Liberty Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
Signs
§ 105-40 General regulations.
B.
Sign area measurement. The area of any sign shall be computed as the product of the largest horizontal width and the largest vertical height of the lettering, illustration, display or background. This shall not be construed to include the supporting members of any sign which are used solely for such purpose. If the letters, illustration, display or background is attached directly to the face of a building, the height or width of the sign shall be the height or width of the largest letter, illustration, display or background, whichever is the greater. For signs with two display faces, the maximum area requirement shall be permitted on each side. Signs with more than two display faces are prohibited.
C.
Supplemental sign regulations.
(1)
Temporary safety, traffic, directional and warning signs approved by the governing body, not exceeding four square feet, shall be permitted in all zones.
(2)
Moving or rotating signs or lights, as well as streamers, pennants and similar displays, are prohibited in all zones.
(3)
Signs which are required by any provision of law may be located in any zone.
(4)
No sign shall be placed as to interfere with or be mistaken for a traffic light or similar safety device or interfere with traffic visibility.
(5)
All illuminated signs shall be either indirectly lighted or of the diffused-lighting type. No sign shall be lighted by means of flashing or intermittent illumination, except for intermittent illumination necessary to shew time and temperature changes on signs intended for that purpose. All lights used for the illumination of any use or building or the areas surrounding it or for the illumination or display of merchandise or products of business establishments shall be completely shielded from the view of vehicular traffic using the road or roads abutting such business properties. Floodlights used for the illumination of said premises or of any sign thereon, whether or not such floodlights are attached to or separate from the building, shall not project light above the highest elevation of the illuminated wall of the building.
(6)
No sign as permitted shall extend or project above the highest elevation of the wall to which it is attached, nor shall any sign be erected on or attached to the roof of a building.
D.
Notwithstanding any provision of this section of this article, the Construction Official may issue a temporary permit in the B-1, B-2, I-1 and 1-2 Districts for a period not to exceed two weeks for special signs advertising the opening of a new business or commercial enterprise, a fair community activity, a fundraising event or a political notice, subject to the following conditions:
[Amended 7-6-1987; 6-3-1991 by Ord. No. 8-91]
(1)
Such signs shall be located on the same property as the business or enterprise or activity they advertise.
(2)
Such signs shall be located so as not to interfere with traffic visibility or traffic safety.
(3)
Such signs shall not include any flashing, intermittent or rotating illumination, nor shall such signs consist of streamers, banners or pennants.
(4)
Excepting number and size, such signs shall conform to all other requirements for signs in the zone in which they are located.
(5)
Such signs shall be maintained in an orderly manner at all times.
(6)
Such signs shall be removed immediately upon expiration of permit.
E.
All signs shall be maintained in good repair. Lack of proper maintenance shall be considered abandonment and shall be removed upon notification by the Construction Official.
[Amended 7-6-1987]
§ 105-41 Agricultural and residential zones.
A.
In all agricultural and residential zones, only the following signs shall be permitted:
(1)
One customary professional sign or nameplate sign not more than two square feet in area, and, if illuminated, the direct source of light shall be shielded in such a manner that it is not visible from the street or any adjoining residential property, unless lighted by a porch light or lamppost light.
(2)
A nonilluminated temporary sign pertaining to the lease or sale of the premises upon which it is located, not exceeding eight square feet in total area, provided that the permit shall be renewed every 30 days.
(3)
A sign deemed necessary to the public welfare by the governing body.
(4)
A sign not more than 32 square feet in area publicizing the name of a church on the premises, its pastor and its coming activities.
[Amended 2-1-2007 by Ord. No. 07-01]
(5)
Not more than two temporary ground signs on a subdivision which has been finally approved by the Township, provided that each such sign does not exceed 24 square feet in area. In no case is any such sign to be located closer than 15 feet to any street right-of-way line. Such temporary subdivision signs will be permitted for a period not to exceed two years or the period during which lots are being sold by the developer, whichever is less. Permits for such signs must be renewed every six months.
(6)
Customary warning, "no hunting" or "no trespassing" signs, provided that such signs may not exceed an area of one square foot.
B.
None of the signs permitted in the agricultural and residential zones shall be erected within 15 feet of any street or roadway right-of-way line, provided that a nameplate sign not more than one square foot in area, as regulated above, may be placed anywhere within the front yard.
C.
In addition to the signs permitted above, the occupant may display the following signs in zones permitting agricultural uses:
[Amended 9-1-2005 by Ord. No. 05-09]
(1)
Not more than three signs advertising the sale and price of seasonal farm produce, provided that the total area of all such signs shall not exceed 36 square feet.
(2)
One identification sign of not more than 32 square feet identifying the farm, the address of the owner and the type of product available, if any.
§ 105-42 B-1 Zone.
In the B-1 Zone, signs are permitted as regulated in § 105-41, except those referred to in § 105-41A(6), and, in addition, other business signs as hereinafter regulated are permitted, provided that no sign shall be permitted which is not accessory to the business conducted on the property, and then only if the following requirements are complied with:
A.
A business establishment shall be permitted only one advertising sign for each building wall of the establishment that faces on a street, subject to the following conditions:
(1)
Said sign shall be erected parallel to the face of the building, except where otherwise hereinafter provided.
(2)
No sign shall extend farther than 15 inches from the face of the building upon which it is attached. Where a sign extends more than three inches from the face of a wall, the bottom of said sign shall not be closer than 10 feet to the ground level below said sign.
(3)
The maximum height of any sign shall not exceed four feet or 25% of the height of the wall of the establishment to which it is attached, whichever is the lesser.
[Amended 8-7-1989 by Ord. No. 6-89]
(4)
The maximum width of any sign shall not exceed nine feet or 1/3 of the width of the wall of the establishment to which it is attached, whichever is the lesser.
[Amended 8-7-1989 by Ord. No. 6-89]
(5)
The maximum area of any sign shall not exceed 225 square feet or 15% of the area of the face of the wall of the establishment to which it is attached, whichever is the lesser.
(6)
Provided that the provisions of Subsection A(1) and (2) above are complied with, a traffic directional sign may be placed upon the side wall of a business, subject to the following limitations:
(a)
Said sign shall display no advertising matter.
(b)
The wording on said sign shall be limited to "one-way," "parking in rear" or words of similar import intended to direct traffic flow or to further the safety and convenience of the general public.
(c)
Any such sign shall not exceed six square feet in area.
B.
Where a business establishment has a canopy or marquee constructed as an integral part of the building, a sign may be attached to the face of or erected on top of the canopy or marquee in place of a permitted wall sign, provided that said sign does not extend above the highest point of the building wall to which the canopy or marquee is attached, and further provided that:
(1)
Signs attached to the face of the canopy or marquee shall not extend above, below or to the sides of the face of said canopy or marquee nor extend more than three inches from the face of said canopy or marquee.
(2)
Signs erected on top of the canopy or marquee shall not extend beyond the face or edge of said canopy or marquee.
(3)
For the purpose of this section, a "canopy" or "marquee" shall mean a covering extending from a building wall, having horizontal or nearly horizontal top and bottom surfaces, located at least eight feet above the sidewalk or the ground below, but not including any extension of the building roof.
(4)
Maximum sign area and size shall be determined by the size and dimensions of the wall to which the marquee or canopy is attached.
C.
Automotive service stations may display, in addition, the following signs which are deemed customary and necessary to their respective business:
(1)
One freestanding sign advertising the name of the station or garage and for the principal products sold on the premises, including any special company or brand name, insignia or emblem, provided that each such sign shall not exceed 64 square feet in area on a side and shall be erected not less than five feet from the property line and not less than eight nor more than 12 feet above the ground.
[Amended 8-7-1989 by Ord. No. 6-89; 9-1-2005 by Ord. No. 05-09]
D.
In addition to the foregoing signs, any business property, except an automotive service station property, is permitted one freestanding sign subject to the following conditions:
(1)
Said sign shall be located in the front yard and at least 10 feet from any property line.
(2)
The area of said sign shall not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of front yard setback or 100 square feet, whichever is the lesser.
(3)
The height of the sign structure, including its supporting members, shall be not less than eight feet above the ground, unless it is a ground-mounted sign. In such case, the top of the sign shall be not more than three feet in height.
[Amended 9-1-2005 by Ord. No. 05-09[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also deleted former Subsection D(4), pertaining to the height of the bottom of the sign display, which immediately followed this subsection.
E.
Also permitted in the B-1, B-2 and B-3 Zones are signs containing time and temperature changes, subject to the following limitations:
§ 105-43 I-1 and I-2 Zones.
In the I-1 and I-2 Zones, signs are permitted as regulated in § 105-41, and, in addition, the following signs only are permitted:
B.
One freestanding sign, provided that: