The following regulations apply to all signs in any zoning district:
(A) Height, width and ground clearance. Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, the following are the maximum permitted height, width and ground clearance for all signs:
(1) Height. Except as permitted in this subchapter, no part of a sign shall extend more than 26 feet above the highest point on the surface of the street adjacent to the sign, or in the absence of an adjacent street, not more than 26 feet above the average elevation of the ground for a radius of 50 feet around the sign.
(2) Ground clearance. A portable, projecting or freestanding (pole) sign located within 15 feet of the edge of a street, alley, curbline or within any sight distance triangle shall have not less than nine feet of open clearance between the bottom of any part of the sign and the highest point of the surface of the street or alley, and shall be supported by not more than two supporting structures below the sign face, each of which shall be not more than 12 inches in-width or depth, and have not less than 36 inches of open space between the supports. Monument signs shall not be permitted within any sight distance triangle.
(3) Separation from streets. No part of any sign or support structure for a sign shall be closer than ten feet to a street, alley or back of a curb, or five feet to a property line, whichever is more.
(B) Lights and lighted signs. Lamp bulbs and reflectors shall not be visible from any location on adjacent property or from a street, and light shall not glare into any thoroughfare or onto a residential property.
(C) Public property. No sign shall be placed in a public right-of-way or on public property except signs so placed by units of government on rights-of-way or other property under the unit’s control without approval from Town Council. Signs shall not be attached to utility poles, traffic control signs or other permitted structures located on public property or in utility easements on private property.
(D) Public safety/visibility. Any sign whether on public or private property which does not meet the requirements of this chapter for clear vision at intersections or which otherwise creates or causes a public safety concern is prohibited, and shall be removed.
(E) Maintenance and removal. All signs shall be maintained in a readable state of repair. Signs which do not display any advertising or other message for a period of six months, or which are in a state of dilapidation, shall be removed within 30 days following notification.
(F) Legally non-conforming signs. A sign which does not conform with the regulations under this subchapter and which existed at the time that a governing regulation made the sign legally non-conforming may remain for a specified time as determined by the Department of Planning until the sign is brought up to code, shall not have its message or ad copy changed, and may undergo normal repair and maintenance, but shall not be expanded in any dimension, shall not if unlighted be changed to a lighted sign, and shall not be relocated to another place.
(Ord. 03-05, § 832-15, passed 5-27-2003; Am. Ord. 10-07, passed 5-24-2010; Am. Ord. 2017-06, passed 6-12-2017; Am. Ord. 2019-05, passed 2-25-2019)