Sec. 7.3.16. General Sign Regulations

  1. Area Computation of Copy and Signs
    1. Individual Letters
      1. The area of copy or the area of a sign which consists of individual letters that are erected directly onto a surface exclusive of any sign face, is measured by finding the area of the minimum imaginary rectangles or squares of vertical and horizontal lines, which fully encloses all sign words, copy or message.
      2. All or a portion of at least 1 side of each rectangle and square must be coterminous with the side of another rectangle or square. At least 75% of the sign area must be enclosed by 1 rectangle or square.
      3. Rectangles and squares cannot be configured to indent within a letter.
    2. Multi-Sided Signs
      The sign area of a sign with three or more sides (multi-sided signs) containing a copy, message, decoration or announcement visible from a street, highway or expressway is equal to the sum of the areas of any 2 adjacent sides.
    3. All Other Signs
      1. The sign area is measured by finding the area of the minimum imaginary rectangles or squares of vertical and horizontal lines which fully enclose all extremities of the sign, exclusive of its supports.
      2. All or a portion of at least 1 side of each rectangle or square must be coterminous with the side of another rectangle or square.
      3. At least 75% of the sign area must be enclosed by 1 rectangle or square.

      4. Rectangles and squares cannot be configured to indent within a letter. 

        7-3-16-a-3
  2. Maximum Signage
    1. The total maximum signage allowed for any single establishment located in a Mixed Use, IH or CMP district, not including an area with an adopted Streetscape Plan or properties with frontage on Fayetteville Street, is 2 square feet per linear foot of side of the building facing along any street up to a maximum of 300 square feet.
    2. If a ground sign or tract identification sign is located on the site, the maximum sign area per establishment is limited 200 square feet.
    3. No premise, including those in a Residential District, is prevented from having at least 32 square feet of on-premise signage, except for properties with frontage on Fayetteville Street as described below. Allowable signage may be allocated among the permitted signs in the district.
    4. The maximum allowable signage limitation does not apply Landmark signs, product and information signs, unit numbering identification signs under 10 inches, temporary signs, and window signs permitted pursuant to Sec. 7.3.7.
    5. No sign or combination of signs shall exceed a total of 3 square feet per linear foot of building frontage for properties with frontage on Fayetteville Street, applies south of Morgan Street and north of South Street.
  3. Adopted Streetscape and Custom Signage Plans
    In the event there is an adopted Streetscape Plan or Custom Signage Plan that applies to the subject property and that regulates signage, conformance to the adopted plan is required. The standards of the Streetscape Plan or Custom Signage Plan shall apply in lieu of the standards of Article 7.3 as applicable.
  4. Noncommercial Copy Permitted
    Any sign authorized in this UDO is allowed to contain noncommercial message in lieu of any commercial message.
  5. Construction Standards
    1. Compliance with Building Code
      All signs shall comply with the appropriate provisions of the North Carolina State and City Building Codes, the National Electric Code and other provisions of the City Code.
    2. Clearance from High Voltage Power Lines
      Signs shall be located in such a way that they maintain horizontal and vertical clearance of all overhead electrical conductors in accordance with National Electric Code specifications, provided that no sign, except government traffic signs, shall be installed closer than 10 feet in any direction from any conductor or public utility guy wire.
  6. Sight Triangle
    1. Signs shall not obstruct the views of motorists using any street, driveway, parking aisles or the approach to any street intersection.
    2. All signs must comply with the sight triangle requirements of the Raleigh Street Design Manual.
  7. Illumination of Signs
    Any conforming sign, unless otherwise specifically regulated, may be illuminated provided the following standards are met:
    1. Any light source from any illuminated sign or flood light used to illuminate a sign must not be oriented so as to direct glare or excessive illumination onto streets or sidewalks in a manner that may distract or interfere with the vision of drivers, cyclists or pedestrians, as determined by the Development Services Director.
    2. No illuminated sign shall cast light to exceed 0.5 footcandles measured at the property line of any Residential District and 2.0 footcandles measured at the right-of-way line of a street.
    3. Internal illumination cannot exceed 10 footcandles measured at a distance of 10 feet from the sign.
    4. All electrically illuminated signs shall have a disconnecting switch located in accordance with the provisions of the National Electric Code.
    5. Applications for both a sign permit and an electrical permit shall be submitted and approved by the City prior to the installation.
    6. In any -AOD, all illuminated signs shall be shielded in such a manner that no direct glare can be seen from above.
  8. Common Signage Plan
    1. To achieve congruity, unity of development and to avoid conflicts within any site with more than 1 principal building, no sign permit shall be issued to any development containing more than 1 establishment until a common signage plan has been approved in accordance with Sec. 10.2.12., unless the development is subject to a Custom Signage Plan.
    2. No permit will be issued in violation of the common signage plan. Such criteria shall be as follows:
      1. Specified allowed type script that shall be observed.
      2. Maximum and minimum letter height that shall be observed.
      3. Specified allowed sign types, all other signs shall be prohibited.
      4. Sign placement by specifying sign panel location or elevations.
      5. Specified maximum of 7 colors to be applied to the sign and its background that shall be observed. Colors shall be in addition to black and white.
      6. In addition to the 7 color limit, the colors of black and white or a color that matches the building material color of the wall on which it is attached or the dominant exterior building material such as, but not limited to, brick or marble shall be allowed.
      7. Federal and State registered trademarks or service marks may employ additional colors; provided, they do not exceed the following:
        1. 12¼ square feet for all establishments less than 10,000 square feet;
        2. 18 square feet for establishments greater then 10,000 to 30,000 square feet;
        3. 25 square feet for establishments greater than 30,000 to 100,000 square feet; and
        4. 36 square feet for establishments greater than 100,000 square feet.
      8. The sign includes its casings, supports and backings. Only those signs which are erected or altered after the common sign plan is established shall be affected by the common sign plan