§ 26-3. Definitions.
[The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:]
General terms:
Area of display means the display surface area or copy area of a sign used to display the actual sign content or message, encompassed within any regular geometric figure which would enclose all parts of the sign. The structural supports for a sign, whether it be columns, pylons, a building or a part thereof, shall not be included in the area of display.
Erect means to build, construct, attach, hand place, suspend, or affix and shall also include the painting of wall signs.
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Glazing means the part of a window containing glass or other approved clear or transparent rigid material.
Location means any lot, premises, building, structure, wall, or any place whatsoever upon which a sign is located.
Multifamily development means an approved development of residential units not classified as single-family dwellings where there is more than one living unit within a single building, such as duplexes, apartments or condominiums. Multifamily developments must be zoned R2.
Permanently anchored means a support post, pylon or other sign structure that is secured to a foundation, or that the post, pylon or other sign structure is set in concrete, or that the sign is mounted to a secure structure in a manner that the sign cannot be easily removed.
Premises means building(s), together with its land, per locale, occupied as a unit under one ownership, business or organization, irrespective of boundaries, streets or other separations.
Primary building walls (PBW) means those exterior walls of a structure which are oriented with most street frontage (visibility from the public right-of-way). PBWs may also include the exterior wall of a structure which does not necessarily have street frontage but which contains a public entrance and faces a parking area on site.
Public way means any road, street, thoroughfare, intersection or access thereto, or any sidewalk, bike path, pedestrian passageway, means of egress, or the access thereto.
Residential subdivision means an approved development of six or more lots zoned R1, R1A or R1B, for use or development of single-family dwellings complying with the City of Hartwell Subdivision and Land Development Regulations.
Secondary building walls (SBW) include the remaining walls of a building not considered to be a PBW. This includes walls with no street frontage, or walls typically not visible from public rights-of-way.
Shopping center means a group of commercial establishments having a building composition of six or more tenant spaces, attached or detached, that is an architectural unit and is not a miscellaneous assemblance of stores; planned developed, analyzed as a unit, related in location, size and type of shops to the trade area that the unit serves and providing on-site parking in definite relationship to the types and sizes of stores.
Sign means any device, including, but not limited to, message or content of letters, words, numerals, figures, emblems, pictures, or any part of combinations, used for visual communication intended to attract the attention of the public or to publicize the subject thereof. The device displaying such visual information may be, but not limited to, a sign structure, window, banner, flag, balloon, awning, umbrella, or other such device. A sign encompasses both the area of display and the structure.
Signs:
Abandoned sign means a non-temporary sign structure that does not have a permanent sign face or pending sign permit application; or a non-temporary sign advertising a business activity or firm that is no longer in operation at the location of the sign. An abandoned sign includes all elements of the sign, including its structure, the sign face and sign copy.
Animated sign means a sign with action, motion, sound, or changing colors. This includes signs that blink, flash, or fluctuating lights or other illumination devices which have a changing light intensity, brightness or color.
Announcement sign means a sign used to announce entrance or exit information, business hours, menus offered, or additional off-street parking; not to include advertisements.
Automated changeable copy sign means a sign, usually freestanding, containing copy that changes at intervals.
Awning sign means a sign which is printed, painted, or affixed to an awning or canopy.
Bandit sign means a temporary sign posted on a utility pole, street sign, or any other sign staked, placed or erected within a public right of way or public property, or on private property such that it is visible from a public right of way or public property. A bandit sign generally has less than six square feet of advertising area and are most often made of vinyl, paper, cloth or fabric, polyboard, corrugated plastic, poster board, plastic core, cardboard, wood or plywood, including signs with wood or wire framing, posts, or stakes, used to display commercial and noncommercial copy.
Banner means a sign of paper, cloth, plastic or vinyl with no other substantial backing, not permanently affixed to any building or structure.
Bench sign means a permanent sign located on any part of the structure of a bench or seat located on or adjacent to a public right-of-way.
Billboards or poster panels means any sign or advertisement used as an outdoor display by the painting, posting, or affixing on any surface, of a picture, emblem, words, figures, numbers, or lettering for the purposes of making anything known; the matter advertised or displayed being remote from its origin or point of sale.
City banners means city-sanctioned banners mounted on permanent display poles (such as Historic Hartwell banners, annual city event banners).
Commemorative sign means a sign which identifies a site of memorable public interest.
Commercial flag means a flag displaying text or graphics advertising a product, business or service.
Commercial temporary banner means a temporary banner used to advertise commercial events, shows, exhibits or promotions in addition to grand openings and final closings.
Construction sign means a sign giving the names of all or most of the project's principal contractors, engineers, architects, and lending institutions responsible for construction on the site where the sign is placed, together with other information included thereon.
Contractor sign means a sign displaying the information of an individual contractor or company directly associated with the construction, renovation or repair at the premises at which it is displayed. Contractor signs do not include signs that display only for information on suppliers or materials of a project.
Dilapidated sign means a sign in a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglect.
Directory sign means a sign of which the names and locations of occupants or the use of a building is given. This shall include office building and church directories.
Flashing sign means an illuminated sign on which the artificial or reflected light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times when in use, with the exception of signs which, exclusively indicate time, date, temperature or other public service information.
Hanging canopy sign means a sign with a single- or double-face copy hung from a canopy or marquee.
Identification sign means a sign bearing only the names or addresses of the occupants of the premises and bearing no commercial message other than that of the use identified.
Illuminated sign means a sign illuminated in any manner by an artificial light source.
Individual element sign means a type of wall sign with individual lettering and elements.
Inflatable sign means temporary signs inflated with helium or other gases.
Instructional sign means a sign exclusive of any commercial messages that conveys instructions to the public such as entrance, exit, no trespassing, etc.
Integral sign means memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other incombustible material mounted on the face of a building.
Kiosk means a freestanding multiple sided structure that displays directional information to residential and commercial developments.
Menu board means a board attached flush to a wall adjacent to a business entrance that contains the current menu or similar information for that particular business.
Misleading sign means a sign that imitates an official traffic sign or signal, or contain words or symbols displayed in a manner that could mislead or confuse drivers of vehicles, or which display intermittent lights.
Monument sign means a freestanding sign having a support structure that has either a solid-appearing base constructed of permanent material, or is supported by columns or posts of substantial size at both ends of the sign structure or sign face. The width of the sign structure or face can be no more than 120 percent of the width of the base.
Noncommercial temporary banner means a temporary banner that displays information for events, promotions, fundraisers, or things of interest in Hartwell or Hart County, for civic, charitable, community, veteran, educational, fraternal, benevolent or similar organization.
Nonconforming sign means any sign which does not conform to the regulations of this chapter.
Official sign means any sign, symbol or device erected and maintained by a government agency for the purpose of informing or guiding the public.
Off-site sign or off-premises sign means a sign advertising goods, products, services or facilities that are located on premises other than those where the sign is located.
Outdoor menu ordering board means fast food drive through menu ordering board.
Over-the-street sign means any sign or banner crossing over a city street.
Pennant string means a string of small flags, triangular or other shapes, typically used to promote special sales events.
Personal interest sign means a temporary sign that displays support for a personal cause or issue.
Political sign means a temporary sign identifying and urging voter support for a particular election issue, political party or candidate for public office.
Portable sign means any sign that is designed to be transported periodically from place to place, or by design, even when permanently secured, was constructed and intended to be a portable sign.
Prohibited sign means a sign not allowed by this chapter.
Project sign means a sign providing information of a proposed development or project, located on the proposed project site, or a sign providing the project details, architects, contractors, lending institutions involved in the project, and other associated information.
Projecting sign means any sign other than a wall sign affixed to any building or wall whose leading edge extends beyond such building or wall.
Pylon sign means a freestanding sign that rests upon a pylon or pole(s), not meeting the specifications of a monument sign.
Real estate sign means a temporary sign pertaining only to the sale, rent or lease of the property on which it is located.
Revolving or moving sign means a sign that uses motion; including signs in which any part of a display area revolves or moves in any manner as a means to attract visibility.
Roof sign means a sign projecting above the coping of a flat roof, above the ridge of a gable, hip or gambrel, or otherwise located above the front building wall and supported by or attached to said roof.
Sandwich board means a type of sidewalk sign, typically A-frame in design.
Sidewalk sign means a movable sign not secured or attached to the ground or surface, located near the entrance of a business, used to advertise that businesses special services or items for sale.
Sign cabinet means the area of an individual sign face enclosed in a frame or cabinet. A pylon sign may contain multi-cabinets.
Sign face means the area within a regular geometric shape enclosing all copy and blank masking.
Sign structure means, for freestanding signs, the pole, pylon or base that supports the sign display cabinet or area.
Storefront means the front side of a store or store building facing a street.
Subdivision signage means signage identifying a residential subdivision or a R2-zoned multifamily development, located at the subdivision or development entrance(s) only, affixed to an approved wall or monument. Unlike monument signs, the maximum square footage allowed is determined by measuring the area of display only.
Tag sign means informational signs advertising special events hanging from a city banner.
Temporary banner means a sign of paper, cloth, plastic, vinyl or other flexible rollstock materials with no other substantial backing that is not permanently affixed to any building or structure. The banner may be temporarily attached to a building, structure, poles, posts or other acceptable objects. Temporary banners include commercial temporary banners and noncommercial temporary banners.
Temporary commercial banner means a temporary banner used to advertise commercial events, shows, exhibits or promotions in addition to grand openings and final closings.
Temporary display includes temporary commercial flags, vertical flags, feather flags, inflatable signs or devices, and other such temporary promotional sign displays.
Temporary noncommercial banner means a temporary banner that displays information for events, promotions, fundraisers, or things of interest in Hartwell or Hart County, for civic, charitable, community, veteran, educational, fraternal, benevolent or similar organization.
Temporary sign means a sign not intended for permanent placement.
Theatre means a building, having an occupant load of 100 or more, used exclusively for theatrical presentations or motion picture presentations.
Theatre marquee means a roof-like projection above a theater entrance used to display currently featured plays or movies.
Vehicle sign or trailer sign means a sign placed on or painted on a vehicle, or mounted on a vehicle or trailer and, as determined by the BO is parked or positioned for the sole purpose of providing advertising or displaying other messages.
Vertical banner flag/feather flag/commercial flag means flags of any different size or shape, hung, suspended, or attached to post or poles anchored in the ground, used for commercial promotion.
Wall sign means a sign applied to or mounted to the wall or surface of a building or structure, the display surface of which does not project more than 12 inches from the outside wall of such building or structure. The total lettering on one side of a building shall constitute one wall sign. This includes individual element signs.
Window sign means signage permanently attached to the exterior of window glazing.
Yard Sale Sign means a temporary sign erected to announce a yard sale.
(Ord. No. 2017-02, 8-7-2017)