Bedford City Zoning Code
Article
IX Signs
§ 275-73 General provisions.
A.
Purposes.
[Added 3-10-2015[1]]
(1)
Encourage the effective use of signs as a means of communication;
(2)
Prevent hazards to vehicular and pedestrian safety by regulating the type, number, location, size and illumination of signs;
(3)
Protect the public from hazardous and distracting displays;
(4)
Maintain and enhance the aesthetic character and scenic quality of the Town's residential and commercial neighborhoods and limit visual clutter along corridors;
(5)
Minimize potential adverse effects of signs on nearby public and private property;
(6)
Support businesses and community vitality by informing the public of goods, services and activities; and
(7)
Enable fair and consistent enforcement of the sign regulations.
B.
Conditional use permit.
[Added 3-10-2015]
(1)
The Planning Board may grant a conditional use permit to modify the requirements of Article IX, Signs, provided the Planning Board finds that all of the following criteria are met:
(b)
The applicant's particular situation, taking into account the overall site plan, including, but not limited to, the use on the property, existing signs, and visibility of the businesses, justifies a modification to the requirements;
(c)
The site is suitable for the proposed modifications;
(d)
The modification will not alter the essential character of the locality;
(e)
The modifications will complement the design of the building or site where the sign is located;
(f)
The modification will not materially impair traffic or pedestrian safety;
(g)
The aesthetic character of the site and the surrounding area will not be adversely affected; and
(h)
The modification will be consistent with the spirit and intent of the Zoning Ordinance and Town of Bedford Master Plan.
(2)
An application for a conditional use permit shall provide adequate documentation in order for the Planning Board to make a finding that the modification meets the criteria listed above. The Planning Board may, in its discretion, decline to grant a conditional use permit if the Board determines such permit is not justified or warranted.
(4)
This provision is adopted as an innovative land use control pursuant to RSA 674:21 and the Planning Board is vested with the sole authority to administer and grant the conditional use permit. Any decision made by the Planning Board under this innovative land use control ordinance may be appealed directly to Superior Court in the same manner provided by statute for appeals from the Planning Board, as set forth in RSA 676:5 III and RSA 677:15.
C.
In all districts, except the Performance Zone, no advertising sign shall be located less than 50 feet from any side or rear property line nor less than 10 feet from the edge of any street right-of-way. In the Performance Zone, no freestanding advertising sign shall be located less than 30 feet from any side or rear property line nor less than 10 feet from the edge of any street right-of-way. No freestanding sign, including its structural supports, shall exceed a height of 10 feet above the finished grade where the support is mounted or 10 feet above the roadway adjacent to the location where the support is mounted, whichever is higher.
[Amended 3-12-2001; 3-14-2006; 3-13-2012]
D.
In all districts, each sign must be provided with its own support. Posting of signs on trees, utility poles, vehicular control standards (stop signs, etc.), or fences is expressly prohibited.
E.
In all districts, directional signs which do not exceed four square feet and bear no advertising or site identifying information may be approved by the Planning Director. All other types of directional or other necessary functional signs not specified elsewhere in this chapter shall be subject to approval of the Planning Board.
[Amended 3-12-1996]
F.
Advertising signs indicating the coming of a development and permanent subdivision identification signs shall not be allowed until final approval of the project by the Planning Board.
[Amended 3-9-1999; 3-8-2016]
G.
Portable signs shall not be allowed in any district except as noted in Subsection P below.
[Amended 3-9-1999; 3-28-2023]
H.
Permanent and temporary off-premises signs shall not be allowed in any district, except as noted in Subsection P below.
[Amended 3-9-1999; 3-12-2013; 3-14-2017]
I.
One unlighted sign offering premises for sale or lease for each parcel in one ownership shall be allowed, provided it shall not exceed four square feet in surface area unless otherwise specified herein. Said sign shall set back at least 10 feet from the edge of the right-of-way.
J.
One unlighted temporary sign of a painter or other artisan, erected during the period such person is performing work on the premises on which such sign is erected, shall be allowed, provided it shall not exceed four square feet in surface area and it shall set back at least 10 feet from the edge of the right-of-way.
K.
A sign shall not be so placed as to cast reflection upon any dwelling unit.
L.
In the Commercial, Commercial-2, Office, Service Industrial, Highway Commercial, Neighborhood Commercial and Performance Zoning Districts, internally lighted permanent sign panels are permitted; however, externally lighted signs are encouraged. Internally lighted sign panels are prohibited in all residential zones and in the Historic District overlay zone. Internally lighted panels shall be opaque, and only the lettering and graphics shall appear to be lighted. Externally lighted signs shall have the light source directed downward onto the sign. Animated, moving, flashing, and noisemaking signs are prohibited. Changeable readerboard signs, whether manual or electronic, are prohibited in all zoning districts.
[Amended 3-8-2005; 3-10-2009; 3-13-2012]
M.
Double-faced signs shall be considered as a single sign for spacing requirements.
N.
Rooftop signs shall not be allowed in any district.
O.
Where specific requirements are not indicated above, the Planning Board may establish signage requirements on an individual basis.
P.
Temporary banners or temporary signs for events shall be regulated by Chapter 216, Signs and Banners.
[Amended 3-9-1999; 7-13-2011]
Q.
When a sign panel is refaced the new panel must comply with the opacity regulations of Subsection L.
[Added 3-10-2009; amended 3-28-2023]
R.
In the Commercial, Commercial-2, Office, Service Industrial, Highway Commercial, Neighborhood Commercial and Performance Zoning Districts, vehicles, trailers or equipment with commercial signage that are routinely parked or stored on a property must be shown on a site plan and approved by the Planning Board and shall be located in a parking spot or approved area where its visual impacts to abutting property and rights-of-way are limited, or can be reduced or screened. These vehicles, trailers and equipment shall not be located within required parking spaces or travel ways unless approved by the Planning Board. This requirement shall not apply to uses allowed under § 275-18 or to individuals who drive a company vehicle and park it at their place of residence while not at work.
[Added 3-12-2013]
S.
Open signs and flags.
[Added 3-11-2014]
(1)
In the Commercial, Commercial-2, Office, Service Industrial, Highway Commercial, Neighborhood Commercial and Performance Zoning Districts, in addition to other signage allowed by this chapter or otherwise, businesses are permitted to display signage and flags signifying that a business is "open" in the following manner:
(a)
One "open" sign on or within the building, not to exceed 2.5 square feet. This sign may be illuminated but must not be animated or flashing in any manner and must be turned off when the business is closed.
(b)
One "open" flag not to exceed 15 square feet. This flag may be displayed on or within the building, or on the site provided that it meets all the signage height and setback requirements for the zoning district. This flag must be removed when the business is closed.
(2)
Open signs and flags are limited to identifying that the business is "open" and shall not display the business name, hours of operation, or any other information. This section shall not apply to uses allowed under § 275-21F(1), Home occupations.
T.
In all zones, allowable sign area for a building sign may be split into two signs and may be located on the same or different walls as the initial sign.
[Added 3-8-2016]
U.
In all nonresidential districts, freestanding signs shall be a monument or directory-type sign. (See Figure 11, Center Identification Signs.[2])
[Added 3-13-2018]
[2]
Editor's Note: Figure 11 is included as an attachment to this chapter.
§ 275-74 District regulations for signage.
A.
Residential. General Residential and Residential and Agricultural Districts.
(1)
Allowable businesses, professions, or service enterprises, and residential subdivisions or developments approved by the Planning Board, shall be permitted one outdoor advertising sign on the premises. This sign shall not total over eight square feet for said sign.
[Amended 3-8-2016]
(2)
The sign pertaining to the lease or sale of lot or building, on which placed shall be allowed so long as such sign does not exceed four square feet for said sign.
[Added 3-14-1989; amended 3-14-2017]
(3)
No other outdoor advertising media shall be allowed.
[Added 3-14-1989]
B.
Civic and Institutional District. Permitted signs shall be not more than 50 square feet in surface area.
C.
Commercial and Office Districts.
[Amended 3-14-1989; 3-9-1999; 3-14-2006; 3-13-2012; 3-12-2013]
(1)
Allowable businesses, professions or service enterprises shall be permitted outdoor advertising media on the premises advertising goods or services sold on the premises.
(2)
One freestanding sign not to exceed 32 square feet, one projecting sign, and a sign painted on or attached to one wall of a building not to exceed 10% of the square footage of the wall on which it is displayed shall be allowed, not to exceed 32 square feet.
(3)
In the case of a shopping center or professional park, there shall be allowed one lot sign identifying the shopping center or professional park sharing a common group name which shall not exceed 50 square feet. For each individual tenant, a sign painted on or attached to one wall of the building not to exceed 10% of the square footage of the wall on which it is displayed shall be allowed, not to exceed 32 square feet. The sign pertaining to the lease or sale of a lot or building on which placed shall be allowed so long as such sign does not exceed 18 square feet.
(4)
Any wall sign or freestanding sign located 150 feet or more from the edge of any street right-of-way providing frontage to a lot may increase the sign area by utilizing a formula of: distance in feet/4.25 = allowable area of sign. The distance shall be measured in a straight line from the sign location to the center point of the driveway curb cut on the lot line providing frontage for the lot. In the case of multiple driveways, the driveway entry that is used to determine the street address shall be the point of reference.
(5)
Structures with multiple tenants within the Office District shall have no more than four wall signs. Multiple tenants may be located on the permitted wall signage, provided no tenant is listed more than once.
[Added 3-12-2013]
E.
Service Industrial District.
(1)
Signs are permitted if not over 50 square feet in surface area set back at least 50 feet from any side or rear property line and at least 10 feet from any front lot line and limited to use as a business sign.
[Amended 3-14-1995]
(2)
The sign pertaining to the lease or sale of a lot or building on which placed shall be allowed so long as such sign does not exceed 18 square feet.
[Added 3-14-1989]
(3)
Any wall sign or freestanding sign located 150 feet or more from the edge of any street right-of-way providing frontage to a lot may increase the sign area by utilizing a formula of: distance in feet/4.25 = allowable area of sign.[2]
[Added 3-9-1999]
[2]
Editor's Note: Original Subsection (f), Industrial Park District, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 3-9-1993.
(4)
Each tenant space is permitted one projecting sign.
[Added 3-13-2012]
F.
Neighborhood Commercial District.
(1)
The following business signs are allowed: one projecting sign, one monument sign not to exceed 32 square feet in surface area, and one wall sign not to exceed 32 square feet in surface area.
[Amended 3-13-2012; 3-13-2018]
(2)
The sign pertaining to the lease or sale of a lot or building on which placed shall be allowed so long as such sign does not exceed 18 square feet.
[Added 3-14-1989]
G.
Highway Commercial District.
(2)
The sign pertaining to the lease or sale of a lot or building on which placed shall be allowed so long as such sign does not exceed 18 square feet.
[Added 3-14-1989]
(3)
Any wall sign or freestanding sign located 150 square feet or more from the edge of any street right-of-way providing frontage to a lot may increase the sign area by utilizing a formula of: distance in feet/4.25 = allowable area of sign.
[Added 3-9-1999]
H.
Performance Zoning District.
[Added 3-14-1989; amended 3-13-2012]
(1)
All signs shall be set back from the side and rear property lines at least 30 feet and from the front property line at least 10 feet.
[Amended 3-11-2008]
(3)
Any wall sign or freestanding sign located 150 square feet or more from the edge of any street right-of-way providing frontage to a lot may increase the sign area by utilizing a formula of: distance in feet/4.25 = allowable area of sign.
[Added 3-9-1999]
§ 275-75 Political signs.
[Amended 3-9-1999; 7-13-2011]
Political signs shall conform to all New Hampshire state statutes, including RSA 664:14 et seq. and as may be amended, and enforcement shall be through the office of the New Hampshire Attorney General.