As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
AREA OF SIGN
The area included within the frame or edge of a sign, including the frame. Where the sign has no such frame or edge, the area shall be computed as specified by §
240-159 herein.
AWNING
Any structure made of cloth or metal with a metal frame attached
to a building, projecting over a thoroughfare and so erected as to
permit its being raised to a position flat against the building when
not in use.
BANNER
Any temporary sign applied to paper, plastic or fabric of
any kind, which shall be permitted by the Mayor and Council by permit,
above a public right-of-way.
BILLBOARD
Any sign erected or maintained for the purpose of displaying
outdoor advertising for products or services provided off premises.
CANOPY
Any structure, other than an awning, made of cloth or metal
with metal frames attached to a building, projecting over a thoroughfare
and carried by a frame supported by the ground or sidewalk.
ERECT
To build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend or affix;
also includes the painting of wall signs.
FACING or SURFACE
The surface of the sign upon, against or through which the
message is displayed or illuminated on the sign.
FLAG SIGN
A sign that is mounted on a freestanding pole or other support,
made of cloth, canvas, fabric or like material, designed or intended
to advertise, identify or attract attention to a business, organization,
service or event. National flags are not considered flag signs and
are not prohibited by this chapter.
FREESTANDING SIGN
Any sign supported by structures or supports that are placed
on, or anchored in, the ground and that are independent from any building
or other structure.
ILLUMINATED SIGN
Any sign which has characters, letters, figures, designs
or outline illuminated by electric lights or luminous tubes as a part
of the sign proper.
MAINTENANCE
Includes replacement, without substantial change, of any
parts or support of any sign, and the painting, without change of
text, design or size, of any sign, without removal of the sign from
the wall or structure supporting it.
MARQUEE
Any hood or awning of permanent construction, projecting
from the wall of a building above an entrance and extending over a
thoroughfare, including signs attached thereto, the supports of which
are an integral part of the original structure, and which is not retractable.
PENNANT
Any lightweight plastic, fabric or other material, whether
or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a rope, wire
or string, usually in series, designed to move in the wind.
PORTABLE SIGN
Any sign not permanently attached to the ground or other
permanent structure or a sign designed to be transported, including
but not limited to signs designed to be transported by means of wheels;
signs converted to A- or T-frames; menu and sandwich board signs;
balloons used as signs; umbrellas used for advertising; and signs
attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public
right-of-way, unless said vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day
operations of the business for transport.
PROJECTING SIGN
Any sign affixed to a building or wall in such a manner that
its leading edge extends more than six inches beyond the surface of
such building or wall.
ROOF SIGN
Any sign erected, constructed and maintained wholly upon
or over the roof of any building, with the principal support on the
roof structure.
SIGN
Includes any device, either freestanding or attached to a
building or structure or erected, painted, represented or reproduced
upon or in (to the extent provided herein) any building or structure,
which displays, reproduces or includes any letter, word, name, number,
model, insignia, emblem, design, device or representation used for
one or more of the following purposes: to identify the premises or
occupant or owner of the premises; to advertise any trade, business,
profession, industry, service or other activity; to advertise any
product or item; to advertise the sale or rental or use of all or
part of the premises, including that upon which it is displayed; to
direct vehicular or pedestrian traffic, other than state, county or
municipal highway and roadway markers; and shall include any announcement,
declaration, demonstration, display, illustration, insignia or any
representation used to advertise or intended to advertise or promote
the interests of any person. In no event shall the word "sign" be
construed to mean any sign in the interior of any structure except
as specifically set forth in this chapter.
TEMPORARY SIGN
Any sign that is not permanently mounted as specifically
permitted by this article.
WALL SIGN
All flat signs of solid-face construction which are placed
against a building or other structure and attached to the exterior
front, rear or side wall of any building or other structure so that
the display surface is parallel with the plane of the wall. Signs
painted on an exterior or a wall shall be deemed to be "wall signs"
subject to this chapter.
WINDOW
Includes any opening in the exterior wall or roof of any
structure for the purpose of admitting air or light, whether or not
covered with glass, plastic or other covering.
WINDOW DISPLAY SIGN
Includes all signs defined herein which are situated within 12 inches of the window surface, and such signs shall be as regulated in §
240-161B(6).
WINDOW SPACE
Includes the aggregate square footage of all windows on any
given side and any given story of any structure, regardless of the
angle or angles at which they are set. In computing window space,
there shall be included all portions of any door which contains a
window.
The following principles shall control the computation of sign
area and height:
A. Computation of area of individual signs. The area of a sign face
shall be computed by drawing a square or rectangle that will encompass
the extreme limits of the writing, representation, emblem or other
display, together with the sign frame and any material or color forming
an integral part of the background of the display or used to differentiate
the sign from the backdrop or structure against which it is placed
or by delineating the area established by reason of distinctive variation
in background color or by borders, whichever is greater.
B. Computation of area of multifaced signs. The sign area for a sign
with more than one face shall be computed by adding together the area
of all sign faces visible from any one point. When two identical sign
faces are placed back to back, so that both faces cannot be viewed
from any point at the same time, and when such sign faces are part
of the same sign structure and are not more than 42 inches apart at
any point, the sign area shall be computed by the measurement of one
of the faces.
C. Computation of height. The height of a sign shall be computed as
the distance from the base of the sign at grade to the top of the
highest attached component of the sign.
The following supplemental regulations shall apply, as noted:
A. Signs in the B-1, B-2, MXD-1, MXD-2, MXD-3 and B4 Zone Districts.
Signs in these districts shall comply with the following requirements:
[Amended 12-17-2012 by Ord. No. 1485-2012; 9-15-2014 by Ord. No. 1512-2014]
(1)
Each commercial use shall be entitled to one wall-mounted sign,
canopy or awning, except that where a building has street frontage
on more than one street, one additional sign may be permitted.
(2)
The lettering or graphic panel shall not exceed 75% of the linear
width of the storefront on which it is located. Letters shall not
be more than two feet in height.
(3)
Wall signs shall advertise only the permitted use, products
or service on the premises on which they are displayed.
(4)
Canopies, perpendicular signage and awnings shall be permitted
to overhang the pedestrian right-of-way, with a minimum vertical clearance
of 8.5 feet, a maximum overall height of five feet and a minimum setback
of three feet from the curbline. Lettering on a canopy or awning shall
be limited to the valance area and shall not exceed 75% of the linear
width of the valance. The valance shall be no more than one foot in
height, and lettering on the valance shall be limited to six inches
in height.
(5)
Window signs. In addition to any sign or signs permitted pursuant
to this section, window display signs, as well as affixed window signs,
limited to indicate membership in a retail or professional organization
or credit card or credit association, to show manufacturers' or required
licenses, or advertisements referable to sales within, shall be permitted
to be attached to windows on the interior of the business use, provided
that the aggregate area employed for such purpose shall not exceed
30% of the total window area on which it is located.
B. Signs in the B-3, CBD and MCRD Zone Districts. Signs in these districts shall comply with the following requirements. See §
240-160B for additional requirements:
(1)
Only one freestanding sign identifying the development shall
be permitted along the River Road property frontage for a building
or buildings with more than one tenant and a floor area of at least
25,000 square feet. This sign shall identify the development only.
Tenants within the development shall not attach their sign to any
part of the permitted sign.
(2)
The height of the sign shall be limited to 20 feet in height,
with the exception of freestanding monument signs, which shall be
limited to six feet in height, inclusive of the base of the sign.
Freestanding signs shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from any
property line. The sign shall not exceed 32 square feet in size. Freestanding
signs shall have an open area not less than three feet between the
base line of said sign and the ground level, with the exception of
monument signs which provide a solid base. This open space may be
filled in with a platform or decorative latticework which does not
close off more than 1/2 of any square footage of such open space.
(3)
Monument signs shall be placed perpendicular to the River Road
property line to ensure visibility.
(4)
Within the development, two freestanding directory signs shall
be permitted to provide a listing of, and directions to, the occupants.
Each sign shall not exceed 12 square feet in area and six feet in
height. All directory signs shall be located a minimum of 200 feet
from any public street.
(5)
Each commercial use shall be entitled to a wall sign, but in
no event shall the total square footage of all wall signs exceed 10%
of the square footage of the front facade.
(a)
Wall signs shall not exceed two square feet of signage for every
linear foot of the front facade of the portion of the building occupied
by the use being advertised. No wall sign shall exceed a vertical
dimension (height) of greater than two feet.
(b)
The maximum letter size of any wall-mounted sign shall be two
feet.
(c)
Wall signs which are placed parallel to the building wall shall
be permitted to project forward no more than six inches from the building
nor be attached to a wall at a height of less than eight feet above
the sidewalk or ground.
(d)
Canopies, perpendicular signage and awnings shall be permitted
to overhang the pedestrian right-of-way, with a minimum vertical clearance
of 8.5 feet, a maximum overall height of five feet and a minimum setback
of three feet from the curbline. Lettering on a canopy or awning shall
be limited to the valance area and shall not exceed 75% of the linear
width of the valance. The valance shall be no more than one foot in
height, and lettering on the valance shall be limited to six inches
in height.
(6)
Window signs. In addition to any sign or signs permitted pursuant
to this section, window display signs, as well as affixed window signs
limited to indicate membership in a retail or professional organization
or credit card or credit association, to show manufacturers' or required
licenses, or advertisements referable to sales within, shall be permitted
to be attached to windows on the interior of the business use, provided
that the aggregate area employed for such purpose shall not exceed
30% of the total window area on which it is located.
C. Signs in the OR-1 District. Signs in this district shall comply with the following requirements. Those uses that are associated with multitenant developments shall also be regulated by §
240-160B.
(1)
One freestanding or monument sign identifying the development
shall be permitted.
(a)
The sign shall be limited to 24 square feet and shall not exceed
a height of eight feet above the grade.
(b)
The freestanding sign shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet
from any property line. Monument signs shall be placed perpendicular
to the River Road property line to ensure visibility.
(2)
One wall-mounted building identification sign is permitted,
subject to the following requirements:
(a)
The area of the sign shall not exceed 20 square feet.
(b)
The maximum letter size shall be a maximum two feet in height.
Temporary signs shall comply to the following:
A. All temporary signage, except as specifically exempted under this
article, shall require a permit. Said permit shall be valid for a
period not to exceed 30 days from the issuance thereof and may be
renewed for a period not to exceed 60 days.
B. No temporary sign shall exceed an area of 12 square feet, provided
that temporary signs, such as banners which are permitted by permit
by the Mayor and Council within the public right-of-way, may exceed
12 square feet in size.
C. Insurance for temporary signs may be required by the Mayor and Council.
Any person obtaining a permit for the erection of a temporary sign,
where the Mayor and Council requires insurance, shall provide proof
to the satisfaction of the Construction Official that the person,
firm or corporation actually doing the erection shall have in force
a public liability insurance policy with limits of no less than $100,000
for property damage and $300,000 for bodily injury, per occurrence.
D. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to permit the erection or
installation of any political signs upon any pole or tree located
on public property or within the public right-of-way within the Borough
of Edgewater, and their erection or installation is hereby specifically
prohibited. This section shall not be deemed to prohibit temporary
lawn signs or street banners as set forth elsewhere in this chapter.
E. Streamers of flags or pennants and banners shall be permitted as temporary signs in accordance with the permit requirements and time restrictions set forth in §
240-162A.