The following words and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meaning given in this section:
NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMUNITY SHOPPING CENTER
A group of commercial establishments, planned, developed, owned and managed as a unit, with off-street parking provided on the property; or any group of commercial establishments sharing common walls; or a series of two or more separately owned establishments which share a common parking lot with spaces for at least 10 cars.
SIGN
Any permanent or temporary device or structure which is freestanding, attached to a building or structure, or erected, painted, represented or reproduced inside or outside any building or structure or any natural object, including the ground itself; which displays, reproduces or includes any letter, work, name, number, model, symbol, insignia, design, device, representation or trademark or a flag; which is used to identify the premises or occupant or owner of the premises; to advertise or call attention to any trade, business, profession, industry, service, or their activity; to advertise any product or item; to advertise the sale or rental or use of all or part of any premises, including that upon which it is displayed; to direct vehicular or pedestrian traffic, other than state, county or municipal highway and roadway markers; and shall include any announcement, declaration, insignia, or any representation used to advertise or promote the interests of any person. The word “sign” shall not be construed to mean any sign in the interior of any structure unless it is specifically set forth in this article or displayed within the view of persons passing on a street, or within view of persons in a parking lot.
SIGN, AREA THEREOF
The area of the smallest triangle, rectangle, or circle which can wholly enclose the surface area of the sign. All visible faces of a multiface sign shall be counted separately and then totaled in calculating sign area, with the exception that on dual-faced signs where two faces are parallel, only one side shall be counted. Three-dimensional signs shall be treated as dual-faced signs, such that the total area shall be twice the area of the smallest triangle, rectangle or circle which can totally circumscribe the sign in the plane of its largest dimension. Frames and structural members which do not meet the definition of “sign” above shall not be included in the computation of sign area.
SIGN, BUSINESS
A sign which identifies or advertises a permitted business, including permitted home occupations, located on the premises where such sign is located.
SIGN, ELECTRIC
A sign which provides artificial light directly or through any transparent or translucent material.
SIGN, FREESTANDING
A sign not supported by a wall or screening surface.
SIGN, ILLUMINATED
A sign illuminated by artificial light focused upon or directed chiefly at the surface of the sign.
SIGN, NONCONFORMING USE
A sign which identifies or advertises a use on the premises which use is not allowed under this chapter.
SIGN PLAZA
An area established and maintained by the Town of Glocester, or other approved organization as specified in this article, where approved informational and directional signs are grouped.
SIGN, PROJECTING
A sign which is attached to a wall or a screening surface, and which extends more than 12 inches therefrom.
SIGN, RESIDENTIAL
A sign, other than the name and address of the resident, which identifies the residential premises on which it is located.
SIGN, WALL-MOUNTED
A sign which is attached directly to or painted upon a wall or screening surface, and which does not extend more than 12 inches therefrom. Signs located inside a building and intended to be visible from off the property or from a parking lot shall be considered wall-mounted signs.
ZONES
Zones established by this chapter.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See § 350-6.
Unless otherwise specified elsewhere in this article, all signs shall pertain to the principal use, service rendered, or product sold on the premises on which the sign is located, and shall not include advertisement, identification, publicity or notice of goods, services, establishments, enterprises, activities, persons, organizations and facilities which are not located on the premises, or which are incidental to the primary use of the premises.
Except as specified in this article, it shall be unlawful to erect, replace or relocate any sign within the Town of Glocester without first obtaining a sign permit issued only for such signs as are specifically allowed for the particular premises and zones by the provisions of this article.
The following signs are permitted without permits issued by the Zoning Inspector of the Town of Glocester, and shall not be counted when calculating the quantity of signs permitted and the total allowable sign area; however, such signs shall conform with all other applicable regulations:
A. 
Name and address of resident, not to include any commercial advertising. Such signs shall not exceed two square feet in sign area and shall be nonilluminated and nonelectric.
B. 
”No trespassing” sign, or other such signs regulating the use of the property on which it is located, provided such signs do not exceed two square feet in area in any zone except in commercial and industrial zones where such signs may not exceed five square feet in area. Such signs shall be nonilluminated and nonelectric.
C. 
Temporary signs which advertise the sale, rental, lease or improvement of the property on which they are located, provided such signs do not exceed six square feet in any residential and agricultural zone, 20 square feet in commercial zones, and 30 square feet in industrial zones. Signs advertising pending improvements shall not be in place more than 60 days prior to commencement of such improvements. Temporary signs shall be removed within 10 days after completion of the activity advertised. Such signs shall be nonilluminated and nonelectric.
D. 
Bulletin board for public charitable or religious institutions when located on the property thereof, provided the area of such sign does not exceed 25 square feet and bears no commercial advertising. Such signs may be illuminated but must be nonelectric.
E. 
Signs identifying on-premises traffic, parking, or other functional activity, such as lavatory facilities, telephone, signs denoting other sections of a building, signs denoting entrances, offices, etc., bearing no commercial advertising. There shall be no more than one sign for each activity, and each sign shall not exceed two square feet in area if wall-mounted and four square feet if freestanding. Such signs may be illuminated or electric.
F. 
Signs erected by the Town of Glocester and traffic control devices erected by the State of Rhode Island or by the United States of America, provided such signs bear no commercial advertising.
G. 
Memorial signs or tablets and signs denoting the date of erection or name of a building when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other noncombustible material. Such signs shall be nonilluminated and nonelectric. Signs denoting the date of erection or name of a building shall be wall-mounted and shall not exceed six square feet in area.
H. 
The flag, pennant or insignia of any government, or of any religious, charitable or fraternal organization.
I. 
Temporary signs no larger than 12 square feet which advertise auctions and special events or charities or public service groups, provided such signs shall not be in place for more than 10 days. Such signs shall be nonilluminated and nonelectric.
J. 
Signs identifying churches and places of worship, when located on the property thereof, and which shall be no larger than 12 square feet. Such signs may be illuminated but shall not be electric.
K. 
Signs identifying nonprofit educational institutions, when located on the property thereof, and which shall be no larger than 12 square feet. Such signs may be illuminated but shall not be electric.
L. 
Incidental business signs indicating the hours of operation, credit card, business affiliations, and the like, provided the total area of all such signs for a single business does not exceed two square feet per entrance.
M. 
Election signs shall be permitted on the premises of the headquarters and party committee members, on motor vehicles, and on existing billboards. Election signs shall be removed within 10 days after the election, with the candidate for office having responsibility for removal of signs advertising his candidacy. Election signs may be illuminated, but shall be nonelectric.
N. 
Temporary signs which advertise special sales of products and special events attached to a store window or windows, the total area of such sign or signs not to exceed 30% of the window space.
The following signs shall not be permitted, erected or maintained in any zone:
A. 
Signs which incorporate in any manner any flashing or moving illumination or with illumination which varies in color. Digital data displays transmitting the time of day and the temperature are exempted.
B. 
Signs which have any visible moving parts, including signs which achieve movement by action of wind currents. Hanging signs which swing in the wind and barber poles are exempted, provided they comply with all other provisions of this article.
C. 
Any sign or sign structure which constitutes a hazard to public safety or health, including signs which by reason of size, location, content, coloring or manner of illumination obstruct the vision of a driver, or obstruct or detract from the visibility or effectiveness of any traffic sign or control device on public streets and roads; or which obstruct free ingress to or egress from a fire escape, door, window, or other required exitway; or which make use of words such as “stop,” “look,” “one way,” “danger,” “yield,” or any similar words, phrases, symbols, lights, or characters, in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.
D. 
Any obsolete sign, which no longer advertises a bona fide business conducted, or product sold on the premises. Such signs shall be removed within 30 days of the date on which they became obsolete.
E. 
Signs on publicly owned property or publicly owned rights-of-way, other than signs erected by the Town of Glocester, the State of Rhode Island or the United States of America. No sign located on public property or on a public right-of-way shall bear any commercial advertising or the name of any commercial business unless otherwise specified in this article.
F. 
Signs painted on, attached to, or supported by a tree, stone, cliff, or other natural object, except for temporary "For Sale" signs where no other means of suspension is possible in agricultural and residential zones.
G. 
String lights and strip lighting, other than those associated with religious and charitable organizations for a period not to exceed 10 days, other than holiday decorations, to be removed within 14 days after such holiday.
H. 
Searchlights, pennants, spinners, banners and streamers, other than those associated with events of religious and charitable organizations for a period not to exceed 10 days.
I. 
Projecting signs over 16 square feet in area, and extending more than five feet from the wall to which they are attached.
J. 
Roof signs erected on or extended above the building roof or roof eaves.
K. 
Off-site directional signs are not permitted unless otherwise specified in this article.
A. 
The Town Council of the Town of Glocester may, upon recommendation by the Planning Board, establish sign plazas as defined in this article and may establish fees for the erection of signs in such plazas. With approval of the Planning Board and Town Council, such plazas may be owned and operated by private civic organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, etc.
B. 
The Planning Board may establish regulations regarding the content, size, shape, color, material, texture and the like of signs to be erected in the plaza, and shall have the right to approve or disapprove the layout and design of the plaza itself.
The following signs, customary and necessary to the operation of filling and service stations:
A. 
Lettering on buildings displayed over individual entrance doors consisting of the words "washing," "lubrication," "repairing," or words of similar import, provided that there shall be not more than one such sign over each entrance, and that the letters not exceed 10 inches in height;
B. 
Lettering or other insignia, which are a structural part of a gasoline pump, consisting only of a brand name, lead warning sign and other signs as required by law;
C. 
A credit card sign not exceeding two square feet in area, affixed to the building or permanent sign structure of the sign next referred to;
D. 
One sign bearing the brand or trade name of the station, of a design specified by the manufacturer, permanently affixed to the building or its own metal substructure, said sign not to exceed 30 square feet in area, which shall be rigidly and securely attached to the ground surface so as to create no danger to life or limb and shall not exceed 18 feet in height overall;
E. 
A sign attached to each gas pump, with the price of the product, as required by law.
Every sign and all parts thereof, including framework, support, background, anchors, and wiring systems, shall be constructed and maintained in compliance with the applicable building, electrical and fire prevention codes of the Town of Glocester. All signs and all parts thereof shall be kept in a good state of repair and maintenance.
All signs in residential and agricultural zones shall conform to the following regulations:
A. 
Signs in residential and agricultural zones may be wall-mounted or freestanding. The top of the sign shall not exceed six feet above ground level.
B. 
There shall be no more than one residential sign, other than a sign identifying the name and address of the occupant, as specified in § 350-26A, for each residential lot. Such signs shall not exceed four square feet in area.
C. 
Illuminated and/or electrical signs shall not be permitted in residential and agricultural districts, except as specified in this article.
D. 
Permanent signs at major entrances to residential development designed to identify such developments shall be permitted, provided such signs are of a construction approved by the Building Inspector. Such signs shall bear no commercial advertising and shall not exceed 15 square feet in area. Such signs may be illuminated, but shall be nonelectric.
E. 
No sign shall be placed within a distance of three feet from any street line and 10 feet from any property line.
A. 
Commercial and industrial signs may be wall-mounted, or may be freestanding, provided all buildings on the lot have a setback of at least 20 feet.
B. 
In Neighborhood Commercial and Highway Commercial Zones, there may be one wall-mounted sign on each customer's entrance wall and one on each wall facing a street. The area of each sign shall not exceed two square feet for each lineal foot of the building frontage on which the sign is located, and shall not exceed 80% of the width of the storefront or wall of that portion of the premises occupied by the business erecting the sign and upon which it is attached. The maximum height of each sign shall not exceed three feet plus one inch for every 10 feet that the building is set back from the property line, provided that in no case shall the height exceed six feet. In addition there may be one freestanding sign for each building or, in the case of a shopping center, one freestanding sign for the center. Such signs shall be no more than 15 feet in height with a clearance of seven feet (See § 350-27C), and shall not exceed over the property line. Such signs may be dual-faced, with a maximum area of 24 square feet per side or, in the case of a shopping center, a maximum area of 48 square feet per side. Signs permitted in these zones may be illuminated or electric.
C. 
Signs in Industrial Zones.
(1) 
In Industrial Zones, there may be one wall-mounted sign on each customer's entrance wall and one on each wall facing a street. The area of each sign shall not exceed three square feet for each lineal foot of the building frontage on which the sign is located, and shall not exceed 80% of the width of the building front or wall of that portion of the premises occupied by the business erecting the sign and upon which it is attached. The maximum height of each sign shall not exceed three feet plus one inch for every 10 feet that the building is set back from the property line, provided that in no case shall the height exceed six feet.
(2) 
In addition, there may be one freestanding sign for each building. Such signs shall be no more than four feet in height from the ground to top of sign, and may be dual-faced with a maximum area of 24 square feet per side. Also, there may be one freestanding sign for each industrial park indicating the name of the park and a directory of businesses within said park. Such signs shall be no more than 15 feet in height from the ground to the top of sign, with a clearance of seven feet, and shall not extend over the property line. Such signs may be dual-faced, with a maximum area of 64 square feet per side. Signs in these zones may be illuminated or electric.
All signs in the Historic District shall conform to the following regulations:
A. 
In the Historic District, signs may be illuminated by a stationary white or off-white steady light only. These lights shall not direct light or shine off the premises and not spill onto any abutting property or public right-of-way. The light should be directed primarily onto the sign and maintained at a sufficiently low intensity and brightness to avoid glare. Internal illumination or back lighting of signs is prohibited in the Historic District.
B. 
All signs within the Historic District are to be made of wood or wood composite, natural stone materials, or high-density polyurethane foam board manufactured specifically for the purpose of sign production, be architecturally integrated with their surroundings and the building, and be complementary to the overall design of the building.
[Amended 9-16-2010, effective 10-27-2010]
C. 
All proposed signs in the Historic District shall require approval from the Glocester Historic District Commission in addition to a building permit. All requests shall be submitted for review as part of an overall sign proposal for the business and/or property.
D. 
Nonconforming signs/amortization. Signs which were legally installed prior to the adoption of this section and do not conform to the requirements of this section, as adopted on the date of passage, are considered nonconforming and shall comply with the following requirements:
(1) 
Amortization period for nonconforming signs. Signs may remain in nonconforming state until June 30, 2015. Thereafter, signs shall be brought into conformance with this section by obtaining a permit and approval by the Glocester Historic District Commission or be removed; provided, however, that the amortization period established by this subsection may be used only so long as the signs retains their legal nonconforming status.
[Amended 8-6-2009, effective 8-6-2009]
(2) 
Nonconforming signs shall not be replaced if the sign is damaged due to a storm or other natural causes to the extent that its repairs will exceed more than 50% of the cost of replacement. If a lawful nonconforming sign is damaged, allowed to deteriorate to the point that repairs exceed 50% of its replacement cost, and/or its use is discontinued or abandoned for six months, the sign shall not be repaired, but must be removed and/or replaced in conformance with this section.
[Amended 8-6-2009, effective 8-6-2009]
(3) 
Subject to the provisions contained above, nonconforming signs that exist after the passage of this section may be continued as long as they are in good repair and do not create a hazardous condition.
[Amended 8-6-2009, effective 8-6-2009]
(4) 
Nonconforming signs that advertise any activity, business, product or service no longer produced or conducted on the premises where the sign is located shall be removed within six months of the inactivity/business vacating the property. Removal shall consist of total removal of sign faces, frames, supports, structures, poles and other associated items or parts.