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 of or responsible for or who
causes the construction, repair, relocation or alteration of any outdoor
sign and other advertising structures in the Village of Clayton.
The following definitions are used in this article:
ADVERTISING SIGN
A structural poster panel or painted sign, either freestanding
or attached to the outside of a building, for the purpose of conveying
information, knowledge or ideas to the public about a subject either
related or unrelated to the premises upon which located.
ADVERTISING STRUCTURE
Anything constructed or erected, either freestanding or attached
to the outside of a building, for the purpose of conveying information,
knowledge or ideas to the public about a subject either related or
unrelated to the premises upon which located.
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.
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 on the premises where the sign is located or directs
persons to a different location from where the sign is located. This
definition does not include a municipal business directory, information
or advertising sign and does not include any public school signage.
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-occupant 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 organizations
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.
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 that commonly available or services other than that commonly
performed on the premises on which the sign is located.
POLITICAL SIGN
Any sign displaying a political message as defined under
§ 12.04, Wis. Stats.
PORTABLE SIGN/MESSAGE BOARD
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 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
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 which is erected or displayed for a limited period
of time not to exceed 28 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 six 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) Warning signs, not to exceed four square feet, located on the premises.
(2) 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.
(3) Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restriction, information
and notices.
(4) Rummage or garage sale signs not to exceed eight square feet in area,
but use of this type of sign shall be limited to 72 hours per sale.
(5) Signs designating entrances, exits, service areas, parking areas,
restrooms and other such signs relating to functional operation of
the building or premises shall be permitted without limitation other
than reasonable size and necessity.
(6) Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only property
numbers, post box numbers or names of occupants of premises.
(7) Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection
with commercial promotion.
(8) Legal notices, identification, information, warning, public utility,
or directional signs erected by governmental bodies. Included within
this definition are off-premises institutional signs.
(9) Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except
letters, trademarks, moving parts or moving lights.
(10)
Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property
(but bearing no advertising matter) limited to three square feet per
side and not more than one sign permitted per entrance, exit, service
area, parking area, or restroom.
(11)
Political message signs during an election campaign, as defined
in § 12.04(1), Wis. Stats., limited to three per premises,
and subject to the Village Board's authority to regulate size,
shape and placement for the public safety. Political signs may be
posted beginning on the first day of the election campaign period
as defined in § 12.04(1)(a), Wis. Stats., and must be removed
within 10 days after said election. Said sign shall be a maximum of
32 square feet.
(12)
Window signs are allowed with no permits.
(13)
Bills, posters and banners may be allowed with no permits, provided
that they shall not be posted or displayed for longer than 30 days.
(14)
Real estate signs not to exceed 10 square feet in area which
advertise the sale, rental, or lease of the premises upon which said
signs are temporarily located, provided they are removed within 30
days of sale, rental, or lease of the property.
B. Residential, conservancy and agricultural districts:
(1) Signs over show windows or doors of a nonconforming business establishment
announcing without display or elaboration only the name and occupation
of the proprietor and not to exceed two feet in height and 10 feet
in length.
(2) 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.
(3) Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restrictions, information
and notices.
(4) 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.
(5) House numbers or signs identifying parks or country clubs or official
bulletin boards.
(6) Political message signs during an election campaign, as defined in
§ 12.04(1), Wis. Stats., limited to three per premises,
and subject to the Village Board's authority to regulate size,
shape and placement for the public safety. Political signs may be
posted beginning on the first day of the election campaign period
as defined in § 12.04(1)(a), Wis. Stats., and must be removed
within 10 days after said election. Said sign shall be a maximum of
16 square feet.
(7) Rummage or garage sale signs not to exceed eight 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 §
510-54B, the following nonflashing, nonilluminated
signs are permitted under the conditions specified in all residential
and planned unit development (residential) districts established by
this chapter:
A. Nameplate and identification signs, subject to the following:
(1) Area and content, residential. There shall be not more than one nameplate,
not exceeding two square feet in area, for each dwelling unit, indicating
the name or address of the occupant or a permitted home occupation.
On a corner lot, two such nameplates for each dwelling unit (one facing
each street) shall be permitted.
(2) Area and content, nonresidential. For nonresidential buildings, a
single identification sign, not exceeding nine square feet in area
and indicating only the name and address of the building, may be displayed.
On a corner lot, two such signs (one facing each street) shall be
permitted.
(3) Projection. Such signs shall be affixed flat against the wall of
the building.
(4) Height. No sign shall project higher than one story or 15 feet above
curb level, whichever is lower.
B. "For sale" and "to rent" signs, subject to the following:
(1) Area and number. There shall be not more than one sign per zoning
lot, except that, on a corner zoning lot, two signs (one facing each
street) shall be permitted. No sign shall exceed eight square feet
in area nor be closer than 12 feet to any other zoning lot.
(2) Height. No sign shall project higher than one story or 15 feet above
curb level, whichever is lower, when attached to a building; detached
or freestanding signs shall not be more than four feet in height,
measured from the soil grade to the top of the sign post.
C. 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.
D. Signs accessory to roadside stands, subject to the following:
(1) Content. The signs shall be only for the purpose of identification
of the roadside stand and advertising the agricultural products for
sale therein.
(2) Area and number. The signs shall be on the same zoning lot (either
zoned agricultural or with a conditional use permit) as the roadside
stand, and there shall be not more than two signs per lot. No sign
shall exceed 12 square feet in area nor be closer than 50 feet to
any other zoning lot.
(3) Projection. No sign shall project beyond the property line into the
public way.
(4) Height. No sign shall project higher than 15 feet above curb level.
(5) Permit. A sign permit is required for this type of sign.
E. Temporary signs accessory to subdivision developments or other permitted
improvements in residential districts, subject to the following:
(1) Content. The signs shall be only for the purpose of identification
of homes for sale or rent in the subdivision under construction or
for the identification of other nonresidential uses under construction.
(2) Area, number and setback. Such signs shall not exceed two in number
for each subdivision nor 50 square feet each in area. They shall observe
the front yard requirement of the principal use and shall be located
at least 50 feet from all other boundaries of the site.
(3) Height. No sign shall project higher than eight feet above curb level.
(4) Time limitations. The sign or signs shall be removed by the applicant
or property owner within two years of the date of the issuance of
a sign permit.
F. 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 two signs located at
each entrance to a subdivision. No sign shall exceed 32 square feet
in area. Such identification signs shall only be erected after review
and approval by the Village Clerk-Treasurer.
(3) Height. No sign shall project higher than 12 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 Village Clerk-Treasurer for approval. The location
of any such sign shall be at the discretion of the Village Clerk-Treasurer
based upon the character of the area, the type and purpose of the
sign and the length of time permitted.
G. Nonflashing, illuminated church bulletins, subject to the following:
(1) Area and number. There shall be not more than one sign per lot, except
that on a corner lot, two signs (one facing each street) shall be
permitted. No sign shall exceed 16 square feet in area nor be closer
than eight feet to any other zoning lot.
(2) Projection. No sign shall project beyond the property line into the
public way.
(3) Height. No sign shall project higher than one story or 15 feet above
the curb level, whichever is lower.
Landscape features such as plant materials, berms, boulders,
fencing and similar design elements unincorporated or in conjunction
with the freestanding signs are encouraged and shall not be counted
as allowable sign area.
Variances or exceptions to these sign regulations may be granted
by the Zoning Board of Appeals as provided under Article
XIV of this
chapter.