The text
Sec. 28-1. - Regulations regarded as a minimum.#
The provisions of these regulations, 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 these regulations differ from the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations, or ordinances, the more restrictive, or that imposing the higher standards, shall govern.
(Ord. No. 02-96, § 300, 3-7-1996)
Sec. 28-2. - Exempt signs.#
The following signs shall be exempt from the application of this chapter: (1)
Signs not exceeding one square foot in area and bearing only property numbers, post box numbers, names of occupants of premises, or other identification of premises not having commercial connotations.
(2)
Flags and insignia of any government except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
(3)
Legal notices, identification, informational, or directional signs erected as required by governmental bodies.
(4)
Integral decorations or architectural features of building except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights.
(5)
Signs not exceeding four square feet in area directing and guiding traffic on private property, but bearing no commercial matter.
(6)
All identification signs and commemorative plaques not more than four square feet in area, memorial cornerstones or tablets providing information on building erection or commemorating a person or event.
(Ord. No. 02-96, § 301, 3-7-1996)
Sec. 28-3. - Construction standards.#
(a)
Compliance with building codes. All signs shall comply with the appropriate provisions of the town's building codes.
(b)
Wiring of electric signs. All electric signs with internal wiring or lighting equipment, and all external lighting equipment used to direct light on signs, shall be installed in accordance with the National Electrical Code.
(c)
Clearance from high voltage power lines. All signs shall maintain horizontal and vertical clearance from all overhead electrical conductors in accordance with the town's electric code, provided that no sign shall be installed closer than ten feet horizontally or vertically from any conductor or public utility guy wire.
(d)
Wind load capacity. All signs shall be designed to withstand a wind load of 30 pounds per square foot.
(Ord. No. 02-96, § 302, 3-7-1996)
Sec. 28-4. - Unsafe or hazardous signs.#
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. If, in the opinion of the building inspector, any sign should be become insecure or 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 such sign removed at the expense of the owner.
(Ord. No. 02-96, § 303, 3-7-1996)
Sec. 28-5. - 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 percent of its display area covered with disfigured, chipped, cracked, 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, loose appendages or struts, standing 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.
(4)
No indirect or internally illuminated sign shall be allowed to have only partial illumination for a period of more than 30 successive days.
(Ord. No. 02-96, § 304, 3-7-1996)
Sec. 28-6. - Visibility.#
Grass shall be no higher than 12 inches. The area around the sign shall be properly maintained clear of brush, trees and other obstacles so as to make signs readily visible.
(Ord. No. 02-96, § 305, 3-7-1996)
Sec. 28-7. - Finish of reverse sides.#
Reverse sides of signs shall be properly finished with no exposed electrical wires or protrusions and shall be of one color. The reverse sides of signs shall be maintained so that no more than 20 percent of the reverse side shall be covered with disfigured, chipped, cracked, ripped or peeling paint for more than 30 successive days.
(Ord. No. 02-96, § 306, 3-7-1996)
Sec. 28-8. - Sign illumination.#
Illuminated signs shall comply with the following requirements: (1)
Sign illumination shall be placed so as not to cast rays of light directly into nearby residences, sleeping accommodations, or into the eyes of vehicle drivers.
(2)
Signs incorporating steady, unshielded lightbulbs shall utilize bulbs not in excess of 75 watts intensity.
(3)
Temporary signs, as regulated in article III of this chapter shall not be illuminated.
(Ord. No. 02-96, § 307, 3-7-1996)
Sec. 28-9. - Visibility at intersections.#
(a)
Sight areas 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.
(b)
Sight area defined. The vertical dimension of a sight area is defined as the vertical space between 30 inches and ten feet in height above the nearest edge of the right-of-way of a public street or edge of a driveway. The horizontal dimensions of sight areas are defined as:
(1)
At the intersection of two 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.
(2)
At the intersection of a street and a 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.
(Ord. No. 02-96, § 308, 3-7-1996)