Weymouth City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVI
Signs
§ 120-64.1 Signs in residential districts.
No billboard, sign or other advertising matter of any kind shall be erected on any premises or maintained within public view or facing an adjoining residential lot in any residential district, except as hereinafter provided:
A.
One sign not exceeding two square feet in area and pertaining to the use of the premises or bearing the name and/or occupation of the occupant. The sign may be attached to the building or may be on a rod or post not more than six feet high and at least three feet from the street line.
B.
A lot containing 10 or more residential dwelling units may have either one wall sign or one freestanding sign for identification purposes which may contain any of the following: property name, address, property owner/manager and telephone number; and, further, subject to all size, height and lighting criteria applicable to these districts.
(1)
Wall signs shall not exceed 12 square feet, nor shall any such sign project beyond the face of any other wall nor project more than 18 inches from said wall, and further provided that in no case shall the uppermost edge of such sign exceed 20 feet above grade.
(2)
Freestanding signs shall not exceed 12 square feet per side with a total surface area of all sides not exceeding 24 feet, and further provided that such sign shall comply with height and setback criteria as specified for business districts.
C.
One "for sale" or "for rent" sign not exceeding six square feet in area and advertising only the premises on which the sign is located and, in any case, to remain no longer than a four-month period in any calendar year, after which period a permit may be given by the Inspector of Buildings for an additional four-month period upon written application, if need is shown.
D.
One building contractor's sign not to exceed 12 square feet in area may be temporarily maintained on the premises while the same are actually under construction.
E.
A permitted nonresidential or nonconforming use may have either one wall sign up to a maximum area of six square feet; or one freestanding sign up to a maximum area of six square feet per side, with a total surface area of all sides not exceeding 12 square feet.
F.
All signs may be illuminated by continuous reflected illumination only.
G.
No sign shall exceed 20 feet in height above grade.
H.
Political signs. Political signs shall be those signs pertaining to a candidate for election or ballot questions. Each sign shall not exceed six square feet in size. Signs shall be erected no earlier than 35 days prior to an election and shall be removed within three days after the election.
[Added May 1992 ATM by Art. 47, approved 10-1-1992]
§ 120-64.2 Signs in Resident R-2 and Neighborhood Center Districts.
[Amended May 1990 STM by Art. 1, approved 8-29-1990]
Signs in a Resident R-2 District and Neighborhood Center District advertising conforming uses shall be subject to the following conditions:
A.
Each place of business shall be allowed one permanent wall sign parallel to the exterior building facade, projecting not more than 12 inches from said wall and having an aggregate area of two square feet for each horizontal foot of building frontage of said business, provided that the area of said sign shall not exceed 20 square feet, and further provided that the uppermost edge of said sign shall not exceed 20 feet above grade or above the roofline, whichever is lower in height.
B.
Each lot shall be allowed one freestanding sign, provided that the foremost building on the lot is set back from the front lot line a minimum of 10 feet, subject to the following criteria:
(1)
The sign area shall not exceed 15 square feet per side, with a total surface area of all sides not exceeding 30 square feet.
(2)
Signs within 25 feet of a street or way line shall have either the uppermost edge of the sign no more than three feet above grade or the lowermost edge of the sign no less than eight feet above grade and the uppermost edge not to exceed 20 feet above grade.
C.
Signs shall be set back from any adjoining residential district lot line at least the front yard distance required in the adjoining residential district.
D.
Any lights used for illumination shall be so arranged as to reflect light away from an adjoining residential district.
§ 120-64.3 Signs in business districts.
[Amended May 1990 STM by Art. 2, approved 8-29-1990; May 1990 STM by Art. 3, approved 8-29-1990]
Signs advertising conforming uses located on the premises are allowed with the following conditions:
A.
Wall signs parallel to an exterior wall of a building for each place of business shall be permitted, provided that the same shall not project beyond the face of any other wall, nor project above the roofline of said wall, nor project more than 18 inches from said wall, and provided further that the aggregate area of said signs shall not exceed one square foot for each horizontal foot of building frontage of each said business, and further provided that the area of said signs for each business shall not exceed 75 square feet.
B.
One freestanding sign only for each lot, provided that the foremost building on the lot is set back from the front lot line a minimum of 10 feet, shall be permitted, subject to the following criteria:
(1)
Sign area may be one square foot for each five feet of lot line front, provided that the total area of each surface shall not exceed 60 square feet and a total of all surfaces shall not exceed 120 square feet.
(2)
The frontmost edge of the sign shall be set back from the front lot line a minimum of three feet in a B-1 District only.
(3)
Signs within 25 feet of a street or way line shall have either the uppermost edge of the sign no more than three feet above grade or the lowermost edge of the sign no less than eight feet above grade and the uppermost edge not to exceed 25 feet above grade.
C.
Wall or freestanding signs may use a portion of the permitted sign area for interchangeable characters, provided that such area shall not exceed three square feet plus an additional 10% of the sign face area.
D.
Signs shall be set back from any adjoining residential district lot line at least the front yard distance required in the adjoining residential district.
E.
Any lights used for illumination shall be so arranged as to reflect light away from an adjoining residential district.
§ 120-64.4 Signs in industrial districts.
[Amended May 1987 ATM by Art. 50, approved 8-27-1987; May 1990 STM by Art. 2, approved 8-29-1990]
Signs identifying and/or advertising conforming uses located on the premises are allowed with the following conditions:
A.
Wall signs parallel to an exterior wall of a building for each place of business shall be permitted, provided that the same shall not project beyond the face of any other wall nor project above the roofline of said wall nor project more than 18 inches from said wall, shall not exceed one square foot for each horizontal foot of building frontage of each said business, and further provided that the area of said signs for each business shall not exceed 75 square feet.
B.
One freestanding sign only for each lot shall be permitted, subject to the following criteria:
(1)
Signs shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from any street, way, driveway, parking area and loading area.
(2)
Sign area shall not exceed 20 square feet per side, with a total surface area of all sides not to exceed 40 square feet.
(3)
The uppermost edge of said sign shall not exceed six feet above grade.
C.
One freestanding directory sign is permitted, provided that there is no other freestanding sign on the lot, at the principal entrance to a group of buildings or building in which various businesses are conducted, listing only the name and location of said building, and provided further that said listing shall be no larger than three square feet; and in addition to said sign listings there shall be permitted, and as part of the freestanding sign, a sign identifying the name of the industrial park or building, not to exceed 30 square feet. The total sign area of each surface shall not exceed 100 square feet, and the total area of all surfaces shall not exceed 200 square feet. The height of said sign shall not exceed 25 feet above grade, and the lower edge of the sign shall be no less than eight feet above grade if said sign is within 25 feet of a street or way line.
D.
Signs shall be set back from any adjoining residential district lot line at least the front yard distance required in the adjoining residential district.
E.
Any lights used for illumination shall be so arranged as to reflect light away from adjoining residential districts.
§ 120-64.5 Regulations applicable in all districts.
The following provisions shall apply in all districts:
A.
Churches and nonprofit institutions may be permitted either a maximum of two wall signs, any portion of which may be used as an announcement or bulletin board, provided that the total area of all signs shall not exceed 20 square feet, or one freestanding sign, for which the area of each surface shall not exceed 40 square feet and the total of all surfaces shall not exceed 40 square feet.
B.
A permitted business use may use any portion of its permitted sign area for a clock, thermometer and/or calendar, which changes on a synchronized basis.
§ 120-64.6 Prohibited signs.
In the interest of public safety, the following are not permitted:
A.
Any sign or advertising device with visible moving or movable parts (except as provided in this bylaw) or with flashing, animated or intermittent illumination or which is noise-making. Exempted from this section is any automated, illuminated barber pole, used in advertising the licensed profession of barbering, which does not exceed 39 inches in height and 10 1/2 inches in width and is attached to the building.
[Amended September 1996 STM by Art. 22, approved 1-2-1997]
B.
Any colored sign so located as to attract attention from or obscure a traffic control light so as to reduce its visibility and effect.
C.
Any sign within 25 feet of an intersection of two streets so placed in any way as to obstruct clear vision in any direction.
D.
Any device illuminating a sign which directs light toward a public way in such a manner as to cast its beam in the eyes of oncoming motorists or pedestrians.
E.
Any sign which contains a registered trademark or portrays a specific commodity for sale, unless said trademark or commodity is the principal activity conducted therein.
§ 120-64.7 Billboards.
§ 120-64.7.1 Billboard Relocation Overlay District.
[Added 4-2-2018 by Ord. No. 17-127; amended 1-4-2021 by Ord. No. 20-100[1]; 1-19-2021 by Ord. No. 20-117[2]; 4-4-2022 by Order No. 22-001[3]]
A.
(Reserved)
B.
(Reserved)
C.
(Reserved)
D.
(Reserved)
E.
Construction of billboards and related facilities and structures within the Billboard Relocation Overlay District shall be subject to a special permitting process by the Board of Zoning Appeals. A decision shall not be rendered on an application for a special permit until the Board of Zoning Appeals has made its findings. Said finding shall include but not limited to the following:
(1)
Demonstrate compliance with the regulations of the Office of Outdoor Advertising.
(2)
Demonstrate that no residentially zoned property or preexisting nonconforming property or other property used for residential purposes, excluding hotels or motels, is within a 1,000-foot radius of the proposed location.
(3)
Demonstrate that the proposed location does not adversely interfere with the use of adjacent properties, including, but not limited to, increasing noise or vibration, casting a shadow on, or causing a flicker on adjacent properties.
(4)
Demonstrate that the proposed billboard is in harmony with or suitable for the surrounding area and would not do significant damage to the visual environment. In making the determination, the special permit granting authority may consider, among other factors, health, safety, general welfare of the public, the scenic beauty of the area, the physical, environmental, cultural, historical or architectural characteristics of the location and area, proximity of the proposed billboard to schools, or places of worship or open space, architectural characteristics of the location and area, the total maximum height of electronic billboard must not exceed 35 feet from existing ground elevation, with the board maximum dimensions not to exceed 10.5 inches tall by 36 inches wide, and the number of signs on the premises and in the area where the billboard is to be located.
(5)
No flashing lighting shall be allowed. Flashing shall be defined as changing natural or artificial light or color effects by any means except as may occur when panels or messages change on electronic/digital billboards.
(6)
Content displayed on billboards cannot be sexually graphic, tobacco, alcohol or marijuana related, including paraphernalia.
(7)
The Board of Zoning Appeals shall determine the number of annual hours the billboard shall devote to public service announcements during a calendar year.
(8)
Hours of operation cannot occur outside of the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
(9)
Financial or other compensation to the Town, including but not limited to removal of existing nonconforming billboards, to mitigate the impact of the proposed billboard(s) on the Town, in a form and/or amount identified in an agreement approved by the Mayor and the Town Solicitor.
(10)
All electronic billboards must have light blocking/Siteline technology installed as approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
(11)
Proponent must provide property owners located within 2,000 feet of proposed billboard structures regarding a public hearing for any new installation and/or modifications to existing billboards. This notification will be sent via certified mail and will specify the address of the proposed/modified billboard with a GIS map of the location.
F.
A moratorium shall be on effect for the duration of one year regarding all electronic billboard issuances of new permits. This moratorium may be lifted only if Cove Outdoor, LLC, or its successor, fulfills all obligations included in the "Remediation Agreement for the Neighbors Near the 611 Pleasant Street Digital Billboard" dated December 18, 2019.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance was adopted by Town Council 12-7-2020 and vetoed by the Mayor 12-17-2020. Town Council voted to override the veto 1-4-2021.
[2]
Editor's Note: This ordinance was adopted by Town Council 12-21-2020 and vetoed by the Mayor 1-4-2021. Town Council voted to override the veto 1-19-2021.
[3]
Editor's Note: This order was adopted by Town Council 2-22-2022 and vetoed by the Mayor 3-11-2022. Town Council voted to override the veto 4-4-2022.
§ 120-64.8 Nonconforming signs.
Signs or other advertising devices legally erected may continue to be maintained; provided, however, that no such sign or other advertising device shall be permitted if it is enlarged, reworded (other than in the case of permitted signs with changing messages), redesigned or altered in any way, including repainting in a different color, except to conform to the requirements of this bylaw, and provided further that any such sign or other advertising device which has deteriorated to such an extent that the cost of restoration would exceed 35% of the replacement cost of the sign or other advertising device at the time of the restoration shall not be repaired or rebuilt or altered except to conform to the requirements of this bylaw. Any exemption provided in Article XVI shall terminate with respect to any sign or other advertising device which:
A.
Shall have been abandoned;
B.
Advertises or calls attention to any products, businesses or activities which are no longer sold or carried on at the particular premises; or
C.
Shall not have been repaired or properly maintained within 30 days after notice to that effect has been given by the Inspector of Buildings.
§ 120-64.9 Power of Inspector of Buildings.
A.
Any signs permitted by the zoning laws shall be erected to the satisfaction of the Inspector of Buildings.
B.
In addition to signs otherwise permitted, directional signs for the purpose of maintaining traffic control for public safety are permitted to be erected or placed at designated locations with the approval of the Inspector of Buildings. The size of such signs shall not exceed 4 1/2 square feet each.