Village of Lowville, NY: Design, construction, and location of signs.

The purpose of this article is intended to accomplish the following objectives:

To encourage a high standard for signs to enhance the aesthetic appearance and attractiveness of the community, and to further create an environment that contributes to the ability of the community to attract economic development and growth.

To ensure that signs are designed, constructed, installed, and maintained so that public safety and traffic safety are not compromised.

To minimize distractions and obstructions of view that contribute to traffic hazards and may endanger the public.

To allow for adequate and effective signs for communicating identifications and promoting businesses.

In the interest of public safety, the visibility of street name signs, street address information, and address numbers for use by emergency responders (fire, police, and medical) is of preeminent importance and should be considered during the placement of signs covered under this chapter.

§ 201-710 Existing signs.

Any signs existing as of the effective date of this chapter shall be considered to be preexisting, nonconforming signs as to placement and size only and grandfathered to that extent. Should repairs and or content updates be required to preexisting nonconforming signs, signs similar in size and placement may be grandfathered by the Planning Board. This provision is to encourage business and economic development by taking pride in the appearance of signs.

§ 201-715 Design, construction, and location of signs.

No sign shall be designed and located in such a manner as to impair public safety; restrict clear vision between a sidewalk and street; be confused with any traffic sign or signal; or prevent free access to any door, window or fire escape.

No portion of any sign shall encroach upon any public right of way, with the exception of projecting signs in the Village Center Zone, which shall be no lower than eight feet off the ground.

Signs shall be set back 10 feet from any lot line, with the exception of signs attached to buildings that are less than 10 feet from a lot line.

Signs shall not be placed in side or rear yards in all Neighborhood Commercial and Residential Zones.

Signs shall be designed to withstand a wind pressure load of at least 30 pounds per square foot.

All signs shall comply with the appropriate provisions of the New York State Building Code, and shall maintain clearances from all overhead electrical conductors in accordance with the National Electrical Code, provided that no sign shall be installed closer than 10 feet horizontally or vertically to any conductor.

No sign shall be allowed to remain with a bent or broken display area, broken supports, loose appendages or struts, or stand more than 15 degrees away from the perpendicular for a period of more than 30 successive days.

No indirect or internally illuminated sign shall be allowed to have only partial illumination for a period of more than 30 successive days.

Temporary signs must be erected in a location that does not present any safety hazard or litter problem. Once placed, they are intended to remain in that location no more than 30 days.

No sign shall be erected or allowed to remain erected that, in the opinion of the Zoning Officer/Code Enforcement Official or Public Works Department, is structurally unsafe and constitutes a danger to public safety. If any sign should become insecure, in danger of falling, or otherwise unsafe, the owner thereof or the person maintaining the sign shall immediately secure or remove the sign.

Signs shall remain legible and be maintained to reflect current uses.

Advertising signs unrelated to the premises or serving as a directional sign for an establishment more than two miles from the premises are not permitted.

Any sign that fails to comply with the requirements above must be immediately removed by the owner of the property or the person responsible for the sign. Should a hazardous sign not be removed in a timely manner, the Village of Lowville retains the right to remove a sign, holding it until the owner retrieves it.

Any individual not in compliance with this section may be subject to a fine of $50 following § 201-1365.

§ 201-720 Prohibited signs.

Audible signs. No sign shall be allowed that emits any sound capable of being detected on a public street or adjoining property.

Flashing signs. No sign shall be allowed which utilizes flashing or strobe-type lights, or any type of pulsating or moving light. Electronic message boards may only be used if they match the definition of such and in compliance with Article VII in its entirety.

Signs attached to or painted on selected features. No sign shall be allowed which is attached to a utility pole, street sign, or is attached to or painted on tree trunks, rocks, or other natural objects unless it is the personal property of the person/business applying the sign.

Signs imitating traffic or emergency signals. No sign shall be allowed which imitates an official traffic sign or signal, or contains words or symbols displayed in a manner that might mislead or confuse drivers of vehicles, or which displays intermittent lights resembling the color, size, shape, or order of lights customarily used in traffic signals, on emergency vehicles, or on law enforcement vehicles, except as part of a permitted private or public traffic control sign.

No rooftop signs shall be permitted within the Village of Lowville. Notwithstanding the foregoing, rooftop signs existing as of the effective date of this chapter may remain and may be maintained and, if damaged or destroyed beyond repair, may be replaced in the same location with a sign of the same dimensions.

§ 201-725 Temporary signs.

Temporary signs within this chapter are considered to be any signs intended to be erected for a period less than 30 days, with the exemption of on-premises seasonal advertising signs, and election signs. Signs that are placed for greater than 30 days are to be considered permanent signs and will be permitted pursuant to permanent sign regulations. See Appendix A, 201 Attachment 3, for more information regarding signs.

Temporary signs are to be placed for a period specified by sign type below and must meet all size, safety and construction regulations in § 201-715 of this chapter.

Banner over public right-of-way. Banners advertising community events spanning over public rights- of-way are allowed, subject to approval by the appropriate State DOT agency or appropriate local governmental (county or municipal) agency responsible for maintenance of the right-of-way. Banners attached to existing utility poles shall require the approval of such utility agency. Banners shall be removed no later than seven calendar days after event's end. Placement requires a permit.

Contractor sign. Contractor signs displaying the names of the builders, contractors, architects, engineers, craftsmen, artisans, and similar information may be erected upon the premises of any work, construction, major repairs, or improvements. The display area of such signs shall not exceed 24 square feet. Signs shall be removed no later than seven calendar days after project completion. Placement does not require a permit.

Election sign. Signs announcing candidates seeking public office or relating to any election or public referendum shall be allowed. Such signs shall be placed only on private property, and removed within seven calendar days after the election or referendum. These signs are not required to be set back from road rights-of-way barring no visual obstruction occurs. Placement does not require a permit.

Inflatable sign. Inflatable signs are either expanded to their full dimensions or supported by gases contained with the sign parts at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. Signs must meet manufacturer specifications and be securely anchored. Signs must not be placed in the public right-of-way. Inflatable signs shall be removed no later than one calendar day after the end of the event. Placement requires a permit.

Off-premises directional sign. Temporary directional signs are intended for use with activities for civic, church, or community special events, and real estate signs not associated with permanent business activities. These signs shall not exceed 12 square feet per sign and must be located on private property with the property owner's permission. There may be only one sign per 500 feet of street frontage or portion thereof and such signs do not have to be set back from the street right-of-way. These signs must be removed within seven calendar days after the end of the event for which they were intended. Placement does not require a permit.

On-premises seasonal advertising sign. Seasonal signs that are on-premises signs advertising seasonal or holiday products or services. These signs shall not exceed 24 square feet in area. There may be only one sign per 500 feet of street frontage or portion thereof and such signs must be removed within seven calendar days after the end of the season. These signs shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the street right-of-way. Placement does not require a permit.

Pennant. Pennants are any lightweight plastic, fabric, or other material, regardless of shape, whether or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a rope, wire, or string, usually in series, designed to move with the wind. Pennants shall be limited to two strands for every 100 feet of road frontage or portion thereof. A strand is defined as being between two attachment points. Pennants shall be removed no later than seven calendar days after the event ends, or 30 days from installation, whichever is sooner. Pennants and/or attachment points shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the road right-of-way. Placement does not require a permit.

Personal message sign. Short-term personal information signs, such as garage sale, lost and found pets, and wedding and reception directions, are allowed, provided they are located on private property. These signs shall not exceed six square feet in size, are limited to no more than seven consecutive days, and must be removed within one calendar day after the completion of the event. These signs do not have to be set back from road rights-of-way. Placement does not require a permit unless the personal message sign is intended to be in place longer than to 30 days then refer to § 201-735 of this chapter.

Real estate sign. Real estate signs are temporary signs offering real estate for sale, rent, or lease; one sign per road frontage not to exceed six square feet advertising the sale, rental, or lease of the premises on which displayed. Placement shall not exceed seven calendar days following the sale, rental or lease of the property. All such signs shall be set back at least 10 feet from any property line. Placement does not require a permit unless placement exceeds 30 days; see § 201-735 of this chapter.

Sponsorship sign. Sponsorship signs are signs employed by a school or by a civic, fraternal, religious, charitable or similar organization, which identifies the sponsor (by name, address and/or logo, crest, insignia, trademark or emblem only) of recreational or sports facilities provided on the premises where such signs are displayed. "Sponsorship fence signs" shall mean sponsorship signs affixed to permanent fencing. "Facility" shall mean the entire premises of an elementary or secondary school or a recreation or a sports facility. These signs are intended to be used for a specific event or sporting season. They must meet all safety standards and local event/location restrictions imposed by the event committee, site owner, etc. Such signs intended to remain beyond 30 days shall require a permit under § 201-735 of this chapter.

Subdivision sign. Subdivision signs advertise two or more lots for sale on a site. One sign shall be allowed per road entrance to the subdivision and located on the property to be subdivided, not to exceed 32 square feet. Such sign may not be erected until the subdivision has been approved by the appropriate officials. Placement shall not exceed 30 days; however if an extension of time is necessary a permit maybe be required under § 201-735 of this chapter. The display period may be extended upon approval of the Planning Board for a reasonable period of time, not to exceed one year at any given time.

§ 201-730 Permanent signs (permit not required).

Signs that are placed for greater than 30 days are to be considered permanent signs. Placement of permanent signs listed below (§ 201-730 A-H) do(es) not require a zoning permit from the Zoning Officer. See Appendix A, 201 Attachment 3, for more information regarding signs.[1]

Architectural features. Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights.

Address sign. Signs bearing only property numbers, post box numbers, or names of occupants of premises, not to exceed two square feet.

Flag. Official flags of government jurisdictions, including flags indicating weather conditions and flags which contain graphics that are decorative in nature or emblems of on-premises religious, charitable, public, and nonprofit organizations.

Incidental sign. Signs used in conjunction with equipment or other functional elements of a use or operation. These shall include, but not be limited to, drive-through window menu boards, and signs on automatic teller machines, gas pumps, vending machines, or newspaper delivery boxes.

Parking sign. Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property but bearing no advertising matter other than the respective business logo.

Plaque. Commemorative plaques placed by agencies recognized by local, state or federal government.

Public sign. Signs of a public or noncommercial nature, which shall include community service information signs, public transit service signs, public utility information signs, safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, signs indicating scenic or historic points of interest, traffic control signs, required grant funding signs and all signs erected by a public officer in the performance of a public duty.

Window sign. Signs inside buildings intended for viewing from the exterior of a window or door.

[1]

Editor's Note: Appendix A is included as an attachment to this chapter.

§ 201-735 Permanent signs (permit required).

Signs that are placed for greater than 30 days are to be considered permanent signs. Placement of permanent signs listed below requires a zoning permit from the Zoning Officer. See Appendix A, 201 Attachment 3, for more information regarding signs.[1]

Mural. Paintings of a non-commercial/non-advertising nature applied to and made integral with the surface of walls shall be permitted by site plan review.

Off-premises advertising sign. Off-premises business/advertising signs shall conform to the following standards:

(1)

Freestanding sign.

(a)

Number allowed per lot: one.

(b)

Maximum size: 32 square feet.

(c)

Maximum height: eight feet.

(d)

Minimum setback: see § 201-715C and D.

On-premises business sign. On-premises business/advertising signs shall conform to the following standards:

(1)

Freestanding sign.

(a)

Number allowed per lot: one.

(b)

Maximum size: 80 square feet.

(c)

Maximum height: 20 feet.

(d)

Minimum setback: see § 201-715C and D.

(2)

Wall sign.

(a)

Number allowed: one per business.

(b)

Maximum size: one square foot per building front length.

[1]

"Building front" is defined as the side of the building that faces the street used in the property address.

[2]

Buildings that house multiple businesses are allowed one wall sign per business; the total square footage of all wall signs combined must not exceed one square foot per building front.

(3)

Projecting sign.

(a)

Number allowed: one per business.

(b)

Maximum size: 16 square feet.

(c)

Minimum height off ground: eight feet.

(4)

Canopy sign.

(a)

Number allowed: one per canopy side.