Cohasset City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 6
Sign Regulations
§ 300-6.1 General.
A.
No sign other than a posting sign or an identification sign not exceeding two square feet in area, a temporary real estate for sale or lease sign, or a temporary political or noncommercial sign, may be erected, altered, or relocated without a permit issued by the Building Inspector. Permit review shall be confined to determining whether the sign conforms to this Zoning Bylaw. The Building Inspector may require a drawing and other pertinent information before issuing a permit.
B.
The Building Inspector shall order the removal of any new signs which do not conform to this Zoning Bylaw.
C.
All signs, whether erected before or after the effective date of this Zoning Bylaw, shall be maintained in a safe condition to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector. The Building Inspector may order the repair or removal of any sign which has deteriorated to an unsafe physical condition.
D.
Exempt Signs. Signs erected and maintained by the Town, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or the federal government on any land, building or structures in use by such entities are exempt from regulation under this article.
§ 300-6.2 Signs prohibited in all districts.
A.
Signs which advertise an activity, business, product, or service no longer produced or conducted on the premises where the sign is located are prohibited. Such signs must be removed no more than 30 days after the subject activity, business, production, or service permanently ceases operations on the premises.
B.
Billboards and other permanent, nonaccessory signs are prohibited.
C.
Promotional signs consisting of pennants, streamers, ribbons, spinners or other similar moving devices are prohibited.
D.
Except for digital displays of time, temperature or fuel prices, mechanical signs, signs with moving parts, changing or scrolling images or parts, and signs which create the illusion of movement are prohibited.
E.
Signs with blinking, flashing, or fluttering lights or other illuminating devices with changing light intensity, brightness, or color, and fluorescent, exposed gaseous tube type and neon signs are prohibited, whether exterior to a building or designed to be visible through a door or window.
F.
(Reserved)
G.
Signs illuminated by other than a stationary white or off-white steady light are prohibited.
H.
Signs painted directly on a wall, rock, tree, or pole are prohibited.
I.
Portable signs are prohibited except as temporary signs.
§ 300-6.3 Other restrictions and limitations applicable in all districts.
A.
Sign illumination must be designed so that it casts no glare onto any portion of any street or neighboring residential premises.
B.
No signs, other than posting signs or temporary signs allowed under § 300-6.4B, may be pasted on or attached to a utility pole, tree, fence, or another sign or structure located within or over a public or private way.
C.
Signs must be located in such a way that they do not obstruct visibility or otherwise pose a safety hazard for travel on a public way.
D.
An attached sign may not extend above the main roofline of the building to which it is fastened.
E.
A nonconforming sign may not be altered except to make it conform to this article. A change of message, repainting, and repair are not alterations.
F.
Illumination of signs on nonresidential premises is limited to the hours between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., provided that a sign for a business, facility, or office that is open to the public after 10:00 p.m. may be illuminated until closing.
§ 300-6.4 Signs allowed in all districts.
A.
Political and other noncommercial signs are allowed in all districts, subject to the following provisions:
(2)
The sign may not exceed the height limits otherwise applicable to signs in the district in which it is located.
(3)
The sign area may not exceed the area of the largest sign area allowed in the district in which it is located.
(4)
Except for temporary political signs, the number of noncommercial signs on a premises may not exceed the number of commercial or other signs also allowed on that premises.
B.
Street banners or other temporary, nonaccessory signs advertising a public entertainment or a charitable, religious, or educational event, may be displayed only in locations approved by the Building Inspector. Such signs may be displayed no more than 14 days prior to the event and must be removed within seven days after the event.
C.
Temporary Accessory Signs. A permit for a temporary accessory sign shall be limited to 30 days and may be renewed for only one additional thirty-day period during any twelve-month period.
D.
Posting signs, provided such signs do not exceed two square feet in area.
E.
Directional signs, provided such signs do not exceed one square foot in area.
§ 300-6.5 Signs allowed in residential districts.
A.
The following signs are allowed on premises in the residential districts:
(1)
Two accessory signs identifying a home occupation or other lawful accessory use on the premises.
(2)
One unlighted temporary sign advertising the sale, lease, construction, or repair of the premises.
(3)
One identification sign is located at the front entrance to the principal building on the premises or in the front yard of the premises.
B.
The following setback, height, and surface area regulations apply to signs in the residential districts:
§ 300-6.6 Signs allowed in business and light industry districts.
A.
The following signs are allowed on premises in the business and light industry districts:
(1)
One accessory sign for each tenant of a building may be attached flat against the wall of the building, provided that such sign does not exceed 25 square feet in area per tenant and that the total sign area for multiple tenants does not exceed 10% of the surface area of the wall.
(2)
One other accessory sign, either attached or freestanding, not exceeding 40 square feet in area for each 200 feet of lot frontage on a street, provided that only one such sign may be permitted on a lot having a frontage of less than 200 feet.
(3)
One directory of the establishments occupying a building may be located at each public entrance to the building. Such sign shall not exceed one square foot of area for each establishment occupying the building.
(4)
One identification sign not exceeding six square feet in area located at the front entrance to each building on the premises.
(5)
One unlighted temporary sign advertising the sale or lease of the premises.
(6)
In the business districts, each premises may display one decorative or emblematic cloth flag, no larger than 20 square feet. Such flag may extend over the sidewalk, provided it extends no closer than two feet from the curbline and no lower than eight feet above the sidewalk. Flags containing advertising copy or other written messages may be displayed only as temporary signs.
B.
The following location and height restrictions apply to signs in the business and industrial districts: