(A) Authorized signs in the city may be either monument style or attached to a building, unless otherwise specified.
(B) Specifically, authorized signs described in this section shall conform to the requirements of this section, as set forth below.
(1) Real estate.
(a) Residential-onsite. Signs not exceeding 8 square feet in area and not exceeding 4 feet in height in residential districts which advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which such signs are located only. The number of signs shall be limited to 1 per lot or complex, except, where such lot or complex abuts more than 1 dedicated public street, 1 additional sign shall be allowed for the additional public street.
(b) Temporary directional-offsite. Temporary realtor directional signs located off-premises advertising the sale of real estate, providing such signs do not exceed 4 square feet in area, and providing that signs may contain the word "open" and may contain a directional indicator. Such signs may not be located in street right-of-way, including medians, and/or obstruct vision of traffic or pedestrians, nor be constructed of paper or cardboard. Signs must be kept well painted and in good condition and may be utilized only from Friday at 12:00 noon until the following Monday at 12:00 noon. No lot, or subdivision, or lots within a subdivision, shall have more than an aggregate of 10 signs placed in Parker pursuant to this section. Each subdivision may have a total of 10 signs, which may be any combination of developer, builder, or realtor signs.
(c) Undeveloped acreage-onsite. Signs for undeveloped or not yet platted acreage of not less than 3 acres may have signs as follows:
1. Not larger than 32 square feet per side, 64 square feet total per sign;
2. Not higher than 10 feet in height above the ground surface of the tract;
3. For tracts greater than 3, and less than 50 acres, there may be 1 sign on each public roadway abutting the tract;
4. For tracts of 50 acres and larger, there may be 2 signs on each public roadway abutting the tract; and
5. The sign or signs must be set back 25 feet from the boundary of the tract.
(d) Subdivision directional-offsite. A platted subdivision of not less than 10 acres may have not more than 2 directional signs as follows:
1. Must be within 1 mile of the subdivision;
2. Located on a collector or arterial road frontage;
3. Not less than a 25 foot setback;
4. The 2 signs must not be closer together than 1,000 feet;
5. The sign must be removed upon issuance of any building permit for any of the last 4 lots in this subdivision; or 5 years from the date of the sign permit to construct such signs, whichever comes first. The applicant may request an extension from the Sign Control Board.
6. Not larger than 32 square feet per side, 64 square feet total per sign; and
7. Not higher than 10 feet in height above the ground surface of the tract.
(e) Residential subdivision permanent identification signs. Residential subdivision permanent identification signs shall include the following characteristics:
1. The sign shall be permanent in nature, and shall be approved as a part of the landscaping and entrance treatment, if any, at the entrance, or entrances, to the subdivision. The purpose of the subdivision identification sign is the permanent identification of the subdivision, rather than the identification of the builder, contractors, realtors, or other persons or entities responsible for the development and sale of the real estate within the subdivision. The residential subdivision identification sign shall comply with the requirements for monument signs in division (F) below, or as they may be specifically authorized by the City Council as a part of the approval process for the landscaping treatment for the subdivision entrance.
2. Without other authorization by the City Council, the maximum size of a residential subdivision identification sign shall be 35 square feet in area and 6 feet in height. An example of residential identification subdivision signs is attached to Ord. 595, as Exhibit B.
(C) Temporary political signs.
(1) No political sign may be placed in any location that obstructs vision for traffic. Any sign in violation of the provision of this section may be removed by the city staff if the sign creates a hazardous condition.
(2) All political signs shall comply with all state and federal requirements, including Tex. Election Code, Chapter 255 and 61.003, and Tex. Trans. Code, Chapters 392 and 393.
(3) No political sign may be placed on public property, including city right of way and road easements, except in compliance with division (C)(5), electioneering at polling locations, below.
(4) No political sign may be: larger than 36 square feet, and/or more than 8 feet high, illuminated and/or have any moving elements.
(5) Electioneering at polling locations.
(a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to provide reasonable regulations for electioneering on city owned or controlled public property when the property is used as an election polling place. The regulations contained herein are to mitigate against any safety concerns, prevent damage to public property, and ensure that the property is sufficiently available for its patrons who use the facilities other than for election purposes.
(b) Definitions. For the purpose of this section the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ELECTIONEERING.
The posting, use, or distribution of political signs or literature.
PROHIBITED AREA.
The area within which Tex. Election Code § 85.036(a), as amended, prohibits electioneering during the time an early voting or voting place is open for the conduct of early voting or voting.
VOTING PERIOD.
The period each day beginning the hour the polls are open for voting and ending when the polls close or the last voter has voted, whichever is later on election day and early voting days. The period for a runoff election shall be considered to be a separate voting period.
(c) Regulations and exceptions.
1. The following regulations apply to electioneering on the premises of public property that occurs outside the prohibited area during the voting period.
a. It is an offense for any person to leave any electioneering sign or literature on public property that is used as a polling place other than during the voting period and for 72 hours before and/or after the voting period.
b. It is an offense for any person to attach, place or otherwise affix or erect any electioneering sign, literature or material in any area designated as a planting or landscaped area or to any tree, shrub, building, pole, or other improvement on public property used as a polling location.
c. It is an offense for any person to place any electioneering sign or literature within 10 feet of the public road way adjacent to the public property where a polling location is located.
d. It is an offense for any person to place an electioneering sign on the premises of a polling location that exceeds 36 square feet and is more than 8 feet in height.
e. In addition to imposing any criminal penalty, electioneering sign(s) located in violation of this section may be removed and disposed of by the entity in control of the public property.
f. The authority to conduct electioneering on public property under this section is limited to the property on the premises where the voting is conducted and only for the voting period.
2. The regulations set forth in division 1. above shall not apply to any city authorized signs, materials or other messages on its property.
(D) Temporary construction signs denoting the architect, engineer, contractor, subcontractor, and/or financier and temporary signs denoting the future location of a particular business, retail center or institution subject to 1 such construction sign and 1 such future location sign per street adjacent to the construction site or future location site and each sign not to exceed 32 square feet in area, and providing such signs do not extend above 10 feet in height, measured from ground level, and providing such signs are located on the premises where construction or location being advertised is or will be occurring. Only 1 construction sign and 1 future location sign may abut a given street. Such signs shall be removed upon issuance of any occupancy permit.
(E) Occupational signs denoting only the name and profession of an occupant in a commercial, public, office or institutional building in all residential districts and areas and not exceeding 3 square feet in area.
(F) Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other noncombustible materials. Such signs shall not exceed 4 square feet in area for each wall facing a street.
(G) Flags, emblems and insignia of the United States, federal agencies and any state or local government body including corporate and logo flags, and decorative displays for holidays or legal public demonstrations which do not contain advertising and are not used as such. Corporate and logo flags shall be limited to 1 per site when accompanied by a U.S. and/or state flag of equal size for larger. Corporate and logo flags shall be limited in size to 20 square feet for sites of less than 1 acre, 30 square feet for sites of more than 1 acre but less than 5 acres, and 40 square feet for sites of 5 or more acres, and 40 square feet for sites in residential zoned districts regardless of acreage.
(H) Signs not exceeding 3 square feet in area may be suspended from the underside of a projecting structure. The lowest portion of such signs must be 8 feet above a walkway.
(I) Signs not exceeding 16 square feet and not exceeding 6 feet in height for establishments providing engine fuel sales which advertise prices of fuel on premises, providing such sign shall be permanently attached to a structure. No establishment shall have more than 1 sign per street front.
(J) Signs not exceeding 1 square foot in area affixed to windows or doors which will identify emergency telephone numbers, hours and security information.
(K) Signs on sites used by public, religious institutions in any use district where such signs are an integral part of the site architecture or landscaping. A maximum of 2 signs per adjacent public street shall be allowed. All other sites shall not be allowed more than 1 monument sign and 1 attached sign. Attached signs shall not exceed 24 square feet in area and shall be located entirely below the roof line of the building. Attached signs for educational institutions shall be permissible in these districts; providing, however, no more than 1 attached sign and 1 attached bulletin board will be allowed per building. The letters for the attached sign shall be not more than 12 inches in height and the bulletin board shall be no more than 25 square feet in size. Monument signs shall not exceed 24 square feet in area and 6 feet in height, except for religious institutions wall shall not exceed 60 square feet in area.
(L) Signs in any district or area not to exceed 3 square feet to advertise available employment.
(M) Signs containing street address numbers, providing that such numbers shall be no larger than 12 inches in height, and providing that street address numbers shall be limited to not more than 2 sets per building.
(N) Where authorized by this section, monument signs are preferred by the city. A monument sign shall require a sign permit to be issued by the Chief Building Official, and shall include the following characteristics:
(1) All monument signs shall be placed in concrete bases or footings. Monument signs may be constructed only of materials that are noncombustible or slow burning in the case of plastic inserts and faces and may be supported by noncombustible material only, and finished in a presentable manner; wood or nonpainted steel supports are specifically prohibited. Heavy timber and other materials may be used if approved by the Chief Building Official.
(2) For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
MULTIPLE-USE MONUMENT SIGNS. Monument signs that provide identification or advertisement of multiple businesses, services, products, persons, organizations, places or buildings.
SINGLE-USE MONUMENT SIGNS. Monument signs that provide identification or advertisement of a specific business, service, product, person, organization, place or building.
(3) Monument signs shall be landscaped around the base of the sign in an area equal to 4 feet for each square foot of sign and base area. No monument sign shall obstruct the vision of traffic on public streets or be constructed so as to interfere with site lines at elevations between 2 1/4 feet and 8 feet above the top of the adjacent roadway within a triangular area formed by the intersection of adjacent curb lines from a point on each curb line 20 feet from the intersection. Monument signs shall be limited to a height of 6 feet or less, and an area of 35 square feet for single-use signs and 50 square feet for multiple-use signs.
(O) Homeowners association signs.
(1) A Homeowners Association in Parker with not fewer than 5 property owners as members may temporarily post signs in the right of way in accordance with this division. The HOA may post such signs only to provide notice of Homeowners Association events or meetings.
(2) The Homeowners Association may place not more than a total of 4 signs, each not more than 5 square feet in sign area, nor more than 4 feet in height, as measured from grade level to the top of the sign. The signs may be placed not more than 72 hours before the event or meeting, and the signs may not remain in place more than 24 hours after the event or meeting.
(3) Each sign shall clearly identify the name of the Homeowners Association, and provide an address and telephone number for the agent or office of the Homeowners Association responsible for the placement of the sign. The HOA signs all must be placed within the boundaries of the Homeowners Association.
(P) Garage sales signs.
(1) A Parker resident desiring to hold a garage sale may place not more than 4 signs, each of them more than 4 square feet in area, nor more than 4 feet in height, as measured from grade level to the top of the sign to advertise the sale. The signs may only be placed between sunrise, and sunset, of the day the sale is taking place.
(2) The signs may be placed only on the property on which the sale is being conducted, and not more than 3 off-site signs. Each sign will clearly identify the name, address, and telephone number of the person conducting the sale.
(Q) Municipal signs. The city may place any municipal signage on such municipally owned property, or public right-of-ways, as the city may determine complies with county, state, and federal law.
(Ord. 595, passed 5-23-2006; Am. Ord. 711B, passed 4-15-2014) Penalty, see § 153.99