The following signs are prohibited in the town:
(A) Signs that imitate official highway sign; signs obscured. No sign shall be erected which imitates or in any way approximates official highway signs, nor shall any sign be erected which obscures a sign displayed by a public authority.
(B) Flashing, blinking interment signs. No sign shall be erected which displays flashing, blinking, or intermittent lights or lights of changing intensity. No moving parts shall be allowed.
(C) Portable signs.
(D) Facsimiles; three-dimensional structures. Displays of letters, logos, trademarks, emblems, pictures, and the like, on such items as oversized facsimiles or three dimensional structures of chicken buckets, human figures, tin cans, and the like, shall be prohibited.
(E) Obstruction of driver vision. No sign shall be erected or placed in such a manner as to obstruct driver vision of any vehicle entering a roadway from any street, alley, driveway, or parking lot.
(F) Public utility poles, telephone poles, trees, parking meters, benches and the like. Signs are prohibited on public utility poles, telephone poles, trees, other natural objects, parking meter poles, benches, and refuse containers.
(G) Pavement markings, other than traffic control. Pavement markings of any kind other than for traffic control are prohibited.
(H) Public morals, decency. Signs, flags, or other decorations which contain statements, words, or pictures of obscene, indecent or immoral character such as will offend public morals or decency are prohibited.
(I) Intentional denial of visual access. Any sign located in such a way as to intentionally deny visual access to an existing sign is prohibited.
(J) Billboards. No billboards as defined in § 154.271(B)(1), shall hereafter be erected within the town.
(K) Floodlights, signs; impairment of vision of roadway. No floodlights or signs shall be erected or placed in such a manner as to impair driver vision on a roadway.
(M) Fire escapes, means of egress, ventilation. No sign shall be erected, constructed, or maintained so as to obstruct any fire escape or any window or door or opening used as a means of egress or so as to prevent free passage from one part of a roof to any other part thereof. No sign shall be attached in any form, shape, or manner as to interfere with an opening required for legal ventilation.
(N) Interchangeable letters. Any sign with interchangeable letters, movable or removable, used for the intent of advertising, information or any other use.
(O) Law of State of North Carolina; violation. No sign that violates any provision of any law of the State of North Carolina relative to outdoor advertising shall be erected or permitted.
(P) Other signs; prohibited. Any other sign which does not comply with the regulations of this subchapter shall be prohibited.
(Q) Information boxes. Information boxes in residential areas are not to be visible from the roadway.
(R) Signs on the roof of any building, with the exception of signs attached to canopy or cantilevered roofs in accordance with § 154.271(C)(1).
(S) Sign spinner or sign twirler. An individual or mechanism holding an advertising or similar promotional sign and using some form of action or movement, including, but not limited to, holding, rotating, spinning, twirling or walking, to attract attention from the general public.
(1989 Code, Title V, Ch. 51, Art. XIX, § 1904) (Ord. passed 12-6-1983; Ord. passed 10-13-2009; Ord. 2013-04, passed 3-12-2013; Ord. 2016-03, passed 2-9-2016; Ord. 2019-02, passed 2-11-2019)