[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village
of Coal City 4-28-2003 by Ord. No. 03-19. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
The standards used in displaying signs can significantly affect
the public safety as well as the value and economic stability of adjoining
property. However, a reasonable display of signs is necessary as a
public service and to the conduct of competitive commerce and industry.
Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to establish minimum standards
for the display of signs of all types. Also, the standards contained
in this chapter are intended to reduce distractions which may increase
traffic accidents, eliminate hazards caused by signs overhanging or
projecting over public rights-of-way, relieve traffic congestion,
and encourage a more attractive environment in which to live and do
business.
[Amended 7-27-2016 by Ord. No. 16-16; 3-10-2021 by Ord. No. 21-07]
No person, firm, or corporation shall erect or maintain any sign, signboard, or rigid canopy within the Village without obtaining a construction permit as herein provided. Permits for signs shall be issued by the Village Building and Zoning Official upon payment of the fee and compliance with the other requirements of this chapter and the Commercial and Industrial Design Standards, inside and outside the core area. The Building and Zoning Official shall designate the location of the sign. Permit fees shall be as set forth in the Village Code, § 10-99, as the same shall be amended from time to time by the corporate authorities of the Village.
No sign shall be permitted on a lot unless:
A.
The sign is accessory to a lawfully established use;
B.
The sign is erected, constructed, and displayed in conformance with
the provisions of this section and other applicable provisions of
this chapter and other applicable ordinances; and
C.
Written authorization to erect the sign has been received from the
property owner or his agent.
[Amended 5-29-2020 by Ord. No. 20-08]
A.
No sign will be permitted in a residentially zoned district of the Village except as provided in § 154-5.
B.
No sign shall have a surface greater than 250 square feet in area.
Only one building sign shall be allowed in addition to a sign that
is not affixed to the building.
C.
No pole
signs are permitted.
D.
Signs or
displays painted directly onto the facade are prohibited.
E.
Signs may
not project above the cornice line of the building, or project outward
above the right-of-way or egress way.
[Amended 9-24-2012 by Ord. No. 12-22]
The provisions and regulations of this chapter shall not apply
to the following signs; provided, however, no such exempt sign, excluding
signs denoted in Subsection F of this section, shall be placed within
the public right-of-way or be so located as to obstruct the view of
traffic; and provided further that the exempt signs must fully conform
with the provisions of this section, and do not require a permit:
A.
"For sale," "for rent," and "sold" signs (real estate signs), provided
that they conform to the following provisions:
[Amended 7-27-2016 by Ord. No. 16-16]
(1)
Not more than one sign shall be erected on any premises, except that
for premises located on a corner lot, one additional sign may be erected.
The sign(s) shall pertain only to the sale or lease of the property
on which it is located.
(2)
In areas zoned residential, no sign shall exceed four square feet
in area and the top surface of the real estate sign shall not exceed
four feet in height.
(3)
In all other districts, no sign shall exceed 32 square feet in area.
The top surface of the real estate sign shall not exceed six feet
above the existing grade at the point of erection.
(4)
Real estate signs located on developed property in all zoning districts
shall be erected perpendicular to the front side of any building and
shall be placed no more than 10 feet from the front foundation wall.
(5)
Real estate signs on vacant properties in all zoning districts shall
be erected perpendicular to the right-of-way and shall be placed no
less than 10 feet from the property line. No sign shall project higher
than 15 feet above grade at the near edge of the roadway pavement.
(6)
No real estate sign shall be an illuminated sign.
(7)
Real estate signs shall be removed within seven days after closing
of the sale or lease of the property.
B.
Professional name plates not exceeding two square feet in area.
C.
Bulletin boards for public, charitable, or religious institutions,
when the same are located on the premises of those institutions and
are not over 15 square feet in area.
D.
Occupational signs denoting only the name and profession of an occupant
in a commercial building or public institutional building and not
exceeding two square feet in area.
E.
Memorial signs or tablets, with a maximum square footage of four
feet and a minimum distance of five feet from the property line, containing
the name of building, and date of erection, when cut into any masonry
surface or when constructed of bronze or other noncombustible materials
which are compatible with the architectural style of the building.
F.
Address signs not over one square foot in area.
G.
Temporary window signs, provided that the maximum coverage does not
exceed 50% of the total window area, exclusive of doors.
H.
Bus shelter signs, provided such signs shall not include information
relating to the sale or consumption of any alcohol or tobacco products
or any activity or product which contains statements, words, or pictures
of obscene, indecent, or immoral character and which offend public
morals or decency.
I.
Political campaign signs, announcing the candidates seeking public
office and other data pertinent thereto, not exceeding 32 square feet
in area. Such signs shall be nonilluminated. These signs shall be
confined within private property with the permission of the property
owner.
J.
Public signs, of a noncommercial nature and in the public interest,
erected by, or at the direction of, a public officer in the performance
of his public duty, such as safety signs, "danger" signs, "no trespassing"
signs, traffic signs, memorial plaques, signs of historical interest,
other municipal signs, legal notices, or railroad crossing, danger,
or such temporary emergency or nonadvertising signs as may be approved
by the President and Board of Trustees.
K.
Institutional signs, setting forth the name or any simple announcement
for any public, charitable, educational, or religious institution,
located entirely within the premises of that institution, not exceeding
24 square feet in area. These signs may be illuminated in accordance
with the regulations contained herein. If building-mounted, these
signs shall be flat wall signs and shall not project above the roof
line. If ground-mounted, the top shall be no more than six feet above
the ground level.
L.
Integral signs, setting forth names of buildings, dates of erection,
monumental citations, commemorative tablets, and the like, when carved
into stone, concrete, or similar material, or made an integral part
of the structure.
All signs in which electrical wiring and connections are required
shall conform to the applicable provisions of the National Electrical
Code, as amended from time to time and incorporated by reference by
the Village.
Any sign or advertising structure, as defined in this chapter,
shall be designed and constructed to withstand a wind pressure of
not less than 30 pounds per square foot of net surface area and to
receive dead loads as required in the Building Code or other ordinances
of the Village.
A.
The light from any illuminated sign shall be so shaded, shielded,
or directed that the light intensity or brightness will not be objectionable
to surrounding areas. No exposed reflective type bulb or incandescent
lamp which exceeds 225 lumens shall be used on the exterior surface
of any sign so as to expose the face of the bulb, light, or lamp to
any public street or adjacent property. Where illumination of signs
is permitted, the light shall not be projected toward or onto other
properties and shall be kept to a minimum during nonbusiness hours.
[Amended 5-29-2020 by Ord. No. 20-08]
B.
No sign shall have blinking, flashing, or fluttering lights, or other
illuminating device, which has a changing light intensity, brightness,
or color; rotating beams, beacon, or flashing illumination resembling
an emergency light shall not be used in connection with any sign display.
Any glass forming part of a sign shall be safety glass. In case
any single pane of glass has an area exceeding three square feet,
it shall be wired glass.
[Amended 4-28-2003 by Ord. No. 03-19]
No sign shall be erected, relocated, or maintained so as to
prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window, or fire escape.
No sign of any kind shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
Also, no sign shall be placed so as to obstruct the view of cash registers
or other valuable items accessible to the public by a police officer
or other public safety designate.
[Amended 4-28-2003 by Ord. No. 03-19]
The owner of a sign and the property owner on whose property
a sign is located shall be required to maintain it in a neat and clean
condition. The sign and sign supports must be kept painted to prevent
rust, rot, or deterioration.
[Amended 4-28-2003 by Ord. No. 03-19]
Any sign which no longer identifies a bona fide business conducted,
or a product sold, on the premises where the sign is located shall
be taken down within 30 days after the termination of the business
and removed by the owner, agent, or person having the beneficial use
of the building, structure, or property upon which the sign may be
found.
[Amended 4-28-2003 by Ord. No. 03-19]
Each person maintaining a sign projecting into the public right-of-way
prior to the effective date of this chapter shall file with the Village
Clerk a bond or indemnify the Village for any loss, damage, or liability
which may result from the construction or maintenance of that sign.
[Amended 4-28-2003 by Ord. No. 03-19]
A.
The following
temporary signs shall be allowed and shall require a permit:
(1)
Street banners advertising a public entertainment or event, if specifically
approved by the Village Board of Trustees, and then only for locations
designated by the Village Board, during the 14 days before and three
days after the event.
(2)
Pennants or streamers specifically approved by the Village Board
after showing that the pennants or streamers are an integral part
of a campaign or program for the promotion of a specific product or
event, and then only for the location and period of time designated
by the Village Board.
B.
Temporary signs are not to exceed 32 square feet for each face. Signs
shall be nonilluminated. Each permit shall specify the location of
the sign. Each permit shall be valid for a period of up to three months
and may be renewed at the discretion of the Building Inspector.
[Amended 4-28-2003 by Ord. No. 03-19; 7-27-2016 by Ord. No. 16-16]
Signs identifying the architects, engineers, contractors, and
other individuals or firms involved with the construction, but not
including the advertisement of any product, and announcing the character
of the building enterprise, or the purpose for which the building
is intended, are permitted, up to a maximum area of 12 square feet
in residential zoned districts and 32 square feet in all other districts,
and shall require a permit. The signs shall be confined to the site
of the construction, and shall be removed within 14 days after the
beginning of the intended use of the project.
[Added 7-27-2016 by Ord.
No. 16-16]
A.
Nameplate
and identification signs are permitted in the A and A-R Districts,
subject to the following:
(1)
Agricultural
use; area and content. There shall be not more than one nameplate,
not exceeding 10 square feet in area, for each principal farm dwelling,
indicating the name of the occupant and specialized agricultural activities
except, on a corner lot, two such nameplates for each dwelling unit
shall be permitted, one facing each street. Signs required for crop
identification during the growing seasons shall also be permitted.
(2)
Nonagricultural
uses; area and content: a single identification sign, not exceeding
16 square feet in area. On a corner lot, two such signs, one facing
each street, shall be permitted.
(3)
No
sign shall project beyond the front lot line.
(4)
No
sign shall project higher than 15 feet above grade at the near edge
of the roadway pavement.
[Added 7-27-2016 by Ord.
No. 16-16]
Advertising signs are permitted in the A and A-R Districts,
subject to the following:
A.
Advertising
signs shall be permitted on tracts of land where the principal use
is agriculture, provided such signs have no moving parts, and shall
also conform with other regulations set forth as follows and other
county codes or ordinances and Illinois statutes.
C.
Area.
Each advertising sign structure shall contain no more than two display
surfaces and have a total length and height of not more than such
dimension necessary to secure two standardized poster panel display
surfaces, 15 feet by 25 feet each, or a standardized painted bulletin
display surface, 15 feet by 55 feet; except that advertising signs
located along interstate highways may be increased in size, but the
overall display surface shall not exceed 1,600 square feet.
[Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 07-30; 10-11-2010 by Ord. No. 10-36; 7-27-2016 by Ord. No. 16-16]
Whoever violates any provisions of this chapter for which no other penalty is specified shall be subject to the penalty set forth in § 10-99 of the Code.
