This section contains the standards for signs and street graphics. These standards are intended for use by the public, Land Use Administrator, Code Enforcement Officer, and City Council in evaluating how a sign user will display signage and street graphics on a property, to ensure that the sign and sign structure are safe and secure, and to uphold professional standards.
(A) Design. The design of each sign, street graphic, or advertising structure should be a product of professional quality and be compatible with similar type business signs and advertising structures.
(B) Construction standards. Supports for signs or sign structures should be placed in or upon private property, should be securely built and constructed of weather resistant materials, and be able to withstand high winds that are prevalent in this area. The construction, installation, safety and maintenance of all signs must comply with the State Building Code and all of the following:
(1) Signs and sign structures must be structurally sound, located, and secured so as to pose no reasonable threat to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
(2) All permanent freestanding signs must have self-supporting structures installed on, or permanently attached to, concrete foundations.
(3) If possible, signs should not be in locations that obscure architectural features such as pilasters, arches, windows, cornices, etc.
(4) The signs should not be in locations that interfere with safe vehicular and pedestrian circulation or public safety signals and signs.
(5) No signs may be installed, constructed or maintained so as to obstruct any fire escape, required exit, window, or door opening used as a means of egress.
(6) Signs on buildings should be permanently mounted to a building facade or roof.
(7) All signs that require a construction permit under applicable codes must be installed by a qualified contractor licensed in the State of New Mexico.
(C) Sign location. Signs should be positioned so that no maintenance has to be performed from the road right-of-way. No sign may be placed so as to block the view of motorists or interfere with traffic or pedestrians in any way. Signs are prohibited from hanging over any property line.
(D) Setbacks.
(1) Side and rear setback. Unless otherwise noted in this chapter, signs have a minimum side and rear setback of ten feet from the property line. However, sign owners may apply for a zero to ten foot side or rear setback through review and public hearing before the City Council. Through the review process, the Land Use Administrator and the City Council will determine whether a shorter setback will negatively impact adjacent property. Illuminated signs must be setback sufficiently to prevent light from infringing on neighboring property and may require a setback greater than ten feet.
(2) Front setback. Signs (except ground signs which require a ten foot minimum setback) are allowed to have zero front setback from the right-of-way or easement.
(E) Reflective signs. On-premise and off-premise reflective signs are permitted.
(F) Illuminated signs. Illuminated signs should be designed, located and constructed to reduce glare and must not be placed to permit focused light to be directed or beamed upon a public right-of-way so as to cause a traffic hazard, or adjacent premises not under the same ownership and control, so as to create a nuisance. Illuminated signs must be shielded so that no light is emitted directly upward. Illuminated signs must comply with the city's outdoor lighting ordinance.
(1) Electrical standards.
(a) All electrical and service lines to freestanding permanent outdoor advertising devices are required to be located underground.
(b) Illuminated signs must comply with standards set forth in the State Building Code, City Code, and are subject to city inspection and enforcement.
(2) Prohibited in residential zones and off-premise. Illuminated signs are prohibited in residential zones, are allowed as on-premise signs, and are prohibited as off-premise signs.
(3) Hours of illumination. Electrical illumination of on-premise signs during nighttime hours is permitted subject to approval by the Land Use Administrator in compliance with the city's outdoor lighting ordinance.
(G) General on-premise sign types. The on-premise sign types or classifications referenced within this chapter are illustrated in the Figures below, which are from the United States Sign Council, Inc. Guideline Code for Regulation of On-Premise Signs (2018 ed.).
FREESTANDING SIGNS
Usually perpendicular to viewer’s line-of-sigh. May be double or multi faced and contain thematic embellishment and integral covers or cladding to conceal structural supports.
FIGURE 2. ROOF AND FASCIA SIGNS
(H ) Permanent sign type, size and area allowance by zone.
(1) Sign districts. The various zoning districts within the city have been grouped together and classified as the following sign districts:
(a) Single Family Residential Sign District (“SFR”). SFR includes R-1-A, R-1-B, R-1-C, R-1-D, R-1-P, R-Ag and PUD zoning districts.
(b) Multifamily Residential Sign District (“MFR”). MFR includes the R-3 zoning district.
(c) Commercial and Special Use Sign District (“CSU”). CSU includes the C-2 and SU zoning districts.
(2) The below table sets forth the regulations concerning the types and dimensions of permanent signs allowed in each sign district, not including off-site signs:
Sign District | Types of Permanent Signs Allowed | Number of Signs Allowed | Permitted Total Sign Area | Maximum Height |
Sign District | Types of Permanent Signs Allowed | Number of Signs Allowed | Permitted Total Sign Area | Maximum Height |
SFR | Freestanding or wall | Any number so long as the total square footage of all signs does not exceed 4 square feet per frontage | 4 square feet | 4 feet |
MFR | Freestanding | One per frontage | 4 square feet | 4 feet |
Wall | One per facade | 5% of facade | N/A | |
Incidental or directional | Unlimited | 4 square feet | 4 feet | |
CSU | Freestanding | One per 300 feet of frontage length; for shopping centers or industrial parks, one per vehicular entrance | 100 square feet | 40 feet |
Building/wall (not including roof; canopy; marquee; awning; projecting) | Any number so long as the total square footage does not exceed 20% each building facade; or each storefront | 20% of each building facade; or, if multiple, storefronts in one building, 20% of each storefront facade | N/A | |
Roof | In lieu of a building sign, applicants may have 1 roof sign per building; or, if multiple storefronts in one building, on per storefront | 20% of each storefront’s facade | Cannot exceed 30% of the height of the building’s facade on which it is located | |
Canopy; marquee; awning | One per frontage | 40% of the height x length of the face area of the canopy, marquee, or architectural projection to which sign is affixed, or 15% of the building facade to which it is attached, whichever is greater | N/A | |
Projecting | One per frontage | One square foot for every 2 lineal feet of facade up to 100 square feet | No higher than the highest architectural projection of the facade on which mounted. Max height of 25% of height of facade | |
(3) Additional limitations for signage on CSU lots.
(a) Consistent with § 152.08(A)(2), above, signs and street graphics that are greater than 220 square feet of total combined signage requiring a city permit on lots 2,200 square feet or larger and signs and street graphics that exceed 10% of the square footage of a lot that is less than 2,200 square feet require a CSP approved by the Land Use Administrator.
(4) Sign area.
(a) Sign cabinets. The area of a sign enclosed in a frame or cabinet is determined based on the outer dimensions of the frame or cabinet surrounding the sign face.
(b) Multi-sided signs. Only one side of a double-sided sign is counted in determining the area of sign faces. Where the two sides are not of equal size, the larger of the two sides is used for the determination of sign area. The area of multiple-faced signs in which the interior angle formed by the faces is greater than 91° shall be expressed as the sum of the areas of all the faces, except for multiple-faced signs containing faces that are configured back-to-back, in which case the area of the faces configured back-to-back will be calculated according to the rule for double faced signs.
(c) Round, oval and irregularly shaped signs. To be measured based on the appropriate mathematical formula to obtain the sign area for a circle, an oval or irregularly shaped sign.
(5) Sign height. Sign height is measured as the vertical distance from the base of the sign or support structure at its point of attachment to the ground to the top of the highest component of the sign or sign structure. When located on a man-made base, including a graded earth mound, berm, or fill, a freestanding sign height should be measured from the grade at the edge of the adjacent right-of-way.
(6) Additional on-premise sign criteria.
(a) Free standing signs.
1. Pole signs. Pole signs may be located at the front property line but must observe side and rear setbacks. No part of the sign structure or sign face should encroach on adjacent property or obstruct view of traffic. A minimum eight foot clearance from the ground to the bottom of the sign face or any projecting equipment or elements on the sign structure or pole is required.
2. Monument, blade, and pylon signs. These signs must be located outside of the clear site line triangle of streets and driveways and must not restrict view of traffic. These signs may be located at the front property line but must observe side and rear setbacks. No part of the sign structure or sign face should encroach on adjacent property.
(b) Wall or fascia signs. Wall or fascia signs attached to a building must be permanently mounted to the building facade and designed to be complimentary to the building's architectural features, fenestration, color, texture, and orientation to the public right-of-way. Wall signs should project no more than two feet perpendicular from the wall and should not project outside or above the building facade.
(c) Hanging signs. The distance from the ground or sidewalk to the bottom of a hanging sign should be a minimum of eight feet.
(d) Roof signs. All roof signs must be permanently affixed to the roof of a structure. The supporting design should be structurally sound and the roof must be sound. Roof signs are allowed on flat roofs and sloping roofs.
(e) Canopy sign on freestanding canopy. Signs may not project from the canopy wall a distance greater than 12 inches. Any canopy sign should be centered a minimum of six inches from the top and six inches from the bottom of the canopy face.
(f) Projecting signs. The minimum height to the bottom of a projecting sign should be not less than eight feet above the ground or sidewalk.
(g) Marquee signs. Marquees are roof-like structures that project beyond the building face and are permanently attached to and supported by the building. Marquees may not project over the public right-of-way and should be a minimum height of eight feet above the ground or sidewalk. Flat signs and v-shaped signs may be mounted on a marquee and may not exceed the total allowable sign area for the property.
(I) Regulation of off-premise signs.
(1) Purpose. By regulating off-premise signs, the city seeks to enhance its scenic qualities, promote a safe and calming visual environment for residents and tourists by preventing clutter and blight, and support local businesses. In accordance with the State of New Mexico Highway Beautification Act of 1978 [NMSA §§ 67-12-1 and 67-12-3] the city regulates the construction and maintenance of outdoor advertising in order to promote public safety, health, welfare, convenience and enjoyment of public travel, to protect the public investment in public highways, and to preserve and enhance the scenic beauty of lands bordering public highways.
(2) State Highway 195 designated as scenic byway. State HWY 195 is a portion of the Geronimo Trail National Scenic Byway. The 2008 Corridor Management Plan states the following regarding outdoor advertising on scenic byways. “Erecting new billboards on a designated scenic byway is prohibited except in legitimate commercial and industrial areas. Areas identified as lacking the unusual or distinctive features (intrinsic values), included in the New Mexico State Scenic and Historic Byways program criteria, may be excluded or segmented from existing or future byways designation, in accordance with the intent of Public Law 102-240 (ISTEA), section 1046 and 1047. These segmented areas of the byway would not be eligible for scenic byway funds.”
(3) Off-premise signs.
(a) Size and design. Off-premise signs must be constructed of durable materials, must be maintained in good repair and condition, and are allowed no more than two sign faces. Permanent free-standing off-premise signs that are not located on building walls or poles must be framed with either a metal or aluminum frame or treated wood frame. Free-standing off-premise signs are encouraged to use natural materials that reflect the city's rural and rustic desert character such as treated wood, rock, stone, or dull metal finishes. Free-standing off-premise signs should utilize high contrast between background and copy to improve readability. Backgrounds should use muted colors that blend with the desert environment. Text and graphics on off premise sign faces should be designed to be large enough and legible by passing motorists. The sign-face of off-premise signs may not exceed 48 square feet per sign face. Cutouts or extensions are not permitted outside of or in excess of the permitted sign area.
(b) Permitted zones. Off-premise signs are permitted only in agricultural, commercial, and industrial zones and must be installed only in compliance with all regulations for signs in this code.
(c) Businesses without road frontage. Businesses located in the city's agricultural, commercial, or industrial zones that do not have immediate road frontage may install one off-premise one-sided or double-sided pole sign or locate a sign on an existing sign pole or building wall on an adjacent or nearby commercial or industrial property with road frontage. This type of off-premise sign may not exceed 48 square feet per sign face. Legally permitted non-conforming off-premise signs installed and inventoried by the city prior to the effective date of this chapter are considered legal and are required to apply for a sign permit and an extension to continue the nonconformance. The addition of an off-premise sign for another business entity does not count against the total permitted sign area for the on-premise business.
(d) Setback requirements. Off-premise signs must be set back a minimum of 25 feet from all property lines and placed so as not to pose a visibility or other hazard to vehicular traffic in the vicinity of the sign. Off-premise signs must be setback a minimum of 25 feet outside the right-of-way.
(e) Sign area allowances. Business establishments located in the city are allowed no more than four signs totaling 96 square feet of off-premise signs. Business establishments located outside the city limits are allowed no more than two signs totaling 48 square feet of off-premise signs. Business establishments located in the city's agricultural and residential zones are permitted one off-premise sign to be located in an agricultural, commercial, or industrial zone not to exceed 48 square feet.
(f) Sign faces. Off-premise signs may be single facing or double facing. Both sides of double facing signs must be of equal size and facing in opposite directions, where the backs are parallel or the interior angle between the two display surfaces forms a touching 'V' with an angle that does not exceed 30°.
(g) Distance requirements. All freestanding off-premise signs must be located a minimum of 300 feet from of any other off-premise sign or on-premise sign on the same side of the road.
(h) Height. Off-premise signs in undeveloped corridors may not exceed 12 feet in height from the highest component of the sign measured from the ground under the sign. Signs in developed areas cannot exceed the height of any building facade adjacent to it. The lowest point of a freestanding off-premise sign face(s) must not obstruct intersection clear site triangles.
(i) Multiple advertisers. Off-premise signs advertising multiple businesses on one sign face are allowed. The total sign face may not exceed 48 square feet.
(j) Prohibitions. The following off-premise signs are prohibited within the city limits.
1. Digital off-premise signs with a changing sign face, multi-prism signs, trivision signs, movable parts, side-by-side signs, and vertical stacked signs are prohibited within the city limits.
2. Additional signs attached to an off-premise sign or sign structure and cutouts exceeding the permitted sign face area are prohibited.
3. Off-premise signs may not be illuminated by any means.
4. Off-premise signs are prohibited in residential zones. Off-premise signs are not permitted within 300 feet of a residential zone.
5. Off-premise signs are prohibited on fences.
(Ord. 208, passed 5-24-2023)