Manawa City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Signs and Billboards
§ 303-66 Purpose.
The purpose of this article is to establish minimum standards to safeguard life and property and promote public welfare and community aesthetics by regulating the appearance, construction, location and maintenance of all signs and billboards.
§ 303-67 Definitions.
The following definitions are used in this article:
AWNING
A temporary hood or cover which projects from the wall of the building and which can be retracted, folded or collapsed against the face of a supporting structure.
BILLBOARD
A sign which advertises goods, products or facilities or services not necessarily on the premises where the sign is located or directs persons to a different location from where the sign is located.
BLANKETING
The unreasonable obstruction of view of a sign caused by the placement of another sign.
SIGN
Includes anything that promotes, calls attention to or invites patronage (or anything similar to the aforementioned) to a business, location or product.
A.
DIRECTLY ILLUMINATED SIGN
Any sign designed to give any artificial light directly through any transparent or translucent material from a source of light originating within or on such sign.B.
DIRECTORY SIGN
Any sign on which the names and locations of occupants of a building are given. This definition shall include offices and church directories.C.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE UNIT SIGN
Any sign whose message may be changed by electronic process, including such messages as copy, art, graphics, time, date, temperature, weather or information concerning civic or charitable organizations or the advertising of products or services for sale on the premises. This definition also includes traveling or segmented message displays.[Amended 1-3-2000]
D.
FLASHING SIGN
Any directly or indirectly illuminated sign on which artificial light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times when in use.E.
GROUND AND/OR POLE SIGN
Any sign which is supported by structures or supports in or upon the ground and independent of support from any building (also referred to as a "freestanding sign").F.
IDENTIFICATION SIGN
Any sign which carries only the name of the firm, major enterprise, institution or principal products offered for sale on the premises or a combination of these.G.
INDIRECTLY ILLUMINATED SIGN
A sign that is illuminated from a source outside of the actual sign.H.
MARQUEE SIGN
Any sign attached to and made part of a marquee. A "marquee" is defined as a permanent, roof-like structure projecting beyond a building wall at an entrance to a building or extending along and projecting beyond the building's wall and generally designed and constructed to provide protection against weather.I.
NONCONFORMING SIGN
Any sign which does not conform to the regulations of this article.J.
PORTABLE SIGN
Any sign not permanently attached to the ground which is designed to be easily moved from one location to another.K.
PROJECTING SIGN
Any sign extending more than 18 inches but less than five feet from the face of a wall or building.L.
REAL ESTATE SIGN
Any sign which is used to offer for sale, lease or rent the property upon which the sign is placed.M.
ROOF SIGN
Any sign erected upon or over the roof or parapet of any building.N.
TEMPORARY SIGN
Any sign intended to be displayed for a short period of time, including real estate, political or construction site signs and banners, decorative-type displays or anything similar to the aforementioned.O.
WALL SIGN
Any sign attached to, erected on or painted on the wall of a building or structure and projecting not more than 18 inches from such wall.P.
WINDOW SIGN
Any sign located completely within an enclosed building and visible from a pubic way.§ 303-68 Prohibited signs.
A.
Traffic interference. Signs shall not resemble, imitate or approximate the shape, size, form or color of railroad or traffic signs or devices. Signs shall not obstruct or interfere with the effectiveness of railroad or traffic signs, signals or devices or the safe flow of traffic. No sign shall be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape. No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility.
B.
Moving or flashing signs. No sign shall be erected which has any flashing, rotating or brilliant intermittent parts or lights or bare-reflecting-type bulbs, except those giving public service information such as time, date, temperature, weather or similar information or where allowed by conditional use permit.
C.
Area. No sign shall contain more than 300 square feet in gross area.
D.
Illuminated signs.
(1)
Signs which are not effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of the traveled ways of the interstate of federal aid primary highways and which are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of the driver of any motor vehicle or which otherwise interfere with any driver's operation of a motor vehicle are prohibited.
(2)
No sign shall be so illuminated that it interferes with the effectiveness of or obscures an official traffic sign, device or signal.
§ 303-69 Dangerous or abandoned signs.
[Amended 1-3-2000]
All signs shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the premises upon which the sign is located when a business which it advertises has not been conducted for a period of six months or when, in the judgment of the Zoning Administrator, such sign is so old or dilapidated or has become so out of repair as to be dangerous or unsafe, whichever occurs first. If the owner or lessee fails to remove it, the Common Council may remove the sign at the cost of the owner, following adequate written notice. The owner may appeal the Common Council's decision to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
§ 303-70 Alteration of existing signs.
Any sign which was erected before the adoption of this article shall not be rebuilt or relocated without conforming to all of the requirements of this article.
§ 303-71 Violations and penalties.
All signs constructed or maintained in violation of any of the provisions of this article are hereby declared public nuisances within the meaning of the Code of the City of Manawa. In addition to the penalty provisions for violation of this chapter, the Common Council may bring an action to abate the nuisance in the manner set forth in the Wisconsin state statutes.
§ 303-72 Construction and maintenance.
A.
Installation. All signs shall be properly secured, supported and braced and shall be kept in reasonable structural condition and shall be kept clean and well painted at all times. Bolts or screws shall not be fastened to window frames. Every sign and its framework, braces, anchors and other supports shall be constructed of such material and with such workmanship as to be safe and satisfactory to city officials.
B.
General requirements.
(1)
Awnings. The lowest part of any awning shall be seven feet above the sidewalk. Signs are allowed directly on the awning or hanging on the frame but not below seven feet.
(2)
Roof signs. No sign shall be located so as to project above the parapet line, unless approved by the Common Council, upon the recommendation of the Plan Commission.
(3)
Illuminated signs. Any illuminated signs shall not interfere with surrounding properties or traffic. Illuminated flashing signs will not be permitted in any residential district.
(4)
Projection. Signs, including supports, shall not project beyond five feet of the wall to which attached.
(5)
Blanketing. Blanketing of signs shall not be allowed.
(6)
Maintenance. All signs, including supports and attachments, shall be properly maintained and have an appearance that is neat and clean.
C.
Searchlights. The Common Council may permit the temporary use of a searchlight for advertising purposes in any district, provided that the searchlight will not be located in any public right-of-way, will not be located closer than 10 feet and will not cause a hazard to traffic or adjoining properties. Searchlight permits shall not be granted for a period of more than five days in any six-month period.
D.
Signs on public rights-of-way. Signs shall not be permitted on public rights-of-way, except for traffic control, parking and directional signs and as otherwise specified in this chapter. However, the Common Council may grant a conditional use permit to locate signs and decorations on or within the right-of-way for a specified time not to exceed 60 days and subject to Article V.
§ 303-73 Temporary signs.
A.
All temporary signs, such as real estate, construction site and political signs, may be erected for 30 days and shall be removed within 10 days after their use has discontinued.
B.
Temporary signs may be placed on a property but shall not be located on a right-of-way terrace and shall not interfere with driveway vision clearance.
§ 303-74 Electronic message unit signs.
A.
Such signs may be used only to advertise activities conducted on the premises or to present public service information.
B.
Segmented messages must be displayed for not less than 1/2 second nor more than 10 seconds.
C.
Traveling messages may travel no slower than 16 light columns per second and no faster than 32 columns per second.
§ 303-75 Portable signs.
A.
Portable signs shall be limited in use to 30 days at a time, following approval by the Clerk-Treasurer, and not more frequently than three times per year at any one location.
B.
The maximum size shall be 25 square feet on each face, back-to-back.
§ 303-76 Wind pressure and dead load requirements.
All billboards, signs and other advertising structures shall be designed and constructed to withstand a wind pressure of not less than 30 pounds per square foot of area and shall be constructed to receive dead loads as required in Chapter 106, Building Construction, or other ordinances of the City of Manawa.
§ 303-77 Removal.
Except as otherwise herein provided, all billboards and/or sign messages shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the premises upon which an off-premises sign/billboard is located when the business advertised is no longer conducted where advertised. If the owner or lessee fails to remove the sign/billboard, the Common Council shall give the owner 60 days' written notice to remove said sign/billboard and, thereafter, upon the owner's or lessee's failure to comply, may remove such sign/billboard, any costs for which shall be charged to the owner of the property or may be assessed as a special assessment against the property, and/or the Common Council may take any other appropriate legal action necessary to attain compliance.