(A) Subdivision entrance and multi-family development signs.
(1) Freestanding signs. Except as further provided under subsection (A)(2) below for the CD District, at any entrance to a subdivision or multi-family development there may be not more than two freestanding signs identifying the subdivision or development, and a single side of any such sign shall not exceed 50 square feet in total sign surface area. Freestanding identification signs shall be subject to section 9-4-234; provided, however, no such sign shall exceed a height of ten feet above the property grade. In cases where such signs are mounted on a decorative functional or nonfunctional wall, the wall area shall not be utilized to calculate total sign surface area. Such signage shall not be included in the calculation of or count towards the total sign surface area for the lot on which it is located.
(2) CD District wall and freestanding signs.
(a) Each multi-family development located within a CD (Downtown Commercial) District may have either:
1. Not more than two wall signs identifying the development;
2. Not more than two freestanding signs identifying the development; or
3. Not more than one freestanding sign and one wall sign identifying the development.
(b) No single side of a wall or freestanding sign allowed under this section shall exceed 50 square feet in total sign surface area. Freestanding and wall identification signs shall be subject to section 9-4-234; provided, however, no freestanding sign shall exceed a height of ten feet above the property grade. In cases where the signs are mounted on a decorative functional or nonfunctional wall, the wall area shall not be utilized to calculate total sign surface area. Such signage shall not be included in the calculation of or count towards the total sign surface area for the lot on which it is located.
(Ord. No. 09-17, passed 3-5-2009)
(B) Grand opening signs. Grand opening signs shall be subject to the following requirements and/or exemptions.
(1) For purposes of this section, the term “grand opening” shall be construed as a singular event of limited (ten- day maximum) duration designed and intended to attract public attention to a recently established office, commercial, industrial or multi-family land use. Expansion of an existing principal use shall not be construed as a grand opening event. Addition of an accessory use shall not be construed as a grand opening event. No temporary use shall be construed as a grand opening event.
(2) Such event shall commence not later than 60 days following any occupancy for use to qualify for a grand opening sign.
(3) No grand opening sign(s) shall be displayed for more than ten total and continuous days.
(4) No maximum sign surface area requirement shall be established for the sign(s).
(5) Within a planned center each lot or unit occupied by a separate establishment may qualify for individual grand opening signs in accordance with this section.
(6) Such sign(s) shall be exempt from the provisions of section 9-4-237 herein.
(C) Planned center directory signs. Such signs may be allowed, provided they do not exceed 20 square feet in display area, six feet in height and are located no closer than ten feet from the property line. There shall be no more than two directory signs within any planned center. The signs shall contain no commercial advertisement. The signage shall be allowed in addition to the maximum wall or freestanding sign allowance for the lot on which the signage is located.
(D) Nonresidential subdivision directory signs. Shall be subject to all of the following standards and requirements.
(1) There shall be no more than two directory signs within a subdivision.
(2) Such signs shall contain no commercial advertisement. For purposes of this section establishment names and trademarks shall not be construed as commercial advertisement.
(3) Such signs shall be located on private property and no portion of the sign shall extend beyond any property boundary line or street right-of-way line.
(4) No sign shall exceed a height of five feet unless the sign is set back not less than ten feet from the street right-of-way.
(5) Such signage may contain subdivision identification in addition to individual establishment identification panels.
(6) Where the sign contains any subdivision identification, that portion of the sign devoted to subdivision identification shall be subject to the maximum area and number of signs criteria set forth under subsection (A) of this section.
(7) Additional specific standards for commercial and/or office subdivisions are as follows:
(a) Maximum display area including subdivision identification shall not exceed 50 square feet.
(b) Maximum height shall be ten feet.
(c) Individual establishment identification panels shall not exceed four square feet in display area.
(8) Additional specific standards for industrial subdivisions are as follows:
(a) Maximum display area including subdivision identification shall not exceed 125 square feet.
(b) Maximum height shall be 25 feet.
(c) Individual establishment identification panels shall not exceed 16 square feet in display area.
(9) Such signage shall be allowed in addition to the maximum wall or freestanding sign allowance for the lot on which the signage is located.
(10) This section shall not apply to subdivisions which constitute a planned center. Planned center directory signage shall be in accordance with subsection (C) of this section.
(E) Restaurant menu reader boards. No restaurant menu reader board shall exceed 42 square feet in surface area or eight feet in height. Menu reader boards shall be set back not less than 20 feet from any property line. Two menu reader boards shall be allowed per each drive-through facility, not to exceed one per order point, and the display shall contain no commercial advertisement that can be viewed from any adjacent street right-of-way or property line. The signage shall not be included in the calculation of or count towards the total allowable sign surface area.
(Ord. No. 99-38, § 1, passed 4-8-1999; Ord. No. 19-057, § 2, passed 12-12-2019)
(F) Church signs.
(1) Off-premises directional signs. Church off-premises directional signs shall not exceed three square feet in area or six feet in height. Such signs shall be located on private property and shall be allowed in addition to the maximum wall or freestanding sign allowance for the lot on which the signage is located.
(2) On-premises signs.
(a) Wall signs. Shall be in accordance with section 9-4-230 of this article.
(b) Freestanding signs.
2. When a lot qualifies for two or more freestanding signs along any one street, the owner may option to erect one 72-square foot sign in lieu of two 36-square foot signs. Within any residential zoning district, no freestanding sign which exceeds 36 square feet in surface area shall exceed ten feet in height.
(G) Permitted nonresidential uses. Except as otherwise provided, signs for permitted nonresidential uses, excluding home occupations, located in a residential zoning district may be allowed, provided the signs meet the following restrictions.
(1) Signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in display surface area.
(2) Signs shall not exceed five feet in height above the property grade in the case of a freestanding sign.
(3) Signs shall not exceed one sign per lot.
(H) Home occupations.
(1) Freestanding signs shall be prohibited.
(2) Except as otherwise provided, wall signs shall be limited to two square feet of total sign display area.
(3) Bed and breakfast inn signage shall be subject to the following standards: wall signs shall be limited to four square feet of total sign display area.
(I) Open door and/or open window signs. Any sign which can be viewed through an open doorway and/or open window from any point outside the building may be allowed subject to all of the following.
(1) Such signage shall be included in the calculations of and count toward the total allowance of wall sign surface area.
(2) Such signs shall be permanently attached to the building by manner of an approved rigid frame structure, by a solid metal chain or cable, or a combination thereof.
(3) Such sign surface area shall be constructed of an approved rigid material or shall be bound on not less than two sides by a rigid frame which prohibits the signage from swaying loosely when struck by moving air.
(4) All portions of the signs shall be set back inside the interior finished wall of the building.
(5) All such signs shall not cover or obstruct more than 25% of the door or window opening.
(6) The lowest part of the signs displayed through an open doorway shall be not less than eight feet above the doorway threshold if the signs are located within ten feet of the subject doorway.
(7) Such signs shall be exempt from the wall sign projection standard set forth under section 9-4-234(B) of this article; provided, however, no vertical dimension of any the sign including supports shall exceed four feet.
(8) Signs located on and/or beneath a canopy shall not be construed as open door and/or open window signs.
(9) Signs which are not designed to attract the attention of or convey a message to persons located outside the building and which are designed only to provide information or warnings to persons located inside the establishment are exempt from regulation under this section.
(J) Temporary non-profit and governmental organization signs. Temporary sign(s), including banners, erected in conjunction with a special event sponsored and conducted by a nonprofit or governmental organization shall be allowed subject to all of the following conditions.
(1) It is the intention of this section that no such sign shall be displayed in conjunction with a commercial promotion or as an advertising device for a commercial establishment, product or service.
(2) Not more than one on-premises and three off-premises signs shall be allowed in conjunction with any event. No sign shall be erected on any lot without the consent of the property owner.
(3) No such sign shall exceed 30 square feet of sign surface area.
(4) There shall be not more than one special event sign allowed on any lot.
(5) The maximum frequency of any special event display shall not exceed one occurrence within any 12-month period and the maximum duration of the display shall not exceed seven days. For purposes of this section, the duration of each separate event display shall be measured in continuous days.
(6) Each display shall contain the name and current phone number of the event sponsor and the sign permit number indelibly printed on the communication side/surface in one-inch or larger letters.
(7) The sign shall be located completely on private property. No portion of the sign or its support structure shall be located on or across any public street right-of-way or private street easement.
(8) The sign shall not be located within any sight distance triangle as defined in Title 6, Chapter 2 of the Greenville City Code or as provided by notation or description upon any map recorded pursuant to the subdivision regulations.
(9) No such sign shall be suspended from or attached to any public utility pole, apparatus, structure or support/guy wire, any public or private traffic-control or directional sign, structure or device, or any tree or shrub located on public or private property.
(10) No such sign shall be erected or maintained which obstructs any traffic-control sign or device or warning sign located on public or private property.
(11) No such sign shall be erected on or across any recognized or improved pedestrian area, path, walkway or sidewalk, driveway, interior drive or parking lot drive aisle.
(12) Any sign erected or maintained in conflict with this section shall be considered a nuisance and/or hazard to the public and shall be subject to immediate removal by the city at the expense of the sponsoring nonprofit organization and/or property owner in addition to other available remedies as provided by law.
(13) Such sign(s) shall be exempt from section 9-4-237(G) herein.
(K) Temporary on-premises special event spotlights and roof mounted inflatable balloons. Except as otherwise provided herein, temporary special event spotlights and roof mounted inflatable balloons shall be allowed, subject to all of the following requirements.
(1) Spotlights.
(a) Not more than one spotlight shall be displayed on any lot at any one time.
(b) No spotlight shall be displayed for more than two consecutive days.
(c) No lot shall display any spotlight(s) for more than 20 total days per calendar year.
(2) Roof mounted inflatable balloons.
(a) Not more than one roof mounted inflatable balloon shall be displayed on any lot at any one time.
(b) No roof mounted inflatable balloon shall be displayed for more than two consecutive days.
(c) No lot shall display any roof mounted inflatable balloon(s) for more than 20 total days per calendar year.
(3) Terms.
(a) For purposes of this section, the term “lot” shall be construed to include all contiguous parcels occupied by an establishment.
(b) For purposes of this section, the term “roof mounted inflatable balloon” shall be construed to include only those balloons which meet all of the following requirements: are mounted onto the roof of a structure having a principal purpose other than the support of the balloon; are mounted on the roof of a qualified structure by means of a gravity dependent and/or direct contact attachment method; and are not tethered to the roof of a structure in a manner which allows the balloon to free-float above the surface of the roof.
(L) Golf course signs. Golf courses located within a residential district shall be subject to the following requirements:
(1) Wall signage, including accessory use identification signage, shall not exceed 20 square feet in total sign surface area.
(2) Golf course (principal use) freestanding signage shall be limited to one sign. The sign shall not exceed 20 square feet in total sign surface area and shall not exceed five feet in height.
(3) No freestanding signage shall be permitted in conjunction with an accessory use, including but not limited to any dining facility and/or restaurant, snack bar, pro-shop, social club, tennis court or swimming facility.
(4) Freestanding and wall signage shall be illuminated by indirect lighting only.
(M) Restaurant menu pre-browse boards. A full menu shall not be displayed on a restaurant menu pre-browse board. No restaurant menu pre-browse board shall exceed 20 square feet in surface area or eight feet in height. Menu pre-browse boards shall be setback not less than 20 feet from any property line. Two menu pre-browse boards shall be allowed per each drive-through facility, not to exceed one per order point, and the display shall contain no commercial advertisement that can be viewed from any adjacent street right-of-way or property line. The signage shall not be included in the calculation of or count towards the total allowable sign area.
(Ord. No. 2337, § 1, passed 6-13-1991; Ord. No. 95-53, § 1, passed 5-11-1998; Ord. No. 95-61, § 8, passed 6-8-1995; Ord. No. 96-29, § 1, passed 3-14-1996; Ord. No. 96-35, § 1, passed 5-9-1996; Ord. No. 96-73, § 1, passed 8-8-1996; Ord. No. 96-79, § 1, passed 8-8-1996; Ord. No. 96-91, § 1, passed 9-12-1996; Ord. No. 97-64, § 1, passed 6-12-1997; Ord. No. 99-4, §§ 3 and 4, passed 1-14-1999; Ord. No. 99-152, § 1, passed 12-9-1999; Ord. No. 05-15, § 3, passed 3-10-2005; Ord. No. 05-89, § 8, passed 8-11-2005; Ord. No. 07-11, § 5, passed 1-11-2007; Ord. No. 19-057, § 3, passed 12-12-2019)