§ 90-198. Types of signs.
(a)
Wall signs. Signs on the wall of a building (including signs attached flat against the wall, painted wall signs and projecting signs) shall meet the following requirements:
(1)
In calculating the maximum permitted aggregate area of wall signs for shop front buildings, the square footage of windows and doorways shall be included. The residential portion of mixed use buildings shall not be used to calculate the aggregate wall area.
(2)
No wall sign shall be attached to any cupola, tower, chimney, or other architectural structure that is above the roofline.
(3)
Canopy and awning signs may be substituted for part or all of the allowable wall signage per premises. Signs may be painted or printed onto a canopy or awning.
(4)
Wall signs should reflect the proportional and dimensional relationships of the structure.
(b)
Ground-mounted signs.
(1)
All ground-mounted signs shall be located a minimum of five feet behind the street right-of-way.
(2)
No ground-mounted sign shall be located closer than ten feet to any adjacent lot line. A 15-foot side-yard setback shall be required if the side lot line abuts a residential district.
(3)
An arm sign may be substituted for a ground-mounted sign but shall meet all height and area requirements as provided.
(c)
Projecting signs.
(1)
The projecting sign shall be a minimum of eight feet from the bottom of the sign above the finished grade of the sidewalk.
(2)
One projecting sign per business entrance.
(3)
The projecting sign shall not project more than four feet from the wall and shall not exceed 12 square feet.
(d)
Arm signs.
(1)
Arm signs shall not exceed 12 square feet.
(2)
Arm signs shall be located a minimum of five feet behind the street right-of-way.
(3)
A ten-foot side-yard setback shall be required if the side lot line abuts a residential district.
(e)
Banners. The mayor or his designee shall issue special banner permits for banners and flags for civic and nonprofit special events, grand openings and going-out-of business sales used in conjunction with a commercial building, project, or enterprise for a period not to exceed 30 days provided that:
(1)
No banner shall exceed 32 square feet;
(2)
Maximum of two banners;
(3)
All banners shall be securely attached to the ground or attached to the frontage wall of a principal structure; and
(4)
No such banner shall be attached to a roof structure or above the second floor level.
(f)
Subdivision entrance signs. One or two signs shall be permitted at each entrance of a residential subdivision or mobile home park, provided that such signs do not exceed a total of 100 square feet at any subdivision or mobile home park entrance. Further, such signs shall have a maximum height of six feet if illuminated. If such subdivision entrance sign is built into a decorative wall or fence, the maximum copy area will be 50% of the area of the wall or fence and setback requirements shall comply with regulations for fences contained herein.
(g)
Private directional signs. Signs indicating the location and direction of premises available for or in the process of development, but not erected upon such premises, and having inscribed thereon the name of the owner, developer, builder, or agency, may be erected and maintained, provided:
(1)
The size of any such sign is not in excess of six square feet, nor in excess of four feet in length;
(2)
Not more than one such sign is erected for each 500 feet of street frontage.
(h)
Temporary signs. Temporary signs are permitted in the town. A temporary sign is defined as a sign which conforms to the requirements in this subsection (h) and which is used to advertise a unique event or business sale of short duration.
(1)
All temporary signs must receive a temporary sign permit prior to being displayed or erected, and may not be permanently attached to the ground, buildings, or other structures. All temporary signs must display in a conspicuous location a decal issued by the Town of Williamston clearly displaying the date that the sign permit will expire.
(2)
Temporary signs shall be permitted for not more than 30 days in any six-month period in increments of not less than ten business days (Monday through Friday).
(3)
No signs may be placed in the public right-of-way.
(4)
A person, business, or organization may only be issued one temporary sign permit at a time and shall have only one temporary sign erected at a time. For example, a business may not have both a temporary banner and a balloon sign at the same time. A business may only have one temporary sign for 30 days in a six-month period. A business may not have a temporary banner sign for 30 days and then a balloon sign for 30 days. Only static balloon signs will be allowed with no motion.
(5)
Portable signs are permitted to be erected only with a temporary sign permit. A portable sign is defined as any sign that is not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported, including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels; signs converted to A-frame or T-frame; umbrellas used for advertising; signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public right-of-way, unless said vehicle is used in normal day-to-day operations. A sign that is manufactured or designed as a portable sign and modified to be permanently attached to the ground or on a building shall be considered a portable signs for the purpose of this chapter.
(6)
All temporary signs must conform to any other applicable law and regulation, and shall not violate S.C. Code 1976, § 16-17-530, which prohibits the use of obscene or profane language on any highway or at any public place or gathering or in hearing distance of any schoolhouse or church. All temporary signs must comply with the above listed code section. For purposes of this subsection (h), in the town, the use of obscene or profane language on any highway or at any public place or gathering or within hearing distance of any schoolhouse or church is prohibited as is the use of obscene or profane language on a sign visible from any highway or public street or visible from any public place or gathering or visible from any schoolhouse or church.
(7)
This subsection (h) does not regulate signs which provide directions to a business or an event which are erected on private property with written permission signed by the landowner or his agent where the sign is located.
(i)
Electronic signs. Electronic signs are permitted in the town subject to the following regulations:
(1)
All electronic signs shall come equipped with automatic dimming technology which automatically adjusts the sign's brightness in direct correlation with ambient light conditions.
(2)
No electronic signs shall exceed a brightness level of 0.3 foot candles above ambient light as measured using a foot candle (Lux) meter at a preset distance depending on sign area measured as follows:
Area of Sign (sq. ft.) Measurement Distance (ft.) 10 32 15 39 20 45 25 50 30 55 35 59 40 63 45 67 50 71 55 74 60 77 65 81 70 84 75 87 80 89 85 92 90 95 95 97 100 100 (3)
For signs with an area in square feet other than those specifically listed in the table above, the measurement distance may be calculated with the following formula: the square root of the product of the sign area and 100.
(4)
Within 30 days of the date installation of an electronic sign, the installer of the sign shall certify to the mayor or his designee that the sign is in compliance with the regulations of this subsection (i). Failure to provide such certification within 30 days of the date of installation of an electronic sign shall result in the mayor or his designee rescinding the permit for said sign.
(5)
Electronic signs shall not be permitted in any residential zoning districts.
(Ord. No. 2014-08, 12-1-2014; Ord. No. 2016-08 , 6-13-2016)