Montgomery City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Signs
§ 122-31 Schedule of permitted signs.
[Amended 10-4-1994 by L.L. No. 4-1994]
The following schedule of permitted signs shall apply to each premises according to the district in which it is located on the Zoning Map, whether it is used for a permitted use or for a special exception use.
Permitted Signs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Districts | Professional or Announcement Signs | Identification Signs | Real Estate "For Sale" or "For Rent" Sign or construction Sign | Temporary Signs |
Residence and agricultural districts | 1 on each public street frontage pursuant to § 122-32 | Prohibited | 1 on each public street frontage for single lots or buildings; 2 subdivision signs on each public street frontage for each approved subdivision pursuant to § 122-35A | Pursuant to § 122-35B |
Business districts | 1 on each public street frontage pursuant to § 122-32 | 1 wall sign and overhanging sign or 1 detached ground sign on each public street frontage pursuant to § 122-33 | 1 on each public street frontage for single lots or buildings; 2 subdivision signs on each public street frontage for each approved subdivision pursuant to § 122-35A | Pursuant to § 122-35B |
Industrial districts | 1 on each public street frontage pursuant to § 122-32 | 1 wall or 1 detached or ground sign facing each street from which access is provided pursuant to § 122-34 | 1 on each public street frontage for single lots or buildings; 2 subdivision signs on each public street frontage for each approved subdivision pursuant to § 122-35A | Pursuant to § 122-35B |
§ 122-32 Professional and announcement signs.
A.
Professional signs or announcement signs for home professional offices or home occupations shall bear only the name and profession or occupation of the resident. Such sign shall have a maximum area of two square feet and may be located on the building wall or in the required front yard, provided that it is set back at least 15 feet from all property lines and is not more than six feet above the natural ground level at that point.
B.
A church or other place of worship may have one announcement sign, not over 12 square feet in area, on each public street frontage of its property, either fixed on the main wall of the building or located in the required front yard, provided that it is set back at least 15 feet from the front property line and at least 25 feet from all other property lines.
C.
A parish house, club, school or public or semipublic building may have one announcement sign, not over six square feet in area, on each public street frontage of its property, fixed on the main wall of its building.
D.
Such signs may be double-faced.
E.
Such signs may be lighted only by shielded light sources attached to the sign.
§ 122-33 Business district identification signs.
[Amended 10-4-1994 by L.L. No. 4-1994]
A.
A wall identification sign shall be parallel to the face of the building and shall be attached to or incorporated in the building wall. Such sign shall have:
(1)
A maximum area of two square feet for each horizontal foot of building wall on which it is mounted.
(2)
A maximum width of 75% of the building wall's horizontal measurement, except that where such horizontal measurement is 20 feet or less, the maximum width may be 90% of such measurement.
(3)
A maximum projection of 12 inches from the face of the building wall to which the sign is attached.
B.
An overhanging sign may be erected perpendicular to the building wall, provided that such sign is securely fastened to a pole or other device which is itself securely fastened into or on the building wall. Such signs must also conform to the following:
C.
Detached ground identification signs.
(1)
A detached ground identification sign may be erected where the building is set back from the street line a distance of 40 feet or more. Such sign shall have:
(a)
A maximum area of 40 square feet.
(b)
A maximum height measured from the ground level of 18 feet.
(c)
At least three feet of clear space between the sign board and the ground, provided that necessary supports may extend to such clear space.
(d)
A setback of at least 20 feet from any property line, except that if the average setback of existing buildings within the same block is less than 10 feet, then the average setback so established shall be applied to such sign.
D.
Identification signs, except overhanging signs, may be interior lighted with nonglaring lights or may be illuminated by shielded floodlights; provided, however, that red and green lights shall be set back at least 75 feet from the point of intersection of the street lines at a street corner, and further provided that intermittent or flashing lights shall not be used on or in any sign. Moving or animated signs shall be prohibited.
E.
Businesses which erect overhanging signs shall execute an indemnification and hold harmless agreement with the Village of Montgomery and shall maintain adequate liability insurance, naming the Village of Montgomery as an additional insured to protect against property damage and personal injury, for so long as such overhanging sign is erected. The execution of the indemnification agreement and proof of insurance shall be presented to the Building Inspector prior to the erection of such sign. All overhanging signs which are in existence at the time of the effective date of this section[1] shall have 30 days to execute an indemnification agreement and provide the Village with proof of insurance.
[1]
Editor's Note: The date referred to is the effective date of L.L. No. 4-1994, adopted October 4, 1994.
F.
All businesses located in the B-2 Zoning District shall be required to receive the approval of the Architectural and Historic Review Board pursuant to Chapter 6 of the Village Code prior to the erection of any identification sign permitted by this section.
G.
No sign which advertises a particular product sold on the premises or designates the business as an official lottery location shall be displayed on the exterior face of any building; however, such signs may be displayed on the inside of any business window.
H.
Any identification signs which are in existence as of the effective date of this section[2] which do not conform with the dimensional regulations contained herein shall be allowed to remain in place until such time as the ownership of the business displaying such sign changes, and provided that such sign shall not be otherwise changed, altered or replaced.
[2]
Editor's Note: The date referred to is the effective date of L.L. No. 4-1994, adopted October 4, 1994.
§ 122-34 Industrial district identification signs.
A.
Signs permitted in industrial districts shall be as follows:
(1)
One wall identification sign or one detached or ground identification sign facing each street from which access to the lot is provided announcing the name of the company or products manufactured on the premises. Such sign shall have:
(2)
One identification sign at each point of access to the lot with an area of not more than two square feet.
B.
Identification signs may be interior lighted with nonglaring lights or may be illuminated by shielded floodlights; provided, however, that red and green lights shall be set back at least 75 feet from the point of intersection of the street lines at a street corner, and further provided that intermittent or flashing lights shall not be used on or in any sign. Moving or animated signs shall be prohibited.
§ 122-35 Real estate and construction signs.
A.
Real estate or construction signs shall be set back at least 15 feet. Such signs shall have a maximum area of eight square feet, except that subdivision signs shall have a maximum area of 24 square feet and shall not be illuminated.
B.
Temporary directional signs indicating the location of a real estate subdivision shall be permitted as special exception uses under the provisions of § 122-47 for periods of one year during the active selling of subdivision properties. Additional periods of one year shall be the subject of an application to the Planning Board.
[Amended 6-3-1968]
§ 122-36 General requirements.
A.
The area of a sign shall be determined by the smallest rectangle that encompasses all of the letters or symbols which make up the sign, together with any background of a different color or material than the general finish of the building, whether painted or applied.
B.
In no case shall lighted signs be so located that they constitute a hazard to vehicular traffic.
C.
The outlining by direct illumination of all or part of a building, such as a gable, roof, wall, side or corner, shall be prohibited.
D.
Temporary or permanent signs resting on or attached to vehicles shall not be used as a means to circumvent the provisions of this chapter.
§ 122-36.1 Window signs.
[Added 4-7-2020 by L.L. No. 1-2020]
In addition to the other signs permitted in this article, no business establishment, regardless of the zoning district in which it is located, shall be permitted to display window signs where the total area covered by said window signs exceeds 25% of the total window area of each window of such establishment.