Webster Village City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
Signs
[Amended 6-26-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-10; 5-14-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-01]
Purpose: The purpose of this chapter is to create the legal framework to regulate, administer and enforce outdoor sign advertising and display within the Village. This article recognizes the need to protect the safety and welfare of the public and the need for well-maintained and attractive sign displays within the community and the need for adequate business identification, advertising and communication.
This article authorizes the use of signs visible from the public rights-of-way, provided the signs are:
1. Compatible with the zoning regulations. |
2. Designed, constructed, installed and maintained in such a manner that they do not endanger public safety or traffic safety. |
3. Legible, readable and visible in the circumstances in which they are used. |
4. Respectful of the reasonable rights of other advertisers whose messages are displayed. |
§ 298-52 Sign permit required.
No sign shall hereafter be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted or structurally altered without a land use permit issued by the Village, except those signs excepted in § 298-53, and without being in conformity with the provisions of this chapter. The sign shall also meet all the structural requirements of signage installation and installers shall meet all the license and insurance requirements of § 298-55A and B.
§ 298-53 Signs excepted without a permit.
All signs are prohibited in all residential, conservancy and agricultural districts except the following:
A.
Construction signs. Two construction signs per construction site, not exceeding 100 square feet in each area, and shall be confined to the site of construction.
B.
Real estate signs not to exceed four square feet in areas which advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which said signs are temporarily located.
C.
Name, occupation and warning signs not to exceed two square feet located on the premises.
D.
Bulletin boards for public, charitable or religious institutions not to exceed 12 square feet in an area located on the premises.
E.
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.
F.
Official signs, such as traffic control, parking restrictions, information and notices.
G.
Temporary signs or banners when authorized by the Village Board for a period not to exceed 30 days.
H.
Public notices. Official notices posted by public officers or employers in the performance of their duties.
I.
Political and campaign signs. Political and campaign signs on behalf of candidates for public office or measures on election ballots, provided that said signs are subject to the following regulations:
(1)
Each sign, except billboards, shall not exceed 32 square feet in nonresidential zoning districts and eight square feet in residential districts.
J.
On-premises symbols or insignia. Religious symbols, commemorative plaques or recognized historic agencies or identification emblems of religious orders or historic agencies.
K.
On-premises temporary signs. Temporary signs not exceeding four square feet in area pertaining to drives or events of civic, philanthropic, education, religious organizations.
L.
Vehicular signs. Truck, bus, trailer or other vehicles, while operating in the normal course of business which is not primarily the display of signs.
M.
Portable signs. Any person wishing to place a portable sign on their premises or the premises of another shall first obtain permission from the Village. Any sign remaining on the premises for more than 60 continuous days in a calendar year shall be deemed to be a permanent sign and shall meet all requirements for a permanent sign and a permit will be required.
§ 298-54 Signs in Business and Industrial Districts.
[Amended 5-14-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-01]
Signs are permitted in the C-1, C-2 and 1-1 Commercial and Industrial Districts. All signs shall advertise, promote or represent only establishments, goods or services located, sold or manufactured within 100 feet and are subject to the following restrictions:
A.
Signs prohibited in public ways. Except for traffic signs and signals, signs specifically permitted to project into the public way by this chapter or any other sign so authorized by law, no signs shall be placed upon, over or in any public way. Except for signs projecting from business structures located on the front property line, any signs located upon, or encroaching upon, any public way shall be removed within one year of the adoption of this chapter. Permits for signs projecting into the right-of-way of any street shall be revocable as provided in § 86.04, Wis. Stats.
B.
Lighting. No sign shall be illuminated by intermittent, rotating or flashing lights.
C.
Ground signs. On-premises ground signs will be permitted in lieu of signs mounted on building facades, subject to the size restrictions of this article when installed or replaced, and must observe all applicable building setback lines. Ground signs shall meet all yard requirements for the district in which they are located and are subject to the following restrictions:
(1)
No ground sign shall exceed a height of 20 feet above the mean center line of the street grade.
(2)
Total square footage of all ground signs shall not exceed 128 square feet on all sides for any one premise and 64 square feet on one side. All ground signs shall comply with § 298-54O and P. V-shaped signs installed parallel to the street will be allowed 64 square feet per side.
(3)
All ground signs adjacent to State and County highways/roads shall first be approved by the State and County Highway Commissioner prior to installation. Setback requirements other than § 298-54E may be applicable.
D.
Billboards on vacant lots. Vacant lots upon which billboards now exist shall be maintained in an orderly fashion by the frequent and periodic removal of rubbish and maintenance of any verdure growing on the lot.
E.
Signs projecting into the street. No sign shall project over any part of any street, except where a business structure is located on the front property line. In such cases, a sign may not extend beyond the front face of the curb.
F.
Termination of a business. At the termination of a business, commercial or industrial enterprise, all signs shall forthwith be removed from the public view. Responsibility for violation shall reside with the property owner, according to the latest official tax roll listings.
G.
Shopping centers or industrial parks. In a shopping center or industrial park, one freestanding identification sign may be permitted, showing the name of said center or park and the represented businesses or industries. The area of said sign shall not exceed 100 square feet on one face and 200 square feet on all faces. Said sign shall not be permitted within 20 feet of the right-of-way line of the street.
H.
Wall signs. Wall signs placed against the exterior walls of a building shall not extend more than six inches outside of a building's wall surface, shall not exceed 128 square feet in area for any one premises and shall not exceed 20 feet in height above the mean center-line street grade.
I.
Projected signs. Projected signs fastened to, suspended from or supported by structures shall not exceed 40 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 a public right-of-way; shall not be less than 10 feet from all side lot lines; and shall not exceed a height of 20 feet above the mean center-line street grade or 15 feet above a driveway or an alley.
J.
Roof and window signs. Roof signs shall not exceed 10 feet in height above the roof, shall meet all the yard and height requirements for the district in which they are located and shall not exceed 128 square feet on all sides for any one premises. Window signs shall be placed only on the inside of commercial buildings except that exterior window lettering is permitted.
K.
Number of signs. No more than one business or industrial sign shall be permitted on the front facade of any business or industrial building, including any advertisement permanently fastened to show windows or display cases. Only one business or industrial sign shall be permitted on each side or rear wall of a business or industrial building. Additional signage may be permitted by only the Village Board of Appeals.
L.
Directional signs. Necessary directional ground signs, not exceeding four square feet in area, will be permitted. Permission to erect such signs must be obtained from the Village Board.
M.
Lighting. Business and industrial signs may be internally lighted or illuminated by a hooded reflector; provided, however, that such lighting shall be arranged to prevent glare, and no sign shall have lighting of an intermittent or varying intensity. Animated signs, or signs having moving parts, or signs which may be mistaken for traffic signal devices or which diminish the visibility or effectiveness of such traffic signal devices, are prohibited.
N.
Obstruction of openings. Any sign so erect, constructed or maintained as to obstruct or be attached to any fire escape, window, door or opening used as means of ingress or egress, or for fire-fighting purposes, or placed so as to interfere with any opening required for legal ventilation is prohibited.
O.
Street intersections. No sign or advertising device shall be erected or maintained at the intersection of streets in such a manner as to obstruct clear traffic or pedestrian vision of the intersection.
P.
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. No sign shall 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. No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility.
§ 298-55 Insurance and license requirements.
A.
Insurance. Every sign contractor shall file with the Village a certificate of insurance indicating that the applicant holds a public liability and property damage policy specifically to include the hold harmless with bodily injury limits of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, and $1,000,000 aggregate, and property damage insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate. Such insurance shall not be canceled or reduced without the insured first giving 30 days notice in writing to the Village of such cancellation or reduction.
B.
License. Any installation of a sign over 10 feet in height and 100 square feet in area requires the installer to be licensed. All electrical connections and wiring to signs shall be performed by a licensed electrician and subject to an inspection.
§ 298-56 Existing signs.
[Amended 5-14-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-01]
A sign lawfully existing at the time of the adoption or amendment of this chapter may be continued although the use, size or location does not conform to the provisions of this chapter. However, it shall be deemed a nonconforming use or structure and the provisions of Article VIII, § 298-57 shall apply. The sign, structure or content may not be extended, enlarged, reconstructed, substituted, moved or structurally altered except when required to do so by law or order or so as to comply with the provisions of this chapter. All legally permitted existing signs are not subject to the provisions of this chapter going forward from the date of this amendment.
