Mount Morris Town City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
Signs
§ 48-30 Permitted signs in all districts.
The following signs are permitted in any appropriate district without a permit:
A.
Professional nameplates that shall not exceed two square feet in area on either of two sides.
B.
Signs denoting the name and address of the occupants of the premises, which signs shall not exceed two square feet on either of two sides.
C.
Signs denoting the architect, engineer or contractor placed on the premises where construction, repair or renovation is in progress, which signs shall not exceed 10 square feet in area on either of two sides. The sign must be removed from the premises within seven days after such construction, repair or renovation is completed.
D.
Signs advertising the sale, lease or rental of the premises upon which the sign is located, which sign shall not exceed six square feet in area, provided that such sign is erected or displayed not less than five feet inside the property line. This sign must be removed from the premises within seven days after the property is sold or leased.
E.
Signs or bulletin boards customarily incident to places of worship, libraries, museums, social clubs or societies, which sign or bulletin board shall not exceed 16 square feet in area and shall be located on the premises of such institution, provided that such signs or bulletin boards are erected or displayed not less than five feet from inside the property line.
F.
Any sign advertising a commercial enterprise, including real estate developments, apartments or subdivisions, permitted in a district zoned residential by any zoning regulations shall not exceed 10 square feet in area on either of two sides and shall advertise only the name of the owner, trade name, products sold and/or the business or activity conducted on the premises where such sign is located. No more than two signs shall be allowed for each such business or commercial activity conducted on the premises, which shall in all respects conform to the provisions of this chapter respecting establishments in business districts.
§ 48-31 Permitted signs in business and industrial districts.
The following regulations apply to permitted signs in business and industrial districts:
A.
Size and placement.
(1)
One freestanding, projecting or ground sign per street frontage not exceeding 60 square feet in area nor more than 20 feet in height above the ground, which advertises only the name of the business, trade names, trademark, or activity conducted on the premises where the sign is located, shall be permitted.
(2)
One fascia sign attached to or applied on each building or portion thereof, which sign shall not exceed two square feet for each linear foot of frontage [to maximum of 100 square feet] occupied by each building on the premises, shall be permitted. Where a building has frontage on more than one street or public highway, one such sign shall be permitted for each street frontage.
(3)
The Zoning Officer may grant permits for the erection of directional signs or office identification signs, provided that the individual signs do not exceed two square feet in area, and provided that they conform to the regulations herein:
(a)
Directional signs shall be limited to the text "Office," "Entrance," "Exit" or "Parking." Such signs may be provided with indirect illumination.
(b)
Office identification signs may be attached to an exterior wall of a building adjacent to public entrances. Such signs shall not be illuminated and limited in text to the name of a resident, firm or corporation, being allowed one such sign per street frontage.
B.
Sign setbacks. All freestanding signs must be placed at least 15 feet from the street right-of-way.
C.
Illumination. Only white artificial and indirect lighting shall be used to illuminate a permitted sign. No flashing, intermittent or moving light or lights shall constitute a part of or be used to illustrate a permitted sign. No light shall be placed in such a manner that it is a hazard to the traveling public or shall cause any objectionable glare, either direct or reflected.
§ 48-32 Signs requiring permit; permit procedure; fees.
A.
No sign, advertising structure or device which advertises the principal business or principal use conducted on the property on which the sign is located shall be maintained or erected without a written permit, except those specifically permitted in § 48-35.
B.
Signs for which permits will not be granted are as follows:
(1)
Signs containing flashing, intermittent, rotation or moving lights, or lights.
(2)
Moving signs. Signs that move or contain visible moving parts which move or other simulations of movement.
(3)
Signs containing luminous material, sequin-studded letters or lettering with fluorescent paint.
(4)
Portable freestanding or A-type signs.
(5)
Advertising devices. No sign or part thereof shall contain or consist of banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners or other similar moving, fluttering or revolving devices. Said devices, as well as strings of lights, shall not be used for the purposes of advertising or attracting attention when not part of a sign.
(6)
Signs on rocks, trees, etc.; signs affixed to or painted upon rocks, trees, utility poles or other such structures.
(7)
Signs painted on buildings, fences, etc., except those painted upon a constructed sign background structure.
C.
Procedure for receiving permit.
(1)
Application for permit. Application for the permit shall be made in writing to the Zoning Officer, in duplicate, upon forms prescribed by and provided by the Zoning Officer and shall contain the following information:
(a)
The name, address and telephone number of the applicant.
(b)
The location of the building, structure or land to which or upon which the sign is to be erected.
(c)
A detailed drawing or blueprint showing a description of the construction details of the sign and showing the lettering and/or pictorial matter composing the sign; position of lighting and other extraneous devices; a location plan showing the position of the sign on any building or land and its position in relation to nearby buildings, structures or existing signs and to any private or public street or highway.
(d)
Written consent of the owner of the building, structure or land to which or upon which the sign is to be erected in the event the applicant is not the owner thereof.
(e)
A copy of any required or necessary electrical permit issued for said sign or a copy of the application thereof.
(2)
Fees. The fees to be paid to the Town of Mount Morris for the erection of each sign and for each of the conforming signs now erected in the Town as of the effective date of this chapter shall be in an amount as set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(3)
The Zoning Officer or other designated town official shall issue a permit number for each sign, which shall be permanently attached to or displayed on each sign, billboard or structure so that it may readily be ascertained that a permit has been issued for each use.
(4)
Issuance of permit. It shall be the duty of the Zoning Officer, upon the filing of any application for a permit to erect a sign, to examine such plans, specifications and other plans submitted to him with the application and, if necessary, the building or premises upon which it is proposed to erect the sign or other advertising structure. If it shall appear that the proposed sign is in compliance with all the requirements of this chapter and other laws and ordinances of the Town of Mount Morris, he shall then, within 10 days, issue a permit for the erection of the proposed sign. If the sign authorized under such permit has not been completed within six months from the date of issuance of such permit, the permit shall become null and void but may be renewed within 10 days from the expiration thereof for good cause upon payment of an additional fee in an amount as set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
§ 48-33 (Reserved) [1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former § 48-33, Temporary signs, was repealed 1-19-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017.
§ 48-34 Nonconforming signs.
A.
A nonconforming sign which is destroyed or which is damaged to an extent of 50% of its original construction shall not be replaced except by a sign which conforms to the regulations of this chapter.
B.
Any sign which existed on the effective date of this chapter shall not be enlarged, structurally altered or relocated except in accordance with the provisions of this article. Repairs are limited to those necessary to maintain the sign in a safe and attractive condition.
§ 48-35 Applicability.
A.
None of the provisions of this chapter shall be construed as preventing or limiting any sign or directional device erected by the federal, state, county or local government or agency thereof.
B.
The limitations on sign area as set forth by this chapter shall not apply to parking lot markers, directional signs, entrances and exit signs and other such signs which are erected on the premises, provided that such signs do not exceed two square feet in area on any one side and do not contain any advertising of the use on the premises.