Stillwater Town City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIII
Signs
§ 210-97 Compliance required.
Signs may be erected and maintained in the Town of Stillwater only when in compliance with the following, except as provided for in the Route 4 Corridor Form-Based Code.
§ 210-98 Intent.
The Town of Stillwater finds that signs are a necessary means of communication that can benefit and detract from the community and neighborhood character and should conform with the following provisions. At no time shall these provisions be interpreted to regulate any aspect of the content of the sign.
§ 210-99 Exceptions.
The following types of signs are allowable without any municipal approval, except that the sign shall not exceed the maximum dimensional, height or area requirements of this article.
A.
Election signs. All signs advertising a candidate for public office or any other public ballot initiative are exempt from these regulations. Such signs must be displayed only on private property and may be displayed no sooner than 30 days prior to the relevant election and no later than 10 days after said election.
B.
Temporary or on-premises signs. Any property owner is permitted to erect a single, temporary, nonilluminated sign on said property advertising the sale or lease of merchandise or a special event. Such sign shall be removed within three days after the sale, lease or event.
C.
Locational, street address and public safety signs. Any property owner is permitted to erect one nonilluminated sign identifying the property name or residents of the property and the official street address. Other signs offering information necessary for public safety, including, by example, customary posted or no-trespassing signs, private drive, parking, or exit/entrance signs, along with other signs required pursuant to any government function, law or regulation, are also exempt.
D.
Other. When not associated with a commercial activity, all historical or memorial markers, as well as flags, insignia or emblems of any government or religious organization and any religious holiday, are also exempt.
E.
Landmark signs. Any older sign of artistic or historic merit or of uniqueness to the Town, each of which must be recognized by the Stillwater Town Board, is entirely exempt from this article, including all dimensional, height and area requirements.
F.
Nonconforming signs. A nonconforming sign lawfully existing at the effective date of this article may continue, with the exception of signs exceeding three times the allowable sign area. Such signs, commonly referred to as "billboards," must conform to this article within 10 years of the effective date of this article.
G.
Government or school signs. Any signs erected by the federal, state, county, school, or municipal government or any department or agency thereof are exempt from this article, including all dimensional, height and area requirements.
§ 210-100 Measurement of sign area.
Sign measurement shall be based upon the entire area of the sign, with a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the sign surface. For a sign painted or applied on a building, the area shall be considered to include the smallest rectangle or other shape which encompasses all lettering, numbering, designs, logos or lights, together with any background of a different color than the finish material of the building. The area of supporting framework, such as brackets or posts, shall not be included in the area if such framework is incidental to the display. When a sign has two or more faces or is composed of multiple signs each with a face, the sum of the areas of all the faces shall be included in determining the area, except where two faces are placed back-to-back and are at no point more than two feet from each other. In this latter case, the sign area shall be taken as the area of either face; and if the faces are unequal, the larger shall determine the area.
§ 210-101 Measurement of height.
The height of any sign shall be measured from the highest point of the sign to the surface of the ground prior to construction of the sign or to the surface of the nearest public road, whichever is lower.
§ 210-102 Off-premises signs.
Signs displaying information on uses, events, goods, products, services or facilities offered at locations other than the tax lot where the sign is located are prohibited, with the exception of general directory or directional signs. General directory or directional signs shall be no larger in area than 24 square feet and shall include only the name(s) of the establishment and basic directional information, in lettering no more than five inches high. No more than one directional sign shall be allowed at an intersection or along a roadway between any two intersections.
§ 210-103 Home occupation signs.
One nonilluminated sign per home occupation, no larger in area than two square feet, indicating the name, address, phone number or principal purpose of the home occupation, is permitted. Such sign should be placed out of the road right-of-way and as close as possible to the intersection of the driveway and the public road.
§ 210-104 For-sale and for-rent signs.
No more than two nonilluminated signs advertising the sale or rental of a property may be erected and maintained on said property by the owner or broker or any person with legal interest in the sale or rental of such property, provided that:
A.
The size of any such sign shall be no more than six square feet; and
B.
Up to two additional nonilluminated signs may be erected or maintained if said property abuts more than one public right-of-way.
§ 210-105 General provisions for all signs.
A.
All signs, except landmark signs, general directory and directional signs, home occupation signs, and for sale/for rent signs, as provided for in §§ 210-99, 210-102, 210-103 and 210-104 of this article, shall conform to the following standards:
Speed Limit on Road Nearest Sign | |||
|---|---|---|---|
45+ mph | 35 to 45 mph | Less Than 35 mph | |
Maximum sign height (feet) | 20 | 16 | 12 |
Total maximum sign area (square feet) | 40 | 32 | 24 |
B.
Construction and maintenance. Any sign must be constructed of durable materials, maintained in good condition and not allowed to become dilapidated. Signs painted or attached to buildings are preferred to freestanding signs.
C.
Obstruction of public right-of-way. Signs attached to a structure shall not project more than three feet from the structure. No sign shall extend over a public right-of-way or public sidewalk, and no sign shall obstruct views from any public right-of-way to another public right-of-way.
D.
Illumination. Signs designed with internal illumination are discouraged. Internally illuminated signs with moveable letters are strictly prohibited. Sign illumination shall be only with a steady, stationary, shielded light source directed onto the sign without causing glare onto adjoining properties or onto any public right-of-way. Flashing signs or signs with moving lights are prohibited. No sign shall be illuminated between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., unless the premises are open for general business during such hours.
§ 210-106 Site plan review.
Site plan review in accordance with Article IV shall be required for all signs except those described in § 210-99 of this article. Any building permit shall conform to the requirements of this article.
§ 210-107 Commercial business signs.
A commercial business shall be limited to one freestanding sign and one wall-mounted sign, except that the signs listed in § 210-99 shall not be counted against this limit.