Except as shall be exempt under the jurisdiction of the State Billboard Act, Chapter 584, Section 4, of the Acts of 1955,[1] and as amended, and except for signs of less than two square feet in surface area identifying occupancy of a residence, no signs shall be attached, erected or otherwise installed on any property without first obtaining a sign permit from the Building Commissioner/Zoning Enforcement Officer, such permit to be granted only in accordance with the following regulations.
[1]
Editor's Note: See MGL c. 93, § 29.
A. 
No sign shall extend above the roofline of the building to which it is attached. Roof signs are not allowed.
B. 
Any traffic, directional, trespass or ownership sign owned or installed by a governmental agency shall be permitted.
(1) 
Public interest signs; Adopt a Street Program. Informational standing signs, not including general advertising signs, owned or installed by the Board of Public Works, may be erected on public ways and traffic islands by said Board, after receiving a permit therefor from the Building Commissioner/Zoning Enforcement Officer. Such signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in surface area per side and shall be erected so that no portion of the sign is over five feet above the ground level beneath the sign. Such signs shall contain no more than two colors and shall not be illuminated. The Board may place on such signs the name(s) of persons or businesses who or which are participating in the so-called Adopt a Street Program operated by the Department of Public Works. The Board of Public Works shall adopt and publish written policies and procedures consistent with this section governing the Adopt a Street Program.
(2) 
Community service announcements. Standing signs containing community service announcements, not including general advertising signs, may be erected on public ways and traffic islands with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, after receiving a permit therefor from the Building Commissioner/Zoning Enforcement Officer. Such signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in surface area per side and shall be erected so that no portion of the sign is over five feet above the ground level beneath the sign. Such signs shall not be illuminated. Provided however that so-called banner-type signs may be erected in the air space over public ways without complying with the height and size limitations contained herein.
(3) 
Welcome to Marshfield signs. Signs which welcome travelers to the Town of Marshfield and which are owned or installed by the Board of Public Works may be erected on public ways and traffic islands at the entrances to the Town by said Board, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, after receiving a permit therefor from the Building Commissioner/Zoning Enforcement Officer. Such signs shall not exceed 24 square feet in surface area per side and shall be erected so that no portion of the sign is over eight feet above the ground level beneath the sign. Such signs shall contain no more than three colors and shall not be illuminated.
C. 
Temporary interior window displays or temporary banners for drive-in establishments or automotive establishments shall be permitted except as provided in Subsection D below. "Temporary" shall be construed to mean any period not exceeding 30 consecutive days. Temporary political signs are permitted in any district, for a period of one month before election to three days after. Not more than one sign per candidate per lot, with permission of the owners, shall be allowed. They shall be subject to all provisions of this bylaw unless such provision be specifically superseded by this section.
(1) 
Each political sign shall be freestanding and secured to a post or a stake driven into the ground. Such signs shall not be attached to public property, trees, fences, utility poles or rocks. Whenever the Building Commissioner/Zoning Enforcement Officer determines that any political sign has been erected in violation of the provisions of this subsection, he shall so notify the candidate whose name appears on such sign, and/or any committee formed to advocate the candidacy of such person, of the violation. If the illegal signs are not removed within 24 hours from the time of such notice, then the candidate and committee shall both be liable for the penalties provided under § 305-10.08 of this bylaw.
(2) 
The maximum size of a political sign shall not exceed six square feet. A permit must be obtained from the Building Department before any political sign can be erected or displayed. A permit fee of $10 shall be paid plus a deposit of $50 as a security for all signs erected for any one candidate. Removal shall be within three days after election day. The deposit shall be refunded upon the timely removal of the signs and verification of the enforcement officer. Signs not so removed at the end of that period shall be removed by order of the enforcement officer and the fifty-dollar security deposit shall be used for such purposes of removal and any excess amount of said deposit shall be forfeited to the Town.
D. 
A sign (including temporary interior window displays or banner) or its illuminator shall not by reason of its location, shape, size or color interfere with traffic or be confused with or obstruct the view or effectiveness of any official traffic sign, traffic signal or traffic marking. Therefore, flashing or animated signs are not permitted and red, yellow or green colored lights shall not be permitted.
E. 
No more than two signs shall be allowed for any one business or industrial establishment in the "B" and "I" Districts.
F. 
No more than two permanent signs shall be allowed for any one premises in the "R" Districts.
G. 
The limitation as to the number of signs permitted does not apply to traffic or directional signs, or posting of trespassing or warning signs which are necessary for the safety and direction of residents, employees, customers, and visitors, whether in a vehicle or on foot, of any business, industry or residence.
[Amended 4-24-2017 ATM by Art. 12]
H. 
The supporting members of any pole sign, projecting sign, or any other sign shall be in acceptable proportion to the size of the sign.
I. 
No sign shall be erected so as to obstruct any door, window, or fire escape on a building.
J. 
At the boundary line of the Town and within a street right-of-way, a sign not exceeding five square feet in area indicating the meetings of any Marshfield civic organization may be erected only after the granting of a special permit by the Board.
K. 
If lighting is provided, the source of light shall be shielded as to prevent direct glare from the light source onto any public street or onto adjacent property.
L. 
In any district one unlighted sign offering premises for sale or lease for each parcel in one ownership shall be permitted provided it shall not exceed six square feet in surface area and it shall be set back at least 10 feet from the street lot line.
M. 
In any residential class district, one unlighted temporary sign of an architect, engineer or contractor erected during the period such person is performing work on the premises on which such sign is erected shall be permitted provided it shall not exceed four square feet in surface area and it shall be set back at least 10 feet from the street lot line.
N. 
In business and industrial districts one unlighted temporary sign of an architect, engineer or contractor erected during the period such person is performing work on the premises on which such sign is erected shall be permitted provided it shall not exceed 32 square feet in surface area and it shall be set back at least 10 feet from the street lot line.
O. 
In the business, airport, office park and industrial zones, site plan approval from the Board of Appeals may include recommendations from the Beautification Committee; the Board shall transmit one copy to the Beautification Committee which shall have 30 days to make recommendations to the Board in regard to the signs.
[Amended 4-24-2017 ATM by Art. 12]
The following signs shall be permitted in any residential district:
A. 
One professional nameplate for each medical doctor, dental practitioner, lawyer, engineer, optometrist or home occupation, provided such sign shall not exceed two square feet in surface area.
B. 
One identification sign for each dwelling unit, provided such sign shall not exceed two square feet in surface area; if lighted, it shall be illuminated with white light by indirect method only; and it shall not be used other than for identifying the occupancy.
C. 
One identification sign for each membership club, funeral establishment, hospital, church, other place of public assembly, community facility or public utility use, provided the sign shall not exceed 10 square feet in surface area, and if lighted, it shall be illuminated with white light by indirect method only. Such sign shall be set back at least 1/2 of the required depth of the front yard.
D. 
One unlighted sign relating to a new residential subdivision during the actual period of construction, provided it shall not exceed 20 square feet in surface area and it shall be set back at least 10 feet from any street lot line.
[Amended 4-24-2017 ATM by Art. 12]
The following signs shall be permitted in any business district:
A. 
Signs permitted in § 305-7.03, subject to the same regulations, and business signs. General advertising signs shall be prohibited. Projecting signs not more than 10 square feet in area in lieu of a permitted pole sign or standing sign may be permitted by special permit from the Board of Appeals. Such permit may be granted under the conditions of Article X, § 305-10.10, Special permits. Upon receipt of such application, the Board shall transmit a copy of such plan to the Beautification Committee which may make recommendations. No recommendation within 30 days shall be deemed approval.
B. 
One wall sign for each lot street frontage of each establishment, provided it shall be attached and parallel to the main wall of a building; the surface area of the sign shall not aggregate more than 10% of the area of the wall on which it is displayed, or 40 square feet, whichever is lesser; and if lighted, it shall be illuminated internally or by indirect method only.
C. 
One pole sign for each street frontage lot held in single ownership regardless of the number of businesses on that lot; it may be double-faced, but shall not exceed 40 square feet in surface area per side; no portion of it shall be set back less than 10 feet from any street lot line; it shall not be erected so that any portion of it is over 30 feet above the ground or sidewalks; and if lighted, it shall be illuminated internally or by indirect method with white light only.
D. 
One two-sided standing sign for each lot with street frontage of a business establishment in the Highway Business District, provided it shall not exceed 40 square feet in surface area on each side; no portion of it shall be set back at least 10 feet from any street lot line; it shall not rise to more than 12 feet from the ground or sidewalk, and it shall be illuminated internally or by indirect method with white light only. Where a single lot is occupied by more than one business, whether in the same structure or not, there shall not be more than one standing sign.
[Amended 10-18-2021 STM by Art. 12]
E. 
Businesses or civic institutions located within the area known as Library Plaza within the B-1 Zoning District, said area including Assessor's Parcels H7-05-07 and H7-05-02, said businesses not having legal frontage on a street but accessible from both Ocean Street and Webster Street, may be permitted to construct a total of two shared signs subject to the following conditions:
(1) 
One pole sign at the intersection of both Ocean Street and Webster Streets with the primary access road to Library Plaza, with said sign located on Town-owned land and held in ownership by the Town regardless of the number of businesses referenced on the sign; it may be double-faced, but shall not exceed 40 square feet in surface area per side; no portion of it shall be set back less than 10 feet from any street lot line; it shall not be erected so that any portion of it is over 12 feet above the ground or sidewalks; and if lighted, it shall be illuminated by indirect method with white light only.
(2) 
Such permit may be granted under the conditions of Article X, § 305-10.10, Special permits. Upon receipt of such application, the Board shall transmit a copy of such plan at least to the Planning Board, the Safety Officer and the Beautification Committee, if applicable, which may make recommendations. No recommendation within 30 days shall be deemed approval.
(3) 
Any site plan review permit issued for new construction, redevelopment or reuse within Library Plaza shall be conditioned upon approval of an amended sign design reflecting the addition of the new business to the shared sign or signs.
(4) 
The commercial tenant(s) located on Assessor's Parcel H7-05-01 may elect to be included on the two signs authorized herein provided that any reference on said sign(s) shall serve as the primary and only signage for said tenant(s) visible from either Ocean Street or Webster Street, and shall disallow, for the duration of the reference to said tenant(s) on the shared sign(s), the presence on any other sign on the parcel's frontage on Ocean Street.
[Amended 4-24-2017 ATM by Art. 12]
The following signs shall be permitted in the Industrial District:
A. 
Wall signs permitted in § 305-7.04, subject to the same regulations.
B. 
One two-sided standing sign for each lot with street frontage, provided it shall not exceed 40 square feet in surface area on each side and shall be set back at least 15 feet from any street lot line; it shall not be erected so that any portion of it is over 15 feet above the ground or sidewalk; and if lighted, it shall be illuminated internally or by indirect method with white light only. Where a single lot is occupied by more than one business, whether in the same structure or not, there shall not be more than one standing sign.
[Amended 10-18-2021 STM by Art. 11]
C. 
In the Industrial Zone, a sign or assembly of signs which are similar in size and appearances, and which serve as a directory of occupants, is/are permitted, provided the aggregate area of such sign or signs does not exceed 40 square feet. Not more than one such directory sign may be located at each entrance roadway to the Industrial Zone within 250 feet of the boundary of the zone and not closer than 15 feet to the edge of the roadway. Illumination, if any, will be by indirect white light only.