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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-04-16 Planning Board Supplemental Materials (115) Amend North Andover Zoning Bylaw – Section 6 Signs and Sign Lighting Regulations Article ______. . To see if the Town will vote to amend the Town of North Andover Zoning Bylaw, Section 6 Signs and Sign Lighting Regulations, Subsection 6.3 Definitions by defining an “Off-Premise Sign” and amending Subsection 6.5 to allow projecting signs and prohibiting Off-Premise Signs, or to take any other action in relation hereto. Amend Section 6 by adding the following underlined language and deleting the marked section to read as follows: SECTION 6 SIGNS AND SIGN LIGHTING REGULATIONS 6.3 Definitions  A-Frame Sign/Sandwich Board : A portable, temporary sign or device capable of standing without support or attachments.  Accessory Sign - A sign that advertises activities, goods, products, or a specific use, owner, or tenant, available within the building or on the property on which the sign is located, or advertises the property as a whole or any part thereof for sale or rent.  Animated Sign: Any sign that uses movement or a change of lighting to depict action or create a special effect or scene.  Building Frontage - The length in feet of a ground floor level of a building front or side facing a street (or facing a right-of-way accessible from a street) that is occupied by an individual business.  Directional Sign - A non-accessory sign containing no advertising and giving direction to community (non-commercial) activities, buildings, areas, such as churches, schools, playgrounds, museums, historical sites, public buildings, etc. Sign not to exceed 12"x30".  Display Window Signs - Temporary signs on the surface of or inside display windows, lighted only by the general building illumination.  Erect - Shall mean and include to construct, place, relocate, enlarge, alter, attach, suspend, and post.  Flagpole - A pole erected on a roof, or projecting from a building or structure or on the ground.  Freestanding Sign - Shall mean and include any sign not attached to a building or the ground.  Ground Sign - Any sign erected on the ground which is self-supported and anchored to the ground.  Illuminated Sign - Illuminated sign shall mean any sign illuminated by electricity or other artificial light including reflective or phosphorescent light and shall include location of source of illumination.  Marquee - Any sheltering structure of permanent construction projecting from and totally supported by the wall and/or roof of a building.  Non-Accessory Sign - Any sign that is not an accessory sign.  Obscene - shall have the meaning as that term is defined in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272, Section 1. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 272, Section defines "obscene" as follows:  appeals to the prurient interest of the average person applying the contemporary standards of the county where the offense was committed;  depicts or describes sexual conduct in a potentially offensive way; and  lacks serious literary, artistic, or political or scientific value.  Off-Premise Sign - A sign that advertises products or services that are not sold, produced, manufactured or furnished on the property where the sign is located. An outdoor display is an off-premise sign.  Permanent Sign - Any sign permitted to be erected and maintained for more than sixty (60) days.  Primary Sign - The principal accessory sign which may be a wall, roof, or ground sign, as allowed in Section 6.6.  Projecting Sign - Any sign which is attached or suspended from a building or other structure and any part of which projects more than twelve (12) inches from the wall surface of that portion of the building or structure.  Roof Sign - Any sign erected, constructed, and maintained wholly upon, connected to, or over the roof or parapet of any building with the entire support on the roof or roof structure.  Secondary Sign - Is a wall, roof, or ground sign intended for the same use as a primary sign but smaller dimensions and lettering, as allowed in Section 6.6.  Sign - A sign is any structure, mechanically or electrically driven, still or moving device, light, letter, figure, word, model, banner, pennant, trade flag, or representation that is designed to be seen from outside the lot on which it is erected. It advertises activities, goods, places, persons, objects, institutions, organizations, associations, businesses or events, products, services, or facilities available either on the property where the sign appears or in some other location. The definition includes electric signs in windows or doors, but does not include window displays or merchandise. A sign may be permanent or temporary.  Sign Size (Area) (a).For a sign, either free-standing or attached, the area shall be considered to include all lettering, wording and accompanying designs and symbols, together with the background, whether open or enclosed, on which they are displayed but not including any supporting framework and bracing which are incidental to the display itself. (b). For a sign painted upon or applied to a building, the area shall be considered to include all lettering, wording, and accompanying designs or symbols together with any backing of a different color than the finish material of the building face. (c). Where the sign consists of individual letters or symbols attached to or painted on a surface, building, wall or window, the area shall be considered to be that of the smallest rectangle or other convex shape which encompasses all of the letters and symbols.  Temporary Sign : A sign permitted to be used on a short-term basis for the duration of no longer than sixty (60) days unless otherwise specifically provided herein.  Wall Sign - Any sign affixed to, suspended from or painted on a wall, window, marquee, or parapet. 6.5 Prohibitions:  No sign shall be lighted, except by steady, stationary light, shielded and directed solely at the sign. Internally lit signs are not allowed.  No illumination shall be permitted which casts glare onto any residential premises or onto any portion of a way so as to create a traffic hazard.  No sign shall be illuminated in any residential district between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m. unless indicating time or temperature or an establishment open to the public during those hours.  No sign having red or green lights shall be erected within sight of a traffic signal unless approved as non-hazardous by the Chief of Police.  No animated, revolving, flashing, or exterior neon sign shall be permitted.  No pennants, streamers, advertising flags, spinners or similar devices shall be permitted, except as allowed by the board of Selectmen.  Corner visibility shall not be obstructed.  No sign shall be erected, displayed, or maintained upon any rock, tree, fence, or utility pole.  No sign shall be erected, displayed, or maintained if it contains any obscene matter.  Flags and insignia of any Government when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.  No sign shall obstruct any means of egress from a building.  Projecting signs are prohibited.  Non-accessory signs are prohibited except for directional signs as allowed in Section 6.6, B.  No signs shall be attached to motor vehicles, trailers or other movable objects regularly or recurrently located for fixed display.  No off-premise signs.