As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
ACCESSORY SIGN
Any permanent business sign on the second street frontage or on the
side or rear of a building.
AWNING SIGN
Any visual message incorporated into an awning attached to a building.
BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
The duly constituted Board of the Village of Mamaroneck comprised of five members and further identified under Chapter
6, Architectural Review, Board of, of this Code and whose rights, duties and powers are therein enunciated.
CANOPY SIGN
Any visual message incorporated into a canopy attached to a building.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A sign limited to providing information as to the location of a business,
activity or event.
FACADE SIGN
Any permanent business sign attached to the facade of a building
that is the primary identifying sign for the business. Facade signs are limited
to the name and nature of the business only. Any other on-premises sign authorized
by this chapter shall be allowed to contain noncommercial copy in lieu of
other copy.
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. Freestanding
signs include pole signs and pylon signs constructed of wood, masonry materials
or any other material.
ILLUMINATED SIGN
Any 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.
PORTABLE SIGN
An exterior sign, whether on its own trailer, wheels or otherwise,
designed to be movable and not structurally or permanently attached to the
ground, a building, a structure or another sign.
PROJECTING SIGN
A sign which is attached to a building, wall or structure and which
extends horizontally not more than 18 inches from the plane of such wall or
structure or a sign which is perpendicular to the face of such wall or structure.
RACEWAY
Enclosure for electrical wiring and components of an illuminated
sign.
SIGN
Any material, structure or device, or part thereof, composed of lettering
or pictorial matter, which is located out of doors, or on the exterior of
any building or structure, or indoors as a window sign, displaying an advertisement,
announcement, notice or name, and shall include, but not be limited to, any
declaration, demonstration, display, representation, illustration or insignia
used to advertise or promote the interest of any person, business, organization
or cause when such is placed in view of the general public. This definition
is not intended to include statues, outdoor ornaments, fountains and other
similar types of objects.
SIGN AREA
A.
The entire area of a sign within a single, continuous perimeter enclosing
the extreme limits of the actual sign surface.
B.
For a sign consisting of individual letters or symbols attached to or
painted on a surface, building or window, the aggregate area shall be considered
to be that of the smallest rectangle or another shape which encompasses all
of the elements which form the integral parts of the sign; letters, borders,
symbols, etc.
SIGN STRUCTURE
The supports, uprights, bracing, framing, mountings and framework
for a sign. In the case of a sign structure consisting of two or more sides
in which the angle formed between any two sides or the projections thereof
exceeds 30°, each side will be considered a separate sign structure.
TEMPORARY SIGN
A sign which relates to a single activity or event having a duration
of 30 days or less.
WALL SIGN
A sign which is painted on, incorporated into or affixed parallel
to the wall of the building.
WINDOW SIGN
A sign visible from a sidewalk, street or other public place, painted
or affixed on glass or other window material, or located within three feet
from the glass, and displayed in such a manner to be viewed from outside the
establishment. This does not include graphics or artwork in connection with
customary window display of goods or products.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall erect,
alter or relocate any sign without first obtaining a permit from the Building
Inspector. Subsequent to this initial application, no permit shall be required
for the general repair or maintenance of any permitted sign.
Applications shall be made, in writing, to the Building Inspector on
forms obtained from the Building Department and shall contain the following
information:
A. The name, address and telephone number of the applicant.
B. Written consent of the owner of the building, structure
or property to which or on which the sign is to be erected, in the event that
the applicant is not the owner thereof.
C. The location of the building, structure and/or property
upon which the sign now exists or is to be erected.
D. A detailed plan, drawn to scale, as well as a description
of the sign, sign structure and placement, which should include the following:
(1) Its location on the premises, specifically its position
in relation to existing buildings, structures, property lines, roadways, driveways,
parking lots and any other existing or proposed signage, and indicating such
distances.
(2) The method of illumination, if any, and the position
of lighting or other extraneous devices.
(3) Graphic design, including symbols, letters, materials
and colors.
(4) The visual message, copy, text or content of the sign.
(5) Color photographs showing the building facade in its
entirety and adjoining buildings/property.
(6) sample of materials and colors to be used in sign construction.
The following types of signs may be erected and maintained without a
permit or fee, provided that such signs comply with the requirements of this
chapter and any other laws, rules or regulations imposed by the Village of
Mamaroneck or other governing body:
A. Historical markers, tablets and statues, memorial signs
and plaques; names and dates of buildings; and nonadvertising, on-premises
signs installed by religious or nonprofit organizations, having a sign area
not exceeding six square feet.
B. Signs, notices or emblems installed by governmental bodies.
C. Flags or insignias of any government, except when displayed
in connection with commercial promotion.
D. Nonadvertising directional signs for the convenience
of the general public, identifying public parking areas, fire zones, entrances
and exits and similar signs, such as hours of operation, not exceeding two
square feet per face.
E. Nonilluminated warning, private drive, posted or no-trespassing
signs, not to exceed two square feet per face.
F. One on-premises sign, either freestanding or attached,
in connection with any residential building in any zoning district, for permitted
professional offices or home occupations, not to exceed three square feet.
Signs shall not be illuminated in residential districts.
G. Number and nameplates identifying residents, mounted
on a house, apartment or mailbox.
H. Temporary, nonilluminated "for sale," "for rent," real
estate signs and signs of similar nature, concerning the premises upon which
the sign is located. One sign not exceeding four square feet per side shall
be permitted. All such signs shall be removed within three days after the
sale, lease or rental of the premises.
I. Temporary, nonilluminated window signs and posters.
J. Holiday decorations, including lighting, which may be
displayed in any district.
K. Gasoline stations: as dictated by regulatory bodies for
gas prices, inspections, licensing, etc.
L. Promotional signage, including banners, for special events
of limited duration, not exceeding 32 square feet in the residential districts
nor 64 square feet in the commercial or manufacturing districts, provided
that:
(1) Placement shall not exceed 30 days before nor five days
following the event.
(2) Sponsors and organizers of the event shall be responsible
for removal of temporary promotional signage.
M. Political posters, banners and similar signs, not exceeding
16 square feet, provided that:
(1) Placement shall not exceed 60 days before nor 30 days
following the event.
(2) Sponsors and organizers shall be responsible for removal
of political signage.
(3) Such signage shall be set back at least five feet from
all street curb lines and side property lines and shall not be located within
any public right-of-way.
N. Nonilluminated window signs advertising special goods
or services.
The following additional regulations shall be complied with to the extent
that said regulations do not conflict with any other laws, rules or regulations:
A. Projecting signs, fixed awning and canopy signs. No projecting
sign, fixed awning or canopy sign, or part thereof, shall be erected or maintained
over any street, sidewalk, alley or highway in the village, except the following:
(1) No part of a projecting sign, fixed awning or canopy
sign shall extend into vehicular traffic areas, and any part extending over
pedestrian areas shall have a minimum clearance of eight feet.
(2) Theater marquees must be erected and maintained in compliance
with the Building Code of the village.
(3) Projecting signs, fixed awnings and canopy signs shall
not have more than two faces.
B. Freestanding signs.
(1) When the front of a building is set back 50 feet or more
from the property line, and a hardship exists in that a facade sign on the
building is not readily visible from the street, one freestanding sign shall
be permitted.
(2) No freestanding sign shall be located within the right-of-way,
nor less than 15 feet from a side property line, nor shall such sign be located
less than 50 feet from any other freestanding sign.
(3) Except in the case of those situations defined in Subsection
B(6) below, no freestanding sign shall be more than 16 square feet.
(4) No freestanding sign shall be more than 16 feet in height
above roadway grade. Such height shall be measured vertically from the established
average grade directly below the sign or entry level of the building or structure,
whichever is lower, to the highest point of the sign, including supporting
structures.
(5) No freestanding sign shall extend over or into the public
right-of-way, nor shall it overhang the property lines.
(6) Freestanding signs, under which a pedestrian walkway
or driveway exists, must have a minimum vertical clearance of eight feet.
(7) Where groups of four or more contiguous businesses are
located together on property under common ownership, one common freestanding
sign shall be permitted, not exceeding 32 square feet per side. All other
signs shall be attached to buildings, as wall or projecting type signs, and
shall be coordinated in material, shape, lettering, color and/or decorative
elements.
C. Window signs.
(1) The total sign copy area of all window signage shall
not exceed 30% of any window area or opening, and all the other provisions
of this chapter shall be complied with.
(2) Individual letters may be permanently mounted on the
inside surface of the glass. Individual letters shall not exceed six inches
in height.
(3) No more than one self-illuminated window sign per window
pane, area or opening and no more than two self-illuminated window signs per
business street frontage shall be permitted. Self-illuminated window signs
shall not exceed three square feet in area.
(4) No permanent banners or borders in display windows which
advertise specific products, product names, symbols or logos shall be permitted.
(5) Not more than two temporary posters concerning events
sponsored by not-for-profit organizations, with dimensions not to exceed one
foot by 11/2 feet, may be displayed without a permit. These posters must be
removed on the next business day after the event.
(6) Neon borders shall not be permitted.
D. Illuminated signs.
(1) Signs shall be illuminated only with steady, stationary,
shielded light sources directed solely onto the sign without causing glare.
(2) Internal illumination is not permitted, except as follows:
(a) Individual opaque letters which are internally illuminated,
which direct light against the facade upon which letters are mounted.
(b) Individual letters with translucent faces, containing
lighting elements within each letter.
(c) Internally-illuminated box sign with letters cut out
of an opaque, translucent, or metal-faced background as may be deemed appropriate
by the Board of Architectural Review.
(3) Illuminated signs shall not be permitted to shine onto
residential properties.
(4) Any hoods, shields or projecting arms for lighting signs
attached to buildings or structures shall be permitted, provided that such
hoods, shields or projecting arms do not extend more than 18 inches beyond
the face of the building or sign, whichever is less.
(5) Internally-illuminated signs and canopies must be constructed
in such a fashion as to eliminate any extraneous loss of light through seams
or joints within the sign's construction or its placement upon the building
facade.
E. Temporary signs. Each temporary sign must include the
date it was installed in a visible location. once 30 days have expired, the
sign must be removed and cannot be reinstalled until 30 days have elapsed.
The following additional requirements for permanent signs shall apply:
A. Residential districts. In residential districts, no signs
shall be erected or maintained, except the following, and no fee shall be
required for such signs:
(1) Signs customarily incident to churches and places of
worship, libraries or public museums, municipal buildings and structures,
parks and playgrounds of the Village of Mamaroneck and directional signs of
a governmental agency.
(2) Professional nameplates; provided, however, that such
professional nameplates shall not exceed one square foot in area.
(3) Signs not exceeding one square foot in area and used
solely for showing the name and address of the occupant of the premises.
(4) Signs not exceeding six square feet in total area attached
to or freestanding in front of an existing apartment house, cooperative apartment
building or condominium development, which primary purpose is to identify
the apartment house, cooperative apartment building or condominium development,
the units presently available for lease or purchase and the name of the owner
and/or agent.
B. General Commercial (C-1) and Manufacturing (M-1) Districts.
All signs allowed in the residential districts are allowed in the General
Commercial (C-1) and Manufacturing (M-1) Districts.
(1) Business establishments shall be limited to one facade
sign. Facade signs shall be limited to the business name and nature of principal
business activity conducted on the premises. The sign may also include the
street number, but not the full street address. Any other on-premises sign
authorized by this chapter shall be allowed to contain noncommercial copy
in lieu of other copy.
(2) Should a building be located at an intersection and have
a second street frontage, one accessory sign is permitted thereon. The accessory
sign shall be similar in appearance and content to the facade sign facing
the principal street and shall be 50% or less of the size of the facade sign.
(3) One accessory sign may be permitted on the side or rear
of a building, provided that the rear or side of the building faces a public
or private off-street parking area. The accessory sign shall be similar in
appearance and content to the facade sign facing the principal street and
shall be 50% or less than the size of the facade sign.
(4) A directional sign not to exceed two square feet in size
shall be permitted on the side or rear of a building if the need is warranted
in the opinion of the Board of Architectural Review.
C. Central Commercial (C-2) District. All signs allowed
in residential, General Commercial (C-1) and Manufacturing (M-1) Districts
are allowed in the Central Commercial District (C-2). However, the Central
Commercial District is typified by pedestrians and people in slow-moving vehicles
and with a high density of stores and signage. To ensure that signs in this
district are easily read by these shoppers, the following additional requirements
shall apply:
(1) No freestanding sign shall be permitted in the Central
Commercial District (C-2).
(2) The lower edge of a sign shall not be located above the
level of the floor of the second story of the building upon which the sign
is placed or maintained, and no such sign shall extend beyond the top or ends
of the building surface upon which it is placed.
In the event that a sign lawfully erected prior to the effective date
of this chapter does not conform to the provisions and standards of this chapter,
then such signs shall be allowed to continue as is. However, other than maintenance,
a nonconforming sign may not be remodeled, relocated or changed in size or
content unless such action will make the sign conform to the current sign
code.