The purpose of this article is to provide the minimum regulations, provisions and requirements to ensure the public safety, general welfare and preserve the scenic beauty by regulating and controlling the installation of signs and other advertising structures within the county.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(a), 10-11-2022)

(a)

Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Erect means to construct, build, raise, assemble, place, fix, attach, create, paint, draw, or in any other way bring into being or establish.

Political sign means any sign that is designed, intended, or used to advertise or inform the public about an issue scheduled for a referendum, a candidate for a local, state or federal office or advocate a position on an issue.

Sign means any outdoor sign, structure, display, device, painting, figure, drawing, message, placard, poster, billboard, or other thing that is designed, intended, or used to advertise or inform.

(b)

General provisions.

(1)

Signs shall not be designed and installed to imitate or simulate any highway marker, signal or traffic control sign.

(2)

Signs shall not have any flashing or rotating lights.

(3)

Signs shall not be placed to obscure the vision of any official highway marker, signal, or traffic control sign.

(4)

A railroad crossing shall be considered the same as a highway intersection.

(5)

Signs shall not be attached to trees, fence posts or fences or utility structures and shall not be painted on rocks or other natural objects.

(6)

Signs shall be kept in good state of repair.

(7)

The provisions of this chapter which define permitted locations of signs along the public roads and highways are held to be the minimum standards to ensure safety on the public roads and highways.

(c)

Permits.

(1)

Permits are required for the installation or erection of all signs, except for political, real estate, development, temporary and crop demonstration signs.

(2)

The application for a permit to install or erect a sign shall contain such information as required by the zoning administrator.

(3)

Fees. The minimum fee for a sign permit in the county shall be in an amount as provided in the county fee schedule. A double fee shall be charged if the construction of a sign or media of advertising is started prior to obtaining a permit.

(4)

The permit fee for signs along the interstate system and the federal aid primary system shall be in an amount as provided in the county fee schedule.

(5)

On state and federal highways which are controlled by these agencies, their permit must be presented as evidence before a county permit can be issued.

(6)

For the purpose of this chapter, the responsibility of securing a permit to erect or repair a sign in the county falls not only with the owner of such sign, but to the mechanic who erects or repairs and to the owner of the property on which said sign is erected. All are held equally responsible. In any violation, action shall be taken against the above individually and every day the violation exists constitutes a separate offense as set forth in section 22-20.

(d)

Removal of certain signs.

(1)

Any sign now or hereafter existing which no longer advertises a bona fide business or a product available shall be removed within 30 days after notification by certified mail by the zoning administrator to the owner of the sign.

(2)

Any sign for which the permit fee is not paid by January 10 shall be removed within 30 days after notification by certified mail by the zoning administrator to the owner of the sign.

(3)

If the order for removal of a sign sent to the sign owner is not deliverable by certified mail, the notice shall be sent by certified mail to the owner of the land on which the sign is located.

(4)

Any political sign in violation of the political sign location requirements will be removed by the order of the county zoning administrator. The sign owner may reclaim political signs for a period up to ten days after removal. Political signs that are unclaimed after the ten day period may be disposed of.

(e)

Amortization of nonconforming signs.

(1)

Any sign now in existence which was installed or erected before August 1, 1973, shall be made to conform to the provisions of this chapter within one year of the effective date of the ordinance from which this chapter is derived, or at the end of one year shall be ordered removed by the zoning administrator under procedures outlined in subsections (d) of this section.

(2)

Any sign in existence which was installed or erected since August 1, 1973, and for which a permit has been issued by the zoning administrator, shall be made to conform to the provisions of this chapter within three years of the effective date of the amendment of the ordinance from which this chapter is derived or at the end of three years shall be ordered removed by the zoning administrator under procedures outlined in subsection (d) of this section.

(3)

Any sign in existence which was installed or erected since August 1, 1973, and for which a permit has never been issued by the zoning administrator, shall be made to conform to the provisions of this chapter within 90 days of the effective date of the amendment of the ordinance from which this chapter is derived or at the end of 90 days shall be ordered removed by the zoning administrator under procedures in subsection (d) of this section.

(f)

Signs located in the area covered by Wis. Stats. § 84.30.

(1)

Along the interstate system and federal primary system defined by the state department of transportation, a county permit will be made available upon submission of the department of transportation sign permit and the payment of the proper fee required in this chapter.

(2)

Where the state department of transportation's regulations apply, they supersede this chapter with the exception of subsection (c) of this section.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(k), 10-11-2022)

(a)

Size. Sign area shall not exceed 300 square feet. Trim area shall not exceed 25 percent of sign area.

(b)

Location of signs.

(1)

Signs may be placed at the right-of-way line of any highway except that signs shall not be permitted between the points of tangency on a curve to the right of any highway.

(2)

Signs shall not be permitted within 300 feet of any intersection. The beginning of a curve on a highway interchange ramp or the beginning of a curved access to an intersection shall be considered as the intersection for the purpose of sign location.

(c)

Distance between signs.

(1)

Two sign faces shall be permitted at any location and the distance between signs shall be 300 feet.

(2)

Back-to-back signs shall be permitted, except that each sign face shall require a separate permit.

(d)

Height of sign. Signs shall not exceed 35 feet in height above the mean centerline grade of the adjacent highway.

(e)

Permitted districts. Permitted zoning districts: B, business; I, industrial.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(b), 10-11-2022)

(a)

Size.

(1)

Sign area shall not exceed 96 square feet. Trim area shall not exceed 20 percent of the sign area.

(2)

No more than 50 percent of the sign area shall be devoted to advertising a product or service not exclusively available at the premises or location to which the sign directs attention.

(b)

Location.

(1)

Signs may be placed at the right-of-way line of any highway, except that signs shall not be permitted between the points of tangency on a curve to the right of any highway.

(2)

Signs shall not be permitted within 300 feet of any intersection. The beginning of a curved access to an intersection shall be considered as the intersection for the purpose of sign location.

(3)

When located on the same highway as the business, service, or entertainment to which it directs attention, a directory sign shall be located not more than three miles from such place. When more than one Class A, B, or C highway must be traveled to reach a business, service or entertainment, a directory sign may be placed in each approaching direction to the intersection and such a sign shall not be more than five air miles from the business, service or entertainment advertised. When the business, service or entertainment advertised is located within the corporate limits of any village or city, the distance requirements shall be measured from the corporate limits at its intersection of the highway on which the sign is to be located.

(c)

Distance between signs.

(1)

One sign shall be permitted at any location and the distance between signs shall be 1,320 feet.

(2)

Back-to-back signs shall be permitted; except, however, a separate permit shall be required for each sign face.

(d)

Permitted zoning districts. Permitted zoning districts shall be as follows:

(1)

B business;

(2)

I industrial;

(3)

A agricultural.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(c), 10-11-2022)

(a)

Location.

(1)

On-premises signs may be attached to the building they are intended to serve.

(2)

Freestanding on-premises signs shall be located within the required yard of the building they are intended to serve.

(3)

If the business, service or entertainment is located at a highway intersection, an on-premises sign shall not be located within the vision clearance triangle.

(b)

Height.

(1)

On-premises signs shall not exceed the height of any building permitted in the zoning district in which the sign is located.

(2)

The gross size of the on-premises signs for each business establishment shall be 150 square feet or less. This area may be divided into not more than four panels.

(c)

Permitted zoning districts. Permitted zoning districts shall be as follows:

(1)

B business;

(2)

I industrial;

(3)

A agricultural;

(4)

F floodplain.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(d), 10-11-2022)

(a)

Size. Home occupation signs shall not exceed six square feet in area.

(b)

Location. Home occupation signs shall be attached to the residential building in which a home occupation is permitted. Home occupation signs shall not be lighted at night.

(c)

Permitted zoning districts. Permitted zoning districts shall be as follows:

(1)

R-1 residential;

(2)

R-2 residential;

(3)

A agricultural;

(4)

C community;

(5)

W waterfront;

(6)

F floodplain.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(e), 10-11-2022)

(a)

Size. Real estate signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in area.

(b)

Location. Real estate signs shall be located on the premises offered for sale, rent, lease or trade.

(c)

Removal. Real estate signs shall be removed immediately upon the signing of a sales, rent, lease or trade contract.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(f), 10-11-2022)

(a)

Size. Development signs shall not exceed 32 square feet in area.

(b)

Location.

(1)

For buildings under construction, the sign shall be on the same premises as the building under construction.

(2)

For subdivisions in which lots are offered for sale, one sign may be located on each outer boundary of the subdivision.

(c)

Removal.

(1)

Building construction signs shall have been removed before a certificate of compliance shall be issued by the zoning administrator.

(2)

Subdivision signs shall be removed when more than 75 percent of the lots have been sold.

(d)

Permitted zoning districts. Permitted zoning districts shall be as follows: all zoning districts.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(g), 10-11-2022)

(a)

Size. Temporary signs shall not exceed eight square feet in area.

(b)

Location. Temporary signs shall not be located within the right-of-way lines of any road or highway and shall not be attached to any official highway marker, emblem or traffic control sign or device.

(c)

Removal. Temporary signs shall be removed not later than seven days after the last day on which an event occurred.

(d)

Permitted zoning districts. Permitted zoning districts shall be as follows: all zoning districts.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(h), 10-11-2022)

(a)

Size. Crop demonstration signs shall not exceed eight square feet in area.

(b)

Location. Crop demonstration signs shall be located on the same premises as the crop used. A separate sign for each seed or plant variety being grown is permitted. A separate sign for each fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide or insecticide being used is permitted. Signs may designate a variety or brand name and shall not direct attention to a dealer or place where such products are sold.

(c)

Removal. Crop demonstration signs shall be removed not later than ten days following crop harvest.

(d)

Permitted zoning districts. Permitted zoning districts shall be as follows: A agricultural.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(i), 10-11-2022)

(a)

Location.

(1)

Political signs shall not be located within the right-of-way lines of any road or highway and shall not be attached to any official highway marker, emblem or traffic control sign or device.

(2)

Political signs that exceed four square feet in area shall not be located within the vision clearance triangle.

(b)

Date of placement. Political signs may not be erected prior to:

(1)

The first day that nomination papers may be circulated for the general election for which they are posted.

(2)

The first day that a referendum is scheduled for the general and/or special election for which they are posted.

(3)

The first day that a recall election is scheduled for which they are posted.

(c)

Height of sign. Political signs located within the vision clearance triangle shall not exceed three feet in height above the mean centerline grade of the adjacent roadway.

(d)

Removal. Political signs shall be removed not later than 15 days following the election for which they were posted.

(e)

Permitted zoning districts. Permitted zoning districts shall be as follows: all zoning districts.

(Ord. No. 2022-12, § 11.08(j), 10-11-2022)