General. No sign or other device for advertising purposes, whether new or existing, shall be erected, established or altered in any district in the Village except in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.

Prohibitions.

For sale, lease or rental signs. One on-premises sign advertising that the premises upon which the sign is located is for sale, lease or rental. One sign is permitted per each building face on a public highway. The sign shall not exceed four square feet in area; if two-sided, the second identical sign face area shall not be counted. The sign shall not be illuminated or located between the sidewalk and the street, nor nearer than three feet to the nearest boundary of the street or any lot line. All such signs shall be removed five days after the sale, lease or rental of the premises.

Residential building with professional office or home occupation signs. One on-premises sign, either freestanding or attached, in connection with any residential building with permitted professional offices or home occupations as regulated in § 225-22. The sign shall not exceed two square feet in area, shall not be illuminated with colored lights and shall not be located between the sidewalk and the street, nor nearer than three feet to the nearest boundary of any street or lot line. The sign shall state name and vocation only.

Occupant signs. One on-premises sign, denoting the name and address of the occupants of the premises, which sign shall not exceed one square foot in area.

Warning, private drive, posted or no-trespassing signs. These signs are permitted and shall not be illuminated or exceed two square feet or, if two-sided, each identical face.

Construction signs. An architect, an engineer or a contractor may place one on-premises sign where construction, repair or renovation is in progress, which sign shall not exceed 12 square feet in area.

Institutional signs/bulletin boards. One on-premises sign or bulletin board customarily incident to places of worship, libraries, museums, educational facilities, social clubs or societies, which sign or bulletin board shall not exceed 20 square feet in area, except as approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Event signs. Any promotional, identifying or directional sign which relates to any community, civic, commemorative, political, charitable, social, educational, religious or athletic function or assembly or any event authorized by municipal authorities may be in place for up to 10 days before and five days after the actual activity. The sign area may not exceed nine square feet per identical face if two-sided.

Private owner household merchandise signs. For sales and auctions, not exceeding four square feet in area for a period not exceeding eight days.

Window signs. Nonilluminated promotional window signs and posters shall not exceed 25% of the window area. Businesses in a mercantile zone which front on a publicly or privately owned or occupied parking area may have window signs not exceeding 30% of the window area. Such signs shall be removed within 30 days after installation. Signs in this category shall be included in the total area requirements in § 225-61A(4), Window/door signs.

[1]New business signs. Signs emphasizing the opening of a new business shall not exceed 24 square feet. In the case of window signs within six inches of or touching a window surface, the size shall not exceed 30% of the window area. Placement shall not exceed a period of 60 days.

Development or subdivision. Any sign advertising a real estate development or subdivision permitted in the district where located by this chapter shall not exceed 16 square feet in area and shall advertise only the name of the owner, real estate broker, architect and engineer. Signs shall be limited to one per each building face on a public street or public or private parking lot.

Gasoline service station signs. These signs may be located on the premises of any gasoline service station:

Directional, informational or safety signs. For a business or public utility, on-premises signs or notices for the direction, information or safety of the public to identify public parking areas, fire zones, entrances and exits and similar signs. They may be illuminated or nonilluminated, not exceeding four square feet per face, and, if freestanding, they shall not be more than six feet in height. Business names, symbols and personal names shall be allowed, but advertising messages are prohibited.

Highway banners. Permits may be issued for cross-highway banners to promote community, civic, charitable, social, educational or athletic functions. Size shall not exceed 100 square feet per face. A permit from New York State is obtainable through the Village office and must comply with all state regulations.

Parking lot signs. One sign not to exceed nine square feet in area and, if freestanding, not to exceed six feet above ground level may be placed in a private off-street parking area only to limit the use of such parking area to customers and/or business invitees of the owner and/or occupant.

Public service informational signs. A permit may be issued only by the Board of Trustees for a sign which displays public service information, such as time and temperature, if it is consistent with the general intent and requirements of this chapter and does not exceed 32 square feet in area per face and 80% of the sign is for the public service information.

Directory signs. A permit may be issued only by the Board of Trustees for a directory sign on a building face, freestanding or in kiosk form, when it will assist the public and offer a method for businesses to identify their location and advertise their purpose while maintaining the attractiveness of the community and there will be a sponsor or person responsible for the maintenance. Its design and placement shall not impair or cause confusion with vehicular or pedestrian traffic.

Historic signs. Signs which have been extant for a minimum of 25 years may be granted a nonconforming permit on condition of proper maintenance and continuation of the character of the sign. Eligibility shall be determined by a review of the permit application and proof of the historic qualification by the Historical Landmarks Preservation Commission appointed by the Board of Trustees.

Event banners. Permits will be issued for a banner that relates to any local community, civic, charitable, social, educational, religious, athletic or commemorative function or assembly or any event authorized by municipal authorities. Such banner shall not exceed 100 square feet, may be displayed up to 14 days before the event promoted, shall be removed within five days after the event promoted, may be installed on a building only with written permission from the owner of the building, and shall not be installed on any municipal building, structure, equipment or facility without written authorization from the Village Board of Trustees. Installation, maintenance and removal shall be the sole responsibility of the owner of said banner.

Business signs. Only one of the following three options, Subsection A(1)(a), (b) or (c), may be implemented in this category.

Multiple-occupant business complex signs. Three or more businesses occupying a common building and having a common entry may elect to become a multiple-occupant complex. Written consent of the building's owner must accompany such application. A common entry does not exclude an additional separate entrance to the building for a particular business.

Governmental projects. Any signs designating public governmental projects are permitted to be of the required size specified by the particular government agency sponsoring such project.

Signs in the Public Lands PL District. No sign shall be installed in the Public Lands PL District without prior approval by the Board of Trustees.

General. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall erect any sign without first obtaining a sign permit from the Code Enforcement Officer.

Application for sign permit. Application for a sign permit shall be made in writing, in duplicate, upon forms prescribed and provided by the Code Enforcement Officer, to the Code Enforcement Officer, and shall contain the following information:

Fees to accompany application. No application for a sign permit shall be valid unless accompanied by a nonreturnable fee in the amount as established by the Board of Trustees.

Issuance of sign permit. It shall be the duty of the Code Enforcement Officer, upon filing of an application for a sign permit, to examine such plans, specifications and other data 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 Village he shall then, within five days, issue a sign permit for the erection of the proposed sign. If the sign authorized under any such permit has not been completed within six months from the date of the issuance of such permit, the permit shall become null and void but may be renewed once, within 10 days from the expiration thereof, for good cause shown upon payment of an additional fee as established by the Board of Trustees. Permits issued relate solely to the property for which the application is made. Permits may not be assigned to others and may not be transferred to a property other than that identified in the permit.

Appeals. If the proposed sign does not comply with regulations or provisions of this chapter, the Code Enforcement Officer shall reject the application. A decision of the Code Enforcement Officer may be appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals following the procedure outlined in § 225-75, Appeals, variances and interpretations.

Revocation of sign permit. In the event of a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, the Code Enforcement Officer shall give written notice, specifying the violation, to the named owner of the sign and the named owner of the land upon which the sign is erected, sent to the addresses as stated in the application for the sign permit, to conform or remove such sign. The sign shall thereupon be conformed by the owner of the sign and the owner of the land within 30 days from the date of said notice. In the event such sign shall not be so conformed within 30 days, the Code Enforcement Officer shall thereupon revoke the sign permit, and such sign shall be removed by the named owner of the sign or the named owner of the land.

Obsolete signs. Any sign existing on or after the effective date of this article which no longer advertises an existing business conducted or product sold on the premises shall be removed by the owner of the premises upon which such sign is located after written notice as provided herein. The Code Enforcement Officer, upon determining that any such sign exists, shall notify the owner of the premises in writing to remove said sign within 30 days from the date of such notice.

Unsafe signs. If the Code Enforcement Officer shall find that any sign regulated by this chapter is unsafe or insecure or is a menace to the public, he shall give written notice to the named owner of the sign and the named owner of the land upon which the sign is erected, who shall remove or repair said sign within 30 days from the date of said notice. If said sign is not removed or repaired, the Code Enforcement Officer shall revoke the sign permit issued for such sign, as herein provided, and may remove or repair said sign and shall assess all costs and expenses incurred in said removal or repair against the land or building on which such sign was located. The Code Enforcement Officer may cause any sign which is a source of immediate peril to persons or property to be removed summarily and without notice and charge such costs against the owner or land on which the sign is located.

Defined. All signs erected prior to the effective date of this article which do not conform to the provisions and standards contained herein shall be considered nonconforming signs.

Removal. The Code Enforcement Officer shall prepare a survey of all nonconforming signs and within 60 days after the completion of such survey shall send a notice to the record owner of the premises upon which such sign is erected and the record owner of the business for which such sign is erected, at the last known address, to conform or remove such sign as follows: