Chapter 18.100
OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS AND BILLBOARDS
Sections:
18.100.020 Regulation of all signs.
18.100.030 Off-premises advertising and billboards.
18.100.040 On-premises advertising in the commercial and commercial-manufacturing districts.
18.100.050 Advertising in the agricultural and residential districts.
18.100.010 General intent.
It is the intent of the County not to unduly restrict outdoor advertising signs and billboards in the rural area. However, placement and construction of outdoor advertising signs and billboards should be compatible with surrounding land uses and preserve property values of surrounding properties, should protect existing businesses which are adequately identified and advertised from a proliferation of signs which reduce the effectiveness of individual signs, should not disrupt agricultural operations or take agricultural operations out of production, should not distract adjoining residences, and should not distract nor reduce visibility for moving vehicular traffic. The regulations governing outdoor advertising signs and billboards shall comply with all state and federal regulations. [Ord. 73, 2002; Ord. 36 § 22(A). Code 2009 App. A, § 22(A).]
18.100.020 Regulation of all signs.
The regulations contained in this section shall apply to and regulate signs in all districts. No sign shall be located, erected, or maintained except in compliance with these regulations. Such signs shall obtain a building permit and zoning approval prior to construction.
A. Exemptions. The regulations contained in this section shall not apply to:
1. Signs erected by, or on behalf of, or pursuant to the authorization of a governmental body;
2. Official signs of a noncommercial nature erected by public utility companies;
3. Signs painted on or otherwise permanently attached to currently licensed and operable motor vehicles, which vehicles are not stored in open areas or primarily used as signs;
4. Signs located within buildings;
5. Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on public or private property but bearing no advertising matter;
6. Warning signs, no trespassing, no hunting and similar signs on private property;
7. “For Sale” and “Garage Sale” type of signage less than six square feet only on days of sale on private property;
8. Temporary signs relating to construction not to exceed 32 square feet in area on private property and to be removed upon completion of the construction;
9. Temporary banners or portable type signage not to exceed a 60-day period and not to exceed 90 cumulative days per calendar year on private property;
10. Political signs on private property in compliance with state code;
11. Directional signs not to exceed six square feet per sign for any public or parochial school, hospital or other nonprofit fraternal institutions on private property; and
12. Signs of a patriotic, religious, charitable, or civic character or signs for institutions of an educational, religious, philanthropic or eleemosynary character, provided said sign(s) shall be on private property and not contain more than 32 square feet.
B. Prohibited Signs.
1. Signs with flashing or moving parts;
2. Nonaffixed signs (e.g., signs that are not permanently affixed to a building, structure or the ground, except as permitted in subsection (A)(1) of this section);
3. Nonexempt signs in street rights-of-way; and
4. Signs which resemble traffic control signs or devices.
C. Maintenance. All signs, together with all of their supports, braces, guys, and anchors, shall be kept in repair and in proper state of preservation and working order. The display surfaces of all signs shall be kept painted or posted at all times. The Building Official may order the removal of any sign that is not maintained in accordance with this section after 60 days from receipt of notice by owner of said sign.
D. Nonconforming Signs. If a sign is enlarged or relocated, it must comply with the code. If it is repaired or changed in any other way and the costs to repair or change exceed 50 percent of the total value of the sign, it must be replaced and all code requirements must be followed.
E. Parcels Abutting Residential Use (Division by Road Does Not Render a Parcel Nonabutting).
1. Where permitted, no sign shall face the front or side lot line of a residential use.
2. Where permitted, no sign except a wall sign shall be located within 100 feet of a property line of a residential use.
F. No sign or billboard which faces any public parkway, public square or entrance to any public park, public or parochial school, church or cemetery or similar institution shall be permitted within 300 feet thereof. [Ord. 73, 2002; Ord. 36 § 22(B). Code 2009 App. A, § 22(B).]
18.100.030 Off-premises advertising and billboards.
A. Shall be limited to the “C” commercial and “C-M” commercial-manufacturing districts;
B. Shall not be permitted within the triangular area formed by a line connecting two points each 100 feet back from the point where the street right-of-way lines meet, or would meet, if extended (see Figure 6 below);
C. Shall be set back from any proposed or existing right-of-way line of any County road, street or highway as shown on the official adopted street plan, at least as far as the required front yard depth for a principal building in such district, and shall not extend over any property line;
D. Shall not be permitted where the majority of buildings in a block are exclusively residences on both sides of the street; and
E. Upon recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approval from the Board of Supervisors.
[Ord. 73, 2002; Ord. 36 § 22(C). Code 2009 App. A, § 22(C).]
18.100.040 On-premises advertising in the commercial and commercial-manufacturing districts.
A. Any exterior wall sign shall pertain only to a use conducted within the building and be integral or attached thereto. No wall sign may exceed 10 percent of the wall or project over any street line or extend more than six feet over any building line or setback requirement whether fixed to the building or any other structure. In no case shall any wall sign project more than four feet above the roofline. Where the lot abuts a residential use, the exterior sign shall be attached flat against the building and shall not face the side of the abutting residential lot; however, this does not apply to the side of the building which is opposite that side abutting the residential use (division by road does not render a parcel nonabutting).
B. One post, pole or monument sign; provided, however, that said sign shall not have a surface area greater than two square feet for every foot of linear street frontage not to exceed 150 square feet on any one side thereof and not more than two sides of said sign shall be used for advertising purposes. For post or pole signs, the bottom of said sign or surface area thereof shall not be less than 10 feet above the surface of the ground upon which it is erected. A post, pole or monument sign shall not be deemed to include any sign advertising the trade name, merchandise or service of any person, firm or corporation who pays a consideration for the privilege of placing, maintaining, or using any portion of said sign to the owner or occupant of the premises upon which said sign is erected or placed. Said sign shall not extend over street right-of-way lines nor otherwise obstruct or impair the safety of pedestrians or motorists. Additional post, pole or monument sign(s) may be allowed as long as they are no closer than 150 feet from any other post, pole or monument sign and the maximum square footage of all post, pole or monument signs does not exceed 300 square feet. Directional signs to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic with a maximum area of six square feet each shall be permitted and shall not be included in the maximum square footage. A logo is permitted on the directional signs, but shall not exceed 10 percent of the total sign area.
C. Monument sign(s) are prohibited within the triangular area formed by a line connecting two points each 100 feet back from the point where the street right-of-way lines meet, or would meet, if extended (see Figure 6, BHCC 18.100.030). Post or pole signs are permitted within the triangular area, provided they are erected and maintained with a minimum unobscured visual sight area of 10 feet measured from grade to bottom of sign.
D. Any roof sign, provided such sign shall not project more than 15 feet above the roofline and pertains only to a use conducted within the building. [Ord. 73, 2002; Ord. 36 § 22(D). Code 2009 App. A, § 22(D).]
18.100.050 Advertising in the agricultural and residential districts.
A. In the “A” agricultural district, “A-L” agricultural-limited district, “A-R” agricultural-residential district, “R-S” residential-suburban district and the “R-M” residential-multiple district, outdoor advertising signs and billboards are prohibited, except when accessory and customarily incidental to any principal permitted use within these districts. Any incidental accessory sign within these districts shall pertain only to a use conducted within the property except as provided for in this section. Any incidental accessory sign shall not contain more than 32 square feet and shall be no more than 12 feet high or no more than 12 feet in width, and shall not be illuminated.
B. Home Occupations and Home Industries. Only one identification sign may be displayed upon the lot, subject to the following requirements:
1. The sign contains only the name of the occupant and the nature of the occupation.
2. The sign shall not contain more than 32 square feet and shall be no more than 12 feet high or no more than 12 feet in width.
3. The sign shall not be illuminated.
4. If located along a state or federal highway, an Iowa Department of Transportation permit must be obtained. [Ord. 73, 2002; Ord. 36 § 22(E). Code 2009 App. A, § 22(E).]