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Sign Regulations

  • Sign Regulations

Section 7.31 Sign Regulations
 
 
1. Purpose:
 
The sign regulations are designed to protect property values, to create a more attractive economic and business climate, to enhance and protect the physical appearance of the community, and to promote the safety of travelers on roadways by regulating the use, location, and size of outdoor advertising and signs of all types.
 
2. General Provisions:
 
The following regulations shall apply to all signs in all zoning districts: (7-15-2011)
      1. A sign other than a nameplate advertising a product or service shall be permitted only on the premises where such product or service is sold or available.
      2. Any internally illuminated sign or lighting device, UL approved, shall employ only an emitting light of constant intensity, and no sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating, or moving lights, with the exception of a message sign consisting of time, temperature or public information. All electric service to signs must be underground with UL approved lighting.
      3. It is unlawful to erect or maintain strings of pennants, banners or streamers,     festoons of lights, clusters of flags, strings of twirlers or propellers, flashing or blinking lights, flares, balloons and similar devices of a carnival character. Items not prohibited are National/State flags properly displayed; streamers, banners, etc., used for a period not to exceed one (1) week to call attention to the grand opening of a completely new business building.
      4. No sign shall be permitted on the roof of any structure.
      5. No sign shall project over or obstruct any windows or doors of any building, or be attached to, or obstruct any fire escape.
      6. Maintenance of the sign is the responsibility of the owner. The integrity of the sign panels must be secure and free from cracks. All sign structures must be secured to eliminate any electrical and mechanical hazards. Upon notice from the Zoning Inspector all signs must be put in a safe and secure order within thirty (30) days or be removed by the owner.
      7. Signs shall not in any way resemble or duplicate traffic signals or traffic directional signs.
      8. No sign shall be located within any public right of way, except as set forth in subsection 7 below.
      9. All signs, except directional signs, shall maintain a ten foot (10') setback from any street right-of-way line or side lot line.
      10. All signs in the AG Agricultural, OF Office, TC Town Center, and BP Business Park Districts shall be removed by the owner of the departing business interest, or by the owner of the real estate, upon a change in ownership of the real estate, leasehold interest, or business operation, or upon cessation of the business operation. The new owner, lessee, or business operator must comply with all applicable requirements for any new sign.
      11. The surface area of a sign shall be computed as including the entire area within a regular, geometric form comprising of the one side and including all elements of the matter displayed including any frame. The allowable surface area shall be measured on only one side of a two-sided sign. Where a sign consists of individual, unconnected letters, the surface area of such sign shall be the sum of the surface areas of the rectangles enclosing each individual letter and/or frame and shall exclude the space between such rectangles.
 
3. Signs Requiring a Zoning Permit:
 
    1. Building Mounted Sign: One (1) per business establishment, on front lot line wall only, not to exceed twenty-four (24) square feet or three percent (3%) of the total surface area of the wall, projecting no more than eighteen inches (18") from the surface of the wall at a minimum height of ten feet (10') from the surface of the finished grade.
    2. Casual Sale Sign: One (1) non-illuminated sign per lot not to exceed two (2) square feet. Casual sale signs shall not be placed on utility poles and shall comply with all applicable setback requirements. Such signs shall be permitted on two (2) separate occasions per year for a maximum duration of three (3) days.
    3. Directional Sign: Permitted in the OF, TC, BP Districts only. One (1) per each ingress and egress. Three (3) pedestal signs permitted per business establishment not to exceed six (6) square feet, with a maximum height of four feet (4'). One (1) overhead per each ingress and egress lane of drive-thru establishments not to exceed ten (10) square feet, with a minimum ground clearance of eight (8) feet in height. Directional signs shall be limited to the name and logo identifying the business on the premises and directional verbiage and/or arrows. (06/08/2012)
    4. Fund Raiser Sign: Non-illuminated sign, not to exceed thirty-two (32) square feet. Fund-raiser signs shall not be placed on utility poles and shall comply with all
    5. applicable setback requirements. Signs may be erected (28) twenty-eight days prior to event and must be removed within (48) forty-eight hours after the event.  The permit fee is waived for all non-profit organizations. (6/13/08)
    6. Home Occupations Sign: One unlighted nameplate not more than three (3) square     feet     in area announcing the name and occupation shall be permitted for a “Home Occupation”.  Such sign shall be attached to the dwelling structure.
    7. Pedestal Sign: Permitted in the OF, TC and BP zoning districts only. One (1) pedestal sign shall be permitted per business establishment. The sign shall be mounted on the ground. No mounding shall be permitted. Pedestal signs shall not exceed thirty-six (36) square feet or a maximum height of six (6') feet.
    8. Subdivision Entryway Sign:
        1. A wall with a non-illuminated sign or logo shall be permitted at one (1) entryway to a subdivision with more than fifty (50) lots.
        2. The face of the wall shall not cover more than ninety-six (96) square feet of space.
        3. The wall shall not exceed a height of eight feet (8') above the finished grade elevation at the base of the wall.
        4. The wall shall be setback no less than twenty feet (20') from any street right-of-way line and no less than ten feet (10') from any side or rear lot line.
        5. A sign or logo shall be permitted providing such sign or logo is attached to the face of the wall. The top edge of the sign or logo shall not extend above the top of the wall. The bottom edge of the sign shall be two feet (2') above     the finished grade elevation at the base of the wall.
        6. The face of the sign or logo shall be no more than thirty-six (36) square feet in area.
4. Signs Not Requiring a Zoning Permit:
    1. Nameplate: One (1) nameplate not to exceed three (3) square feet in total area shall be permitted per dwelling.
    2. Project Sign: One (1) non illuminated sign per lot identifying the construction company(s), not to exceed thirty-two (32) square feet for new construction and sixteen (16) square feet for repair and remodeling.
    3. Pre-Construction Sign: One (1) pre-construction sign shall be permitted in connection with any residential subdivision, multiple family, business or industrial development, however, when fifty percent (50%) of the development is completed such sign shall be removed from the premises.
    4. Repair and Remodeling Sign: One (1) repair and remodeling sign, not to exceed sixteen (16) square feet in total area. Repair and remodeling signs shall be permitted for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days.
    5. Real Estate Sign: One (1) non-illuminated sign per lot related to the sale or lease of the property.
      1. Residential Districts under two (2) acres, four (4) square feet.
      2. Residential Districts over two (2) acres, sixteen (16) square feet, maximum height six (6) feet.
      3. Town Center (TC), Business Park (BP), Office District (OF) under two (2) acres, sixteen (16) square feet, maximum height six (6) feet.
      4. Town Center (TC), Business Park (BP), Office District (OF) over two (2) acres, thirty-two (32) square feet, maximum height six (6) feet. (7-15-2011)
    6. Other Signs: Signs not otherwise subject to specific provisions of this Resolution shall not exceed four (4) square feet in area.
5. Visibility at Intersections:
 
Signs shall not be located within the triangular area at the intersection of any two street right-of-ways or street right-of-ways with railroad grade crossings formed by a straight line drawn between said right-of-way lines at a distance along each line of thirty feet (30'), measured from their point of intersection.
 
6. Permit Fee:
 
A schedule of the sign fees adopted by Resolution and established by the Trustees are on file in the Zoning Inspector's office located at: 3339 Dobbins Road, Poland Township, Ohio, 44125.
 
7. Limitation of this Section:
      1. The Ohio Revised Code confers limited authority upon the Township to regulate the following types of signs:
      2. Signs erected and maintained pursuant to and in discharge of any governmental function, or required by any law, ordinance, or governmental regulation, are hereby exempt from meeting the sign regulations of this Resolution.
      3. Signs along the Federal Interstate Highway System and primary Federal, State and County highways shall comply with the applicable 'Sections of the Ohio Revised Code, and Resolutions adopted thereto, in addition to complying with the applicable Articles and Sections of this Resolution.
      4. Billboards permitted in AG Agricultural, (OF) Office, (TC) Town Center, or (BP) Business Park Districts only; not to exceed two-hundred (200) square feet; must be pole mounted with a minimum ground clearance of ten (10) feet, maximum structural height of Twenty-five (25) feet.  No part of the sign or supporting structure shall extend beyond the Allowable Building Area. (10/13/2005)