(a) Signs on Vacant Buildings, Lots and Tenant Spaces.
(1) Vacant lots or vacant buildings, including vacant tenant spaces, are permitted a single ground or wall sign per street frontage subject to the following standards:
A. Within residential (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, OR-1) districts, ground signs shall limited to eight square feet in sign area and four feet in height. Wall signs shall be permitted on only multi-family buildings and shall not exceed one-half of a square foot for every one foot of building frontage where the sign is to be placed up to a maximum of twenty-four square feet in area.
B. Within business (OS-1, CSD-1, NB-1, GB-1, HS-1) districts, such signs, both freestanding and wall signs, shall be limited to thirty-two square feet in area and six feet in height.
C. Within industrial (RO-1, I-1, I-2) districts, such signs shall be limited to thirty-two square feet in area and six feet in height.
D. Within the CBD-1 district, such signs shall be limited to twenty-four square feet in area and four feet in height.
(2) Abandoned signs. Signs and sign structures that are abandoned, no longer in use or that are accessory to an abandoned use of a property, are prohibited and shall be removed. A use shall be determined abandoned if it has voluntarily ceased operations for a period of at least one year.
(b) Signs Located near the Primary Vehicular Access Point(s) of Single And/or Two Family Residential Developments (Entranceway Signs).
(1) Residential subdivisions which contain at least 15 separate platted, recorded parcels meant for residential development, one sign located near the primary vehicular entrance(s), other than those authorized in other sections hereof, shall be permitted, subject to the following standards:
A. Location. Such sign shall be located near the primary vehicular entrance to said residential development and outside of the public right-of-way located and oriented in a way that does not impact the sight-distance of drivers or pedestrians in the public right-of-way. Such signs shall be setback a minimum of five feet from the public right-of-way.
B. Area. The gross area in square feet of the additional sign(s) shall be no more than 24 square feet per sign face.
C. Number. One such sign shall be permitted; however, the two faces of the sign may be split into two separate signs and situated on both sides of the main entrance to the residential development.
D. Height. No such sign shall exceed six feet in height.
E. Illumination. Such signs shall be illuminated by a concealed, external light source. No such sign shall be internally illuminated.
F. Landscaping. A landscaping area equal to the sign area shall be provided around the sign base. The landscape area shall include living plants aesthetically located and maintained.
G. Building materials. Such signs shall be built with durable materials such as brick, stone, wood, wrought iron fence or earthen mound and not non-durable materials such as cardboard, paper or cloth.
(c) Signs Located near the Primary Vehicular Access Point(s) of Multi-Family Residential Developments (Entranceway Signs).
(1) Residential multi-family developments which contain at least fifteen housing units shall be allowed one sign located near the primary vehicular entrance(s) of said development, other than those authorized in other sections hereof, shall be permitted, subject to the following standards:
A. Location. Such sign shall be located near the primary vehicular entrance to said multi-family development and outside of the public right-of-way located and oriented in a way that does not impact the sight-distance of drivers or pedestrians in the public right-of-way. Such signs shall be setback a minimum of five feet from the public right-of-way.
B. Area. The gross area of the additional sign shall be no more than twenty-four square feet.
C. Number. One such sign shall be permitted; however, the two faces of the sign may be split into two separate signs and situated on both sides of the main entrance to the multi-family development.
D. Height. No such sign shall exceed six feet in height.
E. Illumination. Such signs shall be illuminated by a concealed, external light source. No such sign shall be internally illuminated.
F. Landscaping. Landscaping meeting the standards of Section 1293.09
(b)(5) shall be required for such signs.
G. Building materials. Such signs shall be built with durable materials such as brick, stone, wood, wrought iron fence or earthen mound and not non-durable materials such as cardboard, paper or cloth.
(d) Signs Located near the Primary Vehicular Access Point(s) of Office And/or Industrial Parks (Entranceway Signs).
(1) For office and/or industrial parks containing at least 250,000 square feet of gross total floor area for multiple office and/or industrial users, one additional sign located near each primary entrance, other than those authorized in other sections hereof, shall be permitted, subject to the following standards:
A. Location. Such sign shall be located near the primary vehicular entrance to said office and/or industrial park and outside of the public right-of-way located and oriented in a way that does not impact the sight-distance of drivers or pedestrians in the public right-of-way. Such signs shall be setback a minimum of five feet from the public right-of-way.
B. Area. The gross area of the additional sign shall be no more than sixty-four square feet.
C. Number. One such sign shall be permitted; however, the two faces of the sign may be split into two separate signs and situated on both sides of the main entrance to the office and/or industrial business park.
D. Height. No such sign shall exceed six feet in height at the minimum setback line. An additional one foot of height may be added for every one additional foot said sign is setback from the right-of-way with a maximum height of eight feet.
E. Illumination. Such signs may be internally illuminated if located along an arterial or collector street, as labeled on the City of Miamisburg’s Official Thoroughfare Plan. In all other cases, such signs may only be illuminated by a concealed external light source.
F. Landscaping. Landscaping meeting the standards of Section 1293.09
(b)(5) shall be required for such signs.
G. Building materials. Such signs shall be built with durable materials such as brick, stone, wood, wrought iron fence or earthen mound and not non-durable materials such as cardboard, paper or cloth.
(e) Signs Located near the Primary Vehicular Access Point(s) of Multi-Tenant Shopping Centers (Entranceway Signs).
(1) The following provisions are applicable to areas of special control: Shopping centers in single ownership or under unified control with a minimum frontage of 200 feet shall be entitled to the following freestanding signs by respective size of the center in addition to the total signable area permitted for the commercial complex as a whole, provided that no other freestanding signs used:
A. A neighborhood shopping center (one which contains 20,000 to 99,999 square feet of floor space) shall be entitled to one freestanding sign not to exceed 100 square feet in size.
B. A community shopping center (one which contains 100,000 to 399,999 square feet of floor space) shall be entitled to one freestanding sign not to exceed 200 square feet in size.
C. A regional shopping center (one which contains 400,000 or more square feet of floor space) shall be entitled to two freestanding signs, each of which shall not be permitted to exceed 300 square feet in size.
(2) Height. All such freestanding signs shall abide by height limitations listed elsewhere in this code based on the zoning district.
(3) Illumination. Such signs may be internally illuminated if located along an arterial or collector street, as labeled on the City of Miamisburg’s Official Thoroughfare Plan. In all other cases, such signs may only be illuminated by a concealed external light source.
(4) Landscaping. Landscaping meeting to standards of Section 1293.09
(b)(5) shall be required for such signs.
(5) Building materials. Such signs shall be built with durable materials such as brick, stone, wood, wrought iron fence or earthen mound and not non-durable materials such as cardboard, paper or cloth. The building materials and colors shall be similar in nature to the principal structure on the property.
(f) Adjustments of Maximum Sign Area and Sign Height. In certain cases, such as buildings on large lots and/or with large setbacks, the prescribed sign areas for such zoning lots may be insufficient with regards to sign visibility from a public right-of-way. In such cases, the following provisions allow for an increase in the allowable sign area or sign height. None of these adjustments shall apply to temporary signs of any kind.
(1) Ground sign in place of pole sign. The maximum permitted area for freestanding signs in office, commercial or industrial districts (not including AO-1 or Planned Districts with their own sign standards) may be increased by up to twenty-five percent in cases where a freestanding ground sign is utilized over a freestanding pole or pylon sign. Signs benefitting from this bonus shall be no taller than the maximum permitted sign height in the subject zoning district or fifteen feet in height, whichever is less. This sign size bonus for ground signs shall not apply to entranceway signs, freestanding signs permitted to be larger than the maximum size due to large lot frontages (see Section 1293.11
(f)(2)) or signs located near interstate rights-of-way (see Section 1293.11
(f)(3)) of this chapter.
(2) Large lot frontages. The maximum permitted area for freestanding signs may be increased by one-half square foot for each lineal foot of lot frontage or fraction thereof that the lot frontage exceeds 500 feet in length (i.e. a lot with a frontage of 600 feet would be permitted an additional fifty square feet of freestanding sign area). Such freestanding signs shall not exceed 375 square feet in size and shall abide by all freestanding sign standards elsewhere in this Code and the following standards:
A. Location. Such signs shall be permitted only along parcels with frontages that exceed 500 feet in length and front interstate rights-of-way containing at least six travel lanes unless stricter standards within the subject zoning district prohibit such signs. Such signs are prohibited in all Residential zoning districts as well as the AO-1 Zoning District. Such signs shall be placed within fifty feet of the right-of-way line of such an interstate and not within 250 feet of any other public or private right-of-way or property line.
B. Materials. Such signs shall be constructed of high-quality building materials such as brick or stone. Exposed metal support posts or industrially-designed (exposed metal and framing, etc.) signs are prohibited.
C. Design and site plan review. Site plan review is required for all such signs in the City in accordance with Chapter 1294
. In general, such signs shall be designed in an aesthetically-pleasing manner. Such signs shall be constructed with one continuous base that runs the length of the sign face and borders or with at least two support pillars comprised of decorative building materials such as brick or stone that run at least thirty percent the horizontal length of the sign structure. Such signs shall not be pylon signs with a single support post.
D. Height. Such signs may be up to thirty-five feet in height to the top of the message display at the minimum setback line for freestanding signs. The sign structure and associated architectural features (framing, ornamental architectural features etc.) may reach a maximum height of forty feet.
E. Landscaping. Landscaping meeting the standards of Section 1293.09
(b)(5) shall be required for such signs.
F. Illumination. Freestanding signs on lots with large frontages may be internally or externally illuminated and the sign face may be entirely comprised of an electronic variable message board. Such sign faces shall abide fully by the illumination standards imposed upon all signs, including electronic message centers, in this chapter.
G. Such signs shall abide by the standard of Section 1293.08(i) of this chapter.
(3) Freestanding sign height next to interstate rights-of-way. Unless prohibited by stricter standards elsewhere in this Code, freestanding signs located on parcels directly abutting interstate highways and oriented to traffic utilizing such an interstate shall be permitted to reach a maximum height of fifty feet subject to all other freestanding sign standards elsewhere in this Code and the following standards:
A. Location. Such signs shall be permitted only along parcels that directly abut an interstate right-of-way and shall be oriented in a way to be viewed primarily from the interstate. Such signs shall be placed within fifty feet of the interstate right-of-way line for which the sign is oriented and at least forty feet from all other property lines. Such signs are prohibited in all Residential zoning districts as well as the AO-1 Zoning District and any Planned Districts in which such signs are prohibited.
B. Height. Such signs may be up to thirty-five feet in height at the minimum setback line for freestanding signs. The height may be increased by one additional foot for every one foot the sign is setback from the minimum setback line for a maximum height of fifty feet to the top of the message display. The sign structure and associated architectural features (framing, ornamental architectural features, etc.) may reach a maximum height of fifty-five feet.
C. Sign area. The maximum permitted sign area for such signs shall not exceed one square foot for every one foot of lot frontage along the interstate, with a maximum size of 200 square feet.
D. Landscaping. Landscaping meeting the standards of Section 1293.09
(b)(5) shall be required for such signs.
(g) Master Campus Sign Plan. A Master Campus Sign Plan is a long-term program that guides present and future implementation of on-premise signage across a campus environment. The objective is to define a comprehensive and consistent program of identification and wayfinding signage for campus visitors that reflects the size, scope, and use of campus property. To accommodate the unique needs of a large private, public, or institutional campus, a Master Campus Sign Plan shall be subject to the following requirements.
(1) Eligibility. Eligible sites shall meet all the following requirements:
A. All parcels are owned by a single entity or group of closely related legal entities.
B. Exceeds 500 total linear feet of public street frontage across one or more parcels.
C. Includes an area of at least 25 contiguous acres across one or more parcels.
(3) Regulation. Shall supersede all sign regulations of the relevant zoning district with regards to sign quantity, size, height, setback, location, materials, source of illumination, and design. All other pertinent sign regulations of Chapter 1293
shall remain in force, including those for temporary signs.
(4) Submittal requirements. The plan shall include the following elements:
A. Map defining the boundaries of the plan.
B. Ownership information for each parcel included within the plan boundaries.
C. Program of all proposed signs, including appearance, design, materials, source of illumination, quantity, size, height, setback, and location for each sign.
D. Any information deemed necessary by the Planning Commission to adjudicate the plan.
(5) Standards for review. The Planning Commission shall weigh the following standards in reviewing the plan:
A. Are the sign(s) the minimum necessary to provide adequate visibility and direction from the public right-of-way and within the campus environment?
B. Do the sign(s) reasonably reflect the scope, size, and use of the property?
C. Do the sign(s) incorporate quality design and durable materials in their construction?
D. Does the plan create a consistent and cohesive design aesthetic throughout the campus?
E. Does any aspect of the plan create a potential visual hazard or detract from the overall aesthetic quality of the community?
(6) Major plan amendments. Amendments to a Master Campus Sign Plan shall be subject to review by the Planning Commission whenever there is a major change to the plan. A major change is defined as a significant change to the size, height, setback, location, construction, or source of illumination of a sign subject to the plan.
(7) Minor plan amendments. Amendments to a Master Campus Sign Plan that are not defined as a major change shall be subject to review by the Development Department.
(8) Expiration. A Master Campus Sign Plan shall expire six months from the date when the subject campus no longer meets the eligibility requirements defined herein. In such a case, a new Master Campus Sign Plan shall be adopted in accordance with these regulations. If no new Master Campus Sign Plan is adopted prior to expiration, all existing signs shall be subject to Section 1293.18, Sign Nonconformities.
Ord. 6717. Passed 5-1-18; Ord. 6845. Passed 7-21-20; Ord. 6857. Passed 6-2-20; Ord. 7005. Passed 2-21-23.)