8.26.09 Signs Requiring a Permit

Any sign not specifically allowed in Section 8.26.08 above, shall comply with the adopted building code. (1) Purpose-Streetscape. The streetscape is the combination of vehicles, buildings, signs, landscaping, roads, utility poles, etc. that dominate the view of the driver or pedestrian. The streetscape tells residents and visitors how the Town of Daniel as a whole feels about the environment, safety, aesthetics, and its sense of order, among other things. A useful, attractive, and safe streetscape is one that necessarily regulates the size, location, and design of business signs. Because a proliferation of poorly designed, oversized, and inappropriately located signs in commercial and industrial areas can be detrimental to the achievement of effective, safe and attractive streetscapes, it is important that the permanent signs in these areas receive approval (permits) from the Town of Daniel. Commercial and industrial uses are generally more intensive than those found in residential zones. Since these uses are designed, by size, location and style to attract attention and provide services to the public, they generally need signage to achieve that end. Business signs of any kind in residential neighborhoods can diminish the quality of life for which those zones were specifically created. However, there may be some residential uses that merit a sign, though much smaller and more subdued than in commercial or industrial zones. Therefore, it is the intent and purpose of this section to outline regulations and design standards for signs in both commercial/industrial and residential areas that will allow the business to identify itself while allowing the Town of Daniel to create and maintain safe and aesthetically pleasing streetscapes regardless of zone. (2) Sign Theme Required. All multi-tenant centers/buildings must submit a proposal for all onpremises signs to the Planning Commission for design and placement approval. When the premises of the multi-tenant parcel is five (5) acres or more, and has frontage of two hundred feet (200’) or more, sign approvals may vary from the regulations set forth herein. In that event, such signs shall be considered as a conditional use, providing there is a finding that the proposed sign exceptions are not in conflict with the purpose and intent of this ordinance; and are in architectural harmony with uses adjacent to the development; and with the understanding that the existing signage may be required to be altered or removed. (3) On-Premises Freestanding Signs. Parcels less than ten (10) acres shall not be allowed any freestanding signs except as described in (2) above for multi-tenant centers. No freestanding signs are permitted on parcels less than five (5) acres. All freestanding signs must have pole covers approved by the planning director. (4) Ten (10) acres or more. The planning director may approve one freestanding sign per street frontage. No freestanding sign shall be allowed for any planned center or parcel that has less than two hundred feet (200’) of street frontage. Sign height shall be determined by using the formula of a base height of six (6) for the first tenant, and for each additional tenant in a multi-tenant center, an additional two feet (2’) in height may be added to a maximum height of twenty-five feet (25’). (5) Distance from Corner. Signs must be at least one hundred feet (100’) from any corner, unless monument (minimum sixty feet (60’) from corner unless special traffic safety study). (6) Sign Area. Sign area shall be determined using the graph attached entitled "Sign Area". (7) Changeable Copy. Reader boards, changeable copy areas, and electronic message centers are allowed, but discouraged. No such device shall exceed fifty percent (50%) of the total sign copy area of the sign. (8) Monument Signs. The following standards shall apply: (a) Sign Area. Sign area shall be determined using the (graph attached, entitled "Sign Area") formula for determining the exact allowable sign area which is thirty-two (32) square feet + (plus) one (1) square foot per one (1) lineal foot of street frontage over fifty feet (50’), to a maximum size of eighty (80) square feet; (b) Minimum Street Frontage. Monument signs are allowed for any size parcel provided that the parcel has at least fifty feet (50’) of street frontage; (c) Two Street Frontages. Single tenant parcels with two (2) street frontages are allowed a sign on each street provided they are separated by at least one hundred feet (100’) measured diagonally across the property from center to center of both signs. It is also required that both signs be of the same size; (d) Visibility Triangle. No signs shall be located within a sixty foot (60’) triangular area of each street corner (the area described on the attached "Visibility Triangle" chart), without a review by a traffic engineer appointed by the Town of Daniel to review the issue to determine the safety of the placement of such sign. The applicant will be required to pay all costs of the hiring of the traffic engineer; (e) Monument Signs for Planned Commercial Centers. (i) Monument signs shall have a logo/identification theme as part of the sign. (ii) Planned commercial centers with two (2) or more street frontages are allowed one (1) sign on each street frontage. The signs must be separated by at least one hundred feet (100’) measured diagonally across the property from the center of each sign. (iii) The area of the sign is determined by using the "Sign Area" chart considering the length of the frontage along which the sign is to be placed, including the frontage of any freestanding buildings included within the planned commercial center. (iv) In the case of the development of a planned commercial center on multiple parcels of property having common frontages, regardless of the number of separately owned parcels or buildings of separate occupancy within the planned commercial center, the frontage shall be considered to be the composite of the entire commonly-used parcels or buildings and not the frontage of each individual business or occupancy. The over-all frontage shall be used to calculate allowable sign area for the center identification sign. (v) Notwithstanding the center identification sign, a freestanding building within an approved planned commercial center may request a monument sign for the individual business provided the lot is contiguous to a major arterial street and has at least one hundred feet (100’) of street frontage. Such sign may be approved by the planning director upon a determination that the sign is not in conflict with the intent and purpose of this ordinance. (vi) Freestanding buildings with two (2) street frontages are allowed one monument sign on each frontage provided such sign shall be placed no closer than one hundred feet (100’) as measured diagonally across the property from center of sign to center of sign. Additionally, the sign may not be placed closer than one hundred feet (100’) from any other sign located on the same side of the street. (f) Pedestal Required. Monument signs must have at least a one (1) foot pedestal, and the illuminated cabinet may not exceed five feet (5’) in height, for a total of six feet (6’) in height. The height to the top of the sign measured from the street curb may vary depending upon landscaping and berming, but the combined height of the sign and berming/landscaping may not exceed nine feet (9’). If berming is used to raise the height of the sign above six feet (6’), the entire frontage of the property must be randomly bermed. The sign base shall be landscaped. (9) Wall Signs. Wall signs should be the primary form of identification for business uses in the Town of Daniel. Each business is entitled to one (1) wall sign if the following criteria are met: (a) Area. The sign may not occupy more than, whichever is less, of the flat wall area. If a sloping façade or roof exists, the sign may not exceed fifteen percent (15%) or six hundred (600) square feet, whichever is less, of that area. A wall sign may not use a combination of both flat and sloping areas in calculating the fifteen percent (15%). On a sloping roof the vertical projection is used to calculate area, not actual length of the slope. (b) Multiple Sign Area. The fifteen percent (15%) area of the primary wall and five percent (5%) of all secondary walls may be divided into more than one (1) sign with the approval of the Planning Commission under the following guidelines and restrictions: (i) The signs blend with the aesthetics of the building and surrounding natural and manmade environment; (ii) The color, style, size, scale and proportion enhances the exterior of the building and does not place too much bulk and external distraction on the exterior of the building; (iii) The number of signs are appropriate to the scale of the building; (iv) The maximum wall signs on any given wall, including multi-tenant buildings, shall be seven (7), unless the Planning Commission finds that an additional sign is consistent with the criteria contained in subsections (i) through (iii) above; and (v) Multiple walls signs shall utilize individual lettering and logos only. No multiple cabinet signs or combination of cabinet and individual lettering signs shall be approved. (c) Painted signs applied directly to any building face must have specific approval of the planning director. (d) Walls signs with changeable copy, reader board, or electronic message capability are not allowed. (e) Businesses with exposure on two (2) sides may be allowed fifteen percent (15%) on one (1) side and five percent (5%) maximum on the second side. No more than two (2) sides of the building may contain signs. (f) Office buildings with small offices inside must have a tenant identification center sign, rather than individual signs for each tenant. (g) Signs shall be attached so that on all sides the appearance is such that they appear to be part of the building itself, with no visible support structures such as guy wires or braces. (h) No part of the sign structure shall project above the highest part of the wall upon which the sign is mounted. Nor shall any part of the sign project more than eighteen inches (18”) from the face of the building to which it is attached. (10) Suspended Signs. Permitted in place of wall signs are allowed if the architecture of the building or planned center lends itself to that design and a sign theme is submitted and approved by the Planning Commission. The following shall apply: (a) May not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of flat wall of the tenant space; (b) May not project beyond the canopy or facade to which it is attached; (c) Must have at least eight-inch (8”) clearance above the sidewalk or landscaped area over which it hangs; and (d) There must be at least five feet (5’) horizontal distance on both sides between suspended signs. (11) Awning Signs. Only allowed under the following circumstances: (a) Must fully comply with the sign standards; (b) If in a planned center or multi-tenant center, must conform to an approved sign theme; (c) Limited to the first story only; (d) Must function as awnings over a doorway, walkway, window, etc. (e) No above sloping or mansard roofs; (f) Area of sign limited to fifteen (15) percent of wall area on primary wall and five (5) percent if a secondary wall is also used; (g) Copy on the awning limited to forty (40) percent of awning; (h) Illuminated, translucent vinyl awnings are not permitted. Translucent accents sewn into opaque canvas or acrylic awnings are permitted; (i) Shall not project out from the wall more than eight (8) feet nor less than two (2) feet, except for awnings over an entrance walkway which leads to the main entrance, if compatible with the architecture of the building; (j) Shall not project above the highest part of the vertical wall on the first floor; (k) There shall be a minimum clearance of seven (7) feet to the bottom of the valance and eight (8) feet to the frame above the sidewalk; and (l) Must be maintained in a clean, safe, and attractive condition; failure to do so will result in revocation of the sign permit. (12) Gas Station Canopies. Signs for canopies over gas islands are regulated as follows: (a) Maximum Sign Area. Sign copy, corporate logos, etc., may be a maximum of fifteen (15) percent of one face of the canopy; (b) No More than Three Sides. Up to three (3) sides of the canopy may be used for signs; (c) Maximum Height. The height to the top of the canopy may not exceed twenty (20) feet from grade and no canopy fascia may exceed four (4) feet in height; (d) Maximum Font Size. Individual letters, logos or symbols may not exceed four (4) feet in height and may not project out from the surface of the canopy more than eighteen (18) inches, or project above or below the canopy; and (e) Gas Prices. Gas prices are allowed on the monument sign or below the canopy over the pumps. They are not allowed on the canopy itself. One (1) double faced sign not over four (4) square feet for each type of fuel sold is allowed per gas island up to a maximum of four (4) sets. (13) Temporary On-Premise Signs (located on a single lot during a building phase). Individual lots may have one (1) sign, not exceeding sixteen (16) square feet nor six (6) feet in height, announcing the name of the construction company, lender, landscaper company, architect, etc. that is contributing to the building effort for that lot. The sign may not be placed more than five (5) days prior to beginning construction for which a valid building permit has been issued. The sign must be removed prior to occupancy of any portion of the building. (14) Development Promotional Signs. May be placed on the premises of each development or approved unit sites in any residential or mixed-use zone. The total size allowed for the signs depends upon the acreage contained in the development, or the phase of the development, as described below: (a) One to ten (1-10) acres of land in the phase being advertised, may have one (1) sign not over thirty-two (32) square feet or two (2) signs of not over sixteen (16) square feet, and not higher than seven (7) feet tall; (b) Eleven to twenty (11-20) acres of land in the phase being advertised may have one sign not over sixty-four (64) square feet or two (2) signs not over thirty-two (32) square feet and not higher than seven (7) feet tall; (c) Twenty-one to forty (21-40) acres of land in the phase being advertised may have one (1) sign not over ninety-six (96) square feet or two (2) signs not over forty-eight (48) square feet and not higher than eleven (11) feet tall; (d) Forty-one (41) and over acres of land in the phase being advertised may have one (1) sign not over one hundred twenty-eight (128) square feet or two (2) signs of not over sixty-four (64) square feet, and not higher than fifteen (15) feet tall; (e) On development parcels over two hundred and fifty (250) acres in size the planning director may allow one (1) sign not over fifteen (15) feet in height and up to one hundred twenty-eight (128) square feet for every five hundred (500) feet of street frontage; (f) No such signs may be placed until such time as the Town of Daniel has granted preliminary approval for the phase to be advertised, and such signs must be removed upon the sale of the last unit in the phase being advertised or two (2) years, whichever is shorter. Two (2) additional one (1) year extensions may be granted by the planning director after reviewing the appearance of the sign as to maintenance and the conformance with the chapter. In no event shall such signs remain in place for longer than four (4) years; and (g) Must comply with any requirements of the building code adopted by the Town of Daniel. (15) Commercial or Industrial Developments. On-Premise signs promoting the development may be placed on the premises of each development having five (5) or more units in any commercial or industrial zone, under the following regulations: (a) One to fifteen (1-15) units may have one (1) sign not over thirty-two (32) square feet and not higher than seven (7) feet tall; (b) Sixteen to thirty (16-30) units may have one (1) sign not over sixty-four (64) square feet and not higher than seven (7) feet tall; (c) Thirty-one to sixty (31-60) units may have one (1) sign not over ninety-six (96) square feet and not higher than eleven (11) feet tall; (d) Sixty one (61) or more units may have one (1) sign not over one hundred twenty-eight (128) square feet and not higher than fifteen (15) feet tall. (e) If the street frontage of the property exceeds one hundred (100) feet, then the total area of the sign permitted for that development may be divided into two (2) signs provided they are placed no closer than one hundred (100) feet apart; (f) The development must have preliminary approval prior to placement of the sign or signs and the signs must be removed upon sale of the last unit or two (2) years, whichever is shorter. Two (2) additional one (1) year extensions may be granted by the planning director after reviewing the appearance of the sign as to maintenance and the conformance with our then existing sign ordinance. In no event shall such signs remain in place for longer than four (4) years; and (g) Must comply with any requirements of the building code adopted by the Town of Daniel. (16) Window Signs. Signs which are painted on or temporarily affixed to a window surface and cover no more than twenty (20) percent of the total window area on the face of the building unit to which the sign is affixed. Window signs may only be used on one (1) side of the unit. These signs are allowed only in a commercial, industrial, or mixed use zone. (17) Off-Premise Directional Signs. No off-premise signs are permitted except for sign ladders (example shown on graphic attached entitled "Sign Ladders"), which have been created by the Town of Daniel and placed on strategic corners on public property, to point the way to businesses that are not located on the premises of the sign. These signs can be placed in any zone upon approval of the Planning Commission: (a) Number of Sign Ladders. The Town of Daniel shall place no more sign ladders than deemed appropriate by the Planning Commission at the intersection of arterial and major collector roads, and no more than one (1) sign ladder shall be placed on any corner at any intersection; (b) Pole Height and Attachments. The height of the base pole for each sign shall not exceed twelve (12) feet and may not contain more than eight (8) attachment signs, which shall be uniform in size measuring no more than twelve (12) inches by thirty (30) inches. (c) Priority for Placement. The attachment signs shall be placed on the basis of first application has first priority for a choice of placement in one location. If there are insufficient spaces available at any location, the later applicants will be offered placement in other locations before any business is permitted a second location, provided, however, if an application is accepted after placements have been awarded for that cycle, the late application will either be offered a site that has not been reserved and is still available, or must wait until the next cycle. (d) Review of Placement. The signs will be reviewed for placement of attachment signs once every six (6) months, in March and September of each year. Applications must be submitted before March 1st and September 1st of each year to ensure consideration for placement during that cycle. Applications will be date and time stamped to establish priority and may be filed at any time during the year. Once placement has been obtained the applicant may retain placement until the placement is again reviewed, regardless of new applicants who apply after the site has been awarded to an applicant. If any business advertised on such attachment sign closes business, the attachment sign will be removed and will not be replaced by another sign until the next review cycle. (e) Payment of Fees. The applicant must pay the appropriate sign fee adopted by the Town of Daniel legislative body at the time of submission of the application. This fee will include a fee for the creation of the sign extension or the replacement of faded or damaged sign extensions previously used. The determination of whether a new extension sign is needed or not will be at the sole discretion of the planning director. In addition to any fee that might be necessary for the creation of a sign extension, there shall be charged a fee, as established by the Town of Daniel legislative body, for the administration of the sign program. (f) Drawings Required. The applicant will be required to provide a drawing of the requested attachment sign. The size, color and type of style will be considered by the planning director while considering a uniform, attractive, readable sign theme that will not create a traffic hazard or any greater advertising advantage for one (1) sign than the other. Any business wishing to include a logo on their sign shall submit a drawing of the desired logo and its proposed location on the sign attachment, along with their application. All colors and type sizes of letters will be uniform. Type styles may vary to allow for recognition of typestyles normally used for that particular business. Logos may be colored in a color consistent with the normal color of the logo. Other than the logo and/or the name of the business and a directional arrow, there shall be no other advertising copy allowed on the sign. (g) Effect of Existing Illegal Signs. No applicant will be considered for placement on a sign ladder if they are exhibiting illegal signs under this chapter. (18) Temporary Signs Requiring a Permit. (a) Type and Placement. Shall not be placed in, on or over a public right-of way, may not contain any blinking or flashing or moving parts, may not block visibility or create a safety hazard or nuisance of any kind. They may not be attached to telephone poles, fences or trees, but may be firmly secured to the building, an existing sign or the ground. No off-premise temporary signs are allowed except those specifically noted and regulated for real estate purposes for a single lot or during the hours of an open house. (i) Grand Opening Signs. May not continue more than sixty (60) days during the first year of operation of the business. A combination banner and portable sign may be approved. The size and location must comply with permanent signage requirements for that zone. (ii) Special Promotion Periods. A business may apply for three (3) special promotion periods during the calendar year, not to exceed seven (7) days each, unless periods are combined to run consecutively. (iii) Going Out of Business. For a period not to exceed ninety (90) days, only once for any business license. (iv) Inflatables. Hot or cold advertising air balloons or inflatables.