(A) Districts established. For the purposes of sections related to signage in this chapter, the use districts established in § 92.090
shall apply.
(B) Sign illumination.
(1) All lighted signs shall have their lighting directed in such a manner as to illuminate only the face of the sign. All lighted signs shall meet North Carolina Electrical Codes.
(2) No commercial sign (other than a ground-mounted sign) within 100 linear feet of a preexisting residential structure may be illuminated between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m. A residence shall be deemed "pre-existing" for purposes of this section if it has a valid building permit in effect for construction of the structure or if construction of the structure was complete on or prior to the effective date of this provision.
(C) Unsafe signs. Its owner shall immediately remove any sign determined by the Director of Planning and Community Development or his or her designee to be insecure, in danger of falling, or otherwise endangering the public safety, unless it is repaired and made to otherwise comply with the requirements of this subchapter.
(D) Sign area.
(1) (a) Sign surface area: The area of a geometric shape enclosing any message, logo, symbol, name, photograph, or display face.
(b) Sign frame area: the dimensions of a geometric shape formed by all supports, frames, braces, bordering, and embellishments, which extend beyond the sign surface area and which enclose the sign surface area.
(2) All area provisions in this subchapter are calculated from the following sign surface area dimensions as defined in division (D)(1) of this section.
(3) All height provisions in this subchapter are calculated from the sign frame area dimensions as defined in division (D)(1) of this section.
(4) In the case of signs mounted back-to-back, only one side of the sign is to be used for computation of the area. Back-to-back signs shall be defined as double-faced signs. Otherwise, the surface area of each sign is to be separately computed. In the case of cylindrical signs, signs in the shape of cubes, or other signs which are substantially three-dimensional with respect to their display surfaces, the entire display surface or surfaces is included in computations of area. If a sign is attached to an entrance wall or fence, only that portion of that wall or fence onto which the sign face or letters are placed shall be calculated in the sign area onto which the sign face or letter.
(E) Sign height. The height of a sign shall be measured from the highest point of a sign to the point of ground surface beneath it.
(F) Construction standards. All signs shall be constructed and installed in accordance with the applicable standards of the North Carolina State Building Code.
(G) Maintenance of signs. All signs shall be maintained in good structural and aesthetic condition. Deficiencies such as chipped paint, broken plastic, missing letters and exposed light bulbs shall be evidence of a lack of maintenance.
(Ord. 01-44, passed 12-17-01; Am. Ord. 10-02, passed 11-15-10; Am. Ord. 21-02, passed 1-19-21; Am. Ord. 21-26, passed 7-12-21; Am. Ord. 22-01, passed 1-3-22) Penalty, see § 10.80