Greentown City Zoning Code
SIGNS
§ 156.090 PURPOSE.
The purpose of this subchapter is to permit such signs as will not, by their reason, size, location, construction or manner of display, endanger the public safety of individuals, obstruct the vision necessary for traffic safety or otherwise endanger the public health and morals, and to permit and regulate signs in such a way so as to support and complement land-use objectives set forth in other parts of this chapter. All new signs except for those exempted in § 156.091 of this chapter will require an improvement location permit as prescribed in § 156.145 of this chapter. All signs not expressly exempted or permitted by this subchapter are prohibited.
(Ord. 2008-5, passed 11-4-2008)
§ 156.091 SIGNS NOT REQUIRING PERMITS.
The following types of signs shall be exempted from the permit requirements of § 156.145 of this chapter, though signs so exempted are subject to any and all other sign regulations covered under this subchapter:
(A) Signs not exceeding one square foot in area and bearing only property numbers, post box numbers and names of the occupants of the premises or the name of the home service;
(B) Flags and insignia of any government, but such are not to exceed 30 square feet in area;
(C) Legal notices, identification information or directional signs erected by, or by order of, governmental bodies;
(D) Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except for letters, trademarks, logos, moving parts and flashing or moving lights;
(E) Signs directing and guiding traffic, parking, and business activities on private property, but those bearing no advertising matter, including logos, and not exceeding 20 square feet in area;
(F) One “for sale” or “for rent” sign not more than eight square feet in area for each dwelling unit, garage or other quarters where appropriate. Such sign shall be allowed only on the premises where the vacancy exists or will exist. Multiple-unit apartment buildings of 3 units or more are allowed not more than one such sign per building;
(G) One temporary sign for remodeling or construction and development giving only the name and contact information of the contractors, engineer, architects or property owners, as appropriate, and of not more than 12 square feet in area. Such signs shall be allowed only at the work site and only during the time when remodeling, construction or development is actively underway;
(H) One temporary sign may be placed for a period not to exceed 45 days while waiting for the construction of a permanent sign covered by an improvement location permit. Such sign can be placed only on the same property where the permanent sign will be located and can be no larger than the size of the permanent sign;
(I) For an event of public interest sponsored by a place of worship, governmental agency, school, political organization, charitable organization or incorporated non-profit organization, four temporary, portable or freestanding signs shall be allowed, with each sign not over 50 square feet in area. Such signs shall not be erected more than 30 days before the event in question and shall be removed within five business days after such event;
(J) Political advertisement signs not more than 12 square feet in area may be erected. Such signs may be erected only on private property with the permission of the property owner;
(K) Temporary, portable or freestanding signs necessary to the function of those people, businesses and organizations associated with the county fair may be erected not more than 14 days prior to the opening of the fair and shall be removed within five days after the fair; and
(L) Portable or freestanding signs not over 12 square feet in area may be erected for a private event, party, rummage sale, garage sale, yard sale or the like not more than seven days prior to such event and shall be removed within five days after such event.
(Ord. 2008-5, passed 11-4-2008)
§ 156.092 ON-PREMISES SIGNS.
(A) In any district, the provisions of this division (A) shall be applied to effect the safety of motorists and to facilitate traffic movement.
(1) No sign shall be erected or maintained at any location where it may obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic-control sign, signal or device by reason of its position, wording, illumination, size, shape or color.
(2) No exterior sign shall be permitted to display flashing, intermittent, revolving, rotating or animated lighting or illumination nor any illumination which simulates or displays motion.
(B) In all districts, the provisions of this division (B) shall apply.
(1) No illuminated sign shall be permitted within 50 feet of property in any residential district unless the illumination of such sign does not reflect or shine light onto such property.
(2) No part of any sign shall be erected to a height greater than that specified for other structures in the district in which the sign in located; rooftop or building-mounted sign structures shall not extend more than six feet above the roof line.
(3) The net sign area, or size, of any sign other than an awning, window or wall-painted sign shall include the entire space of the sign but exclude the frame or other structural parts provided that the exclusions do not exceed 20% of the net sign area. The net sign area, or size, of an awning, window or wall-painted sign shall be measured by the smallest square, rectangle, triangle, circle or combination thereof which will encompass the entire span of the advertising and artistic content.
(4) Setbacks for all signs other than freestanding, portable or temporary signs are equal to those setbacks listed for accessory structures under § 156.054 of this chapter. The minimum setback for freestanding, portable or temporary signs from street rights-of-way shall not be less than those given below. Setbacks shall be measured from the nearest point of the sign to the edge of the right-of-way.
Minimum Sign Setbacks
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Area (or Size) of Sign per Face
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Minimum Setback
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5 square feet or less | 2 feet |
5 to 14.9 square feet | 10 feet |
15 to 50 square feet | 20 feet |
(5) No sign shall be erected or maintained on or within any easement or right-of-way, whether public or private, without special permission in writing from that person or those persons entitled to give such permission.
(6) No sign shall project over a lot line except in the downtown area, where the lot line is recognized as equal to the front of the building; no sign shall project into a required yard by more than two feet.
(7) (a) For each real estate subdivision which has been recorded in accordance with the subdivision regulations, one sign of not more than 50 square feet in area advertising the sale of property in such subdivision shall be permitted, but only when located in some portion of the subdivision being advertised for sale. Such sign shall not encroach upon any required yard.
(b) Such sign may be illuminated, except as restricted elsewhere in this chapter.
(c) Such sign shall be maintained only during such time as some portion of the land advertised for sale remains unsold. Permits for such signs shall be issued for a one-year period and may be renewed for additional one-year period to allow time for reasonable display.
(8) For each major entrance to a real estate subdivision, one sign containing the name of the subdivision shall be permitted. Such sign shall not exceed 50 square feet in area and shall have a maximum height of six feet.
(9) Within 60 days after a business goes out of business, that business shall remove all of its sign faces on the property, along with any off-premises signs for that business.
(10) (a) Nonconforming signs. All signs not in conformance with these regulations on the date this chapter becomes effective shall be considered nonconforming signs. Nonconforming signs may continue to exist as they are at the time this chapter becomes effective provided that there is no change to the sign’s structure, location, size, lighting or business names, excluding normal maintenance, repairs or general advertising content.
(b) Changes to nonconforming signs. Any of the changes mentioned in division (B)(10)(a) above will cause such sign to be considered a new sign, and such new sign must comply with all existing regulations.
(C) In any residential district, the provisions of this division (C) shall apply.
(1) Multi-family development may display identification signs indicating nothing other than a name, the address of the premises and the name of the management. Such sign shall not exceed nine square feet in area.
(2) Nonresidential uses shall be permitted one bulletin board or identification sign indicating nothing other than the name and address of the premises and the schedule of services or other information relevant to the operation of the premises. Such sign shall not exceed eight square feet in area.
(D) In any business district, except as otherwise provided, the provisions of this division (D) shall apply.
(1) Signs shall be permitted as accessory uses for each nonresidential business use according to the number and size of signs as set forth below:
Business-Use Signs and Net Sign Area
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District
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Number of Signs
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Maximum Net Sign Area (Each Sign)
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B2 | 2 | 30 sq. ft. in area |
B1, C1 | 3 | 40 sq. ft. in area |
(2) In cases where one individual building or property houses multiple nonresidential business uses, the total net sign area of all signs allowed for that building or property shall be no more than 60 square feet in B2 districts or 120 square feet in B1 or C1 districts.
(3) Off-premises advertising signs may be permitted, but such signs cannot be located in a residential district. The size and number of such off- premises advertising signs are limited to, and must be included in, the total size and number of all signs permitted under divisions (D)(1) and (D)(2) above.
(E) In any industrial district, each business use or industrial use shall be permitted identification signs on the lot only as incidental uses, and shall not exceed two such signs or a total net sign area of 300 square feet.
(F) In any agricultural district, the provisions of this division (F) shall apply.
(1) Agricultural uses shall be permitted one sign not to exceed 30 square feet in area.
(2) Industrial uses shall be permitted a maximum of two signs not to exceed a combined area of 100 square feet.
(3) Business uses shall be permitted a maximum of two signs, with each sign not to exceed 30 square feet in area.
(4) Other nonresidential uses shall be permitted one bulletin board or identification sign indicating nothing other than the name and address of the premises and the schedule of services or other information relevant to the operation of the premises. Such sign shall not exceed 12 square feet in area.
(Ord. 2008-5, passed 11-4-2008)
§ 156.093 OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS, BILLBOARDS.
(A) Outdoor advertising signs shall be allowed in B1, C1 and I districts only.
(B) Outdoor advertising signs shall be separated by 1,000 feet in all directions, and pertaining to the interstates and limited access highways, no outdoor advertising sign may be located adjacent to or within 500 feet of an interchange, at-grade intersection or rest area; the 500 feet shall be measured from the right-of-way line.
(C) No outdoor advertising sign shall be permitted if it is located within 300 feet of land that is in residential use or is zoned R1, R2, R3, R4, B2 or A.
(D) No outdoor advertising sign structure shall contain more than two facings, and no facing shall display more than two signs.
(E) The maximum area for any one facing shall be 300 square feet, exclusive of any border, trim, ornamental base, apron, supports, embellishments and other structural members if the exclusions do not exceed 20% of the net sign area.
(Ord. 2008-5, passed 11-4-2008)