(A) Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning:
BILLBOARD. An outdoor sign providing displays or display space for general off-premises advertising. Such signs are generally designed so that the copy or poster on the sign can be changed frequently and the advertising space is for lease.
FREESTANDING SIGN. Any sign placed upon or supported by the ground independently of any other structure, including a pole, monument or ground sign, but not including a billboard as that term is defined herein.
NIT. A unit of illuminative brightness equal to one candela (12.5 lumens) per square meter, measured perpendicular to the rays of the source.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN. A sign which directs attention to a business, product, service, entertainment or attraction sold, offered, created, furnished, or conducted at a location other than the premises on which the sign is erected.
READER BOARD SIGN. One of the following.
(a) MANUAL. A sign on which the letters or pictorials are changed manually.
(b) ELECTRONIC READER BOARD/DIGITAL DISPLAY SIGN. A sign or portion thereof that displays electronic, pictorial or text information in which each alphanumeric character, graphic or symbol is defined by a small number of matrix elements using different combinations of light emitting diodes (LEDs), fiber optics, light bulbs or other illumination devices within the display area. Such signs include computer programmable, microprocessor controlled electronic displays.
(c) MULTI-VISION SIGN. Any sign composed in whole or in part of a series of vertical or horizontal slats or cylinders that are capable of being rotated at intervals so that partial rotation of the group of slats or cylinders produces a different image or images.
TEMPORARY SIGN. A sign constructed of paper, cloth, canvas, plastic, cardboard, wallboard, plywood, or other like material without a permanent foundation or otherwise permanently affixed to the ground or a building.
VIDEO DISPLAY SIGN.
(a) A sign that changes its message or background in a manner or method of display characterized by motion or pictorial imagery, which may or may not include text and depicts action or a special effect to imitate movement, the presentation of pictorials or graphics displayed in a progression of frames that give the illusion of motion, including, but not limited to, the illusion of moving objects, moving patterns or bands of light, or expanding or contracting shapes, not including electronic changeable copy signs.
(b) VIDEO DISPLAY SIGNS include projected images or messages with
these characteristics onto buildings or other objects.
WALL SIGN. A sign fastened to the window or wall of a building or structure in such a manner that the window or wall becomes the supporting structure for, or forms the background surface of, the sign or a sign painted directly on the wall of the structure.
(B) No sign or billboard shall be erected, maintained or used in any zoning districts, except those that meet the following requirements.
(1) All zoning districts.
(a) All signs (except government signs) shall be on private property.
(b) No sign shall be erected or maintained at any location where it may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device. No rotating or moving beam, strobe, beacon or flashing illumination shall be permitted. No exterior portion of a sign shall move or rotate.
(c) Illuminated signs shall be lighted in a manner such that no illumination source is directly visible beyond the property lines of the lot upon which the sign is located.
(d) A zoning permit shall be required for the erection, construction or alteration of any sign exceeding 16 square feet in area and for all billboards.
(2) Residential and agricultural zones.
(a) One temporary, unlighted sign not to exceed a total of eight square feet during the time real property is offered for sale or for lease, or for a period of 15 days not more frequently than one time in any three months. There shall be at least 30 days between each such interval and only three temporary signs are allowed for each parcel of property.
(b) One permanent sign that may include a bulletin board not to exceed 32 square feet in area, for the following uses: apartment house; cemetery; church; educational facility; golf course; mobile home park; recreational subdivision; or other public or semi-private institution.
(c) Said sign shall not exceed a height of ten feet above grade and shall have a minimum setback of ten feet.
(d) Off-premises signs are prohibited in the residential and agricultural zones.
(3) Commercial and industrial zones.
(a) Freestanding signs.
1. One freestanding sign shall be allowed for each use where setbacks permit; provided that, where there are multiple uses upon any one parcel, the total square footage of all sign area shall not exceed 50% more than that which is permitted herein for one sign; provided further that, whenever there are two or more uses, they shall use the same sign pole, pylons or other supports and shall be governed hereby.
2. Each freestanding sign shall not exceed a maximum of two sides upon which advertising matter may appear.
3. Freestanding signs may have an area not to exceed 64 square feet, except a freestanding sign fronting a state divided highway or a street or road having four or more lanes, excluding turning lanes, may have a sign area not to exceed 128 square feet; provided, however, where the lineal feet of lot frontage exceeds 160 feet, the sign may exceed 64 square feet by two square feet for every five feet of additional lineal lot frontage over 160 feet subject to a maximum of 128 square feet. In addition, a sign's area may be increased one square foot for each additional foot it is set back from the minimum setback requirement up to a maximum of 160 square feet. This formula shall apply to each side of the sign.
4. Freestanding signs shall be at least ten feet from street rights-of-way and at least ten feet from the nearest adjoining property line, except that on corner lots or parcels, freestanding signs shall be at least 15 feet from all street rights-of-way and at least ten feet from the nearest adjoining property line.
5. Where the property upon which a sign is located abuts a resident zone on the side, the side yard required in a residential district shall be maintained in the commercial zone and the sign shall not be placed any closer to the lot line than that required distance for a side yard in the residential zone.
6. The design of freestanding signs over 25 feet in height shall bear a seal of a licensed professional engineer or architect and in no case shall the sign have an overall height exceeding 35 feet.
(b) Wall signs.
1. Wall signs shall be attached to buildings and parallel with the side upon which they are attached.
2. Wall signs shall not exceed an area greater than 10% of the area of the side of the building upon which they are attached; except that, a wall sign on any building may have an area of 48 square feet.
3. Wall signs shall not be higher than four feet above the roof line of buildings and must be incorporated into the building architecture as an integral part.
4. A wall sign may be placed upon each side of a building; but in no case shall there be more than four wall signs in total. However, no such sign shall face towards a residential district unless the building and the residential district are separated by a public street.
5. Where there are multiple uses on one parcel or lot of property, each use may have only two wall signs, and the total area of all signs may not exceed 10% of the area of the side of the building on which they are placed.
(c) Gasoline service stations, automobiles sales area and garages may display the following signs, in addition to the foregoing signs:
1. Two temporary signs may be located inside the property line. Each sign may not exceed nine square feet in area;
2. Signs or lettering displayed over individual entrance doors or bays; and
3. Customary lettering; insignias that are a structural part of the gasoline pump and non-illuminated credit cards.
(d) In addition to the signs authorized under division (B)(3)(f), one temporary sign is permitted for each use or parcel of land during the time in which a property is offered for sale or lease. Such signs may not exceed nine square feet in area: and shall be removed within six months. The Board of Appeals may grant one extension of six months.
(e) Shopping center signs.
1. Shopping center signs may have only two permitted commercial wall signs pertaining to each on-premises individual use and one freestanding sign.
2. Such wall signs and freestanding signs of a shopping center shall comply in all other respects to the provisions of this chapter applying to commercial and industrial districts.
(f) Temporary signs are permitted in the commercial zone upon approval by the Zoning Administrator under the following conditions only. No temporary sign shall:
1. Be placed on any premises for a period of more than 15 days nor more frequently than one time in any three months. There shall be at least 30 days between each such interval and only one temporary sign is allowed for each parcel of property;
2. Exceed 60 square feet of area on any one side including border; and
3. Be placed within 25 feet of the edge of the pavement, but in no case within the road right-of-way or in any location that will obscure visibility of ingress or egress to and from property.
(g) The required zoning permit fee for signs are listed in the township's schedule of fees.
(h) Billboards.
1. No billboard shall be permitted unless it complies with all of the following regulations:
a. No billboard shall be erected at any time when there are three or more billboards in the township.
b. Billboards shall be permitted on property fronting on M-37 and located within the C-1 General Commercial District or the C-2 Highway Commercial District. Billboards may be located on such property only within 100 feet of the M-37 right-of-way and in compliance with all other regulations of this section.
c. Each billboard shall be located a minimum distance of 1,000 feet from any other billboard on either side of M-37. For purposes of this division, the distance between billboards on opposite sides of M-37 shall be measured as the distance between the points at which lines drawn perpendicular to M-37 from the location of each billboard intersect with a line along the center of M-37.
d. Each billboard shall be located a minimum distance of 100 feet from all freestanding signs (other than billboards) and a minimum distance of 30 feet from all buildings.
e. Each billboard shall be located a minimum distance of 200 feet from a residential zoning district, the Ag-2 Agricultural District, and any existing residence.
f. Each billboard shall have a minimum setback of five feet from the public right-of-way and a minimum setback of ten feet from all side lot lines.
g. The surface display area of a sign panel on a billboard shall not exceed 300 square feet.
h. No billboard shall contain more than one sign panel visible from the same direction of traffic. No billboard shall contain more than two sign panels.
i. The height of a billboard shall not exceed 35 feet above the grade of the ground on which the billboard sits or the grade of the abutting roadway, whichever is higher.
j. A billboard may be illuminated provided such illumination is concentrated on the surface of the billboard and is so located as to avoid glare or reflection onto any portion of an adjacent street or highway, the path of oncoming vehicles, or any adjacent premises. No billboard shall have flashing or intermittent lights nor shall the lights be permitted to rotate or oscillate.
k. No billboard shall be located on top of, attached to, or otherwise suspended above the roof of, any building.
l. Billboards shall comply with division (B)(1) above.
2. A billboard shall not be considered a "freestanding sign" under this division (B)(3) and shall not be permitted except as provided in this division (B)(3)(h).
(i) Reader board signs. All lawful wall and freestanding signs may include a reader board sign subject to the following regulations.
1. For signs that are 50 square feet or less in area, the reader board shall consist of not more than 75% of the total allowable sign area. The area encompassing the reader board sign shall be considered part of the wall or freestanding sign for purposes of size limitations.
2. For signs that exceed 50 square feet in area, the reader board shall not exceed 50% of the total allowable sign size. The area encompassing the reader board sign shall be considered part of the wall or freestanding sign for purposes of size limitations.
3. For electronic reader board/digital display signs and multi-vision signs, the following requirements shall apply.
a. The sign shall not have any scrolling, animated, moving or flashing text displays or images.
b. The dwell time, defined as the interval or duration of each individual message between changes of messages, shall be at least ten seconds long and a change of message must be accomplished within one second or less. The dwell time shall not include the one second or less time it takes to change the message.
c. Such sign shall not: be brighter than is necessary for clear and adequate visibility; be of such intensity or brilliance as to impair or interfere with the vision of a motor vehicle driver with average eyesight or to otherwise interfere with the driver's operation of a motor vehicle; and/or be of such intensity or brilliance that it interferes with the effectiveness of an official traffic sign, device or signal. In order to ensure compliance with the above requirements, an electronic reader board or digital display sign shall not exceed a maximum illumination of 5,000 nits (candelas per square meter) during daylight hours and a maximum illumination of 500 nits (candelas per square meter) between dusk to dawn as measured at the sign's face at maximum brightness.
4. An electronic reader board/digital display sign may serve as a window sign, but shall not exceed more than 25% of the area of the window.
5. Video display signs are prohibited in all zoning districts.
(Ord. passed 7-12-2012, § 10.1; Ord. 23-6, passed - -2023, § 2; Ord. 24-3, passed 9-12-2024, § 1)