Haddam City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXI
Outdoor Signs
§ 270-121 Purpose.
Haddam is a Town with an essentially residential and rural character. It is a Town with a rich history of agriculture, industry and commerce. It contains many areas of historical and aesthetic importance. The purpose of this article is to permit such signs that will not, by their quantity, size, height, location, construction or manner of display, endanger public health and safety; and to permit objectives set forth in these zoning regulations.
§ 270-122 Registration required.
No sign, as defined by this regulation, shall be erected or maintained within the limits of the Town of Haddam except those specifically permitted by these regulations, for which a registration in accordance with the regulation has been received by the Zoning Enforcement Officer or the Planning and Zoning Commission.
§ 270-123 Signs allowed without registration in all zones.
Anything to the contrary in this regulation notwithstanding, the following signs are permitted of right and do not require a registration unless they vary from the allowable standards set herein:
A.
Flags. National flags, flags of political entitles and subdivisions and state, Town or local flags. Flags indicating weather conditions and flags which are emblems of religious, charitable, public or nonprofit organizations are included.
B.
Identification signs (on premises). One sign, painted upon or applied to a building or freestanding, either fixed or changeable, setting forth or denoting the name of any subdivision, group, housing project, school, college, park, church, charitable service, religious, governmental, educational or nonprofit organization or other public facility when located on the premises of such institution, provided such sign face shall not exceed 24 square feet in area.
C.
Identification signs (off premises). Public, charitable, fraternal, religious or other nonprofit institutions may erect permanent off-premises signs not more than three in number and not more than four square feet in area per sign, listing the name of the organization, the time and place of meeting and other pertinent information. Such signs may contain a logo or distinguishing mark or character associated with the organization.
D.
Address signs. Occupants of a residence may display their names, the names of their residence and/or its street address on a single sign per parcel of land, not exceeding six square feet in area.
E.
Newspaper boxes. Boxes, tubes or receptacles for the delivery and receipt of newspapers may be placed along roadways or on buildings or premises and may contain the name of the newspaper or other publication, provided that the total area of signage of any such item shall not exceed one square foot in size.
F.
Plaques. Commemorative or informational plaques placed by public interest organizations or agencies recognized by the Town of Haddam, State of Connecticut or United States government. Such plaques shall not exceed six square feet in size.
G.
Public signs. Signs of a public or noncommercial nature, which shall include community service information signs, public bulletin boards, public transit service signs, public utility information signs, safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, signs indicating scenic or historical points of interest and all signs erected by a public officer in the performance of a public duty, including state and Town traffic, locational and directional signs.
I.
Temporary signs.
(1)
Construction signs: one sign per building which is under construction or structural alteration or repair announcing the character of the building enterprise or the purposes for which the building is intended, including the names of architects, engineers, contractors, developers and lending institutions responsible for the construction on the site, provided the area of such sign shall not exceed six square feet in residential districts or 32 square feet in other districts. Such signs shall be removed within 30 days of the completion of construction.
(2)
Real estate signs: one sign per street frontage not exceeding six square feet in residential districts or any 32 square feet in other districts, advertising the sale, rental or lease of the premises on which displayed.
(3)
Special event displays: A sign or signs may be erected on the premises of any establishment having a grand opening or special event, provided that such signs shall not exceed 32 square feet in aggregate area and all such signs for any business shall be displayed for a period not to exceed 90 calendar days within any twelve-month period.
(4)
Auction signs: One temporary sign not more than 12 square feet in area, advertising a public auction of property located in a residential district, may be displayed on the premises on which the property is located, provided that the duration of the display shall not exceed 30 days in any one calendar year.
(5)
Tag, yard, barn or similar sale signs: One temporary sign not more than six square feet in area, advertising the sale of items of personal property owned by a person residing on the premises, may be displayed on the premises, provided that such sign shall not be erected more than 12 days in advance of the sale date and shall be removed with two days after the sale. In addition, each tag sale is permitted two off-premises directional signs not to exceed one square foot each. Such signs shall be displayed only in the areas in which their display is not prohibited by state or local law or regulation and, if placed in front of property owned by another, the signs may be displayed only with written permission of the property owner (subject to limitations in Article XXIII of these regulations).
(7)
Temporary business signs: In addition to all other permitted signage, each business shall be allowed one on-premises sign per street frontage for the purposes of advertising help wanted or other similar special needs. Each sign shall not exceed six square feet in area.
(8)
Political signs: any political campaign sign or sign concerning a matter of public interest or controversy, including any poster, banner, writing, picture, painting, light, model, display, emblem, notice, illustration, insignia, symbol and any other advertising device, the purpose of which is to announce the candidacy of any person or persons seeking public office of offices or to state a position or opinion on a matter of public interest or controversy. Each sign shall not exceed 32 square feet and may only be displayed 90 days before an event (if applicable) and must be removed within two days of the event. Such signs shall be displayed only in areas in which their display is not prohibited by state or local law or regulation.
(9)
Street banners (off premises): Public, charitable, fraternal, religious or other nonprofit institutions may erect a single special event sign, either on or off premises, not more than 32 square feet per side, to be displayed not more than 30 days before the event being advertised and to be removed within two days after the event.
§ 270-124 Signs allowed with registration in residential zones.
Every business permitted under the provisions of §§ 270-21, 270-22 and 270-23 (except home occupations as defined and regulated under Article XXVI) of these regulations may have on the property on which the business is conducted one plain or indirectly illuminated, nonflashing, nonrotating sign, not more than six square feet in area, indicating the name of the owner or proprietor, the character of the business and/or the products or services made, sold or delivered on the premises.
§ 270-125 Signs allowed with registration in nonresidential zones.
In nonresidential zones, every business may erect upon the property on which the business is conducted plain or directly or indirectly illuminated, nonflashing, nonrotating business signs indicating the name of the owner or proprietor, the character of the business, the name of the business and/or the products or services made, sold or delivered on the premises. These signs may be either painted on, applied, or attached to a building or a combination of said sign types. All such signs shall be subject to the following requirements and limitations:
A.
Business signs, when painted on, applied or attached to a building, either flat or hanging therefrom, may not exceed 5% of each wall area or 32 square feet (whichever is larger) in aggregate sign face area per side.
B.
No sign shall protrude above the highest portion of the roof ridge line.
C.
Signs affixed either flat or parallel to the building shall not project more than 12 inches from the front of the building and shall not project beyond the side of the building.
D.
Signs which hang perpendicular to the building shall provide a clearance of at least eight feet from the grade to the sign. This shall not apply to flags or banners.
E.
In the case of multiple businesses in the same location or shopping malls, there may be a freestanding directory consisting of a header with the name of the building or mall, not to exceed one square foot per 200 square feet of business floor area, with a minimum allowable size of 18 square feet and additional individual business identification signs of not more than six square feet each, with an overall height not to exceed 22 feet. Such sign shall be placed such that it meets all Town, state or federal regulations associated with setbacks from existing roadways.
F.
In addition to the signs permitted by Subsections A and E, each parcel may have one freestanding sign detached from any building per each 200 feet of road frontage. Such signs shall be not more than 32 square feet in sign face area per side. No freestanding sign shall have a height greater than 20 feet. In any instance where a parcel has road frontage in excess of 200 feet, and there is more than one freestanding sign, no such additional freestanding sign shall be within 150 feet of any other freestanding or directory sign. Such signs shall be placed such that they meet all Town, state or federal regulations associated with setbacks from existing roadways.
G.
In determining the total permitted sign area, only one side of a two-sided freestanding or hanging sign will be considered.
H.
Traffic signs approved with a site plan shall not be included in the total allowable sign face area under this regulation.
I.
Traffic, rate or informational signs mandated by federal, state or local regulation shall not be included in the total allowable sign face unless they exceed legally required minimum sizes and then only by the amount by which such sign(s) exceeds such minimum sizes.
J.
In addition to the business signs allowed above, each business shall be allowed one "inverted T" or "A-frame" non-fixed-type sign per street frontage, not to exceed eight square feet per side. Such sign shall displayed only in areas in which their display is not prohibited by state or local law or regulation.
K.
In addition to all other signage, each business shall be allowed one "open" or other advertising flag per street frontage, not to exceed 15 square feet in size, to be displayed on the business premises. No flag shall be placed in any areas where such display is prohibited by state or local law or regulation.
L.
Each business may place not more than two off-premises directional signs, each sign not more than four square feet per side in size, with written permission of the property owner, in any commercial zone, except that no directional signs may be located in the Gateway Zone or in any location where its display will be a hazard.
M.
In addition to all elements of signage and display allowed by this regulation, any business located in a nonresidential zone may display merchandise or wares of the business outside of the premises of the business. All such displays shall be in accordance with an approved site plan submitted in accordance with Article XVIII of these zoning regulations.
§ 270-126 Prohibited signs.
It shall be unlawful to erect or maintain:
A.
Any sign which is not included under the types of signs permitted in this regulation.
B.
Any sign or billboard which advertises or publicizes an activity not conducted on the premises upon which such sign is maintained.
C.
Any portable or changeable sign, except as otherwise permitted by this regulation.
D.
Any sign placed above the highest portion of the roof of any structure or building.
E.
Any temporary sign unless otherwise permitted by this regulation.
§ 270-127 Nonconforming signs.
Signs in nonresidential areas which predate and do not conform to the provisions of this regulation shall be subject to the following restrictions and limitations: If said signs existed prior to January 1, 1992, and are registered by September 1, 1992, such signs may continue; except if said sign or billboard shall need repair or renovation which involves the rebuilding of more than 50% of the structure, such structure shall be removed or brought into compliance. Nothing herein shall prevent the routine repair, maintenance, repainting, relettering or reapplication of advertising materials to any validly existing sign or nonconforming sign or billboard.
§ 270-128 Registration.
A.
No sign for which a registration is required under these regulations shall be erected unless and until a registration has been received by the Haddam Zoning Enforcement Officer. All applicants for a registration shall submit a registration to the Zoning Enforcement Officer on a form designated by the Commission. Such registration shall be kept on file for each business by the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
B.
All signs existing prior to January 1, 1992, shall be registered prior to September 1, 1992. No fee will be charged for registrations.