Hiram City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 1141
Signs
1141.01 PURPOSE.
The purpose of this chapter is to promote and protect the public health, welfare and safety by regulating existing and proposed outdoor signs of all types. It is intended to protect property values, create a more attractive economic and business climate, enhance and protect the physical appearance of the community. It is further intended to reduce sign or advertising distraction, and hazards that may interfere with public safety, provide more open space, curb the deterioration of the natural environment, and support and complement land use objectives set forth in the Zoning Code.
(Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)
1141.02 GOVERNMENTAL SIGNS EXCLUDED.
For the purpose of this Zoning Code, “sign” does not include signs erected and maintained pursuant to and in discharge of any governmental function, or required by any law, ordinance, or governmental regulations.
(Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)
1141.03 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL SIGNS AND DISTRICTS.
The regulations contained in this section shall apply to all signs and all use districts:
(a) Any illuminated sign or lighting device shall employ only external light emitting a constant intensity, and no sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating or moving light or lights. In no event shall an illuminated sign or lighting device be placed or directed so as to permit the beams and illumination therefrom to be directed or beamed upon a public thoroughfare, highway, sidewalk or adjacent premises so as to cause glare or reflection that may constitute a traffic hazard or nuisance.
(b) No sign shall employ any parts or elements which revolve, rotate, whirl, spin or otherwise make use of motion to attract attention.
(c) No projecting sign shall be erected or maintained from the front or face of a building a distance of more than two (2) feet.
(d) No sign shall be placed on the roof of any building, except those signs whose supporting structure is screened so the sign appears to be a continuation of the face of the building. (Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)
(e) No sign or part thereof shall contain or consist of banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners, or similar moving devices other than for celebrations. Such devices, as well as strings of lights, shall not be used for the purpose of advertising or attracting attention when not part of a sign, except in conjunction with the opening of a new business, which shall not exceed a fourteen (14) day period. (Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89; Ord. 90-8. Passed 6-12-90.)
(f) No sign erected or maintained in the window of a building, visible from any public or private street or highway, shall occupy more than twenty percent (20%) of the window surface.
(g) No sign of any classification shall be installed, erected, or attached in any form, shape, or manner to a fire escape or any door or window giving access to any fire escape.
(h) Should any sign be or become unsafe or be in danger of falling, the owner thereof or the person maintaining the same, shall upon receipt of written notice from the Zoning Inspector, proceed at once to put such sign in a safe and secure condition or remove the sign.
(i) No sign shall be placed in any public right-of-way, except publicly owned signs, such as traffic control signs and directional signs. Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private property but bearing no advertising matter shall be permitted on any property.
(j) No signs may be attached to utility poles.
(Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)
1141.04 MEASUREMENT OF SIGN AREAS.
The surface area of a sign shall be computed as including the entire area within a regular, geometric form or combinations of regular, geometric forms comprising all of the display area of the sign and including all of the elements of the matter displayed. Frames and structural members not being advertising matter shall not be included in computation of surface area.
(Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)
1141.05 SIGNS PERMITTED IN ANY ZONING DISTRICT.
The following signs are permitted in any zoning district established in the Zoning Code:
(a) Permanent Signs Not Requiring a Zoning Permit.
(1) Memorial signs or tablets or plaques, names of buildings, and date of erection. Maximum size: four (4) square feet/street frontage.
(2) Awnings and canopies indicating name of owner, and/or business conducted within the building.
(3) Signs denoting the name and address of occupants of premises not to exceed two (2) square feet.
(4) Private traffic directional signs not exceeding two (2) square feet in area for each sign directing traffic movement into or from premises.
(Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)
(b) Signs in any District Requiring a Permit:
(1) Professional nameplate, denoting the name and address of the occupant, not to exceed two (2) square feet.
(2) Signs advertising a home occupation, as defined in Section 1135.06
(u) not to exceed two (2) square feet.
(Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89; Ord. 89-35. Passed 1-9-90.)
(c) Temporary Signs Not Requiring a Zoning Permit:
(1) One sign advertising the sale, lease or rental of the premises upon which the sign is located, not to exceed six (6) square feet in area, and one (1) sign per street frontage.
(2) One sign denoting the architect, engineer, or contractor when placed upon the premises where the construction is occurring, not to exceed twelve (12) square feet in area.
(3) Candidates for political office signs and ballot issue signs which shall not be placed any earlier than sixty (60) days prior to the date of the election to which they relate, and shall be removed within seven (7) days after the date of the election. Political signs shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area.
(4) Garage/yard sale signs may be permitted for a twelve (12) daytime period per garage sale. This time shall coincide with the sale period which for a nine (9) day or two (2) weekends would mean a sign could be placed three (3) days prior to the sale. Such signs shall not exceed one and one-half (1 ½) square feet per side. One sign may be erected on the property and up to two other signs may be placed off premises for directional purposes, and no earlier than three (3) days prior to the date of the sale. Such signs shall be removed within two (2) days after the sale.
(5) One (1) sign advertising the development of the premises, or the opening of a new subdivision. The sign may be permitted up to six (6) months and shall be removed within thirty (30) days of sale or rental of the property, if such sale or rental of the property occurs prior to the end of the six (6) month period. Such sign shall not exceed twenty-five (25) square feet in area.
A. One temporary special events sign shall be permitted on any lot on which the special event shall occur, for a time period not to exceed thirty (30) days/year.
B. Two (2) off premise special events signs may be permitted with the property owner’s permission for the same time period.
C. Special event signs shall be securely anchored to minimize wind damage, vandalism.
D. All special event signs shall be removed no later than two (2) days after the special event.
E. Special event signs shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area. (Ord. 2004-43. Passed 1-11-05.)
1141.06 RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT SIGNS.
(a) OC; R-1 Districts. In addition to the signs permitted (permits are required), in Section 1141.05
, the following signs may be permitted in all OC and R-1 Districts:
A. Private nature preserves;
B. Cemeteries;
C. Privately operated parks or outdoor recreation areas;
D. Roadside agricultural stands (farm markets - signage to be removed at the end of the seasonal sales).
(2) Such signs may be located on the wall of a building, or as a free standing planter sign.
(3) The height of these ground/planter signs shall not exceed six (6) feet from the ground to the top of the sign.
(b) R-2 and R-3 Districts:
(1) In addition to the signs permitted in Section 1141.05
, the following signs may be permitted in an R-2 and R-3 District, in relation to the use permitted or conditionally permitted on the premises, provided they do not exceed twelve (12) square feet.
A. Farm markets;
B. Cemetery;
C. Parks, playgrounds, other recreational uses;
D. Churches or other places of worship;
E. Schools;
F. Colleges or other facilities for higher education;
G. Quasi public, institutional and meeting facilities.
(2) No more than one (1) sign shall be permitted for the above uses, except for colleges and facilities for higher education, which may have one (1) sign per principal building.
(3) The signs may be located either against the wall of the building, or as a planter/ground sign.
(4) The height of any sign shall not exceed eight (8) feet from the ground to the top of the sign.
(Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)
1141.07 SIGNS PERMITTED IN COMMERCIAL USE DISTRICTS.
In addition to signs permitted in Section 1141.05, the following signs are permitted in the Commercial District:
(a) For unified commercial areas or shopping areas, there may be one (1) pole or planter/ground sign permitted along the right-of-way, at the entrance to the plaza, or boundary of the commercial area. Such sign shall be limited to displaying the name and logo of the shopping plaza or central area, and may list only the names of the establishments within the plaza or central business area.
Such sign shall be limited to thirty (30) square feet, and shall not exceed ten (10) feet in height.
Such sign may be externally illuminated, and shall be landscaped.
All signs hung and erected shall be plainly marked with the name of the person, firm or corporation responsible for maintaining the sign.
(b) Individual businesses may have one (1) wall mounted sign on the store or business front, and shall be limited to the display of the businesses name or logo.
Such sign shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the business’ store front area, and shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet in area.
These signs may be internally or externally illuminated.
(c) Gasoline stations may in addition to a wall sign, have one (1) pole or ground sign not to exceed fifteen (15) square feet in area, and shall not exceed eight (8) feet in height. A planter/ground sign shall not exceed three (3) feet in height.
(d) Temporary/special event signage related to product, service sold, or produced conditionally on the premises.
(Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)
1141.08 SIGNS PERMITTED IN THE COLLEGE/RESEARCH DISTRICT.
In addition to signs permitted under Section 1141.05, the following signs may be permitted:
(a) College owned/operated facilities may have one (1) sign per principal building, not to exceed twelve (12) square feet in area.
(b) Quasi public/institutional/civic uses may have one (1) sign publicizing the name of the facility, and shall not exceed four (4) square feet in area.
Wall, pole or planter/ground signs may be utilized for subsections (a) and (b) uses. Ground signs shall not exceed four (4) feet in height. Pole signs shall not exceed eight (8) feet in height.
(c) Signage related to advertisement of a business, or services conducted on the premises may have one (1) wall sign not to exceed fifty (50) square feet in area which may be externally illuminated, and one (1) planter/ground sign not to exceed twelve (12) square feet in area and four (4) feet in height, or one (1) pole sign not to exceed twelve (12) square feet in area and eight (8) feet in height.
(d) Temporary, special event signage related to product, service conducted on the premises.
(Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)
1141.09 SIGNS PERMITTED IN AN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
Other than signs permitted under Section 1141.05, the following signage may be permitted:
(a) One (1) wall sign located on the structure in which the business, service, or activity is conducted, and advertises the name of that business/industry. Such sign shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the face (main entrance side) of the building, or one hundred (100) square feet whichever is less. Such sign may be internally or externally illuminated.
(b) One planter/ground sign not to exceed fifty (50) square feet in area, and four (4) feet in height, or one (1) pole sign not to exceed eight (8) feet in height or twelve (12) square feet in area.
(c) One (1) directory - free standing pole/ground sign may be erected near the street entrance to a grouping of businesses/industries, which may list the names of the establishment within the complex. Such sign shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet in area, and twenty (20) feet in height from the ground to the top of the sign. Such sign may be externally illuminated.
Directory signs shall be maintained by the complex manager or designated representatives of the group of establishments listed on the directory.
(d) Temporary special event signage related to advertisement of a business or activity conducted on the premises.
(Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)
1141.10 SIGN SETBACKS.
Signs shall be set back from the road right-of-way a minimum of six (6) feet unless traffic line of vision will be obstructed, and shall follow side and rear yard setbacks for the district in which it is located. (Ord. 88-10. Passed 1-10-89.)