§ 6-41. Commercial signs.  


Latest version.
  • (a)

    Defined. All signs not included or regulated in sections 6-38, 6-39, and 6-40 and not exempted by section 6-36 shall be deemed to be commercial signs for the purposes of this article, regardless of the zoning district (as established by the zoning ordinance, as set forth in chapter 82) in which the premises are located.

    (b)

    Regulations. Commercial signs of any type not prohibited by section 6-37 may be displayed, subject to the specific sign regulations as set forth in this section:

    (1)

    No awning sign or sign displayed on or attached to a building by an occupant (excluding window signs) shall contain information other than that which identifies the name of the occupant, the nature of the occupant's business and the logo or trademark of such occupant.

    (2)

    No sign regulated by subsections (b)(7), (b)(8), and (b)(9) of this section shall exceed 100 square feet in area per face of such sign.

    (3)

    No sign shall be attached to any wall of any building unless it is placed substantially parallel to the surface of such wall and is safely and securely fastened thereto.

    (4)

    For each side of a building the total area of commercial signs, other than exempt signs and signs permitted under subsection (c) of this section, ground signage and window signs of the section, shall not exceed 15 percent of the total area of such side of the building, exclusive of any such exposure that is occupied for residential purposes or by an institution or organization reflected in section 6-40 or by a governmental or public body.

    (5)

    In cases where a building is occupied by more than one occupant, the total area of the commercial signs of each occupant shall be limited to 15 percent of the area of the street exposure of such occupant.

    (6)

    The owner of a building shall be permitted to display on or attach to the building one identification sign not exceeding five square feet in area indicating the name of the building or management hereof. The area of such sign shall not be included in the 15 percent overall limitation contained in subsections (b)(4) and (b)(5) of this section.

    (7)

    A ground sign, permitted under subsections (b)(8) and (b)(9) of this section, shall not, together with its stand, exceed more than 15 feet in height above the ground level (as measured from the normal level of the sidewalk), except as permitted by subsection (b)(8) of this section. A ground sign stand or base must be enclosed, and bare pole supports are prohibited unless they do not exceed two in number and are covered with a nonoxidizing coating when initially installed and, if poles are used to support such sign, then a sufficient amount of landscaping in the nature of trees, shrubs, and bushes shall surround such poles. The material for the sign base must be comparable to the materials used for the business building (i.e., a brown brick building must have a sign base of brown brick or similar material unless variance is granted pursuant to section 6-50). The area of the sign base shall be no less than 80 percent of the width of the sign and no less than 50 percent of the depth of the sign. If a ground sign is supported by poles, such poles must be constructed of metal, as wood poles are specifically prohibited.

    (8)

    If no commercial signs other than the exempt signs and signs permitted under subsection (b)(6) of this section are displayed on or attached to a building occupied by fewer than three commercial occupants, one ground sign may be displayed on the premises on which the building is located, provided that such ground sign, together with its stand, shall not exceed 15 feet in height as measured from the sidewalk. A ground sign stand or base must be enclosed. Bar pole supports are prohibited unless they do not exceed two in number and are covered with a nonoxidizing coating when initially installed and, if poles are used to support such sign, then a sufficient amount of landscaping in the nature of trees, shrubs, and bushes shall surround such poles. The material for the sign base must be comparable to the materials used for that business building (i.e., a brown brick building must have a sign base of brown brick or similar material). The area of the sign base shall be no less than 80 percent of the width of the sign and no less than 50 percent of the depth of the sign.

    (9)

    In addition to other signs displayed on or attached to a building, a building occupied by three or more commercial occupants may display a directory-type sign (subject to the 15 percent limitations contained in subsection (b)(7) of this section, a directory-type sign may be a ground sign on the premises on which the building is located. If a ground directory type sign is used, a ground sign stand or base must be enclosed. Bar pole support is prohibited unless they do not exceed two in number and are covered with a nonoxidizing coating when initially installed and, if such poles are used to support such sign, then a sufficient amount of landscaping in the nature of trees, shrubs, and bushes shall surround such poles. The materials used for that business building (i.e., a brown brick building) must have a sign base of brown brick or similar material. The area of the sign base shall be no less than 80 percent of the width of the sign and no less than 50 percent of the depth of the sign.

    (10)

    No sign shall be externally illuminated unless the source of such light shall be so located, shielded and directed as not to be directly visible from any surrounding public street or private residence; and no sign shall be internally illuminated except one having an opaque background and illuminating only letters, trademarks and logos.

    (11)

    Neon sign and similar gaseous tube illuminated signs with exposed lighting components shall be limited to three such sign per street exposure for each separate building and shall be indoor signs located on the ground floor level.

    (12)

    The surface brightness of any illuminated sign, whether externally illuminated or internally illuminated, shall not exceed 250 foot lamberts. Such sign, if displayed on or attached to a building (including a window sign), shall not be displayed on or above the second floor window sill level of such building.

    (13)

    No illuminated sign shall be located within 100 feet of the boundary of any R-1 or R-2 residential district established by the zoning ordinance, as set forth in chapter 82, if any illuminated face of such sign is parallel with or substantially parallel (an angle less than 45 degrees) with the residential zoning district boundary or otherwise has an adverse visual impact on adjacent residential properties.

    (14)

    The total area of all signs on an awning shall not exceed ten percent of the total exterior surface area of the awning. The area of such sign shall be included in the 15 percent overall limitation contained in subsections (b)(4) and (b)(5) of this section.

    (15)

    Poster board signs or billboard signs, being defined as those signs whose single face area exceeds or equals 300 square feet, shall not exceed 35 feet in height. All billboards shall be limited to 600 square feet of sign area per face, plus 50 square feet area for extensions or cutout. As used in this section, a sign face is defined as a specific sign area containing one or more messages which can be viewed from one direction only. The support for signs covered by this section must be enclosed in a base, and bare pole supports are prohibited unless they do not exceed two in number and are covered with a nonoxidizing coating when initially installed and, if poles are used to support such sign, then a sufficient amount of landscaping in the nature of trees, shrubs, and bushes shall surround such poles unless such poles are located in a parking lot. All freestanding signs, structures erected after the approval of this article, shall not be permitted to be erected within 1,500 feet of any other such sign on the same side of any roadway located within the village's jurisdiction. The application to the village for installation of signage regulated by this subsection (b)(15) shall be accompanied by a foundation plan approved by a licensed state structural engineer for the village's review.

    (16)

    Location of advertising signs in relation to public parks. No advertising sign shall be permitted to be erected within 300 feet of any public park of more than five acres in area if facing such park and visible therefrom.

    (17)

    Setbacks for freestanding business or advertising signs. Freestanding business or advertising signs erected after the adoption of this article shall have a minimum setback for any part of the sign equal to at least one-fourth of the required building setback of the zoning district. Existing freestanding signs which do not meet the requirements of this section may not be altered or changed in any perpetuating manner unless proof is supplied to the village board of trustees that such sign was not legally in existence prior to this article.

    (18)

    Irrespective of the other provisions of the Code of Ordinances, to insure the health, safety and welfare of the village, no further billboards may be constructed, installed or replaced within the village boundaries.

    All current billboards may remain provided they are maintained. In the event that a current billboard should be damaged so that 50 percent of the structure or its support system is rendered unsafe, said billboard shall be removed and no replacement shall be allowed.

    All other provisions of the Code of Ordinances regulating billboards shall remain in force as to existing billboards.

    (19)

    Irrespective of the terms of section 6-37(1), commercial establishments selling gasoline to the public may install one electronic pricing sign provided said sign complies with all other village ordinances.

    (c)

    Directional and instructional signs. Directional or instructional signs accessory to parking and driveway areas are permitted in addition to signs permitted under section 6-36(b), subject to the following regulations:

    (1)

    One sign may be erected to designate each entrance to or exit from a parking or driveway area; each such sign may not exceed three square feet in area; such signs may be double-faced;

    (2)

    One sign designating the conditions of use shall be permitted for each parking or driveway area; such signs shall not exceed a maximum of ten square feet in area;

    (3)

    In standard traffic marking colors, lane markers, directional arrows and other directional or instructional devices painted on the pavement of parking and driveway areas shall be permitted without limitation. The area of signs permitted under this subsection shall not be included in the 15 percent overall limitation contained in subsections (b)(4) and (b)(5) of this section.

    (d)

    Service stations; car washes. Signs on or accessory to automobile service stations and car washes and the premises thereof shall conform to all regulations contained in this article and, in addition, shall be limited to two double-faced signs per establishment. In computing the number of signs displayed, however, the following shall not be deemed to constitute signs on such premises:

    (1)

    Matter appearing on gasoline pumps as purchased or installed;

    (2)

    Matter appearing on nonilluminated vending machines as purchased or installed (not to exceed three such machines visible to the general public) that dispense or offer for sale any products or services, provided that such machines are grouped together;

    (3)

    Signs required by state law displayed in connection with the operation of automobile service stations or pump islands; provided, however, that:

    a.

    Minimum state standards shall constitute that maximum permissible standards within the village for the display of such required signs;

    b.

    No items of information other than those specifically required by state law shall be displayed on such required signs; and

    c.

    The size of each such required sign shall be related to the state mandated letter size (the size of sign, in each case, to be approved by the board of trustees).

(Code 1974, § 3-17; Ord. No. 2000-17, § 1, 4-18-2000; Ord. No. 2002-11, § 1, 4-2-2002; Ord. No. 2003-12, § 1, 3-18-2003; Ord. No. 2005-1, § 1, 1-18-2005)