Village of Richfield, WI Article III Signs Permitted Without Permit

§ 309-19 Regulations enumerated.

The following signs are permitted in all zoning districts without a permit, subject to the following regulations:

A. Product signs not exceeding 10 square feet in sign area for any one premises that pertain to the seasonal sale of perishable products produced on the premises.

B. Real estate signs not exceeding 10 square feet in sign area that advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which such signs are temporarily located.

C. Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions shall not exceed 32 square feet in sign area. Such signs shall be set back from the property line at least 1/4 of the building setback requirements of the district in which they are located and may be illuminated only to the extent necessary to permit reading of the sign from a maximum distance of 10 feet.

D. Memorial signs, tablets, name of building, and date of erection signs when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of metal and affixed flat against a structure and not illuminated.

E. Parking lot signs shall include signs which are placed or displayed in parking lots to supply information to people using lots, including such information in respect to liability, entry, exit, and directional information as necessary to facilitate the safe movement of vehicles served by the parking area. Handicap parking provision signs are also covered under this subsection. Such signs are not intended to be advertising signs and shall not display any advertising matter. Parking lot signs shall conform to the following specifications:

(1) Location. Parking lot signs shall be permitted in all business, commercial, industrial, and institutional zones.

(2) Maximum area. Incidental parking lot signs shall not exceed four square feet in area.

(3) Maximum height. Incidental parking lot signs shall not exceed four feet in height, provided that signs identifying handicapped stall locations are mounted high enough to permit visibility of such signs while a vehicle is parking in the space.

(4) Setbacks. Parking lot signs shall be subject to a five-foot setback from the right-of-way and adjacent property lines. These signs shall be installed so as not to present a hazard to traffic entering or leaving the premises.

(5) Illumination. Parking lot signs may be internally illuminated in accordance with provisions of § 309-13 of this chapter.

F. Rummage, estate, or neighborhood sale signs must not be erected on or off the premises for more than three days, and must be removed one day after the sale. Such signs must not exceed 10 square feet in size.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

G. Home occupation and professional home office, where allowed, wall or window signs not exceeding six square feet in sign area, mounted flush against the dwelling and only internally illuminated as outlined in the Village of Richfield Zoning Ordinance.[2]

[2] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

H. Metal or masonry nameplates attached to a building and not exceeding four square feet in sign area.

I. The display of any political sign shall be permitted in any district without a permit, subject to the following restrictions:

(1) The sign area of political signs in other than residential districts shall not exceed 32 square feet unless otherwise permitted under § 12.04(4)(b), Wis. Stats. The sign area of such signs displayed in residentially zoned districts shall not exceed 11 square feet. No such sign shall have an electrical, mechanical or audio auxiliary component.

(2) Political campaign signs shall not be displayed on any building or grounds that are owned, operated, or maintained by any public agency or on any Village-owned post or traffic control device or on any pole, post, or appurtenance owned or operated by any utility. Such signs shall be located only on private property or privately maintained public right-of-way adjacent to the private property and only with the property owner's or renter's prior consent. Such signs shall be located so as not to constitute a danger to the traveling public.[3]

[3] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

(3) The candidate or entity responsible for the erection or distribution of any political campaign sign shall be jointly and severally liable for the removal of such signs. Such signs shall be removed within 10 days of the conclusion of the election in which they were erected.[4]

[4] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

(4) The Village Clerk or designee, Election Inspector, Building Inspector, and law enforcement officers of the Village may remove signs or posters or other advertising which is placed in violation of this subsection or the laws governing elections.[5]

[5] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

J. Community signage to promote not-for-profit, civic or community events and functions is permitted in all districts. Said signage must comply with all other conditions as stated in this chapter.

K. Address signs that display address numbers shall not exceed two square feet.

L. Flags. Flags shall not exceed 60 square feet. Flagpoles accompanying such flags shall meet all setback requirements and shall be limited to a height of 30 feet in residential districts and 40 feet in nonresidential districts. Any flag not meeting the criteria of this subsection shall be subject to height and area regulations as a ground pole sign and shall be included when figuring the amount of signage on a lot.

M. Signs for property designated by the federal, state, or local governments as a historic location, site or landmark, provided such sign does not exceed 12 square feet, with Village Board approval.

N. Signs established by, or by order of, any governmental agency with Village Board approval.

O. Signs of a noncommercial nature and in the public interest erected by or on the order of public officers in the performance of the officer's public duty, such as safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, traffic signs, memorial plaques, signs directing the traveling public to public and quasi-public facilities, or signs on public buildings or structures and the like are permitted.

P. No trespassing signs, warning signs, and other such signs regulating the use of property when such signs do not exceed two square feet in area per sign, and the cumulative size of all such signs on the property shall not exceed 10 square feet.[6]

[6] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

Q. Off-premises signs indicating the names and locations of churches, charitable organizations, and community service organizations are permitted, provided that the sign area shall not exceed four square feet and the sign shall be located off of the public right-of-way and shall in no way obstruct the view of pedestrians or vehicular traffic. The signs must have a minimum spacing of 500 feet between any two signs in this category, except where there is a community service central display.[7]

[7] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

R. Signs suspended above a walkway to identify a business, profession, or industry conducted on the premises, provided that:

(1) Such signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in sign area per face.

(2) Such sign shall extend no lower than eight feet above the area over which it is suspended.

(3) Such signs shall identify only a building, business, profession, or industry and bear no commercial message. Only one such sign shall be displayed per building entrance.

S. Construction signs which identify the architects, engineers, contractors and other individuals or firms involved with construction taking place on the premises, but not including any advertisement of any product, and signs announcing the character of the building enterprise or the purpose for which the building is intended. Such signs shall be permitted during the construction period to a maximum of 32 square feet. The minimum setback shall be 10 feet from any public right-of-way. The sign shall be confined to the site of construction and shall be removed within 30 days after the end of construction.[8]

[8] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).