(A) A permit is required for the relocation or erection of any off-premise sign or billboard.
(B) Permits within this section will have fees associated based on the fee schedule.
(C) Athletic field signs and scoreboards.
(1) Permits shall be required for such signs and scoreboards to verify installation is in a safe and secure manner meeting International Building Code specifications.
(2) A scoreboard, including any electronic message display, may not exceed a height of 30 feet. An electronic message display incorporated into a scoreboard may not exceed 200 square feet in area.
(3) Electronic message displays that are incorporated into scoreboards shall be operated at no other time except one hour prior to an athletic event until 30 minutes after the event has concluded, and during maintenance and testing periods, provided that no such electronic message display shall be operated between 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. unless a sporting or special event is in progress.
(D) Temporary signs for recreation and sporting events shall be allowed provided that the Educational Agency approves placement. No permits shall be required. Signs shall be erected or mounted in a safe and secure manner, and must be maintained. Signs shall be no larger than 60 square feet.
(E) Off-premise signs classified as commercial activity shall only be permitted in connection with or within 600 feet of an active operating commercial or industrial business or regularly used building, parking lot, storage or processing of commercial and industrial activity in accordance with rules and regulations established by State Department of Transportation for unzoned commercial or unzoned industrial areas.
(F) Off-premise signs and billboards are not permitted in the downtown district.
(G) Off-premise signs and billboards are prohibited within 300 feet of a residence as measured from the nearest point of the sign in a straight line to the nearest point on the front door or driveway of the residence, whichever is closer.
(H) Billboards will only be permitted along roads designated as arterial or collector on the city’s Major Thoroughfare Map.
(I) Locations are also governed by rules and regulations established by State Department of Transportation whose regulations, if more stringent, take precedence over city ordinances.
(J) With the exception of signs and billboards fronting Interstate 40, the spacing of which is controlled by the State Department of Transportation, all off-premise signs and billboards shall be spaced at least 750 feet apart, and at least 750 feet away from any existing nonconforming sign or billboard.
(K) Double-stacking and side-by-side placement of new off-premise signs and billboards is prohibited; except that, double-stacking is permitted for off-premise signs and billboards fronting on Interstate 40 and on school properties.
(L) Back-to-back structures and V-shaped structures will be counted as one sign for the purpose of spacing and permitting.
(M) Each sign face for off-premise signs and billboards cannot exceed 360 square feet in size, except those fronting on Interstate 40 may be up to 775 square feet.
(N) No portion of any off-premise sign or billboard, the bottom of which is less than ten feet above grade off thoroughfare, shall be erected, placed or hung within ten feet of the street or highway right-of-way, as measured by the leading edge of the sign as determined by the Building Official.
(O) All non-conforming off-premise signs and billboards which prior to the enactment of this chapter, and which are existing and properly maintained, shall be allowed to remain, and shall be considered as "grandfathered" in place. These signs may not be enlarged or height extended.
(P) Replacement of non-conforming support structures for billboards shall be with steel monopole structures and must comply with the requirements of this chapter.
(Q) If an existing billboard is ordered removed for any reason or voluntarily removed, any new structure erected at this location must comply with the requirements of this chapter.
(R) Evidence that a state permit, if required, has been or is being obtained from the state must be submitted before a sign permit can be issued.
(S) All freestanding off-premise signs and billboards shall be of a steel monopole design. Unique stamped drawings by an engineer licensed in Tennessee are required for each freestanding off-premise sign or billboard. They shall conform to currently adopted wind load requirements of the International Building Code adopted by the City of Crossville.
(T) The Building Official will review the application for compliance with all the requirements of this chapter before issuing a sign permit.
(U) The Building Official will inspect and measure excavations and ensure base preparation is as shown on engineering drawings as well as inspect above-ground structure against engineering drawings.
(V) Sign permits are transferable; however, will expire if work has not commenced within six months after the date of issue. All work must be completed within nine months, or the permit and fees will be invalid.
(W) Applications for sign permits for off-premise signs and billboards will include:
(1) A copy of the signed and notarized lease from the property owner to the sign owner;
(2) Name, address, email address, and phone number of the property owner and the sign owner;
(3) The size and height of the sign structure and the size of the sign face;
(4) The GPS location, tax map and parcel identification for the proposed site indicating the position of the sign on parcel, and enlargement of parcel, if necessary;
(5) For structures over 120 square feet and 20 feet above ground, a licensed engineer's stamped drawing of construction plans for the underground base and above-ground steel column structure. All other structures may require a drawing as determined by the Building Official.
(6) A stake must be placed at the proposed location of the sign, clearly marked with the dimensions of the sign and the dimensions of the foundation written upon the stake.
(7) Evidence of liability insurance coverage of $50,000 property damage, $100,000 personal injury to any one person and $200,000 for personal injury growing out of any one occurrence must be provided. The liability insurance shall save and keep the city and all its officials, employees, and agents, harmless from all damages, liabilities, losses and judgments resulting by reason of the erection or maintenance of any sign, of any injury to persons or damages to property resulting therefrom.
(X) A number to identify each individual structure will be assigned to each off-premise sign and billboard permitted and that number must be displayed using four-inch permanent numbers on the side of the pole or structure facing the road.
(Ord. 1720, passed 8-13-2024)