Unified Development Ordinance

Sec. 7.3.14. Off-Premise Signs

Sec. 7.3.14. Off-Premise Signs aaron.sheppard… Tue, 05/23/2023 - 11:35
  1. Purpose
    1. For the purpose of regulating excess signage, encouraging the positive economic development of the City, promoting the safety of the traveling public, protecting existing property values in both residential and nonresidential areas, preventing the overcrowding of land, promoting a positive community appearance as part of a concerted City-wide effort to protect and enhance the aesthetics of the Capital City for the enjoyment of all citizens of North Carolina, outdoor advertising signs is controlled and regulated.
    2. The regulations are designed to prevent their overconcentration, improper placement and excessive height, bulk, number and area. It is recognized that, unlike on-premise identification signs which are actually a part of a business, outdoor advertising is a separate and distinct use of the public thoroughfare. With a view to this distinction, outdoor advertising signs are regulated differently from on-premise signs. It is intended that outdoor advertising signs be located away from residential areas and that such signs be regulated to protect the character of the area wherein outdoor advertising signs are located, and to conserve property values in these areas.
  2. General Regulations
    1. All outdoor advertising signs shall be consistent with all definitions and shall comply with all standards and regulations of this UDO.
    2. Except for ordinary maintenance and repair, poster panel replacements, copy, changes or repair not involving structural, material or electrical changes, no outdoor advertising signs or part of an outdoor advertising signs, shall be erected, altered, constructed, changed, converted, re-erected, additionally illuminated, reduced in size, enlarged or moved unless the entire outdoor advertising sign and structure are brought into conformity with this UDO.
    3. This Section does not apply to Intra-Development Signs as set forth in 10.2.21. Custom Signage Plan.
  3. Area of Outdoor Advertising Signs
    1. No outdoor advertising sign facing streets with 4 or more traffic lanes may exceed 150 square feet.
    2. Outdoor advertising signs facing streets with fewer than 4 traffic lanes may not exceed 75 square feet.
    3. The sign area is measured by finding the area of the minimum imaginary rectangle or square of vertical and horizontal lines which fully encloses all extremities of the sign, excluding supports, the base or apron unless the copy message, announcement or decoration appears on the base or apron. The allowable sign area of signs with equal size and shape for both doublefaced (back-to-back) and V-type signs is measured by computing the area of only one side of the sign. Both sides of a double-faced or V-type sign shall be of equal size.
    4. The sign area of signs with 3 or more sides (multiple sided signs) containing a copy, message, decoration or announcement visible from a street, highway or expressway is measured as the sum of the area of any 2 adjacent sides.
  4. Height
    No outdoor advertising sign, including base or apron, supports, supporting structures and trim, may exceed 30 feet in height.
  5. Setback Requirements
    District setback requirements are not applicable to outdoor advertising signs.
  6. Construction Standards
    1. Compliance with Building Codes
      All signs shall comply with the appropriate detailed provisions of the North Carolina and City Building Codes, the National Electric Code and other provisions of the Code of the City of Raleigh.
    2. Clearance from High-Voltage Power Lines
      Outdoor advertising signs shall be located in such a way that they maintain horizontal and vertical clearance of all overhead electrical conductors in accordance with the National Electric Code; provided that, no outdoor advertising sign shall be erected closer than 10 feet in any direction from any conductor or public utility guy wire.
  7. Location and Spacing
    1. Corner Lots
      No part of an outdoor advertising sign may be located within a triangular area formed by the street right-of-way lines and a line connecting them at points 50 feet from the right-of-way intersection.
    2. Spacing of Signs
      1. No part of any outdoor advertising sign shall be located less than 1,000 feet from any part of another outdoor advertising sign when located within either of two 200-foot corridors along each side of a roadway. The 2 corridors shall be delineated by connecting perpendicular measurements from all points along the road rights-of-way. No part of any permitted outdoor advertising sign which is located outside of the 200-foot corridor areas may be located within a 1,000-foot radius of any other outdoor advertising sign.
      2. No part of any outdoor advertising sign is permitted within 400 feet of a district that allows dwellings.
        7-3-14-g-2-b