9.3 Off-Premise Signs

An off-premise sign is a permanent sign erected, maintained, or used for the purpose of the display of messages not related to the use of, products sold on, or the sale or lease of, the property on which it is displayed. A highway-oriented off- premise sign is an off-premise sign that is oriented to and within 660 feet of a highway.

1. Off-premise signs are permitted as follows:

   1. An off-premise sign that is not oriented to a highway is permitted by right within the D-S, D-C, D-IL, and D-IH zones.
   2. An off-premise sign that is not oriented to a highway is permitted only with a special use permit in the N-1C, N-1S, and N-3C zones, so long as it is building-mounted.
   3. A highway-oriented off-premise sign is permitted within the N-1D, N-1C, N-1S, N-2C, N-2E, N-3C, N-3E, D-M, D-E, D-S, D-C, D-IL, and D-IH zones.

2. Off-premise signs are prohibited as follows:

   1. An off-premise sign may not be located on any parcel within 200 feet of Hertel Avenue, between Delaware Avenue and Main Street.
   2. An off-premise sign may not be located on any parcel within 200 feet of Seneca Street, between Spring Street and Smith Street.
   3. An off-premise sign may not be located within 200 feet of any N-2R, N-3R, N-4-30, N-4-50, D-OG, or D-ON zone, where any of its sign faces are oriented to any such zone.
   4. An off-premise sign may not be located in the C-W zone, except where the underlying zone is a D-IL or D-IH zone and where such off-premise signs are located at least 500 feet from the mean high water line of any water body.

3. Off-premise signs must be distanced as follows:

   1. An off-premise sign that is not oriented to a highway must be located at least 500 feet from any other off-premise sign that is oriented to the same public right-of-way and the same direction of traffic.
   2. A highway-oriented off-premise sign must be located at least 1,000 feet from any other off-premise sign that is oriented to the same highway and the same direction of traffic.

1. Off-premise signs are limited to a maximum sign area as follows:
   1. An off-premise sign that is not oriented to a highway may be no more than 300 square feet in sign area per sign face, with the following exceptions:
      1. An off-premise sign located in a D-IL or D-IH zone and at least 1,000 feet from an N-2R, N-3R, N-4-30, N-4-50, D-OG, or D-ON zone, may be no more than 672 square feet in area per sign face, plus an additional 20% of sign area for extensions or embellishments.
      2. A building-mounted off-premise sign located in an N-1C or N-1S zone may be no more than 672 square feet in area per sign face, plus an additional 20% of sign area for extensions or embellishments, so long as it is positioned at least 30 feet above ground level and it is not oriented to and located within 500 feet of an N-2R, N-3R, N-4-30, N-4-50, D-OG, or D-ON zone.
         1. This exception does not apply to off-premise signs located in the C-M zone, where such signs are limited to 300 square feet.
   2. A highway-oriented off-premise may be no more than 672 square feet in area per sign face, plus an additional 20% of sign area for extensions or embellishments.
2. Off-premise signs are limited to a maximum sign height as follows:
   1. An off-premise sign, including support structures, that is not oriented to a highway, may have a maximum overall height of 40 feet above ground level, except for building mounted off-premise signs, which may be no greater than 30 feet above the peak of the roof to which the off-premise sign is attached.
   2. A highway-oriented off-premise sign may have a sign height of up to 30 feet above the roadbed crown measured at the centerline of the closest adjacent section of the highway.
3. Building-mounted off-premise signs are prohibited on a front facade of a building and must be positioned above the first story or on the roof of a building.
4. Off-premise signs may have a maximum of two sign faces, so long as the sign faces are positioned back-to-back.