A.   It shall hereafter be unlawful to erect, place, relocate, expand, modify, maintain, or otherwise alter a sign in the City except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

   B.   Unless otherwise provided by this chapter, all signs shall require a zoning permit.

   C.   Unless otherwise provided, this chapter shall apply to any sign in any zoning district visible from a public right-of-way or an adjacent property.

   D.   Any sign established before this code’s effective date and rendered nonconforming by the provisions herein shall be subject to the nonconforming sign regulations of specified in 10-5-12. (Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023)

   A.   The following signs do not require a permit; however, they are still subject to applicable regulations within this chapter.

      1.   Any sign located entirely within buildings or other structures and/or otherwise not visible from a public right-of-way or adjacent property;

      2.   Cornerstone inscriptions or other signs that are part of masonry facades of older buildings;

      3.   Signs of less than one (1) square foot each in the sign area, such as religious symbols like crucifixes, security system window or door stickers, identification of store hours, emblems of credit cards accepted, seals indicating membership in business or trade associations, and the like;

      4.   Bulletin boards and bulletin board signs, as defined herein;

      5.   Signs and/or notices issued by any court, officer, or other people in the performance of a public duty;

      6.   For the purposes of safety and emergency access signs indicating the street number of a building or structure are permitted without a zoning permit but shall not exceed three (3) square feet in sign area;

      7.   Any sign on a truck, bus or another vehicle that is used in the normal course of a business for transportation;

      8.   Any holiday lighting, signs, or related decorations;

   B.   Painted signs, decals, or other signs located directly inside or on the window and/or door of the ground floor of commercial use, if less than 30 percent of the area of a windowpane;

   C.   Door signs if less than three (3) square feet in total area and not more than one sign per door;

   D.   Government-mandated signs in compliance with the manual of uniform traffic control devices that comply with the requirements of state law for such signs placed or required to be placed by a government entity;

   E.   Menu signs/ordering kiosks placed adjacent to a commercial drive-thru, with a maximum of four (4) such signs per property, so long as any groundmounted menu sign does not exceed 50 square feet and any wall-mounted menu sign does not exceed nine (9) square feet; and

      1.   Yard Signs - Small, as defined herein;

      2.   One wall sign is permitted on each individual lot used for residential purposes provided the sign is mounted flush to the facade of the principal dwelling and does not exceed one square foot;

      3.   Signs for home occupations do not require a permit but are subject to the standards of this chapter;

      4.   Flags of any fabric or bunting containing colors, patterns, or symbols; attached to a flagpole as a freestanding structure, or a structure attached to a building or to the roof of a building, on a parcel of record and used for the sole purpose of displaying flags, the height of which shall be measured from the average grade;

      5.   A-frame or T-frame sign;

      6.   Temporary banner sign for identification of a new business for up to 90 days after the business opens after which time a permanent sign must be erected;

      7.   One neon (or LED tube or rope lighting resembling neon) window sign at most three (3) square feet in total area per individual tenant suite. No blinking shall be allowed. (Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023)

   A.   The following signs shall not be erected within the City of Belgrade:

      1.   Signs within the right-of-way with the exception of warning signs or traffic safety signs required by public utility providers, by a public transit or transportation agency;

      2.   Dilapidated signs, or signs that are not secure, including sign structures;

      3.   Signs that do not conform to City or State building, fire, or electrical codes;

      4.   Signs or advertising erected and maintained on trees or painted or drawn upon rocks or other natural features;

      5.   Signs or advertising devices which attempt or appear to attempt, to direct the movement of traffic, or which interfere with, imitate, or resemble an official sign, signal, or device;

      6.   Vehicle signs viewed from a public road with the primary purpose of providing signage not otherwise allowed by this code;

      7.   Vehicle signs include those attached to or placed on a vehicle or trailer. Vehicles or trailers shall not be parked continuously in one location to be used primarily as additional signage. This does not apply to a vehicle parked at a driver’s residence and is the primary means of transportation to and from his or her place of employment;

      8.   Signs that are applied to trees, bus shelters, utility poles, benches, trash receptacles, newspaper vending machines or boxes, or any other unapproved supporting structure or otherwise placed in the public right-of-way;

      9.   Signs which are not securely affixed to the ground or otherwise affixed in a permanent manner to an approved supporting structure unless specifically permitted as a temporary sign;

      10.   Signs attached to a fire escape or that obstruct any fire escape, any means of egress or ventilation;

      11.   Signs that contain words, pictures, or obscene statements, as defined by Section 45-8-201 of the Montana Code Annotated;

      12.   Signs that employ any parts or elements which revolve, rotate, whirl, spin, or otherwise make use of motion to attract attention;

      13.   Animated signs;

      14.   Beacons and searchlights, except for emergency purposes; and

      15.   Except for identification signs on agricultural buildings, no sign or billboard shall be painted or erected directly upon the roof of any building or structure. (Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023)

   A.   Permanent signs shall be constructed in compliance with all applicable regulations of the City or State’s applicable building, fire, or electrical codes, as may be applicable;

      1.   No sign or sign structure shall be placed on private or public property without the written consent of the owner or agent thereof;

      2.   No sign or sign structure shall be erected at any location where it may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device;

      3.   No sign shall obstruct or interfere with fire ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape, nor shall it obstruct or interfere with traffic or traffic visibility, or resemble or imitate signs or signals erected by the City or other governmental agency for the regulation of traffic or parking;

      4.   No part of a sign shall have animation, moving parts, flashing lights or changing colors unless specified in 10-5-6, Sign Illumination;

      5.   All signs shall be secured in such a manner as to prevent swinging or other significant noticeable movement, not including movement related to electronic message centers;

      6.   Unless otherwise specifically stated, all permanent signs hereafter erected, constructed or modified shall be set back a minimum of 5 feet from all rights-of-way and in all cases shall permit full visibility within the vision triangle as defined herein; and

      7.   Signs, sign posts, or sign mounting hardware which are no longer functional, or are abandoned, shall be removed in compliance with the provisions of this code, within 90 days following such dysfunction or abandonment. For purposes of this section, “abandoned” means the owner or user of the sign has completely given up the use of the sign for the purpose it was intended as ascertained by the reasonable investigation and inquiry of the Zoning Inspector. (Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023)

   A.   For signs on a background, the entire area of the framework or background of the sign is calculated as the sign area, including any material or color forming the sign face or background used to differentiate the sign from the sign structure against which it is placed. (See diagram “A”).

   B.   For signs consisting of free standing letters or features attached to a wall, the sign area is calculated as the smallest rectangle encapsulating all letters and symbols. Sign area does not include any supporting framework or bracing unless such framework or bracing is part of the message or sign face (see diagram “B”).

   C.   For signs that are abnormal shapes, window signs, including neon window signs, the total sign area is measured by multiplying the full width of the overall sign copy, including the lettering, logo, and graphics, by the overall height of the sign copy in a rectangular manner, regardless of the arrangement of the copy (see diagram “C”)

   D.   When two sign faces are placed back-to-back so that both faces cannot be viewed from any one point at the same time and part of the same sign structure, and are not more than 24 inches at its furthest distance apart, the sign area shall be computed by the measurement of one of the faces. (Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023)

   A.   The table below displays which sign illumination types are permitted for which uses.

 

   B.   General Sign Illumination Standards:

      1.   Be shielded from all adjacent residential buildings and all streets;

      2.   Not have an intensity to cause glare visible to pedestrians or vehicle drivers, nor shall the illumination be of such brightness as to cause reasonable objection from adjacent residential districts or adjacent properties;

      3.   No illuminated sign shall be permitted if any part of the sign flashes on or off, has lighting that moves or illustrates movement, or displays changing degrees of intensity in illumination. This regulation applies to signs located outside buildings and to window signs inside buildings that can be seen from the outside. This prohibition on flashing, moving, or intermittent lighting shall not apply to permitted electronic message centers as specified in 10-5-7; and

      4.   Signs shall not be lit to obstruct traffic control or other public information signs.

      5.   Neon lighting shall not exceed 100 nits per sign face. (Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023; amd. Ord. 2023-9, 12-18-2023)

   A.   EMCs are permitted only for gas stations and institutional uses;

   B.   An EMC or Changeable Copy Sign may not comprise more than 50% of the permitted sign area for a given sign;

   C.   EMC’s are permitted by right only for gas stations and institutional uses; all other EMC’s are subject to the Conditional Uses process in Section 10.6.12. Amendment recommended by staff after the Planning Board hearing.

   D.   Any electronic message center that is located within 300 feet of any residential use must automatically turn off between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. daily;

   E.   An electronic message sequence must be accomplished by means of fading or dissolving but shall not scroll, travel or flash. A transition sequence must be completed in no more than two (2) seconds;

   F.   No portion of any sign may change its message or background in a manner or by a method of display characterized by motion, other than fading or dissolving, or pictorial imagery or depicts action or a special effect to imitate movement, or the presentation of pictorials or graphics displayed in a progression of frames that give the illusion of motion or the illusion of moving objects, moving patterns, bands of light, or expanding or contracting shapes;

   G.   EMCs shall be designed to display a full black screen, or turn off in the event of a malfunction;

   H.   Portable electronic message signs are prohibited except for instances of construction or road projects;

   I.   The EMC shall come equipped with an automatic dimming photocell, which automatically adjusts the display’s brightness based on ambient light conditions;

   J.   No EMC shall be permitted to be included as part of any limited duration sign;

   K.   The brightness level shall not increase by more than 0.3 foot candles over ambient levels (or 3.23 lumens per square meter or lux) as measured using a foot candle meter at a pre-set distance; and

   L.   The procedure and distances for measurement of brightness shall be as established by the International Sign Association’s Recommend Nighttime Brightness Levels for On-Premise EMCs. (Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023; amd. Ord. 2023-9, 12-18-2023)

   A.    Building Signs

 

 

 

 

   B.   Freestanding Signs:

      1.   A freestanding sign is any ground-mounted sign affixed to a freestanding base; the base of the sign shall not be a pole or multiple poles.

 

 

(Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023)

   A.   The following standards shall apply to all properties that are used for residential purposes as follows: individual dwellings, multi-unit residential buildings, and residential subdivisions. These standards do not apply to mixed-use buildings whereby residential uses are co-located with non-residential uses.

   B.   Institutional Uses found within residential districts shall conform to section 10-5-10 Permanent Signs in the R, N, CL, CC, MU, DD, FE, I, EI, ID Districts.

 

   A.   Applicability:

      1.   Buildings, developments, subdivisions that are 100% residential within a non-residential district shall be subject to the permanent sign allowances for Section 10-5-9 Permanent Signs Permitted for Residential Properties.

      2.   The standards of this section shall apply to institutional uses found within residential districts.

      3.   Permanent signs shall be divided into the following sign types:

 

 

   B.   Standards By Sign Type:

      1.   The table below displays standards for each individual sign type.

 

(Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023; amd. Ord. 2023-9, 12-19-2023)

   A.   Standards That Apply To All Temporary Signs:

      1.   Temporary signs shall not be mounted, attached, affixed, installed, or otherwise secured in a manner that will make the sign a permanent sign.

      2.   No temporary sign shall be mounted, attached, affixed, installed, or otherwise secured so that it protrudes above the roofline of a structure.

      3.   Unless otherwise specifically stated, temporary signs shall not be illuminated.

      4.   No temporary sign shall require a foundation, support, wiring, fittings, or elements that would traditionally require a building permit or electrical permit.

      5.   No streamers, spinning, flashing, or similarly moving devices shall be allowed as part of or attachments to temporary signs unless approved through a special event permit.

 

 

 

 

      6.   All temporary signs shall be secured in such a manner as to prevent swinging or other significantly noticeable movement resulting from the wind that could pose a danger to people, vehicles, or structures.

      7.   Mobile signs on wheels, runners, casters, parked trailers, parked vehicles, or other temporary or movable signs shall not be permitted unless otherwise specifically stated in this chapter.

      8.   Because of the nature of materials typically used to construct temporary signs and to avoid the unsightliness of deteriorating signs and all safety concerns which accompany such a condition, temporary signs shall be removed or replaced when such sign is deteriorated as determined by the planning staff. (Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023)

   A.   All signs that do not conform to the specific standards of this code may be considered legally nonconforming if the sign was erected in conformance with a valid zoning permit and complied with all applicable laws at the time of the sign’s installation.

   B.   A sign shall lose its legal nonconforming status and must be brought into compliance with the provisions of this chapter by an application for and issuance of a zoning permit or by complete removal, if any of the following occurs:

      1.   If such sign is damaged to an amount exceeding 50% of the sign’s replacement value, as determined by at least two sign companies requested to provide a quote;

      2.   The sign type or structure is altered in any form;

      3.   The sign is relocated;

      4.   The nonconforming sign and its structure (including support and frame and panel) are determined by the planning staff to be unsafe or in violation of this code and declared a nuisance.

      5.   Failure to bring a sign into compliance after loss of a legal nonconformity status as specified in this section shall cause the sign to be considered an illegal sign.

      6.   Minor repairs and maintenance of nonconforming signs, such as repainting, electrical repairs and neon tubing repairs shall be permitted. Maintenance does not include making changes in the words, symbols, or design on the current sign unless the words and symbols are part of the changeable reader board or removable panels on a sign cabinet.

      7.   Sign face changes where there is no change to the nonconforming sign structure including change in sign face area, height, or alteration of the sign cabinet, if applicable, may be made without a zoning permit and without losing the legal nonconforming status of the sign. These actions include, but are not limited to, replacement of a sign face, repainting of a sign face, etc. (Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023)

   A.   Every sign shall be maintained in a safe, presentable, and good structural condition at all times, including the replacement of a defective part, painting, cleaning, and other acts required for the maintenance of the sign.

   B.   Whenever a sign is to be removed pursuant to the requirements of this section, all parts of the sign and supporting structure (e.g., pole, monument, cabinet structure, etc.), excluding buildings for wall, projecting, or similar signage, shall be removed in its entirety. This section shall not require the removal of a raceway if mounted to such structure on a building. (Ord. 2023-7, 7-17-2023)