Chenango Town City Zoning Code
ARTICLE V
Signs
[Amended 6-5-1978; 12-4-1978; 7-16-1979; 7-14-1980; 6-15-1981]
§ 73-13 Purposes.
The purpose of the sign standards stated is to regulate the potentially objectionable aspects of sign uses by stating specific standards consistent with the promotion of public health, safety, morals and the general welfare of the Town.
§ 73-14 Signs permitted in R District, A District and the residential zones of the PDD Districts.
[Amended 7-18-1983; 9-18-2006 by L.L. No. 4-2006; 6-23-2010 by L.L. No. 1-2010]
The following business or directional signs may be permitted in residential or agricultural districts or residential zones of the PDD Districts as hereinafter provided:
One sign for professional office/home occupation, not to exceed two square feet in area, may be erected.
One sign, not to exceed six square feet, to announce that the real property or any part thereof upon which said sign is located is for sale or for rent.
One sign or announcement for each church, institutional, recreational or other public use, provided that said sign shall not exceed 16 square feet in area.
One temporary real estate development sign, not to exceed 36 square feet, directing attention to the opening of a new subdivision. Such sign shall require a permit issued by the Code Enforcement Officer. Said permit shall be issued for a period of 12 months and may be renewed upon application.
Directional signs, not to exceed three square feet in area, may be permitted. Said signs may be used for the purpose of stating the name or location of a town, hospital, community center, church, school building or the meeting place of a public or civic organization.
One sign, not to exceed 36 square feet, for agricultural uses and for agricultural products raised on the premises.
Sign location: 10 feet to any lot line.
Sign height: Maximum allowable height shall be eight feet.
The following shall not be permitted in any zoning district of the Town of Chenango:
No roof signs shall be permitted.
No advertising signs shall be permitted.
§ 73-15 Signs in NC, CD and PDD Districts.
[Amended 11-6-1989; 4-15-1996 by L.L. No. 2-1996; 6-11-2003 by L.L. No. 1-2003]
Advertising signs.
Advertising signs, as defined herein, are not permitted in the Town of Chenango.
Roof signs are not permitted in the Town of Chenango.
A sign to announce that the real property or any part thereof upon which said sign is located is for sale or for rent is allowed. This sign cannot exceed six square feet.
Business signs, as defined herein, are permitted as follows:
Shopping center or shopping plaza businesses [See Subsection B(2) below for lease pad businesses located in shopping centers or shopping plazas]:
One ground sign for each shopping center:
Size: 30 square feet for each business in the plaza; an additional 100 square feet to identify the name of the plaza.
Height: The maximum height of all parts of the sign shall not exceed 25 feet.
All other businesses in NC, CD and PDD districts and lease pad businesses located in shopping centers or shopping plaza:
Wall signs for each business: 5% of the square footage of the business facility or 100 square feet, whichever is greater. An additional 30 square feet of wall sign surface is allowed for a second business located within the facility. A maximum of 600 square feet of wall signage is allowed.
One ground sign identifying the name and character of the business or the business:
Size: 50 square feet per business, with a maximum of 100 square feet for two businesses using integrated parking facilities or having a common access to a public way, regardless of whether the second business is within the same building, is in a contiguous (touching) building or in a second, separate building.
Height: Maximum allowable height shall be 25 feet.
Signs shall be located in such a manner so as not to be in the same line of vision as traffic control signs. If for some reason this alignment is not possible, no red, green or amber illumination or reflection shall be permitted. Signs shall have illumination which is indirect, diffused and nonflashing and so arranged that the direct rays of light do not shine or reflect into adjacent residential districts.
Window signs. Permanent business signs displayed in the window of legally conforming commercial enterprises shall not exceed 50% of the glazed area in size. Externally affixed window signs shall be counted as part of the allowable wall sign surface.
All existing signs will be removed, covered or painted over per the Ordinance Office’s requirements upon the termination of a business for more than 90 days.
Any business (such as a parking lot) that does not include a building is limited to one ground sign of up to 50 square feet of surface, identifying the name and character of the business. The ground sign must be at least 15 feet from any street or right-of-way, at least 15 feet from any interior property line and is limited to a maximum allowable height of 25 feet.
§ 73-16 Regulations applicable to all districts.
On double-faced and/or V-type signs, the angle at the vertex of the sign shall not exceed five degrees (5°).
Computation of sign area.
When determining total permissible sign area for any lot, the area of any existing sign and/or signs shall be included in the computation. The total area of existing and/or new signs shall not exceed that requirement as set forth in this chapter.
When determining the total permissible display area of double-faced or V-type signs, only the dimensions of one face or surface shall be used in computing the area. The dimensions of the larger surface shall be used for said purpose.
All signs and other advertising structures shall be designed and constructed to withstand a wind pressure of not less than 30 pounds per square foot and shall conform to the provisions of the State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.
Accessory buildings shall not be included in computing total sign area.
[Amended 7-18-1983]
If the Code Enforcement Officer or other official designated by the Town Board shall find that any permanent sign is unsafe or insecure or constitutes a menace to the public or has been constructed or erected or is being maintained in violation of this chapter or other applicable ordinances of the Town of Chenango, he shall have the owner of said sign cited in violation by written notice. From the date of such written notice, said person in violation shall have 10 days to comply with this chapter.
Temporary signs. Upon application, the erection of temporary signs, advertising special events or sales, may be permitted by the Town Board or a designated official for a period not to exceed 30 days in any district in any twelve-month period, providing that the following standards are met:
The sign(s) to be erected shall be of a temporary nature, be constructed of a material so as to withstand the elements and shall not exceed 36 square feet in size.
The temporary sign shall be placed in a location so as not to be a nuisance to the public nor endanger the health, safety and general well-being of the community.
The applicant shall provide to the Town Board satisfactory security so as to guarantee that said sign will be removed after the specified period.
Temporary sign permit fees shall be waived for entities or organizations subsidized by the Town of Chenango.
[Added 4-3-2017 by L.L. No. 3-2017]
Political campaign sign(s) may be permitted in any district for a period not to exceed 90 days, provided that the standards specified below are complied with:
The sign(s) permitted herewith shall be of a temporary nature, be constructed of a material so as to withstand the elements and shall not exceed 36 square feet in size.
The temporary sign(s) shall be placed in a location so as not to be a nuisance to the public nor endanger the health, safety and general welfare of the community.
Said sign(s) shall be removed within 10 days after the election.
§ 73-17 Permits.
No sign in NC, CD and PDD Districts shall be erected or altered in physical structure until a sign permit has been issued by the Code Enforcement Officer or his designee.
All applicants for sign permits shall submit the following:
Name, address and telephone number of the applicant.
Location of the building, structure or lot to which or upon which the sign is to be attached or erected.
The type, size and location of the sign.
Four drawings of the plans and specifications and method of construction and attachment to the building or in the ground.
Copy of stress sheets and calculations showing that the structure is designed for load and wind pressure in any direction in the amount required by this chapter and/or any ordinance of the Town for signs of 150 square feet or more.
Name of person, firm, corporation or association erecting the structure.
Any electrical permit required and issued for said sign. This shall include the approval number issued by an approved testing agency.
[Amended 4-15-1996 by L.L. No. 2-1996]
Such other information as the Code Enforcement Officer shall require to show full compliance with this chapter or any other ordinance of the Town.
The Planning Board may review sign permits simultaneously with site plan review.
§ 73-18 Nonconforming signs.
Every sign existing at the time of the adoption of this chapter may continue, although not in conformity with the provisions herein. However, when a nonconforming sign is removed or destroyed, it shall be replaced only in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.