The purpose of this article is to establish
minimum standards to safeguard life and property and promote public
welfare and community aesthetics by regulating the appearance, construction,
location and maintenance of all signs, awnings, canopies and billboards.
The provisions herein contained shall be binding alike upon every
owner of a building, every lessee and every person in charge of or
responsible for or who causes the construction, repair, relocation
or alteration of any outdoor sign and other advertising structures
in the Village of Theresa. Painting, posting and general maintenance
are excepted.
The following definitions are used in this article:
AREA OF SIGN
The perimeter which forms the outside shape, but excluding
the necessary supports or uprights on which the sign may be placed,
unless they are designed as part of the sign. If the sign consists
of more than one section or module, all areas will be totaled. The
area of an irregularly shaped sign shall be computed using the actual
sign face surface. The area of the irregularly shaped sign shall be
the entire area within a single continuous rectilinear perimeter of
not more than eight straight lines.
AWNING
A temporary hood or cover which projects from the wall of
the building, which can be retracted, folded or collapsed against
the face of a supporting structure.
BILLBOARD
A sign which advertises goods, products or facilities or
services not necessarily on the premises where the sign is located
or directs persons to a different location from where the sign is
located.
BLANKETING
The unreasonable obstruction of view of a sign caused by
the placement of another sign.
CANOPY
A shelter, with or without a sign, attached to or connected
with a building and extending into a setback or over the public sidewalk.
DAY
A period of time in terms of calendar days.
DIRECTLY ILLUMINATED SIGN
Any sign designed to give any artificial light directly through
any transparent or translucent material from a source of light originating
within or on such sign.
DIRECTORY SIGN
Any sign on which the names and locations of occupants or
the use of a building is given. This shall include offices and church
directories. Directory signs shall be encouraged for use with advertising
of multiple-occupied commercial and industrial buildings.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE UNIT SIGN
Any sign whose message may be changed by electronic process,
including such messages as copy, art, graphics, time, date, temperature,
weather or information concerning civic or charitable events or the
advertising of products or services for sale on the premises. This
also includes traveling or segmented message displays.
FLASHING SIGN
Any directly or indirectly illuminated sign on which artificial
light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color
at all times when in use.
IDENTIFICATION SIGN
Any sign which carries only the name of the firm, major enterprise,
institution or principal products offered for sale on the premises
or combination of these.
MARQUEE SIGN
Any sign attached to and made part of a marquee. "Marquee"
is defined as a permanent roof-like 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 weather.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN
Any sign, device or display which advertises goods other
than those commonly available or services other than those commonly
performed on the premises on which the sign is located.
POLITICAL SIGN
Any sign displaying a candidate for an election or a current
election's subject matter.
PORTABLE SIGN/MESSAGE BOARD
Any sign not permanently attached to the ground which is
designed to be easily moved from one location to another.
PROJECTING SIGN
Any sign extending more than 18 inches but less than four
feet from the face of a wall or building; such sign may not extend
more than three feet into the right-of-way.
REAL ESTATE SIGN
Any sign which is used to offer for sale, lease or rent the
property upon which the sign is placed.
ROOF SIGN
Any sign erected upon or over the roof or parapet of any
building.
SIGN
Includes anything that promotes, calls attention to or invites
patronage (or anything similar to the aforementioned) to a business,
location or product.
TEMPORARY SIGN
Any sign which is erected or displayed for a limited period
of time not to exceed 28 consecutive days or which is displayed only
during regular business hours and removed for storage at other times.
A temporary sign shall not exceed eight square feet in area. Examples
of temporary signs include banners and decorative-type displays. For
purposes of this chapter a portable sign is not a temporary sign.
WALL SIGN
Any sign attached to, erected on or painted on the wall of
a building or structure and projecting not more than 16 inches from
such wall.
WINDOW SIGN
Any sign located completely within an enclosed building and
visible from a public way.
The following signs do not require a sign permit,
provided that they are not located over a public road right-of-way
or in, on or over public water:
A. Commercial, industrial and planned unit development
(commercial/industrial) districts:
(1) Warning signs not to exceed two square feet located
on the premises.
(2) Memorial signs, tablets, names of buildings and date
of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed
of metal and affixed flat against the structure.
(3) Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restriction,
information and notices.
(4) Rummage or garage sale signs not to exceed eight square
feet in area, but use of this type of sign shall be limited to 72
hours per sale.
(5) Signs designating entrances, exits, service areas,
parking areas, rest rooms and other such signs relating to functional
operation of the building or premises shall be permitted without limitation
other than reasonable size and necessity.
(6) Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing
only property numbers, post box numbers or names of occupants of premises.
(7) Flags and insignia of any government, except when
displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
(8) Legal notices, identification information or directional
signs erected by governmental bodies.
(9) Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings,
except letters, trademarks, moving parts or moving lights.
(10)
Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking
on private property but bearing no advertising matter.
(11)
Political signs may be posted 60 days before
an election and must be removed within 10 days after said election.
Said sign shall be a maximum of 32 square feet.
(13)
Agricultural signs pertaining to the sale of
agricultural products on a farm or to membership in agricultural or
agricultural-related organizations, not to exceed 32 square feet in
area for any one farm.
(14)
Real estate signs not to exceed eight square
feet in area which advertise the sale, rental, or lease of the premises
upon which said signs are temporarily located.
(15)
Name, occupation and warning signs not to exceed
two square feet in area located on the premises.
(16)
Bulletin boards for public, charitable, or religious
institutions not to exceed 32 square feet in area located on the premises.
(17)
Temporary signs or banners when authorized by
the Zoning Administrator for a period not to exceed 30 days.
(18)
Signs over show windows or doors of a nonconforming
business establishment announcing without display or elaboration only
the name and occupation of the proprietor, not to exceed 24 square
feet in area.
B. Residential, conservancy and agricultural districts:
(1) Agricultural signs pertaining to the sale of agricultural
products on a farm or to membership in agricultural or agricultural-related
organizations, not to exceed 32 square feet in area for any one farm.
(2) Real estate signs not to exceed eight square feet
in area which advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises
upon which said signs are temporarily located.
(3) Name, occupation and warning signs not to exceed two
square feet in area located on the premises.
(4) Bulletin boards for public, charitable, or religious
institutions not to exceed 32 square feet in area located on the premises.
(5) Temporary signs or banners when authorized by the
Zoning Administrator for a period not to exceed 30 days.
(6) Signs over show windows or doors of a nonconforming
business establishment announcing without display or elaboration only
the name and occupation of the proprietor and not to exceed 24 square
feet in area.
(7) Memorial signs, tablets, names of buildings and dates
of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed
of metal and affixed flat against a structure.
(8) Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restrictions,
information and notices.
(9) Awnings or canopies servicing only a particular single-family
dwelling unit, provided that the same shall conform to the regulations
applicable to the zoning district in which the same are located.
(10)
House numbers or signs identifying parks or
municipal bulletin boards.
(11)
Political signs may be posted 60 days before
an election and must be removed within 10 days after said election.
Said sign shall be a maximum of eight square feet.
(12)
Rummage or garage sale signs not to exceed eight
square feet in area, but use of this type of sign shall be limited
to 72 hours per sale.
In addition to those permitted signs not requiring a permit pursuant to §
350-58B, the following nonflashing, nonilluminated signs are permitted under the conditions specified in all residential and planned unit development (residential) districts established by this chapter:
A. Nameplate and identification signs, subject to the
following:
(1) Area and content, residential. There shall be not
more than one nameplate, not exceeding one square foot in area, for
each dwelling unit, indicating the name or address of the occupant
or a permitted home occupation. On a corner lot, two such nameplates
for each dwelling unit (one facing each street) shall be permitted.
(2) Area and content, nonresidential. For nonresidential
buildings, a single identification sign not exceeding nine square
feet in area and indicating only the name and address of the building
may be displayed. On a corner lot, two such signs (one facing each
street) shall be permitted.
(3) Projection. Such signs shall be affixed flat against
the wall of the building.
(4) Height. No sign shall project higher than one story
or 15 feet above curb level, whichever is lower.
B. "For Sale" and "To Rent" signs, subject to the following:
(1) Area and number. There shall be not more than one
sign per zoning lot, except that on a corner zoning lot two signs
(one facing each street) shall be permitted. No sign shall exceed
eight square feet in area nor be closer than 12 feet to any other
zoning lot.
(2) Height. No sign shall project higher than one story
or 15 feet above curb level, whichever is lower, when attached to
a building. Detached or freestanding signs shall not be more than
four feet in height, measured from the soil grade to the top of the
signpost.
C. Signs accessory to parking areas, subject to the following:
(1) Area and number. Signs designating parking area entrances
or exits are limited to one sign for each such exit or entrance and
to a maximum size of two square feet each. One sign per parking area,
designating the conditions of use or identity of such parking area
and limited to a maximum size of nine square feet, shall be permitted.
On a corner lot, two such signs (one facing each street) shall be
permitted.
(2) Projection. No sign shall project beyond the property
line into the public way.
(3) Height. No sign shall project higher than seven feet
above curb level.
D. Signs accessory to roadside stands, subject to the
following:
(1) Content. The signs shall be only for the purpose of
identification of the roadside stand and advertising the agricultural
products for sale therein.
(2) Area and number. The signs shall be on the same zoning
lot (either zoned agricultural or with a conditional use permit) as
the roadside stand and there shall be not more than two signs per
lot. No sign shall exceed 12 square feet in area or be closer than
50 feet to any other zoning lot.
(3) Projection. No sign shall project beyond the property
line into the public way.
(4) Height. No sign shall project higher than 15 feet
above curb level.
(5) Permit. A sign permit is required for this type of
sign.
E. Temporary signs accessory to subdivision developments
or other permitted improvements in residential districts, subject
to the following:
(1) Content. The signs shall be only for the purpose of
identification of homes for sale or rent in the subdivision under
construction or for the identification of other nonresidential uses
under construction.
(2) Area, number and setback. Such signs shall not exceed
two in number for each subdivision nor 50 square feet each in area.
They shall observe the front yard requirement of the principal use
and shall be located at least 50 feet from all other boundaries of
the site.
(3) Height. No sign shall project higher than eight feet
above curb level.
(4) Time limitations. The sign or signs shall be removed
by the applicant or property owner within two years of the date of
the issuance of a sign permit.
F. Subdivision identification signs, subject to the following:
(1) Content. The signs shall bear only the name of the
subdivision or development.
(2) Area and number. There shall be not more than two
signs located at each entrance to a subdivision. No sign shall exceed
32 square feet in area. Such identification signs shall only be erected
after review and approved by the Zoning Administrator.
(3) Height. No sign shall project higher than 12 feet
above curb level; the Plan Commission may, however, temporarily authorize
a larger sign for a period not to exceed two years.
(4) Permit. A sign permit is required for this type of
sign. Drawings showing the specific design, appearance and location
of the sign shall be submitted to the Zoning Administrator for approval.
The location of any such sign shall be at the discretion of the Zoning
Administrator based upon the character of the area, the type and purpose
of the sign and the length of time permitted.
G. Nonflashing, illuminated church bulletins, subject
to the following:
(1) Area and number. There shall be not more than one
sign per lot, except that on a corner lot two signs (one facing each
street) shall be permitted. No sign surface shall exceed 32 square
feet in area or be closer than eight feet to any other zoning lot.
(2) Projection. No sign shall project beyond the property
line into the public way.
(3) Height. No sign shall project higher than one story
or 15 feet above the curb level, whichever is lower.
Landscape features such as plant materials,
berms, boulders, fencing and similar design elements unincorporated
or in conjunction with the freestanding signs are encouraged and shall
not be counted as allowable sign area.
Variances or exceptions to these sign regulations
may be granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals following a recommendation
from the Zoning Administrator, pursuant to the standards of this chapter.