(A) Construction standards.
(1) Compliance with Building Codes. All signs shall be designed and constructed to comply with the appropriate provisions of the Town of South Congaree Building Code for use of materials, loads and stresses.
(2) Wiring of electric signs. All electric signs with internal wiring or lighting equipment and all external lighting equipment used to direct light signs shall be installed in accordance with the National Electric Code and have permanently installed underground electrical service. The equipment shall be UL approved and shall be installed by a UL approved contractor.
(3) Clearance from high voltage power lines. All signs shall maintain horizontal and vertical clearance from all overhead electrical conductors provided that no sign shall be installed closer than ten (10) feet horizontally or vertically from any conductor or public utility guy wire.
(4) Wind speed. All signs shall be designed to withstand a wind speed of 95 miles per hour.
(5) Colors. All building, structure, fence, wall canopy, and sign construction shall use earth tone colors. The use of other colors may be considered provided they are consistent with existing residential structures in the general area. The use of bright, neon, and/or fluorescent colors is prohibited.
(B) Unsafe or hazardous signs.
(1) No sign shall be erected or allowed to remain erected that is structurally unsafe; hazardous; or, in the opinion of the Building Inspector, constitutes a danger to the public safety.
(2) If, in the opinion of the Building Inspector, any sign should become insecure, in danger of falling, or otherwise unsafe, the owner thereof or the person maintaining the sign shall, upon notice from the Building Inspector, immediately remove the sign or secure it in a manner to be approved by the Building Inspector in conformity with the provisions of these regulations and the applicable building codes or the Building Inspector shall have the sign removed at the expense of the owner.
(C) Maintenance. To ensure that signs are maintained in a safe and aesthetic manner, the following maintenance requirements shall apply to all signs:
(1) No sign shall be allowed to have more than 20% of its display area covered with disfigured, chipped, ripped or peeling paint or poster paper for a period of more than 30 successive days;
(2) No sign shall be allowed to remain with a bent or broken display area, broken supports, or loose appendages or struts; or stand more than 15 degrees away from the perpendicular for a period of more than 30 successive days;
(3) No sign shall be allowed to have weeds, trees, vines or other wild vegetation growing upon it for a period of more than 30 successive days; and
(4) No indirect or internally illuminated sign shall be allowed to have only partial illumination for a period of more than 30 successive days.
(D) Visibility.
(1) The area within five (5) feet of a freestanding sign shall be kept clear of all debris. Weeds and grass shall be no higher than 12 inches. The area around a sign shall be properly maintained and clear of brush, trees and other obstacles so as to make signs readily visible.
(2) At least one (1) sign on each individual business premise or commercial center shall bear the street address of the business or center.
(E) Finish of reverse sides.
(1) Reverse sides of signs shall be properly finished with no exposed electrical wires or protrusions and shall be of one (1) color.
(2) The reverse sides of signs shall be maintained so that no more than 20% of the reverse side shall be covered with disfigured, chipped, cracked, ripped or peeling paint for more than 30 successive days.
(F) Sign illumination. Illuminated signs shall comply with the following requirements:
(1) Sign illumination shall be placed so as to not to cast rays of light directly into nearby residences, sleeping accommodations, or the eyes of vehicle drivers;
(2) Floodlights, gooseneck reflectors or other external sources of illumination shall be contained with a protective casing or shielded by landscaping; and
(3) Temporary signs, as regulated by § 158.168, shall not be illuminated.
(G) Visibility at intersections.
(1) Sight area maintained. Except in the Intense Development district, no sign or portion thereof shall be placed within the sight areas of any intersection of public streets, private streets or driveways. In the Intense Development district, no sign placed in the horizontal sight area may encroach upon the vertical sight area.
(2) Sight area defined. The vertical dimension of a sight area is defined as the vertical space between 30 inches and ten (10) feet in height above the nearest edge of the right-of-way of a public street or edge of a driveway.
(3) Horizontal dimension. The horizontal dimensions of sight areas are defined as:
(a) At the intersection of two (2) streets, a triangle formed by the street rights-of-way and a straight line connecting them at points 25 feet from the right-of-way intersection;
(b) At the intersection of a street and driveway, a triangle formed by the street right-of-way, the driveway's edge, and a straight line connecting them at points 15 feet from the intersection of the right-of-way and the edge of the driveway; and
(c) The sight triangle may have to be modified to meet the speed limit requirement. Each 10 miles per hour of speed limit requires 100 feet of visibility. For example, a 35 mile per hour speed limit requires 350 feet of visibility.
(H) Content neutrality as to sign message. This code is to be considered content neutral. Notwithstanding anything in this chapter or code to the contrary, no sign or sign structure shall be subject to any limitation based upon the content (viewpoint) of the message contained on such sign or displaying on such sign structure.
(I) Variances. If the property is such that the required visibility cannot be achieved, a variance request will be made at no cost to the property owner/applicant.
(J) Standards. The provisions of this subchapter, in their interpretation and application, shall be held to be minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety, morals and general welfare. Whenever the requirements of this subchapter differ from the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations or ordinances, the more restrictive, or that imposing the higher standards, shall govern.
(1985 Code, § 9-125) (Am. Ord. 2019-11, passed 12-10-2019; Am. Ord. 20-22, passed 10-20-2020) Penalty, see § 158.999