Bogota City Zoning Code
§ 21A-13.1
General Requirements.
[Ord. #1007, A13; Ord. #1087, SSI, II; Ord. #1256, S5; Ord. #1268, S5]
a.
Sign Permits. No sign shall be erected without a sign permit.
b.
Sign Area Measurements. The area of a sign shall be computed as the total square foot content of the background upon which the lettering, illustration or display is presented. If there is no background, the sign area shall be computed as the product of the largest horizontal width and the largest vertical height of the lettering, illustration or total display. This shall not be construed to include the supporting members of any signs which are used solely for such purpose. For signs with two (2) sides, the maximum area requirement shall be permitted on each side. Signs with more than two (2) sides are prohibited.
c.
Sign Height Measurement. The height of a sign shall be computed as the largest vertical height of the background upon which the lettering, illustration or display is presented. If there is no background, the height shall be the largest vertical height of the lettering, illustration or total display. This shall not be construed to include the supporting members of any sign which are used solely for such purpose. If the letters, illustrations or displays are attached directly to the face of a building, the height of the sign shall be the height of the largest letter, illustration or total display, whichever is greater.
d.
General Sign Provisions.
1.
No sign or any type shall obstruct either the access to or the light and air of any adjacent property or place of business.
2.
No sign of any type shall be permitted to obstruct driving vision, traffic signals and signs, or similar safety devices.
3.
No sign of any type shall be moving or give illusion of moving.
4.
All illuminated signs shall be either indirectly lighted or of the diffused lighting type. No sign shall be lighted by means of flashing or intermittent illumination. All lights used for the illumination of any use or building or the area surrounding them or for the illumination or display of merchandise or products of business establishments, shall be completely shielded from view of vehicular traffic using the abutting streets. Floodlights used for the illumination of said premises or of any sign thereon, whether or not such floodlights are attached to or separate from the building shall not project above the highest elevation of the front wall of the building or more than eighteen (18') feet above the street level of the premises, whichever is less. Illuminated signs shall be so arranged as to reflect the light and glare away from adjoining residential premises.
5.
No sign as permitted shall extend or project at any point above or outside the limits of the roof, the highest elevation of the wall to which it is attached,, or above the height of the principal building as defined in this chapter. No signs shall be permitted on accessory buildings.
6.
Signs and sign structures of all types shall be set back or elevated sufficiently to allow a clear, unobstructed line of sight from points of ingress and egress for a least one thousand (1,000') feet along all abutting streets and highways.
7.
Signs must be constructed of durable materials, maintained in good condition, and not allowed to become dilapidated.
8.
The use of billboards shall be a conditional use, governed by subsection 21A-12.6 of this section.
9.
A sign having two (2) sides shall be deemed to be one (1) sign, provided the sides are identical.
10.
All portable signs shall comply with the provisions of this section.
e.
Signs deemed necessary to the public welfare, as expressed by resolution of the governing body, are permitted in all districts.
f.
Signs Permitted in R-1, R-1A and R-2 Districts.
1.
Nameplate signs. One (1) nameplate sign per dwelling shall be permitted per lot, provided said nameplate sign does not exceed seventy-two (72) square inches in area.
2.
Professional Office Signs. One (1) sign per occupant identifying the name and profession of the professional occupant shall be permitted per lot provided same does not exceed two (2) square feet in area. No sign or other display related to a home occupation shall be permitted.
3.
Real Estate Signs. One (1) nonilluminated, temporary sign advertising the sale, rental or lease of the premises or portion thereof shall be permitted per lot. Such signs in residential districts shall not exceed four (4) square feet, and in all other districts shall not exceed nine (9) square feet. These provisions shall further apply to all signs announcing that the premises or portion thereof has been sold, rented or leased. Real estate signs shall be removed within seven (7) days after the conveyance of title or the execution of a lease.
4.
Public Interest Message Signs. One (1) nonilluminated, temporary sign bearing a message of public interest shall be permitted per lot, provided that said sign shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet in area or five (5') feet in height. No consideration shall be given or received for the display of any such sign.
Any such sign urging the public to vote for or against any person or proposition in an election shall be removed within three (3) days after that election has been held.
g.
Signs in R-3 Apartment Residential District. Any sign permitted pursuant to paragraph f above shall be permitted in an R-3 district. No other sign shall be permitted in connection with an apartment development except as follows:
1.
One (1) nonflashing sign per each two hundred (200') feet of abutting public streets may be permitted which sign shall not exceed fifteen (15) square feet in area or eight (8') feet in height and shall only contain the name of the apartment development, the street address, the location of the manager and the presence or lack of available vacant dwelling units.
2.
Apartment developments may be permitted to have one (1) sign for advertising purposes with a gross area of not more than fifty (50) square feet. Such sign shall be of a temporary nature in the required front yard space of the tract, provided such sign shall be no closer than thirty (30') feet to any street line. Such sign may be erected during the construction of the apartment development, but shall be permitted to remain for a period of no more than one (1) year from the date of opening of the first model apartment unit.
h.
Signs in the Business Districts.
1.
Business signs shall be permitted provided same are accessory to the business use conducted on the premises in accordance with the following criteria:
(a)
One (1) sign for each business occupant of the building, which shall be placed or inscribed upon the front façade of the building.
(b)
If the building faces more than one (1) public street, one (1) additional sign for the business occupant of the building whose premises face in the secondary street, placed or inscribed upon the façade adjoining the secondary street.
(c)
If the rear or side of the building contains a public entranceway adjoining a public or private off street parking area, one (1) additional sign for each business occupant of the building facing said parking are, which shall be placed or inscribed upon the façade adjoining the off street parking area.
2.
The total area for a sign permitted on the face of any wall shall not exceed ten (10%) percent of the area of the face of the wall upon which such sign is located.
3.
No sign shall extend further than twelve (12") inches from the face of the building upon which it is attached, provided, however, that where a sign extends more than three (3") inches from the face of said wall, the bottom of said sign shall not be closer than ten (10') feet from the ground level below said sign.
4.
The maximum height of any single sign shall not exceed five (5') feet and the maximum width shall not exceed ninety (90%) percent of the width of the wall on which the sign is located.
5.
No sign shall be painted on or attached to the window of any building in which a business use is being conducted unless the area of said sign is less than twenty-five (25%) percent of the area of the total window space on the side of the building on which the sign appears.
6.
Business signs shall be removed within fifteen (15) days of the closing of the business to which said signs refer. Removal shall be the obligation of the owner of the premises.
7.
Announcement Signs. A church, school or other public institutional building may display for its own use, one (1) announcement sign or bulletin board not over twelve (12) square feet in area.
i.
Free Standing Signs in Business Districts. A business building may display one (1) free standing sign provided:
1.
The business building sets back at least fifty (50') feet from the front street property line and is located on a lot one hundred (100') feet or more in width.
2.
The height of said sign structure including the supporting members shall not exceed twenty (20') feet.
3.
Said sign must be set back ten (10') feet from the front street property line and be perpendicular to said line.
4.
The area of one (1) side of said sign shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet in area.
5.
Said sign must comply with the side yard requirements for the principal building.
j.
Automobile Service Stations. Automobile service stations may display, in addition to the signs provided herein, the following signs, which signs are deemed customary and necessary to their respective business:
1.
One (1) temporary sign located inside the property line and specifically advertising special seasonal servicing of automobiles, providing that said sign does not exceed seven (7) square feet in area.
2.
Directional signs or lettering displayed over individual entrance doors or bays, consisting only of the words "lubrication," "repairs," "mechanic on duty," or other words closely similar in import, provided that there shall be not more than one (1) such sign over each entrance or bay and the letters thereof shall not exceed twelve (12") inches in height, and the total area of each sign shall not exceed ten (10) square feet.
3.
Customary lettering on or other insignias which are a structural part of a gasoline pump, consisting only of a brand name of gasoline sold, lead warning sign, a price indicator, and any other sign required by law, and not exceeding a total of three (3) square feet on each pump.
k.
Signs in the Industrial Districts. In the "I" district, no sign shall be permitted which is not related to the use on the premises and then only if all the following requirements are complied with: