Measurement of signs.

Said signs shall comply with the following provisions:

Signs pertaining to a nonconforming commercial use located in a residential district shall not exceed 20 square feet per side and shall be limited to one sign per establishment.

Signs for uses allowed as a special use shall be as follows, and only one freestanding sign shall be allowed:

No more than one sign attached and one detached, which require a permit, are allowed per establishment. Except in the case where a parcel fronts on two different roads, no more than attached signs and one detached sign shall be allowed.

No detached sign shall be more than 20 feet in height above finished grade. Such height shall be measured vertically from the established average grade directly below the sign or entry level of the building or structure, whichever is lower, to the highest point of the sign, including supporting structures.

No sign shall flash, produce glare, undue distraction or confusion or be a hazard to the surrounding area or to vehicular traffic.

No sign shall extend above the roof or parapet of the building, including detached signs.

Illuminated signs shall be shielded to reduce glare.

Signs located on New York State Route 50 and New York State Route 9 shall conform to the New York State Route 50 Corridor Study and the Town of Wilton New York State Route 9 Corridor Landscaping Study as follows:

Illuminated digital media signs, excluding traveling, flashing, or blinking lights, shall be allowed in Zone C-1 only:

Attached signs.

Detached signs:

The sign was covered by a sign permit or variance on the date of adoption of this article, if one was required under applicable law; or

If no sign permit was required under applicable law for the sign in question, the sign was in all respects in compliance with applicable law on the date of adoption of this article.

The sign is altered in any way in structure or copy, except for changeable copy signs and normal maintenance, which tends to or makes the sign less in compliance with the requirements of this article than it was before the alteration; or

The sign is relocated to a position making it less in compliance with the requirements of this article.

Upon the occurrence of any of the conditions in § 129-182B(1) or (2), the sign shall be immediately brought into compliance with this article with a new permit secured therefor or shall be removed.

Said signs may be erected no earlier than 45 days prior to said election and shall be removed within five days following said election.

In any zone, only one sign per candidate or measure is permitted on any one parcel of land. Said sign shall not exceed 32 square feet in aggregate area and, if detached, shall not exceed six feet in height. Said sign shall not be erected in such a manner as to constitute a roof sign. If there should be more than one tenant, each tenant shall be permitted the above allowed dimensions.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, a sign may be placed upon any legally existing sign structure but not so as to cover an already existing current sign.

No political sign shall be located within or over the public right-of-way.

Signs which bear or contain statements, words or pictures of an obscene, pornographic or immoral character or which contain advertising matter, which is untruthful.

Signs which are painted on or attached to any fence or any wall which is not structurally a part of a building, except to identify a residence or residence structure by posting the name of the occupant or structure and the street address.

Signs which operate or employ any motion-picture projection or media in conjunction with any advertisements or which have visible moving parts or any portion of which moves or give the illusion of motion except as permitted in this article.

Signs that emit audible sound, odor or visible matter.

Signs which purport to be or are an imitation of or resemble an official traffic sign or signal or which bear the words "stop," "go slow," "caution," "danger," "warning" or similar words.

Signs which, by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illumination, may be confused with or construed as a traffic control sign, signal or device or the light of an emergency or road equipment vehicle or which hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal device.

Off-premises signs or billboards shall not be permitted in any district. All signs shall be located on the same site that they identify or advertise. Off-premises directional signs for community activities and major attractions shall be permitted within the public right-of-way with approval from the Highway Superintendent.

Roof signs shall not be permitted in any district.

No sign or part thereof shall contain or consist of any banner, pennant, ribbon, streamer, balloons, spinner or other similar moving, fluttering or revolving device. Such devices shall be prohibited even if they have no message or logo on them. Said devices, as well as strings of lights, shall not be used for advertising or attracting attention whether or not they are part of the sign. No sign or part thereof may rotate or move back and forth. Exception for banners, grand opening only; see § 129-185G.

Permits required. No person, firm or corporation shall hereafter erect, re-erect, construct or structurally alter a sign or sign structure without a permit first having been issued by the Building Inspector. The fee for said permit is listed in Chapter 63. Every application for a sign permit shall be accompanied by scaled plans, showing the area of the sign, the position of the sign in relation to nearby buildings or structures, the location of the building, the structure or lot to which or upon which the sign is to be attached or erected, the method of illumination, if any, and such other information as the Building Inspector shall require to show full compliance with this and all other laws and ordinances of the Town. If it appears that the proposed sign is in compliance with all such requirements and laws, the permit shall be issued, but should the work authorized under the permit not be completed within one year after the date of issuance, the permit shall become null and void.

The Building Inspector may issue a permit for a business sign, meeting the following requirements, in connection with any legal business or industry:

Permit exemptions. Signs identified in § 129-185 shall be exempt from sign permit requirements.

Temporary signs not covered in § 129-185F will be limited to six months and not exceed 32 square feet.

Directional or instructional signs. Signs which provide direction or instruction and are located entirely on the property to which they pertain and do not in any way advertise a business, by words or corporate symbolism, and do not exceed four square feet per side in area, signs identifying rest rooms, public telephones or walkways or signs providing direction, such as parking lot entrance and exit signs and those of similar nature with no more than one sign at an intersection.

Flags. The flag, emblem or insignia of any nation or political subdivision.

Government signs. Government signs for control of traffic and other regulatory purposes, street signs, danger signs, railroad crossing signs and signs of public-service companies indicating danger and aids to service or safety which are erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of his public duty.

House numbers, nameplates and lawn signs. House numbers, nameplates and lawn signs not exceeding two square feet per side in area for each residential building.

Interior signs. Signs located within the interior of any building or stadium or within an enclosed lobby or court of any building and signs for and located within the inner or outer lobby, court or entrance of any theater that are not visible from the public right-of-way. This does not, however, exempt such signs from the structural, electrical or material specifications required by the Town.

Historical markers, tablets, statues, memorial signs and plaques, names of buildings and dates of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze, stainless steel or similar material and emblems installed by governmental agencies or religious or nonprofit organizations, not exceeding six square feet per side.

Notice bulletin boards. One notice bulletin board per lot not over 24 square feet per side in area for publicly owned or religious institutions where the same are located on the premises of said institution.

"No trespassing" or "no dumping" signs. "No trespassing" or "no dumping signs" not to exceed 1 1/2 square feet per side in sign area.

Plaques. Plaques or nameplate signs not more than two square feet per side in area, which are fastened directly to the building.

Public signs. Signs required or specifically authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute or ordinance, which may be of any type, number, area, height above grade, location, illumination or animation required by the law, statute or ordinance under which the signs are erected.

Signs in the display window. Signs in the display window of retail businesses and restaurants that are in conjunction with a display of merchandise or a display relating to services.

Symbols or insignia. Religious symbols, commemorative plaques of recognized historical agencies or identification emblems of religious orders or historical agencies, provided that no such symbol, plaque or identification emblem shall exceed four square feet per side in area and provided, further, that all such symbols, plaques and identification emblems shall be placed flat against a building.

Warning signs. Signs warning the public of the existence of danger, but containing no advertising material, of a size as may be necessary, to be removed when the danger has subsided.

Home occupation. One sign not more than one square foot per used side is allowed per home occupation.

Private owner merchandise sale signs for garage sales and auctions, not exceeding four square feet per side for a period not exceeding seven days.

At service stations, a sign attached on gasoline pumps displaying the price of fuel, not exceeding two square feet per side in area.

Neighborhood Identification signs. In any zone, a sign, a masonry wall, landscaping and other similar materials or features may be combined to form a display for neighborhood or tract identification, provided that the legend of such sign or display shall consist only of the neighborhood or tract name and be limited to four feet by six feet in area. Any sign requiring an extension of electricity will require a building permit.

Any person, with the permission of the landowner, may place in such a location a posting sign pursuant to and in conformity with §§ 11-2109[1] and 11-2111 of the Environmental Conservation Law, provided that no such sign shall exceed four square feet in size or 10 feet in height.

If the Building Inspector finds that any sign or other advertising structure regulated herein is unsafe or insecure or is a menace to the public or has been constructed or erected or is being maintained in violation of the provisions of this section, he/she shall give written notice to the violator thereof. If the violator fails to remove or alter the structure so as to comply with the standards set forth herein within 10 days after such notice, such sign or other advertising structure shall be removed or altered at the direction of the Building Inspector at the expense of the violator or owner of the property upon which it is located. The Building Inspector shall refuse to issue a permit to any violator or owner who refuses to pay costs so assessed. The Building Inspector, in addition to exercising any and all other remedies provided for in this chapter for a violation hereof, may, in addition, cause any sign or other advertising structure which is an immediate peril to the health or safety of persons or property to be removed summarily and without notice by Town employees. Any expense incident thereto shall be paid by the violator or owner of the building, structure or lot to which such sign is attached.

Miscellaneous signs and posters. The tacking, pasting or otherwise affixing of signs of a miscellaneous character, visible from a public way, located on the walls of building, barns, or sheds or on trees, poles, posts, fence or other structures is prohibited unless otherwise permitted by this article.