The purpose of this article is to establish standards for signage
within the Town of Princess Anne that will balance the rights of property
owners or commercial tenants to communicate their message with the
public's right to be free of unreasonable distractions. The reasonable
display of signs is necessary to the conduct of commerce and industry
and necessary to further the cause of public safety and promote the
overall quality of life, health and welfare of the citizens of the
Town of Princess Anne, enhance the architectural and historical character
of the Town and reflect the moral and social integrity of the community.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
A.
SIGN
SIGN AREA MEASURE
SIGN FACE
SIGN SETBACK MEASUREMENT
STREET FRONTAGE
General definitions.
Any structure, display or device that is arranged, intended,
designed or used as an advertisement, announcement, identification,
description, instruction or direction to attract the attention of
persons not on the premises on which the sign is located, including
interior signs legible from the exterior of a building constituting
an element of the exterior appearance of a building.
The area of a sign shall be computed as including the area
within a regular geometric form or forms comprising all of the display
area of the sign face. The structural elements of the sign shall not
be included unless they are an integral part of the message.
The surface of a sign upon, against or through which the
message is displayed or illustrated on the sign.
Setback for signs measured from the prevailing edge of any
part of a sign, structural or otherwise.
For the purpose of determining total sign area permitted
on a lot, "street frontage" shall mean the length of a building measured
at grade that faces on a public thoroughfare. In the case of a building
that has more than one frontage, each frontage shall be addressed
independently.
B.
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
GROUND SIGN
MARQUEE OR SOFFIT SIGN
PROJECTING SIGN
ROOF SIGN
WALL SIGN
Location definitions.
Properties fronting on both sides of Main Street (Somerset
Avenue) from Broad Street to Antioch Avenue.
A detached sign, which shall include any sign supported by
uprights, pylons or braces, placed upon or in the ground, supported
by the ground and not attached to any building.
A sign affixed to, hung from or in a marquee or soffit, which
may or may not have movable letters. A sign on or attached to any
awning or canopy shall be considered a marquee sign.
Any sign attached to and supported by a building and extending
more than 15 inches beyond the prevailing edge of any component of
a building, structural or nonstructural.
Any sign erected and constructed wholly on or over the roof
of a building, supported by the roof structure, and extending vertically
above the highest portion of the roof. Any sign erected or constructed
as an integral part of a roof structure of any design, whether projecting
above the highest portion of the roof or not. Any sign which is erected,
constructed or maintained above the lowest prevailing edge of any
roof.
Any sign attached parallel to, painted upon, erected against
or incorporated in the outside wall of any building supported by such
wall and displaying only one sign surface.
C.
BULLETIN BOARD SIGN
BUSINESS SIGN
DIRECTIONAL SIGN
ELECTRONIC OR DIGITAL SIGN
FLASHING SIGN
IDENTIFICATION SIGN
ILLUMINATED SIGN
INDIRECTLY ILLUMINATED SIGN
INSTRUCTIONAL SIGN
OUTDOOR ADVERTISING STRUCTURE SIGN
POLITICAL SIGN
SUSPENDED SIGN
TEMPORARY SIGN
WINDOW SIGN
Type definitions.
A sign of permanent character with movable letters, words,
numbers or figures, indicating persons, events, services or products
associated with, conducted on or offered on the premises on which
the sign is maintained.
A sign attracting attention to a business, commodity, service
or entertainment conducted, sold or offered on the same premises where
the sign is located.
A sign not used for advertising but giving directions only
for accommodations, services, traffic routing, industries, schools,
churches, parks, historic buildings or features.
Any sign, display or device that changes its message or copy
by programmable electronic or digital processes and displays text
by illumination elements in the sign face.
Any sign on which artificial or reflected light is not maintained
stationary and constant in intensity and color. Any sign which revolves
or moves.
A sign identifying a permanent development or subdivision,
limited to two faces.
Any sign designed to give forth artificial light from within
the sign, including signs with exposed bulbs or fluorescent or neon
tubes.
A sign that is illuminated from an external source, which
source is so arranged that no direct rays of light are projected into
an adjoining property or a public way and the source of the indirect
lighting is not visible.
A sign conveying instructions with respect to the premises
on which the sign is located, such as "entrance," "exit," "no trespassing,"
"danger" and similar signs.
Any structure which contains a sign, poster, panel, billboard,
painted bulletin or any other surface, device or display which advertises
a business, profession, commodity, service, entertainment or event
conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than the premises where the advertising
structure is located.
A sign which is designed to influence voters to promote candidates
for office.
A sign that is suspended from the underside of a horizontal
plane and is supported by that plane.
Any sign erected for a specific period of time and/or not
permanently attached to the ground or a building.
Any sign, pictures, symbols, graphics or combination thereof
placed, painted or etched inside a window or upon the window panes
or glass and which is legible from the exterior of the building.
A.
No sign may be erected, constructed, posted, altered or relocated unless a permit has been issued by the Town. Signs permitted by § 163-109 do not require a permit. Before any permit is issued, an application provided by the Town shall be filed with drawings and specifications as necessary to fully describe the location, construction, materials, color, type of illumination, number of signs applied for and the wording or advertisement to be carried on the sign. All permitted signs shall be erected within 90 days of the date of issuance of the permit or the permit shall become void. Fees for sign permits shall be in accordance with the fee schedule described in Chapter 52, Building Construction, § 52-9, of the Town Code.
B.
Illuminated signs in the central business district shall not exceed
a maximum height of 18 inches and a maximum width of 18 inches when
utilizing neon.
C.
Existing nonconforming signs in all districts advertising businesses,
services or events that are no longer operating or being conducted
or offered shall be removed within 60 days of the discontinuation
of such activity.
D.
A nonconforming sign may not be changed, moved or replaced except
for maintenance or repair or to bring such into compliance with this
article. Movable letters or characters on signs so designed to accommodate
periodic changes of messages are not subject to this requirement.
For maintenance, repair or periodic message changes, no permit shall
be required.
E.
Any sign used and located entirely within a building and not visible
from the exterior of the building and not intended to be a component
of the exterior appearance of the building is exempt from the standards
of this article.
F.
Where setbacks are specified as measured from the curbline and no
curb is present, then the setback shall be measured from the property
line.
G.
Where separate letters or characters comprising part of a message
are placed on a wall, the spaces between the characters shall be included
in the area computation.
H.
Only one face of a sign shall be used to calculate area, provided
that the faces are placed back-to-back, parallel, supported internally
and are of the same dimensions.
I.
Any appeal of the requirements of this article or of a decision of the Code Enforcement Officer shall be made in accordance with Article XII of this chapter.
K.
Appearance.
(1)
Every sign shall have good scale and proportion in its design
and in its visual relationship to buildings and surroundings. Scale
is the size of sign in relation to the other structures on the site
and is assumed to be less than or equal to the maximum sign area allowed
in the district depending on the particular context. Proportion refers
to the size of parts of the sign in relationship to other parts of
the sign.
(2)
Every sign shall be designed as an integral architectural element
of the building and site to which it principally relates.
(3)
The colors, materials, and lighting of every sign shall be restrained
and harmonious with the building and site to which it principally
relates.
(4)
The number of graphic elements on a sign shall be held to the
minimum needed to convey the sign's major message and shall be
composed in proportion to the sign face.
(5)
Each sign shall be compatible with the signs on adjoining premises
and shall not compete for attention.
(6)
All signs must be professionally constructed and maintained
in good repair.
(7)
Identification signs of a prototype design and corporation logos
shall conform to the criteria for all other signs.
The following signs are prohibited in all districts:
A.
Any sign which obstructs motorists' vision of intersections,
traffic control signals, traffic signs or traffic movement.
B.
Signs attached to trees or utility poles.
C.
Signs attached to any vehicle parked temporarily or permanently for
the sole purpose of advertising.
E.
Outdoor advertising structure signs.
The following signs are permitted in all districts:
A.
Signs erected by, on behalf of or pursuant to the authorization of
a governmental body, including legal notices, identification and informational
signs and traffic, directional or regulatory or instructional signs.
No permit shall be required.
B.
Political signs on existing outdoor advertising structures and on
private property. No permit shall be required.
C.
Temporary signs, including banners, announcing or celebrating social
or cultural events or holidays, with permission from the Town Manager
and Code Enforcement Officer. The temporary sign must be removed within
five days after the event.
D.
One temporary sign per business announcing business events, such
as special sales or offerings of goods or services on the premises
where the sign is located. The temporary sign must be removed within
five days after the event. No permit shall be required.
E.
No trespassing or no hunting signs, without limitation on number
or placement, limited in area to two square feet. No permit shall
be required.
F.
One nameplate, limited in area to two square feet, to identify the
owner or occupant of a dwelling or building.
A.
Signs permitted in the R-1 Zoning District shall be as follows:
(1)
One bulletin board not exceeding 24 square feet in area for
churches, schools or other public institutions. It may be indirectly
illuminated or illuminated, a maximum of five feet above grade and
set back 15 feet from the curbline.
(2)
Two temporary real estate signs, not more than eight square
feet in area each, advertising for sale or rent the premises on which
the signs are located.
(3)
One nonilluminated or indirectly illuminated sign identifying
a home occupation, as specified in the definition of "home occupation."
(4)
One identification sign for a development or subdivision at
each entrance to the development, a maximum of five feet above grade,
not exceeding 20 square feet in area per face, limited to two faces
and set back 15 feet from the curb. It may be nonilluminated or indirectly
illuminated.
(5)
One nameplate, limited in area to two square feet, to identify
the owner or occupant of a dwelling or building.
B.
Signs permitted in the R-2 Zoning District shall be as follows:
(1)
All signs listed for the R-1 District.
C.
Signs permitted in the central business district shall be as follows:
(1)
Any sign permitted in the R-1 District, which shall be included
in the total area measure for business signs.
(2)
Business signs with a total maximum area of one square foot
for every two linear feet of street frontage. Permitted locations
are ground, wall and marquee, as follows:
(a)
One ground sign, nonilluminated, illuminated or indirectly illuminated,
not exceeding 20 feet in height, 20 square feet in total sign surface
area and set back 10 feet from the curbline.
(b)
One wall sign per building entrance, nonilluminated, illuminated
or indirectly illuminated, not exceeding 15 square feet in area per
building face for each business on the premises.
(c)
One marquee sign per building face, nonilluminated or indirectly
illuminated, not to exceed six square feet in surface area, not projecting
beyond the prevailing edge of any part of the building, awning or
canopy.
D.
Signs permitted in the C-1 District shall be as follows:
(1)
All signs permitted in the R-1 District, which shall be included
in the total area measure for business signs.
(2)
Business signs permitted in the Central Business District, with
the exception that total area shall not exceed one square foot for
each linear foot of street frontage.
(3)
Electronic or digital signs are permitted for public service
announcements by public or quasi-public entities, subject to the following
limitations, standards and requirements:
(a)
The sign shall be set back at least 14 feet from the curbline
of a street.
(b)
The top of the sign face shall be located at a maximum height
of 10 feet six inches.
(c)
The sign face shall have a height no greater than four feet
and a width of no greater than eight feet.
(d)
The sign shall be programmed so that a message or image on the
sign changes no more than once every 10 seconds.
(e)
The sign image shall not show movement, blinking, animation,
scrolling, flashing, or similar effects.
(f)
Changes of image shall occur within one second and shall not
use blinking, fading, rolling, shading or similar effects as part
of the change.
(g)
Animation and sound shall be prohibited.
(h)
The signs shall use automatic light level controls at night
and under cloudy and other darkened conditions, in accordance with
the following:
[1]
All electronic or digital displays shall have installed ambient
light monitors and shall at all times allow such monitors to automatically
adjust the brightness level of the sign based on ambient light conditions.
[2]
Maximum brightness levels for electronic or digital signs shall
not exceed 5,000 nits when measured from the sign face at its maximum
brightness during daylight hours.
[3]
Maximum brightness levels for electronic or digital signs shall
not exceed 500 nits when measured from the sign face at its maximum
brightness between sunset and sunrise.
[4]
Electronic or digital signs shall contain a default design which
will freeze the message in one position with no more than a maximum
illumination of 500 nits if a malfunction occurs.
[5]
Electronic or digital signs shall be separated by a minimum
of 1,000 feet.
E.
Signs permitted in the C-2 District shall be as follows:
(1)
All signs listed for the R-1 District.
(2)
Business signs permitted in the Central Business District, with
the exception that the total area shall not exceed two square feet
for each linear foot of street frontage.
(3)
Electronic or digital signs are permitted, subject to the following
limitations, standards and requirements:
(a)
The sign shall be set back at least 10 feet from the curbline
of a street.
(b)
A sign frame may extend to a maximum height of 20 feet.
(c)
The sign face shall have a height no greater than four feet
and a width of no greater than eight feet.
(d)
The sign shall be programmed so that a message or image on the
sign changes no more than once every 10 seconds.
(e)
The sign image shall not show movement, blinking, animation,
scrolling, flashing, or similar effects.
(f)
Changes of image shall occur within one second and shall not
use blinking, fading, rolling, shading or similar effects as part
of the change.
(g)
Animation and sound shall be prohibited.
(h)
The signs shall use automatic light level controls at night
and under cloudy and other darkened conditions, in accordance with
the following:
[1]
All electronic or digital displays shall have installed ambient
light monitors and shall at all times allow such monitors to automatically
adjust the brightness level of the sign based on ambient light conditions.
[2]
Maximum brightness levels for electronic or digital signs shall
not exceed 5,000 nits when measured from the sign face at its maximum
brightness during daylight hours.
[3]
Maximum brightness levels for electronic or digital signs shall
not exceed 500 nits when measured from the sign face at its maximum
brightness between sunset and sunrise.
[4]
Electronic or digital signs shall contain a default design which
will freeze the message in one position with no more than a maximum
illumination of 500 nits if a malfunction occurs.
[5]
Electronic or digital signs shall be separated by 250 feet from
the nearest residential use property line.
(i)
Master signage plan.
[1]
The Planning and Zoning Commission may modify the standards
for signs in the C-2 General Commercial District for a shopping center
or other commercial, business, or institutional development that involves
more than one use on a single property in accordance with a master
signage plan upon a finding that the proposed sign plan represents
a reasonable display of signs the context of surrounding properties
and existing signs.
[2]
Information required. A master signage plan shall contain the
following information:
[a]
An accurate plot plan of the proposed development
site, at such scale as the Code Enforcement Officer may reasonably
require;
[b]
Location of buildings, parking lots, driveways,
and landscaped areas;
[c]
Computation of the proposed maximum total sign
area, the maximum area for individual signs, the height of signs and
the number of freestanding signs;
[d]
Sign plans and photo simulation of the signs in
the proposed location; and
[e]
An accurate indication on the plot plan of the
proposed location of each present and future sign of any type, whether
requiring a permit or not, except that incidental signs need not be
shown.
[4]
No sign permit shall be issued for a sign included in a master
signage plan that does not conform to the standards of the master
signage plan. A master signage plan may be amended at any time.
No sign shall be permitted in the I-P District which does not
conform to the requirements of this section.
A.
No sign shall be permitted in the I-P District which does not conform
to the requirements of this section. The area of a sign shall include
the entire face of the sign and all work incidental to its decoration.
The area shall include the space between letters, figures and designs,
except where they are mounted directly on the architectural face of
the building with no other decorative wall work. The actual faces
of these letters, figures and designs on the wall shall constitute
the sign, and the spaces between them shall not be considered part
of the sign. To calculate the area of the faces of these letters,
figures and designs, the square footage of the sign, as would be normally
computed.
B.
The light from any illuminated sign shall be shaded, shielded or
directed so that the light intensity does not adversely affect neighboring
areas.
C.
Identification signs must identify the primary company name only
and shall not be used as an advertising vehicle.
D.
No logos or other signs may be mounted so as to project above the
roofline of any facility.
E.
Ground-mounted signs must be set back at least 20 feet from side
and rear property lines, set back at least 10 feet from the curbline
and may not exceed a height of 12 feet.
[Amended 1-22-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-03]
F.
The following signs are prohibited:
(1)
Freestanding signs unless approved by the Planning and Zoning
Commission.
(2)
Pennants, pinwheels and similar circus- or carnival-type attractors
which are visible from the street or from residential property.
(3)
Signs which obstruct any opening intended to provide ingress
or egress from any building or structure.
(4)
Signs which obstruct the view of traffic control devices.
(5)
Outdoor advertising signs and billboards.
G.
Design standards. Design of any sign shall be approved by the Planning
and Zoning Commission. It shall generally conform to the following
regulations:
(1)
In the I-P District, if all of the permissible sign area is
to be used on a building, the area of all of the signs on a building
shall be not more than one square foot for each two linear feet of
width along the front of a building (measured along the wall facing
the front of the lot or the wall containing the principal entrance
to the building, whichever is greater) to a maximum of 100 square
feet. If the building is on a corner lot, a portion of the allowed
sign area may be displayed on the side street; however, it shall be
limited to 50 square feet if the front lot line of any residentially
zoned lot or lot land proposed to be used for residential purposes
is located on either side of the street between the subject property
and the next intersecting street.
(2)
If all of the permissible sign area is to be used on a canopy which is located at least 40 feet behind the street line, the provisions of Subsection G(1) above shall apply, measured along the front wall of the building or the front edge of the canopy (whichever has the greater width).
(3)
If the permissible sign area is to be divided between a building and a canopy, the provisions of Subsection G(1) and (2) above (as applicable to the particular building and canopy on the subject property) shall be used to determine the permissible sign area on each structure on a prorated basis. (For example, if the permissible sign area on a building is 100 square feet and the permissible sign area on a canopy is 50 square feet and the applicant chooses to allocate 50% of the permissible sign area to each structure, the permissible sign area on the building would be 50 square feet and the permissible sign area on the canopy would be 25 square feet. As the percentage of total permissible sign area allocated to each structure varies, the permissible sign area on each structure varies accordingly.)
