(a) Purpose and scope. It is recognized that signs perform important functions in identifying businesses and in general advertising. The City of Wheeling wishes to preserve and enhance traffic safety, property values, and the good aesthetics of the municipality, and therefore regulates off-premise (also known as billboards or outdoor advertising signs) as detailed below.
(b) General Regulations.
(1) No structure supporting an off-premise sign shall be located on a platted or otherwise legally separate lot where there exists a structure housing another principal permitted use.
(2) Off-premise signs are principal permitted uses. They are not accessory uses.
(3) Maximum area. The display area of an off-premise sign shall not be less than 200 square feet nor greater than 672 square feet per side exclusive of cut-outs and extensions which may occupy an additional 100 square feet; two off-premise signs erected one above the other shall be treated as one sign in respect to maximum allowable square footage.
(c) Location.
(1) Off-premise signs shall only be located in the following zoning districts: C- 2 General Commercial Zone, D-1 Downtown High Density Zone, D-2 Downtown Medium Density Zone, I-1 Light Industrial Zone, and I-2 General Industrial Zone. Sign applicants are reminded that off-premise signs are deemed principal uses, not accessory uses.
(2) In the D-1 Downtown High Density District and D-2 Downtown Medium Density District, one off-premise sign shall be permitted for each 1,000 linear feet of street within the D-1 and D-2 districts, measured along the centerline of the street. The maximum allowed number of off-premise signs permitted along each street shall be determined by the length of that street. Such permitted number of off-premise signs may be clustered or spaced at any distance along that street.
(3) No off-premise sign, including its structure, shall be attached to or located on any building.
(4) No off-premise sign shall be closer than 1,000 feet to another off-premise sign. This 1,000 feet shall be measured radially.
(5) No off-premise sign shall be located within seventy-five feet of any residential zone, residence structure that is occupied as a residence, school, church, hospital or similar institution, cemetery, or public park or public playground.
(6) No off-premise sign shall be attached to any tree, fence, or utility pole or be painted on, affixed, or otherwise attached to any rock, ledge, or other natural feature.
(7) No off-premise sign shall be located so as to obscure any signs displayed by public authority.
(8) No off-premise sign shall be so located as to obscure the view of any connecting road or intersection, or be placed in such a way as to obstruct proper sight distance or otherwise interfere with pedestrian or traffic flow.
(9) No off-premise sign shall hinder the clear unobstructed view of any approaching or merging traffic, or obscure from view any traffic sign or other official sign.
(10) Off-premise signs, displays and devices may be erected or maintained within 660 feet of the right-of-way and visible as to informative content from the right-of-way of any road within the State of West Virginia road system designated and classified or redesignated or reclassified for purposes of allocation of federal highway funds as part of the federal aid interstate or primary systems.
(11) An off-premise sign shall be located within 100 feet of the road, street, or highway to which the sign is intended to be visible.
(d) Type, Design, and Illumination
(1) Back-to-back or V-Type signs will be permitted and shall be treated as one sign provided that the interior angle between the two signs does not exceed sixty degrees.
(Ord. 12225. Passed 4-17-01.)
(Ord. 12225. Passed 4-17-01.)
(2) No advertising sign shall be erected or maintained which involves rapid motion or rotation of the structure or any part thereof with the following exceptions: Changeable Message Signs (CMS) and Smartboard Technology Signs are permitted as defined in Section 1359.03(f) of this code.
(3) No advertising sign shall contain lighting that is not shielded, and any lighting shall be of such low intensity as not to cause glare or impair the vision of the operator of any motor vehicle.
(4) No advertising display or device shall be illuminated by any rapid flashing, intermittent light or lights.
(e) Height. The height limitation for buildings in the zone in which an outdoor advertising sign is located shall also apply to such sign. The height shall be measured from the highest road level from which the sign is to be viewed.
(f) Content. The regulations contained in this section only apply to those outdoor advertising signs, displays, devices and billboards which direct attention to a business, commodity, service, entertainment or other activity conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than on the zoning lot on which the sign, display, device or billboard is located. Commercial and non-commercial messages are included under these regulations.
(1) No advertising display or device shall use the word "stop" or "danger," or present or imply the need or requirement of stopping, or the existence of danger.
(2) No advertising sign, display or device shall be a copy of or imitate a traffic sign or other official sign.
(3) No advertising display or device shall attempt or purport to direct traffic.
(g) Time Limit. If a sign for which a zoning permit has been issued is not erected within six months of the date of approval, the permit shall become void.
(Ord. 22225. Passed 4-17-01.)
(h) Replacement. A sign structure, whether legal non-conforming or conforming may be improved, repaired or replaced provided that the new improved or repaired structure does not increase the sign or advertising structure area of the previous sign and complies with all applicable regulations for off-premise signs contained in this section. This section is intended to include maintenance necessary to restore an existing structure to a safe condition or the repair of a sign damaged. In case of an accident or act of nature, repairs must be made within 90 days of the damage to the sign.
(Ord. 12934. Passed 9-21-04.)
(Ord. 12934. Passed 9-21-04.)
(j) In addition to conforming to city law, all outdoor advertising signs shall conform to West Virginia state law regarding outdoor advertising control.
District | Type | Location | Maximum Number | Maximum Height | Maximum Area |
Residential Districts - R-1C, R-1B, R-1C, R-2, R-3, and R-4 | |||||
Residential bldg. | Non-Commercial | Ground | As needed | 1 story or 15 ft. | 32 s.f. |
Non- residential bldg. | Wall | 1 per d.u. | 1 story or 15 ft. | 3 s.f. | |
Identification | Wall, ground or window | 1 per use | 1 story or 15 ft. | 12 s.f. | |
Informational | Wall, ground or window | As needed | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 3 s.f. | |
Home Occupation | Wall | 1 per home occ. | 1 story or 15 ft. | ||
Incidental | Wall, ground or window | 1 per home occ. | 1 story or 15 ft. | 4 s.f. | |
R-5 | Identification | Wall or ground | 1 per p.u.d. | 1 story or 15 ft. | 12 s.f. |
Commercial Districts | |||||
C-1 | |||||
Residential bldg. | Nameplate | Wall | 1 per d.u. | 1 story or 15 ft. | 3 s.f. |
Non- residential bldg. | Identification | Wall, ground or window | 3 per tenant | 20 ft. or roof level | 1 s.f. per 1 linear foot of street frontage or 100 s.f.** |
Nameplate | Wall | 1 per tenant | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 3 s.f. | |
Informational | Wall, ground or window | As needed | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 3 s.f. | |
C-2 | |||||
Residential bldg. | Nameplate | Wall | 1 per d.u. | 1 story or 15 ft. | 3 s.f. |
Non- residential bldg. | Identification | Wall, ground or window | 7 per tenant | 25 ft. or roof level | 2.5 s.f. per 1 linear foot of street frontage or 250 s.f.** |
Wall | 1 per tenant | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 3 s.f. | ||
Informational | Wall, ground or window | As needed | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 3 s.f. | |
D-1, D-2, and D-3 | |||||
Residential bldg. Nameplate | Wall | 1 per d.u. | 1 story or 15 ft. | 3 s.f. | |
Non- residential bldg. | Identification | Wall, ground or window | 3 per tenant | No higher than roof level | 5 s.f. per 1 linear foot of street frontage or 500 s.f.** |
Wall | 3 per tenant | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 3 s.f. | ||
Informational | Roof | 1 per building Building | height + 12 feet | 32 s.f. per sign face. | |
Informational | Wall, ground, or window | As needed | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 2 s.f. | |
EMO | |||||
Residential bldg. | Wall | 1 per d.u. | 1 story or 15 ft. | 3 s.f. | |
Non- residential bldg. | Identification | Wall, ground or window | 2 per tenant | 20 ft. or roof level | 1 s.f. per 1 linear foot of street frontage or 100 s.f.** |
Wall | 1 per tenant | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 3 s.f. | ||
Informational | Wall, ground or window | As needed | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 3 s.f. | |
Industrial Districts | |||||
Residential bldg. | Wall | 1 per d.u. | 1 story or 15 ft. | 3 s.f. | |
Non- residential bldg. | Identification | Wall, ground or window | 7 per tenant | 25 ft. or roof level | 2.5 s.f. per 1 linear foot of street frontage or 250 s.f.** |
Wall | 1 per tenant | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 3 s.f. | ||
Informational | Wall, ground or window | As needed | 8 ft above curb level or grade | 3 s.f. | |
Special Districts | |||||
NWSD | Same requirements as C-1 | ||||
EWSD | Same requirements asC-1 | ||||
Note: ** = whichever is less
(Ord. 15729. Passed 6-21-22.)