It is the purpose of this article to permit permanent and temporary signs in appropriate sites throughout the community. Signs can be a positive aspect of the community if properly controlled. See section 32-8, definitions, for the types of signs prescribed in the article.

(Ord. No. 8-85, art. VIII, § 1, 9-23-85; Ord. of 5-7-07(2))

(a)

Signs permitted in all districts are as follows:

(1)

Signs required by law.

(2)

Signs erected by, or at the direction of, an authorized municipal official or state or federal highway official.

(3)

Warning signs and no trespassing signs.

(4)

Directional signs limited to six square feet in area, unilluminated and of a professional type construction.

(5)

Signs as prescribed in the tables listed in section 32-433.

(b)

Sign face replacement:

(1)

Changing or replacing the permanent face/copy on an existing lawful sign shall not require a permit, provided the copy change does not change the nature of the sign so as to render it in violation of this article.

(Ord. No. 8-85, art. VIII, § 2, 9-23-85; Ord. of 5-7-07(2))

Signs prohibited in all districts are as follows:

(1)

No private sign shall be erected or maintained which involves flashing illumination, except time and temperature signs.

(2)

No private sign shall be erected or maintained which copies, imitates or approximates official street or highway signs such as signs designated "stop" or "caution."

(3)

No private sign shall be posted on any traffic control, street light, power, telephone or other utility poles or on any tree in the right-of-way of any street or road; nor shall any private sign be permitted which interferes in any way with any utility line.

(4)

No sign that obstructs ingress and/or egress to any window, door, fire escape, stairway, ladder or opening intended to provide light, air, ingress or egress for any room or building as required by law shall be erected or permitted.

(5)

No sign that violates any provision of any federal law or law of the state relative to outdoor advertising shall be erected or permitted.

(6)

No private sign shall be erected in the public right-of-way, nor project over the public right-of-way. At all intersections, no signs shall interfere with clear sight distance for any driver crossing or entering a roadway. Wall signs shall be permitted to project up to 18 inches, or 36 inches in B-1 zoning, from a building wall over the public right-of-way if such projection is necessary to the installation of the sign.

(7)

Billboards and off-site advertising/business signs shall be prohibited in all zoning districts no matter what size sign.

(Ord. No. 8-85, art. VIII, § 3, 9-23-85; Ord. of 5-7-07(2); Ord. No. 2024-08, § 1(Exh. B), 8-5-24)

Signs and other sources of illumination adjacent to public streets and highways shall be subject to the provisions of G.S. 136-32.2.

(Ord. No. 8-85, art. VIII, § 4, 9-23-85)

The following regulations shall apply to all signs:

(a)

Construction standards.

(1)

All permanently mounted signs shall be constructed and installed in accordance with the provisions of the North Carolina State Building Code, chapter 16 regarding wind loads and working stresses. Detached business signs exceeding 12 inches in height and/or more than 100 square feet shall have engineered drawings showing that the sign has proper footing(s), wind loading, and working stress requirements met. Drawing shall be prepared and sealed by a North Carolina licensed structural engineer.

(2)

All temporary signs shall be constructed of materials capable of withstanding normal weather conditions. Signs shall be securely fastened to a permanent structure or to the ground.

(b)

Electrical standards.

(1)

All permanently mounted illuminated signs shall be installed per the North Carolina Electrical Code and have internal wiring listed and UL labeled for such use.

(2)

All wiring to electric signs, or to freestanding equipment that lights a sign, shall be installed underground per the North Carolina Electrical Code.

(3)

Temporary signs that are illuminated shall have power cords protected at all times. Power cord shall be connected to a GFCI protected outlet.

(c)

Maintenance and removal.

(1)

All signs and sign structures shall be kept in good repair and maintained in proper state of preservation. The zoning enforcement officer shall notify the property owner of any dilapidated sign. Notification shall be by letter or personal contact. The dilapidated sign shall be removed within 30 days from the date of notification. If the property owner or lessee fails to take action, the city shall remove the sign and bill the property owner or lessee for all costs incurred.

(d)

Sign height and area computation.

(1)

Sign height shall be computed as the lower of: (i) existing grade prior to construction, or (ii) the newly established grade after construction, exclusive of any filling, berming, mounding, or excavating solely for the purpose of locating the sign. The calculation of the height of any sign located on a berm or mound shall include the height of the berm or mound.

(2)

Sign area shall be computed by the smallest square, circle, rectangle, triangle, or combination thereof that will encompass the extreme limits of the writing, representation, emblem, of other display, together with any material or color forming and integral part of the background of the display or used to differentiate the sign from the backdrop or structure against which it is placed, but not including any supporting framework, bracing, or wall/structure which the sign is mounted to.

(3)

Sign area (multi-faced) shall be computed by adding together the area of all the sign faces visible from any one point. When a sign is composed of two or more sign faces, only one of which can be viewed from any one point, and when such sign faces are part of the same structure, the sign area shall be computed by the measurement of one of the faces.

(e)

Relocation of signs. Signs for which a sign permit has been issued may be relocated on the property in conformance with the regulations of the article upon notification to the city planning department. Signs that are nonconforming may not be relocated except upon removal of all nonconforming features of the sign.

(f)

Sign placement.

(1)

General requirements. All signs must be located on private property, unless otherwise permitted by this chapter. No sign shall be located so that it blocks the site triangle at any driveway or public street intersection.

(2)

Wall-mounted signs. Shall not extend/project more than six inches from any wall surface when less than eight feet above finish grade.

(3)

Freestanding signs. Shall be setback from the property line/right-of-way a minimum of five feet. This would include any portion of the sign. No freestanding business sign shall be placed on a vacant piece of property.

(4)

Temporary signs. Shall be located on private property unless otherwise permitted in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 8-85, art. VIII, § 5, 9-23-85; Ord. of 5-7-07(2))

Applications for permits shall be submitted on forms obtained at the office of the zoning enforcement officer. Each application shall be accompanied by plans which shall:

(1)

Indicate the proposed site by identifying the property by ownership, location and use.

(2)

Show the location of the sign on the lot in relation to property lines and buildings, zoning district boundaries, right-of-way lines and existing signs.

(3)

Show size, character, complete structural specifications and methods of anchoring and support.

(4)

If warranted, the zoning enforcement officer may require additional information that will enable him to determine whether or not the sign will be erected in conformance with this article.

(Ord. No. 8-85, art. VIII, § 6, 9-23-85)

Any nonconforming sign shall be phased out within three years of the effective date of the ordinance from which this chapter derives (all nonconforming signs shall be identified and recorded at the effective date of the ordinance from which this chapter derives).

(Ord. No. 8-85, art. VIII, § 7, 9-23-85)

Signs shall be permitted in the various zoning districts according to the following tables:

Residential Signs (Permanent)

Footnotes:

¹  Entrance signs to subdivisions shall show proof of maintenance by a homeowners association prior to permitting. Signs must be installed five feet behind R-O-W and outside of any site triangles. Entrance signs installed in a center median area shall be a minimum of six feet in width and be surrounded by curb and gutter.

Business and Industrial Signs (Permanent)

Footnotes:

¹  ;hg;Signs fronting on West and East Dalton, Kirby Road and Meadowbrook Drive shall not exceed eight feet in height and shall not contain more than 24 square feet of area on any single side.

²  ;hg;Signs fronting on Moore Road, Newsome Road and Mountain View Road shall not exceed eight feet in height and shall not contain more than 100 square feet of area on any single side, and shall be placed 15 feet behind the dedicated right-of-way. Exception, directional signs not exceeding six square feet can be located five feet behind right-of-way.

Temporary Signs

Footnotes:

¹  Banner, poster, inflatable or portable signs shall not be used as permanent signage unless as stated in G.S. 160D-908.

(Ord. No. 8-85, art. VIII, § 8, 9-23-85; Ord. of 6-6-05(2); Amend. of 5-7-07(2); Ord. No. 8-85.03, 2-1-10; Ord. No. 2024-01, 1-2-24; Ord. No. 2024-08, § 1(Exh. B), 8-5-24)

(a)

No warning citation shall be required for a violation of this article. Upon a violation of this article, the zoning enforcement officer shall issue a civil citation to the offender.

(b)

All violations of section 32-428 shall subject the offender to a civil penalty of $10.00. All other violations of this article shall subject the offender to a civil penalty of $50.00.

(c)

Each day's continuing violation shall be a separate and distinct offense.

(Ord. No. 8.17-85, § 7.3, 12-5-94)