Woodson Terrace City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
Sign Regulations
Section 400.370 Sign Regulations.
[Ord. No. 1857 §1, 11-21-2013; Ord. No. 2047, 6-20-2024]
A.
Purpose. It is the purpose of this Section to regulate and control the location, installation, number, and maintenance of signs and matters relating thereto within the City of Woodson Terrace in order to promote the public safety, health, and general welfare of the community except when preempted by State or Federal law.
B.
Intent. It is the intent of this Section to:
1.
Provide for uniform regulation and orderly development of signs consistent with established policies and ordinances of the City.
2.
Provide a desirable and attractive living environment through harmonious and uniform signage.
3.
Accommodate the identification and communication needs of businesses and other organizations.
4.
Enable the public to easily locate goods, services, and facilities in the City.
5.
Acknowledge diverse needs businesses and organizations have for signage with rules adaptable to varying circumstances.
6.
Permit artistic freedom while controlling the adverse impacts of excessively obtrusive signage.
C.
Overall Design Requirements. Signs shall meet the following design requirements:
1.
Signs shall legibly convey their messages without being distracting or unsafe to motorists reading them.
2.
Signs shall be designed not to compete with one (1) another, but to contribute to the convenience of the public and the attractiveness of the streetscape.
3.
Signs shall be an integral architectural element of the buildings and sites that they identify.
4.
Signs shall be consistent with, and not detract from, the overall character of the buildings and sites that they identify.
5.
Signs shall be carefully crafted, durable, and consistent with the quality and permanence of the buildings and sites that they identify.
D.
Scope.
1.
The provisions of this Section shall govern the installation, alteration, and maintenance of all signs and outdoor display structures, together with their appurtenant and auxiliary devices, with respect to location, size, construction, structure, and fire safety.
2.
This Section generally regulates only the sign structure or design and not the sign's content and is not intended to prohibit any sign otherwise permitted by Federal or State law. For example, pole-mounted signs are regulated only by size, height, location, structure, and lettering size. The references to sign structure and sign copy have no bearing on the sign's content, message or viewpoint.
E.
In General. In order to carry out the provisions of these regulations, signs are divided into groups as set forth below. Certain words and terms pertaining to signs are defined in the definitions in Section 400.070. General regulations pertaining to all signs are established below. Specific district sign requirements are contained in the district regulations sections of this Chapter.
F.
Sign Permits. No sign, unless exempted in Subsection (Q), shall be erected, constructed, posted, painted, altered, or relocated, except as provided in this Chapter, until a permit has been approved by the Woodson Terrace Board of Aldermen. Before any permit is issued, an application, forms of which are provided by the City Administrator or his/her designee shall be filed with the City Administrator or his/her designee, together with a plan containing such drawings and specifications as may be necessary to fully advise and acquaint the Board of Aldermen with the location, construction, materials, manner of illuminating, and securing or fastening, and the wording and/or delineation to be carried on the sign. All drawings for a wall or roof sign installation shall be signed, sealed and dated by a Missouri licensed engineer, evidencing that the signs conform to all prevailing codes and public safety requirements.
G.
Commercial Signs. Signs in a commercial district shall conform to the general sign regulations outlined in this Section and the following specific sign requirements:
1.
Detached Business Signs. Detached business signs shall comply with the following:
a.
In the "C-1" District one (1) detached business sign not exceeding thirty (30) feet in height or one hundred fifty (150) square feet in outline area per facing is allowed for each street on which the development has frontage as long as the sign is not closer than fifteen (15) feet to the street right-of-way.
b.
In the "C-2" District one (1) detached business sign not exceeding fifty (50) feet in height or one hundred fifty (150) square feet in outline area per facing is allowed for each street on which the development has frontage as long as the sign is not closer than thirty (30) feet to the street right-of-way.
c.
In the "C-3" and "C-4" Districts one (1) detached business sign not exceeding thirty (30) feet in height above street level nor fifty (50) square feet in outline area per facing is allowed for each street on which the development has frontage as long as the sign is not closer than fifteen (15) feet to the street right-of-way.
d.
Portable signs are not allowed, unless permitted elsewhere in this Chapter or otherwise permitted by law.
2.
Attached (wall or roof) business signs. One (1) attached wall or roof business sign is allowed for each permitted use or tenant on the premises and for each street on which a permitted use has frontage. For the purpose of this Section, frontage on a parking area serving this use may be considered the same as frontage on a street, providing there is direct access to the use from the parking area and that said access is the primary access to said use.
b.
Wall signs shall not extend beyond buildings in this district more than eighteen (18) inches horizontally and shall not project more than four (4) feet above the highest elevation of the roof or a total of thirty (30) feet above the ground grade, whichever is the lower elevation. Wall signs shall comply with the following:
(1)
In the "C-1", "C-3" and "C-4" Districts, no attached wall sign shall cover more than five percent (5%) of the wall area to which it is attached, except that no wall sign shall exceed fifty (50) square feet in outline area;
(2)
In the "C-2" District, no attached wall sign shall cover more than eight percent (8%) of the wall area to which it is attached, except that no business sign shall exceed one hundred fifty (150) square feet in outline area.
(3)
All drawings for wall signs shall be signed, sealed and dated by a Missouri licensed engineer, evidencing that the signs conform to all prevailing codes and public safety requirements.
H.
Industrial Signs. Signs in an industrial district shall conform to the general sign regulations outlined in this Section and the following specific sign requirements:
1.
Detached Business Signs. One (1) detached business sign not exceeding thirty (30) feet in height or fifty (50) square feet in outline area per facing is allowed for each street on which the development has frontage as long as the sign is not closer than ten (10) feet to the street right-of-way.
2.
Attached business signs. One (1) attached wall or roof business sign is allowed for each permitted use or tenant on the premises and for each street on which a permitted use has frontage. For the purpose of this Section, frontage on a parking area serving this use may be considered the same as frontage on a street, providing there is direct access to the use from the parking area and that said access is the primary access to said use.
b.
Wall signs must be flat and shall not project beyond the building horizontally or vertically. Each sign may be equal in outline area to not more than five percent (5%) of the area of the wall on which it is attached, except that no such business sign shall exceed three hundred (300) square feet in outline area.
I.
Structural Approval And Inspection. Structural and safety features and electrical systems shall be in accordance with the requirements of the latest edition of the Building Officials Conference of America (BOCA) Basic Building Code and National Electric Code. Drawings for such signs need to be signed, sealed and dated by a Missouri licensed engineer, evidencing that the signs conform to all prevailing codes and public safety requirements. No sign shall be approved for use unless it has been inspected by the Director of Public Works after installation and is found to be in compliance with:
J.
Removal Of Non-Conforming Signs. Owners of all permanent, non-conforming signs shall have one (1) year from receipt of written notice of non-conformity to remove or bring said signs into conformance with applicable sign ordinance provisions. If this requirement is not met, the City Attorney may then initiate legal action to achieve compliance with the provisions of this Chapter.
K.
Violation Responsibility. The owner and/or tenant of the premises and the owner and/or erector of a sign shall be held jointly and severally responsible for any violation of these regulations.
L.
Vacated Premises. Any sign previously associated with a vacated premises shall be removed from the premises by the lessee or owner not later than ninety (90) days after the property is vacated.
M.
Neglected Or Dilapidated Signs. All signs shall be maintained in good condition and appearance. The Board of Aldermen may cause to be repaired or removed any sign which, in its opinion, shows gross neglect or becomes dilapidated after first providing the owner written notice and an opportunity to cure said sign.
N.
Conflict. The Director of Public Works shall remove or cause to be removed any sign erected or maintained in conflict with these regulations if the owner or lessee of either the site or the sign fails to correct the violation within thirty (30) days after receiving written notice of violation from the City Administrator or his or her designee, within twenty (20) days of the receipt of written notice of the violation to the Board of Adjustment, and removal of said sign shall be stayed until a final decision by the Board. The cost of removal shall be paid by the owner of the property upon which the sign was located, and, if not paid within thirty (30) days from receipt of the bill, said cost shall become a lien against the property. Removal of a sign by the Director of Public Works shall not affect any legal proceedings instituted for sign violation prior to removal of said sign.
O.
Penalties. Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this Section shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to the penalties set forth in Section 400.470 of this Chapter.
P.
Appeals. Any appeal as to the interpretation of these regulations shall be in accord with those provisions contained in Section 400.400 of this Chapter.
Q.
Exempted Signs. The following signs do not require permits:
1.
Official traffic signs and their supports; directional, informational, or warning signs or sign supports; and street signs and their supports when erected or authorized to be erected by a governmental agency.
2.
Temporary signs indicating danger.
3.
Changing of the copy or parts of any sign that is required in the course of normal maintenance.
4.
During the construction period of a development, a temporary sign which identifies the architects, engineers, contractors, and other individuals or firms involved with the construction and announces the character of the building, enterprise or the purpose for which the building is intended, but not including any advertisement of any product; providing, however, that there is only one (1) sign erected for each street frontage. The area of the sign for any one (1) firm shall not exceed nine (9) square feet in area or five (5) feet in height in residential districts, and fifteen (15) square feet in area or ten (10) feet in height in commercial and industrial districts. The sign shall be confined to the site of the construction and shall be removed within fourteen (14) days of the issuance of an occupancy permit for the structure with which the sign is associated.
5.
Public notices and legal notices as required by law.
6.
Signs on a truck, bus, trailer or other vehicle, while in use in the normal course of business. This is not to be interpreted to permit parking or storage of a vehicle to which signs are attached for merely advertising purposes.
7.
Public signs of a non-commercial nature and in the public interest erected by or on the order of a public officer in the performance of his/her public duty, including, but not limited to, safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, memorial plaques, and signs of historical interest.
8.
Political campaign signs announcing the candidates seeking public office and other data pertinent thereto, shall be stake signs having a maximum height of six (6) feet, and to a maximum area for any one (1) sign of eight (8) square feet and a total sign area of sixteen (16) square feet for each premises. These signs shall be confined to private property (placement of said signs shall not be placed in any road right-of-way).
9.
Special decorative displays used for public holidays and then only for a maximum of thirty (30) days before and ten (10) days after the specific holiday.
10.
Window display signs affixed to a window or part of a display of merchandise inside the window when limited in area to twenty percent (20%) of the total glass area of the window.
11.
Integral Sign. Name of building, date of erection, monumental citation, commemorative tablet and the like when carved into stone, concrete, or similar material, made of bronze, aluminum, or other permanent-type construction and made an integral part of the structure.
12.
One (1) name plate per property not exceeding two (2) square feet in area, stationary and not illuminated, announcing only the name and occupation of the building occupant.
13.
Barber poles that are not more than six (6) inches in diameter or more than twenty-four (24) inches in overall length.
14.
Building street number and warning signs not exceeding one (1) square foot in sign area per sign.
R.
Special Purpose Signs. The Board of Aldermen, following an application to the City Administrator or his or her designee, may issue permits for the following signs and displays when, in their opinion, the use of such signs and displays would be in the public interest and would not result in damage to public property.
1.
For a period of time not to exceed fifteen (15) days.
a.
Signs advertising a special civic or cultural event such as a fair or exposition, play, concert, or meeting sponsored by a governmental or non-profit organization not exceeding twelve (12) square feet in area and four (4) feet in height.
b.
Special sales promotion displays in a district where such sales are permitted, including displays incidental to the opening of a new business.
2.
For an indefinite period of time. Time and temperature signs where deemed to be a service to the general public, providing that the portion of any sign solely displaying time and temperature does not exceed ten (10) square feet in area and providing that there are no other time and temperature signs within one thousand (1,000) feet of the proposed sign location.
S.
Prohibited Signs. The following signs shall not be allowed in any district:
1.
Neon signs, except as permitted as a window sign.
2.
Temporary signs in residential districts, unless as approved by the Board of Aldermen and the appropriate fees, as determined by the Board, are paid in full.
3.
Signs of which all or any part moves or which appears to move by any means, including fluttering, rotating, or otherwise moving devices, or is set in motion by external sources (including, but not limited to, pennants, flags, propellers, etc.).
4.
Signs displaying flashing or intermittent lights or lights of changing degrees of intensity.
5.
Strips or strings of lights outlining property lines, sales area, roof lines, doors, windows, wall edges, or other architectural feature of any building.
6.
Any off-premises (advertising) sign, mechanical sign, or flashing sign, including billboards.
7.
Signs painted on the surface of roofs that are visible from the public right-of-way.
8.
Any sign that appears to simulate, copy, or imply any official traffic warning either for vehicles or pedestrians.
9.
Signs so located and illuminated as to provide a background of colored lights blending with traffic signal lights which might confuse a motorist when viewed from normal approaching position of a vehicle. No sign shall be located so as to impair the visibility of any official highway sign or marker, nor shall be so placed as to unnecessarily obstruct the visibility of any other sign.
10.
Projecting signs.
T.
Signs Over Streets, Alleys, And Sidewalks.
1.
No sign shall project over that portion of any street or alley right-of-way used or proposed to be used for vehicular travel, except that this shall not apply to special purpose and public signs erected by public agencies or utilities in the performance of their work as required by law.
2.
No sign projecting over any part of a sidewalk shall be erected less than eight (8) feet, measured vertically, above any part of such sidewalk, except for a barber's pole that is not more than six (6) inches in diameter, twenty-four (24) inches in length and projects not more than ten (10) inches from the building wall to which it is attached.
U.
Light As A Sign. When the direct or indirect source of artificial lighting possesses a degree of intensity greater than twenty (20) foot-candles, measured at the object to be illuminated, when used to light any part of the exterior of a building, or when the use of any source or intensity of light is employed to outline any portion of the building or structure, other than illuminated as defined herein, the area illuminated shall not be considered in determining the number of permitted signs, but shall be included in the computation of permitted sign area by calculating the area of the building lighted or, in the case of strip lighting, by multiplying the width of the source of light plus six (6) inches by the length of the source of light.
V.
Roof Signs. Roof signs shall only be permitted on one-story buildings as follows:
1.
On buildings with pitched roofs, the sign shall not be set back more than three (3) feet from the face of the wall of the building and shall not project above an imaginary line connecting the top of the roof with a point on the ground fifty (50) feet distant from the wall base of the building and at that point five (5) feet higher than the first-floor elevation of the building.
2.
On canopy roofs, where there is either a building wall or parapet wall for a background, the sign shall not be set back more than three (3) feet from the front edge of the canopy roof and shall not project above an imaginary line connecting the top of a building or parapet wall with a point on the ground fifty (50) feet distance from the wall base of the building and at that point five (5) feet higher than the first-floor elevation of the building. However, in no case shall the top of the sign extend more than four (4) feet above the canopy roof. Whenever there is more than one (1) sign on the same canopy roof, they shall be set the same distance back from the front edge of the canopy roof.
3.
The supporting members of a roof sign shall appear to be free of any extra bracing, angle iron, guy wires, cables, etc. The supports shall appear to be an architectural and integral part of the building. Drawings for such signs shall be signed, sealed and dated by a Missouri licensed engineer, evidencing that the signs conform to all prevailing codes and public safety requirements.
W.
Institutional Signs. Institutional Signs shall not exceed sixteen (16) square feet in area per facing nor be more than six (6) feet in height if freestanding. Flat wall institutional signs shall not extend beyond the perimeter of the wall surface to which they are attached.
X.
Directional Signs. Signs designating entrance and exit driveways shall be of rectangular design and shall contain the word "Entrance" or the word "Exit." The sign may be double-faced, non-illuminated or internally illuminated by artificial light from within itself. Each directional sign shall not exceed five (5) square feet in area per facing or four (4) feet in height, and may be located where necessary, except that no such signs shall be located on or over a public right-of-way without approval of the responsible road agency.
Y.
Signs For Non-Conforming Uses. Permitted signs for a non-conforming commercial or industrial use shall consist of those signs permitted in that commercial district that has the most restrictive sign requirements.
Z.
Real Estate Signs. Real estate signs advertising the sale, rent or lease of the premises or part of the premises on which the signs are displayed up to a total of four (4) square feet for residential property and thirty (30) square feet for commercial and industrial property, but no more than one (1) sign for each street on which the property has frontage. Such sign shall be removed within seven (7) days of the finalization of the sale, rent or lease of the affected property.
AA.
Electronic Message Display Signs. Electronic message display signs shall contain static messages only, and shall not have movement, or the appearance or optical illusion of movement, of any part of the sign structure, design, or pictorial segment of the sign, including the movement or appearance of movement of any illumination or the flashing, scintillating or varying of light intensity. No lighting or glare associated with electronic message display signs shall be cast on adjacent streets or properties and shall comply with Article VII, Zoning Performance Standards.