The intent of the sign regulations is to provide minimum standards to safeguard life, health, property and public welfare by regulating and controlling the number, size, design, quality of materials, construction, location, electrification, energy efficiency, and maintenance of all signs and sign structures; to preserve and improve the appearance of the Allyn urban growth area as a place in which to live and as an attraction to nonresidents who come to visit or trade; to encourage sound signing practices as an aid to business and for public information but to prevent excessive and confusing sign displays or signs that pose a hazard to the public.

(Ord. 63-07 Exh. A (part), 2007).

This chapter applies only to signs within the Allyn urban growth area.

(Ord. 63-07 Exh. A (part), 2007).

The following may be construed as signs, but are not intended to be regulated as signs in this chapter:

(1)

The flag, emblem or insignia of a nation or other governmental unit or nonprofit organization subject to the guidelines concerning their use set forth by the government or organization which they represent.

(2)

Traffic or other municipal signs, signs required by law or emergency, railroad crossing signs, legal notices and signs erected by government agencies to implement public policy;

(3)

Signs of public utility companies indicating danger or which serve as an aid to public safety or which show the location of underground facilities or of public telephones;

(4)

Signs located in the interior of any building or within an enclosed lobby or court of any building or group of buildings, which signs are designed and located to be viewed exclusively by patrons of such use or uses;

(5)

Decorations, clearly incidental and customary and commonly associated with any national, local or religious holiday, or traditional community event such as annual festivals or parades;

(6)

Sculptures, fountains, murals, mosaics and design features which do not incorporate advertising or identification.

(Ord. 63-07 Exh. A (part), 2007).

(Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, 12-20-2022)

The following definitions apply within this chapter:

"Accessory building or use" means any building or use which:

(1)

Is subordinated to, and serves a principal building or principal use; and

(2)

Is subordinate in area, extent or purpose to the principal building or principal use served; and

(3)

Contributes to the comfort, convenience or necessity of occupants of the principal building or principal use served; and

(4)

Is located on the same lot as the principal building or principal use served, with the single exception of such accessory off-street parking facilities as are permitted to locate elsewhere than on the same lot with the building or use served; and

(5)

Accessory uses include signs that are related to and support an on-site business or activity.

"Agricultural sales sign" means a temporary sign used to announce and/or direct the public to a sale of locally grown agricultural products.

"Animated sign" means any sign which includes action or motion or the optical illusion of action or motion, or color changes of all or any part of the sign facing, requiring electrical energy, or set in motion by movement of the atmosphere.

"Changing message center sign" means an electrically or electronically controlled sign where different automatic changing messages are shown on the same lamp blank.

"Commercial sign" means for the purposes sign regulations, a sign intended to attract attention, identify, advertise, and/or promote: a business; goods sold, offered, traded, or manufactured; a service sold or offered; or professional, commercial or industrial gainful activity.

"Construction sign" means any sign used to identify the architects, engineers, contractors or other individuals or firms involved with the construction of a building and announce the character of the building or the purpose for which the building is intended.

"County" means Mason County, Washington.

"Flashing sign" means any sign which contains an intermittent or flashing light source or which includes the illusion of intermittent or flashing light by means of animation or an externally mounted intermittent light source.

"Freestanding sign" means a sign supported permanently upon the ground by poles, pylons, braces or a solid base and not attached to any building. Freestanding signs include those signs otherwise known as pedestal signs, pole signs, pylon signs, and monument signs.

"Garage sale signs (yard sales, moving sales, patio sales)" means temporary signs used to announce and/or direct the public to a sale of used items.

"Monument sign" means a freestanding sign having the appearance of a solid base of landscape construction materials such as brick, stucco, stonework, textured wood, tile or textured concrete materials compatible with the materials of the primary structure on the subject property.

"Noncommercial sign" means for the purposes of sign regulations, a sign intended for a purpose other than to attract attention, identify, advertise, and/or promote: a business; goods sold, offered, traded, or manufactured; a service sold or offered; or professional, commercial, or industrial gainful activity.

"Off-premises sign" means a sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered at a location other than the premises on which the sign is located.

"On-premises sign" means any communication device, structure or fixture that is intended to aid in identification and to advertise and/or promote a business, service, activity, interest or view at the location on which the sign is located.

"Pole (or pylon) sign" means freestanding sign supported permanently upon the ground by poles or braces and not attached to any building.

"Political sign" means a temporary sign advertising a candidate or candidates for public elective office, or a political party, or sign urging a particular vote on a public issue decided by ballot.

"Real estate signs" means any temporary sign pertaining to the sale, lease or rental of land or buildings.

"Roof sign" means any sign erected upon, against or directly above a roof or on top of or above the parapet of a building.

"Sign" means any communication device, structure or fixture that is intended to aid an establishment in identification and to advertise and/or promote a business, service, activity or interest. For the purpose of this chapter, a sign shall not be considered to be building or structural design, but shall be restricted solely to graphics, symbols or written copy that is meant to be used in the aforementioned way. Signs as regulated in this chapter have been organized into a variety of types, such as commercial and noncommercial, which are regulated differently.

"Temporary sign" means those signs intended and designed to be displayed for a limited period of time and associated with a particular event or short-term activity. Temporary signs may be of either a commercial or noncommercial nature.

(Ord. 63-07 Exh. A (part), 2007).

(Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, 12-20-2022)

In addition to the setback requirements otherwise established, signs shall be located such that there is at every street intersection a clear view between heights of three feet and ten feet in a triangle formed by the corner and points on the curb thirty feet from the intersection or entryway.

(Ord. 63-07 Exh. A (part), 2007).

The following signs or displays are prohibited in all areas of the Allyn urban growth area:

(1)

Roof signs;

(2)

Animated or flashing signs, provided that changing message center signs may be allowed when the image and/or message remains fixed for at least five seconds and that the only animation or appearance of movement allowed is the transition from one message and/or image to another by the scrolling on and/or off of the message and/or image;

(3)

Signs which, by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illumination may be confused with or construed as a traffic control sign, signal or device, or the light of an emergency or radio equipment vehicle, or which obstruct the visibility of traffic or street sign or signal device from the traffic intended to be served by the sign, signal or device;

(4)

Signs attached to utility poles;

(5)

Off-premises signs, except for the temporary signs allowed in Sections 17.15.080;

(6)

Pole-mounted signs;

(7)

Ground-mounted signs taller than ten feet in height;

(8)

Signs employing exposed electrical conduits;

(9)

Signs with visible ballast boxes or other equipment;

(10)

Signs with luminous plastic letters;

(11)

Audible or odor-producing signs;

(12)

Cardboard signs, except for the temporary signs allowed in Section 17.15.080;

(13)

Banners, except those related to a specific community event and displayed prior to the event for no more than twenty-one days and those used when a new business opens may be displayed no more than thirty days.

(Ord. 63-07 Exh. A (part), 2007).

(Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, 12-20-2022)

Non-commercial signs may be placed upon private property with owner's consent.

(Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, 12-20-2022)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, adopted Dec. 20, 2022, repealed the former § 17.15.070, and enacted a new section as set out herein. The former § 17.15.070 pertained to prohibited noncommercial signs and derived from Ord. 63-07, adopted 2007.

Temporary signs are those intended and designed to be displayed for a limited period of time and shall not be permanently attached or anchored to the ground, to a building, or any other structure. Temporary signs specified in subsection 17.15.080(3), which are allowed in the right-of-way, are regulated pursuant to subsections 17.03.202(c), 17.03.202(d), and state law.

(1)

Signs displayed on a property actively marketed for sale, lease, or rent.

(A)

Permitted Location. On property for sale, lease, or rent.

(B)

Duration. No longer than ten days after the sale, lease, or rent of property has been finalized.

(C)

Off-Premises Signs. May be placed on private property with owner's consent.

(2)

Signs displayed on a property holding a temporary event.

(A)

Permitted Location. On the property with which the temporary event is associated.

(B)

Duration. No longer than ten days after the event.

(C)

Off-Premises Signs. May be placed on private property with owner's consent.

(3)

Signs displayed during elections and campaigns.

(A)

Permitted Location. May be placed on private property with owner's consent and in the public right-of-way as regulated pursuant to Section 17.03.202(C), Section 17.03.202(D), and state law.

(B)

Duration: No longer than ten days after the final campaign or election.

(Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, 12-20-2022)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, adopted Dec. 20, 2022, repealed the former § 17.15.080, and enacted a new section as set out herein. The former § 17.15.080 pertained to real estate signs and derived from Ord. 63-07, adopted 2007.

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, adopted Dec. 20, 2022, repealed § 17.15.090, which pertained to noncommercial signs and derived from Ord. 63-07, adopted 2007.

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, adopted Dec. 20, 2022, repealed § 17.15.100, which pertained to garage sale signs (also yard sales, moving sales, patio sales) and derived from Ord. 63-07, adopted 2007.

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, adopted Dec. 20, 2022, repealed § 17.15.110, which pertained to agricultural sales signs and derived from Ord. 63-07, adopted 2007.

(a)

Monument site entry signs may be located at major vehicular or pedestrian entries along the street front.

(b)

Vision Clearance. A triangular area at the intersection of two streets measured from the corner thirty feet in each direction and connected to form a triangle. No sign shall be located within a vision clearance area.

(c)

Only one monument sign is allowed per site. For large sites, more than one monument sign shall be permitted as long as such signs are placed no closer than one hundred fifty feet apart along the street front.

(d)

Monument signs size limits:

(1)

Single tenant signs shall be no more than eight feet in height and thirty-two square feet in area per face (two sign faces are allowed).

(2)

Single tenant signs for retail uses larger than fifty thousand square feet in gross floor area shall be no more than ten feet in height and fifty square feet in area per face.

(3)

Multi-tenant (more than three tenants) signs shall be no more than ten feet in height and forty square feet in area per face.

(4)

Multi-tenant signs for commercial uses with more than fifty thousand square feet in gross floor area shall be no more than ten feet in height and fifty square feet in area per face.

(5)

Monument signs for multifamily developments shall be no more than five feet in height and twenty-eight square feet in total sign face area.

Figure 1. An example of a monument sign.

(6)

Signs shall be designed to integrate with adjacent site landscaping.

(7)

Monument signs shall be setback at least five feet from any public right-of-way.

(8)

The lettering and logos of monument signs may be internally-lit or illuminated from the front.

(9)

A thirty-foot lineal break in required tree coverage in landscaped front yard areas parallel to the street, where applicable, is permitted adjacent to monument signs to enhance visibility. Other landscape elements such as shrubs and ground cover will still apply.

(Ord. 63-07 Exh. A (part), 2007).

(a)

Building signs are those signs mounted directly on the face of a building and include signs to identify the building or facility or individual tenants or businesses. Building signs should be designed and located to fit with the building's architecture. For example, building signs might fit within a recessed panel or on a building element such as a fascia or canopy. Building signs should not cover over an architectural element such as a window or portion of a building's ornamentation or trim.

(b)

Building signs should fit parallel or perpendicular with the building facade. The supporting mechanisms or arms of new building signs should not be visible. Perpendicular signs should not extend more than four feet from the building facade.

(c)

The maximum surface area of building mounted signs for a given facade is twenty-five square feet plus ten percent of the area of the building's main facade. The sign(s) may be located on any facade, but the signs on all facades count toward maximum surface area.

(d)

The lettering and logos of building signs may be internally-lit but the background of the sign face shall not be internally illuminated. Building signs may be illuminated from the front.

Figure 2. Maximum size of building signs.

(Ord. 63-07 Exh. A (part), 2007).

Miscellaneous tenant signs including those hung from building canopies (blade signs), temporary ground placed A-board signs, and window signs are allowed provided they do not exceed twelve square feet and provided they are within ten feet of the individual or multiple tenant building entrance.

(Ord. 63-07 Exh. A (part), 2007).

Neon signs in windows are permitted.

(Ord. 63-07 Exh. A (part), 2007).

This title shall be governed by the laws of the State of Washington. In the event that any portion or section of this title be declared invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of the title shall not be affected and shall remain in full force and effect.

(Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, 12-20-2022)

County officials shall have the authority to remove signs when not placed in accordance with this section.

(Ord. No. 2022-093, Att. B, 12-20-2022)