All nonconforming signs existing on the effective date of adoption of zoning at the location of the sign may remain in place subject to the following requirements.
(A) Continuation of nonconforming signs.
(1) Existing nonconforming signs. All existing nonconforming signs shall adhere to the following regulations (excluding outdoor advertising/billboard signs).
(a) No nonconforming sign shall have any changes made in the words or symbols used or the message displayed on the sign unless the sign is specifically designed for periodic change of message (for example, billboards). However, this chapter shall not prohibit the normal maintenance of signs to keep them properly maintained.
(b) No nonconforming sign shall be structurally altered so as to change the shape, size, type, or design of the sign, nor shall any nonconforming sign be relocated.
(c) The addition of lighting or illumination to existing nonconforming signs is specifically prohibited as reasonable maintenance; however, such lighting may be permanently removed from such sign structure.
(d) No nonconforming sign shall be allowed to remain after the activity, business, or use to which it was related has been discontinued.
(2) Maintenance and repair of nonconforming signs.
(a) Nonconforming signs shall be allowed to perform reasonable repair and maintenance. The following activities are considered to be reasonable repair and maintenance (No building permit shall be needed to make the following repairs with exception of divisions (A)(2)(a)3. and (A)(2)(a)5. below):
1. Change of message or copy on the sign face;
2. Replacement of border and trim, stringer, or panel, with like material;
3. Repair and replacement of a pole(s), with like material;
4. Alterations of the dimensions of painted bulletins incidental to copy change; and
5. Any net decrease in the outside dimensions of the advertising copy portion of the sign; but if the sign face or faces are reduced they may not thereafter be increased.
(b) A nonconforming sign may continue as long as it is not abandoned, destroyed, discontinued, or significantly damaged as defined by this chapter. When the combined damage to the face and support poles appears to be significantly damaged the sign owner shall request the county’s Planning Department to review the damaged sign, including salvageable sign components, prior to the repairs being made. Should the sign owner perform repairs without notification to the Planning Department, the permit may be revoked or the sign shall be removed. To determine the percent of damage to the sign structure, the only components to be used to calculate this value are the sign face and support pole(s). The percent damage shall be calculated by dividing the unsalvageable sign components by the original sign structure component quantities, using the following criteria.
1. Signs on wooden poles. The percentage of damage attributable to poles shall be 50% and the percentage of damage attributable to sign face shall be 50%.
2. Signs on steel poles, beams, or monopoles. The percentage of damage attributable to poles shall be 80% and the percentage of damage attributable to sign face shall be 20%.
(3) Nonconforming outdoor advertising/billboard signs.
(a) As per G.S. § 136-133.2, existing nonconforming outdoor advertising signs shall be allowed to be repaired or reconstructed so long as the square footage of its advertising surface area is not increased. This also includes the changing of an existing multipole outdoor advertising structure to a new monopole structure.
(b) All nonconforming outdoor advertising signs that are required to be permitted by NCDOT shall maintain all required permits in good standing for the life of the nonconformity. If at any point NCDOT revokes these permits, the nonconforming sign shall come into compliance with current regulations or be removed.
(B) Removal of nonconforming signs. Upon failure to comply with any of the above requirements, the Administrator shall cause the removal of any nonconforming signs as hereafter provided. The Administrator or his or her designated agent shall give the owner of the nonconforming sign notice of the violation. Notice to the owner or the occupant of the premises on which the sign is located shall be sufficient.
(C) Exception. Relocation of existing, nonconforming outdoor advertising signs located within the Highway Corridor Overlay (HCO) District shall be exempt from the regulations set forth in this subchapter, only as provided below:
(1) Relocation of existing, nonconforming outdoor advertising signs shall be permitted in cases where the location of the sign is preventing the location of a new business;
(2) The property on which the outdoor advertising sign is currently located and the proposed new location shall be under the same ownership;
(3) Relocated outdoor advertising signs shall meet § 153.159(I)(1) through (I)(4);
(4) In regards to spacing requirements, the proposed outdoor advertising sign shall comply with the most recent version of NCDOT’s Regulations for the Control of Outdoor Advertising in North Carolina; and
(5) Relocation of the outdoor advertising sign shall not be permitted until the first permit is issued on the new business.
(Ord. passed 10-17-2011; Res. passed 2-17-2014)