[Amended 2-14-1991 by Ord. No. 5-91]
The following signs are permitted in all zones
except for the PA Zone:
A. Government building signs, which may be illuminated,
consisting of signs erected on a Township, county, state or federal
building which announce the name, nature of the occupancy and information
as to use of or admission to the premises.
B. Transit direction signs, which may be illuminated,
consisting of signs designating the location of a transit line, railroad
station or other public carrier and which shall not be larger than
three square feet in area.
C. Street signs, consisting of signs erected by the Township,
county, state or federal government for street direction.
D. Small wall signs, consisting of a wall sign erected
on a building or structure, which shall not be larger than two square
feet in area.
E. Direction signs, consisting of such signs which, in
connection with a nonresidential principal or accessory use, may be
necessary to provide direction to specific buildings, places and off-street
parking areas. Such signs may be illuminated and may be either freestanding
ground signs or signs attached or otherwise affixed to a building
or other structure. All such signs shall be located on the premises
which they are intended to serve, and no such sign shall be larger
than four square feet in area.
F. Permitted temporary signs:
(1) One temporary sign, not larger than four square feet
in area, advertising the sale, lease or rental of the residential
premises on which it is located. This regulation shall apply to all
residentially zoned land and to all residential uses of land in any
zone in which such residential use is permitted.
(2) One temporary sign, not larger than 12 square feet
in area, advertising the sale, lease or rental of the commercial or
industrial premises on which it is located. This regulation shall
apply to all land zoned for commercial or industrial use and to all
commercial or industrial uses of land in any zone in which such commercial
or industrial use is permitted.
(3) Not more than two temporary freestanding ground signs
on a subdivision which has been approved by the Township, provided
that each such sign is not larger than 200 square feet in area.
(4) Temporary construction signs, engineers' and architects'
signs and other similar signs which shall be authorized by the Construction
Official in connection with construction operations and which shall
be located on the premises subject to such construction operations.
(5) Temporary special decorative displays used for holidays,
public demonstrations or promotion of civic welfare or charitable
purposes, when authorized by Township authorities, on which there
is not any commercial advertising, and provided that the Township
is held harmless for any damage resulting therefrom.
(6) Removal of temporary signs. All permitted temporary
signs shall be removed by the person or party which erected such sign
in accordance with the following schedule:
(a)
Temporary signs advertising sale, lease or rental
of premises: within five business days after sale, lease or rental
of the premises.
(b)
Temporary subdivision signs: within 10 business
days after 75% of the lots have been sold or dwellings have been erected
on 75% of said lots, whichever shall first occur.
(c)
Temporary construction, engineers', architects'
and other similar signs: within five business days after completion
of construction operations on the premises.
(d)
Temporary special decorative displays: within
10 business days after the holiday or holidays, public demonstration
or promotion, as the case may be.
(7) Temporary signs used for commercial advertising,
sales and promotions. One temporary sign, not larger than 16 square
feet in area, double-sided, promoting a special sale or other advertising
event on the site shall be permitted under the following schedule:
[Added 2-11-1993 by Ord. No. 93-12]
(a)
A temporary advertising sign will be allowed
up to one week maximum per month not to exceed six times per year.
(b)
An application for a permit for the temporary
advertising sign must be obtained from the Land Use Office of the
Township. Said application will include the name and address of the
business enterprise, the date to which the sign will be erected and
the date of the removal of the sign, together with a sketch or photo
of the proposed sign.
(c)
Removal of temporary advertising sign. All permitted
temporary advertising signs shall be removed at the end of the period
allowed on the permit. Violation of this section will subject the
violator to a fine not to exceed $500. Each separate day on which
a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation. Upon
conviction, the Municipal Court may suspend the ability of any violator
to obtain additional temporary sign permits for up to one year.
(8) Special requirements for temporary signs.
[Added 6-23-1994 by Ord. No. 94-34]
(a)
Banner and cloth signs. Except as otherwise
specified in this article, all temporary signs and banners attached
to or suspended from a building and constructed of cloth or other
combustible material shall be strongly constructed and shall be securely
attached to their supports.
(b)
Maximum size. Temporary signs of combustible
construction shall not be more than 10 feet in one dimension nor more
than 500 square feet in area.
(9) Temporary political signs shall be permitted in all
zones, including the PA Zone. The size of the temporary political
signs shall not exceed the maximum size of the signs permitted in
any designated zone.
[Added 6-23-1994 by Ord. No. 94-34]
G. Use of more than one enterprise unit (store, office
or business place) shall entitle the business to the same sign allowances
as if they were individual units.
[Added 2-11-1993 by Ord. No. 93-12]
[Amended 2-11-1993 by Ord. No. 93-12; 6-23-1994 by Ord. No. 94-34]
A. All temporary signs and all freestanding ground signs
which are for enterprise identification or advertising or for identification
or advertising of hospitals or other public or quasi-public uses shall
be set back a minimum distance of 10 feet from the street or curbline.
B. All direction signs permitted as necessary to provide
direction to specific buildings, places and off-street parking areas
shall be set back a minimum distance of five feet from the street
or curbline.
C. Bottom clearance.
(1) For freestanding ground signs four square feet or
smaller in area, the lower edge of such sign shall not be less than
30 inches above the ground level. The intervening space may be filled
with open lattice work or platform decorative trim.
(2) For freestanding ground signs larger than four square
feet in area, the lower edge of such sign shall not be less than 60
inches above the ground level. The intervening space may be filled
with open lattice work or platform decorative trim.
(3) For roof signs, there shall be clear space of not
less than six feet between the lowest part of the sign and the roof
level, except for necessary structural supports.
(4) For projecting signs, there shall be a clear space
of not less than 10 feet below all parts of the sign. In addition,
no projecting sign shall extend over a street or other public space
more than 10 feet from the building or structure, nor in any case
beyond a vertical plane two feet inside the curbline.
D. Egress and access obstructions. In order to prevent
obstruction to fire-fighting forces, no sign shall be erected, constructed,
altered or maintained so as to obstruct any fire escape, required
exitway, window or door opening used as an element of a means of egress
or as to prevent free passage from one part of a roof to another part
thereof or access thereto.
[Added 2-11-1993 by Ord. No. 93-12]
Except as otherwise provided in this article,
the lawful use of signs existing at the date of the adoption of this
chapter may be continued although such sign(s) does not conform to
the regulations specified by this chapter for the zone in which the
sign is located, provided that:
A. Nonconforming signs shall not be enlarged, expanded,
extended or increased unless by such action it complies with this
chapter.
B. Whenever 50% or more of a nonconforming sign is destroyed,
it cannot be rebuilt except in conformance with all applicable ordinances
of the Township of Lacey.