(A) The sign and billboard chapter regulates signs to be placed along the roadside of any highway or county road and residential, business office and industrial development signs contained in the unincorporated areas of the county.
(B) The County Board finds:
(1) Signs should be regulated in order to protect public investment, to promote the recreational value of public travel, to preserve natural beauty and to promote the reasonable orderly and effective display of signs; that the use and display of signs in a legitimate use of private property and is an integral part of the business and marketing functions of local economy and serves to promote and protect private investments in commerce and industry and that the regulatory standards set forth in this chapter are consistent with customary use in this county and will properly carry out the purposes of this chapter, more severe restrictions being inconsistent with customary use and ineffective to accomplish the purposes of this chapter;
(2) Signs visible from motor vehicles being driven upon roads in the county have a visual impact upon the drivers of those vehicles;
(3) Easily read and well located signs can materially assist motorists and others in getting to their desired destination safely and efficiently;
(4) Signs which are unregulated as to size, location and appearance can distract motorists, interfere with early identification of traffic control devices, and hinder the smooth and safe movement of traffic; and
(5) Lack of regulation of size, location and appearance of signs can cause escalation in the size of signs erected by competing businesses.
(C) This chapter authorizes the use of signs visible from public right-of-way provided the signs are:
(1) Designed, constructed, installed and maintained in such a manner that they do not endanger public safety or traffic safety;
(2) Legible, readable and visible in the circumstances in which they are used; and
(3) Not violative of the reasonable rights of other advertisers whose messages are displayed.
(Ord. passed 3-13-2012)