§ 15.6. General requirements for signs in commercial and industrial districts.

All signs permitted in those areas designated as commercial and industrial districts, including the Residential-Transitional (R-T) shall meet the following general requirements:

a.

Sign message. No sign shall be constructed or maintained which does not advertise a business transacted or goods sold or produced on the premises on which the sign is located. Any sign erected prior to the adoption of this section and complying with the provisions of this Ordinance prior to the adoption of this section may continue to be maintained for not more than two years so long as it continues to comply with all other provisions of this Ordinance.

b.

Wind pressure, dead load, and construction requirements. Wind pressure and dead load and construction requirements shall be as specified in the State Construction Code being M.C.L.A. § 125.1501 et seq. All signs shall otherwise be constructed in conformance with the requirements and specifications of the BOCA Code as adopted by the City of Parchment, where not in conflict with this Ordinance.

c.

Number, date, and voltage to be on sign. Every sign hereafter erected shall have placed in a conspicuous place thereon, in letters not less than one-half inch in height, the date of erection, the permit number and the voltage of any electrical apparatus used in connection therewith.

d.

Illumination permitted. Reflectors, lights and other forms of illumination shall be permitted on all signs. No sign shall be illuminated in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic. No rotating illuminated beacon shall be permitted. The use of string electric light bulbs which illuminate products which are stored outdoors for sale is prohibited. In no case shall any sign illumination exceed a level of 0.08 foot-candles, and a luminary brightness of 2,400 foot-lamberts (glare measurement), when measured from the nearest or adjacent residentially zoned property.

e.

Obstruction to doors, windows and fire escapes. No sign shall be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape. No sign of any kind shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.

f.

Signs not to constitute a traffic hazard. No ground sign shall be erected at the intersection of any streets in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision or at any location where, by reason of its position, shape or color, it may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with, an authorized traffic sign, signal or device, or make use of the words "stop," "look," "danger" or any phase, symbol or character in such manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic. At street intersections, no signs, other than municipal traffic control signs, shall be located within ten feet of the ground surface in the triangle formed by the property lines paralleling the streets and extending for a distance of 25 feet each way from the intersection of the right-of-way lines at the corner lot. No sign, signal, marking, device or blinking, oscillating or rotating light shall be erected adjacent to any public right-of-way so as to create a traffic hazard.

g.

Face of sign to be smooth. No nails, tacks or wires shall be permitted to protrude from the front of any sign. This shall not exclude, however, the use of block letters, electrical reflectors or other devices which may extend over the top and in front of the advertising structure.

h.

Obscene matter prohibited. No person shall display upon any sign or other advertising structure any obscene, indecent or immoral matter.

i.

Removal of certain signs. Any sign now or hereafter existing which, at the time of construction, advertised a business being conducted or a product being sold or produced on the premises on which the sign is located, but no longer does so, shall be taken down and removed or completely renovated by the owner, agent or person having the beneficial use of the building, structure or premises upon which such sign is found within 30 days after written notice to remove such sign from the city manager and/or his designee.

j.

Signs in public right-of-way. No sign in these districts shall be erected or placed in a public right-of-way or be allowed to project into a public right-of-way. The owner of a sign which has been removed from a right-of-way because of a violation of this subsection shall pay the a sum as established by resolution by the city commission plus removal costs. If a sign is not claimed within 30 days, it shall be destroyed.

k.

Flashing or moving signs. No sign or any part thereof shall move, nor shall the illumination of any sign or any part of such illumination be anything other than a steady, continuously burning bulb or light. The flashing or turning on and off of sign illumination of any bulb or component part thereof is prohibited. Further, no person shall on premises owned, managed, rented, or controlled by themselves, permit, use, or allow to be used a strobe light(s), or similar blinking or flashing lights (except Christmas type decorations between November 15 and January 5) within 100 feet of any road, street or highway used by the public.