[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
All signs and sign support structures shall conform to the requirements of this Chapter and all other applicable provisions of Strafford ordinances.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
A. 
The purpose of this Article is to promote the public safety and welfare by regulating:
1. 
To improve the visual environment and foster economic development while providing adequate standards for meeting sign owner's needs;
2. 
To benefit the public and sign owners through improved sign legibility, readability and visibility;
3. 
To provide equal opportunity for the display of commercial messages;
4. 
To ensure the design, construction, installation, repair and maintenance of signs will not interfere with traffic safety, or otherwise endanger public safety;
5. 
To ensure that City rights-of-way are not appropriated to private use or used in a manner inconsistent with the public interest;
6. 
To reduce incompatibility between signs and their surroundings;
7. 
To ensure that an adequate opportunity will be available to sign users without dominating the visual appearance of the area.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed a waiver of the provision of any other ordinance or regulation applicable to signs. Signs located in areas governed by several ordinances and/or applicable regulations shall comply with all such ordinances and regulations. If there is a conflict between this Article and any other ordinance or regulation, the more stringent shall apply.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
A. 
No sign shall be displayed in the City limits until the City has issued a permit for it, unless it is exempt from a permit in accordance with Section 400.830 of this Article. No permit shall be issued unless the applicant demonstrates that the proposed sign meets the requirements of this Code. All face changes, except changeable copy signs, shall require a permit. Mere repainting or changing the message of a sign shall not, in and of itself, be considered a substantial alteration. Minimum submittal requirements and sign permit applications are available at City Hall.
B. 
If plans submitted for a conditional use permit or preliminary plat include sign plans in sufficient detail that the permit-issuing authority can determine whether the proposed sign or signs comply with the provisions of this Chapter, then issuance of the requested conditional use permit or preliminary plat shall constitute approval of the proposed sign or signs.
C. 
No sign except a "public sign" shall be located on any City-owned utility pole or within public rights-of-way.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
When a sign permit is requested for a parcel where illegal or prohibited signs exist, no sign permit shall be issued until all such signs are removed or brought into conformance with this Article.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
A. 
The following non-illuminated signs may be erected in compliance with this Article without the issuance of a sign permit. Such signs may be permitted in addition to all other signs permitted and shall conform to setbacks, placement requirements and other physical characteristics.
1. 
Real estate signs located on site;
2. 
Construction signs;
3. 
Election signs;
4. 
Yard/garage sales announcements;
5. 
Public signs;
6. 
Theological signs;
7. 
Memorial signs;
8. 
Flags;
9. 
Holiday decorations;
10. 
On-site information signs;
11. 
Window signs;
12. 
Church identification, bulletin boards;
13. 
Licensed and operable motor vehicles.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
For the purpose of this Article, the following words shall be defined as set forth herein:
ABANDONED SIGN
A sign which no longer identifies or advertises a bona fide business, lessor, service, owner, product or activity or for which no legal owner can be found for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days.
ANIMATED SIGN
Any sign that uses movements of change of lighting to depict action or create a special effect or scene.
APPROVED WALL AREA
Any one (1) of the following:
1. 
For a building containing one (1) use, any exterior wall having visibility from or abutting a publicly dedicated street or any exterior wall facing the parking lot of the use.
2. 
For a building containing two (2) or more uses:
a. 
Any exterior wall of one (1) individual use that has a primary public entrance and exit; or
b. 
Any exterior wall of one (1) individual use on or below the first (1st) story, which faces an abutting public, designated roadway, alley, or the customer parking lot of the building. Any substantial difference in the building plane on the facade of the building shall be eligible for consideration as a separate approved wall area.
AWNING SIGN
A wall sign that is painted, stitched, sewn or stained onto the exterior of an awning. An awning is a shelter supported entirely from the exterior wall of a building and composed of non-rigid materials except for the supporting framework.
BALLOONS
Any number or sizes of balloons used to draw attention to a business.
BANNER
Any sign of lightweight fabric or similar material that is permanently mounted to a pole or a building by a permanent frame at one (1) or more edges. National flags, State or municipal flags or the official flag of any institution or business shall not be considered banners.
BEACON
Any light with one (1) or more beams directed into the atmosphere or directed at one (1) or more points not on the same zone lot as the light source; also, any light with one (1) or more beams that rotate or move.
BILLBOARD
Any off-premises sign owned by a person, corporation or other entity that engages in the business of selling advertising.
BUILDING IDENTIFICATION SIGN
A sign stating the name of a building or identifying the major tenant of a building.
BUILDING MARKER
Any sign indicating the name of a building and date and incidental information about its construction, which sign is cut into masonry surface or made of bronze or other permanent material.
CENTER IDENTIFICATION SIGN
A sign which states only the name of such development as shopping centers, business park or similar use.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN
A permanent sign or portion thereof with characters, letters, or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or the surface of the sign. A sign on which the message changes more than eight (8) times per day shall be considered an animated sign and not a changeable copy sign for purpose of this Article. A sign on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of time or temperature shall be considered a "time and temperature" portion of a sign and not a changeable copy sign for purposes of this Article.
COMMERCIAL MESSAGE
Any sign wording, logo or other representation that, directly or indirectly, names, advertises, or calls attention to a business, product, service or other commercial activity.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN
A sign that advertises the future use or occupancy of a parcel or a building or buildings or subdivision under construction. Such sign may identify the project, the owner or developer, architect, engineer, contractor and subcontractor, funding sources, and may contain related information including, but not limited to, sale or leasing information.
ELECTION SIGN
A sign that identifies candidates or issues on the ballot in an upcoming election.
EXTERNALLY ILLUMINATED SIGNS
Signs where the source of the illumination is primarily outside the sign and light is directed toward, across, or by backlighting techniques from a source not within the sign structure itself. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, sources of external illumination for such signs may include ground-based (upward directed) or sign-structure based (downward directed) spotlights, luminous tubing such as neon, and back-lit sign shapes which create a halo effect on the sign surface area behind the letter, number, or shape.
[Ord. No. 940, 8-15-2022]
FLAG
Any fabric, banner, or bunting containing distinctive colors, patterns, or symbols used as a symbol. National flags, State, or municipal flags shall be exempt from this Section.
FREESTANDING SIGN
A sign that is attached to, erected on, or supported by some structure (such as a pole, mast, frame, or other structure) that is not itself an integral part of or attached to a building or other structure whose principal function is something other than the support of a sign. A sign that stands without supporting elements, such as a "sandwich sign", is also a freestanding sign. If the message is removed from a structure that was originally designed and used as a freestanding sign, this structure shall be considered a sign.
HEIGHT OF SIGN
The vertical distance measured from the finish grade on the parcel adjacent to the pole or structure to the uppermost point of the sign or structure is located.
HOLIDAY DECORATIONS
Signs in the nature of ornamentation, which are clearly incidental and commonly associated with any national, local, or religious holiday.
IDEOLOGICAL SIGN
Any non-commercial sign which expresses a religious, political, social or other philosophical message.
INCIDENTAL SIGN
A sign, generally informational, that has a purpose secondary to the use of the lot in which it is located, such as "no parking", "entrance", "loading only", "telephone", and other similar directives. No sign with a commercial message legible from a position off the zone lot on which the sign is located shall be considered incidental.
INTERNALLY ILLUMINATED SIGNS
Signs where the source of the illumination is inside the sign and light emanates through the message of the sign, rather than being reflected off the surface of the sign from an external source. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, signs that consist of or contain tubes that:
1. 
Are filled with neon or some other gas that glows when an electric current passes through it; and
2. 
Are intended to form or constitute all or part of the message of the sign, rather than merely providing illumination to other parts of the sign that contain the message, shall also be considered internally illuminated signs.
JOINT IDENTIFICATION SIGNS
A sign that serves as a common or collective identification for two (2) or more businesses or other non-residential uses on the same lot or parcel.
MARQUEE SIGN
Any sign attached to or made a part with manual or electronically changeable copy.
MEMORIAL SIGN
A sign or tablet identifying a site, structure or building which may include, but is not limited to, names and/or dates of construction, use or historical designation.
NON-RESIDENTIAL USE
Any single use that does not include an area designed as a dwelling unit in the principal use.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN
A sign that draws attention to or communicates information about a business, service, commodity, accommodation, attraction, or other enterprise or activity that exists or is conducted, sold, offered, maintained, or provided at a location other than the premises on which the sign is located. A sign that draws attention to a cause or advocates or proclaims a political, religious, or other non-commercial message shall also be an off-premises sign.
ON-PREMISES SIGN
A sign that draws attention to or communicates information about a business, service, commodity, accommodations, attraction, or other enterprise or activity that exists or is conducted, sold, offered, maintained, or provided on the premises where the sign is located.
PENNANT
Any lightweight plastic, fabric, or other material, whether or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a rope, wire, or string, usually in a series, designated to move in the wind.
PORTABLE SIGN
Any sign not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported, including, but not limited to, signs, designated to be transported by means of wheels; signs converted to A or T frames; menu and sandwich board signs; balloons used as signs; umbrellas used for advertising; and signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public right-of-way, unless said vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day operations of the business.
PRINCIPAL BUILDING
The building in which is conducted the principal use of the zone lot on which it is located.
PROJECT IDENTIFICATION SIGN
A sign stating the name of a subdivision, phase of subdivision or otherwise identifying a residential housing project. A realtor having exclusive marketing rights of said parcel may attach a reality sign to the project identification sign.
PROJECTING SIGN
Any sign affixed to a building or wall in such a manner that its leading edge extends more than six (6) inches beyond the surface of such building or wall.
PUBLIC SIGN
Any sign giving information about public places owned and operated by Federal, State, County, local or other governmental entity which is required by law or is necessary for public information.
REAL ESTATE SIGN
A sign which advertises the sale, rental, or lease of the land, or building upon which the sign is located.
RESIDENTIAL SIGN
Any sign located in a district zoned for residential uses that contains no commercial message except advertising for goods or devices legally offered on the premises where the sign is located, or offering such service at such location conforms with all requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.
ROOF SIGN
Any sign erected and constructed wholly on and over the roof of a building, supported by the roof structure, and extending vertically above the highest portion of the roof.
ROOF SIGN, INTEGRAL
Any sign erected or constructed as an integral or essentially integral part of a normal roof structure of any design, such that no part of the sign extends vertically above the highest portion of the roof and such that no part of the sign is separated from the rest of the roof by a space of more than six (6) inches.
SETBACK
The distance from the property line to the nearest part of the applicable building, structure or sign, measured perpendicularly to the property line.
SIGHT DISTANCE TRIANGLE
A triangular shaped portion of land established at street intersections and street driveway intersections in which nothing may be erected, planted or allowed to grow in such a manner as to limit or obstruct the sight distance of persons entering or leaving the intersection.
SIGN
Any device, fixture, placard, or structure that uses any color, form, graphic, illumination, symbol, or writing to advertise, announce the purpose of, or identify the purpose of a person or entity, or to communicate information of any kind to the public.
SIGN AREA
The square footage of all that area within the outside dimensions of the sign, not including support structure. In the case where letters or symbols are attached directly to a wall or structure with no other background, the sign area shall be the square footage contained within the smallest single continuous perimeter of no more than eight (8) straight lines. When a sign has two (2) parallel display faces, the area of one (1) face shall be the total sign area; however, when a sign face is not parallel and is "v" shaped, where the distance separation is greater than five (5) feet, the area of all faces shall be included in determining the total sign area. All riders or attachments to signs or sign structure whether temporary or permanent shall be included in determining the total sign area.
STREET FRONTAGE
The distance for which a lot line of a zone lot adjoins a public street, from one (1) lot zone intersecting said street to the furthest distant lot line intersecting the same street.
SUSPENDED SIGN
A sign that is suspended from the underside of a horizontal plane surface and is supported by such surface.
TEMPORARY SIGN
A sign that is used in connection with a circumstance, situation, or event that is designed, intended, or expected to take place or to be completed within a reasonably short or definite period after the erection of such sign.
WINDOW SIGN
Any sign, picture, symbol, or combination thereof designed to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity, event, sale, or service that is placed inside a window or upon the window panes or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window.
YARD SALE/GARAGE SALE SIGNS
A sign that advertises the location of a yard or garage sale or personal property.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
A. 
No one (1) use may have more than four (4) signs per street frontage, and no one (1) use shall exceed a maximum number of five (5) signs, not to include on-site directional signs. The following number of each type of sign is allowed for any one (1) use provided that the maximum number of five (5) signs is not exceeded:
1. 
No more than one (1) projecting sign;
2. 
No more than one (1) freestanding sign, except as permitted in Section 400.845.
3. 
Pedestrian oriented under awning or under canopy signs and signs exempt from permit per Section 400.830 are not counted toward the maximum.
B. 
Multiple Use Buildings. If there is more than one (1) business in a building or if the buildings in a group are associated by ownership, joint identification or center signs are the only freestanding signs permitted.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
Types of signs permitted in the respective zoning districts of the City are as set out in the Permitted Signs By Zoning District Table contained in Attachment 1 to this Chapter.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
A. 
All signs and all components thereof, including, without limitation, supports, braces, and anchors, shall be kept in a state of good repair. With respect to freestanding signs, components (supporting structures, backs, etc.) not bearing a message shall be constructed of materials that blend with the natural environment or shall be painted a neutral color to blend with the natural environment.
B. 
If a sign other than a billboard advertises a business, service, commodity, accommodation, attraction, or other enterprise or activity that is no longer operating or being offered or conducted, that sign shall be considered abandoned and shall within thirty (30) days after such abandonment be removed by the sign owner, owner of the property where the sign is located, or other property owner having control over such sign.
C. 
If the message portion of a sign is removed, leaving only the supporting "shell" of a sign or the supporting braces, anchors, or similar components, the owner of a sign or the owner of the property where the sign is located or other person having control over such sign shall either replace the entire message portion of the sign or remove the remaining components of the sign. This Subsection shall not be construed to alter the effect of Section 400.860 which prohibits the replacement of a non-conforming sign. Nor shall this Subsection be construed to prevent the changing of the message of a sign.
D. 
The area within ten (10) feet in all directions of any part of a freestanding sign shall be kept clear of all debris and all undergrowth more than twelve (12) inches.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
A. 
No person may, for the purpose of increasing or enhancing the visibility of any sign, damage, trim, destroy, or remove any trees, shrubs, or other vegetation located:
1. 
Within the right-of-way of any public street or road, unless the work is done pursuant to the express written authorization of the City or other agency having jurisdiction over the streets.
2. 
On property that is not under the ownership or control of the person doing or responsible for such work, unless the work is done pursuant to the express authorization of the person owning the property where such trees or shrubs are located.
3. 
In any area where such trees or shrubs are required to remain under a permit issued under this Article.
[Ord. No. 659 §1, 5-2-2011]
A. 
Subject to the remaining restrictions of this Section, non-conforming signs that were otherwise lawful on the effective date of this Article may be continued until they are required to be removed under this Section.
B. 
No person may engage in any activity that causes an increase in the extent of non-conformity of a non-conforming sign. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no conforming sign may be enlarged or altered in such a manner as to aggravate the non-conforming condition. Nor may illumination be added to any non-conforming sign.
C. 
A non-conforming sign may not be moved or replaced except to bring the sign into complete conformity with the Chapter.
D. 
If a non-conforming sign is destroyed by natural causes, it may not thereafter be repaired, reconstructed, or replaced except in conformance with all the provisions of this Chapter, and remnants of the former sign structure shall be cleared from the land. For the purpose of this Section, a non-conforming sign is "destroyed" if damaged to an extent that the cost of repairing the sign to its former stature or replacing it with an equivalent sign equals or exceeds the value (tax value if listed for tax purposes) of the sign so damaged.
E. 
The message of a non-conforming sign may be changed so long as this does not create any new non-conformance (for example, by creating an off-premises sign under circumstances where such a sign would not be allowed).
F. 
Subject to the other provisions of this Section, non-conforming sign may be repaired and renovated so long as the cost of such work does not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the value (appraised or tax value if listed for tax purposes) of such sign.
G. 
If a non-conforming sign other than a billboard advertises a business, service, commodity, accommodation, attraction, or other enterprise or activity that is no longer operating or being offered or conducted, that sign shall be considered abandoned and shall be removed within thirty (30) days after such abandonment by the sign owner, owner of the property where the sign is located, or other party having control over the sign.
H. 
If a non-conforming billboard remains blank for a continuous period of one hundred eighty (180) days, that billboard shall be deemed abandoned and shall, within thirty (30) days after such abandonment, be altered to comply with this Article or be removed by the sign owner, owner of the property on which the sign is located, or other person having control over such sign. For purposes of this Section, a sign is "blank" if:
1. 
It advertises a business, service, commodity, accommodation, attraction, or other enterprise or activity that is no longer operating or being offered or conducted; or
2. 
The advertising message it displays becomes illegible in whole or substantial part; or
3. 
The advertising copy paid for by a party other than the sign owner or promoting an interest other than the rental of the sign has been removed.
[Ord. No. 952, 9-19-2022]
A. 
Review. The Board of Aldermen shall be responsible for the consideration of variances related to signs.
B. 
Variance Intent. A variance allows the Board to modify an otherwise legitimate restriction when, due to unusual conditions, the restriction may be more burdensome than was intended. The variance must not impair the public purpose of the sign regulations per Section 400.810 (Purpose).
C. 
Adherence To General Sign Requirements. A sign variance application does not guarantee an approval. Aside from the specific variance request sought, the sign must meet all other City of Strafford requirements in this Article.
D. 
Application And Review Process.
1. 
An applicant for a sign variance shall provide the following information to the Board of Aldermen in consideration of a sign variance:
a. 
A written request detailing the Section of Article XIX (Signs) that the variance is being sought, an explanation why the sign cannot adhere to the Sign Ordinance, and why a sign variance is necessary.
b. 
A rendering of the proposed sign showing dimensions, height, sign composition, construction details, type of illumination (if any), distance of projection from wall, and any other pertinent information.
c. 
A plan, drawn to scale, which shows the location of the sign at the business where the sign variance is proposed and the address of the business.
d. 
For variances for wall signs, a building elevation, drawn to scale, shall be provided that shows the location of the proposed sign on the building. The building elevation shall also show the entire frontage or facade of the business with the appropriate dimensions of where the sign variance is needed, the proposed square footage of the sign, the total square footage of the building facade upon which the sign will be placed, the percent of the wall surface area that proposed sign will cover, and the building height and length dimensions.
e. 
For freestanding signs, a site plan, drawn to scale, shall be provided that shows the location of the proposed sign on the property, the location of the property line, the distance of the sign from the front and side property lines, and information that indicates that the sign is of adequate height that drivers can see other traffic approaching.
2. 
The Board of Aldermen shall utilize the following in considering the merits of an exception to the Sign Ordinance:
a. 
That the exception will not be detrimental to or cause undue hardship to the surrounding neighborhood and property owners, or to the public safety.
b. 
That the exception is in keeping with the purpose of the sign code.
c. 
That the exception to be granted is one (1) that will require the least modification to the prescribed regulations and the minimum variance that will accomplish the purpose.
d. 
That the literal enforcement of the provisions of the ordinance will result in restrictions inconsistent with the purpose of the applicable section.
E. 
Sign variances shall only be granted for the size, location, and number of signs. Variances will not be granted for prohibited signs.