Zoning Code Portal | Sign Ordinance

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Signage shall be integrated into and designed to be consistent with the building façade and site design. Similar materials, colors, and styles should be used to ensure the signage is consistent with the building design.

Number of Signs shall be limited as follows:
  1. Total signs are limited to two (2) signs per street frontage and no use shall have both a Pole Sign and a Monument Sign on one street frontage.
  2. SHOPPING CENTERS AND MULTI-TENANT BUILDINGS: May provide one (1) monument sign per street frontage. Shopping centers and multi-tenant buildings shall not install Pole Signs. Such facilities may also install one (1) Wall Sign, Awning or Canopy Sign, or Projecting Sign for each tenant space in the building.
  3.  GASOLINE STATIONS (Also service stations, convenience stores with pumps, or any combination thereof): May provide a maximum of two (2) Monument Signs unless otherwise allowed under a conditional use permit or planned unit development by the Village Board as set forth in Section 16-11-9(a)(5). Building Signs may also be provided subject to requirements under Section 16-11-9(e). Signs advertising incidental products for sale that are located on the gasoline pumps, and are not readable from the street right-of-way, will not require permits or be regulated in number.
  4. As an alternative to limitations in subsections (1) through (3) above, the parcel owner may submit a master sign plan to the Zoning Administrator for review and approval by the Village Plan Commission. This master sign plan must indicate the type, construction, location, and height of each proposed sign on the site. Approval of the master sign plan may modify the limitations so long as the total plan is consistent with the intent and goals identified in this chapter and the Design Guidelines Manual and such approval is required before issuance of the first sign permit for the property. After approval of a master sign plan, no sign shall be erected, placed, painted, or maintained, except in conformance with such plan, and such plan may be enforced in the same say as any provision of this chapter. In cases of any conflict between the provision of such a plan and any other provision of this chapter, the chapter shall control.
The following items are prohibited:
  1. Beacons, streamers, pennants, pinwheels, strings of lights not permanently mounted to a rigid background, and inflatable Signs and tethered balloons.
  2. Signs affixed to a cart, trailer or other rolling mechanism are prohibited, unless specifically permitted as a Temporary Sign but not to exceed 30 days of use in each calendar year. This provision shall not prohibit Signs attached to a vehicle, trailer, farm wagon, or equipment if the Sign is incidental to the primary use of the vehicle, trailer, farm wagon, or equipment and the vehicle, trailer, farm wagon or equipment as a mode of transportation and are not parked for the purpose of advertising a product or directing people to a business or activity such that the Sign is readable from the street right-of-way; nor shall this provision prohibit any official Signs in the street right-of-way regulated by the federal, state, county, or local government. 
  3. Signs that revolve, are animated, or have moving parts, or Signs that contain, include, or are illuminated by flashing or moving lights, have a display that may appear to grow, melt, x-ray, up- or down-scroll, write-on, travel, inverse, roll, twinkle, snow, or present pictorials or other animation, or are externally illuminated other than by white lights. This section shall not prohibit changeable copy light emitting diode Signs (collectively “LED Sign(s)”) on Monument Signs, Pole Signs and Freeway Signs as further regulated in this section. LED signs shall not be allowed on other types of Signs. LED Signs and Digital signage shall not be placed in a manner that interferes with a traffic control signal as determined by the Zoning Administrator and the Village Engineer.
  4. Signs that resemble, imitate, or approximate the shape, size, form, location, or color of railroad or traffic Signs, Signals, or devices.
  5. Signs that interfere with the effectiveness of railroad or traffic Signs, Signals, or devices, or that obstruct or interfere with traffic visibility by blocking sight lines for streets, sidewalks, or driveways, or are lighted in such a way as to cause glare or impair driver visibility upon public ways.
  6.  Signs that prevent free ingress to or egress from any door or window, or any other way required by the local building or fire codes.
  7. Signs that contain characters, cartoons, statements, works or pictures of an obscene nature that are deemed to be obscene material as described in W.S.A. §944.21(2)(c).
  8. Billboards, Pole Signs where the bottom of the Sign is more than eleven (11) feet above grade and Roof Signs.
  9. Signs that are located in a vision corner or Vision Clearance Triangle unless allowed as part of a conditional use permit or planned unit development by the Village Board, after review and recommendation by the Village Engineer and Village Plan Commission.
EXISTING SIGNS
  1. Signs lawfully existing at the time of the adoption or amendment of this article may be continued, although the use, size, height, or location does not conform to the provisions of this Chapter. However, these Signs are deemed a nonconforming use or structure and the provisions of Chapter 5 of this Title of Ordinances apply.
  2. A Sign loses its legal nonconforming status if the size, design, or structure of the Sign is altered in any way that makes the Sign less in compliance with requirements of this Chapter than it was before alteration.
  3. Notwithstanding subsection 16-11-3(f), a Sign Permit will be required for any structural alteration, addition, or repair to a legal nonconforming sign.
Light emitting diode Signs (collectively “LED Sign(s)”) are allowed on Monument Signs, Pole Signs and Freeway Signs only. Electronic Message Center Signs shall not be permitted as a wall sign. LED Signs and Digital signage shall not be placed in a manner that interferes with a traffic control signal as determined by the Zoning Administrator and the Village Engineer. LED Sign displays must be steady in nature and each message lasts no less than five (5) seconds. No more than 50% of the Sign Copy Area shall be of an LED nature if such LED Sign is otherwise allowed with an intermittent change of display.
No Sign may be located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted, or structurally altered without a sign permit as required under Chapter, except for normal maintenance and repair as allowed under Sec. 16-11-4.

Signs for which no permit is required.

A permit shall not be required for the following Signs but compliance with indicated standards for the following signs is required:
 
(1) Nameplates not over two (2) square feet in area, provided the same is limited to one (1) for each premises, tenant, or family and the same is located at least five (5) feet from the outer limits of the street right-of-way and lot lines;
(2) Private Property Signs:
a. Up to three (3) square feet of window signage.
b. Up to four (4) square feet of (non-window) temporary signage not more than five feet in height is allowed per 100 (100) feet of lot frontage, subject to a maximum of thirty-two (32) square feet of signage per parcel.
(3) Property address markers assigned by the Village and of a design approved by the Village;
(4) Tablets, grave markers, headstones, statuary, or monuments of persons or events that are noncommercial in nature;
(5) On-Premises Directional Signs or operational signs that meet the requirements of Sec. 16- 11-9(a)(2). The number of signs on one (1) premises shall be limited to the number necessary to safely direct traffic into the specific site as determined by the Zoning Administrator;
(6) Signs erected and maintained pursuant to the discharge of governmental functions, or that are required by law, ordinance, or government regulation, or that are required to be posted in order to effectual a legal right;
(7) Temporary Political Signs that promote a particular candidate or candidates for a particular election may be erected during an election campaign period if in compliance with Section 12.04. Wis. Stats. The person or organization responsible for the erection or distribution of any such Signs, or the owner or owner's agent of the property upon which such Signs may be located, shall be responsible for the proper erection or removal of said Signs. Such Signs must be located behind the outer limits of the street right-of-way line. Such Signs shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in Sign area on one (1) side and sixty-four (64) square feet in area on all sides. A maximum of four (4) such Signs may be placed on a lot.
(8) Private Sale. Temporary Private Sale Signs advertising occasional noncommercial sales of personal property such as "house sales", "garage sales", "rummage sales", and the like;
(9) Real Estate. Temporary Real Estate Signs that advertise the sale, lease, or rental of the structure(s) and/or property upon which said Signs are temporarily located are permitted on all properties advertised for sale, lease, or rent. Such real estate Signs are not to exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area on one (1) side and sixty-four (64) square feet in area on all sides. These Signs shall be removed within thirty (30) days following sale, lease, or occupancy. Real estate Signs may be located not closer than five (5) feet to any street rightof-way, nor closer than five (5) feet to a side or rear lot line. Two (2) such Signs are permitted per street frontage. Signs advertising the sale, lease, or rental of residentially zoned land may not exceed a height of eight (8) feet. Signs advertising the sale, leave, or rental of real estate that is not residentially zoned may not exceed fifteen (15) feet in height;
(10) Signs advertising events or activities sponsored by a governmental body, as defined in Wis. Stat. Sec. 19.82(1).
(11) All signs shall be kept neatly finished and repaired, including all parts and supports. The Zoning Administrator or designee will inspect and have authority to order the painting, repair, alteration, or removal of a sign that constitutes a hazard to safety, health or public welfare by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, or obsolescence if it violates the provisions of this section.

Sign Permit Application.

A Sign Permit application for a Sign must be submitted to the Village Zoning Administrator on forms provided by the Zoning Administrator for review and approval. The Sign Permit application must contain or have attached thereto at least the following information:
 
(1) Applicant's name, address, and telephone number.
(2) Location of building, structure, or lot to which or upon which the Sign is to be located.
(3) Type of Sign applicant wishes to erect.
(4) Zoning district in which the Sign will be erected.
(5) Name of person, firm, corporation, or association erecting the Sign.
(6) Written consent of the owner or lessee of the building, structure, or land to or upon which the Sign is to be located. Owner or lessee's Signature on the Building Permit application is considered written consent. The Signature of an owner's representative or agent is acceptable provided a letter of agency is on file with the Village.
(7) A drawing of such Sign indicating the materials to be used, the type of illumination, if any, and the method of construction and attachment. Said drawing must be drawn at a scale no smaller than one-tenth (1/10) inch equals one (1) foot or dimensions must be shown on the drawing.
(8) A drawing indicating the location and position of such Sign in relation to parcel boundary lines, nearby buildings and structures. Said drawing must include the Sign's height above finished yard grade. Said drawing must be at a scale no smaller than one (1) inch equals fifty (50) feet or dimensions must be shown on the drawing.
(9) A landscape plan for landscaping surrounding the base of applicable ground level signs as required by the Zoning Administrator.
(10) Signs requiring state or federal approval must provide a copy of such approval with the Sign permit application.
(11) Additional information as may be required by the Zoning Administrator.
(12) For all Signs in excess of thirty-two (32) square feet, a photograph with the proposed Sign included in a digital representation that shows the Sign from a distance of 150 to 300 feet.
(13) All Submittals for a master sign plan shall also include the type, construction, location and height of each proposed sign. Approval of the master sign plan is required before issuance of the first sign permit for the property. After approval of a master sign plan, no sign shall be erected, placed, painted, or maintained, except in conformance with such plan, and such plan may be enforced in the same way as any provision of this Chapter.