Pittsburg City Zoning Code
SECTION XXVI
SIGNS AND IDENTIFICATION REGULATIONS
§ 1 PURPOSE.
It is declared that the regulation of signs within the City of Pittsburg is necessary and in the public interest; (a) to protect property values within the City of Pittsburg; (b) to preserve the beauty and the unique character of the City of Pittsburg; (c) to promote and aid in the tourist industry which is declared to be of importance to the economy of the City of Pittsburg; (d) to protect the general public from damage and injury which may be caused by the faulty and uncontrolled construction of signs within the City of Pittsburg; (e) to protect pedestrians and motorists of the City of Pittsburg from damage or injury caused, or partially attributable to, the distractions and obstructions which are hereby declared to be caused by improperly situated signs; (f) to promote the public safety, welfare, convenience and enjoyment of travel and the free flow of traffic within the City of Pittsburg.
(Ordinance 550 adopted –/–/–; Ordinance 641-02 adopted 10/14/02; Ordinance 940-22 adopted 6/13/2022; Ordinance 958-23 adopted 1/9/2023)
§ 2 SUPPLEMENTATION.
The regulations hereinafter set forth in this Section qualify or supplement, the district regulations appearing elsewhere in this Zoning Ordinance.
(Ordinance 550 adopted –/–/–; Ordinance 641-02 adopted 10/14/02; Ordinance 940-22 adopted 6/13/2022; Ordinance 958-23 adopted 1/9/2023)
§ 3 DEFINITIONS.
a.
Business:
A commercial entity which occupies, uses and enjoys real property for conduct of a commercial activity, either through ownership or through a lease arrangement.
b.
Facade, Building:
The exterior wall of a building or structure exposed to public view or that wall viewed by persons not within the building or structure. In no case shall a building be considered to have more than four (4) facades.
c.
Flagpole (Sign):
A device designed to display any type of flag.
d.
Footage, Linear:
A measurement of length in feet (12 inches).
e.
Footage, Square:
A measurement of an area in square feet (12 inches by 12 inches).
f.
Nonprofit Organization:
A noncommercial entity which occupies, uses and enjoys real property for the conduct of a noncommercial activity, either through ownership or through a lease agreement.
g.
Sign:
Any object, device, display or structure, or part thereof, which is used to advertise, identify, display, direct or attract attention to business, product, service, event or location by any means, including words, letters, figures, design, symbols, fixtures, colors, illumination or projected images.
h.
Sign, Banner:
Strip of cloth or similar material on which a sign is painted and is usually hung on a structure or stretched across a street.
i.
Sign, Billboard:
An off-premises sign.
j.
Sign, Bulletin Board:
A sign which identifies an institution or organization on the premises of which it is located and which contains the name of the institution or organization, the names of individuals connected with it, and general announcements of events or activities occurring at the institution or similar messages.
k.
Sign, Change Panel:
A sign designed to have an easily changed message.
l.
Sign, Development (Permanent):
A sign displaying the name of a particular residential, commercial, industrial development or complex.
m.
Sign, Directional:
Signs limited to directional messages, principally for pedestrian or vehicular traffic, such as “one-way,” “entrance,” and “exit.”
n.
Sign, Electronic:
A sign using electrical impulses to display a message, picture or design whether stationary, moving or tracking in character.
o.
Sign, Facade:
A sign fastened to or painted on the wall of a building or structure in such manner that the wall becomes the supporting structure for, or forms the background surface of, the sign, and which does not project more than (12) inches from such building or structure.
p.
Sign Face:
The area of display surface used for the message.
q.
Sign, Fixed:
Any sign attached to a building or structure.
r.
Sign, Freestanding:
Any non-movable sign not affixed to a building, including ground and pole signs.
s.
Sign, Ground (Monument):
Any sign other than a pole sign placed upon or supported by the ground independent of any other structure.
t.
Sign, Height:
The height of a sign is the vertical distance from the average ground level abutting a building or structure to the highest permanent part of the sign.
u.
Sign, Home Occupation:
A sign, one (1) square foot in area, identifying a legal home occupation. A Special Use Permit is required to install or display a home occupation sign. See Section XXIV - Special Use Regulations for additional requirements.
v.
Sign, Menu Board:
An on-premises sign designed to give information such as a list of food and drink items available at a restaurant, particularly one with a drive-thru window service.
w.
Sign, Off-Premises (Billboard):
A sign which 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.
x.
Sign, Pole:
A sign which is not attached to a building or structure but which is affixed to the ground. The minimum height of such sign shall be nine (9) feet above average ground level measuring to the bottom of the sign.
y.
Sign, Portable:
A sign which is not affixed to a structure or the ground and is capable of being moved, including a sign mounted on a vehicle, trailer, or mobile structure capable of being moved and primarily used for the purpose of advertising. A sign which is obviously designed to be portable or mobile, one that cannot be anchored or secured to a structure or the ground, in any such manner as to circumvent the intent of this ordinance.
z.
Sign, Reader Board:
An on-premises sign designed to give information such as a list of items and services available, their price, or any other related commercial messages. These signs are characterized by the ease in which the message may be changed.
aa.
Sign, Temporary:
A sign displayed for limited and specific period of time and for those limited purposes set forth in the Zoning Ordinance.
bb.
Sign, Tenant Directory:
An on-premises sign which lists the names of individual businesses in a multi-tenant commercial shopping center or office park.
cc.
Sign, V-type:
A structure of two signs in the shape of the letter “V” when viewed from above and with their faces oriented in opposite directions. Each face constitutes a separate sign.
(Ordinance 550 adopted –/–/–; Ordinance 641-02 adopted 10/14/02; Ordinance 940-22 adopted 6/13/2022; Ordinance 958-23 adopted 1/9/2023)
§ 4 SIGNS WITHIN ZONED DISTRICTS.
a.
Signs shall not be in, or permitted to project into, the public right-of-way except in areas zoned B-3 (Central Business District). No sign base or support shall be erected in a public right-of-way in any district. The public right-of-way includes all property owned and maintained by the city including parks and cemeteries.
b.
Facade or attached signs shall not project above the principal roof of the building.
c.
When any such sign is illuminated, the lights shall be shaded or concealed so that they will not interfere with the vision of motor vehicle operators or shine directly on residential property. Illumination of any type shall not flash.
d.
No portable, mobile, or designed to be mobile signs shall be permitted.
e.
No off-premises signs shall be permitted in any zoning district.
f.
Electronic signs shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet or 4 ft. by 8 ft. in total area;
Electronic images: the City of Pittsburg has determined that the use of an electronic image on a digital display device is not the use of flashing, intermittent, or moving light for the purpose of any rule, regulation and standard promulgated by the City or the State of Texas Department of Transportation.
Prohibitions: an electronic sign shall not be illuminated by flashing, intermittent, or moving lights, contain or display animated, moving video, or scrolling advertising, consist of static image projected upon a stationary object or be a mobile sign located on a truck or trailer.
Each message on an electronic sign shall be displayed for at least eight seconds and a change of message shall be accomplished within two (2) seconds.
g.
Signs within Districts zoned A, R-1a, R-2, R-TH, PD, and MHP District shall be limited to:
1.
A church or school bulletin board, not exceeding thirty-two (32) square feet in area, located on the same lot as the sanctuary or school. Churches and schools located in a residentially zoned area must observe a ten (10) foot setback from the property line for the location of a bulletin board.
2.
One home occupation sign not to exceed one (1) square foot in area, identifying a legal home occupation, shall be allowed to be affixed to the building or structure with a Special Use Permit. Only one (1) sign shall be allowed per lot.
3.
Directional signs shall be allowed upon approval of the City Manager.
4.
Permanent development signs shall be allowed upon approval of the Planning & Zoning Commission.
5.
A sign designating an historic home, being [no] larger than fourteen (14) inches by eighteen (18) inches in size, hanging from a crossbar not to exceed four (4) feet in height, shall be allowed. For the purposes of this provision, "a historic home" shall mean any home that is at least eighty (80) years old.
i.
Signs within Districts zoned O and AR shall be limited to:
1.
Signs permitted within all residentially zoned districts.
2.
A freestanding sign, not to exceed sixteen (16) square feet in area and not over six (6) feet in height, shall be allowed per lot; and one facade sign, per business or nonprofit organization, not to project above the roofline and lighted only with indirect, nonintermittent light, shall be allowed. Such facade signs shall not exceed two (2) square feet in area.
3.
The aggregate gross area of the signs shall not exceed twenty (20) square feet, except when composite office structures exceed seventy-five hundred (7,500) square feet, an additional bulletin board sign, not to exceed sixteen (16) square feet shall be allowed.
j.
Signs within Districts zoned B-1 and B-4 shall be limited to:
1.
Signs permitted within all residentially zoned districts.
2.
Signs, displayed upon the following conditions and under the following circumstances:
aa.
Hospitals and churches located in commercially zoned districts shall be allowed signs as are allowed in B-1 District.
bb.
Signs shall contain only the name of the business establishment or the principal activity conducted on the premises, or both.
cc.
i.
If the total area of a single facade of a building is less than 2,000 square feet, a maximum of 100 square feet, both for the business name and for products and services available at that location, will be allowed for that facade.
ii.
If the total area of a single facade is 2,000 square feet or larger, nine percent (9%) of the facade's area will determine the maximum size allowable for all signage depicting the name of the business on that facade. An additional three percent (3%) of the facade's area will determine the maximum size allowable for ancillary signage, advertising services, or products available at that location (e.g., deli, pharmacy, produce, tires, etc.)
dd.
Facade signs shall be allowed to be constructed at the allowed building height.
ee.
Only one freestanding sign per lot or premises shall be permitted, except corner lots shall be permitted one sign per street front.
ff.
One freestanding sign may be located on each street frontage of the lot and shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height and shall not have more than one hundred (100) square feet of gross area per face with a maximum of two faces.
gg.
Where the premises have more than one occupant, and these have names distinct from that of any other occupant, as in a shopping center, an additional 2 square feet of sign area for each 10 feet of street frontage (over 100 linear feet) is permitted, with a maximum area of 200 square feet and only for signs advertising the premises. Any lot which has over 600 linear feet of frontage is entitled to one additional sign per frontage. The additional sign shall be calculated according to the above-mentioned criteria. The accumulated total sign area may be divided proportionally between the two allowable signs, but in no case may one sign exceed 200 square feet.
hh.
One freestanding change panel sign shall be allowed per lot, not to exceed 32 sq. ft. in area. A freestanding change panel sign shall be permitted on an allowed pole sign.
ii.
One tenant directory sign shall be allowed per lot, not to exceed 32 sq. ft. in area.
jj.
Flagpoles shall not exceed 35 feet in height and shall be limited to three in number to display the American, Texas and logo flags.
kk.
A menu board shall be allowed for each drive-thru serving lane, per food service establishment. Such sign shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet.
k.
Signs within Districts zoned B-2 and B-3 shall be limited to:
1.
Signs permitted in Districts zoned B-1.
2.
Signs in the B-3 District shall be permitted to project into the public right-of-way only if they maintain, as a minimum, a two-foot distance from the curbline and are a minimum of nine feet above the first floor ground level. Temporary signs shall be allowed to be displayed upon the sidewalk areas as long as they do not create a hazard and are limited to one sign per business and do not exceed 6 (six) square feet in area. No temporary sign shall have a single face of more than three square feet.
3.
Facade signs shall be allowed on the lower two floors of a multi-story building, and shall be limited to each business or nonprofit organization located on the lower two floors which has a direct outside entrance. Such signage shall not exceed 100 square feet of gross area per business or organization. There shall also be allowed a sign on the upper floor of each facade, announcing the name of the building or the name of the principal tenant. The maximum allowable size for such signs shall be determined by nine percent (9%) of the facade's area above the first floor. In no case, however, shall any letter, insignia or symbol exceed 48 inches in height.
l.
Signs within Districts zoned M-1 & M-2 shall be limited to:
1.
Signs permitted in districts zoned B-2 and B-3.
m.
Temporary signs within all districts shall be limited to:
1.
An on-premises real estate sign appertaining to the lease, hire or sale of a building or land. Such sign shall not exceed 32 square feet in area and shall be located on the lot so advertised.
2.
A construction sign appertaining to the construction or remodeling of a building on the premises, which sign shall not exceed 64 square feet, and which shall be located on the lot only for the duration of the construction.
3.
A development sign appertaining to residential, office, commercial or industrial development shall be allowed. Such sign shall not exceed 100 square feet. One sign per project, or one sign for each 30 acres of development, shall be permitted for the duration of the project.
4.
Banner signs shall be allowed to be displayed for a period of up to thirty (30) consecutive days and no more than six permits for banner signs issued in a twelve month period. Banner signs shall not exceed forty (40) square feet in size.
5.
Nonprofit Organizations may be allowed to erect an Off-Premises sign on privet [private] property by owner's permission not to exceed a period of thirty (30) days. Sign shall not exceed forty (40) square feet in size. Signs may not be placed on City or Highway right-of-way.
n.
The area of a facade for the purposes of determining maximum allowable signage, is calculated by the vertical height of the facade multiplied by the horizontal length of the facade.
o.
The area of a facade sign for freestanding letters or cut-out letters displayed as a sign is the area enclosed within the smallest regular geometric figure (square, rectangle) needed to encompass completely all letters, insignias or symbols of the sign, including horizontal spacings between letters, insignias or symbols.
p.
For facade signs other than those composed of freestanding letters, words, insignias, or symbols that have a background and/or are framed in any matter, the area of the sign is the total area within the outer edge of the frame (border) of the sign.
(Ordinance 550 adopted –/–/–; Ordinance 551B adopted 8/9/99; Ordinance 641-02 adopted 10/14/02; Ordinance 717-08 adopted 8/11/08; Ordinance 746-10 adopted 8/9/10; Ordinance 940-22 adopted 6/13/2022; Ordinance 958-23 adopted 1/9/2023; Ordinance 974-23 adopted 7/14/2023; Ordinance 1003-24 adopted 6/10/2024)
§ 5 BILLBOARD SIGNS.
Billboard signs shall be allowed in all manufacturing districts.
a.
All billboard signs shall conform to the following requirements:
1.
Billboards shall not exceed 35 feet in height above ground level.
2.
Billboard signs may not be in such a manner as to obscure or otherwise interfere with the driver’s view of approaching, merging or intersecting traffic, or the effectiveness of an official traffic sign, signal or device.
3.
Billboard signs may not be located within 500 feet of any public park, public forest, public playground or scenic area designated as such by the ground or scenic area [sic] designated by the City of Pittsburg or any other governmental agency.
4.
Billboard signs shall not exceed eight hundred (800) square feet in gross area. Billboards which exceed four hundred (400) square feet in area may not be double faced, stacked or side by side.
5.
Billboard signs greater or equal to four hundred (400) square feet in area:
Spacing - The minimum sign separation shall be seven hundred and fifty (750) feet from any other billboards. Separation between billboards shall be measured by the linear distance on the same side of the street.
Setback - A minimum distance of twice (2) the sign height shall be observed from any residential boundary.
6.
Billboard signs less than four hundred (400) square feet in area:
Spacing - The minimum sign separation shall be three hundred (300) feet from any other billboards. Separation between billboards shall be measured by the linear distance on the same side of the street.
Setback - A minimum distance of twice (2) the sign height from any residential boundary.
7.
When billboard signs are illuminated, the light or lights shall be shaded or concealed so that they will not interfere with the vision of motor vehicle operators or shine directly on residential property located in any residential district. Illumination of such signs shall not be flashing or intermittently lighted.
8.
Billboards shall be considered a structure and shall observe all setbacks and structure separation requirements of the zoning district in which they are located.
b.
Nonconforming use regulations for billboard signs:
1.
All billboard signs in existence on the effective date of this ordinance, which become nonconforming uses by the adoption of this ordinance, may remain in use for a period not to exceed 10 (ten) years. Once the 10 (ten) year period has elapsed, the nonconforming billboard sign shall be removed.
2.
Any nonconforming sign which is damaged or deteriorated, to a point where restoration costs exceeds 60% of the cost of erecting a new sign of the same type at the same location, shall be removed.
(Ordinance 550 adopted –/–/–; Ordinance 940-22 adopted 6/13/2022; Ordinance 958-23 adopted 1/9/2023)