(a) Relocation of billboards permitted. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any billboard which was lawfully erected prior to June 10, 1986, may be relocated to a new site, provided the relocation meets the provisions of this chapter.
(b) Criteria for relocation of billboards.
(1) No billboard shall be relocated to a new site except in accordance with the general provisions of this chapter, and except as follows:
A. Location. Billboards shall only be permitted in C-2, S-l and I-1 districts.
B. Spacing. On all streets and highways within the jurisdiction of this chapter, no billboards may be established:
1. Within 1,000 feet of any other billboard located on the same side of the street;
2. Within 500 feet from the vertical point of any other billboard located on the opposite side of the street;
3. Within 500 feet of residentially zoned property on the same side of and fronting the street in question;
4. Within 500 feet of residentially zoned property on the opposite side of and fronting the street in question;
5. At intersecting streets, within 500 feet of any other billboard measured by the curb line or curb line extension. A billboard may be located at this point or at a vertical point on the opposite side of the street, provided all other criteria are met;
6. Within 1,000 feet of any historic site, place or district that is recorded on the national register, or any public park, measured by the curb line of the existing streets. A billboard may be located at this point or at a vertical point on the opposite side of the street, provided all other criteria are met;
7. Within 1,000 feet from the center of any designated scenic highway when locating a billboard on a street which intersects with a scenic highway.
(2) When determining whether a proposed billboard meets the spacing requirements set forth herein, distances shall be measured from the center of the billboard and shall take into account any billboard, residential property, historic district, public park or scenic highway, regardless of whether it is located in the incorporated or unincorporated area of the county.
(c) Maximum allowable display area.
(1) Six hundred seventy-two square feet per sign face.
(2) Twenty percent of the 672 square feet allowable for extended copy of “pop-ups.”
(d) Maximum allowable height.
(1) Fifty feet for painted bulletins (14 feet by 48 feet).
(2) Forty-five feet for poster panels (12 feet by 25 feet).
(3) Thirty feet for poster panels (6 feet by 12 feet).
All measurements shall be taken from the road grade level to which the sign is oriented.
(e) Minimum setback from right-of- way.
(1) Twenty feet for painted bulletins (14 feet by 48 feet).
(2) Fifteen feet for poster panels (12 feet by 25 feet).
(3) Ten feet for poster panels (6 feet by 12 feet).
(f) Abandoned signs. A billboard without copy shall either display copy or be removed within 90 days after official notification from the zoning administrator.
(g) Scenic highway. No billboards shall be allowed on the following scenic highways and corridors: South Carolina Highway No. 11 Corridor (county portion), designated as the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway; Interstate Highway 1-185 “Southern Connector” and Haywood-Howell Road.
(h) Permit issuance.
(1) Permits for existing billboards. All billboards existing in the county which were lawfully erected prior to June 10, 1986, shall be required to be re-permitted within 90 days after the effective date of this section. In order to obtain the permit, the owner shall furnish the county with the following information on each billboard:
A. Location;
B. Color photographs of each face and support structure; and
C. Size description of each face, excluding pop-ups. No initial fee shall be charged for re-permitting existing billboards.
(2) Permits for relocated billboards. A permit for the relocation of a billboard shall not be issued by the county unless:
A. An officer of the company applying for a permit to relocate a sign certifies in writing that the company has provided the information required by (h)(1) above for all of its existing billboards in the county.
B. The county has certified that the off-premise sign at the original location has been completely removed.
C. The county has verified that the proposed billboard and its proposed location meet the criteria set forth in this section.
D. All other requirements for obtaining a permit have been met, including the payment of a permit fee as charged by the county codes department.
No permit for the relocation of a billboard shall be issued if the company requesting such permit is presently in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter.
(3) Posting of permits. The county codes department shall issue all permits required by this section in duplicate, one of which shall be weather resistant. The owner of each billboard in the county shall be responsible for affixing the weather resistant permit to the billboard in a prominent location and for ensuring that such permit is continuously attached at all times thereafter.
(4) Renewal of permits. All billboard permits issued in accordance with this section shall be valid only for the calendar year in which they are issued and shall be renewed not later than January 15th of each calendar year. A renewal fee of $75 shall be charged for each billboard permit renewed. Any billboard owner who fails to remit the $75 renewal fee by January 15th shall be charged an additional $25 late fee for each billboard permit renewed. In the event that any billboard owner fails to remit the renewal fee and the late fee by February 15, the county shall revoke the permit, and the billboard owner shall be required to remove the billboard within 30 days.
(i) Construction of relocated signs.
(1) Any billboard relocated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter must be constructed within 12 months from the date the permit is issued.
(2) A relocated billboard shall have no more faces than it had at its previous location.
(3) The faces or faces of a relocated billboard shall have no more display area (square footage) per face than it had at its previous location. In no event shall the face of a relocated billboard exceed the maximum allowable display area set forth in division (c) herein.
(j) Billboard illumination. Any billboards either internally or externally illuminated shall not exceed the limits of § 19-52.
(Ord. 4926, passed 8-15-2017)