These regulations balance the need to protect the public safety
and welfare, the need for a well maintained and attractive community
and the need for adequate identification, communication and advertising.
The regulations for signs have the following specific objectives:
A. To allow businesses, institutions and individuals to exercise their
right to free speech by displaying messages on a sign, and to allow
audiences to receive such information;
B. To foster successful businesses by providing those businesses with
the means for reasonable and appropriate communication and identification;
C. To ensure that signs are designed, constructed, installed and maintained
according to minimum standards to safeguard life, health, property
and public welfare;
D. To allow and promote positive conditions for communication by sign;
E. To reflect and support the desired ambience and development patterns
of the various zoning districts, overlay districts, planning areas
and sub-areas and promote an attractive built environment; and
F. To allow for adequate and effective signs whose dimensional characteristics
further the interests of public safety and the needs of the motorist,
where signs are viewed from a road.
The following types of signs are specifically prohibited within
the County:
A. Vehicle signs viewed from a public road with the primary purpose
of providing signage not otherwise allowed by this Ordinance. Vehicles
or trailers shall not be parked to be used primarily as advertising
signs. This does not apply to a vehicle parked at a place of business
or an owner's/driver's residence and is the primary means of transportation
to and from his or her place of employment. Furthermore, this does
not apply to any signage for vehicles required by State or Federal
law.
B. Billboards with the exception of billboards established prior to February 27, 1992, refer to Section
6-8.13E.
C. Signs that are affixed to any structures, trees or other natural
vegetation, rocks or poles or otherwise placed in or overhang into
the public right-of-way.
D. Any sign erected or placed on or above a traffic control device or
its supporting structure not placed by a governmental agency or with
the permission of a governmental agency:
1. Any sign so placed, unless previously approved by the Calvert County
Department of Public Works, may be removed by the County.
2. If the placement or removal of any sign damages the traffic control
device or its supporting structure, that person or entity found responsible
for the placement of such sign shall be responsible for repairing
or replacing the traffic control device and its supporting structure
at no additional cost to the County or State.
E. Signs that extend above the top of the roofline of the building to
which it is affixed.
Each sign exempt from the permit process shall still comply
with all applicable safety, height, area and location standards established
in Section 6-8. The following signs do not require a sign permit:
A. This Ordinance does not apply to any traffic control devices "TCDs"
as identified in the latest version of the Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices "MUTCD" and other State and County design standards
related to traffic control or management that are installed by the
Calvert County Department of Public Works or the Maryland State Highway
Administration.
B. Any other signs installed by County governmental agencies on its
own property.
D. Signs or notices issued by any court, officer or other person or
organization in performance of a public duty or required by law to
be posted.
E. Certain temporary signs as established in Section
6-8.12 of this Ordinance.
F. Window signs are allowed provided they comply with all other sign
regulations in this Ordinance.
G. Properties with agricultural use assessment from the Maryland Department
of Assessments and Taxation may have individual non-illuminated signs
not exceeding six square feet where seeds or crops are planted in
a specific field.
H. Official signs erected by public utility, oil, gas, mining or construction
companies to warn of danger or hazardous conditions, including signs
indicating the presence of underground cables, gas lines and similar
devices.
Figure 4: The window area is illustrated within the dashed line
area for the two storefronts in the above image.
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The master sign plan allowance established herein is to provide
for additional permanent signage for large-scale nonresidential, mixed
use or residential developments and/or is to allow creativity and
flexibility in establishing a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing
overall design of signage within a development. The master sign plan
provides a review process where any development that includes one
building of twenty-five thousand (25,000) square feet or more of gross
floor area, or multiple buildings, on a single parcel, with cumulative
total of twenty-five thousand (25,000) square feet of gross floor
area or more can submit a master sign plan package that illustrates
all the signage that will be used on the lot or parcel of record as
of the effective date of this amendment and the relationships of all
these signs to the development.
A. Master sign plans shall be submitted to the Calvert County Department
of Planning & Zoning for any nonresidential development which
meets the square foot threshold in 6-8.10 above, and where the applicant
wishes to submit a single, comprehensive sign plan for review.
B. A master sign plan is intended to promote consistency among signs
within a development and enhance the compatibility of signs with the
architectural and site design features within a development.
C. A master sign plan may include more than one (1) freestanding sign
per development or other deviations from the standards of this Ordinance.
D. An application for review of a master sign plan shall include:
1. A master sign plan, drawn to scale, delineating the site proposed
to be included within the master sign plan and the general locations
of all permanent signs including freestanding and building signs and
the property lines, buildings, roadways, and rights-of-way;
2. Drawings or sketches indicating the dimensions, location and sign
area for all the permanent signs;
3. Drawings or sketches indicating the exterior surface details of all
buildings on the site on which wall signs, awning signs, canopy signs,
projecting signs, window signs or other building signs are proposed;
and
4. Information regarding the illumination of any signs.
E. In order for the Calvert County Planning Commission, or its designee,
to approve a master sign plan, it or its designee must find all of
the following:
1. That the plan's contribution to the design of the site and surrounding
area will be superior to the quality than would result under the regulations
and standards of this Ordinance;
2. That the signs proposed as part of the master sign plan will create
a uniform sign package for the site related to materials, lighting,
design and other features of the individual signs; and
3. That the proposed signs are compatible with the style or character
of improvements and are well-related to each other in terms of location
and spacing.
F. The Calvert County Planning Commission, or its designee, may grant
its approval subject to conditions as it deems necessary to carry
out the intent of this Chapter 6-8.10.
G. Upon approval of a master sign plan, permits will be issued only
for those signs approved under the master sign plan, subject to all
conditions of approval.
Portable signs shall be constructed and maintained according
to the following standards, specifications and regulations:
A. Each sign board face shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet with
a maximum width of three (3) feet and a maximum height of four (4)
feet.
B. The sign shall only be displayed outside during hours of operation.
C. Any business may apply and receive approval for not more than one
(1) portable sign.
D. If placed on a sidewalk, the sign shall be placed in such a manner
as to maintain a minimum of four (4) feet of sidewalk clearance for
the safe passage of pedestrians.
E. The sign shall be located in front of the establishment which the
sign serves.
F. The sign must be free-standing and shall not be affixed, chained,
anchored or otherwise secured to the ground or to any pole, parking
meter, tree, tree grate, fire hydrant, railing or other structure.
G. The sign must not obstruct entry or exit doors, parking meters, bicycle
racks, and other features legally in the right-of-way or required
as part of any building, fire or other safety code.
H. The sign must not interfere with the opening of car doors in legal
parking spaces, or with the operation of wheelchair lifts and ramps,
cab stands, loading zones or bus stops.
I. The sign shall be weighted so that it is stable and windproof.
J. The sign must be constructed of durable, weather-proof materials,
such as slate, marker board, stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum composite,
laminate plastic, or medium density overlay plywood painted with enamel
paint. Rough cut plywood is not an acceptable material for the sign.
K. The sign cannot have sharp edges or any protrusions or features that
could be a hazard to pedestrians.
L. Calvert County Government shall be indemnified and held harmless
from any liability resulting from accident or injury caused by erection
and maintenance of such signs.
Any violation of this Section shall be enforced in accordance
with the procedures contained in Section 1-7 of this Ordinance.
See Article 11 of this Ordinance for variances and appeals.
The following terms and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed
to them unless the plain language of the provision specifically directs
otherwise:
3-D SIGN
An effect used in a sign that provides the three dimensions
of width, length and depth.
A-FRAME SIGN
A portable sign which is ordinarily in the shape of an "A"
or some variation thereof, which is readily movable and is not permanently
attached to the ground or any structure. As distinguished from "T-frame
sign."
AFFIX
Stick, attach or fasten an object to something else.
AIR-ACTIVATED SIGN
A sign, all or any part of, which is designed to be moved
by action of forced air so as to make the sign appear to be animated
or otherwise have motion. As distinguished from "balloon sign."
AWNING SIGN
A sign painted on, printed on or attached flat against the
surface of an awning which is a shelter projecting from and supported
by the exterior wall of a building constructed of nonrigid materials
on a supporting framework. See also definition of "canopy sign."
BALLOON SIGN
A sign that is an air-inflated object, which may be of various
shapes, made of flexible fabric, resting on the ground or a structure,
and equipped with a portable blower motor that provides a constant
flow of air into the device. Balloon signs are restrained, attached
or held in place by a cord, rope, cable or similar method. As distinguished
from "air-activated sign."
BANNER SIGN
Canvas, plastic, fabric or similar lightweight, nonrigid
material that can be mounted to a structure with cord, rope, cable
or a similar method. If such sign is supported by stakes in the ground,
it shall be considered a yard sign.
BILLBOARD
A type of nonconforming sign that exceeds allowed sign area
and/or height provisions, which existed prior to February 27, 1992
and has been inventoried by Calvert County.
BLADE SIGN
A temporary sign that is constructed of cloth, canvas, plastic
fabric or similar lightweight, nonrigid material and that is supported
by a single, rigid or semi-rigid vertical member mounted into the
ground or on a portable structure.
BUILDING SIGNS
Signs mounted directly on a building, or attached to the
facade, roof or other elements of a building. Such signs shall include
awning signs, canopy signs, wall signs and projecting signs.
CANOPY SIGN
A sign attached to the soffit or fascia of a canopy of a
covered entrance or walkway, which is a permanent structure made of
cloth, metal or other material attached or unattached to a building
for the purpose of providing shelter to patrons or automobiles, or
as a decorative feature on a building wall. A canopy is not a completely
enclosed structure but typically is supported by features other than
the building facade (e.g., structural legs, building extensions, etc.).
As distinguished from "awning sign."
DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A small permanent sign located near driveway access points
and/or at the intersection of internal access drives.
DISPLAY
Make a prominent exhibition in a place where it can easily
be seen.
DRIVE-UP SIGN
Any signage located along a drive-up lane that is oriented
toward the customer or user in the drive-up lane.
DURABLE
Able to withstand wear, pressure or damage; hard-wearing
and not easily worn over a long duration.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTER (EMC)
A variable message sign that utilizes computer-generated
messages or some other mechanical or electronic means of changing
copy. These signs include displays using one or more lamps, light
emitting diodes (LEDs), liquid-crystal display (LCDs) or a flipper
matrix. A backlit sign is considered an EMC as permitted in Table
6-1 footnotes 4 and 5.
ERECT
Construct or installing a building, wall or other structure.
FLAG
A sign made of nonrigid material such as canvas or vinyl,
and having no enclosing or supporting framework. A flag is usually
rectangular or triangular in shape, and is attached at one end to
a pole.
FLASHING LIGHT OR SIGN
Any sign which contains an intermittent or flashing light
source, or which includes the illusion of intermittent or flashing
light by means of animation or any externally mounted intermittent
light source.
FREESTANDING SIGN
Any sign supported upon the ground by a monument, pedestal,
pole, bracing or other permanent measure and not attached to any building.
MASTER SIGN PLAN
A comprehensive plan that provides for variation in the amount,
location or features of permanent signage that shows the general locations
of all signs.
MULTI-FACED SIGN
A sign having at least two (2) display faces, where the sign
faces are not mounted back-to-back and where the faces are such that
the interior angle of the faces is greater than ninety-one (91) degrees
and not being a three-way dimensional sign.
OFF-PREMISE SIGN
A sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service
or entertainment conducted, sold or offered at a location other than
the premises on which the sign is located.
ON-PREMISE SIGN
A sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service
or entertainment conducted, sold or offered on the same lot, parcel,
site or property where the sign is located.
PENNANTS
A triangular or irregular piece of fabric or other material,
whether or not containing a message of any kind, commonly attached
by strings or strands, or supported on small poles, intended to flap
in the wind.
PERMANENT SIGN
A sign permitted by this ordinance to be located on the premises
for an unlimited period of time and designed to be permanently attached
to a structure or the ground.
PORTABLE SIGN
A sign that is capable of being transported because of being
lighter and smaller in size. Examples: A-Frame and T-Frame signs.
PROJECTING SIGN
A sign that is affixed to a building or wall and extends
more than eighteen (18) inches beyond the face of such building or
wall. A projecting sign shall also include a sign hung under an arcade.
RACEWAY
An elongated metal enclosure used to mount individual channel
lettering and/or to conceal related transformers and wiring for wall-mounted
signs.
READER BOARD
A sign or portion of a sign where it is possible to change
the copy on a frequent basis but where such sign change must be manually
made and is not made electronically.
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
A parcel of record that is improved by a one- or two-family
structure occupied as a residence. "Residential Property" does not
include a farm.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
(1)
A strip of land acquired by reservation, dedication, forced
dedication, prescription or condemnation and intended to be occupied
or currently occupied by a road, crosswalk, railroad, electric transmission
lines, oil or gas pipeline, water line, sanitary storm sewer and other
similar uses;
(2)
Generally, the right of one to pass over the property of another.
SIGN
Any object, device, display or structure or part thereof
situated outdoors or adjacent to the interior of a window or doorway
which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct or attract attention
to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product,
service, event or location by any means including words, letters,
pictures, logos, figures, designs, symbols, fixtures, colors, illumination
or projected images.
STATIC/INSTANT MESSAGE CHANGE
On electronic message centers, a static or instant message
change is when one message changes to another message instantly without
rotating, scrolling, fading, dissolving, blinking, audio, pyrotechnic
or flashing elements or other movement of the message.
SUBDIVISION SIGN
A sign placed at the entrance of subdivisions from State
or County highways.
T-FRAME SIGN
A portable sign which is ordinarily in the shape of an upside
down "T" or some variation thereof, which is readily moveable and
is not permanently attached to the ground or any structure. As distinguished
from "A-frame sign."
TEMPORARY SIGN
Any sign which is movable, not permanently attached to the
ground, a structure or other sign, designed or constructed in such
a manner that it can be moved or relocated without involving any structural
or support changes, intended for a limited period of display or constructed
out of cloth, canvas, plastic sheet, cardboard or other like materials.
VEHICLE SIGN
Any sign permanently or temporarily attached to or placed
on a vehicle or trailer. Signs attached to a motor vehicle or trailer
shall include, without limitation, any signage painted on, physically
applied to, or otherwise affixed to the vehicle.
WALL SIGN
A sign attached directly to an exterior wall of a building
and which does not extend more than eighteen (18) inches from nor
above the roof line or beyond the limits of the outside wall, with
the exposed face of the sign in a plane parallel to the building wall.
Murals and other painted signs are considered wall signs pursuant
to this section.
WINDOW SIGN
Any sign viewable through and/or affixed in any manner to
a window or exterior glass door such that it is intended to be viewable
from the exterior including, but not limited to, window paintings
and signs located inside a building but visible primarily from the
outside of the building. This does not include merchandise and other
displays located in a window, or print intended to be viewable from
the interior of a building.
YARD SIGN
Any temporary sign placed on the ground or attached to a
supporting structure, posts or poles, that is not attached to any
building.