(A) Permit. A permit shall be secured for the establishment, major alteration, or moving of any sign two (2) square feet or more in area, except for temporary signs.
(B) Sign required. Each principal building shall have posted on the front exterior the proper street address, with numerals a minimum of three (3) inches in height.
(C) Prohibited signs. The following signs are prohibited within the RU District:
(1) Signs which imitate an official sign or signal or which contain the words stop, go slow, caution, danger, warning, or similar words or characters which might mislead or confuse the driver of a vehicle.
(2) Signs which are of a size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination which may be confused with or construed to be a traffic control device or which hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal or which obstruct the view in any direction at a street or road intersection.
(3) All parts of signs which advertise an activity, business, product, or service no longer produced or conducted on the premises upon which the sign is located; except where a succeeding owner or lessee agrees to maintain the signs as provided in this division.
(4) Signs which are pasted or attached to utility poles, trees, fences, or other signs.
(5) Signs which swing or otherwise noticeably move as a result of wind pressure because of the manner of suspension or attachment, except for flags, banners and pennants.
(6) Signs which display intermittent or flashing illumination.
(7) Signs which extend above the roof of any building.
(8) Prohibited signs on rights-of-way. Political signs, advertising signs, mobile signs, temporary signs, banners or pennants located in the public rights-of-way or private easements of streets and roads within the corporate limits of Dillon are prohibited unless approval to erect or construct such signs has been permitted by the South Carolina Department of Transportation and/or the city.
(9) Violation.
(a) Any person violating any provision of § 5-4-67-2(C)(8) by erecting, constructing or maintaining political signs, advertising signs, mobile signs, temporary signs, banners or pennants in the public rights-of-way or private easements of streets and roads within the corporate limits of Dillon without obtaining approval from the South Carolina Department of Revenue and/or the city shall be deemed guilty of an offense and shall be subject to a fine of up to two hundred dollars ($200) or imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days upon conviction. Each day of violation shall be considered a separate offense. Punishment for violation shall be considered a separate offense.
(b) In addition to the fine herein provided, the city may remove the prohibited signs, banners or pennants from the public rights-of-way or private easements of streets and roads within the city limits. Removal of prohibited signs, banners or pennants by the city shall not relieve the offender from being subject to a misdemeanor for violation of this division.
(D) Illumination. Signs illuminated by direct lighting shall have such lighting shielded so that no direct light will shine on abutting properties or in the normal line of vision of the public using the streets or sidewalks.
(E) Maintenance. The person, firm, or corporation owning or using the sign shall be responsible for maintaining the sign in a structurally sound condition and for keeping the area surrounding the base of the sign clear of trash and debris.
(F) Removal of on-premises signs. The removal of any sign erected or maintained in violation of this section or any sign which has been abandoned, destroyed, or substantially damaged, shall be ordered by the Code Enforcement Officer. Ten (10) days notice in writing shall be given to the owner of such sign, or of the building or premises on which such sign is located, to remove the sign or bring it into compliance with this section. Upon failure to remove the sign, the city may remove the sign. Any costs of removal incurred by the city may be collected in a manner proscribed by law.
(G) Temporary signs. All temporary signs shall be removed within two (2) weeks following completion of the event or project for which the sign was displayed, the sale of property for which the sign was posted, or the election for which political signs were erected. Mobile signs may be permitted for a temporary fixed period of time, not to exceed ninety (90) days.
(H) Signs permitted in the RU District.
(1) Applicable signs permitted in residential districts.
(2) Business signs mounted flat against the front surface of the building wall and not projecting above the roof of the building. The total area of all signs identifying each establishment shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the front surface of the building facing either a public pedestrian or vehicular way or a parking lot.
(3) Business signs mounted flat against the rear and/or side surface of the building wall and not projecting above the roof of the building. The total area of all signs identifying each establishment shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the rear and side surface of the building facing either a public pedestrian or vehicular way or a parking lot.
(4) On premises business signs. Free standing signs, for each business on the premises under separate management, providing that:
(a) Such signs shall be limited to one (1) per one hundred (100) feet of lot frontage along a major street or highway.
(b) No portion of such signs shall extend over any structure or adjoining property line.
(c) Such signs shall be no higher than thirty (30) feet nor lower than ten (10) feet above the finished grade of the adjacent street or pavement.
(d) Such signs shall not exceed one hundred thirty (130) square feet in total area.
(5) Business signs, for shopping centers, in accordance with the standards set forward in the city’s Land Development Regulations.
(6) Business signs suspended under canopies, providing that such signs shall:
(a) Be limited to one (1) per building entrance.
(b) Be a minimum of nine (9) feet above the sidewalk surface.
(c) Not to exceed three (3) square feet in total area.
(7) One (1) unlighted temporary real estate sign on a property offered for sale or rent, not exceeding eight (8) square feet.
(8) Temporary signs of contractors, architects, engineers, and artisans during construction, providing such signs shall be removed promptly after completion of work.
(9) Temporary signs pertaining to special events or political campaigns, not exceeding two (2) square feet.
(10) Signs incident to legal process and necessary for public safety and welfare.
(11) One (1) identification sign, which may be illuminated, not exceeding six (6) square feet, for a club, lodge, civic or fraternal, group home, public recreation area or social organization may be located in the public rights-of-way or private easements of streets and roads within the corporate limits of Dillon with approval from the South Carolina Department of Transportation and/or the city.
(12) One (1) identification sign, which may be illuminated, for a school or church or other house of worship, not exceeding twelve (12) square feet may be located in the public rights-of-way or private easements of streets and roads within the corporate limits of Dillon with approval from the South Carolina Department of Transportation and/or the city.
(Am. Ord. 06-12, passed 6-12-2006; Am. Ord. 07-18, passed 9-10-2007; Am. Ord. 10-12, passed 11-8-2010; Am. Ord. 16-15, passed 12-12-2016)