Provisions of this article establish minimum standards for billboards and off-premises outdoor advertising signs. Regulations are intended to protect public safety and to promote aesthetic values, while also recognizing that a reasonable amount of signage is necessary to promote business interests conducted in the County. The regulations contained in this article are consistent with the goals and objectives of the County Comprehensive Land Use and Policies Plan, and with the functional and environmental needs of the zoning districts in which signs are located. To prevent an unwanted proliferation of advertising signs, a maximum of 20 additional permits above those presently authorized for billboards and off-premises outdoor advertising signs shall be authorized for use in Industrial-zoned areas. The County also encourages municipal annexation of properties which contain billboards and off-premises outdoor advertising signs.

(Ord. No. 02-O-05, § 1.0, 12-18-2001.)

(a)

Permit requirement. A sign permit issued by the Department of Building and Zoning is required for all new and existing billboards and off-premises outdoor advertising signs as follows:

(1)

New signs. Applications shall be made for available sign permits to the Department of Building and Zoning for its submittal to the Zoning and Building Committee of the County Board.

(2)

Existing nonconforming signs. The Commissioner of Building and Zoning is authorized to cause to be removed signs which are in violation of any applicable ordinances and regulations of the County.

(b)

Permit application procedures.

(1)

Applications for available sign permits shall be made to the Department of Building and Zoning on forms furnished by the Department. All applications shall be accompanied by a fee as established by the County Board.

(2)

Applications shall include information required to assure compliance with regulations set forth in this article and with all other applicable ordinances and regulations of the County.

(3)

Applicants shall provide a bond, in a form acceptable to the Department of Building and Zoning, to ensure that signs will be constructed, maintained and removed in accordance with this article. Bonds shall permit the County to make, or cause to be made, emergency repairs and/or removal of signs.

(4)

Sign permits shall be issued by the Department of Building and Zoning upon satisfaction of all requirements and the approval of the County Board. Any permit may be revoked at any time by the Department of Building and Zoning upon a finding that a sign violates any provision of this article, or any other applicable County ordinance or regulation, or when a permittee has made false representations in securing a sign permit.

(c)

Fees. In addition to the application fee required to obtain a sign permit, an annual registration renewal fee as set forth in Section 32-1 shall be required to maintain the permit.

(Ord. No. 02-O-05, § 1.1, 12-18-2001; Ord. No. 07-O-70, 10-16-2007; Ord. No. 13-O-38, 7-31-2013; Ord. No. 20-4332, 10-22-2020.)

(a)

Signs shall not be erected so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door or window, nor shall signs be erected so as to impair access to the roofs of buildings.

(b)

Signs shall not be attached to trees or utility poles.

(c)

Signs shall not be painted, erected or constructed on the walls or roofs of buildings or structures.

(d)

Signs shall not use strobe lights.

(e)

Signs which are indirectly illuminated shall be illuminated by a steady, stationary, shielded or shaded light source and shall be directed solely at the sign so that the light intensity or brightness does not shine on adjacent properties or create traffic hazards for motorists or pedestrians.

(f)

Signs shall be designed and constructed to withstand wind pressure of 30 pounds per square foot, and shall be constructed to receive dead loads as required by the County Building and Environmental Ordinance.

(g)

Signs made of metal shall have faces or backgrounds constructed of metal not thinner than No. 28 B&S gauge.

(h)

Signs containing glass shall use safety glass.

(i)

Signs containing letters and characters shall be legible, cleanly defined and unfaded.

(j)

Sign parts and supports shall be painted and maintained to prevent rusting, rotting, illegibility or other deterioration. All broken or missing parts of signs shall be promptly replaced.

(k)

Signs which are freestanding shall be designed and engineered by an engineer licensed in the State of Illinois. Stamped drawings shall be submitted to the Department of Building and Zoning along with permit applications, which certify that signs comply with all structural regulations in this article and with all other applicable ordinances and regulations of the County.

(l)

Signs shall not contain any fluttering, undulating, swinging, rotating, flashing or other moving parts, except:

(1)

Signs that give time and temperature information; and

(2)

Multiple-message signs with displays that change not more frequently than once every ten seconds.

(m)

Signs shall display the name of the permit holder.

(n)

Signs for which a permit has expired, which are unsafe, poorly maintained, insecure or which have been maintained, constructed or erected in violation of the provisions of this article, or with other applicable ordinances and regulations of the County may be removed, or caused to be removed by the Commissioner of Building and Zoning.

(o)

Signs shall not display specified anatomical areas or specified sexual activity as defined in Appendix A, Zoning.

(Ord. No. 02-O-05, § 1.1.3, 12-18-2001; Ord. No. 07-O-03, 12-19-2006; Ord. No. 13-O-38, 7-31-2013.)

The following billboards and off-premises outdoor advertising signs shall be permitted subject to the regulations set forth in this Ordinance:

(1)

Residential Districts. Billboards and off-premises outdoor advertising signs shall not be permitted in Residential Districts.

(2)

Commercial Districts.

a.

New signs. New billboard and off-premises outdoor advertising signs shall not be permitted in commercial districts as of the effective date of the ordinance from which this article is derived.

b.

Existing conforming signs. Owners of signs existing in commercial districts which are conforming to the permit as originally issued shall register such signs with the Department of Building and Zoning no later than 60 days from the effective date of the ordinance from which this article is derived.

c.

Alterations to existing signs. Structural alterations made to existing signs in commercial districts which are made for the purposes of enabling such signs to be used as multiple message signs, as defined in Appendix A, Article 14.2 and authorized under Section 114-33 of this Code, shall be permitted so long as owners of such existing signs obtain all necessary permits from the Department of Building and Zoning and so long as such signs are in compliance with all other provisions of this Code or have obtained the appropriate relief therefrom.

(3)

Industrial districts. Billboard and off-premises outdoor advertising signs shall be permitted in industrial districts subject to the following:

a.

Signs shall not have a face area which exceeds 750 square feet inclusive of extensions, cutouts and embellishments. Two-sided signs shall be allowed;

b.

Signs shall not be affixed to or erected on the front, rear, side walls or roofs of buildings.

c.

Signs shall not be located closer than 500 feet from other billboards and off-premises signs which require a permit.

d.

Signs shall not be erected within 500 feet of any residential district, forest preserve district or any officially designated federal, state or local historic property, district or corridor.

e.

Signs, including sign structures, shall not project higher than 40 feet above the established average grade of a zoning lot on which the sign is located. The base of the sign face shall project at least 20 feet above the curb level of the road it is designed to be read from.

f.

Signs shall be required to be set back from the right-of-way line a distance of the minimum setback requirement of the zoning district.

(Ord. No. 02-O-05, § 1.2, 12-18-2001; Ord. No. 07-O-53, 9-6-2007.)

An applicant may request and the County Board may approve relief from these provisions.

(Ord. No. 02-O-05, § 1.3, 12-18-2001.)