A.   Purpose: The purpose of this chapter is to maintain or improve the aesthetic quality of the county's agricultural, residential and business environment, to promote traffic safety through the regulation of the design, placement, quality of materials, construction, location, electrification, illumination and maintenance of all signs visible from public property, public rights of way, and private areas open to public vehicular traffic.

   B.   Scope: Signs are structures, rigid panels or fabrics which are regulated as different types of land uses dependent upon factors including general types of message, size and location. Billboards, marquees and some types of temporary or manually changeable copy signs are recognized as types of land use that serve a general advertising purpose rather than the identification and directional purpose of the majority of signs regulated by this chapter. These regulations are not intended to, and do not, dictate or limit the content of those signs allowed for general advertising purposes except those that may carry an obscene message or may provide an illegal product or action.

   C.   Sign Regulation: Except for a type 1 or type 2 sign, no sign shall hereafter be erected, moved or structurally altered without a zoning permit, and without being in conformity with the provisions of this chapter. Official signs of the state, county or municipalities are exempt from all provisions of this chapter. All signs shall be on the same lot as the subject matter of the sign, except as specifically allowed otherwise. Permitted signs in the various zones are indicated by the following tables (see section 6-7-2, "Types Of Signs", of this chapter):

 

(Ord. 86, 12-7-1993)

   A.   Type 1: One nameplate not exceeding three (3) square feet in area for each dwelling unit, indicating the name of the homesite, or the name of the occupant, providing that the nameplate or sign is attached to the house or is set back from the property line at least ten feet (10').

   B.   Type 2: Signs permitted in all zones and exempt from zoning permit requirements. Type 2 signs include:

      1.   Plaques, Cornerstones, Nameplates: Building plaques, cornerstones, nameplates and similar building identifications attached to the building, but not a commercial nature;

      2.   House Numbers: House and building numbers; (Ord. 86, 12-7-1993)

      3.   Political And Civic Signs: Temporary signs in connection with political and civic campaigns; provided, that such signs are removed within fifteen (15) days following conclusion of the campaign. These signs shall not exceed thirty two (32) square feet in area or eight feet by four feet (8' x 4'); (Ord. 127, 10-3-2000)

      4.   Proposed Or Existing Construction: Temporary signs identifying proposed or existing construction;

      5.   "For Sale" Or "Lease" Signs: Signs indicating property or structures for sale, lease or rent;

      6.   Protection Of Property: Signs for the purpose of protection of property, such as no hunting, trespassing or dumping signs; or signs warning of potential danger due to physical or health hazards;

      7.   Garage Sale Signs:

         a.   Shall not exceed four (4) square feet in silhouette area per sign.

         b.   Shall not be located in the public right of way (i.e., on telephone poles, street signs and traffic signs).

         c.   Shall not be located on a property containing another temporary sign other than a real estate sign.

         d.   Only one on premises sign and five (5) temporary off premises signs (1 per off site tax lot) are permitted.

         e.   Shall include the name, address and telephone number of the resident holding the garage sale. Absent this identification, a sign may be removed without warning.

         f.   Shall be removed upon close of the sale and such garage sale shall not extend beyond three (3) consecutive days, and shall not be held in any one residence more than three (3) times during the calendar year.

         g.   Shall not be artificially illuminated. (Ord. 86, 12-7-1993)

      8.   Agricultural Product Signs: One sign not greater than thirty two (32) square feet promoting or advertising agricultural products or livestock grown, raised or produced on the parcel or tract on which the sign is located and the parcel or tract is zoned EFU or ERU.

      9.   Commercial Activity In Conjunction With Farm Use Signs: One sign not greater than thirty two (32) square feet for a commercial activity in conjunction with farm use approved in accordance with chapter 6 of this title. Additional signs, not to exceed three (3) signs, may be approved by the planning director on a case by case basis provided the signs are necessary for the operation or location of the commercial activity in conjunction with farm use. (Ord. 163, 1-17-2007)

Except for political and civic signs, type 2 signs shall not exceed sixteen (16) square feet in area. Type 2 signs shall not be placed or extended into a road right of way. Type 2 signs shall not require a zoning permit. (Ord. 127, 10-3-2000)

   C.   Type 3: One temporary sign per tract of land or subdivision advertising the sale of the tract or the lots, and not exceeding thirty two (32) square feet in area nor twelve feet (12') in height providing that the sign is located at least ten feet (10') from the property line.

   D.   Type 4: Signs not exceeding twelve (12) square feet in area, directing vehicular traffic to places of interest which would otherwise be difficult to find, or directing vehicular traffic so as to avoid traffic safety problems. The planning director may allow a maximum of three (3) such signs; provided, that no more than two (2) signs are located on the property. The planning director may allow two (2) of the three (3) signs to be off premises signs; provided, that the signs face opposite traffic directions. A type 4 sign shall be set back ten feet (10') from property lines.

   E.   Type 5: One sign not exceeding sixty (60) square feet in area for buildings other than dwellings; provided, that such sign shall be attached to and parallel with the front walls of the building.

   F.   Type 6: One sign facing each bordering street, not exceeding thirty two (32) square feet in area nor eight feet (8') in height above the roofline of the building for buildings other than dwellings providing that the sign is attached to the building and does not project into a road right of way.

   G.   Type 7: Signs identifying the use of the premises or the sale of products produced on the premises; provided, that any such sign shall be attached to, parallel with, and no larger than the wall on which it is mounted.

   H.   Type 8: One projecting or freestanding sign not to exceed twenty feet (20') in height nor sixty five (65) square feet in area for each face. The minimum setback for any part of a sign shall be ten feet (10'), or shall be at the discretion of the planning director and shall be measured horizontally from the lot line to the nearest part of the sign. A projecting or freestanding sign shall be allowed only by a ruling of the planning director and shall be limited to those businesses for which an attached flat sign is not suitable due to the nature of the business or the characteristics of the lot.

   I.   Type 9: One off premises freestanding sign (billboard) not to exceed six hundred (600) square feet in area for each face nor twenty feet (20') in elevation as measured from the ground level below the sign or the level of abutting roadway surface, whichever is higher. No billboard shall be allowed to have more than four (4) steel exposed supports and all illumination devices shall be concealed within the nonstructural trim. The minimum setback for any part of a sign shall be ten feet (10') and shall be measured horizontally from the lot line to the nearest part of the sign. Billboards allowed in the county shall be subject to the requirements of ORS chapter 377 and shall be approved by the planning director.

   J.   Type 10: One on premises sign identifying two (2) or more businesses that may occupy one building or one off premises sign identifying two (2) or more businesses that may be located so that another sign allowed by this chapter would not be visible from main traveled routes. The total square footage of the sign shall not exceed six (6) square feet per business described on the sign, and the sign shall be set back ten feet (10') from the property line. (Ord. 86, 12-7-1993)

   A.   No sign shall be placed as to interfere with visibility or effectiveness of any official traffic sign or signal, with the driver vision at any access point or intersection;

   B.   No sign shall be illuminated by flashing lights;

   C.   No sign shall contain, include or be composed of any conspicuous animated part;

   D.   Light from signs shall be directed away from and not be reflected upon adjacent premises;

   E.   Signs shall be removed by the property owner within sixty (60) days after the advertising business, product or service is abandoned or no longer in use;

   F.   In addition to the limitations on signs as provided in subsections A through C of this section, additional sign restrictions may be required as determined by the planning commission in approved conditional uses, as provided by the planning director in approving a type 4, type 8, type 9 or type 10 sign. (Ord. 86, 12-7-1993)

Automobile service stations may have one additional freestanding changeable fuel price sign for the single purpose of advertising the price of fuel. The sign will be limited to twelve (12) square feet in silhouette area. (Ord. 86, 12-7-1993)

Signs located within an urban growth area zone will comply with the applicable sign regulations of the city within whose urban growth area zone it is located. If the city does not have sign regulations, county regulations will apply. (Ord. 86, 12-7-1993)

   A.   An existing sign shall be brought into conformance with this chapter upon substantial change in the nature of the business it serves or if a change is made in design of the sign frame or supporting structure. A change in plastic face plate of a nonconforming sign will not require replacement of the total sign, but the new sign face shall conform as fully as possible to the standards of this chapter. Examples of substantial changes in the nature of the business are: a change from professional office such as a doctor, attorney or accountant to a retail outlet; or, a change from retail outlet to a service business such as a plumbing or auto repair shop.

   B.   Any sign which is structurally altered, relocated or replaced shall immediately be brought into compliance with all the provisions of this chapter, except the signs that are temporarily removed to allow remodeling of the premises and shall be allowed to be relocated upon the completion of remodeling. (Ord. 86, 12-7-1993)

   A.   Minor Variance: A minor variance not greater than ten percent (10%) of the applicable dimensional standard for signs may be granted by the planning director as per subsection C of this section.

   B.   Other Variances: All other sign variances shall be pursuant to the provisions of chapter 8 of this title, and will include the standards of subsection C of this section.

   C.   Variance Standards: In addressing the standards in chapter 8 of this title, the granting authority shall additionally consider whether the architectural design of a building, the location of a building site or location of a building thereon, or some other circumstance relating to the sign proposal is unusual or unique and that, because of this, a hardship will be created in that the applicant will be denied an opportunity to identify his business or location relatively equal to the opportunity accorded other members of the community not burdened with such unusual or unique architectural design, building site or other circumstance. (Ord. 86, 12-7-1993)

An applicant shall submit with his application for a zoning permit for a sign, in addition to the site plan required for the zoning permit, a plan and elevations of the sign itself. (Ord. 86, 12-7-1993)