Highland Park City Zoning Code
§ 14
SIGN REGULATIONS.
14-100
Objectives and Purpose.
The principal objectives and purpose of this section of the Zoning Ordinance are:
(1)
To provide a reasonable system for the control of signs;
(2)
To encourage signs which are well designed and pleasing in appearance;
(3)
To encourage a desirable urban character compatible with the general residential environment of the Town which has a minimum of overhead clutter;
(4)
To enhance the economic value of the community through the location and the design of signs;
(5)
To provide for signs, for which the principal purpose will be to furnish information necessary for business and commerce;
(6)
To reduce possible traffic and safety hazards through good signage; and
(7)
To provide for proper sign area and height with relation to viewing distance and other circumstances.
14-101
Definitions.
For the purpose of this section, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this section are defined as follows:
(1)
Address Sign.
Shall mean a sign not exceeding seventy-two (72) square inches in exposed surface used to identify the address of the premises and is not illuminated or lighted.
(2)
Area of Sign.
Shall mean the area within the outer dimensions of a sign, including those portions of the frame or support structure which (A) border or adjoin the face of the sign, or (B) are of size, dimension or configuration which attracts attention or (C) are in excess of that necessary to support the sign. In the case of a multiple-faced sign, each face shall be deemed to be a separate sign for the purpose of determining sign area and each face is entitled to the allowable sign area. If a sign is placed on a wall or other surface, or if letters or other portions of the sign are supported individually, without any border, the area shall be computed by enclosing the entire sign within sets of parallel lines. (See Figure D)
 |
(3)
Banner.
Flexible material, usually made of cloth or plastic, often bearing a symbol or slogan, and which is attached at each end on a pole, or which hangs vertically on a pole.
(4)
Billboard.
An off-premise sign.
(5)
Business Sign.
Shall mean a structure or graphic display placed or arranged for the purpose of directing attention to the occupant, building, service or product existing or offered on the premises on which such sign is located.
(6)
Commercial Message.
Wording on any sign, logo, or other representation that, directly or indirectly, names, advertises or calls attention to a business, product, service, or other commercial activity.
(7)
Construction Sign.
Shall mean a sign stating the names of the general contractor and, if desired, those individuals or businesses directly connected with a construction project. For the purposes of construction signs, a “general contractor” shall be an individual, firm, corporation, or other entity that has lawfully obtained a building permit.
(8)
Face, Sign Face, or Face of a Sign.
Shall mean any surface of a sign which is painted, stained, lighted, has lettering, or is illustrated, separately or in combination, to attract attention.
(9)
Ground Sign.
Shall mean a sign which is supported by a pedestal or other solid foundation in or upon the ground. It shall also include signs referred to as “monument signs.”
(10)
Illuminated Sign or Lighted Sign.
These terms may be used interchangeably and shall refer to any sign which has a source of light, either internal or external, for the purpose of illuminating such sign.
(11)
Nonconforming Sign.
Shall mean a sign which was not in violation of any ordinance of the Town at the time of its erection, which was intended to be and which is permanent, and does not constitute a hazard to public safety or a nuisance, but which does not conform to the requirements of section 14.
(12)
Noncommercial Sign.
Any sign that does not contain or is not used to convey a commercial message.
(13)
Off-Premise Sign.
Shall mean any sign not constructed on the same building site as the business it is advertising.
(14)
Pole Sign.
Shall mean any detached sign taller than six feet (6') which is supported by one or more poles, pylons, or similar structural fixture(s) permanently affixed to the ground.
(15)
Political Sign.
Shall mean a temporary sign indicating the name, picture, and/or information related to an individual seeking election or appointment to a public office, or relating to a forthcoming public election or referendum, or pertaining to the advocating by persons, groups, or parties of political views or policies.
(16)
Portable Business Sign.
Shall mean any outdoor advertising display sign not permanently attached to a support structure via commonly used construction standards.
(17)
Real Estate Sign.
Shall mean a sign advertising the sale, lease, or rental of property only for a use for which it is legally zoned.
(18)
Sign.
The term “sign,” as used herein, shall refer to any structure, object, or graphic device which is located, placed, colored, designed, arranged, lighted, or erected for the purpose of attracting attention to a building, premises, commodity, product, business, service, or activity or which gives information about same.
(19)
Temporary Sign.
Shall mean a nonilluminated sign designed for the limited and/or temporary advertisement of specific events for the property on which it is located.
14-102
Permits Required.
It shall be unlawful to erect, re-erect, construct, or alter any sign except as provided by section 14, pursuant to a required sign permit for the same issued by the Building Inspection Department. Except as hereinafter provided, a permit shall be required for each sign. In addition, electrical permits shall be obtained for lighted or illuminated signs.
14-103
Permits Not Required for Certain Signs.
The following shall be subject to other requirements of this article even though a permit shall not therefore be required:
(1)
Maintenance and repairs to existing signs for which a valid sign permit was obtained, if required at the time of the initial installation;
(2)
Signs for public safety and convenience such as directional signs, provided that they do not exceed three (3) square feet in size. Signs include “Entrance,” “One-Way,” “No Trespassing,” “Do Not Enter,” “No Parking,” and similar types, and are not permitted in the right-of-way.[;]
(3)
Public notice signs, such as notices to remove weeds;
(4)
Political signs;
(5)
Garage sale or estate sale signs;
(6)
Detached or attached signs designating a building or place as historic, provided that they are no larger than six (6) square feet in size;
(7)
Security protection signs not exceeding one (1) square foot in size;
(8)
“For Sale,” “For Lease,” and other similar real estate signs;
(10)
School, civic, religious, charitable, and other nonprofit and noncommercial signs;
(11)
Address signs.
14-104
Nonconforming Signs.
Any words, symbols or other graphic materials of a nonconforming sign may be replaced or changed. Except as provided in section 14-103, a permit is required to make other changes to a nonconforming sign. A permit for alteration of a sign which involves only a change in copy, symbols or color, and which does not involve any change in any part of the structure or lighting of the sign itself, shall not be denied on the basis that the sign is otherwise nonconforming, if such sign was erected in accordance with applicable Town ordinances. If any such sign is (1) dismantled, (2) removed, or (3) destroyed by fire, vandalism, windstorm, or other natural forces or events beyond the control of the owner, to the extent of more than 60% of the cost of erecting a new sign of the same type at the same location, it shall not be replaced, re-erected or re-built without a sign permit conforming to section 14.
14-105
Sign Permit Applications.
All applications for sign permits shall be made in writing on forms furnished by the Town available at the Town Hall or online at the Town’s website. The Building Official shall have the authority to prepare application forms with application requirements such as scaled drawings, sign dimensions and colors, applicant contact information, and other relevant information as appropriate and necessary to process the sign permit request.
14-106
Maintenance of Signs.
All signs shall be maintained so as to be structurally safe, clean, and in a good state of maintenance and repair. Any unsafe signs shall be removed by the property owner by order of the Building Official.
14-107
Unlawful or Prohibited Signs:
(1)
Posting on Public Places.
It shall be unlawful for any person to post, suspend, print, stick, stamp, tack or otherwise affix, or cause the same to be done, any notice, placard, bill, card, poster, sticker, banner, sign, advertising, or other device calculated to attract the attention of the public to, over, or upon any street right-of-way (including the parkway, except for address signs), public sidewalk, curb (except house numbers) lamp post, hydrant, tree, electric light pole, telephone pole, or upon any fixture of the telephone systems, traffic-control poles or supports, or similar or related systems involving governmental or public service of the Town, or upon any public building, structure, or utility. (This subsection is not applicable to public convenience, safety, and regulatory signs erected by the Town.)
(2)
Moving Signs.
It shall be unlawful for any person to erect or install any sign which, in whole or in part, moves, rotates, flashes, reflects, blinks, or appears to do any of the foregoing, or which simulates motion in any manner. Time and temperature signs shall be permitted, but shall not change less than every five (5) seconds.
(3)
Prohibited Support.
A sign shall not be supported in whole or in part from any public utility installation or any tree on private premises.
(4)
Off-Premise Signs.
Off-premise signs are prohibited in any zoning district within the Town.
(5)
Obscene Signs.
Signs displaying indecent, obscene gestures or pictures or profanity are prohibited in any zoning district within the Town.
(6)
Pole Signs.
Pole signs are prohibited in any zoning district within the Town.
(7)
Portable Signs.
Portable business and similar signs are not permitted in any zoning district within the Town.
(8)
Construction Signs.
Construction signs are not permitted in residential zoning districts.
(9)
Business Signs.
Business signs are not permitted in residential zoning districts.
14-108
Detached Business Signs.
Detached business signs shall be permitted in CS, GR, and PD 1 districts as follows:
(1)
Only on-site business signs are permitted as detached signs. All business signs not affixed to a building are deemed detached signs.
(2)
Detached signs shall be ground signs.
(3)
Detached business signs shall meet the following standards:
(a)
No more than two (2) ground signs per site.
(b)
Maximum sign height is six feet (6') and maximum width is ten feet (10').
(c)
The sign face area shall not exceed 60 square feet per sign face and shall not exceed a total of 120 square feet for all sides or faces (See Figure E) and the combined size of all detached signs shall not exceed 120 square feet.
(d)
Detached signs can be used for the one business or multiple tenants.
(e)
Detached signs shall not be closer than ten feet (10') apart.
(f)
Only external lighting is permitted on detached signs. However, individually back-lit opaque letters are permitted. See section 14-114 for intensity of sign lighting permitted.
(g)
Detached signs shall be set back a minimum of five feet (5') from the property line. Signs shall not be placed that obstruct the view at an intersection or create a traffic hazard. No sign shall be located or placed so as to interfere with the line of site at an intersection from a distance of twenty-four inches (24") above the top of the adjacent street curb for a distance of twenty-five feet (25') back from the intersection in each direction along the street curb.
(h)
Signs shall be constructed of metal with a matte finish, stone, concrete, wood, brick, or fiberglass with a matte finish.
 |
14-109
Wall or Attached Business Signs.
Wall or attached business signs shall be permitted in CS, GR, and PD 1 districts as follows:
(1)
Signs painted on the wall of the building.
(2)
Signs composed solely of individual letters provided that no portion thereof shall extend more than eight inches (8") from the wall, building, or structure to which it is attached.
(3)
Attached wall signs shall not face a residential zoning district unless separated by a public street, except a nonilluminated sign, not exceeding two (2) square feet, shall be permitted to face a residential zoning district when separated by a public street, a parking lot, an easement, or alley.
(4)
Attached wall signs shall not exceed two (2) square feet in area for each one (1) foot of first story of linear frontage. There is no limit on the number of signs per wall, but in no case shall the square footage of any single sign exceed 200 square feet.
(5)
Attached signs shall not exceed the height of the wall to which the sign is attached.
(6)
Internally illuminated and back-lit signs are permitted, including LED signs, except LED signs with exposed bulbs, which are prohibited.
(7)
Signs in windows or inside a building which are visible from a street or a sidewalk are exempt from area and size requirements, but must meet all other requirements for attached signs. Window signs in vacant tenant spaces shall not be lit in any manner.
(8)
Murals and other wall paintings or graphics larger than permitted in this subsection may be permitted by specific use permit (SUP) in nonresidential zoning districts only.
14-110
Projecting Blade Signs.
Projecting blade signs shall be permitted in CS and GR districts as follows:
(1)
Only one projecting blade sign per business shall be allowed.
(2)
Projecting blade signs may be utilized as business identification signs in nonresidential zones provided that such signs: (a) do not exceed three (3) square feet in area and six inches (6") in thickness; (b) are erected at least seven feet (7') above grade or sidewalk, (c) are mounted with connectors which are an integral part and in keeping with the overall design of the sign, (d) shall not be internally illuminated, and (e) are erected so that the structural elements shall not be exposed unless the same are an integral part and in keeping with the overall design and theme of the sign. Projecting blade signs may be constructed of metal, wood, or fiberglass with matte finish.
14-111
Signs on Projecting Overhangs and Awnings.
Signs on projecting overhangs or awnings shall be considered attached signs.
14-112
Color of Signs.
Signs requiring a permit shall be limited to earth-tone colors as determined from a color palette approved by the Town Administrator, or his designee, and on file in the Building Inspection Department. For the purpose of this section, “sign” shall include the lighting or illumination and, in the case of a sign placed on a building surface without any border and with its background the same color as the building surface, the color of the building surface shall not be considered as a color of the sign. For the purposes of this section, black and white shall not be considered colors.
14-113
Lighting of Signs.
Any external sign lighting shall be limited to white light and permitted only when such lighting is installed on private property and hooded or shielded so that direct beams therefrom do not fall upon public streets, alleys, or other private property. Sodium vapor or other colored exterior lights or lighting are not permitted.
14-114
Intensity of Lighting/Luminance.
Signs that interfere with the proper operation of, or cause confusion to the operator of a motor vehicle on the public streets by virtue of the intensity, or direction of their lighting or illumination shall not be permitted. Signs which are lighted or illuminated shall not have luminance greater than 5 footcandles within two feet (2') of the sign face.
14-115
Real Estate Signs.
One real estate sign per street frontage, such as “for sale” or “for lease,” per property ownership or vacant tenant space is permitted and shall not exceed eight (8) square feet in area, including riders or additional plates not exceeding two (2) in number, which may be attached. Such signs shall be erected or constructed so that no portion thereof exceeds a height of six feet (6') from the ground. In addition, an “Open” sign, not to exceed two (2) square feet in area, may be used on the property when the dwelling is open for public inspection. Real estate signs must be removed not later than ten (10) days after the transaction pursuant to which the property is sold or leased is closed.
14-116
Address Signs.
Address signs are permitted as an accessory use in all zoning districts in the Town and are permitted in the parkway when not on a permanent foundation.
14-117
Political Signs.
Political signs, not exceeding thirty-six (36) square feet in area or eight feet (8') in height, shall be permitted. Such signs shall not be illuminated nor have any moving parts.
14-118
Nonresidential Construction Signs.
Nonresidential construction signs shall be permitted in CS, GR, and PD 1 districts. Nonresidential construction signs shall not exceed twenty (20) square feet in size or eight feet (8') in height. Only one construction sign per site is permitted. Construction signs shall be removed when the construction, as specified on the building permit, is complete.
14-119
Noncommercial Signs.
A noncommercial sign may be located in all zoning districts of the Town.
(1)
Noncommercial signs located in CS, GR and PD districts shall be subject to dimensional, design, and other requirements as set forth in section 14-108 for that district.
(2)
Noncommercial signs located in A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H districts shall not exceed eight feet (8') in height or exceed thirty-six (36) square feet in area. When multiple signs are located on a property, the total area of the combined sign faces shall not exceed one hundred twenty (120) square feet.
14-120
Multifamily Identification Signs:
(1)
One attached multifamily identification sign is permitted per site in the “G” and “H” zoning districts. Attached signs shall not exceed twenty (20) square feet.
(2)
One detached multifamily identification ground sign is permitted per site. Detached signs shall not exceed one (1) square foot per one linear foot of building width.
(3)
The total square footage of attached and detached signs shall not exceed sixty (60) square feet.
14-121
Temporary Signs:
(1)
Require a permit from the Building Inspection Department prior to installation and/or display;
(2)
Are only permitted in the CS, GR, PD, and multifamily zoning districts;
(3)
Shall not exceed a total cumulative area of thirty (30) square feet in size; and
(4)
May be on display for no more than a thirty (30) day period, and for no more than two (2) such 30-day periods per calendar year.
14-122
Signs in Highland Park Village (PD 1).
Signs in the Highland Park Shopping Village (PD 1) shall comply with the standards established in section 14. In addition, the following standards shall apply only to PD 1:
(1)
Detached Signs:
(a)
Four (4) monument signs are permitted for the entire PD 1, but no more than two (2) such signs are permitted on any street frontage.
(b)
One detached interior sign per two (2) acres or portion thereof, is permitted, but not exceeding seven feet (7') in height and a maximum of three (3) square feet per side. Interior signs shall not be permitted in the front yard.
(c)
One sandwich board sign designed to display changeable messages per business tenant is allowed. A sandwich board sign shall not exceed four feet (4') in height and thirty inches (30") in width. Sandwich board signs shall not obstruct a sidewalk, but may be placed on the sidewalk provided that a minimum of four feet (4') is maintained for pedestrian movement. Sandwich board signs are not permitted in the front yard.
(2)
Attached Signs:
(a)
No attached wall signs shall face a public street, except Preston Road or Mockingbird Lane.
(b)
One projecting blade or hanging sign per tenant is permitted, but shall not project more than four feet (4') from the wall and not exceed six (6) square feet in size. Projecting blade or hanging signs shall not exceed six inches (6") in thickness and shall be a minimum of seven feet (7') above the sidewalk or ground. Projecting blade signs shall not face a public street.
(3)
Fourteen (14) special event or tenant flags are authorized, but shall not be located in the front yard. A permit from the Building Inspection Department shall not be required for such flags.
(4)
Other signs not specifically set forth herein may be approved by the Town Council by site plan amendment to PD 1.
14-123
Theater Signs.
Theaters shall be allowed signs on permanent, fixed marquees. Such signs shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the front elevation of the theater and in no case, shall such sign exceed 120 square feet in area.
14-124
Signs On University Property.
All signs on property owned by Southern Methodist University shall comply with standards established in section 14. In addition, property in a nonresidential zoning district adjacent to Mockingbird Lane shall be permitted to have:
(1)
One banner per building site for special events not exceeding two feet by six feet (2' x 6') in size.
(2)
Banners shall be allowed on poles or light support standards for a maximum of thirty (30) days per event.
(3)
Banners shall be a minimum of eight feet (8') and a maximum of twenty feet (20') above the top of the adjacent street curb.
(4)
Banners shall not extend across property lines or into the right-of-way.
(5)
Other signs permitted by specific use permit (SUP).
14-125
Other Signs.
Signs in a PD and CC districts may be approved by ordinance by the Town Council.
(Ordinance 847, sec. 1, adopted 3/1/76; Ordinance 1008, sec. 2(1), adopted 9/6/83; Ordinance 1246, sec. 2, adopted 4/5/93; Ordinance 1873, sec. 9, adopted 10/24/11)