In the interest of promoting the general health, safety and welfare of residents of Stow, these sign regulations are herein established to provide for the use, location and size of signs in a manner that ensures that signs are in harmony with the character of the associated use and surrounding area and will support and complement the goals and objectives of the City's Comprehensive Plan.
As more specifically set forth herein, the purposes of these sign regulations are to:
(a) Promote and maintain attractive, high value residential, commercial and industrial districts.
(b) Provide reasonable, yet appropriate, conditions for identifying institutions, businesses and industrial establishments.
(c) Control the size and location so that signs will be aesthetically harmonious with their surroundings.
(d) Eliminate any conflict which would be hazardous between identification signs and traffic control signs and devices.
(e) Provide review procedures which enable the City to comprehensively evaluate the appropriateness of the sign to the site, building and surroundings.
(f) Ensure that signs are located and designed to maintain a safe and orderly pedestrian and vehicular environment.
(g) Prohibit all signs not expressly permitted by this Code.
In establishing these purposes, the City has determined that signs which do not comply with these regulations (type, size, location, and limitation on the number of signs) are a public nuisance. Unregulated signs are unduly distracting to motorists and pedestrians, and thereby create a traffic hazard and reduce the effectiveness of signs needed to direct the public.
(Ord. 2007-222. Passed 1-10-08.)