(a) Purpose. The purpose of regulating signs is to promote and protect the community by regulating existing and proposed signs of all types. It is intended to protect property values, create a more attractive economic and business climate, enhance and protect the physical appearance and curb the deterioration of the natural environment while preserving the scenic and natural beauty of Perrysville.
(b) Residential Signs.
(1) All Residential signs located in the Village shall follow the requirements of this section.
(2) The following signs shall be permitted in District R (Residential). A Zoning Certificate shall not be required.
A. Signs advertising sales of any kind are only permitted on the property where the sale is to take place or on other private property with owner or person in charge of the property grants permission. Such signs shall not be placed on the public right-of-way, utility poles, traffic signs, public property or street signs. All signs shall not exceed nine square feet per side. Signs improperly placed on private property may be removed by the owner of such property. Such signs placed on public property may be removed by an authorized official of the Village.
B. Signs advertising a home occupation of not more than six (6) square feet in area.
C. Signs listing the name and address of occupants of a structure not to exceed four (4) square feet in area.
D. Temporary signs for construction of a building or similar purpose. Such signs shall be removed within two (2) weeks of the completion of construction activity.
E. Political signs not to exceed four (4) square feet. These signs must be removed within one (1) week after the election.
F. Signs erected by governmental agencies.
G. Garage sale, barn sale, yard sale signs need to be removed twenty-four (24) hours after the event.
H. Real estate signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of the premises or part of the premises on which the sign is displayed. All real estate signs shall be removed within thirty (30) days upon the sale of the property.
I. All properties in Zoning Districts A (Agriculture) C (Commercial) I (Manufacturing) or R (Residential) require a Zoning Certificate for all commercial and/or industrial signage.
(c) Business, Commercial and Industrial Signs.
(1) Zoning Certificate Required.
A. A Zoning Certificate shall be required for all Commercial Signs on private or semi-public property in any District zoned A (Agriculture), R (residential), C (commercial) and I (manufacturing). Commercial signs include, but are not limited to the following, Banners, Billboards, Digital Display Signs, Directional Signs, Double Faced Signs, Freestanding Signs, Ground Signs, Inflatable displays, Illuminated Signs, Neon Signs, Pole Signs, Portable Signs, Projection Sings, Pylon Signs, Roof Signs, Temporary Signs and Wall Signs.
B. Commercial signs in any district zoned A (Agriculture), R (Residential), C ( commercial) and I (Manufacturing), shall require a Commercial Building Permit and meet the codes, standards and regulations of the OBC (Ohio Building Codes).
(2) Billboards.
A. Billboards shall not be located in the Village except by permission of the Board of Zoning Appeals, after a public hearing and when the following requirements are met;
B. Such displays or sign must be in one of the following districts:
1. A (Agriculture).
2. C (Commercial)
3. I (Manufacturing).
C. Other locations, such as ball diamonds or similar locations where such advertising is often located, may be considered.
D. Such displays or signs would not impose a nuisance or blighting effect on any residential, private, public or semi-public properties.
E. Such displays or signs shall not be located within twenty (20) feet of any street right of way.
F. Such displays or signs shall not be located so as to interfere with the visibility and safe operation of vehicles entering or leaving the premises or intersecting streets.
G. Such signs or structures shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet for one face and/or two hundred (200) square feet for two (2) or more faces, and in no case shall one hundred (100) square feet of display or sign be visible from any one point.
H. Such signs or displays shall in no other way adversely affect the public health, safety or welfare.
I. Such signs shall be separated from each other a minimum of ten (10) times the average size of the signs and said signs shall be not less than one hundred (100) feet apart.
J. Such signs shall be back from the edge of the right of way as required by the following table:
Size (feet) | Setback (feet) |
Less than or equal to 10 square feet | 10 |
11 to 30 square feet | 20 |
31 to 50 square feet | 30 |
51 square feet or greater | 50 |
(3) Structural Requirements.
A. All structural requirements shall be in accordance with applicable codes, shall be constructed to withstand a wind stress of thirty (30) pounds per square foot and shall be as approved by the Building Inspector; however, the owner is responsible to construct and maintain all signs so as to render them safe to persons, property and traffic.
(4) Roadside Signs.
A. Signs advertising roadside stands not to exceed four ( 4) square feet in surface area.
(5) Wall Signs.
A. In Districts C (Commercial) and I (Manufacturing), each business or industry shall be permitted one (1) on-premises wall sign or one (1) projecting sign for each face of the building facing a street, with the following requirements:
1. Wall signs shall not exceed an area equivalent to one and one-half (1-1/2) square feet of sign area for each linear foot of building frontage, but in no case shall they exceed a maximum area of one-hundred (100) square feet.
2. Wall signs shall have at least nine (9) feet clearance between the lower edge of the sign and the ground and fourteen and one-half (14 ½) feet clearance over any area used by motor vehicles.
3. Wall signs shall not extend into any street, sidewalk, alley or public thoroughfare.
4. Wall signs made of glass shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet when double strength glass is used and forty (40) square feet when plate or wired glass is used.
5. No wall sign shall be so erected as to cover the doors or windows of any building, or otherwise prevent free ingress and egress from any window, door or fire escape of any building.
6. Each wall sign erected, hung or suspended or permitted under the terms of this chapter shall be securely fastened to a building or other structure upon the premises owned or occupied by the applicant and amply supported vertically and horizontally to prevent falling from its own weight or from wind pressure, and to prevent the same from becoming a hazard to persons using the public street or sidewalk in the vicinity of the sign.
7. No sign shall be suspended from or supported by a facade, cornice or coping, but shall be anchored to the supporting walls of the building.
(6) Ground Signs.
A. In Districts C (Commercial) and I (Manufacturing), a business shall be permitted one (1) on-premises ground sign, with the following requirements:
1. All parts of the sign shall be set back fifteen (15) feet from any street right of way or thirty (30) feet from the street centerline, whichever is greater.
2. The maximum area of a ground sign shall be thirty (30) square feet on any face of the sign and the height shall not be higher than eight (8) feet above grade level at the street right-of-way line, without approval of the Board of Zoning Appeals.
3. One ground sign serving a group of four (4) or more business establishments in C (Commercial) and I (Manufacturing) Districts and placed at least twenty (20) feet back of the property line shall be permitted on each street serving such group of businesses in lieu of individual ground signs. The maximum area of such a ground sign shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet for four (4) business establishments, but may be increased in size by ten (10) square feet for each additional business up to a maximum of two hundred (200) square feet. Such signs shall not exceed thirty (30) feet in height for one hundred (100) square foot signs with an additional one (1) foot added to height permitted with each additional ten (10) square feet of sign area up to a maximum of twenty-five (25) feet in height.
(7) Projection Signs.
A. In Districts C (Commercial) and I (Manufacturing), each business or industry shall be permitted one projecting sign for each face of the building facing a public street with the following requirements:
1. Projecting signs shall not extend more than six (6) feet from the face of the main building.
2. Projecting signs shall not exceed sixteen (16) square feet on any one face of the sign.
3. Projecting signs shall not be closer than twenty-four (24) inches from the face of curb or edge of pavement.
4. Projecting signs shall have at least ten (10) feet between the lower edge of the sign and the ground and fourteen and one-half (14 ½) feet over any area used by motor vehicles.
5. Projecting signs shall be not less than five feet (5 ') from the side property line or division wall between different occupants.
6. No projecting signs shall contain any non-plated or non-wired glass. The area of glass shall not be in excess of nine (9) square feet when plate or wired glass is used.
7. All projection signs shall be in lieu of all wall signs.
8. All projecting signs placed in or extending above the public right-of-way require the approval of Village Council.
(8) Roof Signs.
A. Signs placed on or above the roof of any building shall not be permitted except on the sloping portion of a mansard roof or in cases with approval of the Zoning Board of Appeals as a variance when it is determined by the Board that a roof sign would be the only means of adequate identification.
B. No sign shall be placed on the roof of any building so as to prevent the free passage from one part of the roof to any other part or interfere with any opening thereon. No sign shall project beyond the edge of the roof in any direction and if over four feet in height shall be so constructed as to leave a clear space of at least six (6) feet between the roof level and the lowest part of the sign and at least five (5) feet clearance between the vertical supports. Every roof sign over four (4) feet in height shall be set back at least five (5) feet from the face of any front, rear or sidewall.
C. Signs shall be designed to withstand a wind pressure of thirty (30) pounds per square foot of area subject to such pressure.
D. Roof sign structures may be erected upon fireproof buildings to a height of not exceeding five (5) feet above the roof peak and upon non-fireproof buildings to a height not to exceed the roof peak.
E. All such roof signs shall be thoroughly secured to the building upon which they are installed, erected or constructed by iron or metal anchors, bolts, supports, chains, stranded cables, steel rods or braces.
F. In no case shall any roof sign for any single business or industrial enterprise exceed the area of the roof and shall be limited to a maximum of one hundred fifty (150) square feet.
G. A roof sign when approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals shall be in lieu of all wall signs.
(9) Temporary Signs.
A. One (1) portable or temporary sign, including trailer mounted signs and balloons, shall have the following requirements:
1. One temporary sign per premise and shall be required to have a zoning certificate prior to establishment.
2. Such signs are prohibited within one hundred (100) feet of a residential district.
3. The minimum setback for all temporary signs shall be shall be set back fifteen (15) feet from any street right of way or thirty (30) feet from the street centerline, whichever is greater.
4. Temporary signs shall not be illuminated.
5. No temporary sign shall visually obstruct vehicle or pedestrian traffic.
(10) Traffic Direction or Guidance Signs.
A. In all districts, all parking lots having spaces for four (4) or more cars or drive-in type car service may have traffic direction or guidance signs, including entrance and exit signs, such signs shall have the following requirements:
1. Such signs shall not exceed six (6) square feet in area.
2. Such signs shall only display directional information and conditions of use and shall not extend more than four (4) feet above the grade.
3. Such signs shall not obstruct visibility of vehicle or pedestrian traffic.
4. Such signs shall be no closer than three (3) feet to any lot line or easement.
(11) Pole Signs.
A. Single Pole signs are no longer permitted, and considered to be nonconforming.
(12) Window Signs.
A. Window signs shall have a clear background.
B. A maximum of eight (8) window signs is allowed.
(13) Corner Lots.
A. Buildings, building units or lots with frontage on two (2) public streets may be permitted additional signage along the secondary street, provided that such additional signage shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the area of the signage permitted along the main facade, and provided, further, that such signage shall not exceed the number of signs permitted for the principal facade and street. There shall be no greater than one (1) building sign per street face and a maximum of two (2) building signs per building.
(d) Prohibited Signs.
(1) Signs or advertising erected or maintained on trees, or painted or drawn upon rocks or other natural features.
(2) Flashing or illuminated signs that distract drivers, are a nuisance, receive complaints and affect the aesthetics of the community and/or abutting properties.
(3) Signs that resemble devices erected under governmental authority.
(4) Signs located in dedicated rights of way.
(5) Signs deemed to be unsafe or a public hazard.
(6) Signs or advertisement devices which, in the opinion of the Zoning Inspector, are traffic hazards or a danger to the safety of the traveling public.
(7) Signs or advertising devices which prevent the driver of a vehicle from having a clear and an unobstructed view approaching or merging traffic.
(8) Signs or illuminated advertising devices that interferes with the effectiveness of an official sign, signal or device, or so as to obscure the same.
(9) Signs or advertising devices which attempt, or appear to attempt, to direct the movement of traffic, or which interfere with, imitate or resemble an official sign, signal or emergency equipment or device.
(10) Signs not listed in this chapter, unless determined by the Board of Zoning Appeals to be a permitted exception.
(e) Nuisance and Non-conforming Signs.
(1) Signs that are, to include but not limited to the following: obscene, nuisances, receive complaints, dilapidated, abandon (thirty (30) days or more) and affect the aesthetics of the community or a blighting effect on any commercial, residential, public or semi-public property are subject to removal.
(2) A sign conforming as to the regulations prevailing on the effective date of this chapter, but which does not conform with the regulations of this or a subsequent amendment, shall be construed as a legal nonconforming sign. The Zoning Inspector shall keep a list of such non-conforming signs and shall notify the owners of the status of non-conformity.
(f) Repairs.
(1) Normal or ordinary repairs and improvements may be made but shall not require a permit from the Zoning Inspector. For the purpose of this Zoning Code, normal repairs shall include ordinary maintenance of the sign or structure including painting and replacement of basic equipment such as substitution of lights or minor wiring. The term shall not include the replacement of structural parts in any nonconforming sign except when required by law to make the sign conforming.
(2) Change of use. Where the business use associated with the nonconforming sign at the date of this chapter thereafter changes, such change of use shall require the property owner to bring the sign into compliance with this chapter.
(g) Penalty.
(1) Violations any of the provisions in this chapter shall be subject to the penalties listed in the Codified Ordinances of Perrysville, Section 1123.11.
(Ord. 1000. Passed 11-2-20.)