The following signs shall be permitted in any
use district in accordance with the requirements of this article:
A. Professional nameplate. In residential districts,
professional nameplates bearing the name and profession of the resident,
not exceeding two square feet in area or more than one such sign in
number, and which may be illuminated by an electric lamp not exceeding
15 watts of power contained within the sign; in nonresidential districts,
on professional office buildings having two or more occupants, only
one wall or ground sign containing the names of all occupants shall
be permitted.
B. Sale or rent sign advertising the sale or rental only
of the real property on which it may be located, provided there be
only one such sign, not to exceed four square feet in area and located
not less than 20 feet from any property line. Where such sign is not
attached to a building, it shall be attached to a standard sunk in
the ground, and no part of said sign shall be more than five feet
above the ground.
C. Building contractor's, subcontractor's, architect's
or engineer's sign, maintained on a building only while the same is
under construction, provided that there be only one such sign not
exceeding four square feet in area.
D. Institutional identification sign placed upon a building
or lot of a church, hospital, school or public agency, provided that
there be only one such sign, not exceeding 16 square feet in area.
E. Informational signs, directional or traffic signs,
or other signs which are erected and maintained only by a governmental
agency for the general welfare.
F. Temporary signs, posters or displays placed by any
governmental agency, church or civic organization if such signs are
related directly to public, religious or patriotic matters, and otherwise
comply with the provisions of this article.
G. Subdivision sign, advertising an approved subdivision,
located on the premises and not less than 25 feet from any lot line,
provided that there be only one such sign not to exceed 50 square
feet. No renewal of such sign permit shall be issued beyond a period
when development of the subdivision has reached 90% of completion.
H. Danger sign, warning of the condition or danger of
travel on a street, may be erected and maintained for a temporary
period, provided that such sign does not exceed two square feet in
area.
I. Directional sign, directing persons to a parking area, placed on a side wall of a building, may be erected subject to authorization by the Board of Zoning and Appeals pursuant to Article
XXIV of this ordinance.
J. Signs in business or industrial districts. The following
signs shall be permitted only in business or industrial districts
in accordance with the requirements of this article:
(1) Wall sign, attached to and parallel to a building
wall on a public street or parking area and advertising only the business
conducted in such building; provided that:
(a)
There be only one such sign for each wall on
any wall where such sign is permitted.
(b)
The sign on the building wall facing upon a
public street shall not exceed 4 1/2 feet in vertical measurement
or two square feet per linear foot of wall width. The sign on the
building wall facing upon a parking area shall not exceed two feet
in vertical measurement or one square foot per linear foot of wall
width, but in no case shall exceed 24 square feet in area.
(c)
The sign is not wider than the building upon
which it is placed.
(d)
The sign or any part thereof, including lighting
devices and reflectors, does not project more than one foot from such
wall, but in no case shall extend into any right-of-way.
(e)
The sign does not extend higher than the roof
of any building.
(f)
The sign is not higher than the distance between
the head of the windows of one story and the lower sill course of
the windows of the next higher story, or the top of the parapet wall
if a one-story building, and in no event shall the top of the sign
be higher than 18 feet above the mean level of the ground.
(g)
Any such sign shall be maintained in a good
state of repair, in working order and neatly painted; all projecting
lighting devices, including reflectors and all parts thereof, shall
be painted aluminum on the outside.
(h)
The provisions of Subsections
J(1)(a) through
J(1)(g) above shall not prohibit a sign projecting not more than one foot from the wall of any building and not more than one foot by one foot in area used to indicate the location on the premises of a public telephone or other public utility facility for the use of the general public.
(i)
All signs in shopping centers shall be uniform
in appearance, construction and dimensions.
[Added 8-26-1980 by L.L. No. 13-1980]
(2) Detached or ground sign, advertising only the business
conducted on the premises upon which the sign is located, provided
that:
(a)
There be only one such sign detached from a
building.
(b)
Such sign shall not exceed 24 square feet in
area or 15 feet in height from the mean level of the ground.
(c)
Such sign shall be located not less than 10
feet from any property line.
(d)
An open space of at least three feet in height
shall be maintained between the bottom of the sign and the ground.
(e)
The area between the sign and front property
line shall be maintained free of weeds and debris.
(3) A tower sign, advertising only the business conducted
in such building, provided that:
(a)
Said sign is an integral part and made of the
same material as the front of the building.
(b)
There be only one such sign.
(c)
The sign shall not exceed 100 square feet in
area nor 10 feet in any dimension.
(d)
The top of the sign shall not exceed 35 feet
in height from the mean level of the ground.
(e)
There shall be no moving parts or any flashing,
changing, intermittent or varying illumination in connection therewith.
(4) Window signs, provided that the total area of all
such window signs located in a window does not exceed one-third (1/3)
of the total area of such window. For purposes of this subsection,
a "window sign" shall mean a sign of any material which is either
temporarily or permanently attached or affixed to the interior or
exterior surface of a display window and is used for advertisements,
announcements or notices, directional matters, company names or trade
names and which is related to the business, products or services provided.
Window signs shall not require permits as otherwise provided herein.
[Added 8-26-1980 by L.L. No. 13-1980]
(5) Hanging
sign or blade sign, attached to and perpendicular to a building wall
on a public street or parking area and advertising only the business
conducted in such building, provided that:
[Added 10-22-2020 by L.L. No. 14-2020]
(a) There be only one such sign per business in addition to any other
permitted signage.
(b) The sign shall not exceed six square feet of surface area per side.
(c) The sign is six or fewer inches thick.
(d) The sign is attached to the building wall no more than 15 feet from
the entrance of the business it advertises.
(e) There are no other blade or hanging signs within 15 feet.
(f) The blade or hanging sign extends no further than the lesser of 42
inches from the building or a distance equivalent to 1/2 the width
of the sidewalk.
(g) No portion of the blade or hanging sign is more than 15 feet above
grade or the roof of the building.
(h) No portion of the blade or hanging sign is less than eight feet above
grade.
(i) There shall be no means of internal illumination.
(j) Exterior lighting shall be from above or the side of the sign attached
to the building wall, facade, or soffit face; lamps shall not project
more than 1 1/2 feet from the building wall, facade, or soffit
face; such illumination shall not result in confusion with traffic
signals, either because of color or proximity.
(k) Signs must be durable, sturdy, and stable and must be designed, constructed
and installed to withstand one-hundred-ten-mile-per-hour gusts of
wind and rain.
(l) The bracket holding the hanging sign shall be mounted above the sign
only; brackets shall be attached to the building wall, facade, or
soffit face only; brackets attached to the top of the soffit or roof
shall be prohibited.
(6) Temporary grand opening displays. Notwithstanding §
70-197D of the Town Code, a temporary grand opening display shall be permitted under this chapter, subject to the following:
[Added 5-20-2021 by L.L. No. 12-2021]
(a) Grand opening displays shall be limited to signs, flags, pennants,
banners and similar items, which displays shall be hung on the building
or from the building, but shall, in all cases, be within the property
line of the building and shall not exceed the height thereof. In no
event shall illuminated displays or signs be permitted hereunder.
(b) No grand opening display shall be permitted for a period of longer
than 14 calendar days.
(c) Grand opening displays shall not exceed three feet by 15 feet.
(d) For purposes of this subsection,"grand opening" shall mean a promotional
activity not exceeding 14 calendar days within two months after initial
occupancy, used by newly established, newly renovated or under-new-management
businesses, for which all required licenses, permits and certificates
of occupancy and/or completion have been issued, to inform the public
of their location and services available to the community. "Grand
opening" or "grand reopening" does not mean an annual or occasional
promotion by a business.
(e) Grand opening displays shall be subject to all accessibility and
fire safety regulations.
(f) Dangerous signs. Should a grand opening display be or become insecure
or in danger of falling or otherwise unsafe in the opinion of the
Building Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer, the owner thereof
or person maintaining the same shall, upon receipt of written notice
from the Building Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer and in any
case within three days thereafter, secure the same in a manner to
be approved by the Building Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer.
If such order is not complied with, the Building Inspector or Code
Enforcement Officer is hereby authorized to cause removal of such
dangerous grand opening display, and any expense incident thereto
shall be paid by the owner of the building, structure or premises
on which such display is located. If such payment is not made, such
expenses shall be assessed against the owner of the property to be
levied against such property. Such amount shall be a lien on the property
and collected at the same time and in the same manner as Town taxes.
When any grand opening display is in such dangerous condition as to
be immediately dangerous to the safety of the public, the Building
Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer is hereby authorized to take
such actions as, in their opinion, shall be necessary to protect the
public or property, including but not limited to the removal of such
sign, and any expense incident thereto shall be paid by the owner
of the sign.
K. Gasoline station signs. Notwithstanding §
70-196J(1) and
J(2) of this article, the following signs, deemed customary and essential, shall be permitted as accessory to an existing gasoline station in any use district:
(1) Signs which are an integral part of gasoline pumps.
(2) Signs over bays, not to exceed two feet in height,
containing the words "lubrication," "washing" or other similar customary
words.
(3) Signs showing the selling price of gasoline, not to
exceed one such sign for each gasoline pump and attached thereto,
and measuring not less than seven inches in height and eight inches
in width nor more than 12 inches square.
(4) Ground signs, not to exceed two in number, 24 square
feet in area per sign face or 18 feet in height above the mean level
of the ground, not to extend or project beyond any lot line.
(5) Temporary signs, not to exceed two in number of 10
square feet per sign face; such signs shall advertise some special
seasonal service and shall remain in view only during the periods
October 1 to December 1 and/or April 1 to June 1.
(6) Wall signs, in conformance with Subsection
J(1).
(7) The subject matter of any sign shall relate only to
the business occupying the lot.
L. Marquee sign, erected and maintained in connection
with a hotel or theater, provided that such sign shall not exceed
15 inches in height nor extend beyond the permissible outer limits
of said marquee nor be less than 10 feet above the mean level of the
ground.
M. Billboards or poster panels for hire shall be permitted
only in industrial districts, provided that:
(1) Only one such sign shall be permitted on the lot.
(2) Such sign shall not exceed 15 feet in height from
the top to the mean level of the ground.
(3) Such sign shall not exceed 300 square feet in area.
(4) There shall be not less than three feet of open space
between the bottom of such sign and the ground surface.
(5) Such sign shall be located at least 20 feet from any
lot line and at least 50 feet from any residence district.
[Added 5-20-2021 by L.L. No. 12-2021; amended 8-5-2021 by L.L. No. 15-2021]
It shall be presumed that any person, business or entity identified
on any sign, poster, sticker or advertising device regulated under
this chapter, or the owner, agent, registrant, manager, business,
entity or person in charge of any telephone number, website, entity,
business or address identified on any sign, poster, sticker or advertising
device regulated under this chapter, is responsible for the placement
of that sign, poster, sticker or advertising device. This presumption
shall be rebuttable.
[Added 12-19-1972; amended 2-27-1973]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or
corporation to erect, affix or maintain a political sign on any tree,
traffic device, telephone or lighting pole within the Town of North
Hempstead. It shall also be unlawful to erect and/or maintain any
freestanding political signs in any use district regulated by the
Building Zone Ordinance of the Town of North Hempstead. However, political
wall signs shall be permitted within the Town of North Hempstead in
compliance with the following conditions:
A. A "political sign" is defined as any advertising or
identification sign or device, the purpose of which is to identify
or promote the election of any person seeking public office or any
organization established or formed for the purpose of promoting the
election of such person.
B. Sign allowance. Wall signs shall be permitted in business and industrial districts and shall comply with the provisions of Article
XXI, §
70-196J(1)(b) of this ordinance.
C. No sign shall be erected prior to six weeks before
election for which the permit was obtained.
D. All political signs shall be removed within 10 days
after the election for which the permit was obtained.
E. No sign shall obstruct traffic.
F. A permit must be obtained for the erection of political
wall signs from the Building Department of the Town of North Hempstead,
but no permit shall be issued for the erection of a political wall
sign on any vacant or abandoned building or structure.
G. Permit requirement. It shall be unlawful to erect
a political wall sign without first having secured a permit therefor
from the Building Department of the Town of North Hempstead.
H. Fees. A permit shall be issued from the Building Department,
provided that the person, firm or corporation shall deposit a performance
bond of $1,000 or $50 in cash with the Building Department to assure
the removal of said political wall sign within 10 days after the election
for which the permit was obtained.
I. This section shall not prohibit the use of painted panels or poster panels for political advertising on existing billboards constructed pursuant to §
70-196M of this ordinance.