(A) District classification. For the purposes of this chapter the following shall apply:
(1) Residential (R) shall include the following districts: R-10 and R-7;
(2) Commercial (C) shall include the following districts:
(a) Neighborhood Commercial (NC);
(b) Core Commercial (CC); and
(c) General Commercial (GC).
(3) Industrial (I) shall include the following districts:
(a) Limited Industrial (LI); and
(b) Basic Industrial (BI).
(B) Permit required.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to erect, construct enlarge, move or replace any sign or cause the same to be done, without first having obtained a sign permit for such sign from the Zoning Administrator as required by this chapter. A fee, in accordance with a fee schedule adopted by the Town Council, shall be charged for each sign permit issued.
(2) Notwithstanding the above, changing or replacing the copy on an existing lawful sign shall not require a permit, provided the copy change does not change the nature of the sign such as to render the sign in violation of this chapter.
(C) Sign illumination.
(1) All lighted signs shall have their lighting directed in such a manner as to illuminate only the face of the sign. All lighted signs shall meet all applicable Electrical Codes.
(2) No commercial sign within 100 linear feet of a pre-existing residential structure may be illuminated between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m. A residence shall be deemed “pre-existing” for purposes in this section if it has a valid building permit in effect for construction of said structure or if construction of said structure was complete on or prior to the effective date of this provision.
(D) Maintenance and upkeep of signs. All signs and all components thereof, including supports, braces, anchors, etc., shall be kept in a good state of repair, in compliance with all building and electrical codes, and in conformance with the requirements of this chapter. Any sign which is determined by the Zoning Administrator as being insecure, in danger of falling or otherwise endangering the public safety shall be immediately removed by its owner unless it is repaired and made to otherwise comply with the requirements of this chapter.
(E) Sign area and height.
(1) Sign surface area. The area of a geometric shape enclosing any message, logo, symbol, name, photograph, or display face.
(2) Sign frame area.
(a) The dimensions of a geometric shape formed by all supports, frames, braces, borders, and embellishments which extend beyond the sign surface area, and that enclose the sign surface area.
(b) All area provisions in this chapter are calculated from the sign surface area dimensions as defined above.
(c) In the case of signs mounted back-to-back, only one side of the sign is to be used for computation of the area. Back-to-back signs shall be defined as double-faced signs with faces 12 inches apart or less. Otherwise, the surface area of each sign is to be separately computed. In the case of cylindrical signs, signs in the shape of cubes, or other signs which are substantially 3-dimensional with respect to their display surfaces, the entire display surface or surfaces is included in computations of area. If a sign is attached to an entrance wall or fence, only that portion of that wall or fence onto which the sign face or letters are placed shall be calculated in the sign area.
(3) Sign height. The height of a sign shall be measured from the highest point of a sign to the point of ground surface beneath it. Ornamentation such as caps and spires are not included in this measurement. The use of berms or raised landscape areas is only permitted to raise the base of the sign to the mean elevation of the fronting street.
(Ord. passed - - )