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 Village of Clyman; 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.
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 necessarily on the premises where the sign is located
or directs persons to a different location from where the sign is
located.
BLANKETING
The unreasonable obstruction of view of a sign caused by
the placement of another sign.
CANOPY
A canopy is 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-occupancy 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, charitable or other noncommercial
activities, 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 candidate for an election or a current
election's subject matter.
PORTABLE SIGN/MESSAGE BOARDS
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
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 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 16 inches from
such wall.
WINDOW SIGN
Any sign located completely within an enclosed building and
visible from a public way. For purposes of this chapter, a window
sign shall not include any sign permanently attached in the window
or directly painted on the glass.
All signs are prohibited in all residential, agricultural, public
and semipublic, and natural preservation districts except the following:
A. Warning signs not to exceed four square feet located on the premises.
B. 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.
C. Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restriction, information
and notices.
D. 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.
E. 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.
F. Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only property
numbers, post box numbers or names of occupants of premises.
G. Flags and insignia of any government, except when displayed in connection
with commercial promotion.
H. Legal notices, identification information or directional signs erected
by governmental bodies.
I. Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except
letters, trademarks, moving parts or moving lights.
J. Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property,
but bearing no advertising matter.
K. Political message signs during an election campaign, as defined in
§ 12.04(1), Wis. Stats., limited to one 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
60 days before an election and must be removed within 10 days after
said election. Said sign shall be a maximum of 32 square feet.
L. Window (interior) signs are allowed with no permits.
M. 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.
N. House numbers or signs identifying parks or country clubs or official
bulletin boards.
O. Real estate signs not to exceed eight square feet in area which advertise
the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which such signs are
temporarily located.
P. Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions
not to exceed 16 square feet in area located on the premises.
Q. Agricultural signs pertaining to the products at the agricultural
premises not to exceed 30 square feet in area for any one farm.
Landscape features, such as plant materials, berms, boulders,
fencing and similar design elements incorporated 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 Board of Appeals following a recommendation from the Village
Board and Zoning Administrator pursuant to the standards of this chapter.