Village of Quogue, NY Article VIII Signs

[Added 8-21-1992 by L.L. No. 5-1992[1]]

[1] Editor's Note: This local law also renumbered former Art. VIII, Special Lot Line Requirements, as Art. VIIIA.

§ 196-40 Purpose; definitions.

A. Purpose. The purpose of this article is to promote and protect the public safety and welfare by regulating signs of all types and in all districts. The regulation of signs will enhance and protect the physical appearance of the Village of Quogue, preserve its scenic and natural beauty and provide a more enjoyable and pleasing community. The regulation of signs will also protect property values, provide a more attractive economic and business climate and provide a more attractive residential environment. The regulation of signs will also promote public safety by reducing sign or advertising distractions and obstructions that may contribute to traffic accidents.

B. Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the indicated meanings:

AWNING SIGN

Any visual message incorporated into an awning attached to a building.

CONSTRUCTION SIGN

A temporary sign used to advertise the construction or alteration of a structure on the lot on which it is displayed.

FREESTANDING SIGN

Any sign not attached to or part of any building but separate and permanently affixed by any other means in or upon the ground. Included are pole signs, pylon signs and masonry wall-type signs.

IDENTIFICATION SIGN

A sign which directs attention to a business or profession conducted upon the property where the sign is located or to a commodity or service sold or offered upon the property where the sign is located.

ILLUMINATED SIGN

A sign illuminated by electricity, gas or other artificial light either from the interior or exterior of the sign and which includes reflective and phosphorescent light.

NAME SIGN

A sign used solely for showing the name and address of the occupant of a residence on the property on which it is displayed.

OFF-PREMISES SIGN

A sign which directs attention to a business or profession which is not conducted upon the property where the sign is located or to a commodity or service which is not sold or offered upon the property where the sign is located.

PORTABLE SIGN

A sign, whether on its own trailer, wheels or otherwise, designed to be movable and not structurally attached to the ground, a building, a structure or another sign.

REALTY SIGN

A sign advertising for sale or rent the property upon which the sign is placed.

REPRESENTATIONAL SIGN

A three-dimensional sign built so as to physically represent the object advertised.

SIGN

Any material, structure or device, or part thereof, composed of lettered or pictorial matter which is located out-of-doors or on the exterior of any building or indoors as a window sign, displaying an advertisement, announcement, notice or name, and shall include any declaration, demonstration, display, representation, illustration or insignia used to advertise or promote the interests of any person or business or cause when such is placed in view of the general public. A "sign" does not include the flag, pennant or insignia of any nation or group of nations or any governmental agency.

SIGN AREA

The entire area within a single, continuous perimeter enclosing all elements which form an integral part of the sign. The structure supporting a sign shall be excluded unless the structure is designed in a way to form an integral background for the display. Both faces of a double-faced sign shall be included as area of such a sign.

SIGN STRUCTURE

The supports, uprights, bracing and framework for the sign. In the case of a "sign structure" consisting of two or more sides where the angle formed between any two of the sides or the projections thereof exceeds 30°, each side shall be considered a separate "sign structure."

WALL SIGN

A sign which is painted on or attached to the outside wall of a building.

WINDOW SIGN

A sign visible from a sidewalk, street or other public place, painted or affixed on glass or other window material.

[Amended 10-16-1992 by L.L. No. 6-1992]

§ 196-41 General regulations.

The regulations contained in this section shall apply to signs in all the residence, business and light industry districts.

A. General prohibitions.

(1) Representational signs are prohibited in all districts.

(2) Portable signs are prohibited in all districts.

(3) No sign or sign supports shall be placed upon the roof of any building in any district.

(4) No sign shall impair or cause confusion of vehicular or pedestrian traffic by reason of its design, color, location or placement.

B. General construction standards.

(1) All freestanding signs shall be designed and constructed to withstand a wind pressure of not less than 30 pounds per square foot of surface area.

(2) All signs shall be securely anchored and shall not swing or move in any manner.

(3) All signs, sign finishes and supports shall be kept clean, neatly painted and free from all hazards, such as but not limited to faulty wiring, loose supports, braces, guys and anchors.

(4) All freestanding and wall signs shall employ acceptable safety material.

(5) All signs shall be painted and/or fabricated in accordance with generally accepted standards.

C. General design guidelines.

(1) Signs should be designed to be compatible with the surroundings and appropriate to the architectural character of the buildings on which they are placed. Sign panels and graphics should relate with and not cover architectural features and should be in proportion to them.

(2) Signs should be appropriate to the types of activities they represent.

(3) Layout should be orderly and graphics should be of simple shape, such as rectangle, circle or oval.

(4) Illumination (where permitted) should be appropriate to the character of the sign and surroundings.

(5) Groups of related signs should express uniformity and create a sense of harmonious appearance.

D. Illuminated signs.

(1) Illuminated signs are prohibited in all the residence districts and in the Business B-1 District.

(2) Signs illuminated by or containing flashing, intermittent, rotating or moving lights are prohibited in the Business B-2, Light Industry LI-1 and Light Industry LI-2 Districts.

E. Construction signs. One on-site construction sign for a project that has an approved building permit may be placed on a site in any district, subject to the following regulations:

(1) There shall not be more than one such single-faced, freestanding sign for each project.

(2) Such sign may only identify persons or companies involved with the construction, architecture, engineering and development of the premises.

(3) Such sign shall not be located nearer to any street than the front of the main building. Such sign shall not be located less than 25 feet from any side lot line.

(4) Such sign shall not exceed four square feet in area.

(5) A construction sign may be erected and maintained from the first day of construction and shall be removed within seven days of the termination of construction of the project.

F. Realty signs. One on-site realty sign may be placed on a site in any district, subject to the following regulations:

(1) Such sign shall not exceed four square feet in area.

(2) Such sign shall not be located nearer to any street than four feet from the front of the main building. Such sign shall not be located less than 25 feet from any side lot line.

[Amended 2-19-1993 by L.L. No. 2-1993]

(3) In the case of undeveloped property, such sign shall not be located less than 25 feet from any street or side lot line.

(4) In the case of an approved subdivision, the Planning Board may authorize and approve temporary on-site realty signs for such subdivision, with modifications to the above realty sign area and setback regulations, subject to the following regulations:

[Added 2-19-1993 by L.L. No. 2-1993]

(a) Such temporary signs shall not exceed 24 square feet in area.

(b) Such temporary signs shall not be located less than 25 feet from any street line.

(c) Such temporary signs shall only be installed at the locations approved by the Planning Board.

(d) The number of such temporary signs shall not exceed the number authorized by the Planning Board.

(e) No lot on the approved subdivision map may contain more than one realty sign. In other words, if a lot contains an authorized temporary realty sign for such subdivision, such lot may not contain another realty sign.

(f) Such temporary signs shall be in conformity with any conditions imposed by the Planning Board.

(g) Such temporary signs may be installed and maintained for a period not exceeding one year. Such period shall commence upon the commencement date authorized in the Planning Board sign approval (or upon the date of such approval if no other commencement date is set forth in such approval) and shall expire one year after such commencement date. Such temporary signs shall be removed upon expiration of such period.

(5) "Sold" or "in contract" realty signs are prohibited.

[Added 5-17-1996 by L.L. No. 1-1996]

G. Off-premises signs.

(1) Off-premises signs are prohibited in all the residence districts.

(2) Off-premises signs are prohibited in all the business districts.

(3) Off-premises signs are prohibited in all the light industry districts.

§ 196-42 Residence district regulations.

The regulations contained in this section shall apply to signs in all the residence districts.

A. The following signs are permitted in the residence districts:

(1) A name sign used solely for showing the name of the occupant of the residence (and the name of the residence, if any); the street number of the residence may also appear on such sign. Such sign shall not exceed two square feet in area.

(2) A sign displaying the street number of the residence. Such sign shall not exceed one square foot in area.

(3) A sign indicating that the property has an alarm system. Such sign shall not exceed 110 square inches in area.

(4) One on-site construction sign, subject to § 196-41E.

(5) One on-site realty sign, subject to § 196-41F.

B. All other signs are prohibited in the residence districts, except as provided in Subsection C.

C. Schools, libraries, churches, clubs and similar semipublic uses located in a residence district shall be permitted to erect signs customarily incidental to such uses, subject to the following regulations:

(1) Such signs shall not exceed four square feet in area.

(2) Any such freestanding signs shall not be located less than 25 feet from any street or side lot line.

§ 196-43 Business and light industry district regulations.

The regulations contained in this section shall apply to signs in all the business and light industry districts.

A. The following signs are permitted in the business and light industry districts:

(1) Identification signs:

(a) Wall signs, subject to Subsection C.

(b) Freestanding signs, subject to Subsection D.

(c) Window signs, subject to Subsection E.

(d) Awning signs, subject to Subsection F.

(2) One on-site construction sign, subject to § 196-41E.

(3) One on-site realty sign, subject to § 196-41F.

(4) A sign indicating that the property has an alarm system. Such sign shall not exceed 110 square inches in area.

(5) Where a residence is permitted, such residence may have the signs provided for in § 196-42A, subject to the restrictions set forth in § 196-42A.

(6) Posters advertising events of local interest placed in store windows.

B. All other signs are prohibited in the business and light industry districts.

C. Wall signs.

(1) Wall signs shall not extend beyond the ends or over the top of the walls to which attached and shall not extend above the level of the second floor of the building.

(2) Wall signs shall not extend more than nine inches from the face of the wall to which attached, and the face of wall signs shall be parallel to the face of such wall.

[Amended 10-16-1992 by L.L. No. 6-1992]

(3) Any part of a wall sign extending over pedestrian traffic areas shall have a minimum clearance of seven feet six inches.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(3), regarding signs extending from walls in the Business B-2, Light Industry LI-1 and Light Industry LI-2 Districts, was repealed 10-16-1992 by L.L. No. 6-1992. This local law also redesignated original Subsection C(4), (5) and (6) as Subsection C(3), (4) and (5) respectively.

(4) In the Business B-1 District:

(a) The total area of all wall signs attached to a wall shall not exceed 15% of the area of the wall to which attached.

(b) A wall sign shall not exceed 16 square feet in area.

(5) In the Business B-2, Light Industry LI-1 and Light Industry LI-2 Districts:

(a) The area of a wall sign shall not exceed 20% of the area of the wall to which attached.

(b) There shall be not more than one wall sign on each building, except as hereinafter provided.

(c) If more than one business is located in the same building, each business may have one wall sign on the front wall of the building, provided that the total area of all wall signs does not exceed 20% of the area of such front wall.

(d) If a building is located on a corner lot, such building may have one wall sign facing each street, provided that the area of one such sign does not exceed 20% of the area of the wall to which attached, and further provided that the area of the second such sign does not exceed 10% of the area of the wall to which attached.

D. Freestanding signs.

(1) No freestanding sign shall be located less than 25 feet from any street nor less than 25 feet from any side lot line.

(2) No freestanding sign shall be located less than 50 feet from any other freestanding sign.

(3) In the Business B-1 District, a freestanding sign shall not exceed four square feet in area.

[Amended 10-16-1992 by L.L. No. 6-1992]

(4) In the Business B-2, Light Industry LI-1 and Light Industry LI-2 Districts, a freestanding sign shall not exceed 36 square feet in area.

[Added 10-16-1992 by L.L. No. 6-1992]

E. Window signs.

(1) The area of a window sign shall not exceed 10% of the area of the window.

(2) The area of a window sign shall not exceed four square feet.

(3) A building shall not have more than one window sign per window.

(4) A building shall not have more than two window signs per business enterprise.

F. Awning signs.

(1) No sign shall project from an awning.

(2) Awning graphics may be painted or affixed flat to the surface of the front or sides and shall indicate only the name and/or address of the enterprise or premises.

§ 196-44 Noncommercial messages on signs.

A. As used in this section, the term "noncommercial message" includes any message which constitutes constitutionally protected noncommercial speech.

B. Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit a sign which is otherwise permitted by this article from containing a noncommercial message in place of the message provided for in this article, subject to all other requirements (all requirements other than the content of the message) of this article.

(1) In the residence districts, a sign permitted by § 196-42A may contain a noncommercial message in place of the message provided for in § 196-42A, subject to all other requirements (all requirements other than the content of the message).

(2) In the business and light industry districts, a sign permitted by § 196-43A may contain a noncommercial message in place of the message provided for in § 196-43A, subject to all other requirements (all requirements other than the content of the message).

(3) In all districts, off-premises signs are prohibited by § 196-41G. Therefore, a sign containing a noncommercial message in place of an off-premises sign is not allowed in any district.

§ 196-45 Additional provisions.

A. No sign shall be erected unless it conforms to all applicable requirements of this article.

B. No building permit shall be required for erection of a sign.

C. Any legally existing sign which does not conform to all applicable requirements of this article may continue to be maintained, subject to the following provision. No such sign shall be enlarged, extended, relocated or changed in style or character, except in conformity with all applicable requirements of this article.

D. Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit the Village from erecting and maintaining public information signs deemed to be necessary or desirable for public safety or welfare on any street or property owned by the Village. Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit any other governmental agency from erecting and maintaining public information signs deemed to be necessary or desirable for public safety or welfare on any street or property owned by a such governmental agency.