[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Sands Point 10-25-2022 by L.L. No. 20-2022. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Legislative intent; findings. The purpose of this section is to promote and protect the public health, welfare, safety, and aesthetics of the Village and its residents by regulating the size, location, height, condition, and physical appearance of all Signs in the Village. The Village Board finds that regulating Signs will reduce distractions, obstructions, and hazards that may contribute to traffic accidents, and provide more visible open space that will improve the Village's appearance and attractiveness. The Village Board further finds that the provisions of this section will allow for appropriate signage in limited circumstances while protecting the Village's character, appearance, and environment.
B. 
Except as provided in § 145-22 of the Village Code concerning the placement and construction of street Signs, the erection and maintenance of all Signs within the Village shall conform to the provisions of this section.
As used in this section, the following terms, words, and phrases shall have the meanings indicated and be construed as follows:
Area Signs
Signs designating specific areas, streets, or neighborhoods of the Village approved for installation by the Village.
Building Department
The building department of the Village.
Celebratory Sign
Any Sign at a residential property to acknowledge a family-related, life-cycle event, or milestone, such as a birthday, graduation, or anniversary.
Enforcement Officials
The Superintendent of the Building Dept, The Superintendent of Public Works, an officer of the Sands Point Police Dept, or a Code Enforcement Officer of the Village.
Institutional Identification Sign
Any Sign that identifies a place of worship, a not-for-profit institution, a school or educational institution, a public or municipal agency or facility, a private membership club, or any other non-residential use.
Permit-exempt Signs
A Property Identification Sign, a Temporary Notification Sign, or any informational device erected or maintained by a governmental authority, including, but not limited to, the Village or any department thereof.
Political Sign
Any advertising or identification Sign, the purpose of which is to identify or promote the election of any person or persons seeking public office or any organization established or formed for the purpose of promoting the election of such person, to promote the election of or support of members of a specific political party, or to support, advocate, or promote the passage or rejection of a proposition, legislation, or referendum.
Property Identification Sign
Property or residence nameplates, street number Signs, "beware" or "caution" Signs, "private property," "no soliciting," or "no trespassing" Signs, Signs that indicate that the residential property has an inground electronic fence system for pets, or Signs that indicate that the residential property is protected by an alarm or surveillance systems.
Public Opinion Sign
Any Sign which contains information, opinions, attitudes, or beliefs about a particular topic, including but not limited to social, political, or environmental issues.
Public Way
Any public or private street, road, right-of-way, highway, sidewalk, or waterway.
Sign
Every kind of signboard, billboard, and other shape, device, or display arranged, designated, intended, or used as an announcement, advertisement, or direction including informational material, such as a word, text, abbreviation, letter, punctuation mark, trademark symbol, figure, or shape, as well as representation by picture, model, drawing, or similar means, which is visible from any Public Way, including material on or behind a window or glass door, and which informs the viewer about the item, thing, or subject referred to, including its identity or location. The definition of a Sign shall include flags except for the flag of the United States of America.
Sign Event
A period of time during which Celebratory Signs, Political Signs, and Public Opinion Signs permitted under this law, are displayed.
Sign Permit
A type of building permit issued by the Village that authorizes the installation, erection, construction, alteration, maintenance or reconstruction of a Sign, except for Permit-exempt Signs
Temporary Notification Signs
Temporary directional signs displayed during Village approved film shoots, or ground flags that warn of the recent spraying of chemicals or pesticides on a property.
Village
The Incorporated Village of Sands Point.
Village Board
The Board of Trustees of the Village.
Village Code
The local laws, ordinances, and certain resolutions of the Village.
A. 
Any Celebratory Sign, Public Opinion Sign, or Political Sign that is not greater than 18 inches in length by 24 inches in height, or three-square feet in area, subject, however, to the following restrictions:
i. 
Such Signs may be installed or displayed for no more than three consecutive weeks;
ii. 
No more than two Sign Events are permitted in any rolling 12-month period; and
iii. 
A minimum time period of three weeks must elapse between Sign Events.
iv. 
Shall be placed in the ground on stakes and the top of the Sign shall be no higher than 42 inches above the ground.
v. 
Shall be placed no closer than 30 feet of any the curb or edge of a Public Way
B. 
Any Property Identification Sign that does not exceed two square feet.
C. 
Any Institutional Identification Sign with dimensions not to exceed three feet in length by two feet in height.
D. 
Area Signs.
A. 
Any Sign on any property that is not permitted by this Chapter.
B. 
Any Sign on any property for which a Sign Permit has not been issued by the Village unless otherwise exempted.
C. 
Any Sign placed on any property that is not a Celebratory Sign, Property Identification Sign, Political Sign, or Public Opinion Sign conforming to the time, manner, and duration restrictions of the Village Code, or a Sign permitted by §§ 145-22 and 130-3(E) of the Village Code.
D. 
On any residential property, no more than two Signs otherwise permitted by the Village Code shall be displayed at one time.
Celebratory Signs, Political Signs, and Public Opinion Signs installed or displayed in violation of the time, manner, and duration restrictions of the Village Code. Signs in a Public Way, except Permit-exempt Signs
E. 
Signs with artificial lighting sources or reflectors connected to or used therewith.
F. 
Signs with right angles or that project or extend into a Public Way.
G. 
Signs that consist of a painted surface utilizing fluorescent or DayGlo™ colors.
H. 
Revolving Signs.
I. 
Signs that are lighted with blinking, intermittent flashing, strobe, or animated illumination.
J. 
Illuminated Signs which have exposed bulbs or light tubing (such as, but not limited to, neon or other chemical lights), wherein the light source itself is shaped and utilized to form the Sign, a name, a logo, or a design.
K. 
Signs which seek to advertise businesses, activities, products, or services that are not conducted on the property where such Signs are located or which are in violation of Village zoning uses.
L. 
Signs, except Permit-exempt Signs, attached to fences, trees, utility poles, or other supporting devices, other than ground stakes to support a ground Sign.
M. 
Signs located so as to obstruct the vision of pedestrian or vehicular traffic or create a hazard, disturbance, or distraction to the health and welfare of the general public, as determined by an Enforcement Officer.
N. 
Signs with contractor contact information or other information required by the Village or the Building Department on construction sites which conform to the requests of the Village.
A. 
No Sign, except Permit-exempt Signs, shall be erected, maintained, located, displayed, altered, reconstructed, enlarged, extended, or relocated within the Village without first obtaining a Sign Permit from the Village.
B. 
An application for a Sign Permit shall be made to the Village for each Sign on a form furnished by the Village. Each application shall be accompanied by the written consent of the owner of the real property upon which the Sign is to be erected or maintained. The application shall include such documents as required by the Village, if requested, including, but not limited to, a color rendering of the proposed Sign, which shall be prepared to scale and shall show the actual color of the proposed Sign.
C. 
Applications for Celebratory Signs, Political Signs, and Public Opinion Signs shall be reviewed for compliance with the Village Code, and approved or rejected on an expedited basis and in no event more than three business days from the date that a complete application is filed.
D. 
An application for a Sign Permit shall be accompanied by payment of a fee as set forth in Chapter 82 of the Village Code. No fee shall be required for a Political Sign, Public Opinion Sign, or Celebratory Sign.
A. 
All Signs, except for Permit-exempt Signs, shall be removed by the person erecting, owning, maintaining, or displaying the Sign, or the owner of the property where the Sign is located, no later than three weeks after the Sign Permit was issued by the Village.
B. 
All Institutional Identification Signs and Area Signs shall be removed no later than the date of expiration, if any, of a duly issued Sign Permit.
C. 
In addition to any and all other remedies available at law or equity, the Village shall be authorized to immediately, without prior notice, physically remove and confiscate any Signs on the ground or attached to fences, trees, utility poles, or similar supporting devices that are located in a Public Way.
A. 
If an Enforcement Official determines that any Sign is unsafe, dangerous, defective, insecure, tends to endanger the safety of the public, or has been constructed, created, or is being maintained in violation of the provisions of this section, then they may give written notice of same to the owner and/or occupant of the property where such Sign is installed and require that such conditions are corrected within five calendar days.
B. 
An Enforcement Official may cause any Sign which appears to be an imminent danger to the safety of persons or property in the Village to be removed summarily and without notice.
The owner and/or occupant of any property violating any of the provisions of this section, shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine not exceeding $500.00 for each violation, regardless of any convictions for prior violations. Each continuous day in which such violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct violation regardless of prior conviction.
An Enforcement Official shall have power and authority to enforce the provisions of this section. Such authority shall be in addition to any other enforcement authority provided by law.
The denial of an application for a Sign Permit by the Superintendent of the Building Department may be appealed to the Board of Zoning Appeals.