§ 350.13 Signs for Residential Districts

   Signs in Residential Districts and Residence- Office Districts, as well as signs for community facility uses permitted in these districts, shall be permitted as regulated below:

   (a)   Permitted Types, Number, Area and Height (Residential). Signs by use and structural type are permitted only in accordance with regulations presented in the schedule of Permitted Types, Number, Area and Height (Residential). Sign types not listed are prohibited except for political signs which are permitted as regulated in Section 350.11. Automatic changeable copy signs are prohibited in all Residence Districts. (All signs are permanent unless listed as temporary).

   Schedule of Permitted Types, Number, Area, & Height

   (Residential)

Signs by Use Type	Land Use Categories
	1-2 Family Dwellings	Townhouses (Row Houses)2	Multi-family Apartments	Community Facility3
Nameplate	TYPES: wall or free standing	TYPES: wall	Not Permitted	Not Permitted
	#: 2 per dwelling unit	#: 1 per dwelling unit
	SF: 2	SF: 2
	Ht: 3 ft.
Information	TYPES: wall or free standing
	#: minimum necessary as approved by Building Commissioner
	SF: 1	SF: 4	SF: 4	SF: 4
	Ht: 2 ft.	Ht: 3 ft.	Ht: 3 ft.	Ht: 3 ft.
Identification 2	TYPES: wall, free-standing or canopy
	#: 1 per vehicular entrance to a subdivision	#: 1 per vehicular entrance	#: 1 per vehicular 1 entrance	#: 1 per vehicular entrance
	SF: 20	SF: 20	SF: 20	SF: 40
	Ht: 5 ft.	Ht: 5 ft.	Ht: 5 ft.	Ht: 5 ft.
Directional	Not Permitted	TYPES: wall or free standing
		#: minimum necessary as approved by Building Commissioner
		SF: 4	SF: 4	SF: 4
		Ht: 3 ft.	Ht: 3 ft.	Ht: 3 ft.
Real Estate (Temporary)	TYPES: free-standing or window	TYPES: free-standing or window	TYPES: wall, window or free-standing
	#: 1 per lot	#: 1 per unit	#: 1 per vehicular entrance
	SF: 6	SF: 6	SF: 32	SF: 32
	Ht: 6 ft.	Ht: 6 ft.	Ht: 8 ft.	Ht: 8 ft.
Development (Temporary)	TYPES: free-standing	TYPES: wall, window or free-standing
	#: 1 per vehicular entrance to a subdivision	#: 1 per vehicular entrance
	SF: 48	SF: 64	SF: 64	SF: 64
	Ht: 10 ft.	Ht: 10 ft.	Ht: 10 ft.	Ht: 10 ft.
Bulletin Board	Not Permitted	Not Permitted	Not Permitted	TYPES: wall or free- standing
				#: 1 per lot
				SF: 40
				Ht. 8 ft.
TYPE: Permitted signs by structural type #: Maximum number of signs SF: Maximum sign face area (in square ft.) per side of each sign Ht: Maximum height for free-standing signs
1   1 additional identification sign not exceeding 10 square feet in area shall be permitted for each apartment building in a complex of 2 or more such buildings.    2   In any One-Family or Two-Family Residential District, such signs are permitted only for subdivisions of at least 10 lots.    3   Identification or Bulletin Board signs using electronically changeable copy may be permitted for Community Facility Uses only in accordance with the regulations of division (g) of this section.

 

   (b)   Location (Residential). Signs as permitted for residential and community facility uses shall conform with the location regulations presented in the Schedule of Location Regulations (Residential) in addition to the regulations of Section 350.08.

   Schedule of Location Regulations (Residential)

   Free-Standing Sign Types

 

Minimum Distance From	Nameplate Political & Information	Identification	Real Estate* & Development	Bulletin Board
All Lot Lines	5 ft.	20 ft.	20 ft.	25 ft.
Occupied 1-2 Family Dwelling	–	35 ft.	75 ft.	–
*   Real estate signs for individual 1-family, 2-family and townhouse units shall be located a minimum distance of 2 feet from every lot line and dwelling.

 

   (c)   Garage Sale and Open House Sign Regulations. Signs directing attention to a real estate open house or a sale of household items from a garage or house shall be permitted for one (1) and two (2) family dwellings and townhouses (rowhouses) in accordance with the following regulations:

      (1)   Maximum Number of Signs: One (1) per lot or townhouse unit;

      (2)   Permitted Sign Types: Window or free- standing;

      (3)   Maximum Sign Area: Four (4) square feet per sign;

      (4)   Maximum Height: Four (4) feet for free- standing signs;

      (5)   Location: Five (5) feet minimum setback from every lot line;

      (6)   Display Period: No more than three (3) four (4) day periods per year.

   (d)   Temporary Directional Signs. Signs directing attention to a real estate open house, garage sale or house auction, for a single-family, two (2) family or townhouse unit, may be displayed as free-standing signs on “tree lawn” areas in accordance with the following regulations:

      (1)   Maximum Number of Signs: Four (4) per event, with no more than two (2) per block for any single event;

      (2)   Maximum Sign Area: Two (2) square feet per sign;

      (3)   Maximum Heights: Three (3) feet;

      (4)   Location: At least one (1) foot from curbs and sidewalks and only on corner lots or at street intersections;

      (5)   Display Period: Only on the days of the event and not more than three (3) three (3) day periods per year for garage sales and house auctions and not more than two (2) days per week for open house events;

      (6)   Consent: Temporary directional signs shall be displayed only with the consent of the owner of the property that immediately adjoins the tree lawn on which the sign is to be placed.

   (e)   Signs or Accessory Business Uses. In any Multi-Family Residential District, a business or home occupation permitted as an accessory use may be identified by means of a permitted nameplate sign. Such sign may be displayed as either a wall or window sign not exceeding two (2) square feet in area and illuminated, if at all, by reflected light from a light source which is not visible from beyond the subject lot. No such signs, however, shall be permitted in an One- Family or Two-Family Residential District.

   (f)   Office Buildings. Signs for office buildings in Residence-Office Districts shall be permitted in accordance with the regulations for retail uses as provided in Section 350.14.

   (g)   Community Facility Uses. A variance shall be required and may be granted for Identification or Bulletin Board signs using electronically changeable copy to display information pertinent to a Community Facility use on the premises of such Community Facility use only if the Board of Zoning Appeals determines that the sign will provide community information without adversely affecting the character of nearby residential properties, in accordance with the following provisions.

      (1)   Community Facility Uses, for purposes of these provisions, shall include schools, places of worship, libraries, museums, hospitals, municipal recreation centers, parks, playgrounds, police stations, fire stations and other principal uses determined to be similar uses by the Board of Zoning Appeals.

      (2)   Information displayed on the sign shall be limited to information that pertains to the community facility use on which property the sign is located. Each display of information shall remain static or fixed for a minimum of twenty (20) seconds, thereby prohibiting flashing, scrolling, animated or other copy that gives the appearance of motion.

      (3)   The sign using electronically changeable copy shall be either a wall sign or a freestanding sign or portion of such sign and shall be a maximum of thirty (30) square feet in area.

      (4)   The placement and design of the sign using electronically changeable copy shall be approved by the City Planning Commission and Landmarks Commission, as applicable, in accordance with the design review guidelines established in this Zoning Code for signs and, specifically, with the intent of ensuring compatibility with the character of nearby residential properties.

      (5)   The Board of Zoning Appeals may approve a sign that varies from these provisions if both the Board and the City Planning Commission or Landmarks Commission, as applicable, determine that the sign will meet a community need without adversely impacting the character of nearby residential properties.

(Ord. No. 934-10. Passed 5-16-11, eff. 5-20-11)