§ 48-284. Signs permitted in commercial districts and the commercial/residential district.
Signs permitted in the C-2, C-3, C-4 and CR districts are as follows:
(1)
All signs permitted in section 48-283, signs permitted in residential districts.
(2)
For each premises in business use, or for each commercial site for which the town has approved a site plan and has issued a building permit, three square feet of business sign area for each lineal foot of frontage on a public right-of-way shall be permitted not to exceed a total of 600 square feet. Such sign area may be in a single sign or in a combination of signs subject to the following limitations:
a.
Wall signs placed against the exterior front and side walls of a building shall be permitted, provided that they shall not extend more than 12 inches beyond the building wall surface and shall not exceed 20 percent of the exposed finished wall surface area including openings on the wall where it is placed. Wall signs shall not be permitted on the rear wall of a building except for: (1) buildings located on property with frontage on both US 158 and either NC 12 or Wrightsville Avenue; and (2) for buildings containing multiple business uses where public entry to an individual business is limited solely to the rear of the building; (3) rear wall signs not visible from the street right-of-way and adjoining properties; and (4) rear wall signs, upon structures located adjacent to U.S. 158, where not visible from any residential use or residentially zoned property.
b.
One banner not to exceed 36 square feet in sign area shall be permitted to be placed on the principal building (exclusive of the roof and rear wall) in business use. When a banner is used in combination with wall signs, the total banner and wall signage shall not exceed 20 percent of the exposed finished wall surface area including openings.
c.
Only one freestanding sign shall be permitted to be located permanently on the property and shall not exceed 64 square feet in area and shall not exceed 20 feet in height above street grade.
Where the property has frontage on both US 158 and NC 12 public rights-of-way, one freestanding sign not exceeding 64 square feet in area shall be permitted to be located adjacent to each public right-of-way.
Where the property is a corner lot with frontage on more than one public right-of-way, a maximum of two freestanding signs shall be permitted. One freestanding sign not exceeding 64 square feet in area shall be permitted adjacent to the public right-of-way boundary of the designated front yard of the property. One freestanding sign not exceeding 32 square feet in area shall be permitted adjacent to a public right-of-way boundary of a designated side yard of the property. The freestanding sign permitted in the side yard shall be located no closer than 70 feet to the designated front yard public right-of-way boundary and installed so that the sign face is perpendicular to the side yard public right-of-way boundary.
d.
Roof signs shall not exceed 25 percent of the individual roof plane area to which they are attached. In no instance shall an individual roof sign exceed 60 square feet in area. There shall be no more than two roof signs per building.
Roof signs shall not be taller than ten feet from the lowest point of attachment to the roof. In no instance shall roof signs exceed the maximum height limit for the zoning district in which the sign is permitted.
Roof signs with external lighting shall be lit from the top down to avoid the glare and sky illumination characteristics of spot lighting or up lighting.
e.
Window signs shall be permitted to be placed only inside a commercial building and shall not exceed 25 percent of the glass area of the pane upon which the sign is displayed. Window signs of exposed neon, argon, krypton or similar gas tube lighting shall be permittable, provided that such signs shall not exceed 25 percent of glass pane area, and shall not exceed singly, or in combination 0.15-square-foot per lineal foot of store frontage, not to exceed 20 square feet of sign area for any one store.
f.
One temporary sandwich sign shall be permitted to be located on the ground but shall not exceed ten square feet in area on each side and shall not exceed four feet in height.
g.
One flag sign shall be permitted in accordance with the specifications listed in the definition for flag sign as described in section 48-7, definition of specific words and terms.
h.
Outdoor stands shall be allowed one temporary sign attached to the stand. Such sign shall not exceed 15 square feet in area or extend above the roof of the stand. This sign area shall be exempt from the calculation of total commercial site sign area limitations imposed by this subsection.
(3)
In any vacant site in a commercial district, the following is allowed without a permit. One temporary sign, not exceeding six square feet in area, shall be permitted; provided that such sign shall not be less than 15 feet from any street right-of-way or lot line, shall not be illuminated and shall be reasonably maintained. For lots which exceed 100 feet in frontage, one additional square foot of sign area shall be allowed for every ten feet of frontage above 100 feet. No sign shall exceed 32 square feet in area or 15 feet in height.
(Code 1990, § 22-254(c); Ord. No. 06-04-013, Pt. I, 4-5-2006; Ord. No. 08-07-020, § 1, 7-2-2008; Ord. No. 08-10-035, §§ I, II, 10-22-2008; Ord. No. 12-06-018, Pt. V, 6-6-2012; Ord. No. 14-05-011, Pt. III, 5-7-2014; Ord. No. 16-07-020 , Pt. II, 7-6-2016)