The following signs are allowed in all zoning districts:
A. 
One sign, either attached or freestanding, indicating only the name of the owner or occupant, the street number, and uses or occupations engaged in thereon. Sign area shall not exceed two square feet. Requires no sign permit.
B. 
An off-premises directional sign, as provided in § 221-10.
C. 
Unlighted, temporary signs of no more than six square feet pertaining to a specific noncommercial event, cause or expression of political, religious, or ideological views, require no sign permit, except as otherwise provided in this bylaw.
D. 
One temporary unlighted real estate sign not larger than six square feet in area, advertising the sale, rental, or lease of the premises or subdivision on which it is erected. Requires no sign permit if the erecting agent has obtained a one-year permit and paid an annual fee for erecting such signs.
E. 
One temporary unlighted sign indicating the name and address of the parties involved in construction on the premises, not larger than 10 square feet on premises of 40,000 square feet or smaller, and not larger than 25 square feet in other cases, unless a larger size is required by a state or federal funding agency. Requires no sign permit.
[Amended 5-5-2025 ATM by Art. 25]
The following additional signs are permitted in Residence, Suburban, Rural and Housing Authority Districts:
A. 
A single sign, either attached or freestanding, oriented to each street on which the premises abut, each such sign not to exceed 10 square feet in area, indicating the nonresidential principal use or uses of the premises.
B. 
For nonconforming uses, if authorized by the Sign Committee following design review, a sign replacing and not larger than an existing sign or, if more restrictive, not larger than allowed under the following sections.
The following additional signs are permitted in Business A Districts:
A. 
Permanent wall signs. Signs (other than temporary signs) attached flat against a building or visible through its windows are permitted as follows:
(1) 
Number: one per occupant per street that the premises abuts. If the building abuts a parking lot, the applicant may request a special permit from the Planning Board for a smaller secondary sign on the side of the building facing the parking lot. The area of a sign facing a parking lot shall not exceed 50% of the area of the primary sign, or an area deemed appropriate by the Planning Board. The content of a secondary sign shall be limited to the name of the business. When there are two or more secondary signs on the building facing a parking lot, they shall conform to a master signage plan for the building, as prepared and submitted by the occupant/applicant and approved by the Planning Board.
(2) 
Area: total area of all wall signs shall be not more than 10% of the projected area of the elevation they are attached to, except that no sign shall exceed 30 square feet.
(3) 
Location: not extending above or beyond the end of the wall or roof to which they are attached, nor overhanging a street or sidewalk by more than the thickness (up to six inches) of a flat wall sign.
B. 
Permanent projecting or freestanding signs. Signs (other than temporary signs) either not attached to a building, or attached to and projecting at right angles from a building wall, are permitted as follows:
(1) 
Number: one for each street the premises abuts.
(2) 
Area: not more than six square feet each.
(3) 
Height: not extending more than 10 feet above adjoining ground level.
C. 
Temporary signs. Temporary signs, in addition to signs allowed under Subsection A, are permitted only if unlighted inside of windows, occupying not more than 30% of the area of each window. Requires no sign permit.
The following additional signs are permitted in Business B, Professional and Light Industrial Districts:
A. 
Permanent wall signs. Signs (other than temporary signs) attached flat against a building or visible through its windows are permitted as follows:
(1) 
Number: one per occupant per street that the premises abuts.
(2) 
Area: total area of all wall signs shall be not more than 20% of the projected area of the elevation they are attached to, except that no sign shall exceed 100 square feet in area if oriented for visibility from Route 1 or Route I-95 and not more than 50 square feet in other cases.
(3) 
Location: not extending above or beyond the end of the wall or roof to which they are attached, nor overhanging a street or sidewalk by more than the thickness (up to six inches) of a flat wall sign.
B. 
Permanent projecting or freestanding on-premises signs. Signs (other than temporary signs) either not attached to a building or attached to and projecting at right angles from a building wall are permitted as follows:
(1) 
Number: one for each street that the premises abuts.
(2) 
Area: not more than 80 square feet if identifying a retailing complex comprising three or more enterprises and 50,000 or more square feet of floor area on a single lot, or not more than 150 square feet each for other signs if oriented for visibility from Route 1 or Route I-95, and not more than 25 square feet in other cases.
(3) 
Location: not within five feet of any street or property line.
(4) 
The maximum height of each sign shall be 20 feet, measured by the distance above the adjoining ground plane.
(5) 
Electronic message centers that change messages or copy at intervals by programmable electronic, digital, or mechanical processes or by remote control may be permitted under this section. Electronic message centers shall not exceed 35% of the total allowed square footage of the sign.
C. 
Temporary signs. Temporary signs, in addition to signs allowed under Subsection A, are permitted only if unlighted inside of windows, occupying not more than 30% of the area of each window. Requires no sign permit.
D. 
Billboards. In the Light Industrial District, Business District D and the Residential and Recreational Overlay District, billboards are permitted by sign permit, subject to design review and hearing, as provided in Article II herein, as follows:
[Amended 11-4-2019 STM by Art. 4]
(1) 
Number: one freestanding pylon sign per lot meeting the minimum area requirements when lot is located west of Route I-95 and is in the Light Industrial District, and when the lot is located within 350 feet east of Route I-95 in the Residential and Recreational Overlay District and 350 feet east of Route I-95 in the Business District D.
(2) 
Sign area: freestanding pylon sign limited to a maximum area of 720 square feet.
(3) 
Height: freestanding pylon sign limited to a maximum of 60 feet above the adjoining ground plane.
(4) 
The Board of Appeals shall act as the Sign Committee for all sign applications submitted under this section.
(5) 
Electronic or digital billboards that change their messages or copy at intervals by programmable electronic, digital, or mechanical processes or by remote control may be permitted under this section, provided they comply with and are permitted under applicable state and federal requirements for electronic signs.
[Amended 5-5-2025 ATM by Art. 25]
The following signs are permitted in Business District D, provided that all such signs shall comply with the objectives and design standards for Business District D under the Zoning Bylaw.
A. 
Permanent wall signs. Signs (other than temporary signs) attached flat against a building or visible through its windows are permitted as follows:
(1) 
Primary wall signs: One primary wall sign containing a business name is permitted per occupant per facade where wall signs are permitted; provided, however, that the largest anchor store shall be permitted to have multiple primary wall signs on a single facade, but only in the event that the Board of Appeals, acting as the Sign Committee, determines that the signage is consistent with the design standards for Business District D after taking into account the total amount of signage for the store.
(2) 
Accessory wall signs: Accessory wall signs are permitted where wall signs are permitted for stores with a floor area of 10,000 square feet or greater that identify types of products and services, but not brand names or businesses, associated with the particular occupant using such accessory wall signs.
(3) 
Facades: Primary and accessory wall signs are limited to a maximum of three facades for each building; provided, however, that the largest anchor store shall be permitted to have a wall sign on the fourth facade, but only in the event that the Board of Appeals, acting as the Sign Committee, determines that the signage is consistent with the design standards for Business District D after taking into account the total amount of signage for the store.
(4) 
Location: Wall signs may not extend above or beyond the end of the wall or roof to which they are attached and may not project perpendicularly for more than six inches.
(5) 
Cumulative area: Maximum area encompassed by all wall signs shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Subsection G.
(6) 
Sign area: The primary wall sign for each occupant shall be limited to a sign area of 40 square feet, except as set forth in Subsection A(7) below. Accessory wall signs may be no more than 40 square feet in sign area, except that stores greater than 40,000 square feet may have accessory wall signs up to 60 square feet in sign area.
(7) 
Other sign areas.
(a) 
The primary wall sign for the occupant of a premises whose floor area exceeds 100,000 square feet shall be limited to a sign area of 1,000 square feet if mounted on a building facade facing and set back less than 150 feet from the sideline of Route I-95 and shall be limited to a sign area of 400 square feet if mounted on any other building facade;
(b) 
The primary wall sign for the occupant of a premises whose floor area exceeds 40,000 square feet but does not exceed 100,000 square feet shall be limited to a sign area of 300 square feet; and
(c) 
The primary wall sign for the occupant of a premises whose floor area exceeds 10,000 square feet but does not exceed 40,000 square feet shall be limited to a sign area of 150 square feet.
B. 
Permanent freestanding signs. Signs are permitted as follows:
(1) 
Number: one freestanding pylon sign per lot and one freestanding monument sign at each driveway on abutting streets.
(2) 
Sign area: freestanding pylon sign limited to a maximum of 720 square feet, and each freestanding monument sign limited to a maximum of 150 square feet.
(3) 
Height: freestanding pylon sign limited to a maximum height of 60 feet above the adjoining ground plane, and freestanding monument signs limited to a maximum height of 14 feet above the adjoining ground plane.
C. 
Permanent projecting signs. Projecting blade signs are permitted as follows:
(1) 
Number: one per occupant.
(2) 
Location: perpendicular to and not projecting above the facade to which it is attached.
(3) 
Sign area: The individual sign for each occupant shall be limited to 15 square feet.
D. 
Permanent directional signs. Way-finding or directional signs are permitted as follows:
(1) 
Number: one per two acres of lot area.
(2) 
Sign area: limited to 12 square feet.
E. 
Temporary signs. Temporary signs, in addition to signs allowed under Subsection A, are permitted as of right if such sign is unlighted, located on the inside of a window and occupies no more than 30% of the area of each window. Requires no sign permit.
F. 
Awning signs. All stores may place the store name on awnings, provided that the store name on any awning shall not exceed 20 square feet.
G. 
Sign area. The total signage permitted for all permanent signs, including all primary wall signs, accessory wall signs and awning signs, on any facade shall not exceed 15% of that overall facade area.
H. 
Signs facing South Walpole Street. Wall signs on building facades facing and set back less than 200 feet from South Walpole Street are prohibited.
[Amended 5-5-2025 ATM by Art. 25]
The Sign Committee may authorize an increase of as much as 50% above the sign area limits of §§ 221-16, 221-17 and 221-20 upon its determination, following from design review or hearing, that at least five of the eight guidelines of § 221-21 are met, as are the bylaw objectives of § 221-1.
In the Senior Living Overlay District (Senior Living District), the following additional signs shall be permitted:
A. 
Permanent wall signs. Signs (other than temporary signs) attached flat against a building or visible through its windows are permitted as follows:
(1) 
Number: two per building, but not more than one per side of building.
(2) 
Area: total area of wall signs shall be not more than 20% of the projected area of the facade of the side of the building to which they are attached, except that no individual sign shall exceed 100 square feet.
(3) 
Location: not extending above or beyond the end of the wall or roof to which they are attached, nor overhanging a street or sidewalk by more than six inches.
B. 
Permanent projecting or freestanding signs. Signs (other than temporary signs) not attached to a building are permitted as follows:
(1) 
Number: one for each street that the premises abuts.
(2) 
Area: not more than 50 square feet per side of each sign.
(3) 
Location: not within five feet of any street or property line, and not extending more than 10 feet above adjoining ground level.
C. 
Internal way-finding signs. Internal directional traffic control signs shall be permitted.
D. 
Additional freestanding signs: in addition to the foregoing, two signs per building identifying the buildings not larger than 20 square feet in area per side and not extending more than eight feet above adjoining ground level.
E. 
Temporary signs: two temporary signs not larger than 100 square feet in area, advertising the sale, rental, lease or availability of a unit or bed in a nursing home facility. Such sign requires no sign permit if the erecting agent has obtained a one-year permit and paid an annual fee for erecting such signs.