§ 27-614. Freestanding signs.

(a)

Location.

(1)

In all Commercial and Industrial Zones (except the I-3 and U-L-I Zones), signs shall only be located on property where the main building associated with the sign is located at least forty (40) feet behind the front street line. This shall not apply to integrated shopping centers, other commercial centers with three (3) or more businesses served by common and immediate off-street parking and loading facilities, industrial centers, or office building complexes.

(2)

In the C-O Zone, signs shall not be located within fifty (50) feet of any land in any Residential Zone, or land proposed to be used for residential purposes on an approved Basic Plan for a Comprehensive Design Zone, approved Official Plan for an R-P-C Zone, or any approved Conceptual or Detailed Site Plan.

(3)

In the I-3 Zone, signs may be located anywhere that the Planning Board deems appropriate, subject to the height limitations below.

(4)

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Subtitle addressing setbacks and yards, in all Commercial and Industrial Zones (except the I-3 Zone), signs need only be located ten (10) feet behind the street line. Where the street line is situated behind the actual existing street right-of-way line, freestanding on-site signs may be temporarily located within the area between the street line and the existing street right-of-way line (the area of proposed future widening of an existing street), provided that:

(A)

The land area involved has not been, and is not in the process of being, acquired for street purposes;

(B)

The sign is located at least ten (10) feet behind the existing street right-of-way line; and

(C)

A written agreement between the owner and the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement assures that the sign will be removed, at the owner's expense, at the time of acquisition of that area for street purposes.

(5)

In the R-10 and R-H Zones, where general business and professional offices are allowed by Special Exception, the location of signs shall be approved as a part of the Special Exception approval (Section 27-386).

(6)

Gas station price signs shall be affixed to the same freestanding structure that supports the sign containing other advertising matter. A freestanding price sign erected in accordance with this Section shall not be permitted on the premises if other price signs erected in accordance with Section 27-623 are present on the premises.

(b)

Height.

(1)

The maximum height of signs shall be as shown in the following table. Measurements are from the finished grade at the base of the sign to the top of the sign. (See Figure 65.)

ZONE	MAXIMUM HEIGHT (IN FEET)
C-O	8
Commercial Zones (except C-O)	25
Industrial Zones (except I-3)	25
I-3 Zone	Not greater than the lowest point of the roof of any building in the employment park

 

(2)

In the R-10 and R-H Zones, where general business and professional offices are allowed by Special Exception, the height of the sign shall be approved as a part of the Special Exception approval (Section 27-386).

(c)

Area. (See Figure 66.)

(1)

The area of freestanding on-site signs is in addition to that allowed for any other signs on a specific property.

(2)

In the C-O Zone, the area of a freestanding sign shall be not more than one (1) square foot for each eight (8) lineal feet of street frontage of the property occupied by the use associated with the sign. The area of the sign shall generally be not more than twenty-five (25) square feet. On a lot having frontage on a divided highway with an existing right-of-way of at least one hundred (100) feet, the maximum size of the sign shall be fifty (50) square feet.

(3)

In all Commercial Zones (except the C-O Zone) and all Industrial Zones (except the I-3 Zone), the area of the sign shall be not more than either:

(A)

One (1) square foot for each two (2) lineal feet of street frontage, to a maximum of two hundred (200) square feet for each sign, if the building is located in an integrated shopping center, other commercial center with three (3) or more businesses served by common and immediate off-street parking and loading facilities, industrial center, or office building complex. The street frontage shall be measured on the property occupied by the center or complex associated with the sign; or

(B)

One (1) square foot for each four (4) lineal feet of street frontage, to a maximum of two hundred (200) square feet for each sign, if the business is not located in an integrated shopping center, other commercial center with three (3) or more businesses served by common and immediate off-street parking and loading facilities, industrial center, or office building complex. The street frontage shall be measured on the property occupied by the use associated with the sign.

(4)

In the I-3 Zone, the area of the sign shall be not more than one (1) square foot for each five (5) lineal feet of street frontage along the street on which the sign faces.

(5)

In the R-10 and R-H Zones, where general business and professional offices are allowed by Special Exception, the area of the sign shall be approved as a part of the Special Exception approval (Section 27-386).

(6)

Freestanding gas station price signs shall meet the following standards:

(A)

If the sign reflects the price of only leaded regular and unleaded regular gasoline, it shall not exceed twenty-five (25) square feet in area, except as provided for in subparagraph (C), below;

(B)

If the sign reflects the price of three (3) or more types of gasoline, it shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet in area, except as provided for in subparagraph (C), below;

(C)

Any unused freestanding sign area authorized under other provisions of this Section may be added to the permissible sign area for gasoline prices;

(D)

The total combined area of freestanding gasoline price and other on-site signs on one (1) support structure shall not exceed two hundred (200) square feet.

(d)

Quantity.

(1)

In the C-O Zone, only one (1) freestanding on-site sign shall generally be permitted for each office building complex or single office building. If the property has frontage on two (2) parallel (or approximately parallel) streets, one (1) freestanding sign shall be permitted on each street.

(2)

In all Commercial Zones (except the C-O Zone) and all Industrial Zones (except the I-3 Zone), there are two (2) options (subparagraphs (A) and (B), below) which may be used to calculate the number of signs allowed. Option One can be used for any property which has the specified minimum frontage on one (1) or more streets. Option Two may be used only for property which has the specified minimum frontage on each of two (2) parallel (or approximately parallel) streets. Both options can apply to either a business located within an integrated shopping center, other commercial center with three (3) or more businesses served by common and immediate off-street parking and loading facilities, industrial center, or office building complex, or a business not located in a center or complex. In the case of a center or complex, the street frontage is that which the entire center or complex has, and the number of signs permitted are the total number for the entire center or complex.

(A)

Option One:

TOTAL STREET FRONTAGE ON ALL STREETS	NUMBER OF SIGNS PERMITTED
If in an integrated shopping center, other commercial center with three (3) or more businesses served by common and immediate off-street parking and loading facilities, industrial center, or office building complex:
0 to under 100 feet	None
100 to 1,100 feet	1.0
Each additional 1,000 feet (or fraction)	1.0
If not in an integrated shopping center, other commercial center with three (3) or more businesses served by common and immediate off-street parking and loading facilities, industrial center, or office building complex:
0 to under 40 feet	None
40 to 1,100 feet	1.0
Each additional 1,000 feet (or fraction)	1.0

 

(B)

Option Two:

TOTAL STREET FRONTAGE ON ALL STREETS	NUMBER OF SIGNS PERMITTED
If in an integrated shopping center, other commercial center with three (3) or more businesses served by common and immediate off-street parking and loading facilities, industrial center, or office building complex:
0 to under 100 feet on each of two parallel (or approximately parallel) streets	None
100 to 1,100 feet on each of two parallel (or approximately parallel) streets	One on each street
Each additional 1,000 feet (or fraction) on one of the streets	One on each street
Each additional 1,000 feet (or fraction) on each of the streets	One on each street
If not in an integrated shopping center, other commercial center with three (3) or more businesses served by common and immediate off-street parking and loading facilities, industrial center, or office building complex:
0 to under 40 feet on each of two parallel (or approximately parallel) streets	None
40 to 1,100 feet on each of two parallel (or approximately parallel) streets	One on each street
Each additional 1,000 feet (or fraction) on one of the streets	One on each street
Each additional 1,000 feet (or fraction) on each of the streets	One on each street

 

(3)

In the I-3 Zone, the number of freestanding on-site signs permitted shall be determined by the Planning Board at the time of Detailed Site Plan review.

(4)

In the R-10 and R-H Zones, where general business and professional offices are permitted by Special Exception, one (1) freestanding sign shall be permitted if approved as a part of the Special Exception approval (Section 27-386).

(5)

For the purpose of this Section, "approximately parallel" means that the angle between the two (2) streets is less than forty-five (45) degrees.

(e)

Mixed Use Zones.

(1)

In the Mixed Use Zones, the Design Standards for freestanding on-site signs shall be determined by the Planning Board for each development at the time of Detailed Site Plan review. Each Detailed Site Plan shall be accompanied by plans, sketches, or photographs indicating the design, size, methods of sign support, and other information the Planning Board requires. In approving these signs, the Planning Board shall find that the proposed signs are appropriate in size, type, and design, given the proposed location and the use to be served, and are in keeping with the remainder of the Mixed Use Zone development and, in the M-X-C Zone, are in conformance with the sign program as set forth in Section 27-546.04(j).

(f)

Comprehensive Design Zones.

(1)

In the Comprehensive Design Zones, the Design Standards for all freestanding on-site signs shall be determined by the Planning Board for each individual development at the time of Specific Design Plan review. Each Specific Design Plan shall be accompanied by plans, sketches, or photographs indicating the design, size, methods of sign support, and other information the Planning Board requires. In approving these signs, the Planning Board shall find that the proposed signs are appropriate in size, type, and design, given the proposed location and the uses to be served, and are in keeping with the remainder of the development. As a guide, the Planning Board shall consider how on-site signs are regulated in the Commercial and Industrial Zones.

(CB-41-1984; CB-110-1984; CB-33-1985; CB-49-1986; CB-63-1992; CB-32-1993; CB-59-1993; CB-1-1994; CB-29-2014)