Sec. 5-604

Signage

• Exempt signs

  Official traffic signs or sign structures and provisional warning signs or sign structures, when erected or required to be erected by a governmental agency, and temporary signs indicating danger. A name plate or directional sign, limited in area to two square feet, to identify the owner or occupant of dwelling or building or a permitted home occupation. No trespassing or no hunting signs, without limitations or number or placement, limited in area to four square feet. Changing of the copy on a bulletin board, poster board, display encasement, or marquee. Signs of a noncommercial nature which are intended to verbalize a position or statement about an issue, as a matter of free speech, provided the area of the sign does not exceed 32 square feet. Real estate advertising signs: On-premises signs: On premises signs advertising the sale, lease, or rental of property shall be limited to one sign per lot per street frontage or frontage on navigable waterway. Signs in residential zoning districts shall not exceed four square feet in size and four feet in height. Signs in Agricultural Rural (AR) and Agricultural Limited (AL) zoning districts shall not exceed 16 square feet in size and six feet in height. Signs in commercial and industrial zoning districts shall not exceed 32 square feet in size and ten feet in height. The height of all signs shall represent a measurement from ground level to the top of the sign structure. Such signs shall be located a minimum of ten feet from any side property line. Off-premises signs: Off-premises signs advertising the sale, lease, or rental of property shall be allowed in conjunction with a bona fide "open house" showing only and shall not be erected for more than three days in any seven-day period. Such signs shall be limited to four square feet in size and four feet in height. Temporary non-illuminated signs, limited in area to four square feet, "directing the way" to premises which are for sale or rent. Construction site or development project identification signs. Such signs shall not be erected prior to the issuance of a land disturbing permit for the property and shall be removed within ten days after the issuance of the final occupancy permit by the building official. Signs shall be permitted per construction site or development project and limited to no more than 32 square feet in size and 15 feet in height. Such signs shall be located a minimum of ten feet from any side property line. Political campaign signs. Such signs shall not be located within public rights-of-way or attached to public utility structures and shall be limited to free-standing signs not more than 16 square feet in area in residential zones and 32 square feet in area in agricultural, commercial and industrial zones. Such signs shall not be placed in public view prior to 90 days before the election to which they pertain and shall be removed within 14 days after the campaign. The county may remove such signs that remain after the 14 days. Such signs shall be no more than five feet in height and shall be located a minimum of ten feet from any property lines. No sign shall be permitted to encroach into the sight triangle of any street intersection. Non-illuminated signs, not exceeding ten square feet in area with letters not exceeding one foot in height, painted, stamped, perforated, or stitched on the surface area of an awning, canopy, roller curtain, or umbrella. Sign on a truck, bus, or other vehicle, while in use in the normal course of business. National flags and flags of political subdivisions of the United States, and except for flags of bona fide civic, charitable, fraternal, and welfare organizations, provided that during nationally recognized holiday periods, or during a special civic event, pennants, banners, streamers and other fluttering, spinning, or similar type advertising devices pertaining to said periods or events may be displayed by temporary permit as provided above in this article, and further provided that the administrator may approve special flags and flag poles when, in his opinion, they form an integral design feature of a building or group of buildings and not an ordinary advertising device. Directional signs giving directions to motorists regarding the location of parking areas and access drives, shall be permitted as accessory signs and not included in any computation of sign area provided there is no commercial message or logo on the sign. Such signs shall be limited in size to two square feet, except in industrial districts they may be four square feet. Signs one square foot or less in area.