Wales Village City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
Signs
§ 435-46 Purpose and intent.
The intent of this chapter is to provide for and regulate the location and safe construction of signs so as to ensure that signs are compatible with surrounding land uses, are well maintained, express the identity of individual proprietors and the Village as a whole, protect property value, do not distract and endanger traffic safety and traffic flow, do not result in an uncontrolled proliferation of signs, and that they preserve the character and attractiveness of a neighborhood or the Village. See Illustration No. 3, which identifies various types of signs.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Illustrations are included at the end of this chapter.
§ 435-47 Permit required; traffic visibility to be maintained; illuminated signs.
A.
No sign shall hereafter be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted, or structurally altered without first obtaining a sign permit reflecting conformity with the provisions of this chapter, except for those signs allowed without a permit under § 435-48.
§ 435-48 Signs permitted in all districts without permit.
The following signs are permitted in all zoning districts without a permit, subject to the following regulations:
A.
Real estate signs which advertise the sale, rental, or lease of the premises upon which said signs are temporarily located, provided that:
(1)
Signs in residential districts shall not exceed eight square feet per sign face.
(2)
Signs in nonresidential districts shall not exceed 24 square feet per face and six feet in height.
(3)
Only one real estate sign may be placed on the property. The sign must be placed on the property being sold, leased, or rented.
(4)
Signs shall not be illuminated.
(5)
Signs shall be removed within two weeks of sale, lease, or rental.
(6)
Off-premises directional signs for open house purposes shall not exceed six square feet per face and shall be removed immediately after the event has been concluded.
B.
Personal name and warning signs not to exceed two square feet per face located on the premises and shall not be illuminated.
C.
Home occupation and professional home office signs not to exceed two square feet per face and shall be flush-mounted against the dwelling or placed on a mailbox post. Such signs shall not be internally illuminated but may be externally illuminated.
D.
Election campaign signs, provided that permission shall be obtained from the property owner, renter, or lessee. Such signs shall comply with the following requirements:
(1)
Signs shall not exceed 16 square feet per face in any nonresidential zoning districts.
(2)
Signs shall not be illuminated.
(3)
Signs shall not exceed 12 square feet per face in any residential zoning districts unless the sign is affixed to a permanent structure and does not extend beyond the perimeter of the structure nor obstruct a window, door, fire escape, ventilation shaft, or other area which is required by the municipal building code to remain unobstructed.
(4)
Signs shall not be erected prior to the first day of the election campaign period as defined in § 12.04, Wis. Stats.
(5)
Signs shall be removed within five days following the election.
E.
Temporary rummage and garage sale signs not exceeding six square feet per face may be erected on the premises for a period not to exceed three days, three times in any calendar year. Off-premises directional signs shall not exceed six square feet per face and shall be removed immediately after the event has been concluded. Such sale and directional signs shall not be illuminated.
[Amended 12-7-2009]
F.
Temporary school, church, civic club, or other nonprofit organization signs advertising civic or church functions may be displayed no sooner than 21 days before the event and shall be removed within five days after the event has concluded. Signs shall not exceed 32 square feet per face, and no more than four signs may be displayed on property in the Village other than property of the hosting organization and with the landowner's permission. Such signs shall not be internally illuminated but may be externally illuminated.
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. Such signs shall not be internally illuminated but may be externally illuminated.
H.
Driveway ingress/egress and direction signs to identify parking lot entrances and exits or direct customers to drive-in services may be placed adjacent to driveways, provided that no such signs are be placed in the street right-of-way and no ingress/egress or direction sign shall exceed four square feet per face. No advertising, including logos, shall be allowed on such signs. Such signs may be illuminated in all districts except residential districts.
§ 435-49 Temporary signs requiring permit.
The following temporary signs are permitted with a permit, subject to the following regulations:
A.
Temporary signs permitted only in business and industrial districts. The Plan Commission may allow on any single premises the use of a temporary or portable sign with a sign permit for business advertising purposes, such as banners and pennants/streamers advertising only special events or circumstances of a business (i.e., "Grand Opening" or "Clearance Sale"), for a total of 90 days per calendar year, commencing January 1. The business may use the ninety-day time period as it chooses, but each event must be approved by the Plan Commission prior to installation. Banners shall be no larger than 1.5 square feet of area for every one linear foot of business unit frontage and shall be flush-mounted on the building holding the special event or circumstance. The signs shall not be illuminated and shall be removed within 24 hours after the event or circumstance has been concluded.
[Amended 3-1-2010[1]]
B.
Temporary development signs for the purpose of designating a new building or development or for promoting a subdivision are allowed with a sign permit in any district, provided that the sign shall not exceed 32 square feet per face or a total of 64 square feet in area for all sides, shall not exceed eight feet in height, and shall not be closer than 20 feet to all lot lines. One sign may be allowed per arterial street frontage. Such signs shall not be internally illuminated but may be externally illuminated. The sign shall be removed after 80% of lots, units, or floor area has been sold, rented, or leased or after two years, whichever comes first. Upon reapplication, the Plan Commission may grant a one-year extension.
C.
Temporary contractor signs for the purpose of identifying contractors or financial institutions used on a development project are allowed with a sign permit in any district, provided that the sign shall not exceed 32 square feet per face and a total of 64 square feet in area for all sides, shall not exceed eight feet in height, and shall not be closer than 20 feet to all lot lines. No such signs may be illuminated, and only one sign is allowed per site. The sign shall be removed within 10 days following completion of the project.
§ 435-50 Signs permitted in business and industrial districts with permit. [1]
The following signs are permitted in all business and industrial districts with a permit, subject to the following restrictions:
A.
A wall sign, placed flush-mounted against the exterior walls of buildings, shall not extend more than 12 inches outside of a building's wall surface; shall not exceed 1.5 square feet of area for every one linear foot of building face width on which it is mounted; and shall not extend above the first story or 20 feet in height, whichever is higher.
B.
Projecting signs shall be fastened to, suspended from, or supported by structures attached to buildings and shall not exceed nine square feet per sign face per business. No projecting sign shall extend more than four feet from the building to which it is attached; a projecting sign shall not exceed a height of 20 feet, and no part of the projecting sign shall be less than eight feet above a walkway.
C.
Marquee, awning, or canopy signs affixed flat to the surface of a marquee, awning, or canopy are permitted, provided that the sign face does not exceed a height of two feet, shall not exceed 1.5 square feet of area for every one linear foot of building unit frontage, and shall not extend vertically or horizontally beyond the limits of said marquee, awning, or canopy. In addition, a marquee, awning, or canopy shall not be less than eight feet above a sidewalk. A name sign not exceeding two square feet per face located immediately in front of the entrance to an establishment may be suspended from a marquee, awning, or canopy, provided that the name sign shall be at least eight feet above a walkway.
D.
A monument (ground) sign shall not exceed eight feet in height, shall be set back at least 20 feet from front lot lines or street right-of-way lines and 10 feet from side and rear lot lines for the district in which it is located, and shall not exceed 40 square feet on one side or a total of 80 square feet in area for all sides. Only one sign may be permitted for any one premises unless Subsection G applies.
E.
Window signs, except for painted signs or decals, shall be placed only on the inside of buildings, shall not exceed 15% of the glass area of the window upon which the sign is displayed, and shall not be placed on glass doors or window areas that will impede pedestrian safety or prohibit view by police.
F.
Menu boards may be permitted and are subject to Village Board approval, after a recommendation by the Village Plan Commission.
G.
Combinations of any of the above signs shall meet all the requirements for that type of individual sign. The total number of signs on any premises shall be limited as follows, and the total combined sign face area shall not exceed 1.5 square feet per one linear foot of business unit frontage:
(1)
Unless otherwise specified herein, up to two advertising signs may be permitted per principal building, but no more than one freestanding monument sign. Owners may elect for them to be any combination of wall, canopy, fascia, or monument signs, not exceeding a total of two, and as approved by the Village Board after a recommendation by the Plan Commission.
(2)
Multi-tenant buildings may provide a tenant directory near an entryway as one of the two signs permitted.
(3)
Separate individual wall, canopy, or fascia signs may be allowed for each tenant in a shopping center or business complex subject to review and approval by the Village Board, after a recommendation by the Plan Commission, of an overall coordinated sign plan for the shopping center or business complex. The size of signs approved in this manner shall be calculated using the width of the business unit frontage or bay occupied by each tenant. No individual wall, canopy, or fascia sign may exceed 32 square feet per face, with a maximum height of two feet for the sign face.
(4)
Large developments with one or more buildings totaling a floor area of 25,000 square feet or greater with multiple arterial street frontages may have an additional monument sign to identify the development, upon Village Board review and approval after a recommendation by the Plan Commission.
(5)
Price signs for gasoline or diesel fuel sales shall be limited to one sign per business site.
(6)
Changeable copy reader boards may be incorporated in a sign upon Village Board review and approval, after a recommendation by the Plan Commission.
§ 435-51 Signs permitted in I-1 and P-1 Districts with permit.
A.
The following signs are permitted in the I-1 and P-1 Districts with a permit, subject to approval by the Village Board after a recommendation by the Plan Commission. Scoreboards at schools and parks are allowed in such districts and do not require a permit.
B.
The design and location of institutional and park name signs shall be approved based on the compatibility of such signs with adjacent land uses and the character of the neighborhood.
§ 435-52 Prohibited signs. [1]
The following signs are prohibited. Signs lawfully existing on the effective date of this chapter may be continued although the size, type or location does not conform to this chapter. Such signs shall be deemed nonconforming uses or structures, and the provisions of § 435-56 shall apply.
A.
Outdoor off-premises signs, including billboards, are prohibited with the following exceptions: official signs, temporary rummage and garage sale signs, and signs located at Village boundaries identifying civic or other nonprofit community service organizations located within the Village.
B.
Abandoned signs. Signs that advertise an activity, business product, or service no longer conducted or available on the premises on which the sign is located. See § 435-57.
C.
Other certain signs as follows:
(1)
Roof signs erected on the roof or over the roofline of a building.
(2)
Billboards.
(3)
Pole and pylon signs.
(4)
Portable trailer signs.
(5)
Sandwich board signs.
(6)
Searchlights.
(7)
Inflatable advertising signs, devices, or balloons.
(8)
Signs painted on or attached or affixed to trees or other living vegetation.
(9)
Permanent residential development signs such as those for a residential complex or subdivision.
D.
Advertising vehicles. A vehicle or trailer which has attached to or located thereon any sign or device for the purpose of advertising a business, product, or service or for directing people to a business or activity. No person shall park any such vehicle or trailer on a public right-of-way, on public property, or on private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way. This provision is not intended to prohibit incidental vehicular signs that are attached, lettered, or painted signs on a vehicle or trailer that identify the ownership or function of the vehicle.
E.
Advertising illegal activities. Signs that advertise activities which are illegal under Village, Waukesha County, state, or federal laws or regulations.
F.
Signs which bear or contain statements, words, or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects.
§ 435-53 Shape, color and lighting.
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 placed in such a way as to cause glare or impair driver visibility upon public ways. Other than public traffic control signs, signs shall have no elements that are flashing, blinking, moving, rotating, or pulsating. Signs that include electronic message boards and those that give cyclical time and temperature information shall not be considered flashing or pulsating signs. Bare light bulbs shall not be permitted. All illuminated signs shall meet the illumination standards set forth in § 435-82.
§ 435-54 Landscaping.
All permanent freestanding signs shall be set in a landscaped base of appropriate size to contain flowers, ground cover, ornamental grasses, shrubs, and/or other base plantings, except turf grass, that will enhance and complement the sign. The landscape area shall be at least six feet wide with a length of at least 1.5 times the overall length of the sign face or sign structure, whichever is longer.
§ 435-55 Construction and maintenance standards.
A.
Wind pressure and dead load requirements. All signs and other advertising structures shall be designed and constructed in accordance with applicable state or Village codes.
B.
Protection of the public. The temporary occupancy of a sidewalk, 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 standards.
(1)
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 and inoffensive condition, free and clear of all obnoxious substances, rubbish, weeds, and grass. Restoration or painting which changes the name, size, or location of a sign will require a new permit. Banners and pennants/streamers used for advertising shall be securely attached to a building, and torn or damaged signs shall be promptly repaired or removed.
(2)
The owner of any sign shall be required to have all parts and supports of a sign properly painted as directed by the Building Inspector, unless they are galvanized or otherwise treated to prevent rust and deterioration.
(3)
The sign owner shall be responsible for the maintenance of the sign. If the sign ownership should transfer, the new owner shall be responsible for the maintenance of the sign.
D.
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 to a building shall be approved by the Building Inspector.
E.
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 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 Village, as necessity therefor may require.
F.
Overhead electrical wiring is prohibited.
§ 435-56 Existing nonconforming signs. [1]
No new pole or pylon signs shall be permitted. Signs that lawfully exist on the effective date of this chapter will be permitted to remain in use, even though the use, type, size, illumination, or location does not conform. If a change of ownership, tenancy, or use of the premises or modification of the existing sign takes place, the nonconforming sign(s) shall be brought into compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
§ 435-57 Abandoned signs.
All signs or sign messages shall be removed within 14 days by the owner or lessee of the premises upon which a sign is located when the business it advertises is no longer conducted or when the sign is dilapidated or beyond repair under the provisions of § 66.0413, Wis. Stats. Enforcement of this regulation shall follow §§ 435-114, 435-115 and 435-116 of this chapter.
§ 435-58 Sign permit.
A.
Applications for a sign permit shall be made on forms, which also specify certain information to be attached/submitted with said form, provided by the Village Clerk and shall be submitted to the Plan Commission for its review and recommendation to the Village Board prior to approval.
B.
Inspection. The sign owner shall call the Building Inspector for an inspection upon completion of all permit requirements and installation.
C.
All sign permits shall be issued by the Building Inspector.
§ 435-59 Measuring signs.
In calculating the area of a sign to determine whether it meets the requirement of this chapter, the Building Inspector 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. If the sign consists of more than one section or module, all areas will be totaled. Any irregular-shaped sign area shall be computed using the actual sign face surface. In the case of individual letters, the area of the copy will be squared off and used. The sign height shall be the vertical distance measured from the grade at the base of the sign structure to the highest point of such sign or sign structure. In the case where a sign is to be located in a raised plant bed (planter) or on a berm, the grade shall be determined by the average of the grades measured at the base of the planter or the toes of the slope at the front and back of the berm.