18.96.070 Signs.
This section is intended to regulate the use of signs in order to manage and mitigate the aesthetic impacts of signage and to protect pedestrians and motorists from damage or injury caused by distractions, obstructions or hazards created by signs.
A. General Regulations. In all zoning districts, including public rights-of-way, the following standards apply:
1. No sign shall be erected or displayed at any location that obstructs the vision of pedestrians or motorists. A sign shall not obstruct, impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be similar to any authorized traffic control sign, or signal, or device.
2. No sign shall be placed or displayed on any private property without the consent of that property’s owner except a government sign required by law to be posted.
3. No sign shall be erected, constructed, displayed or maintained so as to obstruct any fire escape, required exit, window or door opening used as a means of egress.
4. Illuminated signs shall be designed and constructed so as to concentrate the illumination upon the surface area of the sign and prevent glare upon the street or adjacent property.
5. Except for temporary signs, signs shall be permanently affixed to the ground or otherwise affixed in a permanent manner to a supporting structure;
6. Unless expressly permitted in this section, no sign shall be erected or displayed on any lot or zoning lot that does not have a principal use on the lot. Signs shall be removed upon termination of that principal use on the lot;
7. Obscene and incendiary signs plainly visible from a street, road or highway, river or waterway, or trail open to the public are prohibited.
B. Signs Permitted in All Zones.
1. Street address signs necessary to comply with Chapter 21.05 FNSBC;
2. Government signs;
4. Individual signs of three square feet or less in sign area each, separated and affixed in a permanent manner to a supporting structure, but not to exceed a cumulative total sign area of 35 square feet;
5. Signs not plainly visible from a street, road or highway, river or waterway, or trail open to the public;
6. Letters or numbers affixed directly to a mailbox and its support post or column;
7. Two temporary signs during the months of June through November;
8. Legal nonconforming signs, other than nonconforming temporary signs, may continue for a period of five years from the date they became nonconforming; provided, that a sign may not be altered, enlarged, or replaced;
9. Vehicle signs.
C. Permitted Signs by Zone. Additional signs are permitted in the following zones:
1. In the RA-40, rural and agricultural district, through the MFO, multifamily residential/professional office district:
b. Permitted nonresidential principal uses in operation on the lot or zoning lot may have three signs;
c. A commercial or other nonresidential use, if accessory to a residential use, may have one sign of not more than eight square feet and shall not be illuminated.
2. In the OR, outdoor recreation district, and in the LC, light commercial district, through the ML, mineral lands district, both inclusive:
a. Those signs permitted in the RA-40, rural and agricultural district, through the MFO, multiple-family residential/professional office district, both inclusive;
b. One sign per street lot line if one principal use is in operation on the lot or zoning lot;
c. Two signs per street lot line if more than one principal use is in operation on the lot or zoning lot;
d. Signs flat against the building and not extending beyond the building, but not including roof signs;
e. One temporary sign per lot or zoning lot.
3. In the GU-1 and GU-5 general use districts, any additional signs are permitted. (Ord. 2017-19 § 4, 2017; Ord. 88-070 § 5, 1988; Ord. 88-032 § 2, 1988; Ord. 88-010 § 2, 1988. 2004 Code § 18.50.070.)