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All signs hereafter erected, placed, posted, attached, painted or otherwise made visible from an adjacent property or right-of-way require a sign permit in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter except as otherwise prohibited, exempted or not requiring a permit by this subchapter. Any sign that requires a permit, which is displayed without the requisite permit, shall be in violation of this subchapter and shall be considered an illegal sign.
(Ord. passed 4-1-2024)
The following signs are exempt from the regulations of this subchapter, except where such signs would be prohibited under § 153.067.
(A) Signs not visible from beyond the boundaries of the property on which they are located.
(B) Signs of a governmental body including but not limited to traffic, health and public safety, crime control and prevention; building identification, directional, informational, and welcome signs; official notices or advertisements related to any court actions; the location of underground utilities; historical markers or monuments; and other community service signs approved by the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Murphy.
(C) Trade names and graphics which are located on gas pumps, newspaper, and soft drink and similar vending devices.
(D) Flags, badges, or insignia of any governmental, non-profit, or religious organization.
(E) Seasonal/holiday signs and decorations associated with a national or religious holiday.
(F) Warning of danger signs posted by utility or construction companies.
(G) Signs painted on or attached to licensed operational vehicles used in the normal day-to-day operations of the business indicating the name of the business, unless the primary use of the vehicle is for the display of signs.
(H) Signs required by law, statute, or ordinance.
(I) No trespassing, no loitering, and similar private warning signs.
(J) Incidental signs.
(K) Construction site identification signs.
(L) Signs painted on or displayed in windows.
(M) Temporary lighting and displays as part of customary holiday decorations and displayed up to 45 days prior to said holiday.
(N) For-sale signs on private vehicles.
(O) Names and lettering on mail boxes and newspaper tubes.
(P) Signs denoting a product being sold out of a vending machine, telephone booth, gasoline pump, or newspaper stand and actually located on same.
(Q) Signs displayed on the inside of a business that are not visible from any public street or walkway.
(R) Signs related to trespassing or public safety, such as danger from animals.
(S) Church signs located on church property.
(T) Signs promoting municipal, school, or civic events.
(Ord. passed 4-1-2024)
(A) The following on premises signs shall not require a permit and shall not be counted as part of the allowable sign area. However, such signs shall conform to the requirements set forth below, as well as other applicable requirements of this chapter.
(1) Private information signs. Signs containing information to direct pedestrian or vehicular traffic or informing the public of private regulations shall be located on the premises for which directions or information are indicated. Such signs shall not exceed three square feet per face, two faces per sign, and shall not exceed three feet in height if freestanding or six feet in height if attached to the principal or an accessory structure. These signs may be directly or internally (indirectly) illuminated with lighting limited to the sign face. Lighting that casts shadows away from the sign shall not be permitted. Restaurants will be allowed one sandwich or attached type, menu sign not to exceed four square feet.
(2) Copy changes and maintenance. No permit is required for copy changes made to a changeable copy sign, menu board or marquee sign. No permit is required for maintenance carried out in accordance with the provisions in § 153.071 and where no structural changes are made. No permit is required for copy changes to an existing sign, made where the size, shape, or height of the sign is not altered, made more non-conforming, or otherwise modified provided, however, outdoor advertising devices may be repaired or reconstructed as permitted by G.S. § 136-131.2.
(3) Residential identification signs. Signs which provide the name and/or address of an individual residence, either attached or free-standing, indirectly or non-illuminated, provided no sign shall exceed two square feet in size per sign face.
(4) In any residential district. One real estate sign, not exceeding four square feet per sign face area shall be permitted per street frontage. Real estate signs for property over three acres shall comply with the standards for business, commercial or industrial real estate signs.
(5) In any business, commercial or industrial district, a real estate sign shall be permitted on the premises for sale, rent or lease. Such sign shall be non-illuminated, shall not exceed 32 square feet in area per sign face and if free-standing, shall not exceed eight feet in height.
(6) Temporary signs. Temporary signs do not require a permit; provided, such signs shall be located on the premises where the event occurs and shall be erected or placed not to exceed 30 days prior to the event, and shall be removed within three days after the event concludes. Signs may not be temporarily posted and removed for the purpose of evading enforcement under this section. Total square footage of such signs shall not exceed 50% of the allowed sign area for the property as indicated in § 153.067.
(B) The following off premises signs shall not require a permit. However, such signs shall conform to the requirements set forth below, as well as other applicable requirements of this chapter.
(1) Off-premises directional signs. Such signs shall not exceed two square feet in area and shall not be illuminated. Such signs shall not be placed in the public right-of-way and will consist of only the company name and a directional arrow. Permission must be obtained from the property owner before placement.
(2) Political signs. Political signs are allowed 30 days prior to one stop early voting and must be removed ten days after primary or general election days.
(3) Special event signs and special event directional signs related to events sponsored by non-profit organizations. Signs must be removed within three days of the end of the event.
(Ord. passed 4-1-2024)
The following are prohibited within the jurisdiction of this chapter.
(A) Any non-governmental sign that resembles a public safety warning or traffic sign.
(B) Signs, whether temporary or permanent, within any public street or highway right-of-way or placed upon a utility pole, and unauthorized signs are forfeited to the public and are subject to confiscation, with the exception of:
(1) Governmental signage, including signs to identify public property convey public information, direct or regulate pedestrian or vehicle traffic;
(2) Informational signs of a public utility regarding its poles, lines, pipes, or facilities;
(3) Awning, projecting, and suspended signs over a public right of way so long as they do not interfere with function of the right of way; and
(4) Signs for community festivals or events permitted by the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Murphy.
(C) Any sign which may be confused with or obstruct the view of any public traffic signal or traffic sign or in any way constitute a hazard to traffic.
(D) Any sign that obstructs or substantially interferes with any window, door, fire escape, stairway, latter, or opening intended to provide light, air, ingress, or egress for any building.
(E) Flashing signs.
(F) Roof signs.
(G) (1) All signs shall be set back ten feet from the right-of-way of any street or highway unless the sign is attached to or is part of a building located within the setback.
(2) In the event that a right-of-way is not defined among the public records of Cherokee County, this prohibition shall apply to an area within 15 feet of the edge of the ware surface of any public thoroughfare.
(H) Any sign or sign structure which does not conform to the building codes or creates in any way an unsafe distraction for motor vehicle operators (see flashing signs definition), or obstructs the view of motor vehicle operators entering a public roadway.
(I) Abandoned signs, where the business or activity which the sign refers has ceased to operate or function or use the sign for 180 or more days.
(J) New billboards.
(K) Portable signs, except as provided for in § 153.066(A).
(L) Signs on fences except public-owned ball field advertising/sponsorship fence signs, and except delivery directional signage in the G-B General Business District, the H-B Highway Business District, and the I-H-C Industrial Heavy Commercial.
(M) No political sign shall be closer than three feet from the edge of the pavement of the road.
(N) No sign shall obscure motorist visibility at an intersection.
(O) No political sign shall be higher than 42 inches above the edge of the pavement of the road when in right of way.
(P) No political sign shall be larger than 864 square inches or six square feet when in road right-of-way.
(Q) No political sign shall be permitted in the right-of-way of a fully controlled access highway.
(Ord. passed 4-1-2024)
(A) Signs indicating a customary home occupation shall not exceed 16 square feet in total surface area, shall include the hours of operation, and shall not be illuminated.
(B) All signs, except those protected by glass or other transparent cover, shall be constructed of materials that will not rapidly deteriorate, fade, fall apart or in any way become a hazard to the public health, safety and general welfare. Where signs are placed over one another, the original sign shall be removed or adequately covered so that the original sign cannot be seen.
(C) In the G-B General Business District the area of a sign shall not exceed one square foot per linear foot of building frontage, not to excess 100 square feet.
(D) In the H-B Highway Business District and the I-H-C Industrial and Heavy Commercial District:
(1) The area of a free-standing detached sign shall not exceed 48 square feet.
(2) The area of an attached sign shall not exceed 20% of the wall to which the sign is attached.
(E) All signs shall comply with applicable requirements of the N.C. State Building Code, National Electrical Code, and other applicable federal, state or local codes.
(F) Every sign and its supports, frames, guys, anchors and electrical equipment shall be secured to withstand adverse weather conditions.
(G) All signs shall be kept free from defective or missing parts or peeling paint.
(H) The immediate premises around a sign shall be kept free from litter and debris and grass/weeds shall be regularly trimmed.
(I) Indirectly illuminated signs shall be lit by a shielded indirect white or amber light of reasonable intensity and directed solely at the sign face.
(J) No sign shall be greater than 50 feet in height, measured from the adjacent road grade to the uppermost point of the sign or sign standard, whichever is greater.
(K) All signs shall be setback ten feet from the right-of-way of any street or highway unless it is attached to or is a part of a building located within the setback.
(L) In the event that a right-of-way is not defined among the public records of Cherokee County, this prohibition shall apply to an area within 15 feet of the edge of the ware surface of any public thoroughfare.
(Ord. passed 4-1-2024)
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