[Amended 8-22-2005 by L.L. No. 1-2005]
A. This section is adopted to regulate the use of signs
in order to promote signs which are:
(1) Harmonious in character with other similar displays.
(2) Orderly, readable and safe.
(3) Nondistracting to motorists.
B. The City likewise recognizes that signage has a substantial
effect on the historical character, appearance, use and value of buildings.
It is, therefore, the intent of this section to promote and protect
property values, create a more attractive business climate, enhance
the physical appearance of the area, encourage the most appropriate
use of the land and structures and provide a more enjoyable and pleasing
appearance to our community.
C. Signs may be erected and maintained in the City of
Hornell only when in compliance with the following:
(1) Intent. The City of Hornell finds that signs are a
necessary means of communication that can benefit and detract from
the city's community and neighborhood character and should conform
with the following provisions.
(2) Exceptions. The following types of signs are allowable
without any city approval, except that any such sign shall not exceed
the maximum dimensional, height or area requirements of this section
relevant to the applicable zoning district.
(a)
Temporary on-premises signs. Any property owner
is permitted to erect a single, temporary, nonilluminated sign on
said property advertising the sale or lease of merchandise or a special
event. Such sign shall be removed within three days after the sale,
lease, or event.
(b)
Location, street address and public safety signs.
Any property owner is permitted to erect one non-illuminated sign
identifying the property name or residents of the property and the
official street address. Other signs offering information necessary
of public safety including by example, customary posted or no-trespassing
signs, private drive, parking or exit/entrance signs along with other
signs required pursuant to any governmental function, law or regulation,
are also exempt.
(c)
Other. When not associated with a commercial
activity, all historical or memorial markers as well as flags, insignia
or emblems of any government or religious organization and any religious
holiday decorations are also exempt.
(d)
Landmark signs. Any older sign of artistic or
historic merit or of uniqueness to the city, each of which must be
recognized by the Common Council or the City Historian, is entirely
exempt from this section, including all dimensional, height and area
requirements.
(e)
Nonconforming signs. A nonconforming sign lawfully
existing at the effective date of this section may continue, with
the exception of signs exceeding three times the allowable sign area.
All signs must conform to this section within seven years of the effective
date of this section.
(f)
Professional nameplates that shall not exceed
two square feet in area on either of two sides.
(g)
Dwelling signs denoting the name and address
of the occupants of the premises, which signs shall not exceed two
square feet on either of two sides.
(h)
Signs denoting the architect, engineer, or contractor
placed on the premise where construction, repair, or renovation is
in progress, which signs shall not exceed six square feet on either
of two sides. This sign must be removed from the premises within seven
days after such construction, repair, or renovation is completed.
(i)
Signs advertising the sale, lease, or rental
of the premises upon which the sign is located, which shall not exceed
six square feet in area, provided such sign is erected or displayed
not less than five feet inside the property line. This sign must be
removed from the premises within seven days after the property is
sold or leased. Not more than one sign shall be permitted for each
street contiguous to the said premises but in no case shall there
be more than two signs on the premises.
(j)
Signs or banners customarily used to advertise
garage sale, lawn sale, porch sale, barn sale, household sale or sales
of similar nature are permitted provided that such signs shall not
exceed four square feet in area on either of two sides, and shall
advertise only the nature of the sale and the premises where such
sale is located: provided, no more than four signs shall be allowed
for each such sale conducted on the premises. Signs are to be removed
within 48 hours of the completion of any such sale. Signs are not
permitted to be placed upon utility poles and any such placed signs
shall be immediately removed.
(3) Measurement of sign area. Sign measurement shall be
based upon the entire area of the sign, with a single continuous perimeter
enclosing the extreme limits of the sign surface. For a sign painted
on or applied to a building, the area shall be considered to include
the smallest rectangle or other shape which encompasses all lettering,
numbering, designs, logos or lights together with any background of
a different color from the finished material of the building. The
area of supporting framework such as brackets or posts shall not be
included in the area of the sign, but will be included in the size
of the total structure. When a sign has two or more faces or is composed
of multiple signs each with a face, the sum of the areas of all the
faces shall be included in determining the area, except where two
faces are placed back to back and are at no point more than two feet
from each other. In this latter case, the sign area shall be taken
as the area of either face, and if the faces are unequal, the larger
shall determine the area.
(4) Measurement of height. The height of any sign shall
be measured from the highest point of the structure to the surface
of the ground prior to construction of the sign or to the surface
of the nearest public road, whichever is lower.
(5) Off-premises signs. Signs displaying information on
uses, events, goods, products, services or facilities offered at locations
other than on the tax lot where the sign is located are prohibited,
with the exception of general directory or directional signs which
may be approved subject to a special use permit. General directory
or directional signs shall be no larger in area than 24 square feet
and shall include only the name(s) of the establishment and basic
directional information in lettering no higher than five inches.
(6) Home occupation signs. One non-illuminated sign per
home occupation no larger in area than two square feet indicating
the name, address, phone number or principal number or principal purpose
of the home occupation is permitted. Such sign should be affixed flat
to the building.
(7) For-sale and for-rent signs. No more than two nonilluminated
signs advertising the sale or rental of a property may be erected
and maintained on said property by the owner or broker or any person
with legal interest in the sale or rental of such property, provided
that:
(a)
The size of any such sign shall be no more than
six square feet; and
(b)
Up to two additional, non-illuminated signs
may be erected or maintained if said property abuts more than one
public right-of-way.
(8) General provisions for all signs. All signs shall
conform with the following performance standards.
(a)
Construction and maintenance. Any sign must
be constructed of durable materials, maintained in good condition
and not allowed to become dilapidated.
(b)
Obstruction of public right-of-way. Signs attached
to a structure shall not project more than three feet from the structure.
No sign shall extend over a public right-of-way or public sidewalk,
and no sign shall obstruct views from any public right-of-way to any
other public right-of-way.
(c)
Illumination. Sign illumination shall only be
with steady, stationary, shielded light sources directed onto the
sign without causing glare onto adjoining properties or onto any public
right-of-way. Flashing signs or signs with moving lights such as scroll
signs are prohibited. No sign shall be illuminated between the hours
of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. unless the premises are open for general
business during such hours.
(d)
Building permits shall be required for all signs except those described in Subsection
C(2) of this section. Any building permit shall conform to the requirements of this section.
(e)
Removal of signs upon vacation of premises.
Every person maintaining a sign shall upon removal from the premises
where the sign is maintained forthwith remove such sign.
(f)
All sign colors should be kept limited within
the character and standards of the area it is placed within.
(g)
Signs shall not project beyond the building
line more than 12 inches over the sidewalk when erected full or against
said building. When hung at right angles to a building, or on top
of a building parallel with the roof thereof, signs shall not extend
into or over any street or sidewalk more than six feet from the building
line to which the same is attached, or in any event, more than 24
inches from the inside of the curb, except that on an authorized marquee,
the illustrated sign may extend the entire length.
(h)
No sign or supports or hangings shall be erected
so as to cover doors or windows of any building, nor otherwise to
prevent free ingress and egress to or from any window, door or fire
escape of any building, nor shall any sign be attached to any part
of a fire escape or upon or to any stand pipe, and when a sign is
hung near a fire escape it shall be arranged so as to swing away from
such fire escape. No sign shall be erected in such position as to
completely blanket another sign already placed on either side.
(i)
All signs shall be properly secured, supported
and braced and shall be kept in perfect structural condition and clean
and well painted at all times. Every sign, its framework, braces,
anchors and other supports, shall be constructed of such material
and in such workmanlike manner as shall make them safe and be satisfactory
to the Department of Public Safety.
(j)
All wiring, fittings and materials used in the
construction, connection and operation of electric signs must be in
accordance with the requirements of the current National Electrical
Code (NEC) and must pass an inspection conducted by an electrical
inspector recognized by the City upon installation.
D. Sign provisions for residential districts.
(1) Off-premise signs are prohibited.
(2) All signs should be aligned parallel with the street
and sidewalk.
(3) All permitted nonresidential uses that are not home
occupations may construct, relocate, alter or repair a sign to meet
the following standards:
(a)
If a sign is building mounted or building hung, it must meet the standards required in §
315-27F regarding home occupation signs with the exception of size. A residential business that is not a home occupation may have a building-mounted or building-hung sign not to exceed six square feet.
(b)
If a sign is freestanding, it may not exceed
16 square feet in size. The total sign structure including borders,
ornamentation, and supports should not exceed five feet in height,
and may not exceed six feet in width.
(c)
Freestanding signs may not be illuminated in
any way, with the exception of exterior lighting from the top of the
sign.
(d)
Marquee signs, sandwich boards, canopy signs,
window signs, roof-mounted signs, scrolling signs, awning signs, or
any other signs other than the types mentioned above are not permitted.
E. Sign provisions for business and industrial districts.
(1) Size and placement.
(a)
All signs in B-1, B-2, I-1 or I-2 Districts
must meet the following standards:
[1]
No signage shall exceed 5% of any given side,
and no building may have total signage that exceeds 10% of the total
building frontage for all sides. This provision includes all types
of signs, not just building-mounted.
[2]
The lower edge of a sign, except a sign attached
flat against a building, shall not be less than 10 feet above the
sidewalk or ground level in front of the building to which such sign
is attached.
[3]
At no time shall any sign cover or block any
window or door that is required as either an exit or for purpose of
light and/or ventilation.
[4]
Identification signs may be attached to an exterior
wall of a building adjacent to public entrances. Such signs shall
be non-illuminated and are limited in text to the name of the resident
firm or corporation, each such firm or corporation being allowed one
such sign. Each sign shall not exceed two square feet in area.
[5]
Awning signs shall be permitted provided that
the awning structure, if preexisting, meets the New York State Building
code criteria for safety and that any insignia, logo, graphic, diagram,
design, name or information of any type falls within the total maximum
allowable square footage for fascia signage as allowed by this chapter.
For new awnings where no such structure was preexisting a building
permit shall be required for the awning structure and such structure
will adhere to all New York State Building Codes in effect at the
time; this is in addition to the required sign permit. Any insignia,
logo, diagram, design, name or information of any type placed upon
or incorporated into the awning shall be subtracted from and/or counted
toward the total square footage allowed for fascia signage.
[6]
Directional signs are permitted provided that
the individual signs do not exceed two square feet in area. Text is
limited to "Office," "Entrance," "Exit," and "Parking." All such signs
shall be provided with indirect illumination only.
[7]
Permanent window signage is permitted provided
that the individual signs do not extend closer than 12 inches to the
sides, the top, and 12 inches from the bottom of the window. All window
signage shall be subtracted from the allowable square footage for
fascia signage unless part of a specified sign package.
[8]
Banner signs shall be permitted provided that
the signs are attached either to the inside of the window area or
flush to the exterior of the building. All banner signs shall be subtracted
from the allowable square footage for fascia signage unless part of
a specified sign package.
[9]
One A-frame sign shall be permitted provided
that said sign shall not exceed a maximum of 48 inches in height and
a maximum of 30 inches in width. Text is limited to identification
of business, designation of business hours, special sales, daily items
of interest and notices of information. The A-frame sign shall be
positioned so as to minimize impedance of pedestrian travel, be placed
upon the sidewalk only during the hours of business operation, be
maintained in good order and be aesthetically appealing. Peel-and-stick
lettering or other forms of lettering, which can be easily vandalized,
are not permitted. The entire message must be contained within the
main structure of the sign.
[10]
Temporary advertising banners placed across
streets are allowed pending approvals from the NYSDOT, the City of
Hornell Public Safety Board and the Code Enforcement Officer. All
such banner applications shall also have attached written permission
from the property owner whose building such banners are to be suspended
from.
(2) Number.
(a)
Fascia signage, which may include permanent
window signage, one fascia sign attached to the exterior wall of the
building, and awning signage in a combined amount up to but not to
exceed 100 square feet is permitted for the front or face of the building.
(b)
One fascia sign is permitted on the rear and/or
side exterior wall of a building, provided that such side faces a
street or public way and that the square footage for any such signs
does not exceed 65 square feet.
(c)
Two directional or identification signs are
permitted per establishment, provided the maximum square footage of
two square feet per sign is not exceeded.
(d)
Banner signs, not included in a sign package,
are permitted provided that such signs do not exceed the total allowable
fascia square footage of 100 square feet.
(e)
One projecting sign not to exceed a total of
60 square feet, attached to a building, and which advertises only
the name of the business, trade name, or trademark, or activity conducted
on the premises where the sign is located.
(3) Text on permitted signs. The text on each sign is
subject to approval by the Zoning Enforcement Officer and is limited
to:
(a)
Name or assumed name of the owner and or business
located on the property on which it is located.
(b)
Principal business or businesses conducted on
the property.
(c)
Brief indication of product or services available.
(4) Illumination. Only indirect lighting shall be used
to illuminate a permitted sign. No flashing, intermittent or moving
light or lights shall constitute a part of or be used to illuminate
a permitted sign. No light shall be placed in such a manner that it
is a hazard to the traveling public, or shall cause any objectionable
glare, either direct or reflected.
(5) Sign setbacks.
(a)
All freestanding signs must be placed at least
10 feet from the street right-of-way or as required by the New York
State Department of Transportation.
(b)
No freestanding sign, either ground or pole,
shall be erected or maintained nearer the building facade than three
feet, or nearer the sidewalk surface than eight feet, and must be
placed so as not to obstruct pedestrian passage on the sidewalk, or
impair the line of sight of vehicular traffic. Such signs may not
exceed 60 square feet in area on either of two sides.
F. Administration and enforcement of article. The Code
Enforcement Office shall be charged with enforcement of this article
and with its administration under the direction of the Board of Public
Safety. The Board of Public Safety is authorized in the name of the
city to enjoin impending or existing violations of this article, and
is likewise empowered to resort to legal process to enforce mandatory
compliance with its provisions.
G. Permit required. It shall be unlawful for any person
to erect, alter, locate, reconstruct or maintain, or cause to be erected,
altered, relocated, reconstructed or maintained within the corporate
limits of the city, any sign or signs without having first obtained
a permit therefor from the Code Enforcement Officer and without complying
with the provisions of this article.
H. Permit application.
(1) Contents. Any person desiring to procure a permit
provided for in this article shall file with the Code Enforcement
Office a written application upon blank forms prepared and furnished
by the city. The written consent of the owner and or lessee of the
property upon which such sign or signs is/are to be erected and maintained
shall be filed with the Code Enforcement Office with such application.
Such application shall contain an accurate description of the location
or proposed location and character of each sign it is desired to erect,
alter, relocate, reconstruct or maintain, the name and address of
the applicant, and of the person by whom such sign is to be erected,
altered, relocated, reconstructed or maintained, and such other information
as the city may require to locate the sign and to show a compliance
with the provisions of this article.
(2) Plan design. The city may, in the case of non-illuminated
signs, and shall in the case of an illuminated sign, require that
the application be accompanied by a plan or design of the sign or
proposed sign, showing its weight, dimensions, electrical or gas equipment,
details of its attachments and hangings and its position relative
to the building and such other information as the Board of Public
Safety may require. All signs requiring the use of electricity shall
be inspected by an electrical inspector recognized by the City.
I. Issuance of sign permits.
(1) Construction permit; fee. The sign permit will be
issued at such time the Code Enforcement Officer finds the proposed
sign specifications are in compliance with this chapter of the City
of Hornell. Fees will be assessed according to the city fee schedule and will be collected prior to issuance of sign permit.
(2) Inspection. The Code Enforcement Officer will issue
a certificate of compliance after final inspection of installed sign
is determined to be in compliance.
J. Revocation of permit; notice thereof. The Code Enforcement
Officer may at any time for a violation of this article revoke any
construction or final permit. Notice of such revocation and the reason
or reasons herefore shall be served by the city upon the order of
the Department of Public Safety upon the person named in the application
by mailing the same to the address given in the application and by
filing a copy thereof immediately in the office of the City Clerk.
[Amended 4-22-2013 by L.L. No. 3-2013]
A. Findings and legislative intent.
(1) It is recognized that there are some uses which, because of their
very nature, have serious objectionable operational characteristics
under certain circumstances, which produce a deleterious effect upon
adjacent areas. Special regulation of these uses is necessary to ensure
that adverse effects will not contribute to the blighting or downgrading
of the surrounding neighborhood. The City of Hornell finds it in the
public interest to enact these regulations. The purpose of these regulations
is to prevent or lessen the secondary effects of adult entertainment
uses, and not to inhibit freedom of speech.
(2) The unrestrained proliferation and inappropriate location of such
businesses is inconsistent with existing development and future plans
for the city in that they often result in influences on the community,
which increase the crime rate and undermine the economic and social
welfare of the community. The deleterious effects of these businesses
change the economic and social character of the existing community
and adversely affect existing businesses and community and family
life.
B. As defined in Article
II of this chapter, adult entertainment uses shall be permitted only in Industrial Zoning Districts subject to the following restrictions:
(1) Adult entertainment uses are prohibited within:
(a)
Five hundred feet of any zoning district that is zoned to allow
residential use.
(b)
Five hundred feet of any single-family, two-family, or multiple-family
dwelling, including structures devoted to both residential and commercial
or business purposes.
(c)
Five hundred feet of any public or private school.
(d)
Five hundred feet of any church or other religious facility
or institution.
(e)
Five hundred feet of any public park, public bike path, playground
or playing field, cemetery or civic or recreational facility.
(2) No adult entertainment use shall be allowed within 500 feet of another
existing adult entertainment use.
(3) No more than one adult entertainment use shall be located on any
lot.
(4) The distances provided hereinabove shall be measured by following
a straight line, without regard to intervening buildings, from the
nearest point of the property parcel upon which the adult entertainment
use is to be located to the nearest point of the parcel of property
or the land use district boundary line from which the adult entertainment
use is to be separated.
C. Other restrictions.
(1) No adult entertainment use shall be conducted in any manner that
allows the observation of any material depicting, describing or relating
to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas from
any public way or from any property not containing an adult entertainment
use. This provision shall apply to any display, decoration, sign,
show, window or other opening.
(2) There shall be no outdoor sign, display or advertising of any kind
other than one identification sign limited to only the name of the
establishment.
(3) Adult entertainment uses shall obtain site plan approval in accordance
with this code.
(4) Adult entertainment uses shall meet all other regulations of the
city, including but not limited to district lot and bulk regulations,
parking regulations and signage.
(5) It shall be unlawful to operate an adult entertainment use between
the hours of 12:00 midnight and 8:00 a.m.