Trenton Town Washington County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
Signs
§ 380-69 Intent.
The intent of this article is to provide for and regulate the location and safe construction of signs in a manner to ensure that signs are compatible with surrounding land uses, are well maintained and express the identity of individual proprietors and the Town as a whole.
§ 380-70 Compliance required.
No sign shall hereafter be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted or structurally altered without conforming with the provisions of this Zoning Code.
§ 380-71 Signs permitted in all districts without a permit.
The following signs are permitted in all zoning districts without a permit, subject to the following regulations:
A.
Real estate signs not to exceed eight square feet in area which advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which said signs are temporarily located.
B.
Name and warning signs not to exceed two square feet located on the premises.
C.
Home occupation and professional home office signs not to exceed two square feet in area.
D.
Election campaign signs, provided that permission shall be obtained from the property owner, renter or lessee and provided that such sign shall not be erected prior to the first day of the election campaign period as defined in § 12.04, Wis. Stats., and shall be removed within four days following the election.
E.
Rummage sale and garage sale signs, provided that no such signs shall be erected or placed within a public right-of-way and further provided that such signs are removed within 24 hours following the sale.
F.
Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions not to exceed 32 feet in area located on the premises.
G.
Memorial signs, tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of metal and affixed flat against a structure.
H.
Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restrictions, information and notices.
I.
Farm identification signs showing the name of the owner or corporate affiliation or membership not to exceed 16 square feet in area.
§ 380-72 Signs permitted in residential districts with a permit.
The following signs are permitted in any residential district and are subject to the following regulations:
A.
Permanent real estate signs placed at the entrance to a subdivision or development shall contain only the name of the subdivision or development and shall meet all the yard requirements of the district in which they are located. The Plan Commission shall determine the appropriate size of the sign based on the design of the sign and its compatibility with adjacent land uses.
B.
Temporary development signs for the purpose of designating a new building or development or for the promotion of a subdivision may be permitted for a limited period of time, provided that the sign shall not exceed 48 square feet in area and shall meet all the yard requirements of the district in which it is located. The Plan Commission shall specify the period of time the sign may remain based on the size of the development, allowing a reasonable time to market the development.
§ 380-73 Signs permitted in agricultural districts with a permit.
The following signs may be permitted in all agricultural districts and are subject to the following regulations:
A.
Wall signs affixed to or painted on farm buildings advertising farm products produced on and/or sold on the premises or displaying the owner's name shall not exceed 200 square feet.
B.
Ground signs advertising farm products produced on and/or sold on the premises shall not exceed 15 feet in height above the ground surface, shall meet all yard requirements for the district in which they are located and shall not exceed 100 square feet on one side or 200 square feet on all sides for any one premises.
C.
Directional signs indicating the name of a business or other establishment and the direction and distance to the establishment. No directional sign shall be placed within the road right-of-way or within the vision clearance triangle of any intersecting roads. No directional sign shall exceed 12 square feet in area.
§ 380-74 Signs permitted in business and industrial districts with a permit.
[Amended 2-6-2007 by Ord. No. 2-1-2007]
Signs are permitted in all business and industrial districts subject to the following restrictions:
A.
Walls signs placed against the exterior walls of buildings shall not extend more than six inches outside of a building's wall surface, shall not exceed 200 square feet in area for any one premises and shall not extend above the roofline of the building.
B.
Projecting signs fastened to, suspended from or supported by structures shall not exceed 20 square feet in area for any one premises, shall not extend more than six feet into any required yard, shall not extend more than three feet into any public right-of-way, shall not be less than 10 feet from all side lot lines, shall not exceed a height of 20 feet above the mean center-line street grade, shall not be less than 10 feet from all side lot lines and shall not be less than 10 feet above the sidewalk nor 15 feet above a driveway or an alley.
C.
Monument and ground. There shall not be more than one freestanding monument or ground sign for each principal building.
[Amended 1-20-2015 by Ord. No. Z2015-01-02]
(1)
Area of monument and ground signs. The area of a monument or ground sign shall be proportional to the size of the building and the distance back from the right-of-way. Monument and ground signs shall not exceed 100 square feet on one side nor 200 square feet on all sides for any one premises.
(2)
Location. Monument or ground signs shall meet the following setback requirements: Front yard setback: 10 feet; side yard setback: 10 feet; setback from driveways: 10 feet. Under no condition shall a sign be allowed within the street right-of-way.
(3)
Height. Ground or monument signs shall not exceed 20 feet in height as measured from preconstruction grade at the base of the sign except that decorative finials attached to the top of the supports may be up to six inches above the six feet height maximum for the supports. A monument sign base shall not project higher than three feet, as measured from preconstruction grade at the base of the sign. The face of a monument sign may not exceed three feet in height.
D.
Marquee, awning or canopy signs affixed flat to the surface of the marquee, awning or canopy are permitted provided that the sign does not extend vertically or horizontally beyond the limits of said marquee, awning or canopy. A marquee, awning or canopy may extend to within one foot of the vertical plane formed by the curb. A name sign not exceeding two square feet in area located immediately in front of the entrance to an establishment may be suspended from a canopy, provided that the name sign shall be at least 10 feet above the sidewalk.
E.
Roof signs are prohibited within the Town of Trenton.
F.
Window signs, except for painted signs and decals, shall be placed only on the inside of commercial buildings.
G.
Combinations of any of the above signs shall meet all the requirements of the individual sign. The total number of signs on any premises shall be limited as follows. Window signs shall not be subject to the limitation on number of signs.
Floor Area (square feet) | Maximum Number of Signs Permitted | |
|---|---|---|
0 to 5,000 | 2 | |
5,001 to 20,000 | 3 | |
20,001 to 50,000 | 4 | |
More than 50,000 | 5 |
§ 380-75 Signs permitted in institutional and park districts with a permit.
The following signs are permitted in the institutional and park districts and are subject to the following regulations:
A.
Private and institutional and park name signs when approved by the Town Plan Commission.
B.
Public institutional and park name signs when approved by the Town Plan Commission after review and recommendation by the Park Commission.
§ 380-76 Portable signs.
The Town Board may permit the temporary use of a portable sign for advertising purposes in any district, provided that the portable sign will not be located on any public right-of-way, will not be located closer than 10 feet to an adjacent property and will not cause a hazard to traffic or adjoining properties. Portable sign permits shall not be granted for a period of more than five 30 days in any three-hundred-sixty-five-day period. The permit required in § 380-81 shall be required for portable signs. Portable signs mounted on trailers are prohibited.
§ 380-77 Facing.
No sign, except those permitted in §§ 380-71 and 380-72, shall be permitted to face a residence within 100 feet of such residence.
§ 380-78 Location, lighting and color.
Signs shall not resemble, imitate or approximate the shape, size, form or color of railroad or traffic signs, signals or devices. Signs shall not obstruct or interfere with the effectiveness of railroad or traffic signs, signals or devices. Signs shall not be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape, and no sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape. Signs shall not be placed so as to obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility nor be lighted in such a way as to cause glare or impair driver visibility upon public ways. Signs may be illuminated but nonflashing. Signs shall not be revolving or animated; however, copy on time and temperature devices may be cyclical. Signs in residential districts may be illuminated only with Plan Commission approval.
§ 380-79 Construction and maintenance standards.
A.
Wind pressure and dead load requirements. All signs and other advertising structures shall be designed and constructed to withstand wind pressure of not less than 40 pounds per square foot of area and shall be constructed to receive dead loads as required in the Town Building Code or other ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 174, Building Construction.
B.
Protection of the public. The temporary occupancy of a sidewalk or street or other public property during construction, removal, repair, alteration or maintenance of a sign is permitted, provided that the space occupied is roped off, fenced off or otherwise isolated.
C.
Maintenance. The owner of any sign shall keep it in good maintenance and repair, which includes restoring, repainting or replacement of a worn or damaged legally existing sign to its original condition, and shall maintain the premises on which the sign is erected in a clean, sanitary and inoffensive condition, free and clear of all obnoxious substances, rubbish, weeds and grass.
D.
Construction standards for supports. Supporting members or braces of all signs shall be constructed of galvanized iron, properly treated wood, steel, copper, brass or other noncorrosive incombustible material. Every means or device used for attaching any sign shall extend through the walls of the building should the Zoning Administrator determine that the safe and permanent support of such sign so requires and shall be securely anchored by wall plates and nuts to the inside of the walls in accordance with instructions given by the Zoning Administrator. Small flat signs containing less than 10 feet of area may be attached to a building or by use of lag bolts or other means to the satisfaction of the Zoning Administrator.
E.
Improper bracing. No signs or any part thereof or sign anchors, braces or guide rods shall be attached, fastened or anchored to any fire escape, fire ladder or standpipe and no such sign or any part of any such sign or any anchor, brace or guide rod shall be erected, put up or maintained so as to hinder or prevent ingress or egress through such door, doorway or window or so as to hinder or prevent the raising or placing of ladders against such building by the Fire Department of the Town, as necessity therefor may require.
§ 380-80 Existing signs.
Signs lawfully existing at the time of the adoption of amendment of this Zoning Code may be continued although the size or location does not conform to this Zoning Code. However, all nonconforming signs shall be deemed to have exhausted their economic life after seven years from the time they became a nonconforming use. Nonconforming signs, after this seven-year period, shall either be made to conform to the terms of this Zoning Code or shall be removed by the owner, agent or person having beneficial use of the property. Nonconforming signs, during the seven-year grace period, shall be kept in good repair; but the cost of maintenance shall not be considered grounds for their continued use beyond the seven-year period. The Zoning Administrator shall, after the seven-year grace period, notify the owner, agent or person having beneficial use of the property of the expiration of the grace period. After 30 days, if the sign has not been made to conform to this Zoning Code or removed, the Zoning Administrator shall initiate appropriate punitive action. Signs which are not repaired, painted or maintained pursuant to written notification and orders by the Zoning Administrator shall also be subject to punitive action.
§ 380-81 Sign permit.
A.
Applications for a sign permit shall be made on forms provided by the Zoning Administrator or Town Clerk and shall contain or have attached thereto the following information:
(1)
Name, address and telephone number of the applicant and location of the building, structure or lot to which or upon which the sign is to be attached or erected.
(2)
Name of person, firm, corporation or association erecting the sign.
(3)
Written consent of the owner or lessee of the building, structure or land to which or upon which the sign is to be affixed.
(4)
A scale drawing of such sign indicating the dimensions, the materials to be used, the type of illumination, if any, and the method of construction and attachment.
(5)
A scale drawing indicating the location and position of such sign in relation to nearby buildings or structures.
(6)
Copies of any other permit required and issued for said sign, including the written approval by the Electrical Inspector, in the case of illuminated signs, who shall examine the plans and specifications, reinspecting all wiring and connections to determine if the same complies with the Town Electrical Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 174, Building Construction, § 174-4C.
(7)
Additional information as may be required by the Building Inspector or Town Plan Commission.
B.
Sign permit applications shall be filed with the Building Inspector, who shall review the application for its completeness and accuracy and approve or deny, in writing, the application within 30 days of receipt from the applicant, unless the time is extended by written agreement with the applicant. A sign permit shall become null and void if work authorized under the permit has not been completed within six months of the date of issuance.
C.
Bond. Every applicant for a sign permit shall, before the permit is granted, execute a cash bond or other appropriate surety in a sum fixed by the Plan Commission upon recommendation of the Building Inspector, but not to exceed $25,000. The form of the cash bond or other surety shall be approved by the Town Attorney, indemnifying the Town against all loss, cost of damages or expense incurred or sustained by or recovered against the Town by reason of the erection, construction or maintenance of the sign. A liability insurance policy issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in the State of Wisconsin and conforming to the requirements of this subsection may be permitted by the Town Attorney in lieu of a bond.
§ 380-82 Calculation of sign area.
In calculating the area of a sign to determine whether it meets the requirement of this Zoning Code, the Zoning Administrator shall include the sign copy and any border or frame surrounding that copy. Supporting members of a sign shall be excluded from the area calculation. Area of irregularly shaped signs or signs containing two or more detached elements shall be determined by the area of the smallest regular polygon that will encompass all elements of the sign.