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, awnings, canopies and billboards. The provisions
herein contained shall be binding alike upon every owner of a building,
every lessee and every person in charge or responsible for or who
causes the construction, repair, relocation or alteration of any outdoor
sign and other advertising structures in the City of Prescott; painting,
posting and general maintenance are excepted.
The following definitions are used in this article:
AREA OF SIGN
The area is the perimeter, which forms the outside shape,
but excluding the necessary supports or uprights on which the sign
may be placed unless they are designed as part of the sign. If the
sign consists of more than one section or module, all areas will be
totaled. The area of an irregularly shaped sign shall be computed
using the actual sign face surface. The area of the irregularly shaped
sign shall be the entire area within a single continuous rectilinear
perimeter of not more than eight straight lines. A window sign, which
creates a translucent window panel, will be calculated at 50% of the
panel size in determining total signage.
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.
BANNER
A strip of fabric which is used as a sign and is stretched
across two points.
BLANKETING
The unreasonable obstruction of view of a sign caused by
the placement of another sign.
CANOPY
A shelter, with or without a sign, attached to or connected
with a building and extending into a setback or over the public sidewalk.
DAY
A day shall be designated as a period of time in terms of
calendar days.
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. Directory signs shall be encouraged for use with advertising
of multiple-occupied commercial and industrial buildings.
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.
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.
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.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN
Any sign, device or display which advertises goods other
than those commonly available or services other than those commonly
performed on the premises on which the sign is located or directs
persons to a different location from where the sign is located.
POLITICAL SIGN
Any sign displaying a candidate for an election or a current
referendum or election subject matter.
PORTABLE SIGN
Any sign not permanently attached to the ground which is
designed to be easily moved from one location to another or which
is displayed only during regular business hours and removed for storage
at other times.
PROJECTING SIGN
Any sign extending more than 18 inches but less than four
feet from the face of a wall or building; such sign may not extend
more than three feet into the right-of-way.
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
A sign shall include anything that promotes, calls attention
or invites patronage (or anything similar to the aforementioned) to
a business, location or product.
TEMPORARY SIGN
Any sign which is erected or displayed for a limited period
of time not to exceed 30 consecutive days or which is displayed only
during regular business hours and removed for storage at other times.
A temporary sign shall not exceed eight square feet in area. Examples
of temporary signs include banners and decorative type displays. For
purposes of this chapter, a portable sign is not a temporary sign.
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.
The following signs do not require a sign permit, provided that
they are not located over a public road right-of-way or in, on or
over public water:
A. Commercial, industrial and planned unit development (commercial/industrial)
districts.
(1) Real estate signs not to exceed nine square feet in area which advertise
the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which said signs are
temporarily located.
(2) Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions
not to exceed 35 square feet in area located on the premises.
(3) Memorial signs, tablets, names of buildings and date of erection
when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of metal and
affixed flat against the structure.
(4) Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restriction, information
and notices.
(5) Rummage or garage sale signs not to exceed four square feet in area,
but use of this type of sign shall be limited to 72 hours per sale.
(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.
(7) Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only property
numbers, post box numbers or names of occupants of premises.
(8) Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection
with commercial promotion.
(9) Legal notices, identification information or directional signs erected
by governmental bodies.
(10)
Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings,
except letters, trademarks, moving parts or moving lights.
(11)
Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property,
but bearing no advertising matter.
(12)
Political signs may be posted. Signs placed on nonresidential
property shall be a maximum of four square feet.
B. Residential, preservation and agricultural districts.
(1) Signs over show windows or doors of a conditional or special use
permitted business establishment announcing without display or elaboration
only the name and occupation of the proprietor and not to exceed four
square feet.
(2) Real estate signs not to exceed nine square feet in area which advertise
the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which said signs are
temporarily located.
(3) Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions
not to exceed 35 square feet in area located on the premises.
(4) Memorial signs, tablets, names of buildings and dates of erection
when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of metal and
affixed flat against a structure.
(5) Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restrictions, information
and notices.
(6) Awnings or canopies servicing only a particular single-family dwelling
unit, provided the same shall conform to the regulations applicable
to the zoning district in which the same are located.
(7) House numbers or signs identifying parks or country clubs or official
bulletin boards.
(8) Political signs may be posted. Signs placed on nonresidential property
shall be a maximum of four square feet.
(9) Rummage or garage sale signs not to exceed four square feet in area,
but use of this type of sign shall be limited to 72 hours per sale.
In addition to those permitted signs not requiring a permit pursuant to §
635-61B, the following nonflashing, nonilluminated signs are permitted under the conditions specified in all residential, planned unit development (residential), agricultural and preservation districts established by this chapter:
A. Signs accessory to parking area, subject to the following:
(1) Area and number. Signs designating parking area entrances or exits
are limited to one sign for each such exit or entrance and to a maximum
size of two square feet each. One sign per parking area, designating
the conditions of use or identity of such parking area and limited
to a maximum size of nine square feet, shall be permitted. On a corner
lot, two such signs (one facing each street) shall be permitted.
(2) Projection. No sign shall project beyond the property line into the
public way.
(3) Height. No sign shall project higher than seven feet above curb level.
B. Subdivision identification signs, subject to the following:
(1) Content. The signs shall bear only the name of the subdivision or
development.
(2) Area and number. There shall be not more than one sign located at
each entrance to a subdivision. No sign shall exceed 48 square feet
in area.
(3) Height. No sign shall project higher than 10 feet above curb level;
the Plan Commission may, however, temporarily authorize a larger sign
for a period not to exceed two years.
(4) Permit. A sign permit is required for this type of sign. Drawings
showing the specific design, appearance and location of the sign shall
be submitted to the Zoning Administrator for approval. The location
of any such sign shall be at the discretion of the Zoning Administrator
based upon the character of the area, the type and purpose of the
sign and the length of time permitted.
The Plan Commission may grant special sign permits in the event
an applicant's proposed sign, though nonconforming in terms of the
rules and regulations of this article, may be aesthetically acceptable,
innovative, functional and in the best interest of the City, provided
that:
A. The applicant illustrates a consideration for the aesthetic qualities
that would be prohibited under other provisions of this article.
B. The applicant can prove that erection of the proposed sign will cause
no extraordinary inconvenience to traffic and pedestrian movement.
C. The applicant has shown consideration for other property owners adjacent
to or nearby the location of the sign.
D. The process by which a special sign permit is obtained is the process
by which a special use permit is obtained as provided for in this
chapter.
The Zoning Administrator may permit the temporary use of a search
light for advertising purposes in any district provided that the search
light will not be located in any public right-of-way, will not be
located closer than 10 feet to an adjacent property and will not cause
a hazard to traffic or adjoining properties. Search light permits
shall not be granted for a period of more than five days in any six-month
period.