Appendix 2105. Signs permitted in all districts.

A zoning permit shall be required for all on- and off-premises signs, except those identified in section 2106. The following signs are permitted in all districts, but the standards outlined below apply:

2105.1. Reserved.

2105.2. Nonprofit organizations. Signs erected by nonprofit organizations shall not exceed 15 square feet.

2105.3. Churches or public bulletin boards. Signs advertising churches on premises or public bulletin boards shall not exceed 32 square feet in area. Such bulletin boards may be illuminated.

2105.4. Off-premises church signs. Signs identifying the name or location of a church remote from the location of the church, provided that such sign shall not exceed eight square feet in area. No such sign shall be illuminated or contain moving parts.

2105.5. Agricultural products produced on-premises. Signs advertising agricultural products produced on the premises shall not exceed 15 square feet. These signs shall be limited to two signs per parcel and shall be temporary in nature.

2105.6. Temporary construction signs and financial institution signs. Temporary construction signs and financial institution signs may be displayed in commercial and industrial districts, not to exceed two signs per building site, and shall not exceed 32 square feet per sign. If the building site has more than 100 linear feet of road frontage, an additional one-quarter square foot may be added for each one linear foot of road frontage. Such sign(s) must be removed within seven days after construction work has been completed and the building occupancy permit has been issued.

Temporary construction signs and financial institution signs not exceeding 15 square feet shall be allowed in all residential districts.

2105.7. Temporary real estate signs. Temporary real estate signs may be displayed in commercial and industrial districts, one sign per building site not to exceed 32 square feet per sign. If the building site has more than 100 feet of road frontage, an additional one-quarter square foot may be added for each two linear feet of road frontage over 100 feet. Such sign must be removed after property has been transferred. Typical six square foot standard real estate signs are exempted from this requirement.

These signs shall be limited to one per street front, one per waterfront and one per golf course front per parcel.

Such signs shall not be placed within any public street right-of-way. In the event that a real estate sign is located on the waterfront portion of a lot in Carteret County, a coastal area management act permit may be required.

2105.8. Political campaign signs. Political signs exceeding 32 square feet may be posted on private property, but a written consent of the landowner must be presented upon application for a zoning permit. These signs shall be removed within seven days after the election. In no case shall political signs be permitted within a public right-of-way.

2105.9. Off-premises directional signs. Off-premises directional signs shall only be allowed to call attention to industrial sites located off a major thorough which contain at least 10,000 square feet of gross floor area. Such directional signs shall be allowed within a five mile radius of said industrial site and shall be limited to eight square feet in area. Each sign shall be placed off the roadway right-of-way. Upon selection of a site, written authorization from the landowner shall be required to permit the siting of the sign in that location. A zoning permit shall be required for all off-premises directional signs.

The following requirements shall be met:

a.

Only one off-premises directional sign shall be allowed at the intersection of the thoroughfare and the road leading to the industrial site.

b.

Only one off-premises directional sign shall be allowed to be placed along the major thoroughfare within one mile of the intersection of the roadway leading to the site.

c.

One off-premises directional sign shall be allowed at all other roadway intersections off the thoroughfare which leads to the industrial site.

2105.10. On-premise ground or pole school accessory signs. School accessory signs shall not exceed 250 square feet in area. Such signs shall be located no closer than 100 feet off any right-of-way and ten feet off any abutting property line. Maximum height of the signs shall not exceed 20 feet. Signs may be illuminated as per section 2102.3.

2105.11. School identification signs. School identification signs shall not exceed 80 square feet in area. Such signs shall be placed so as not to obstruct the view of traffic.

The sign may include a message board that does not exceed 32 square feet. The message board portion may be changeable, whether digitally or manually. Only text may be displayed on the message board. The remaining area of the sign shall be stationary.

Blinking, flashing, flickering, oscillating, rotating, or scrolling of the changeable area or stationary area shall not be permitted. The message cannot change more than once every 30 seconds. The message board shall have one background color and one text color. The sign shall not emit any sound or noise of any type. The message board lighting shall be limited to LED or similar low-intensity lighting. The stationary portion may be externally illuminated with downlighting so as not to affect the view of motorists.

School identification signs shall not be taller than 20 feet and shall comply with section 2103, On-Premises, Commercial Signs.

(Amended 3-11-91; Amend. of 3-2-98(2); Amend. of 11-9-98; Ord. of 4-21-08(2); Amend. of 12-21-15(1); Amend of 12-21-15(2))