For the purpose of this ordinance, the following sign regulations are hereby established:

7.1.1.

To assure compatibility of signs with surrounding land usage;

7.1.2.

To enhance the economy of the city;

7.1.3.

To protect the public investment in streets and highways;

7.1.4.

To promote the safety and recreation value of public travel;

7.1.5.

To preserve natural beauty and to protect property values by promoting the reasonable, orderly, and effective display of business and related signs;

7.1.6.

To promote the aesthetic values of the City of Oxford and the University of Mississippi by elimination of visual blight;

7.1.7.

To preserve the quality of urban life in the community;

7.1.8.

To improve the safety of the citizens of, and visitors to, the City of Oxford by restrictions upon the size and location of certain types of signs or by the elimination of certain types of signs.

7.2.1.

Sign definitions. See article 10.2., definitions.

7.2.2.

Nonconforming signs. See article 3, section 3.1.6 for provisions governing nonconforming signs.

7.2.3.

Sign requirements for specific uses.

7.2.3.1.

Religious or cultural institutional uses. Must meet the setbacks and visibility requirement for business signs.

7.2.3.2.

Mixed tenant shopping complexes (shopping center) or mixed-use (commercial and residential) centers. May provide entrance signage that shall be no more than ten square feet for each business to be located in the center, when no freestanding signs are to be used in the center. The sign may be no larger than 100 square feet. Alternately the master plan sign option in section 7.4 may be used.

7.2.4.

Sign permit required. Before any person or firm shall erect, place, hang, or otherwise install any sign not exempt from this ordinance, such person shall apply for a permit for the sign. The cost of such permit shall be as required by the planning department and the application shall require the following:

7.2.4.1.

The location, size, character, height, and setback for every proposed sign.

7.2.4.2.

Signs in a historic district must be approved by the Oxford Historic Preservation Commission or the courthouse square historic preservation commission and are subject to the additional requirements noted in section 7.2.7.

7.2.4.3.

No permit may be issued for a sign unless all existing sign frames or poles are removed or designated to be reused.

7.2.4.4.

Exemptions. No permits shall be required for incidental signs, signs inside buildings or attached to or painted upon windows or glass doors unless otherwise noted below.

7.2.4.5.

Abandoned Signs. If it shall appear the director of planning shall so find, that a sign or sign frame has been abandoned or is in nonuse for a period in excess of 180 days, the director of planning shall notify, in writing, the owner of the land and the owner of the sign, if known, to remove the sign within 30 days of said notice. If the sign and/or frame are not removed, the city may demolish said sign and bill the sign owner and land owner jointly and severally for the cost of that destruction or removal.

7.2.4.6.

A sign permit shall be valid for six months.

7.2.5.

Signs prohibited as public nuisance.

7.2.5.1.

Portable signs are hereby declared to be a public nuisance contributing to traffic hazards and visual blight and detrimental to the aesthetic environment of the city, and, therefore, are not permitted within the corporate limits of the City of Oxford.

7.2.5.2.

Pennants, spinners, streamers, balloons, bedsheets (tarps or other large expanses of material), and similar devices shall not be permitted upon any property or attached to the exterior of any building (residential or commercial), upon any pole, tree or other structure

7.2.5.3.

Signs shall not be erected on, maintained within or upon, or overhang a public street right-of-way.

7.2.5.4.

Signs may not be put on trees or utility poles, or painted or drawn upon rocks or natural features, or on any motor vehicle or tractor trailer parked in the front setback of a business or directly adjacent to a public right-of-way.

7.2.6.

Sign lighting. All lighted or illuminated signs shall be constructed to prevent any undue glare in any direction which may interfere with traffic or become a nuisance to adjoining property. Except as otherwise provided, no sign or similar device shall flash or move. The message or image on any sign shall not be changed more than once per day. Interior illuminated business signs located within a three-foot radius and visible from any exterior window shall not move or flash. Signs providing noncommercial public service information such as "time and temperature" are permitted.

Rope lighting. Rope lighting shall include any rope lighting for commercial structures along the exterior of a structure, exterior and interior of a storefront, along the perimeter of any window or within three feet of the interior of any window of said structure. Such rope lighting shall not be afforded any nonconforming status under this Code. All rope lighting, regardless of its time of installation, shall be deemed a violation of this Code and shall be removed. In an effort to allow the owner of the rope lighting a period to amortize the capital costs associated with the lighting, this paragraph shall not take effect until 30 days after the effective date of this zoning text amendment.

7.2.7.

Calculating total sign area.

7.2.7.1.

The total area of any business sign, whether freestanding, mounted, or painted upon the outside wall or canopy of a building shall be by means of the smallest square or rectangle, that will encompass the extreme limits of the writing, representation, emblem or other display, together with any material or color forming an integral part of the background of the display or used to differentiate the sign from the backdrop or structure against which it is placed, but not include any supporting framework, bracing or other means of support.

7.2.7.2.

The total sign area for any freestanding or projecting sign with one or more faces shall be computed by adding together the area of all sign faces visible from one point.

7.2.7.3.

The total sign area for wall-mounted signs shall be based upon the width of the front, sides or rear of any building.

7.2.8.

Calculating height of signs.

7.2.8.1.

Sign height shall be calculated from the ground level to the uppermost top of the frame or calculated area as stated in section 7.2.7.

7.2.8.2.

No sign attached to any building shall project above the roofline or roof parapet of such building.

7.2.9.

Regulations for specific sign types.

7.2.9.1.

Temporary Signs. Temporary signs shall be permitted in all districts, as noted below, without a permit. All temporary signs shall meet the setback and visibility requirements of this ordinance (See also Sec. 7.3).

a.

General Requirements. No temporary sign shall exceed six (6) square feet in surface area and four (4) feet in height in the ER, SR, and NR districts; in area of a PUD or TND designated for an attached or detached dwelling residential development; or in any historic district. Temporary signs in other areas shall not exceed 32 square feet in surface area and eight (8) feet in height. No more than two (2) temporary signs may be placed on a lot or in front of a dwelling, except as provided below.

b.

Signs During an Election Season. During an election season up to four (4) temporary signs may be placed on a lot or in front of a dwelling in a residential district during an election season; defined as being six (6) weeks prior to an election for any public office. Such signs must be removed within five (5) days after the election for which they are posted.

7.2.9.2.

Temporary commercial banners.

a.

One commercial banner per business may be erected for no more than thirty (30) days per calendar year.

b.

A permit shall be obtained to erect any commercial banner and permits shall be issued in five day increments.

c.

Commercial Banners shall be limited to no more than 20 square feet in size.

d.

Commercial Banners shall be affixed to a building and be made of material able to withstand the elements and remain intact and suitable for public display.

7.2.9.3.

On-premises directional signs, not exceeding two square feet in area and four in height, may be erected, in any district, provided they are not within the right-of-way of any street.

7.2.9.4.

Noncommercial message signs. Any sign or banner permitted under this ordinance is allowed to contain noncommercial messages and/or images in addition to or in lieu of any other messages and/or images, without regard to whether such noncommercial messages and/or images are related to the premises upon which such sign or banner is located.

7.2.9.5.

Flags and flagpoles. See section 3.2.7, Accessory uses and equipment.

7.2.9.6.

Business signs, generally.

a.

Are not permitted in agricultural or residential districts except as authorized below.

b.

May be erected no closer than ten feet from any street, road or highway pavement edge or curb line, nor within any public right-of-way.

c.

In the SCO and SCN zoning districts, may be erected no closer than 100 feet from any property zoned or used for residential purposes or from any residential portion of a master planned development. In the RCN, TNB, UCO, UCN, and HUCN or in any historic district, may be erected no closer than 50 feet from property zoned or used for residential purposes.

d.

If located between ten and 20 feet of any street, road or highway pavement edge or curb line, which obstructs visibility within an area measured between two and one-half and nine feet above the ground line, shall be located at least ten feet away from any entrance driveway located upon the premises or any entrance driveway situated upon adjacent property.

e.

May be placed inside buildings or affixed or painted upon the window or glass doors of any building except as limited in section 7.3.1.2 in historic districts.

f.

Business signage is limited to no more than two signs that shall include business identification, logo, or product advertising signs. Projecting, freestanding, awning, window, wall, and marquee signs that display business advertisement shall be include in the number of allowed signs.

g.

Permanent signs and sign support materials shall be constructed of metal, painted or stained wood, masonry, glass, ceramics, concrete, or other materials if approved by the director of planning. Corrugated plastic is not an allowed material for permanent business signage.

7.2.9.7.

Wall signs. Wall signs not exceed one square foot in area for each one linear foot of building at the principle entrance facing a street for buildings located within 30 feet from the edge of the street. For business facing more than one street, the total allowed sign area may be distributed to other entrances.

a.

For businesses facing more than one street, the total allowed signsge may be distributed to other entrances.

b.

For buildings located more than 30 feet from the edge of the street, two square feet of sign area for each one linear foot of building (front, side or rear) shall be permitted.

c.

The maximum for all wall or canopy-mounted signs shall be 200 square feet. Whenever canopies are used for determining the total sign area, no signs shall be mounted upon the building or in building windows.

7.2.9.8.

Freestanding signs, monument signs and entry signs for multi-structure developments.

a.

Height. Freestanding business or development entry signs may not be taller than six feet high.

b.

Size. The maximum sign area for a freestanding business or development entry sign shall be 40 square feet.

c.

Design. Monument signage shall be constructed of a decorative base, sign face and a cap. All structural members that support the sign shall be enclosed with brick, decorative masonry, natural and decorative stone, masonry with a stucco finish, or painted metal to make them not be visible.

d.

Number of signs. Unless otherwise authorized in section 7.4, signs are limited to no more than one per lot provided that where a lot has frontage on two public streets and has a minimum frontage of 300 feet on either street and a combined frontage greater than 650 feet, the number of freestanding signs may be increased to two.

e.

Existing freestanding business signs, including pole signs, over six feet tall, may remain until a new business locates on the property.

f.

Multi-structure development signs. Subdivisions and developments with multiple structures may display one monument sign not to exceed six feet in height and 24 square feet in sign area per primary entrance into the development. In addition, developments containing multi-unit dwellings may display one wall sign on the leasing or management structure not to exceed 20 square feet in sign area.

g.

Ornamental Entry Structures. Entry structures into a multi-structure development that are not signs and are larger than allowed for sign structures may be considered by Special Exception.

h.

Highway corridor. Freestanding business or development entry signs for property adjacent to a state highway may request a larger sign by special use. Additional standards for granting the special use are as follows:

i.

Requested signage may not be taller that eight feet in height.

ii.

The maximum sign area shall be 40 square feet.

7.2.9.9.

Projecting business signs. Any use proposing a projecting business sign may have a sign of 40 square feet. The sign may be increased by one square foot for each additional 1,000 square feet of building area, up to a maximum size of 60 square feet. See section 7.3 for exceptions for signs in historic districts.

7.2.9.10.

Outdoor advertising signs.

a.

Where permitted. Permitted only in the industrial (IND) district and shall be located no closer than 50 feet from any street, road or highway right-of-way; or closer than 1,000 feet from any other outdoor advertising sign situated on the same side of the street, road or highway.

b.

Application. An outdoor sign permit application shall include: Drawings depicting the location of proposed signs shall include accurate data regarding the location of other outdoor advertising signs on the same side of the street, road, or highway, and within 1,000 feet of such proposed outdoor advertising sign.

c.

Height. The height shall not exceed 30 feet.

d.

Area. The total sign area for any outdoor advertising sign shall not exceed 300 square feet.

7.2.9.11.

Digital billboards.

a.

Except as specifically provided in this section, no digital billboards shall be permitted in any zoning district within the City of Oxford.

b.

A total of two back to back digital billboards shall be permitted on HWY 6 West in an area zoned general business in accordance with the regulations included in this section and upon issuance of a permit by the city. No permit for a digital sign shall be issued unless the applicant first demonstrates the removal of no less than four existing nonconforming billboards located within the City of Oxford. A second permit for a digital billboard shall not be issued unless the applicant has demonstrated the removal of four additional existing nonconforming billboards located within the City of Oxford. All nonconforming billboards within the City of Oxford shall be removed within a 12-month period from the adoption of this section.

c.

No digital billboard shall be located within 1,000 linear feet of another digital billboard. For the purpose of this subsection, the distance between digital billboards shall be measured as the distance between the points at which lines drawn perpendicular to the highway from the location of each billboard intersect with a line along the center of the highway.

d.

No digital billboard shall be located on the north side of HWY 6 West east of CR 165 or on the south side of HWY 6 West east of Thacker Road.

e.

Maximum height shall be 30 feet.

f.

Maximum area shall be 300 square feet.

g.

No digital billboard shall be located closer than 50 feet from any street, road or highway pavement edge or curb line, nor within any public right-of-way.

h.

All digital billboards shall be programmable so that there are no effects of movement, blinking, animation, scrolling, flashing, or similar effects in the individual images.

i.

All digital billboards shall be programmed so that the image will change instantaneously as seen by the human eye, and shall not use blinking, fading, rolling, shading, dissolving, or similar effects as part of the change.

j.

There shall be a minimum of eight seconds between copy changes.

k.

All digital billboards shall be equipped with automatic level controls to reduce light levels at night and under cloudy and other darkened conditions, with accordance with the following:

i.

All such signs shall have installed ambient light monitors, and shall at all times allow such monitors to automatically adjust the brightness level of the sign based on ambient light conditions.

ii.

The maximum brightness of light emitted from a changeable message sign shall not exceed 0.3 foot candles over ambient light levels measured at a distance of 150 feet.

iii.

Any measurement required shall be taken from a point within the highway right-of-way at a safe distance from the lane of the main travel way and as close to perpendicular to the face of the digital billboard as practical. If perpendicular measurement is not practical, valid measurements may be taken at an angle up to 45 degrees from the center point of the sign face.

iv.

Written certification from the sign manufacturer must be provided at the time of application for a building permit certifying that the light intensity of the sign has been preset not to exceed the illumination levels established by this section, and that the present intensity level is protected from end user manipulation by password protected software or other approved method.

v.

The owner of any digital billboard shall demonstrate, at the city's request and the satisfaction of the city's director of planning and development or his designee that such digital billboard does not exceed the maximum brightness set forth in this section.

l.

Digital billboards shall be monitored via web camera and remotely frozen in one position or disabled in the event of a malfunction until said malfunction is repaired.

m.

The owner(s) of a digital billboard must reasonably coordinate with relevant public agencies for and the display of real-time emergency information such as amber alerts or natural disaster directions. Owners shall also reasonably accommodate public agencies for the display of public service information if space is available.

n.

Base of mounting poles shall be covered with a brick veneer with remainder of pole painted a color complimentary to the brick veneer. Base shall be equal to half of the height of the mounting pole.

o.

The two digital billboards permitted under this section if erected and designed to operate in accordance with the regulation included in this section and after all existing nonconforming billboards within the City of Oxford have been removed, shall be considered as conforming and not subject to the amortization clause found in section 3.1.6 of the sign ordinance.

p.

As used in this section, the phrase "non-conforming billboards" shall mean non-conforming billboards within the City of Oxford on the date of the adoption of this section.

(Ord. No. 2018-11, 7-17-2018; Ord. No. 2021-4, § I, 5-18-2021; Ord. No. 2018-18, § III, 9-18-2018; Ord. No. 2018-21, § IV, 10-16-2018; Ord. No. 2018-26, § I, 12-18-2018; Ord. No. 2019-3, § I, 2-5-2019; Ord. No. 2022-12, § I, 10-18-2022)

7.3.1.

Specific district sign requirements.

7.3.1.1.

Reserved.

7.3.1.2.

Specific regulations in the historic preservation districts. All sign regulations applicable to a historic preservation District take precedent over any provisions in article 7 in the zoning code when the regulations are in conflict. Where there is no conflict, the provisions of article 7 will apply.

a.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this ordinance, the historic preservation ordinance, or the historic preservation design guidelines, all business signs located within the historic urban center district or any designated historic preservation district are to be regulated by the standards below. All sign regulations in the historic preservation districts take precedent over any provisions in this chapter when there is a conflict. Where there is no conflict, the provisions in this chapter will apply.

b.

All commercial signs must be approved by the courthouse square historic preservation commission or the Oxford Historic Preservation Commission (as appropriate). Approval shall be based on the provisions of this section and the adopted historic preservation guidelines. If a sign permit is required, a certificate of appropriateness (COA) must be obtained prior to submitting a sign permit application.

c.

Businesses are limited to one wall or projecting sign and two window or door signs for each façade that has a public entrance. A second wall or projecting sign may be requested by special exception. Additionally, a sign on a facade with no public entrance may be requested by special exception. Projecting signs will be no larger than 6 square feet in sign area (typically, a 24-inch by 36-inch sign). Each window sign may cover no more than 15 percent of one window or door, and each wall sign may cover no more than 15 percent of the façade of the building. Where only one window sign is proposed, the percentage from the second allowed sign may be aggregated to allow 30 percent coverage of one window. Businesses utilizing a shared space for outdoor seating or dining may be allowed one sign not to exceed three square feet. Such signage must be affixed to an area barrier.

d.

Business identification, "branding symbols," logos, product or service advertising signage, symbols, borders, decals, decorative elements, and lettering are considered cumulatively when evaluating proposed signage. All such elements shall be included in the calculation of sign coverage for any projecting, hanging, awning, window, door, wall, or marquee signs.

e.

When signage elements as described above are proposed for multiple windows or doors on a façade:

i.

The signage elements may cover no more than 15 percent of one window or door. Alternatively, signage elements may be aggregated to allow up to a maximum of 30 percent total window and door coverage on each façade with a public entrance. Coverage shall not exceed 50 percent of any one window.

ii.

For businesses located on two public rights-of-way (corner properties), aggregate window signage is restricted to windows located along the respective street frontage. Window signs exceeding 15 percent of aggregate window area shall be included in the overall signage calculation.

iii.

Window signage materials shall be restricted to muted, translucent, and semi-opaque hues. Signs shall not contain flamboyant or overly large lettering or overly decorative elements.

iv.

Information that identifies the hours of operation of the business on one window or door shall be excluded from this calculation if it is no larger than approximately ten inches by 15 inches.

v.

Business signs that project over public rights-of-way shall maintain a minimum clear height of eight feet above the sidewalk; shall not project more than 42 inches from any building or be within 24 inches of any curb line or pavement edge; and shall maintain a minimum spacing of ten feet between adjacent signs.

f.

The use of franchise or corporate signage architecture is prohibited. Buildings or structures, other than allowable signs, shall not be designed to use the building or structure itself as advertising.

g.

Where permitted, freestanding (ground) signs (which may include post mounted signs) shall not exceed five feet in height and 20 square feet in sign area, and must meet all other requirement for ground signs.

h.

Where permitted, freestanding ground signs shall not exceed eight feet in height in UCO, UCN, SCO, and SCN; and six feet in height in all other zoning districts; and 20 square feet in sign area, and must meet all other requirements for ground signs in this chapter.

i.

Only one interior illuminated business sign per business shall be located within a three-foot radius of, and visible from, any exterior window. Such sign shall not flash or move and many not exceed four square feet.

j.

In multi-story mixed-use buildings, street level commercial tenants may have all signage as outlined above. All upper story commercial tenants may display an entry sign in the building first floor directory, and may propose a sign on the upper level only if the tenant occupies the entire floor.

k.

All signs not in compliance with this ordinance shall be removed 60 days after the effective date of this ordinance.

l.

Marquee or other signage replicating historic signage in the HUCN district may be exempted from size, lighting, or other standards if authorized by the courthouse square historic preservation commission.

7.3.2.

Public service banners.

7.3.2.1.

Pursuant to MCA § 21-17-1, if the mayor and board of aldermen find that certain portions of city-owned utility poles are not used for municipal purposes, the city may enter into temporary leases for the erection of public service banners upon such utility poles located on or abutting property owned by: (1) a bona fide not-for-profit civic or eleemosynary corporations organized and existing under the laws of the State of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service, or (2) the Oxford School District. Such leases may be for less than fair market value.

7.3.2.2.

No lease for the erection of a public service banner upon a city-owned utility pole may be for a term of greater than 90 days. No public service banner erected upon a city-owned utility pole may exceed eight square feet in total area. An applicant for any such lease must present the city with a rendering of each proposed public service banner that shows the dimensions, design, and colors used on each banner. All such leases shall be revocable at the will of the board of aldermen.

7.3.2.3.

Any such lease shall expressly reserve the city's exclusive right to maintain, repair, and service all portions of its utility poles, including the exclusive right of the city and the Oxford Electric Department to install public service banners.

7.3.2.4.

No such lease shall be granted without prior written approval from the Oxford Electric Department.

7.3.2.5.

In addition to the consideration paid for the lease, the lessee shall pay a fee to the Oxford Electric Department for the erection of all public service banners.

7.3.2.6.

The amount of the fee shall be equal to the actual cost of installation to the city and/or the Oxford Electric Department.

7.3.2.7.

The lessee shall ensure that each approved public service banner is able to withstand the elements and remain intact and suitable for public display during the term of the lease. The city may terminate any lease or order the removal of any public service banner if it determines that any such public service banner has become unsuitable for public display.

7.3.2.8.

The planning director may order the removal of any public service banner that presents a danger to public welfare or safety.

(Ord. No. 2018-18, § III, 9-18-2018; Ord. No. 2018-26, § I, 12-18-2018; Ord. No. 2021-14, § I, 10-5-2021)

7.4.1.

As an alternative to the above prescribed conditions, a master sign plan for a proposed or existing development may be approved by the planning commission during the approval process for the proposed use.

7.4.2.

The purpose of a master sign plan is to provide for the establishment of signage criteria that are tailored to a specific development or location, and which may vary from specific ordinance provisions. The intent is to provide for flexible sign criteria that promote superior design through architectural integration of the site, buildings and signs.

7.4.3.

A master sign plan shall include the location, size, height, construction material, color, type of illumination and orientation of all proposed signs either permanent or temporary.

7.4.4.

A master sign plan containing elements which exceed the permitted height, area and number of signs specified in this ordinance may be approved by the planning commission only upon written findings that:

7.4.4.1.

The development site contains unique or unusual physical conditions, such as topography, proportion, size or relation to a public street that would limit or restrict normal sign visibility.

7.4.4.2.

The proposed or existing development exhibits unique characteristics of land use, architectural style, site location, physical scale, historical interest or other distinguishing features that represent a clear variation from conventional development.

7.4.4.3.

The proposed signage incorporates special design features such as logos, emblems, murals or statuaries that are integrated with the building architecture.

7.4.4.4.

The construction and placement of individual signs contained in the approved master sign plan shall be subject to the issuance of sign permits in accordance with this ordinance.

All persons failing to comply with the provisions of this section shall be in violation of this ordinance and shall be subject to punishment as provided in Article 9, Section 9.10 of this ordinance.