Huntington City Zoning Code

Conformance to Codes: Any sign hereafter erected shall conform to the provisions of this title and the provisions of the International Building Code and of any other applicable ordinance or regulation within this jurisdiction.

Signs in Rights of Way: No sign other than an official traffic sign or similar sign shall be erected within two feet of the lines of any street, or within any public way, unless specifically authorized by other ordinances or regulations of this jurisdiction.

Projections Over Public Ways: Signs projecting over public walkways shall be permitted to do so only subject to the projection and clearance limits either defined herein or, if not so defined, at a minimum height of eight feet from grade level to the bottom of the sign. Signs, architectural projections or sign structures projecting over vehicular access areas must conform to the minimum height clearance limitations imposed by the jurisdiction for such structures.

Traffic Visibility: No sign or sign structure shall be erected at the intersection of any street in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision, nor at any location where by its position, shape or color it may interfere with or obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device.

Computation of Frontage: If a premises contains walls facing more than one property line or encompasses property frontage bounded by more than one street or other property usages, the sign area(s) for each building wall or property frontage will be computed separately for each building wall or property line facing a different frontage. The sign area(s) thus calculated shall be permitted to then be applied to permitted signs placed on each separate wall or property line frontage.

Animation and Changeable Messages: Animated signs, except as prohibited in this chapter, are permitted in commercial and industrial zones only. Changeable signs, manually activated, are permitted for nonresidential uses in all zones. Changeable signs, electrically activated, are permitted in all nonresidential zones.

Maintenance, Repair and Removal: Every sign permitted by this chapter shall be kept in good condition and repair. When any sign becomes insecure, in danger of falling or is otherwise deemed unsafe by the code official, or if any sign shall be unlawfully installed, erected or maintained in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, the owner thereof or the person or firm using same shall, upon written notice by the code official forthwith in the case of immediate danger, and in any case within not more than 10 days, make such sign conform to the provisions of this chapter, or shall remove it. If within 10 days the order is not complied with, the code official shall be permitted to remove or cause such sign to be removed at the expense of the owner and/or the user of the sign.

Obsolete Sign Copy: Any sign copy that no longer advertises or identifies a use conducted on the property on which said sign is erected must have the sign copy covered or removed within 30 days after written notification from the code official; and upon failure to comply with such notice, the code official is hereby authorized to cause removal of such sign copy, and any expense incident thereto shall be paid by the owner of the building, structure or ground on which the sign is located.

Nonconforming Signs: Any sign legally existing at the time of the passage hereof that does not conform in use, location, height or size with the regulations of the zone in which such sign is located, shall be considered a legal nonconforming use or structure and shall be permitted to continue in such status until such time as it is either abandoned or removed by its owner, subject to the following limitations:

Clearance from High Voltage Power Lines: Signs shall be located not less than 10 feet horizontally or 15 feet vertically from overhead electrical conductors. The term "overhead conductors" as used in this section means an electrical conductor, either bare or insulated, installed above the ground, except when conductors are enclosed in electrical conduit or other approved material covering of equal strength.

Clearance from Fire Escapes, Exits or Standpipes: Signs or sign structures shall not be erected in such a manner that a portion of their surface or supports will interfere with the free use of any fire escape, exit or standpipe.

Obstruction of Openings: Signs shall not obstruct openings to the extent that light or ventilation is reduced to a point below that required by this code. Signs erected within five feet of an exterior wall in which there are openings within the area of the sign shall be constructed of noncombustible material or approved plastics as determined by the code official.

Setback: All permanent advertising signs shall be set back from public streets a distance at least equal to the distance that buildings are required to be set back within the zone in which said signs are located.

Screening Requirements: All signs shall display thereon copy and images pertaining only to products or services sold on premises.

Permits Required: No advertising sign shall be erected or placed within the City without first making application for and obtaining a building permit therefor. In addition, all signs located within 660 feet of the right-of-way line of a federally designated highway shall conform to the standards and regulations for such signs established by the State of Utah or by federal law. Any approval or permits required by said regulations shall be in addition to the building permit herein above required and construction or placement of a sign shall not be commenced until all approvals and permits have been obtained and verification thereof is provided to the City by the developer.

Official notices authorized by a court, public body or public safety official.

Directional, warning or information signs authorized by federal, state or municipal governments.

Memorial plaques, building identification signs and building cornerstones when cut or carved into a masonry surface or when made of noncombustible material and made an integral part of the building or structure.

The flag of a government or noncommercial institution, such as a school.

Religious symbols and seasonal decorations within the appropriate public holiday season.

Works of fine art displayed in conjunction with a commercial enterprise where the enterprise does not receive direct commercial gain from the display thereof.

Street address signs and combination nameplate and street address signs that contain no advertising copy and which do not exceed six square feet in area.

Signs located in such a manner as to obstruct or otherwise interfere with an official traffic sign, signal or device, or which obstruct or interfere with a driver's view of approaching, merging or intersecting traffic.

Except as provided for elsewhere in this code, signs encroaching upon or overhanging public right of way. No sign shall be attached to any utility pole, light standard, street tree or any other public facility located within the public right of way.

Signs which blink, flash, or are animated by lighting in any fashion that would cause such signs to have the appearance of traffic safety signs and lights, or municipal vehicle warnings from a distance.

Portable signs except as allowed for temporary signs.

Any sign attached to, or placed on, a vehicle or trailer parked on public or private property, except for signs meeting the following conditions:

Vehicles and trailers not used primarily as static displays, advertising a product or service, nor utilized as storage, shelter or distribution points for commercial products or services for the general public.

Balloons, streamers or pinwheels except those temporarily displayed as part of a special sale, promotion or community event. For the purposes of this subsection, "temporarily" means no more than 20 days in any calendar year.

Permanent off premises signs in all zones within Huntington City.

Permits Required: Unless specifically exempted, a permit must be obtained from the code official for the erection and maintenance of all signs erected or maintained within this jurisdiction and in accordance with other ordinances of this jurisdiction. Exemptions from the necessity of securing a permit, however, shall not be construed to relieve the owner of the sign involved from responsibility for its erection and maintenance in a safe manner and in a manner in accordance with all the other provisions of this title.

Construction Documents: Before any permit is granted for the erection of a sign or sign structure requiring such permit, construction documents shall be filed with the code official showing the dimensions, materials and required details of construction, including loads, stresses, anchorage and any other pertinent data. The permit application shall be accompanied by the written consent of the owner or lessee of the premises upon which the sign is to be erected and by engineering calculations signed and sealed by a registered design professional where required by the International Building Code.

Changes to Signs: No sign shall be structurally altered, enlarged or relocated except in conformity to the provisions herein, nor until a proper permit, if required, has been secured. The changing or maintenance of movable parts or components of an approved sign that is designed for such changes, or the changing of copy, business names, lettering, sign faces, colors, display and/or graphic matter, or the content of any sign shall not be deemed a structural alteration.

Permit Fees: Permit fees to erect, alter or relocate a sign shall be in accordance with the fee schedule adopted within this jurisdiction.

Identification Signs: Identification signs shall be in accordance with Tables 9-6.1, 9-6.2, and 9-6.3 of this section.

Wall Signs: Every single-family residence, multiple-family residential complex, commercial or industrial building, and every separate nonresidential building in a residential zone may display wall signs per street frontage subject to the limiting standards set forth in Table 9-6.1.

Freestanding Signs: In addition to any allowable wall signs, every single-family residential subdivision, multiple-family residential complex, and commercial or industrial building shall be permitted to display freestanding or combination signs per street frontage subject to the limiting standards set forth in Table 9-6.3.

Directional Signs: No more than two directional signs shall be permitted per street entrance to any lot. There shall be no limit to the number of directional signs providing directional information interior to a lot. In residential zones directional signs shall be prohibited. For all other zones, the maximum area for any directional sign visible from adjacent property or rights of way shall be six square feet. Not more than 25% of the area of any directional sign shall be permitted to be devoted to business identification or logo, which area shall not be assessed as identification sign area.

Temporary Signs: Temporary signs shall be permitted in all zones in accordance with Tables 9-6.1, 9-6.2 and 9-6.3.

Real Estate Signs: Real estate signs shall be permitted in all zoning districts, subject to the following limitations:

Development and Construction Signs: Signs temporarily erected during construction to inform the public of the developer, contractors, architects, engineers, the nature of the project or anticipated completion dates, shall be permitted in all zoning districts, subject to the following limitations:

Special Promotion, Event and Grand Opening Signs: Signs temporarily displayed to advertise special promotions, events and grand openings shall be permitted for nonresidential uses in a residential district, and for all commercial and industrial districts subject to the following limitations:

Special Event Signs in Public Ways: Signs advertising a special community event may be allowed in or over public rights of way, subject to approval by the code official as to the size, location and method of erection. The code official may not approve any special event signage that would impair the safety and convenience of use of public rights of way, or obstruct traffic visibility.

Portable Signs: Portable signs shall be permitted only in the commercial and industrial zones as designated in this code, subject to the following limitations:

Political Signs: Political signs for election candidates or ballot propositions shall be permitted in all zoning districts, subject to the following limitations:

Requirements for Specific Sign Types: Signs of specific type shall be in accordance with subsections A through G of this section.

Canopy and Marquee Signs:

Awning Signs:

Projecting Signs:

Under Canopy Signs:

Roof Signs:

Window Signs: Window signs shall be permitted for all commercial and industrial districts subject to the following limitations:

Menu Boards: Menu board signs that exceed 30 square feet in size are not permitted.

Master Sign Plan Required: All landlord or single-owner controlled multiple-occupancy development complexes on parcels exceeding four acres in size, such as shopping centers or planned industrial parks, shall submit to the code official a master sign plan prior to issuance of new sign permits. The master sign plan shall establish standards and criteria for all signs in the complex that require permits, and shall address, at a minimum, the following:

Development Complex Sign: In addition to the freestanding business identification signs otherwise allowed by this title, every multiple-occupancy development complex shall be entitled to one freestanding sign per street front, at the maximum size permitted for business identification freestanding signs, to identify the development complex. No business identification shall be permitted on a development complex sign. Any freestanding sign otherwise permitted under this chapter may identify the name of the development complex.

Compliance with Master Sign Plan: All applications for sign permits for signage within a multiple-occupancy development complex shall comply with the master sign plan.

Amendments: Any amendments to a master sign plan must be signed and approved by the owner(s) within the development complex before such amendment will become effective.