable law.
F. Hazards to public safety. Signs which, by their use
or simulation of colors, design or placement, tend to confuse, detract
from or in anyway obstruct the utilization of traffic regulatory devices
are prohibited. All determinations regarding this regulation shall
be made by the Town Code Enforcement Officer, who shall consider,
but not be limited to the following:
(1)
The use of words such as "stop," "go," "look,"
"caution," "danger," "warning" and similar nomenclature.
(2)
The use of colors and lights in the spectrum
of colors used by traffic regulatory devices.
(3)
The use of blinking, intermittent flashing or
other animated forms and sources of illumination which through direct
or indirect means create glare.
(4)
No sign shall be placed so as to cause a visual
or safety hazard or obstruction to vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
G. Flashing display signs. No sign shall be illuminated
by strobe lights or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating, moving
or traveling messages or displays.
H. Motion devices. No multiple banners, pennants, ribbons,
streamers, spinners or similar moving, fluttering or revolving devices
are permitted.
I. Illumination.
(1)
No sign shall produce illumination in excess of one footcandle at a distance of four feet, except that illumination of off-premise advertising signs shall be regulated by §§
146-68 and 146-68.1 of this code.
(2)
No illumination shall cause direct light rays
to cross any property line.
J. Vehicular advertising. No trailer or vehicle with
an advertising message shall be parked on a premises in a manner to
serve as a sign.
K. Wind resistance. All signs shall be designed, constructed
and maintained to withstand a minimum wind pressure of 35 pounds per
square foot.
L. Electrical equipment. All electrical equipment being
a part of any sign shall bear the Underwriters Label of Approval,
and the installation thereof shall be approved, and a permit attesting
to such approval shall be issued by a certified electrical inspector.
M. Site maintenance. Any person(s), partnership, firm
or corporation occupying any vacant lot or premises by means of a
ground sign shall be subject to the same duties and responsibilities
as the owner thereof with respect to keeping such lot or premises
clean, sanitary, inoffensive and free of all obnoxious substances
and unsightly conditions in the vicinity of such sign for which they
are responsible.