(a) Located along Cuyahoga County's southern tier, North Royalton is a growing community facing immense growth pressures and comprises one of the larger areas of undeveloped land in Cuyahoga County. North Royalton lacks rail, water and/or air transport capabilities and has no direct freeway access. Bisected by the Ohio Turnpike, North Royalton's nearest freeway connection is at Royalton Road and I-71, 1½ miles to the west in Strongsville, Ohio. In order to preserve the city as a desirable community in which to live and do business, a pleasing, visually attractive suburban to rural environment is of foremost importance. The regulation of signs within the city is a highly contributive means by which to achieve this desired end. These sign regulations are prepared with the intent of enhancing both the suburban and rural environments that exist here in North Royalton and promoting the continued well-being of the city.
(b) It is the purpose of this division to promote the public health, safety and general welfare through a comprehensive system of reasonable, consistent and nondiscriminatory sign standards and requirements. These sign regulations are intended to:
(1) Enable the identification of places of residence and business.
(2) Allow for the communication of information necessary for the conduct of commerce.
(3) Lessen hazardous situations, confusion and visual clutter caused by proliferation, improper placement, illumination, animation and excessive height, area and bulk of signs which compete for the attention of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
(4) Enhance the attractiveness and economic well-being of the city as a place to live and conduct business.
(5) Protect the public from the dangers of unsafe signs.
(6) Permit signs that are compatible with their surroundings and aid orientation, and preclude placement of signs in a manner that conceals or obstructs adjacent land uses or signs.
(7) Encourage signs that are appropriate to the zoning district in which they are located and consistent with the category of use to which they pertain.
(8) Curtail the size and number of signs and sign messages to the minimum reasonably necessary to identify a residential or business location and the nature of any such business.
(9) Establish sign size in relationship to the scale of the lot and building on which the sign is to be placed or to which it pertains.
(10) Preclude signs from conflicting with the principal permitted use of the site or adjoining sites.
(11) Regulate signs in a manner so as to not interfere with, obstruct vision of or distract motorists, bicyclists or pedestrians.
(12) Require signs to be constructed, installed and maintained in a safe and satisfactory manner.
(13) Preserve and enhance the natural and scenic characteristics of this rural and suburban community.
(14) Control the design of signs so that their appearance will be aesthetically harmonious with the adjacent surrounding area.
(15) Encourage renovation and proper maintenance of signs; and
(16) Cause every sign in violation of any provision of this chapter to eventually be removed, altered or replaced so as to conform to the intent and specifications of this chapter.
(c) The Building Commissioner shall review, determine and take final action on all sign applications. All standards, regulations and criteria contained in this and other relevant codes shall be considered by the Building Commissioner in his or her decision.
(Ord. 07-103. Passed 4-1-08; Ord. 13-152. Passed 2-4-14.)