(A) Permit required. No sign shall hereafter be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted, or structurally altered without a sign permit, except those signs excepted in division (C) below, and without being in conformity with the provisions of this section. The sign shall also meet all the structural requirements of the state’s Building Code. Sign permits are issued or refused by the Building Inspector.
(B) Application; fee. An application for a sign permit shall be filed with the Building Inspector on a form provided by the Village Administrator/Clerk, together with a sketch of the proposed sign showing its exact dimensions and location and the payment of the required fee as provided in § 36.04.
(C) Signs excepted. All signs are prohibited in the residential, conservancy, and agricultural districts, except the following:
(1) Signs over show windows or doors of a nonconforming business establishment announcing, without display or elaboration, only the name and occupation of the proprietor, and not to exceed two feet in height and ten feet in length;
(2) Real estate signs not to exceed eight square feet in area which advertise the sale, rental, or lease of the premises upon which said signs are temporarily located;
(3) Names, occupation, and warning signs not to exceed two square feet located on the premises;
(4) Bulletin boards for public, charitable, or religious institutions not to exceed eight square feet in area located on the premises;
(5) Memorial signs, tablets, names of buildings, and date of erection, when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of metal and affixed flat against a structure;
(6) Official signs such as traffic control, parking restrictions, information, and notices; and
(7) Temporary signs or banners when authorized by the Village Board.
(D) Signs permitted. Signs are permitted in all commercial and industrial districts, subject to the following restrictions.
(1) Signs prohibited in public ways. No sign shall be placed upon, over, or in any public way, provided that this division (D)(1) shall not be construed to prohibit the erection or placing of any authorized traffic sign, traffic signal, or other traffic device or any other signs authorized by law or specifically permitted to project into the public way by this section.
(2) Signs not to constitute a public hazard. No sign shall be erected at any location where it may, by reason of its position, shape, color, or other characteristics, interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, traffic signal, or other traffic device, nor shall any sign make use of the words “stop”, “look”, “danger”, or any other word which could be mistaken for an official sign.
(3) Illuminated signs. No sign shall be illuminated by intermittent, rotating, or flashing lights.
(4) Ground signs. Ground signs shall be considered buildings and must observe all applicable setback lines and height restrictions; however, signs advertising on-premises businesses in any B-2 or M-2 District or signs on property used for institutional or public purposes which identify such property and activities thereon shall be subject to a 20-foot setback. Except as hereafter authorized, no ground signs advertising a business located off the premises where such sign is located, other than directional signs, shall be permitted. Such directional signs shall not exceed 150 square feet on one face and 250 square feet on all faces and shall not exceed 25 feet in height. Ground signs advertising a business located off the premises where such sign is located shall be permitted along and adjacent to, within 250 feet, of state trunk highways. Such signs shall not exceed 300 square feet in size and no two structures shall be spaced less than 200 feet apart.
(5) Wall signs. Wall signs placed against the exterior walls of buildings shall not extend more than six inches outside of a building’s wall surface, shall not exceed 500 square feet in area for any one premises, and shall not exceed 20 feet in height above the mean centerline street grade.
(6) Projecting signs. Projecting signs fastened to, suspended from, or supported by structures shall not exceed 100 square feet in area for any one premises; shall not extend more than six feet into any required yard; shall not extend more than three feet into any public right-of-way, shall not be less than ten feet from all side lot lines; shall not exceed a height of 20 feet above the mean centerline street grade; and shall not be less than ten feet above the sidewalk nor 15 feet above a driveway or any alley.
(7) Roof signs. Roof signs shall not exceed ten feet in height above the roof, shall meet all the yard and height requirements for the district in which it is located, and shall not exceed 300 square feet on all sides for any one premises.
(8) Window signs. Window signs shall be placed only on the inside of commercial buildings and shall not exceed 25% of the glass area of the pane upon which the sign is displayed.
(9) Combinations. Combinations of any of the above signs shall meet all the requirements for the individual sign.
(10) Vacant lot maintenance. Vacant lots upon which advertising signs now exist or which are erected pursuant to this section shall be maintained in an orderly fashion by the frequent and periodic removal of rubbish and maintenance of any verdure growing on the lot.
(11) Removal of signs at termination of business. At the termination of a business, commercial, or industrial enterprise, all signs shall forthwith be removed from the public view. Responsibility for violation shall reside with the property owner according to the latest official tax roll listings.
(E) Existing signs. Signs lawfully existing at the time of the adoption or amendment of this section may be continued although the use, size, or location does not conform with the provisions of this section. However, it shall be deemed a nonconforming use of the structure and the provisions of Chapter 155 shall apply. See also division (D)(11) above.
(Prior Code, § 14.17) (Ord. 1-95, passed 6-8-1995; Ord. 03-2019, passed 2-14-2019)
Penalty, see § 150.999