Verona City Zoning Code

Identification of property limited to name and address of occupant or nature of home occupation, if applicable, or in the case of apartment buildings, the name of the building and phone number of the management agency.

Signs advertising property for sale or rent, indicating only owner or broker name, address and phone number.

Signs identifying public or semipublic institutions or recreational clubs in the Public and Private Recreation District and activities carried on by them.

Artisans' signs, indicating name, address, phone number and type of service performed by contractor on the premises, to be removed not more than 30 days after work on which artisan is employed is completed.

Public service or public safety signs installed by a public agency and unrestricted as to size or location.

Any sign permitted in § 250-76 above.

Signs identifying businesses or industries on the same property as the business or industry advertised.

Signs for establishments or businesses in an LM-2 District are subject to the provisions of Article XI of this chapter.

Signs applied flat to a wall surface but not painted directly on the surface.

Freestanding signs fastened to the ground.

Signs projecting from and attached to a wall shall not be permitted.

Signs advertising goods or services not sold or produced on the premises containing the sign shall be prohibited.

Signs applied flat to a wall surface shall not exceed 10% of the area of the wall surface or an area of 60 square feet, whichever is greater. Where a building abuts two or more streets, each side abutting a street, not to exceed two streets, shall be considered a separate wall surface to receive signs.

Where several businesses occupy the ground floor of a building, each business shall be entitled to a sign not to exceed in area an amount proportionate to the width of the building frontage occupied by the business or an area not to exceed 60 square feet, whichever is greater.

Businesses occupying upper-floor or basement rooms may each post a sign in a window or painted on a window, not to exceed in area six square feet per business on any wall surface, such signs allowed in addition to those permitted by Subsection C(2) above.

Signs shall not be more than 15 inches in depth measured from the wall surface to the outermost surface of the sign, nor project above or beyond the wall surface.

Freestanding signs shall not exceed 100 square feet in area on either face, with the area considered only the contiguous area of the message and not the supporting framework.

No more than one freestanding sign shall be permitted on any property.

Signs applied flat to a wall surface shall occupy only the area between the heads of windows or doors opening into the ground floor of a building and the sills of windows opening into the second story or the top of the wall parapet if the building is only one story in height.

No sign shall be so located that it impedes the view of vehicle drivers using streets adjacent to or in the vicinity of the property containing the sign. The Zoning Officer may amend other regulations of this article to assure compliance with this requirement.

Where a freestanding sign extends over a vehicular or pedestrianway on the property where the sign is located, the lowest point of such a sign shall not be less above the ground level below than 14 feet for vehicular passage or 10 feet for pedestrian passage.

No part of any sign may extend beyond a property line into a public right-of-way except for signs applied flat to a building wall that abuts a right-of-way, in which case such sign may extend up to 12 inches into the right-of-way if its bottom edge is at least 10 feet above the ground elevation adjacent to the wall.

Signs may be lighted, provided that illumination is from within the sign or from an indirect, hidden source and that no glare occurs on adjacent streets or properties.

No sign shall be lighted that faces or partially faces an adjacent residentially zoned property.

Promote signs that are expressive of the identity of individual properties and businesses and are compatible with and enhance the landscape, streetscape, and historic and architectural character of the district;

Encourage design, placement and color of signs that are respectful and complementary to the architectural character of buildings and the overall harmonious historic character of the district;

Encourage signs that enhance the traditional Main Street image and visual environment that the Borough seeks to promote; and

Avoid excessive competition for large or multiple signs, so that permitted signs provide identification and direction while minimizing clutter, unsightliness, confusion, and hazardous distractions to motorists.

Right-of-way restrictions. Except as otherwise set forth in this section, no sign or any portion thereof shall be constructed, erected or so located or placed within the right-of-way lines of any public highway or street except for official traffic signs or for street or road signs as required and erected by local, state, and/or federal governmental agencies or authorities or permitted projecting signs and temporary signs.

Height. No sign or portion thereof shall extend beyond the roof of a building.

Sign area. The sign area consists of the letters and/or symbols that encompass the smallest rectangle or other regular geometric shape that can enclose such letters and/or symbols. In cases of cylindrical signs, signs in the shape of cubes, or other signs, which are three-dimensional with respect to their display surfaces, the entire sign face or faces is included in the computation of area.

Content. Sign content shall be limited to business name, business logo, telephone number, products or services sold on the premises and the name of the owner or the manager of the place of business.

Materials. All signs, excluding canopy, awning and window signs, shall be constructed only from durable materials such as wood, metal, stone or other material with painted, engraved or raised messages.

Maintenance. All signs shall be constructed of durable materials, kept in good repair, and in a sound, secure condition, so that all sign information is clearly legible. Any sign found by the Zoning Officer to show deterioration, including rust, faded colors, discoloration, holes and missing parts or informational items, shall constitute a violation of this section.

Lighting. Signs may be only externally illuminated. With the exception of marquee signs and neon signs permitted by conditional use under Subsection K of this section, all internally illuminated signs are prohibited. Internally illuminated signs include, but are not limited to, plastic signs, fluorescent or flashing signs.

Sign removal. All permanent signs shall be removed within 30 days following the cessation of circumstances leading to the erection of such signs. Signs shall be removed in a sensitive manner so as not to cause permanent damage to a building. Upon removal of a sign, all damage caused by the mounting or removal shall be repaired and the building returned to its original condition.

Colors/color scheme. Colors and color schemes used in signs should be appropriate in style and to the color scheme of the supporting building upon which the sign is being placed. Colors should be coordinated with and complementary to supporting buildings and adjoining properties. Colors used on the painted exterior detailing of a building, such as window trim and cornices, should be used in signs to unify the various components of a facade.

Content. Sign verbiage should be kept simple and to the point. It is recommended that a font be selected for a sign that defines the business and product or service to be advertised while complementing other signs within the district. Using lettering fashionable to the time period of the building is also recommended.

Design. Sign designs should be kept simple so as not to be too detailed or cluttered. Graphic elements, details of the building, and architectural motifs should be used as part of the sign design when feasible.

Installation. Signs shall be mounted on a building so that holes can be easily patched. Where possible, holes should be made in mortar joints and not directly in masonry units. Existing holes or hangers should be used when possible.

Lighting. Sign lighting should be directed to the sign itself and not used to light the surrounding area; separate fixtures or sources of lighting should be used for area lighting.

Location/placement. Signs should be installed in locations so as not to cover up or destroy architectural features or historically significant details such as cornices, trim, windows, decorative brickwork, or other unique details. Signs should be placed where they fit within the architectural detailing of a building. When possible, historic photographs of buildings shall be referenced to see how signs relate to and fit into a building's architectural details.

Material. Sign material should complement the original construction materials and architectural style of the building's facade on which it is to be displayed. Artisan-crafted signs and quality sign materials manufactured specifically by the sign industry are preferred.

Number of signs. When more than one sign is permitted on a building or premises, the signs should be complementary and relate to each other in terms of design, height, proportion, color and background value.

Abandoned signs.

Animated signs.

Beacon light.

Internally illuminated signs, excluding neon signs as permitted under Section 1(G)(2)(f); (K)(3) and marquee signs in accordance with Section 1(K)(1) of this section.

Flashing signs.

Movable/changeable lettering signs.

Roof signs.

Pole signs.

Portable signs.

Signs painted on brick.

Signs advertising for other locations: signs advertising goods or services not sold or produced on the premises on which the sign is located.

Permitted kinds of signs.

Permitted types of signs.

Temporary on-premises signs.

Political signs.

Sandwich board signs. Provided that there are no more than two sandwich board signs with an aggregate sign area of 12 square feet or less and further provided that they do not remain outside a building after hours and do not block sidewalks. Sandwich board signs shall not be illuminated.

Special event signs.

Temporary window signs.

Flag or emblems. Flags or emblems of a government, political, civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organization displayed on private property.

Governmental signs. Signs placed by a governmental body, including but not limited to, promotional activities, traffic or directional devices, legal notices and warnings, instructional or regulatory signs, and official notices placed by public officers and/or employees.

Historic signs. Restoration, preservation and/or reconstruction of such signage that does not otherwise comply with the provisions of this section must first be presented to and designated as an "historic sign" by Borough Council which shall have the sole right to make such designation and to impose any requirements or restrictions on the same. Historic signs include ghost signs. Historic signs, whenever possible, shall be retained and maintained in accordance with the National Park Service Preservation Brief No. 25—The Preservation of Historic Signs. Where historical documentation exists, historic signs may be recreated in accordance with the historical documentation.

Incidental signs. Incidental signs displayed inside a window of a commercial establishment to advertise special sales of products sold, credit cards accepted, or those required by law or ordinance.

Marquee signs. Marquee signs, provided that the height of a marquee sign shall not extend above the parapet wall of the building, and the lowest point of the marquee sign shall not be less than seven feet above the grade.

Wall murals and artwork. Wall murals and other artwork of noncommercial nature shall be sympathetic to the historical nature of the district. Murals shall not become a predominating visual element of the streetscape.

Neon signs. Neon signs advertising a personal business message that add to the unique character of the district shall be permitted as a conditional use. Neon signs provided by national distributors are not appropriate.

Additional application requirements. In addition to any other required permit, an application for a sign permit in the business district shall include the following information:

Review of application. In granting sign permits, the Zoning Officer shall take the purposes and intent of this section into consideration.