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Village of Grafton, WI
Ozaukee County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (13) Index
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Grafton 3-1-2021 by Ord. No. 001-2021[1]. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 20.04, Signs, adopted by Ord. A-526-89, 1989 (Title 20, Ch. 20.04, of the 1979 Code), as amended.
A. 
Location of ground or pole signs and bulletin boards. Except as otherwise provided in this title, in all commercial, industrial, office, business park, park and recreation, agriculture and industrial zoning districts ground or pole signs and bulletin boards shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the front lot line. In the case of corner lots, signs shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from each lot line facing a street. Signs shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet from interior side lot lines and rear lot lines. No portion of a ground or pole sign display area or its structural or component parts shall encroach or extend into the minimum setback areas indicated in this section.
B. 
Measurement of height of ground or pole signs. The height of ground or pole signs shall be measured as the vertical distance between the established grade and the highest portion of the sign or supporting structure. The established grade may not be artificially raised in the area beneath the ground or pole sign for the primary purpose of increasing the prominence of perceived height of the sign.
C. 
Number of freestanding signs permitted on a parcel. All parcels shall be limited to one freestanding sign, regardless of the number of users on the site or the number of street frontages abutting the property. A corner property requesting an additional freestanding sign must apply for a sign variance before the Plan Commission. Shopping center and multiple-tenant commercial building sites shall comply with Ch. 20.14 of this title.
D. 
Facing residential districts. No sign except those permitted in Ch. 20.06 shall be permitted to face a residential district within 100 feet of such district boundary.
E. 
Design and placement. Signs shall not resemble, imitate or approximate the shape, size, form or color of railroad or traffic signs, signals or devices. Signs shall not obstruct or interfere with the effectiveness of railroad or traffic signs, signals or devices. No sign shall be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape, and no sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape. No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility.
F. 
Existing signs. Except as otherwise provided in Ch. 20.10 for the downtown area only as defined by the Village of Grafton Downtown Master Plan, signs lawfully existing at the time of the adoption or amendment of the ordinance codified in this title may be continued although the type, use, size, height, design, materials, method of illumination, number of signs, construction or location does not conform with the provisions of this title. However, it shall be deemed a legal nonconforming structure, and the provisions of § 19.08.040 or Ch. 20.10 shall apply, if applicable.