No sign may be constructed, erected, moved, enlarged, or illuminated except in accordance with the provisions of this section. All signs erected or replaced after (the effective date of this amendment [June 21, 1999]) shall display the number of the sign location's address on each face of the sign or on the supporting structure. The numbers shall be of sufficient size to be readable from the street adjacent to the sign without the need for enhancing or correcting the vision of the average person.

(Ord. No. O-99-27, § I, 6-21-99)

A permit shall be obtained from the building official for all signs under this section.

The following signs are permitted in all zones:

803.1. Governmental. Signs of every kind and nature erected by or on behalf of any federal, state or local governmental agency, including official traffic control or informational signs, hazard warning signs, legal notices, railroad crossing signs or other similar signs required by law.

803.2. Nameplates. One nameplate for each dwelling unit, excluding internally illuminated signs, not exceeding 1½ square feet in area, indicating the name of the occupant or any permitted occupation.

803.3. Identification. Wall signs, which may be externally illuminated, and which are permanently affixed to buildings for the purpose of identifying the name of building, date of erection or other historical information, provided that such signs are composed of similar materials as the building, or bronze or brass, and are affixed flat against the building.

803.4. Credit card signs. Credit card signs, nonilluminated, and affixed to the structure shall be limited to an area of one square foot per structure.

803.5. Temporary signs. The following temporary signs are permitted in all districts:

(A)

Signs for nonprofit or charitable organizations, including exterior messages for national and state holidays; provided, however, that no such temporary sign may be erected for a period of more than 30 days. In all residence districts, such signs shall be limited to 32 square feet in area and set back a minimum of ten feet from any property line.

(B)

Rental or sale signs, freestanding or attached to the premises, pertaining to the prospective rental or sale of the property on which they are located; provided that such signs shall not be illuminated, nor extend over the sidewalk, and further provided that:

1.

Within all residence districts, such signs shall not exceed a total area of six square feet and shall be removed within 14 days of the real estate closing or lease transaction.

2.

Within all waterfront (WB), office (O) and general business (GB) districts, such signs shall not exceed a total area of 12 square feet, and shall be removed within 30 days of the real estate closing or lease transaction.

3.

Within all light industrial (LI) and general industrial (GI) districts, such signs shall not exceed a total area of 32 square feet, and shall be removed within 30 days of the real estate closing or lease transaction.

(C)

Construction signs, nonilluminated, customary and necessary in connection with the erection of buildings or other construction work and temporary signs required to advise pedestrians and motorists of temporary inconveniences, safety issues and/or alternate locations to obtain services, limited to one sign per street frontage for each construction project. Such sign may be freestanding or attached to the premises, but shall not exceed 32 square feet in area, with a maximum clearance of five feet and shall be removed within 60 days of the completion of construction. In all residence districts, such signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in area, and shall be set back a minimum of ten feet from any property line.

(D)

Political signs, nonilluminated, incidental to a city, state, or federal election or referendum, or signs which are political in nature. Such signs shall be constructed of durable material, and shall be prohibited from trees, traffic signs or utility poles. Such signs shall be erected not more than 60 days prior to such election or referendum, or in any event, no premises shall have a sign erected for more than 120 days in any calendar year. Political signs relating to any election or referendum shall be removed within 14 days after said election or referendum. In all districts, such signs shall [are] not to exceed 16 square feet in area per side.

(E)

Other temporary signs in GB, LI and GI zones for a maximum of 30 days.

(F)

Sponsor signs sold to advertisers, sponsors or boosters of youth sports teams or leagues which are placed within a field, stadium or arena which is used primarily for elementary or secondary school sports or youth sports leagues. Such signs shall be nonilluminated, constructed of durable material, limited to 32 square feet in size and shall be in place for a maximum of 180 days per year. Sponsor signs shall be placed so as to face the inside of the field, arena or stadium, but any incidental viewing from the outside of the field, stadium or arena shall not be deemed a violation of this section.

(Ord. No. O-05-14, § I, 6-21-05)

The following signs shall be prohibited in all districts in the city:

804.1. Traffic or safety hazards. Signs determined by the building official to constitute a traffic or other safety hazard by reason of size, location, or type of illumination including A-frame signs and mobile signs.

804.2. Signs that move. Signs which move by mechanical means or by ambient wind currents, flashing or animated signs (not including flags and banners).

804.3. Billboards.

804.4. Bulletin boards. Signs used as a bulletin or notice board to announce activities and events.

All permitted signs shall be measured as follows:

805.1. Area. Measured in square feet, the entire area within a square, rectangle, circle, triangle or any other polygon enclosing the extreme limits of graphic, writing or similar representation, emblem or any fixture of similar character, together with any frame or other material or color forming an integral part of the display or used to differentiate the sign from the background against which it is placed; excluding the necessary supports or uprights on which such sign is placed. Where a sign has two or more faces, the area of all faces shall be included in determining the area of the sign, except that where two such faces are placed back to back and are at no point more than two feet from one another, the area of the sign shall be taken as the area of the one face if the two faces are of equal area, or as the area of the larger face if the two faces are of unequal area.

805.2. Height. Measured in feet, the overall height of a sign is measured from the grade directly below the sign to the highest point of the sign or any of its supports.

805.3. Setback. Measured in feet from the outermost edge of the sign to the public right-of-way.

805.4. Projection over public right-of-way. Measurement in feet, perpendicular to the property line, from the property line to the outermost edge of the sign, over any public right-of-way.

805.5. Maximum permitted sign area. In all districts but the residence districts, the maximum permitted area for signs on a building shall be based on the building frontage. In buildings with more than one tenant, each tenant's sign shall be based on the building frontage of each individual tenant space, as long as the total area of all signs on the building does not exceed the total allowable. Where a building fronts on two or more streets, the total area for signs for each street frontage shall be based on the building frontage for that street. For gas stations, street frontage shall be used to calculate the permitted total area of signs as permitted in the tables. For any drive-in business that has a booth for employees only with no public access, including a gas station, the maximum area of signs shall be based on the street frontage, and on a corner lot, only one street frontage shall be used to calculate maximum sign area.

806.1. Residence districts. One of the following types of signs to identify each permitted home occupation and one sign to display the name of a permitted nonresidential use. Such signs may be externally illuminated. The total area of all such signs shall not exceed six square feet on any lot.

806.2. Office (O) and waterfront business (WB) districts. The maximum total area of all signs on any structure shall not exceed 1.5 square feet per one foot of building frontage. Window signs shall not be included in this calculation. Such signs may be externally or internally illuminated. The maximum area of any individual sign shall be limited as follows:

⁽¹⁾ Only one freestanding sign is permitted per street frontage.

806.3. General business (GB), light industrial (LI), general industrial (GI), City Centre Warwick Intermodal (Intermodal), and City Centre Warwick Gateway (Gateway) districts. The maximum total area of all signs on any structure shall not exceed two square feet per one foot of building frontage. Window signs shall not be included in this calculation. The maximum area of any individual sign shall be limited as follows:

⁽¹⁾ Only one freestanding sign is permitted per street frontage.

(Ord. No. O-98-44, § I(Exh. A), 12-14-98; Ord. No. O-23-24, § I, 12-20-23)

807.1. Signs in historic districts. All signs, including window signs, in an historic district shall be subject to approval by the historic district commission.

807.2. Maintenance of signs. All signs shall be maintained, which shall include painting of the sign and sign supports and repair or replacement of broken fixtures including lights. Failure to maintain a sign in a safe condition shall be deemed a violation of this ordinance.

807.3. Signs in the City Centre Warwick Intermodal and Gateway Districts. All signs, including window signs, in the City Centre Warwick Intermodal and Gateway Districts shall conform to the zoning requirements of section 806.3 and shall be subject to approval by the Planning Board/AO.

807.4, Signs in the village district.

A.

The number of outdoor signs shall be limited to one sign for each business. This sign shall face a public way, if possible, and shall be limited in size to 16 square feet.

B.

Projecting signs may project up to four feet over the public sidewalk but not over the street or public parking areas.

C.

Window signs may be used to identify promotional items or services but shall not cover more than 25 percent of a window area which faces a public way.

D.

Signs shall be illuminated externally with either incandescent or fluorescent lamps that direct light toward the sign, provided that the illumination does not distract pedestrians, vehicles or residential units. All lighted signs shall be lighted by continuous or non-flashing light. All types of electronic LED signs, message boards, continuous scrolling messages and digital display signs are prohibited.

E.

Roof-top displays are not permitted.

F.

Retractable storefront awnings are allowed within the elements framing storefront windows or doorways. Rigid, "bull nose" shaped or internally illuminated awnings are not allowed. Any signage imprinted on the awnings will be calculated as part of the total signage allowance and limited to 25 percent of said total signage allowance.

(Ord. No. O-98-44, § I(Exh. A), 12-14-98; Ord. No. O-11-18, § I(Exh. A), 10-20-11; Ord. No. O-23-24, § I, 12-20-23)