General requirements
(a) Permitted signs. The following signs are permitted provided that they conform to the district requirements contained herein: (For signs in existence prior to the adoption of this article, refer to section 28-378.)
(1) Signs which identify a permitted use or an approved special use as set forth in Table A in section 28-82;
(2) Signs which identify a lawfully maintained nonconforming use.
(b) Number of signs. The general requirements for the number of signs shall be as follows:
(1) In residential zones, there may be one sign per use or occupancy for any nonresidential use allowed by right or by special use permit.
(2) In commercial districts, either one wall sign or one awning/canopy sign may be used in conjunction with either a window sign or a projecting sign for each use or occupancy. For buildings with a public entrance and parking in the rear as well as in the front, there may be an additional wall, projecting, window or awning/canopy sign placed at the rear building entrance.
(3) On corner lots there may be a second wall sign facing a secondary street side in addition to the one wall sign facing a main street. The main street shall be where the front entrance to the building is located or as designated by the zoning enforcement officer.
(4) There may be only one freestanding sign per lot, if the area in front of a building allows, in lieu of a projecting sign.
(5) Where two or more structures are located on the same or contiguous lots, owned and operated as a unit, or where a number of commercial or industrial uses share a common entrance (building or driveway), a directory sign may be required.
(c) District requirements. Table 1 in this article lists the types of signs permitted in each of the zoning districts.
(d) Measurement of sign area. The measurement of the sign area shall be as follows:
(1) Sign measurement shall be based upon the entire area of the sign, with a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the actual sign surface.
(2) For a sign painted on or applied to a building or window, the area shall be considered to include all lettering, wording or accompanying designs or symbols, together with any background of different color than the natural color, or finish material of the building.
(3) For a sign consisting of individual letters or symbols attached to or painted on a surface, building, wall or window, the area shall be considered to be that of the smallest rectangle or other shape which encompasses all of the letters and symbols.
(4) The area of supporting framework (for example brackets, posts, etc.) shall not be included in the area if such framework is incidental to the display.
(5) When a sign has two or more faces, the area of all faces shall be included in determining the area, except where two faces are placed back to back and are at no point more than one foot from each other. In this case, the sign area shall be taken as the area of either face, and if the faces are unequal, the larger shall determine the area.
(e) Measurement of height. The height of any sign shall be measured from the grade, as defined in this chapter, up to the highest point of the sign.
(f) Illumination standards. Illumination standards shall be as follows:
(1) Signs shall not be illuminated directly or indirectly between one hour after the closing of the business and 6:00 a.m. unless the premises is open for business during such hours.
(2) Signs shall be illuminated only with a continuous, stationary, shielded, white light source directed solely onto the sign without causing glare or shining onto residential properties and streets.
(3) No signs which are internally illuminated shall be located in the historic district.
(g) Placement standards. Placement standards shall be as follows:
(1) Signs shall not be erected or affixed to a utility pole, traffic or regulating sign, tree, shrub, rock or other natural object.
(2) No sign shall extend more than five feet above the roof line of the main use except in the federally designated downtown historic district no sign shall extend above the roof line. Wall and projecting signs shall not extend beyond the ends of the wall to which they are attached except on corner lots where a primary and secondary street sign meet at right angles.
(3) Signs shall not cover architectural details such as, but not limited to arches, sills, moldings, cornices and transom windows. It may be required that existing sign boards or sign bands be used for placement of signs. (See illustrative diagram in section 28-378.)
(4) Signs shall not be placed in any manner which impede vision or obstruct access to any street, sidewalk, driveway, off-street parking or loading facility or any other required access.
(5) Signs shall not extend over any street or public right-of-way without prior approval of the town administrator. The town administrator shall require the applicant to maintain sufficient insurance coverage to protect both the town and the applicant from all claims for personal injuries which may arise from such sign. Banners shall not extend over any street or public right-of-way except in the authorized areas and with the approval of the town administrator.
(6) Signs shall not be placed within the "site triangle" as stated in section 28-144.
(7) Names and street address numbers shall be displayed so they can be viewed by passing traffic.