[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of
the Town of Louisa 2-19-2002; amended in its entirety 6-19-2007. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to encourage the effective use of signs as a means of visual communication in the Town; to maintain and enhance the aesthetic environment and the Town's ability to attract sources of economic development and growth; to improve pedestrian and traffic safety; to minimize the possible adverse effect of signs on nearby public and private property; and to enable fair and consistent enforcement of these sign restrictions. These sign restrictions are adopted under the zoning authority of the Town in furtherance of the more general purposes set forth in Chapter 165, Zoning.
Except as otherwise provided in §§ 134-3 and 134-4, no sign may be constructed, erected, moved, enlarged, illuminated or substantially altered except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and in accordance with a zoning permit as may be issued by the Zoning Administrator. All signs shall be erected on or before the expiration of 90 days from the date of issuance of the permit; otherwise, the permit shall become null and void and a new permit shall be required. Each sign requiring a permit shall be clearly marked with the permit number and name of the person or firm placing the sign on the premises. Fees for sign permits shall be in accordance with the schedule adopted by ordinance, a copy of which is maintained in the office of the Zoning Administrator.
Structural and safety features and electrical
systems shall be in accordance with the requirements of the applicable
codes and ordinances. No sign shall be approved for use unless it
has been inspected by the department issuing the permit and is found
to be in compliance with all the requirements of this chapter and
applicable technical codes.
The following signs are exempted from the provisions
of these regulations and may be erected, constructed or placed without
a permit but in accordance with the structural and safety requirements
of the Building Code, as applicable:
A.Â
Official traffic signs or sign structures and provisional
warning signs or sign structures, when erected by a governmental agency,
and temporary signs indicating danger.
B.Â
Changing of the copy on a bulletin board, poster board,
display encasement, or marquee.
C.Â
Temporary nonilluminated signs, not more than six
square feet in area, advertising real estate for sale or lease or
announcing contemplated improvements of real estate, and located on
the premises, one such sign for each street frontage.
D.Â
Temporary nonilluminated signs not more than 12 square
feet in area, erected in connection with new construction work and
displayed on the premises during such time as the actual construction
work is in progress, one such sign for each street frontage.
E.Â
Nonilluminated signs, not exceeding 10 square feet
in area with letters not exceeding one foot in height, painted, stamped,
perforated, or stitched on the surface area of an awning, canopy,
roller curtain, or umbrella.
F.Â
Nonilluminated signs warning trespassers or announcing
property as posted.
G.Â
Temporary nonilluminated portable signs, not exceeding
six square feet in area, in a business or industrial district, one
for each 50 feet of street frontage. (All portable signs shall be
included in the measurement of permitted sign area.)
H.Â
A sign on a truck, bus, or other vehicle, while in
use in the normal course of business. This section should not be interpreted
to permit parking for display purposes of a vehicle to which signs
are attached in a district where such signs are not permitted.
I.Â
Signs attached temporarily to the interior of a building
window or glass door. Such signs, individually or collectively, may
not to exceed allowable largest sign permitted for this area and exterior.
J.Â
Signs erected in connection with elections or political
campaigns. Such signs shall not be located within public rights-of-way
or attached to public utility structures and shall be limited to freestanding
signs not more than 16 square feet in area in residential districts
and 32 square feet in area in commercial and industrial zones. Furthermore,
such signs shall be no more than five feet in height and shall be
located a minimum of 10 feet from any property lines. No sign shall
be permitted to encroach into the sight vista of any triangle of any
intersection. Such signs may be erected no more than 60 days prior
to an election and shall be removed within 10 days following the election
or conclusion of the political campaign.
The Zoning Administrator, upon application, as required in § 134-2 of this chapter, may issue temporary permits for the following signs and displays for a period of not exceeding 30 days when, in his opinion, the use of such signs and displays would be in the public interest and would not result in damage to private property:
A.Â
Signs advertising a special civic or cultural event
such as a fair or exposition, play, concert or meeting, sponsored
by a governmental, civic or charitable organization.
B.Â
Special sales promotion displays in a district where
such sales are permitted, including displays incidental to the opening
of a new business.
B.Â
No flashing signs shall be permitted.
C.Â
No sign which is not an integral part of the building
design shall be fastened to and supported by or on the roof of a building
and no projecting sign shall extend over or above the roof line or
parapet wall of a building.
D.Â
Applications for unusual signs or displays which give
rise to questions of interpretation of these regulations may be referred
by the Zoning Administrator to the Board of Zoning Appeals for the
purpose of interpretation by the Board and recommendation for action
on the application by the Zoning Administrator. If, in the opinion
of the Board, the application is not adequately covered by these regulations,
the Board may make recommendations for amendment of this chapter.
E.Â
No sign shall be constructed, erected, used, operated,
or maintained which:
(1)Â
Displays intermittent lights resembling, or seeming
to resemble, the flashing lights customarily associated with danger
or such as are customarily used by police, fire, or ambulance vehicles,
or for navigation purposes.
(2)Â
Is so located and so illuminated as to provide a background
of colored lights blending with traffic signal lights to the extent
of confusing a motorist when viewed from normal approaching position
of a vehicle at a distance of 25 to 300 feet.
(3)Â
Except as otherwise provided herein, no sign shall
exceed 32 square feet in area.
F.Â
Permitted signs for a nonconforming business, commercial
or industrial use in a residence district shall be consistent with
those signs permitted in the General Commercial (GC) District.
H.Â
Except as otherwise provided, these regulations shall
be interpreted to permit one sign of each permitted type, in accordance
with applicable regulations, for each street frontage, for each permitted
use on the premises. For the purpose of this regulation, sign "types"
are flat (or wall), detached (or ground), projecting (the marquee
signs), or special purpose signs specifically listed in the district
regulations.
I.Â
No detached sign shall exceed a height of 25 feet
at the top of the sign unless otherwise specified in these regulations.
J.Â
Signs of permitted types and sign area may be placed
on walls of buildings other than the front except on side or rear
walls facing, and within 100 feet of, any residential district.
K.Â
Unless otherwise specified in these regulations, all
signs shall comply with the setback requirements of the district in
which they are located, provided that one sign, accessory or otherwise,
may occupy the setback area for the zoning district in which it is
located if such sign is not more than 32 square feet in area, and
other requirements of these regulations are complied with.
L.Â
Portable signs, on wheels, carriages, or on fixed
supports, shall be considered as detached signs and shall be included
in any measurement of permitted sign area whether or not a permit
is required.
M.Â
No sign, portable or otherwise, is to be placed or
located to conflict with the vision clearance or other requirements
of applicable traffic ordinances.
N.Â
No signs shall be attached to trees, utility poles,
or any other unapproved supporting structure.
O.Â
The owner and/or tenant of the premises and the owner
and/or erector of the sign shall be held responsible for any violation
of these regulations. Where a sign has been erected in accordance
with these regulations, the sign company shall be relieved of further
responsibility under these regulations after final approval of the
sign by the Zoning Administrator.
P.Â
All signs shall be maintained in good condition and
appearance. After due notice has been given as provided below, the
Zoning Administrator may cause to be removed any sign which shows
gross neglect or becomes dilapidated. All costs for removal shall
be charged to the property owner. Unpaid charges shall be filed as
a lien.
Q.Â
The Zoning Administrator shall remove or cause to
be removed any sign erected or maintained in conflict with these regulations
if the owner or lessee of either the site or the sign fails to correct
the violation within 30 days after receiving written notice of violation
from the Zoning Administrator. All costs for removal shall be charged
to the property owner. Unpaid charges shall be filed as a lien. Removal
of a sign by the Zoning Administrator shall not affect any proceedings
instituted prior to removal of such sign.
A.Â
B.Â
Commercial districts.
(1)Â
Light Commercial:
(a)Â
All signs permitted in residential districts.
(b)Â
Business signs with an area of 32 square feet
plus one square foot for each foot of building frontage to a maximum
of 200 square feet of sign area. Such sign(s) area must be contained
on one or more of the following: wall sign, awning canopy sign, projecting
sign, marquee sign.
(c)Â
For a business exceeding a lot frontage of 75
feet, one freestanding, ground-mounted or monument sign per business,
no more than 50 square feet in size is permitted.
(d)Â
For a business exceeding a lot frontage of 100
feet, one freestanding, ground-mounted or monument sign per business,
no more than 80 square feet in size is permitted.
(2)Â
General Commercial:
(a)Â
All signs permitted in residential districts.
(b)Â
Wall- or building-mounted signs: business signs
with a total area no more than 32 square feet plus one square foot
for each foot of building frontage. For multiple tenant buildings,
each business is allowed to install a building-mounted sign not to
exceed 50 square feet, provided that the total signage on the entire
building does not exceed the maximum allowance of 32 square feet plus
one square foot for each foot of building frontage. Such sign(s) area
must be contained on one or more of the following:
(c)Â
Business signs no more than half the area permitted in Subsection B(2)(b) of this section on the side and rear of the building, provided they face a parking area or alley.
(d)Â
For a business exceeding a lot frontage of 75
feet, one freestanding, ground-mounted or monument sign per business
no more than 80 square feet in size is permitted.
(e)Â
For a business exceeding a lot frontage of 100
feet, one freestanding, ground-mounted or monument sign per business
no more than 100 square feet in size is permitted.
(f)Â
Shopping centers shall be permitted one freestanding, ground-mounted or monument sign of 120 square feet for the shopping center name and an additional 20 square feet for each individual business in the center, provided that the individual business names are located on the same sign as the shopping center name. Such sign may exceed 25 feet in height and must be included in the original site plan review required by § 165-70.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. II)]
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Cloth, paper, balloons or material of any kind intended to
attract attention. Governmental flags or symbolic flags of religious,
charitable, public or nonprofit organizations shall not be considered
to be banners.
The length of the main wall of a building which physically
encloses usable interior space and which is the architecturally designed
wall that contains the main entrance for use by the general public.
Said frontage shall be measured at a height not greater than 10 feet
above grade.
A permanent structure projecting beyond a building wall at
an entrance to a building or extending along and projecting beyond
the building's wall and generally designed and constructed to provide
protection against the weather.
Signs which involve the use of motion, rotation, or the appearance
of motion.
The lowest portion of a roof for any building with a pitched
roof and the highest point of a building with a flat roof.
Any device (writing, letter work or numeral, pictorial presentation,
illustration or decoration, emblem, device, symbol or trademark, flag,
banner or pennant or any other device, figure or character) visible
to and designed to attract the attention of persons not on the premises
on which the sign is located. However, the following shall not be
included in the application of the regulations herein:
Signs not exceeding one square foot in area
and bearing only property numbers, postal box numbers, names of occupants
of premises, or other identification of premises not having commercial
connotations;
Flags and insignia of any government except
when displayed in connection with commercial promotion;
Legal notices, identification, informational
or directional signs erected or required by governmental bodies;
Integral decorative or architectural features
of buildings, except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving
lights.
Any sign attached to or displayed on a vehicle, which vehicle
or trailer is used for the express purpose of advertising a business
establishment, product, service or entertainment. Any such vehicle
or trailer shall, without limitation, be considered to be used for
the express purpose of advertising if it fails to display current
license plates, inspection sticker, and municipal decal or if evidence
of paid-to-date local taxes cannot be made available.
Any sign placed directly to the surface of an awning or canopy
whether sign or canopy is attached to building or not.
The surface on which a sign is affixed, not meant to include
the base, poles, pedestals, walls, or fences under three feet six
inches in height, which background is determined by computing the
entire area within a single geometric form that encloses the background.
Any sign where the product, business or thing so advertised
or displayed is not located on the premises of the site or property
on which said sign is erected or displayed.
A sign which directs attention to a product, commodity or
service available on the premises. This is to include electronic reader
boards and such electronic reader boards will be considered as a sign
in square footage allotments.
A temporary sign identifying those engaged in construction
of any building site.
A sign one end of which may be pointed or on which an arrow
may be painted, indicating the direction to which attention is called
not more than two square feet in area and a maximum height of no more
than four feet giving the name and approximate location only of the
firm or business. Only one such sign shall be allowed each for the
name of the business and to identify locations as restrooms, loading
areas, etc.
A sign on which the names and locations of occupants or the
uses of a building or group of buildings is given.
Any nonmovable sign supported by a fence, retaining wall,
or by upright structural members or braces on or in the ground and
not attached to a building.
An illuminated sign on which the artificial or reflected
light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color
at all times when in use. Any sign which revolves or moves, whether
illuminated or not, shall be considered a flashing sign. A clock or
thermometer or similar instrument with moving hands or a sign which
has letters or numbers which change at intervals of not less than
one-half minute shall not be considered a flashing sign.
Any sign which is supported by structures or supports in
or upon the ground and independent of any support from any building;
not a pole sign.
The maximum vertical distance from the base of the sign at
normal grade to the top of the highest attached component of the sign.
Normal grade shall be construed to be the lower of:
A sign attached to and made a part of a marquee or any similar
projections from a building, with changeable, fixed or both types
of lettering in use.
A type of ground-mounted sign which is built on grade and
which the sign and structure are an integral part of one another.
A sign that is mounted on one or more freestanding poles
or similar columnar supports.
Any freestanding temporary sign, such as a sandwich board
sign, not affixed to a building, structure, vehicle or the ground.
Any sign, other than a wall, awning or marquee sign, which
is affixed to a building.
Any freestanding sign other than a pole or ground-mounted
sign which is secured permanently to the ground. Its height is greater
than its width.
Any sign erected or constructed, in whole or part, above
a roofline.
Any sign not permanently attached to a structure nor permanently
mounted in the ground, which can be transported to other locations.
Such signs may include, but are not limited to, paper or poster signs,
portable signs or other movable signs, which may announce or advertise
weekly specials, special services offered for a limited time by a
business establishment or other similar temporary or nonrecurring
offers or notices.
Any sign attached to a wall or painted on or against a flat
vertical surface of a structure that is designed and used for human
occupancy and which sign displays only one advertising surface.
Any sign attached to or applied directly onto the interior
or exterior surface of a window.
