(a) Purpose. To regulate the size, number, use and location of signs.
(b) Definitions.
(1) "Sign" means and includes every sign, billboard, ground sign, free standing sign, wall sign, roof sign, illuminated sign, projecting sign, temporary sign, pole sign, marquee, awning, display, illustration, insignia or similar device used to advertise or promote the interest of any person or business when the same is placed out of doors in view of the general public, or is visible to the general public from out of doors.
(2) "Wall sign" means any sign attached to or erected against the exterior wall of a building or structure or which is an integral part of the exterior of a building.
(3) "Free standing sign" means any sign which is not a wall sign and which is permanent in nature and which is affixed to the realty.
(4) "Temporary sign" means any sign which is permitted for a limited period of time.
(5) "Display area" means the area available on the sign structure for the purpose of displaying the advertising message, whether the area is used or not used.
(6) "Roof sign" means any sign which projects above the parapet or structural and visual roof of the building.
(Ord. 18-2017. Passed 9-11-17.)
(7) "Portable Sign" shall mean a sign that is not affixed to a structure or the ground, i.e., A-Frame and Sandwich Board, with two faces that is intended to be seen by a pedestrian walking by or a driver or a passenger in a vehicle driving by slowly. (Ord. 18-2017. Passed 9-11-17.)
(c) Permit Requirements and Exemptions.
(1) Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, no sign not subject to the Shawnee Hills Environmental District shall hereafter be constructed, erected, replaced, re-erected or remodeled within the limits of the Village of Shawnee Hills by any person, firm, corporation, or organization until a permit for the same has been issued by the Building Inspector. Such permits will be granted by the Building Inspector only upon the basis of representations submitted to him pertaining to the design, specifications and location of each sign.
(2) Any sign to be erected within the boundaries of the Shawnee Hills Environmental Review District shall be subject to the provisions of such District and must receive a Certificate of Appropriateness prior to the erection of such sign. The provisions of this Zoning Ordinance with regard to size, location, type, and number of signs shall be maximums for property within said district and such Board, where appropriate may further restrict the size, location, type, number, and design of such sign.
(3) There will be a fee of ten dollars ($10.00) for each permit, plus an additional charge of twenty-five cents (25¢) per sq. ft. of available display area.
(4) Any request for variances from the provisions hereof, or any requests for permits for signs not specifically permitted hereunder shall be submitted to the Board of Zoning Appeals for their final decision, unless such signs are subject to the Shawnee Hills Environmental Review District, in which event such variance or requests shall be submitted to the Shawnee Hills Environmental Review Board for approval.
(5) No permit shall be required for the following signs:
A. Temporary real estate signs of an area of 12 sq. ft. or less for the sale or lease of property.
B. Professional name plates not exceeding 2 sq. ft. in area.
C. Small announcements with an area of less than 4 sq. ft. located inside buildings, whether or not the same are visible from the outside.
(6) Public notices by government bodies, traffic control signs and other official signs and notices are exempt from the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance.
(d) General Provisions.
(1) No sign, including its frame and structure, shall exceed 40 sq. ft. in area on any one side; and in addition the total display area of all signs on any one property, shall not exceed 100 sq. ft. Neither the vertical nor the horizontal measurements of any sign shall exceed 15 ft. in length.
(2) No sign shall be placed on or above any public right of way except publicly owned signs, such as traffic control signs and directional signals, without the consent of the Mayor.
(3) No sign shall be installed, erected or constructed in such a manner as to obstruct any fire escape or any door or window giving access to a fire escape.
(4) Every wall sign or free standing sign shall be securely attached to the building wall or suitable metal support iron or metal anchors, bolts, supports, chains, cables or steel rods.
(5) All signs attached to buildings may extend not more than two feet above the roof or parapet of said building whichever is higher. All other signs may extend not more than 18 feet in the air, measured from street level.
(6) On a corner lot, only one pole will be permitted within 12 ft. of the corner of said lot.
(7) Any sign on a corner lot which is within 12 ft. of the corner of said lot shall be at least seven ft. above the highest point of the sidewalk, unless such signs are wall signs and the flat side of said sign is attached to the front or side of the building. No sign base within 12 ft. of the corner permitted to extend more than six inches above grade.
(8) No temporary sign shall be attached to, painted on or otherwise displayed on a light standard, fence, wall, post, pole, portable supporting device or other structure except as specifically authorized by this Zoning Ordinance.
(9) Except as provided in Subsections (d)(7) and (8) hereof, no signs shall be permitted other than those which pertain to the business being carried on the premises on which the sign is located.
(10) No sign shall be erected which obstructs a driver's view of traffic at street or road intersections.
(e) Wall Signs.
(1) Each business may have not more than one wall sign on the front, one wall sign on each side and one wall sign on the rear of the building in which it is located.
(2) The aggregate area of all wall signs for any single business on any one wall may have a maximum area equivalent to 3 sq. ft. of sign area for each lineal foot of width of the building or part of a building occupied by such business, but such aggregate area shall not exceed 70 sq. ft.
(3) No wall sign shall project laterally beyond the building.
(f) Free Standing Signs.
(1) Each business shall not have more than one free standing sign.
(2) All free standing signs shall be designed in accordance with the sign requirements of Ohio Basic Building Code.
(3) No temporary sign shall be attached to any free standing sign, or its support.
(g) Illuminated Signs.
(1) All wiring, fittings, and materials used in the construction connection and operation of electrically illuminated signs shall be in accordance with provisions of the National Electric Code, and shall be inspected by the Building Inspector for the Village of Shawnee Hills.
(2) Every illuminated sign shall be constructed of metal or other equally non- combustible material.
(3) No mounded lamp fitting of the gooseneck type shall be permitted on any sign with the exception of roof signs.
(4) No sign shall contain electric bulbs, lamps, fixtures, or equipment of a nature resembling flasher signals or traffic lights, and the light from signs shall not interfere with the vision of motorists.
(5) No free standing plastic signs internally illuminated shall be permitted in the Village of Shawnee Hills.
(h) Special Signs.
(1) Signs used for announcing special public or institutional events or the erection of a building, the architect, the builders, contractors, etc. shall not exceed 24 sq. ft. and may be erected for a period not to exceed 30 days plus the construction period.
(2) All candidates for public office, their campaign committees or other persons responsible for the posting on private property of campaign material or special announcements shall remove such material within 10 days following the election or special event.
(i) Real Estate Signs.
(1) Signs not exceeding 12 sq. ft. in area and advertising the sale, rental or lease of the premises on which the sign is located shall be permitted. Real estate "open house" signs shall be permitted only when a house is open for inspection and only on the premises for which this sign is applicable. Such signs shall not exceed four feet in height.
(2) "For Sale" or "rent" signs shall be removed not later than 10 days after the contract for sale or rent of said property has been entered into. Signs indicating that the property has been sold shall not be displayed for more than 10 days.
(j) Unsafe and Unsightly Signs.
(1) Should any sign be or become insecure or in danger of falling or otherwise unsafe, the Building Inspector may declare such sign unsafe because of failure to conform with the provisions set forth herein; and the owner thereof or person or organization maintaining or responsible for the same shall, upon receipt of written notice from the Building Inspector, proceed at once to comply with the instructions of the Building Inspector, and put such sign in a safe and secure condition, or remove the same.
(2) If the Building Inspector at any time decides that because of the appearance of a sign the owner thereof or the business being advertised has abandoned maintenance of the same, he may notify such person, firm, corporation or business to either restore said sign to this original condition or remove the same within 15 days.
(k) Violations and Penalties.
(1) It shall be unlawful to construct, erect, replace, re-erect, or remodel any sign in violation of any of the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance or any amendments of supplements thereof.
(2) Any person, firm, corporation, organization, or business violating the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance shall upon conviction, be fined not less than five dollars ($5.00) not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00). Each day during which such unlawful construction, erection, replacement, re- erection or remodeling continues shall constitute a separate offense.
(l) Removal of Signs.
(1) Temporary signs in existence at the effective date of this section which do not comply with the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance and all other signs heretofore erected or displayed without legal authorization or as to which a non-conforming use has not been established, shall be removed within ten days after delivery of written notice to that effect by the Building Inspector to the owner or occupant of the premises on which such signs are located.
(2) No sign shall be permitted on a building's premises for longer than two weeks after the business to which said sign pertains has ceased operating on said premises.
(m) Canvas Awnings. Canvas awnings to protect windows from rain or sunshine may be erected and maintained if the framework and all parts thereof are made of metal and no part of such awning or of any support therefore that extends over the sidewalk shall be less than seven feet above the highest point of the sidewalk. (Ord. 363. Passed 6-22-81.)
(n) Portable Signs. The following guidelines are to be utilized for Portable Signs:
(1) Either one (1) Portable Sign is permitted per business located on a parcel/combination of parcels or the following number of Portable Signs based upon the total street frontage of the parcel/combination of parcels, whichever is greater:
A. One (1) Portable Sign: 0 - 75'
B. Two (2) Portable Signs: 76' - 149'
C. Three (3) Portable Signs: 150' or more.
(2) Portable Signs are permitted only in non-residential zoning districts.
(3) Portable Signs may not be illuminated, either internally or externally.
(4) Portable Signs shall be displayed only during the hours of operation for the business and must be located on the property where the business is located. Every Portable Sign must be taken inside the business when the business closes every night and shall not be placed outside again until the business opens again each morning. Portable Signs must be placed directly in front of the business which it relates to.
(5) The maximum size of each display face (maximum of 2 sign faces) shall be six (6) square feet.
(6) The maximum height of a sidewalk sign shall be three and one-half (3-1/2) feet.
(7) No flags, banners, balloons, or other materials may be placed and/or attached to a Portable Sign.
(8) Portable Signs shall be of quality design and construction that is professionally made or hand crafted with painted or applied lettering attached with screws or nails, except for professionally made vinyl lettering. No interchangeable copy is allowed except
(9) for the use of white board or chalk board attached to the sign face, not to exceed 80% of the sign face, and neatly hand-lettered. Removable boards also are allowed with the use of slide rails. Paper, cardboard, OSB, Coraply, masonite materials or other materials that are subject to destruction with normal weather conditions shall not be utilized.
(10) Portable Signs shall not be placed closer than one (1) foot away from the sidewalk, between the sidewalk and the business and must be placed outside the handicapped accessible route. If there is not a sidewalk in front of the business then the sign must be approximately fifteen (15) feet from the edge of the pavement. Portable Signs shall not be placed upon any driveway access. For multiple use buildings, there shall be a minimum of 10 feet of distance between Portable Signs.
(11) Portable Signs may be allowed in the public right-of-way if the proposed location does not inhibit the free flow of pedestrian, wheelchair or vehicular traffic and the sign does not obstruct a driver's view of traffic The Owner of the Portable Sign shall ensure that Portable Signs are placed to prevent toppling over or moving in windy weather. All Portable Signs must be positioned so as to allow at least a four-foot-wide pedestrian path of travel.
(Ord. 27-2018. Passed 10-8-18.)