No person, firm or corporation shall erect any sign, signboard, or rigid canopy in the Village without having first obtained a permit, therefore. Permits for signs, canopies or signboards shall be issued by the Village Clerk, upon payment of the fee as designated in the building fee schedule and shall designate the location of the proposed structure, ensuring that it complies with all the regulations as herein specified.
Applications for such permits shall be made in writing to the Building Inspector. Each application shall state thereon the name, address and telephone number of the owner of the premises, the name, address and telephone number of the person or corporation constructing the sign; and specifications showing the size, material and manner of construction of the sign.
The following signs shall not require a permit; however, such signs shall be subject to the sign regulations:
A.
Non-electrical real estate signs not exceeding six square feet in area, which advertise the sale, rental, or lease of the premises upon which said signs are located only.
B.
Signs, including bulletin boards, which are not over 16 square feet in area for public, educational, charitable, fraternal, or religious institutions when the same are located on the premises of such institution.
C.
Signs denoting only the name and profession/business of an occupant in a commercial building, public institution building, or dwelling house and not exceeding two square feet in area.
D.
A non-electrical single sign denoting the architect, engineer or contractor when placed upon work under construction and not exceeding 32 square feet in area.
E.
Memorial signs or tablet, names of buildings, and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other noncombustible materials.
F.
Publicly owned street name signs, traffic control signs, legal notices, railroad crossing signs, danger and temporary warning or emergency signs; and emblems, names, logo, and symbols on motor vehicles and equipment being used for purposes other than the display of signs or advertising devices.
G.
Public service signs which give only directions "in and out" or signs which provide only information about directing people to ancillary facilities such as parking, entrance, etc.
H.
A non-electrical temporary sign supporting a candidacy for office or urging action on any other matter on the ballot of a primary, general or special election or Village election, provided that said signs be removed within five days after the election to which said signs pertain.
I.
A non-electrical temporary or portable sign.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. IV)]
The Building Inspector or designee shall inspect signs subject to the provisions of the sign regulations for the purpose of determining whether the same is in compliance with the sign regulations. All signs shall be constructed in such a manner and installed with such materials so as to be considered safe and substantial by the Building Inspector and to meet the requirements of the Building Code in effect in the Village. Signs shall be maintained to be structurally sound and in a safe condition and shall be kept in a state of undeteriorated appearance by means of painting, sealing, or coating and repair or replacement of damaged parts, panels, or lights.
Any sign now or hereafter existing, which for a period of six months no longer advertises a bona fide business conducted, or a product sold, or a service offered, shall be taken down and removed by the owner or owners of the building or premises upon which it is located within 30 days of written notice from the Building Inspector.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. IV)]
No person shall have or permit on any premises:
A.
A ground sign which extends to any degree over public property.
B.
Any signs which employ flashing, blinking or rotating lights, except time and temperature signs.
C.
Any off premises sign shall not be permitted in any residential district in the Village, nor shall any off premises sign exceed 300 square feet, contain more than two surfaces back to back, or be nearer than a 350-foot radius from any other off premises sign.
D.
Signs attached to or placed upon rocks, fences, trees, utility poles, or benches; provided, however, that this subsection shall not apply to residential development signs permitted in accordance with § 310-12.09B(2).
No person shall erect any sign at the intersection of any street in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision of such intersection, or at any location where by reason of the position, shape or color it may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device.
Lighting shall be permitted on signs; provided, however, the reflectors shall be provided with proper lenses, concentrating the illumination on the area of the sign to prevent glare upon the street or adjacent property. It shall be unlawful for any person to have any sign which is wholly or partially illuminated by floodlights or spotlights that interfere with the vision of pedestrian or vehicular traffic or residences.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. IV)]
A.
For all signs subject to the sign regulations, in the Village of Dwight there may be three square feet of signage for each foot of street frontage. Where any side of a building abuts on an alley, only painted on wall signs shall be permitted on the side abutting the alley. Such sign shall be calculated as part of total permissible signage. Signs for adult entertainment establishments shall be regulated by Chapter 90, Adult Uses, of the Village Code; see § 90-9H.
B.
For all signs subject to the sign regulations in residential zoning districts, only the following signs shall be allowed:
(2)
Signs bearing the name and address of a residential development having a character of design and construction in harmony with that of the development itself, and not exceeding 32 square feet in area. Such signs may be incorporated in or affixed to fences or walls, provided that all applicable standards and requirements are complied with.
All ground signs subject to sign regulations shall meet the following requirements:
A.
All letters, figures, characters, or representations in cut out or irregular form maintained in conjunction with or attached to or superimposed upon any ground sign shall be safely and securely built or attached to the sign's structure.
B.
Signs and location:
(1)
It shall be unlawful to erect or permit any ground sign of a height greater than 75 feet in any District with the following exception:
(a)
Ground signs for businesses whose property directly abuts (is adjacent to) the Interstate only may be of a height no greater than 100 feet.
(2)
Off premises ground signs will be permitted to have a maximum of 300 square feet of sign surface on a side.
(3)
No ground sign shall be erected or permitted nearer the street than the property line. No part of said sign shall be permitted to overhang the public domain or present a traffic hazard by limiting visibility.
(4)
The minimum distance between on premises ground signs on any one business location shall be 50 feet.
Wall signs subject to the sign regulations shall meet the following location requirements:
A.
Limitation on placement. No wall sign shall cover wholly or partially any wall opening or project beyond the ends or tops of the wall to which it is attached.
B.
Projection over public property. No wall sign shall be erected in a plane which is more than 12 inches over the surface of any public right-of-way.
C.
Alleys. Only wall signs painted on the wall of a building will be permitted.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. IV)]
A.
Materials. The uprights, supports, and braces of roof signs subject to the sign regulations shall be constructed of materials as set forth in the Building Code adopted by the Village of Dwight.
B.
Location.
(1)
No roof sign shall have its highest point extend more than 20 feet above the roof level.
(2)
No roof sign shall be erected or maintained with a face thereof nearer than five feet to the outside wall toward the sign faces.
(3)
No roof sign shall be placed on the roof of any building or structure in such manner as to prevent free passage from one part of said roof to another part thereof or interfere with openings on said roof.
C.
Bracing, anchorage, and supports. Every roof sign shall be thoroughly secured to the building by iron or other metal anchors, bolts, supports, rods, or braces. The sign supports shall be anchored to the basic building structure, roof joists, or roof girders. The bearing posts of such sign may bear on masonry walls or intermediate steel columns in the building or shall be supported or anchored to the structural members of the building.
D.
Off premises signage. Off premises roof signs shall not be permitted.
All projecting signs subject to the sign regulations shall meet the following requirements:
A.
Support. All bracing systems shall be designed and constructed to transfer lateral forces to the foundations. For signs on buildings, the dead and lateral loads shall be transmitted through the structural members of the building to the ground in such manner as not to over stress any of the elements thereof.
B.
Limitations on glass. The lettering or advertising design to be illuminated on projecting signs may be composed of glass or other transparent or semi-transparent material. Any glass forming a part of any sign shall be safety glass or wire glass.
C.
Movable parts. Any movable parts of a projecting sign such as a cover of a service opening shall be securely fastened by safety chains or hinges.
D.
Height. The top line of the projecting sign shall not be higher than the roof or parapet line of the building to which it is attached, except that when the roof line is less than 15 feet in height, the sign may extend three feet above; but under no circumstances shall the top line of a projecting sign be permitted at a height of more than 60 feet above ground level.
E.
Thickness. The distance measured between the principal faces of any projecting sign shall not exceed 18 inches.
F.
Location. The bottom line of every projecting sign shall be placed at least 10 feet above any public sidewalk over which it is erected. A maximum extension of six feet will be permitted providing it is no nearer than two feet from the curbline. No projecting signs shall be erected in an alleyway. No projecting signs shall project across or over any portion of a public roadway. The minimum distance between projecting signs on any one business location shall be 50 feet.
A.
Temporary and/or portable signs subject to the sign regulations are allowed at any time provided they shall meet the following requirements:
B.
One temporary sign may be located on the owner's property for a period of 60 days prior to an election involving candidates for a federal, state, or local office.
C.
One temporary sign may be located on a property when:
(1)
The owner consents and that property is being offered for sale through a licensed real estate agent.
(2)
If not offered for sale through a real estate agent, when the sign is owned by the property owner and that property is offered for sale by the owner through advertising in a local newspaper of general circulation; and
(3)
For a period of 15 days following the date on which a contract of sale has been executed by a person purchasing the property.
D.
One temporary sign may be located on the owner's property on a day when the owner is opening the property to the public; provided, however, the owner may not use this type of sign in a Residential District on more than three consecutive days and may not use this type of sign in any Business or Industrial District for more than 14 consecutive days.
Marquee signs subject to the sign regulations shall meet the following provisions:
A.
Signs attached to or placed upon the roof of a marquee shall be completely within the border line of the marquee's outer edge.
B.
Signs hung from a marquee shall be completely within the border line of the marquee's outer edge and in no instance shall the bottom of said sign be lower than 7 1/2 feet above the sidewalk or public thoroughfare. No hanging or suspended sign shall exceed 18 inches in height overall.
The name of the owner and the business, industry, or pursuit conducted within the premises may be painted or otherwise permanently placed in a space not exceeding 12 inches in height on the front and side portions thereof, or on signs suspended beneath a canopy, but no portion thereof may be lower than 7 1/2 feet above a sidewalk.
Signs, except temporary and/or portable signs, in existence on December 1, 1990, when these sign regulations became effective, may continue in existence, provided they comply with all regulations of this section, including the following:
A.
Structural alterations. A sign shall not be altered structurally or moved unless it is made to comply with the provisions of this section, except that the changing of the movable parts of an existing sign that is designed for such changes, or the repainting or reposting of display matter shall not be deemed a structural alteration.
B.
Discontinuation of use. The lawful use of a sign existing on the effective date of these regulations, although such sign does not conform to the provisions hereof, may continue; but if such nonconforming use is discontinued for a period of six months, any future use of such sign shall be in conformity with the provisions of this section.
C.
Damages. No sign which has been damaged by fire, wind, explosion, or other act of God to the extent that 50% or more of the sign is destroyed, shall be restored except in conformity with the regulations of this section. Any sign which has been damaged to an extent less than 50% may be restored to its condition which existed as a nonconforming use prior to its damage within six months after having been so damaged. If not restored within six months, such sign shall be in conformity with the provisions of this section.
D.
Temporary and/or portable signs. Any temporary and/or portable sign in existence as of December 1, 1990, shall be considered as newly placed and subject to the requirements of this section.