This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Sign and Illumination
Law of the Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff."
The regulation and control of signs, displays and other advertising
media intended to attract the attention of the general public is necessary
in order to promote the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the
residents of the Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff; to protect and preserve
property and property values therein; and to benefit trade and all matters
related thereto. This chapter has been adopted to regulate, control and restrict
the use of buildings, structures and land for such advertising purposes, in
order to promote the benefits so enumerated.
For the purposes of this chapter, the terms used herein are defined
as follows:
A-FRAME SIGN
A freestanding business sign having an A-frame design or structure
used for the purpose of a temporary advertisement for a business located on
the property on which the sign is located.
[Added 8-20-2007 by L.L.
No. 5-2007]
AREA OF A SIGN
The "area of a sign" shall be computed as including the entire area
within a regular geometric form or combinations of regular geometric forms
connecting all of the elements of the matter displayed. A sign may be single-surfaced
or multi-surfaced. The area of each surface shall be included in the calculation
for the maximum permitted area of the sign.
BUSINESS SIGN
A sign intended to advertise the use of the lot on which it is located
for the distribution, production or sale of goods, the performance of services
or the name of the proprietor, rentor or lessee of the lot or structure.
CANOPY SIGN
A sign attached to or made a part of a canopy.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN
A temporary sign used to advertise the erection or alteration of
a structure on the lot on which it is displayed.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A nonbusiness sign beneficial to public safety or traffic control
in connection with a use on the lot on which it is displayed or beneficial
to public convenience and safety in connection with directions to the location
of a municipal, religious or noncommercial public facility.
FREESTANDING SIGN
A sign standing upon the ground supported by one or more upright
legs or posts standing upon the ground, with or without braces, and not attached
to any structure.
ILLUMINATED SIGN
A sign which is lighted by a self-contained interior light or by
lights projected or directed onto the sign.
ILLUMINATION
The lighting or floodlighting of signs or property, for purposes
of identification, advertising or security, outside the confines of a structure,
by means of electricity or the combustion of gases or liquids, or the lighting
of an area, object or structure.
LOT
A portion or parcel of land, held in single and separate ownership,
devoted to a certain use or occupied by a building or group of buildings,
and the customary accessory uses, buildings and open spaces belonging thereto.
NAME SIGN
A sign used solely for showing the name and address of the occupant
of a residential structure on the lot on which it is displayed.
PLANNING BOARD
The Planning Board of the Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff.
PROFESSIONAL SIGN
A sign containing not more than the name, address and profession
of the occupant of a structure on the lot on which it is displayed.
PROJECTING SIGN
A wall sign projecting or extending more than 12 inches from the
face of the building or structure to which it is attached.
PUBLIC CONVENIENCE SIGN
A sign used to identify a charitable, hospital, institutional, municipal,
nonprofit fraternal or membership, religious or school use of a structure
on the lot on which it is displayed.
REAL ESTATE SIGN
A nonilluminated temporary sign used to advertise the availability,
lease, rental or sale of the lot or structure on which it is displayed.
SIGN
Any device for visual communication, either illuminated or nonilluminated,
that is used for the purpose of bringing the subject thereof to the attention
of the public, whether displayed from the inside or affixed to the outside
of a structure or separately constructed.
TRADEMARK SIGN
A sign or structure having a distinct shape which alone or in conjunction
with words or symbols identifies the product intended to be advertised.
TRAFFIC SIGN
A sign erected by the Village of Sea Cliff or by a town, county or
state agency and used to inform, control or direct traffic.
WALL SIGN
A sign painted on, recessed in or affixed in any manner to a wall
of a building or structure.
WINDOW SIGN
A sign erected or maintained in the interior of a building, visible
from any public or private street or highway, but not including incidental
advertising within an office or business establishment.
No signs shall be erected or maintained in the Village of Sea Cliff
except as provided in this chapter.
It shall be unlawful for any person to erect, construct, paint, alter,
relocate, reconstruct, display or maintain or cause to be erected, constructed,
displayed or maintained any illumination or sign without first having obtained
a sign permit from the Building Inspector of the Village of Sea Cliff, except
for the following types of signs for which no permit shall be required:
F. Signs with an area of less than one square foot.
The fee for and duration of a sign permit shall be as set forth in Chapter
A142, Schedule of Fees. Such fee shall accompany each application, which shall be in writing and shall be filed in duplicate with the Building Inspector. The form for such application shall be as prescribed by the Building Inspector and shall contain the following information:
A. Name, address and telephone number of applicant.
B. Location of building, structure or land to which the
sign is to be affixed or upon which the sign is to be erected.
C. A detailed drawing or blueprint showing a description
of the the construction details of the sign and showing the lettering and/or
pictorial matter composing the sign, the method and position of lighting,
the position of any extraneous devices and a location plan showing the position
of the sign on any building or land and its position in relation to nearby
buildings or structures and to any private or public street or highway.
D. Written consent of the owner of the building, structure
or land to which the sign is to be affixed or upon which the sign is to be
erected, in the event that the applicant is not the owner thereof.
E. Certification of an electrical inspection by a qualified
person or firm, in the event that the sign is to be illuminated.
In addition to the regulations set forth above, the following regulations
shall control the erection and maintenance of signs in the districts indicated.
No signs other than those listed shall be permitted in the districts indicated.
A. Residence districts.
|
Type of Sign
|
Method of Display Permitted
|
Illumination Permitted
|
Maximum Dimensions Permitted
(square feet)
|
---|
|
Construction
|
Freestanding
|
No
|
4
|
|
|
Wall
|
No
|
4
|
|
|
Window
|
No
|
4
|
|
Directional
|
Frestanding
|
Yes
|
2
|
|
|
Wall
|
Yes
|
2
|
|
|
Window
|
Yes
|
2
|
|
Name
|
Freestanding
|
Yes
|
1
|
|
|
Wall
|
Yes
|
1
|
|
|
Window
|
Yes
|
1
|
|
Professional
|
Freestanding
|
Yes
|
2
|
|
|
Wall
|
Yes
|
2
|
|
|
Window
|
Yes
|
2
|
|
Public convenience
|
Freestanding
|
Yes
|
12
|
|
|
Wall
|
Yes
|
12
|
|
Real estate
|
Freestanding
|
No
|
Developed property: 3
|
|
|
|
|
Undeveloped property: 6
|
|
|
Wall
|
No
|
3
|
|
|
Window
|
No
|
3
|
B. Business districts.
[Amended 8-20-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
|
Type of Sign
|
Method of Display Permitted
|
Illumination Permitted
|
Maximum Dimensions Permitted
|
---|
|
Business
|
Canopy
|
Yes
|
4 square feet
|
|
|
Freestanding
|
Yes
|
3 feet x 3 feet x 8 inches
|
|
|
Projecting
|
Yes
|
9 square feet
|
|
|
Trademark
|
Yes
|
3 feet x 3 feet x 8 inches
|
|
|
Wall
|
Yes
|
2 square feet for each front foot of building
|
|
|
Window
|
Yes
|
6 square feet
|
|
|
A-frame
|
No
|
12 square feet
|
|
Construction
|
Freestanding
|
No
|
6 square feet
|
|
|
Wall
|
No
|
6 square feet
|
|
|
Window
|
No
|
6 square feet
|
|
Direcional
|
Freestanding
|
Yes
|
2 square feet
|
|
|
Wall
|
Yes
|
2 square feet
|
|
|
Window
|
Yes
|
2 square feet
|
|
Name
|
Freestanding
|
Yes
|
1 square foot
|
|
|
Wall
|
Yes
|
1 square foot
|
|
|
Window
|
Yes
|
1 square foot
|
|
Professional
|
Freestanding
|
Yes
|
2 square feet
|
|
|
Wall
|
Yes
|
2 square feet
|
|
|
Window
|
Yes
|
4 square feet
|
|
Public convenience
|
Freestanding
|
Yes
|
12 square feet
|
|
|
Wall
|
Yes
|
12 square feet
|
|
Real estate
|
Freestanding
|
No
|
Developed property: 3 square feet
|
|
|
|
|
Undeveloped property: 6 square feet
|
|
|
Wall
|
No
|
3 square feet
|
|
|
Window
|
No
|
3 square feet
|
[Amended 7-16-2001 by L.L.
No. 4-2001]
The Board of Architectural Review may grant variances from strict conformity
with the provisions of this chapter. In so doing, it shall consider the following:
A. Whether there is a practical difficulty or unnecessary
hardship in requiring compliance with said provisions.
B. Whether the requested sign is necessary for proper identification
of the business conducted or services rendered on the premises where it is
proposed to be placed.
C. Whether the requested sign will contribute to the devaluation
of any property in the area or to the general deterioration of the neighborhood
in which it is proposed to be placed, by reason of size, location or aesthetic
appearance.
D. Whether the requested sign will interfere in any way
with automotive visibility or create or contribute to the creation of any
traffic hazard.
E. Whether the requested sign will obstruct any sidewalk,
window, door, fire escape, stairway, ladder or opening intended to provide
light, air, ingress or egress from any building.
All districts referred to in this chapter shall be as defined in the
Zoning Law of the Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff.