The purpose of this article is to establish
minimum standards to safeguard life and property and promote public
welfare and community aesthetics by regulating the appearance, construction,
location and maintenance of all signs and billboards.
The following definitions are used in this article:
AWNING
A temporary hood or cover which projects from the wall of
the building, which can be retracted, folded or collapsed against
the face of a supporting structure.
BILLBOARD
A sign which advertises goods, products or facilities or
services not necessarily on the premises where the sign is located
or directs persons to a different location from where the sign is
located.
BLANKETING
The unreasonable obstruction of view of a sign caused by
the placement of another sign.
DIRECTLY ILLUMINATED SIGN
Any sign designed to give any artificial light directly through
any transparent or translucent material from a source of light originating
within or on such sign.
DIRECTORY SIGN
Any sign on which the names and locations of occupants or
the use of a building is given. This shall include offices and church
directories.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE UNIT SIGN
Any sign whose message may be changed by electronic process,
including such messages as copy, art, graphics, time, date, temperature,
weather or information concerning civic or charitable events or the
advertising of products or services for sale on the premises. This
also includes traveling or segmented message displays.
FLASHING SIGN
Any directly or indirectly illuminated sign on which artificial
light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color
at all times when in use.
GROUND AND/OR POLE SIGN
Any sign which is supported by structures or supports in
or upon the ground and independent of support from any building. (Also
referred to as "freestanding sign.")
IDENTIFICATION SIGN
Any sign which carries only the name of the firm, major enterprise,
institution or principal products offered for sale on the premises
or combination of these.
MARQUEE
A permanent roof-like structure projecting beyond a building
wall at an entrance to a building or extending along and projecting
beyond the building's wall and generally designed and constructed
to provide protection against weather.
MARQUEE SIGN
Any sign attached to and made part of a marquee.
PORTABLE SIGN
Any sign not permanently attached to the ground which is
designed to be easily moved from one location to another.
PROJECTING SIGN
Any sign extending more than 18 inches but less than five
feet from the face of a wall or building.
REAL ESTATE SIGN
Any sign which is used to offer for sale, lease or rent the
property upon which the sign is placed.
ROOF SIGN
Any sign erected upon or over the roof or parapet of any
building.
SIGN
Includes anything that promotes, calls attention or invites
patronage (or anything similar to the aforementioned) to a business,
location or product.
TEMPORARY SIGN
Any sign intended to be displayed for a short period of time,
including real estate or construction site signs, banners, decorative-type
displays or anything similar to the aforementioned.
WALL SIGN
Any sign attached to, erected on or painted on the wall of
a building or structure and projecting not more than 18 inches from
such wall.
WINDOW SIGN
Any sign located completely within an enclosed building and
visible from a public way.
In any district, no sign shall be permitted except as is hereinafter
specified by the regulations for that district.
A. Permitted signs.
(1) A sign identifying the property or the name of the
owner or occupant not in excess of six square feet in area shall be
permitted.
(2) A "No Trespassing" or other similar sign not in excess
of six square feet in area shall be permitted.
(3) Signs pertaining to the lease or sale of the property
on which located or any building thereon shall be permitted, not in
excess of 25 square feet in area per sign, and not more than two signs
shall be permitted on any single parcel.
(4) A sign identifying a planned shopping center grouping
may be permitted with the approval of the Plan Commission, and the
Commission may, in such case, modify the regulations applicable to
the height, size and location of such sign consistent with the spirit
and intent of the regulations.
(5) A sign for the purpose of designating a new building
or development, for promotion of a subdivision, for announcement of
a special event or for similar special informational purposes may
be permitted for a limited period of time in any district with the
approval of the Plan Commission and subject to the following:
(a)
Drawings showing the specific design, appearance
and location of the sign shall be submitted to the Plan Commission
for approval.
(b)
The permitted size and location of any such
sign shall be at the discretion of the Plan Commission based upon
the character of the area, the type and purpose of the sign and the
length of time permitted.
(c)
Where the sign is to be located on the premises
involved, such may be permitted for a period up to one year. An extension
may be permitted for a period not to exceed two years total.
(d)
Where the sign is not to be located on the premises
involved, such sign may be permitted for a period not to exceed nine
months.
(6) Signs designating entrances, exits, service areas,
parking areas, rest rooms and other such signs relating to functional
operation of the building or premises shall be permitted without limitation
other than reasonable size and necessity.
B. Prohibited
signs.
(1) No
billboard, poster, flat pennant, streamer, outdoor display or other
advertising device not meeting the requirements mentioned above and
no sign employing brilliant intermittent, rotating or flashing lights
which rotate in a manner or at a rate as to simulate flashing lights
shall be permitted. No sign, billboard or other advertising media
which create a hazard or dangerous distraction to vehicular traffic
or a nuisance to adjoining residential property shall be permitted
in any district.
(2) No
sign, billboard or other advertising media not directly related to
the use of the premises on which they are located, except directional
signs as herein provided, shall be permitted in any district, except
as a conditional use in such districts as are hereinafter provided.
C. Government
signs. The provisions of this section shall not apply to signs erected
by national, state, county or municipal governmental agencies, including
traffic and informational signs.
D. Exceptions to sign regulations. The following signs
and related items shall not be included in the application of the
regulations contained in this article:
(1) Signs not exceeding six square feet in area and bearing
only property numbers, post box numbers or names of occupants of premises.
(2) Flags and insignia of any government, except when
displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
(3) Legal notices, identification information or directional
signs erected by governmental bodies.
(4) Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings,
except letters, trademarks, moving parts or moving lights.
(5) Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on
private property but bearing no advertising matter.
Variances or exceptions to these sign regulations
may be granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals, and decisions by the
Village Board may be appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
All billboards, signs and other advertising
structures shall be designed and constructed to withstand a wind pressure
of not less than 30 pounds per square foot of area and shall be constructed
to receive dead loads as required in the Building Code or other ordinances
of the Village of Siren.
No billboards shall be erected within 100 feet
of the intersecting right-of-way of signalized intersections, and
no billboards shall be erected within 50 feet of the intersecting
right-of-way of all other streets.
Except as otherwise herein provided, all billboards
and/or sign messages shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the
premises upon which an off-premises sign/billboard is located when
the business it advertises is no longer conducted where advertised.
If the owner or lessee fails to remove the sign/billboard, the Village
Board shall give the owner 60 days' written notice to remove said
sign/billboard and thereafter, upon the owner's or lessee's failure
to comply, may remove such sign/billboard, any costs for which shall
be charged to the owner of the property or may be assessed as a special
assessment against the property, and/or the Village Board may take
any other appropriate legal action necessary to attain compliance.