(a)

The following conditions shall apply to all signs erected or located in any use district:

(1)

All signs shall conform to all applicable codes and ordinances of the city and where required shall [be] approved by the zoning administrator and a permit issued.

(2)

No sign except those established and maintained by the city, county, state, or federal governments, shall be located in, project into, or overhang a public right-of-way or dedicated public easement, except in the B-1 district, in which case the sign shall not extend more than one foot into the right-of-way.

(3)

No sign otherwise permitted shall project above or beyond the maximum height limitation of the use district in which located.

(4)

All directional signs required for the purpose of orientation, when established by the city, county, state, or federal government shall be permitted in all use districts.

(5)

Off-premises signs shall be permitted only in I-1 and I-2 industrial districts, except that off-premises signs pertaining to real estate development located within the city and designed to promote the sale of lots or homes within a subdivision located within the city may be permitted on a temporary basis in any use district, but shall not be located upon subdivided land unless such land is part of the subdivision being advertised for sale and shall be subject to the requirements and conditions of all applicable codes and ordinances of the city, approved by the zoning administrator and a temporary permit issued. Non-premises signs located along M-81 or M-24 shall be regulated under the Highway Advertising Act of 1972 (MCL 252.301 et seq.).

a.

Signs shall not be put on trees or utility poles.

b.

Signs shall not be in the public right-of-way.

c.

All signs must have a date and cannot be posted for more than 72 hours.

d.

No signs shall be allowed that announce a sale outside the city.

e.

The maximum size of the sign cannot exceed 18 inches by 24 inches.

(6)

Signs used for advertising land or buildings for rent, lease, and/or for sale shall be permitted when located on the land or building intended to be rented, leased and/or sold.

(7)

Freestanding accessory signs may be located in the required front yard except as otherwise provided herein.

(8)

Seasonal banners owned and maintained by the city or governmental entities established by the city and approved by the city, shall be exempt from the provisions of this section, provided all banners shall comply with the following standards:

a.

The banner shall be attached to a wall and shall not extend more than 20 inches from the wall.

b.

The bottom of the banner shall be located at least seven feet from the ground.

c.

The banner shall not exceed 48 inches in length.

(b)

In addition to subsection (a) of this section, the following requirements shall apply to signs in the various use districts as follows:

(c)

The following provisions shall apply to sandwich board signs in the B-1 district:

(1)

Each face of a sandwich board shall not exceed three feet in height or two feet in width.

(2)

The bottom shall be weighted or anchored so that the sign is stable and wind-proof.

(3)

There shall be only one sign at each customer entrance, regardless of the number of tenants on the premises.

(4)

Each sign shall be placed outside only during the hours when business is open to the general public, and shall otherwise be stored inside.

(5)

Each sign shall be placed next to the building wall or adjacent to the curb in a manner which is safe for and does not interfere with normal pedestrian or automobile traffic movement.

(6)

Sandwich board signs shall not have more than two sign faces.

(7)

All signs shall comply with the design specifications for sandwich board signs adopted by the city.

(8)

Signs shall not project more than three feet from the building.

(Ord. No. 401, § 2200, 5-2-2005; Ord. No. 482, 8-16-2021)

(a)

Temporary banner signs may be allowed in OS-1, B-1, B-2, I-1, I-2, P-2 zoned districts by permit only.

(b)

A temporary banner sign may be erected after a permit is obtained for a period of time not to exceed three weeks. The permit cannot be renewed. No more than two permits per 12-month period shall be issued for any one zoned lot. No permit shall be issued in an R zone.

(c)

A temporary banner sign shall have a maximum height with the top of the temporary banner sign not to exceed 30 feet above the grade level of the normal grade level of the ground. The bottom of the temporary banner sign shall be a minimum of ten feet above the normal grade level of the ground unless the temporary banner sign is located above a traffic area in which case the bottom of the temporary banner sign shall be a minimum of 18 feet above the highest point of the traffic area.

(d)

A temporary banner sign cannot interfere with traffic and must conform to all ordinances and rules, and cannot resemble or simulate traffic control devices or signs, and cannot trespass on another's property. A temporary banner sign cannot be placed so as to obscure another business or structure.

(e)

Maximum size of a temporary banner sign shall be 400 square feet.

(f)

The temporary banner sign shall be designed and constructed and properly mounted so it will be stable.

(g)

Sign permits.

(1)

No temporary banner sign shall be placed without first securing a permit from the zoning administrator and payment of the permit fee. Applications for a permit shall be on a form provided by the zoning administrator and shall contain the following information:

a.

Name, address and telephone of the applicant;

b.

Owner of the sign, their name, address and telephone number;

c.

Name of the organization, organization federal ID number, name of person representing the organization, their address, and telephone number;

d.

Location and zone classification where the temporary banner sign will be located; and

e.

Position of the sign in relation to nearby buildings, structures, property lines, rights-of-way and any other information deemed necessary by the zoning administrator.

(2)

Before such permit is issued, an inspection of the sign and proposed location shall take place and such information necessary shall be provided to the zoning administrator in order to ensure that the sign will be installed in a safe and workmanlike manner and complies with all provisions of this chapter and all other city and state laws, rules and regulations. The zoning administrator may require additional information and documentation as necessary to determine the safety of the temporary banner sign.

(3)

The permits shall be issued for three weeks only. The permit cannot be renewed. No more than three permits per year shall be issued for any one zoned lot. No permit shall be issued in an R zone.

(Ord. No. 401, § 2201, 5-2-2005)

Temporary off-premises portable, illuminated signs are permitted in the OS-1, B-1, B-2, I-1, I-2 and P-2 districts by permit only and shall be subject to the following restrictions:

(1)

Signs which contain, include, or are illuminated by any flashing, intermittent, or moving light or lights are prohibited if such signs interfere with traffic safety. Reflective surfaces or devices on sign faces, and multiple-face signs with illumination are permitted, provided such signs do not interfere with traffic ordinances and rules, and do not resemble or simulate traffic control devices or signs, and the illumination does not trespass on another's property.

(2)

Electronic variable message signs giving public information such as, but not limited to, time, date, temperature, weather, or other similar information, and electric variable-message signs which function in the same manner as multiple-faced signs are permitted, provided such signs do not interfere with traffic ordinances and rules, and do not resemble or simulate traffic control devices or signs.

(3)

Signs must be effectively shielded to prevent light beams or rays from being directed toward any portion of the traveled ways, and must not be of such intensity or brilliance to cause glare or impair the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle or otherwise interfere with any driver's operation of a motor vehicle.

(4)

No sign shall be so illuminated or placed so that it interferes with the effectiveness of or obscures an official traffic sign, device or signal.

(5)

The sign must be portable, temporary, stable when placed in position, designed to be transported by trailer or with wheels, and cannot be anchored or affixed to a structure, the ground or any solid object on a permanent basis. The sign shall be no larger than four feet wide by six feet high, including wheels and/or temporary support. The top shall be no higher than six feet from the normal grade of the ground.

(6)

The sign shall meet all applicable electric codes, state laws rules and regulations.

(7)

Four-foot by eight-foot illuminated signs are allowed by permit. Only two permits will be issued per year for a maximum time limit of three days in any residential district.

(8)

Sign permits.

a.

No off-premises portable, illuminated signs shall be placed without first securing a permit from the zoning administrator and payment of the permit fee. Applications for a permit shall be on a form provided by the zoning administrator and shall contain the following information:

1.

Name, address and telephone of the applicant;

2.

Owner of the sign, their name, address and telephone number;

3.

Name of the organization, organization federal ID number, name of person representing the organization, their address, and telephone number;

4.

Location and zone classification where the temporary sign will be located; and

5.

Position of the sign in relation to nearby buildings, structures, property lines, rights-of-way and any other information deemed necessary by the zoning administer.

b.

Before such permit is issued, an inspection of the sign and proposed location shall take place and such information necessary shall be provided to the zoning administrator in order to ensure that the sign will be set up in a safe, workmanlike manner, and complies with all provisions of this chapter and all other city and state laws, rules and regulations. The permits shall be issued for one week only. The permit cannot be renewed. No more than three permits per 12-month period shall be issued for any one zoned lot. No permit shall be issued in an R zone.

(Ord. No. 401, § 2202, 5-2-2005)

(a)

Any sign legally existing at the time of adoption of these regulations which does not comply with all provisions, shall be considered a legal nonconforming sign, and may be permitted to continue if the sign is properly maintained and not detrimental to the health, safety, and welfare of the community.

(b)

Subject to exceptions below, legal nonconforming signs may be continued in operation and maintained after the effective date of these regulations, provided that the signs shall not be:

(1)

Structurally altered, so as to extend their useful life;

(2)

Expanded;

(3)

Moved to another location on the original site or on a different site;

(4)

Reestablished after damage of more than 50 percent of the value at the time of such damage or destruction.

(c)

Abandonment or obsolescence of a nonconforming sign shall terminate immediately the right to maintain the sign.

(1)

A sign which is in conformity with the other provisions of these regulations may remain in place if such sign is obscured by the use of a blank panel attached within the frame of the sign and shall be permitted to remain for a period not to exceed 120 days.

(2)

Where a successor to an inactive business agrees, within 30 days of the date of written notice by the City of Caro, to maintain the sign as provided for by these regulations, this removal requirement shall not apply, provided that the existing sign and structure conform to all current sign requirements.

(d)

All portable and sandwich board signs, except as permitted, shall be removed immediately upon the enactment of these regulations and shall be replaced by signs that conform to these regulations.

(e)

Any illegal nonconforming signs that exist on the effective date of these regulations shall be removed immediately upon the enactment of these regulations and shall be replaced by signs that conform to these regulations.

(Ord. No. 482, 8-16-2021)