Sec. 4.14.- - Signs. (Amended 5-21-2001)  4.14.1. Purpose and intent. The purpose oft this section is to regulate the size, location, height and  construction of all signs; to protect the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare; to facilitate the creation of a convenient, attractive, and harmonious community, and to further the  goals, objectives and policies of the Scottsville comprehensive Plan. a. To enable businesses to promote and identify their establishments;  b. To promote the general health, safety and welfare by prohibiting excessively distracting signs; To improve pedestrian and vehicular safety by avoiding signs that contribute to saturation d. To protect the public investment in the creation and maintenance of attractive sidewalks, e. To protect and enhance the town's attractiveness to tourists and other visitors as sources of  and confusion ini the field of vision;  streets, highways, parks and other public lands;  economic development.  4.14.2. Scope. (Amended 7-18-2011)1 This section of the zoning ordinance, to be known as the sign  ordinance, is adopted under the zoning authority of the town. The word "sign" shall refer to any device that is visible to persons not located on the lot where such device is located and that is designed to attract the attention of such persons or communicate information to them. These regulations shall apply to all existing signs and their modifications and to all new signs. All signs shall comply with these regulations and it shall be unlawful for any person to erect or maintain a  sign that is not expressly permitted by this ordinance.  4.14.3. Permit required. No person shall erect or cause to be erected nor: shall significantly alter, replace orrelocate any sign, except those exempt from a permit pursuant to section 4.14.4, unless and until a permit has been issued for this purpose by the zoning administrator in accordance with  these regulations.  4.14.4. Signsexempted from permitreguirement. The following non-illuminated signs are exempted  from regulation under thissection unless prohibited by section 4.14.5:  a. Name and/or address of resident, estate or farm sign that does noti include commercial identification and does not exceed two square feet in area. Multiple residences havinga common private driveway may consolidate name/address signs such that the resulting sign b. Temporary off-site directional signs advertising an event or activity that are not located in a residential district, provided that the activity that the sign promotes is one permitted in the location to which the sign applies. Such signs shall display the name and telephone number of  does not exceed two square feet in area per residence.    the responsible person and date and address of the event, shall be erected not more than seven days before the event or activity, and shall be removed within two days of its conclusion. (Amended 12-20-2004,  7-18-2011)  Incidental signs, which are signs that have a purpose secondary to the use of the lot on which itisl located, such as handicap parking, no parking, entrance, loading only, telephone, and other similar directives. No sign with a commercial message visible from a position off the lot on which the sign is located shall be considered incidental. Such signs shall not exceed two d. Public signs, which are any temporary or permanent signs erected and maintained by a town, county, state or federal government or an authority thereof; and temporary legal notice and  square feet in area. (Amended 7-18-2011)  emergency signs necessary to protect the public.  e. Official signs ofa a noncommercial nature erected by public utilities. private landowner, which do not to exceed two square feet.  f. Security and warning signs, such as no hunting, no trespassing and warning signs used bya a g. Signs within an establishment and not attached to or immediately adjoining a window visible h. Commemorative plaques, monumental inscriptions, memorial signs or tablets containing names of persons or buildings or dates of erection, and similar information, which do notto . Special decorative displays and lighting used for holidays, public events or promotion for nonpartisan civic purposes, which are removed within two days of said event. Political signs.presentinga acandidateorissue: subject to a federal, state or local government election, not illuminated, that dor not exceed fours square feet, erected not more than 30 days k.R Real estate signs advertising property for sale, lease or rent and erected on-site by a licensed real estate agent or by the property owner. The area of the sign, not including riders, shall not exceed 800 square inches. Free standing real estate signs shall have a minimum setback from adjoining streets or roads of five feet and shall have a height not exceeding 42i inches above the point the supporting post is inserted into the ground; exceptions to the height restriction may be approved by the zoning administrator. There shall not be more than two riders, each not exceeding six inches in height, suspended as paddles from or otherwise attached to the primary sign. Real estate signs also may be placed on a window of the structure for sale, lease or rent. Not more than one real estate sign shall be permitted on a property for sale, lease, or rent within the historic district. Not more than one real estate sign per road frontage, for a total number of signs not to exceed two, shall be permitted on a property for sale, lease, or rent outside the historic district. The content of real estate signs shall display a standard "for  tot the public.  exceed four square feet.  priorland removed. within two days afterthe election.    sale" (or lease or rent) message and include the agent's or property owner's name and telephone number. Real estate signs shall be removed from the site within seven days of sale, lease or rental or oft the attachment of a rider indicating that the property has been sold, leased or rented, whichever occurs first. A real estate sign erected for more than 180 days may, after investigation by the zoning administrator, be deemed abandoned and subject to the provisions of section 4.14.13. (Amended 12-20-2004)  Temporary off-site open house signs indicating the direction to a house or other structure open to the public. There shall be not more than two such signs per open house, each shall not exceed two square feet in area, and each shall be permitted only on the day oft the open house, Such signs shall be marked withi the name and telephone number oft the responsible m. Auction signs that do not exceed four square feet, to advertise an on-site auction to be conducted. These shall be removed within two days after the date of auction. (Off-site auction n. Construction signs that do not exceed one: sign per lot, do not exceed a maximum of eight square feet in area, and are removed within two days ofi issuance ofa a certificate of 0. Private drive signs, which are on-premises signs limited to one per entrance, which do not p. Farm products signs located on-site on property properly zoned for such use that do not q. Off-site directional signs to residential garage, yard and similar occasional homeowner sales when the signs are no more than one square footi in area and two in number, display the name and telephone number of the responsible person and date and address of the event, and are erected for a period of no more than seven days and removed within two days r. Professional and home occupation wall-mounted nameplates not exceeding one square foot . Promotional posters, notices and flyers that are attached to an exterior bulletin board or to the interior of a window or door glass of a building located in a commercial district. Such posters shall not take up more than 30 percent of the window, shall not remain up for longer than 30 days, and shall be removed within two days after completion of the advertised event t. House and building numbers that exhibit an assigned street address and comply with  person and date and address oft the open house. (Added 12-20-2004)  directional signs are permitted subject to paragraph b, above.)  occupancy.  exceed one: square foot in area and limited to the words private drive.  exceed eight square feet in area.  following the event. in area.  or activity.  Scottsville Code sections 66-110 to [66-1114 [70-92 through 70-96).  u.  3    Menu signs adjoining the entrance of a restaurant located within a commercial district when the sign is no  more than four square feet in area.  V. Signs painted on or attached to the outfield fence of any baseball park. one per abutting street and 16: square feet in area per sign.  W. On-site church identification signs and bulletin boards that do not exceed, in the aggregate, X. Portable blackboards or sandwich boards located in a commercial district, provided that there are no more than one with an aggregate sign area of not more than 16 square feet, and are no more than five feet in height, and further provided that they do not remain outside the y Flagsor pennants bearing the insignia ofanygovernmental lornonprofit organizationwhen not displayed in connection with a commercial: promotionorasanaderisingdevice. Decorative flags which do not contain a commercial: promotionoradvertiseaspecific- business or use. Each business shall be limited to one such dsoaielagnstessanga aa. Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings or works of art, SO long as such features or works do not contain letters, trademarks, moving parts or lights. bb. "Open" signs that are internally lighted or non-illuminated and limited to the word open. Such signs shall have a maximum area of 1% square feet and are permitted only within commercial  main building after business hours. (Amended 7-18-2011)  saossqeletnare.  establishments located within a commercial district.  4.14.5. Prohibited signs. Signs with any of the following characteristics are prohibited within the Town.  This includes any sign that:  a. Violates any provisions of the law of Virginia relating to outdoor advertising, including sections 33.1-351 to 381, inclusive, and section 46.1-174 oft the Virginia Code [repealed--See now Code ofv Virginia, SS 46.2-831 and 33.2-1200 et seq.] and any other form of advertising prohibited by b. Violates federal law including [23] USC section 131, control of outdoor advertising and  the Virginia Code.  provisions concerning Virginia byways and scenic highways.  Obstructs free or clear vision, or otherwise interferes with or causes hazards for vehicular, bicycle, or pedestrian traffic because of location, shape, illumination or color. d. Imitates an official traffic sign or signal, or conflicts with traffic safety needs due to location, e. Isani lluminated sign that casts a distracting glare, directly or indirectly, on any public roadway, or on any adjacent property within a residential district; is a sign or part thereof outlined with light; or is a sign that contains or consists of a searchlight, beacon or strobe  color, movement, shape or illumination.  light, or the like.    . Is an animated sign or any other sign that moves, flashes, blinks or changes color; or a sign that contains or consists of pennants, ribbons, spinners, streamers or other similar moving devices; or a banner, except as a permitted temporary event sign as provided for in section Isam moored balloon or other tethered sign floating at al height above the eve of the adjoining h. Isas sign attached to at tree, natural feature, or structure of any description located on public land or to a utility pole, except those SO placed by a public agency as provided for in section . Isanys sound-producing sign intended to attract attention regardless of whether or not the  4.14.6.b.  building or 20 feet, whichever is lower.  4.14.4.d and e.  sign has a written message content.  Is a sign constructed on or over the roof of a building.  k. Is an off-site sign, including billboards, that advertises or directs traffic to any activity, business, product or service that is not conducted, produced or sold on the premises on which the sign is located, except as allowed in sections 4.14.4.b and q and 4.14.6.b. Isnot adequately maintained; is abandoned or otherwise advertises a discontinued use; ori is m. Isap portable sign, except when used as a temporary sign in conformance with section 4.14.6 n. Isas sign, other than at temporary sign, that displays a commercial logo, identifier, or company 0. Isas sign that fails to meet minimum conditions required for a permitted sign elsewhere in this  unsafe as provided fori in section 4.14.11.  or for portable blackboard signs conforming to section 4.14.4.x. emblem other than that of the establishment being advertised.  ordinance.  4.14.6. lemporarysigns. A temporary sign is a non-illuminated sign that is used in conjunction with a  circumstance, situation, or event that is designed, intended, or expected to take place or to be completed within a reasonably short or definite period after the erection of such sign. If a sign is permanent but the message displayed is subject to periodic changes, such a sign shall not be regarded as temporary.The following temporary signs are permitted upon issuance ofa a. Temporary signs advertising a business, office or other permitted use while the permanent sign application is under review. Such signs shall comply with the following:  temporarys sign permit:  1. No such temporary permit shall be issued for a sign exceeding maximum size or height or  minimum setback restrictions in section 4.14.8.  2.  5)    Such sign shall not be displayed for longer than 45 days. Once a permit has been issued for a permanent sign, such signs may continue to be displayed until the permanent sign is installed or 30 days, whichever is  soonest.  b. Signs not exceeding 32 square feet, advertising a special civic or cultural event such as a fair or exposition, play, concert or meeting sponsored by ag governmental, charitable or nonprofit organization. In addition, overhead banner signs suspended from stanchions provided by the town for this purpose, of an area not exceeding 100 square feet. Each shall be valid fora a period not to exceed 15 days following issuance and shall be removed within two days oft the . Special signs used for purposes of advertising the opening of a new: store, business or profession not exceeding 32 square feet, for a period not to exceed 30 days. Such displays d. Sales event signs not exceeding 32 square feet. No more than four such permits shall be issued in one year. Each shall be valid for a period not to exceed 15 days following issuance. Such signs must be removed within two days of the termination oft the stated use. e. Portable sandwich board signs located within a commercial district, but not within the Historic Overlay (H) District, with an aggregate sign area of not more than 16 square feet, a height of not more than five feet, located a minimum setback of ten feet from the property line, and no more than two per highway frontage. Such signs shall be permitted for a period of one year  termination of the stated use or when damaged by the weather.  must be removed within two days of the termination of the stated use.  and shall be renewable.  4.14.7. lluminated signs. Illuminated signs are signs that are lighted from a source within, lighted from an external source, and/or composed of light producing components. "Open" signs are exempt from this requirement (see section 4.14.4.bb) and certain types of sign illumination are prohibited  by section 4.14.5.e. and f. (Amended 7-18-2011)  4.14.8. Commercial. signs. The following signs, unless of a type that is prohibited or otherwise regulated 4.14.8.1. commerclaldisticts within mehsoncoverydsukt Signs advertising a business, office or  elsewhere in this ordinance, shall be permitted if located on-site:  other permitted commercial use and located within the Historic Overlay District (H) shall a. Signs shall meet the following standards of appearance: Signs should relate to, rather than obscure and disrupt, the design elements of the building with which they are associated or to which they are attached. Signs should also be compatible with other signs and buildings along the street. Considerations for compatibility include dimensions, subject matter, materials, color, letter styles, legibility, lighting, overall effect and  comply with the following:  6    placement on the lot or on the building. All requirements concerning signs ini the Historic Overlay District,  section [chapter] 18 oft the Zoning Ordinance, shall continue. (Amended 7-18-2011)  b. Sign types, size, and setback regulations are set forth in Table 1:  Table1.Commercial Signs Within the Historic Overlay District  Sign Type  Area (Maximum)  Height  Setback  # Allowed  Other  (Maximum) (Minimum) (Maximum)  Freestanding 16sq.ft.  9ft. 1 for  5ft. from property  1 per highway  No part ofa freestanding encroach on any public right ofway. See * below Shall not project more building. See * below  proportionately sign, 9ft. reduced for lots having less than 100 ft. frontage  for support line or  right-of-way sign shall  easement. frontage  Projecting  9sq. - ft.  Bottom of sign must be at least 7 ft., but not more than 12ft. from ground.  1p per highway frontage  right-of-way than 4ft. from  Wall (Includes Window)  32sq. ft.  See * below  * The total area ofa all signs displayed by any first floor occupancy shall not exceed one square foot for each one linear foot of building frontage (reference section 4.14.9.2). The area of wall signs, projecting signs, and freestanding signs shall be included in the  computation of aggregate signage.  (Amended 7-18-2011)    - Signs for occupancies on the second floor of a commercial building are permitted, provided total area does not exceed 25 percent of the square footage that would be d. Canopy signs shall not exceed one per canopy, shall not exceed one per side surface area, and shall not exceed 33 percent of the total side surface area. No sign shall be erected on e. Signs affixed to an awning are classified as a projecting sign, and the area oft the signi is calculated to be the area oft the print, and any other background color that differentiates the sign from the rest of the awning. Awning signs shall not be internally illuminated. other permitted commercial use and not located within the historic overlay district shall  allotted to identical sign occupancies on the first floor.  the roof of a canopy. (Amended 7-18-2011)  4.14.8.2. Commerclaldisticts noti in historic overlay.district.: Signs advertising al business, office or  comply with the following:  a. Sign types, size, and setback regulations are set forth in Table 2: lable2.Commercial and Industrial Signs Not Within. thelHistoricOverlayl District,  Sign I Type (Includes All Kinds)  Area (Maximum)  Height  Setback  # Allowed  Other  (Maximum) (Minimum) (Maximum)  Freestanding 32sq. ft.  121 ft. at top 10ft. from 1 per  Business must have ft.road frontage.  proportionately of sign reduced for lots having less than 100 ft. of frontage 12sq.ft.  property line or  highway  right-of-way minimum 25  easement. frontage  Projecting  Bottom of sign must be at least 7 ft., but not more than 12ft. from ground.  1 per highway right-of-way than 4 ft. frontage  Shall not project more from building. See * below    Wall (includes window)  100s sq. ft.  See * below  * The total area of all signs displayed by any first floor occupancy shall not exceed one square foot for each one linear foot of building frontage (reference section 4.14.9.2). The area of wall signs and projecting signs shall be included in the computation of  aggregate signage. (Amended 7-18-2011)  b. Shopping centers may erect a collective freestanding sign that lists the names of the shopping center and businesses within, Such signage shall conform to Table 2.  C. (Removed 7-18-2011) comply ywith the following:  4,14.8.3. Residential districts. Signs advertising certain businesses located in a residential district shall  a. Home occupation signs that display the name and/or address of the occupant oft the premises and the nature of the home occupation. One sign shall be allowed for each parcel of property. The sign shall not exceed four square feet in area and shall be: set back b. Bed and breakfast signs stating accommodations are available on the premises. One sign shall be allowed for each bed and breakfast. The sign shall not exceed six square feeti in area and shall be set back a minimum of five feet from the property line or public  ar minimum of five feet from the property line or public easement.  easement.  4.14.9. Computation.  4.14.9.1. Sign area. The surface area of any sign permitted under this ordinance is determined by  measuring the entire face of the sign including any wall work incidental to its decoration, but excluding supports unless such supports are used to attract attention, except as noted below: a. The surface area of any open sign made up ofi individual letters or figures shall include the b. Whenever one sign contains lettering or other advertising information on both sides, one Paddle signs suspended from a freestanding or projecting sign are permitted. The surface area of such signs is computed to be the total square footage of all the signs, including the d. In the case of a corner lot, the total frontage on both streets may be used in calculating  space between such letters or figures.  side only shall be used in computing the surface area of the sign.  area of open space between each sign.  the allowable size.    4.14.9.2. Building frontage. The building frontage used for calculating the allowable sign areai for  commercial and industrial structures is the straight-line horizontal distance between the ends  of the outside building wall on which the sign is to be placed.  4.14.10. Administration.  4.14.10.1. Powers and duties oft the. zoning administrator. The zoning administrator shall have primary  responsibility fort the administration and enforcement of this sign ordinance and have the authority to enforce provisions of this ordinance. In addition to the duties specified in other portions of this ordinance, the zoning administrator shall have the power to: a. Receive sign applications and ensure administrative procedures described in this section b. Issue new sign permits upon confirmation that the proposed sign conforms with this  are properly adhered to;  ordinance;  Approve or deny for conformity and refer to the architectural review board (ifl located in the Historic Overlay District) within five working days all sign permit applications;  (Amended 7-18-2011)  d. Make inspections of all signs and premises upon which signs are situated or proposed to be situated to confirm information contained in an application or any other information  relating to a permit application; f. Register nonconforming signs;  e. Maintain records, inventories, and maps concerning signs;  g. Interpret the general intent or meaning of any provision oft this ordinance; h. Refer sign applications to the architectural review board pursuant to section 4.14.8.1.a  addressing standards of appearance. (Amended 7-18-2011)  4.14.10.2. Application requirements, An application provided by the town must be filed with the zoning  administrator ini the town office. This application shall include thet following information a. The sign owner's name, address and daytime telephone number; and, if different, the name and signature oft the owner of the premises where the sign is located ori is to be b. The name and daytime telephone number oft the person who will be performing the work Location, tax map and parcel number, and zoning designation oft the parcel on which the d. Alegible sketch showing the location, content, and advertising message, as well as the sign dimensions, construction materials to be used, manner of illumination;  togetherwith the applicable fee:  located; requested;  sign is or will be located (available from the zoning administrator);  D)    e. Asigned statement by the applicant that the proposed sign will be installed according to  the specifications provided in the sign permit application.  4.14.11. Unsafesigns.  a. Whenever, in the opinion of the zoning administrator, a sign becomes structurally unsafe or endangers the safety of a structure or the public, the zoning administrator shall order such sign to be made. safe or comply with the ordinance, as the case may be, or be removed. The order must be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, and must be complied with within five business days from the date of receipt of the registered mail. Failure to comply with the order shall constitute grounds for the town administrator to have the sign removed, and the cost of removal shall be added to any fine imposed for violation under this ordinance. b. Whenever, upon the determination of the zoning administrator, an unsafe sign poses an imminent threat of serious injury to person or property, and it is impracticable to give notice as required by the above paragraph, the zoning administrator may cause the sign immediately to be made safe or removed, and the cost thereof shall be charged to the owner. Any sign lawfully in existence on the effective date of this sign ordinance that does not conform to the provisions oft the ordinance may be continued in accordance with the provisions of section  4.14.12. Nonconforming signs.  [chapter] 6, Nonconformities, and ofi this section.  An owner of a lawfully continued nonconforming sign (hereafter referred to as a nonconforming sign") whoi fails to comply with the following shall be subject to having the nonconforming sign  removed, as provided for in section 4.14.13.  a. The owner of any property on which there is located a nonconforming sign must, upon notice from the zoning administrator, submit verification within 60 days that the sign was lawfully in  existence at the time of adoption of these sign regulations.  b. Nonconforming signs shall be kept in good repair and condition. However, any nonconforming sign that is allowed to deteriorate tot the point that it becomes a public nuisance, the Scottsville Town Council may require it to be removed. Nonconforming signs shall not be displayed on any other portion of the property or building other than its original location, and may not be displayed on another property, unless the d. Nonconforming signs and their supporting structure shall not be structurally altered, or remodeled except in conformance with this ordinance unless required for safety or  relocation results ini the sign conforming to this ordinance.  maintenance.  e.    Nonconforming signs may be repainted and repaired, however, if the wording, composition, color, and material of the sign is changed, the sign must be brought ini to full compliance with this ordinance.  Anonconforming sign in good repair that is destroyed or damaged through no fault of the owner shall be restored to its original or a more conforming condition within two months of &. Ifthe structure or use that a nonconforming sign advertises is abandoned, the sign shall lose its protected status and be required to conform to all provisions oft this sign. ordinance. a. The violation of any of the provisions oft this sign ordinance is hereby declared a misdemeanor. (See section [chapter] 20, Administration, Enforcement and Interpretation.) b. Ini the event that a sign is installed in violation oft the provisions of this ordinance, in non- compliance with the specifications stated in the sign permit application, or in non-complance with the conditions attached to a special use permit, the zoning administrator shall cause a The written notice may either request that the sign be brought into compliance or removed, or that the sign owner otherwise comply with the provisions of this ordinance within 15 days d. If the sign owner fails to bring the: sign into compliance with this ordinance, as stated by the terms of the notice of violation, the zoning administrator, after consultation with the mayor, e, Ifthe owner or erector of a sign that is in violation of this ordinance has a documented record of prior violations oft the provisions oft this ordinance, the zoning administrator may have the offending sign removed immediately and without prior notice. (Added 12-20-2004) f. Cardboard, paper and other disposable signs that have been removed byt thet town shall be g. All other signs that have been removed by the town shall be held for a period of 30 days and may be reclaimed within that time by payment of the costs of removal. Thereafter, such signs shall be deemed to have been forfeited by the owner and shall be disposed of in accordance  the damage.  4.14.13. Enforcement and penalties.  written notice of violation to bei issued to the owner oft the sign.  of receipt of the notice of violation.  may cause the sign to be removed at the expense oft the sign owner.  destroyed upon removal.  with applicable statute.  4.14.14. (Removed 7-18-2011) 4.14.15. (Removed 7-18-2011)  12)