Savannah City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Sign Regulations
Section 400.450 Applicability.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §1, 4-7-1997]
Any sign shall, by definition, be a structure. No land, personal property or structure shall be used for sign purposes except as specified herein. All signs legally existing at the time of passage of these regulations may remain in use under the conditions of legal non-conformance. Signs in legal non-conformance shall not be enlarged, moved, lighted, or reconstructed; however, the change of the advertising display shall not be restricted except as previously stated. No sign shall be erected, enlarged, constructed or otherwise installed without first obtaining a sign permit, and a sign permit shall be legally issued only when in compliance with this sign regulation. All signs shall be constructed in such a manner and of such material that they shall be safe and substantial.
Section 400.460 Classification of Signs.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §2, 4-7-1997]
A.
Functional Types.
1.
Bulletin board sign. A sign that indicates the name of an institution or organization on whose premises it is located and which contains the name of the institution or organization, the name or names of persons connected with it, and announcement of persons, events or activities occurring at the institution. Such sign may also present a greeting or similar message.
2.
Business sign. A sign which directs attention to a business or profession conducted, or to products, services or entertainment sold or offered upon the premises where such sign is located, or to which it is affixed.
3.
Construction sign. A temporary sign indicating the names of the architects, engineers, landscape architects, contractors and similar artisans involved in the design and construction of a structure, complex or project only during the construction period and only on the premises on which the construction is taking place.
4.
Identification sign. A sign giving the name and address of a structure, business, development or establishment. Such signs may be wholly or partly devoted to a readily recognized symbol.
5.
Name plate sign. A sign giving the name and/or address of the owner or occupant of a structure or premises on which it is located and, where applicable, a professional status.
6.
Portable display sign. Any movable display structure capable of relocation under its own power, or towed by a motor vehicle. The display message of the sign may be painted or non-painted and capable of being readily altered. Portable display signs may be with or without electrical illumination and power and with or without wheels.
7.
Real estate sign. A temporary sign pertaining to the sale or lease of a lot or tract of land on which the sign is located, or to the sale or lease of one (1) or more structures, or a portion thereof on which the sign is located.
B.
Structural Types.
1.
Advertising sign. (Billboards) A sign which directs the attention of the public to any goods, merchandise, property, business, service, entertainment or amusement conducted or produced which is bought or sold, furnished, offered or dealt in elsewhere than on the premises where such sign is located or to which it is affixed.
2.
Awning, canopy or marquee sign. A sign that is mounted on, painted on, or attached to an awning, canopy or marquee. No such signs shall project above, below or beyond the awning, canopy or marquee.
Figure 3 — Canopy Sign  |
3.
Ground sign. Any sign placed upon, or supported by, the ground independent of the principal structure on the property, where the bottom edge of the sign is less than six (6) feet above the ground, and the base is no less than fifty percent (50%) of the width of the face of the sign, presenting a monolithic structure.
Figure 4 — Ground Sign  |
4.
Monument sign. Any sign whose base is greater in width than the face of the sign and whose height is no greater than six (6) feet.
Figure 5 — Monument Sign  |
5.
Elevated sign. Any sign placed upon, or supported by, the ground independent of the principal structure on the property where the bottom edge of the sign is ten (10) feet or more above the ground level.
Figure 6 — Elevated Sign  |
6.
Political election sign. Any sign relating to a candidate, political party, ballot issue, or other issue to be voted upon in any public election.
Figure 7 — Political Election Sign  |
7.
Projecting sign. A sign that is wholly or partly dependent upon a structure for support and which projects more than twelve (12) inches from such structure.
Figure 8 — Projecting Sign  |
8.
Wall sign. A sign fastened to or painted on a wall of a structure in such a manner that the wall becomes merely the supporting structure or forms the background surface, and which does not project more than twelve (12) inches from such structure.
Figure 9 — Wall Sign  |
9.
Roof sign. A sign totally supported on the roof of a structure. Roof signs shall not project more than twelve (12) inches beyond the face of the structure.
Figure 10 — Roof Sign  |
10.
Window sign. Any sign, pictures, symbol, or combination thereof, designed to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity, event, sale, or service, that is placed inside a window or upon the window panes or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window.
Figure 11 — Window Sign  |
Section 400.470 General Standards.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §3, 4-7-1997]
A.
Gross Area Of Sign. Gross area shall include the entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the sign, exclusive of the base on which it is mounted or from which it is suspended. If more than one (1) side of a sign is utilized as a sign, then only the largest side shall be computed and shall be counted as a portion of the gross area. On lots where more than one (1) sign is located, the total gross area of all the signs shall not exceed the maximum gross area for one (1) sign permitted by this regulation.
For computing the gross area of any wall sign which consists of letters mounted or painted on a wall, the area shall be deemed to be the area of the smallest rectangular figure which can encompass all of the letters.
B.
Sign Height. Sign height shall be measured from the ground elevation at the base of the sign to the highest element of the sign.
C.
Illuminated Signs. A sign designed to give forth artificial light or designed to reflect light derived from any source.
D.
Flashing Or Moving Signs. Any illuminated sign on which the artificial light is not constant in intensity and color at all times. For the purpose of this regulation, any sign that is revolving, rotating, moving, animated, has moving lights or creates the illusion of movement shall be considered a flashing sign.
1.
No flashing signs shall be permitted.
2.
A sign which displays the current time and/or temperature by use of intermittent lighting shall not be deemed a flashing sign if the lighting changes are limited to text indicating time, temperature or other public messages. Such sign shall not in any case exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area.
E.
Accessway Or Window. No sign shall block any required accessway or window.
F.
Signs On Trees Or Utility Poles. No sign shall be attached to any utility pole or tree.
G.
Traffic Safety.
1.
No sign shall be maintained at any location where by reason of its position, size, shape or color may obstruct, impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be confused with any traffic or railroad control sign, signal or device, or where it may interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.
2.
Any sign located within three (3) feet of a driveway or within a parking area shall have its lowest elevation at least ten (10) feet above the curb level; however, in no event shall any sign be placed so as to project over any public right-of-way, except in the "C-2" Central Commercial District, where signs may project over a sidewalk.
3.
Under no circumstances shall any sign be placed in the sight triangle as defined by this regulation.
H.
Lineal Street Frontage. In those districts where gross sign area is allocated based on lineal street frontage and the tract or parcel is adjacent to more than one (1) street, the lineal street frontage shall be computed as follows:
1.
For those tracts or parcels located on major streets as designated in the major street plan of the Comprehensive Plan, the lineal street frontage shall be the distance of that property line abutting the major street.
2.
For those tracts or parcels not located on a major street, the lineal street frontage shall be one-half (½) the sum of all the street frontages.
I.
Landscaping. Ground signs, monument signs and elevated signs shall be landscaped. The landscaping shall extend no less than three (3) feet from the base of the sign, and in the case of ground signs and monument signs, shall be incorporated within a decorative planter as shown on the illustrative figures in these regulations.
J.
Scale And Context. Signs shall be in scale with the site or structure where located and in context with the site, structure and service offered.
1.
Scale includes both human scale and proportion. Signs shall be proportional to the element they are attached to and the facade as a whole.
2.
Context includes form, style, color, balance and structure lines.
Form. Sign shape and its relationship to the structure or service offered.
Style. Historical, eclectic, modern or contemporary shapes, texts and colors.
Color. Analogous or complementary in relation to site or structure.
Balance. Location of sign in structure element relating to balance through location, mass and color.
Structure lines. Major lines of building elements and compatibility to outlines, horizontal and vertical lines such as roofline, ground line, window lines, etc.
K.
Permanent All-Weather Construction.
Section 400.480 Exemptions.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §4, 4-7-1997]
A.
Total Exemptions. The following signs shall be exempt from the requirements of this Article, except for the provisions of Section 400.470(A — H) above:
1.
Flags or emblems of a government or of a political, civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organization displayed on private property.
2.
Signs of a duly constituted governmental body, including traffic or similar regulatory signs, legal notices, warnings at railroad crossings and other instructional or regulatory signs having to do with health, safety, parking, swimming, dumping, etc.
3.
Memorial signs and tables displayed on public or private property.
4.
Small signs, not exceeding three (3) square feet in area, displayed on private property for the convenience of the public, including signs to identify entrance and exit drives, parking areas, one-way drives, restrooms, freight entrances, and other similar signs; except that such signs shall not display logos or other business advertisements.
5.
Scoreboards in athletic stadiums.
6.
"Political election signs" not exceeding a total of twenty (20) square feet in area on a lot of record zoned for non-residential purposes, or which is vacant and unplatted, regardless of the zoning district classification; and not exceeding a total of ten (10) square feet on a lot of record in a residential zone district. Political election signs shall be displayed for no more than a sixty (60) day period before, during and after a public election. Political election signs shall not be placed on or otherwise affixed to any public structure or sign, right-of-way, sidewalk, utility pole, street lamppost, tree or other vegetative matter, or any public park or other public property.
The City recognizes that the expression of political speech is an important and constitutionally protected right; that political election signs have certain characteristics that distinguish them from many of the other types of signs permitted and regulated by the City, including the fact that these signs generally do not meet the regular structural design of permanent signs, given their temporary nature; that political election signs therefore present a potential hazard to persons and property; and that the City must impose reasonable time limits on the display of political election signs for these reasons.
7.
Temporary signs for the sale of household goods at a residence (for example, garage sales or auctions) for a period not to exceed five (5) days.
B.
Exemptions From Sign Permit. The following signs are exempt from the sign permit Section of this Article, but shall comply with all of the other regulations imposed by this Article:
1.
Name plate signs not exceeding two (2) square feet in gross area accessory to a single-family or two-family dwelling.
2.
Bulletin board signs not exceeding one hundred (100) square feet in gross area accessory to a church, school or public or non-profit institution.
3.
Business signs when located on property used for agricultural purposes and pertaining to the sale of agricultural products produced on the premises.
4.
Real estate signs not exceeding nine (9) square feet in area.
5.
Construction signs not exceeding nine (9) square feet in area.
6.
Window signs not exceeding twenty-five percent (25%) of the window surface.
Section 400.490 Prohibited Signs.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §5, 4-7-1997; Ord. No. 2570 §§1 — 3, 9-4-2012]
A.
Signs On Public Property. Any sign installed or placed on public property, except in conformance with the requirements, shall be forfeited to the public and subject to confiscation, except that logo signs on public athletic fields shall be allowed. In addition to other remedies hereunder, the City shall have the right to recover from the owner or person placing such a sign the full costs of removal and disposal of such sign.
B.
Obscene Or Indecent Advertisement. No person shall display upon any sign or other advertising structure any obscene, indecent or immoral matter.
C.
Roof signs mounted or projecting above the highest roofline.
D.
Elevated signs located higher or projecting above the highest roofline on that property or adjacent properties if no structure exists on the property where the sign is located.
E.
Any sign located on public right-of-way, except those signs required by governmental authority or political signs as may be permitted.
F.
Any wood pole-mounted "billboard" sign. (Exception: wood post or steel base permanent all-weather construction.)
Section 400.500 Portable Display Signs - With or Without Wheels Attached.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §6, 4-7-1997]
Portable display signs shall be allowed on a premises in a commercial or industrial zoning district for not more than five (5) consecutive days, and no more than thirty (30) days in a twelve (12) month period.
Section 400.510 Maintenance.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §7, 4-7-1997]
A.
All signs within the City shall be maintained in a safe condition and in such a manner that they shall not become a visual detriment to the community at large. The Zoning Administrator shall be charged with the responsibility and authority to inspect all signs within the City and direct the maintenance of said signs. "Maintenance of signs" is defined as keeping sign structures in a safe condition, free of rust, with broken glass or plastic replaced, electrical lights and other electrical operations in operable condition, letters and other sign components in the equivalent condition as on the sign permit or as approved.
B.
Should the Zoning Administrator find a non-maintained sign as defined above, it shall cause the owner of said sign to be notified as to the deficiency and the corrective action that needs to be taken.
C.
Should the owner fail to exhibit evidence of compliance within thirty (30) days after the mailing of the letter of notification, the Zoning Administrator shall cause the owner to be cited for violation of this regulation.
D.
Painted Sign Maintenance. The owner of any sign as defined and regulated by this regulation shall be required to have properly painted at least once every two (2) years all parts and supports of the sign, unless the same are galvanized or otherwise treated to prevent rust.
Section 400.520 Removal of Non-Conforming Signs.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §8, 4-7-1997]
A.
Should any non-conforming sign be damaged by any means to an extent of more than fifty percent (50%) of its replacement cost at the time of damage, it shall not be reconstructed except in conformity with the provisions of these regulations.
1.
Removal of on-site non-conforming signs. All on-site non-conforming signs not otherwise prohibited by the provisions of these regulations shall be removed or shall be altered to conform to the provisions of this regulation
2.
Removal of signs upon destruction of principal structures. When a principal structure is destroyed or removed due to natural or man-made circumstances, all signs on the property shall be removed within ninety (90) days, unless a building permit has been issued to replace the structure within said time period.
Section 400.530 Office Parks, Shopping Centers and Planned Districts.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §9, 4-7-1997]
A.
In the case of a proposed office park, shopping center, or other grouping of three (3) or more tenants or establishments (new or remodeled), the developer shall prepare and submit to the Planning and Zoning Commission a master signage plan for all permanent exterior signs. Such plan shall set standards which shall run with all leases or sales of portions of the development. A full and accurate description of all signs shall be included indicating location, placement, materials, graphic design styles, type of illumination, etc. Final development plans shall not be approved until the Planning and Zoning Commission has approved the sign standards. For purposes of this Section, the terms "shopping center, office park, or their groupings" shall mean a project of one (1) or more buildings that has been planned as an integrated unit or cluster of units on property under unified control or ownership. The sale, subdivision, or other partition of the site does not exempt the project or portions thereof from complying with these regulations.
1.
In the case of a "shopping center, office park or other grouping" which is occupied by more than one (1) tenant, one (1) monument sign or ground sign may be permitted in addition to the wall-mounted signs, which sign shall depict only the name of the center or grouping of shops or offices.
2.
Where all tenants and/or property owners within a building or "shopping center, office park or other grouping" agree in writing, one (1) tenant may, in lieu of the wall sign permitted, have one (1) monument sign or ground sign depicting the business or product. The design and location of this sign shall be subject to approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Section 400.540 Advertising Signs (Billboards).
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §10, 4-7-1997]
A.
Advertising signs (billboards) may be established in the "M-1" and "M-2" Zoning District, provided that they meet the following conditions:
1.
Not more than five (5) advertising signs may be located per linear mile of street or highway regardless of the fact that such advertising signs may be located on different sides of the subject street or highway.
2.
No advertising sign shall be located within six hundred sixty (660) feet of another advertising sign abutting either side of the same street or highway.
3.
No advertising sign shall be located within two hundred (200) feet of a residential zone and/or existing residence. If the advertising sign is illuminated, this required distance shall instead be three hundred (300) feet.
4.
No advertising sign shall be located closer that twenty (20) feet from a property line adjoining a public right-of-way or ten (10) feet from any interior boundary lines of the premises on which the advertising sign is located. Setbacks shall be measured from the surface display area to the vertical extension of the property line.
5.
The surface display area of any side of an advertising sign may not exceed four hundred (400) feet. In the case of advertising sign structures with tandem or stacked advertising sign faces, the combined surface display area of both faces may not exceed four hundred (400) square feet.
7.
No advertising sign shall be on top of, cantilevered, or otherwise suspended above the roof of any building.
8.
An advertising sign may be illuminated, provided such illumination is concentrated on the surface of the sign and is so located as to avoid glare or reflection onto any portion of an adjacent street or highway, the path of oncoming vehicles, or any adjacent premises. In no event shall any advertising sign have flashing or intermittent lights, nor shall the lights be permitted to rotate or oscillate.
9.
An advertising sign must be supported by a monolithic column installed in the ground. An advertising sign must be constructed in such a fashion that it will withstand all wind and vibration forces which can normally be expected to occur in the vicinity. An advertising sign must be maintained so as to assure proper alignment of structure, continued structural soundness, and continued readability of message.
10.
An advertising sign established within a business, commercial, or industrial area, as defined in the "Highway Advertising Act of 1972" (1972 PA 106, as amended) bordering interstate highways, freeways or primary highways as defined in said Act shall, in addition to complying with the above conditions, also comply with all applicable provisions of the Act and the regulations provided thereunder, as such may from time to time be amended.
Figure 12 — Sign Pattern  | |
Figure 13 — Sign Scale and Character  |
Section 400.550 District Regulations.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 8 §11, 4-7-1997]
A.
"R-1" Single-Family Residential District, "R-2" Two-Family Residential District, "R-3" Multi-Family Dwelling District, "M-P" Manufactured Home Park Residential District:
3.
Number of signs permitted. One (1) sign per zoning lot.
4.
Maximum gross area.
a.
Business signs — home occupations. Four (4) square feet.
b.
Bulletin board and identification signs. Fifty (50) square feet.
c.
Construction signs. Twenty (20) square feet.
d.
Name plate signs. Four (4) square feet.
e.
Real estate signs. Nine (9) square feet, provided that one (1) sign not more than one hundred (100) square feet in area announcing the sale of lots and/or houses in a subdivision may be located on said development. Said sign shall be removed at the end of three (3) years or when seventy-five percent (75%) of the lots have been sold, whichever occurs sooner.
5.
Maximum height. Fifteen (15) feet.
6.
Required setback. No sign shall be placed closer to the front property line than one-half (½) the distance of the front yard; except that real estate signs shall be exempt from setback requirements.
7.
Illumination. Bulletin board signs may be indirectly illuminated with incandescent or fluorescent lighting.
B.
"C-1" Neighborhood Commercial District And "C-2" Central Commercial District.
3.
Number of signs permitted. Awning, canopy or marquee signs and wall signs: No limitations.
4.
Maximum gross surface area. Four (4) square feet for each lineal foot of street frontage, provided no single sign shall exceed a gross surface area of one hundred (100) square feet.
5.
Maximum height. All signs: Ten (10) feet, except wall and projecting signs may extend to the roof eave line; monument signs: Six (6) feet.
6.
Required setback. None in the "C-2" District: Ten (10) feet from all property lines in the "C-1" District.
7.
Illumination. Illuminated signs shall be permitted.
C.
"C-3" General Commercial District.
4.
Maximum gross surface area. Four (4) square feet for each lineal foot of street frontage; provided no single sign shall exceed a gross surface area of one hundred (100) square feet; provided further, no elevated sign shall exceed two hundred fifty (250) square feet in gross surface area.
5.
Maximum height. Same as "C-1" and "C-2", except elevated signs may not exceed the height as provided for elevated signs.
6.
Required setback. None, except that ground signs shall maintain a setback of ten (10) feet.
7.
Illumination. Illuminated signs shall be permitted.
8.
Elevated signs.
a.
One (1) elevated sign shall be permitted on the premises of any business located on a platted lot which is no more than one hundred (100) feet from the intersection of the Business Highway 71 right-of-way and the perpendicular local street.
b.
The height of the elevated sign shall be no greater that twenty (20) feet above the highest elevation of the finished grade of the highway interchange.
c.
The gross surface area of the face of the sign shall not exceed two hundred fifty (250) square feet.
D.
"M-1" Light Industrial District And "M-2" Heavy Industrial District.
1.
Functional types permitted. All.
2.
Structural types permitted. All, except roof signs.
3.
Number of signs permitted. Same as "C-2".
4.
Maximum gross surface area. Four (4) square feet per lineal foot of street frontage, provided no single sign exceeds a gross surface area of three hundred (300) square feet.
5.
Maximum height. Same as "C-3".
6.
Required setback. Same as "C-3".
7.
Illumination. Illuminated signs shall be permitted.