§ 42-4. Definitions and interpretation.

Words and phrases used in this chapter shall have the meanings set forth in this section. Words and phrases not defined in this section but defined in the zoning ordinance of the town shall be given the meanings set forth in such ordinance. Principles for computing sign area and sign height are contained in section 42-3. All other words and phrases shall be given their common, ordinary meaning, unless the context clearly requires otherwise. Section headings or captions are for reference intents only and shall not be used in the interpretation of this chapter.

Animated sign means any sign that uses movement or change of lighting to depict action or create a special effect or scene.

Banner means any sign of lightweight fabric or similar material that is permanently mounted to a pole or a building by a permanent frame at one or more edges. National flags, state or municipal flags, or the official flag of any institution or business shall not be considered banners.

Beacon means any light with one or more beams directed into the atmosphere or directed at one or more points not on the same zone lot as the light source; also, any light with one or more beams that rotate or move.

Building marker means any sign indicating the name of a building and date and incidental information about its construction, which sign is cut into a masonry surface or made of bronze or other permanent material.

Building sign means any sign attached to any part of a building, as contrasted to a freestanding sign.

Canopy sign means any sign that is a part of or attached to an awning, canopy, or other fabric, plastic, or structural protective cover over a door, entrance, window, or outdoor service area. A marquee is not a canopy.

Changeable copy sign means a sign or portion thereof with characters, letters, or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or the surface of the sign. A sign on which the message changes more than eight times per day shall be considered an animated sign and not a changeable copy sign for purposes of this chapter. A sign on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of time or temperature shall be considered a "time and temperature" portion of a sign and not a changeable copy sign for purposes of this chapter.

Commercial message means any sign wording, logo, or other representation that, directly or indirectly, names, advertises, or calls attention to a business, product, service, or other commercial activity.

Flag means any fabric, banner, or bunting containing distinctive colors, patterns, or symbols, used as a symbol of a government, political subdivision, or other entity.

Freestanding sign means any sign supported by structures or supports, of standard geometric shape, that are placed on, or anchored in, the ground and that are independent from any building or other structure.

Incidental sign means a sign, generally informational, that has a purpose secondary to the use of the zone lot on which it is located, such as "no parking," "entrance," "loading only," "telephone," and other similar directives. No sign with a commercial message legible from a position off the zone lot on which the sign is located shall be considered incidental.

Illumination (exposed bulb or neon) means the light source is the sign.

Illumination (external) means the surface of the sign is lit from without.

Illumination (internal) means the surface of the sign is lit from behind. The light source is concealed.

Lot means any piece or parcel of land or a portion of a subdivision, the boundaries of which have been established by some legal instrument of record, which is recognized and intended as a unit for the purpose of transfer of ownership.

Marquee means any permanent roof-like structure projecting beyond a building or extending along and projecting beyond the wall of the building, generally designed and constructed to provide protection from the weather.

Marquee sign means any sign attached to, in any manner, or made a part of a marquee.

Nonconforming sign means any sign that does not conform to the requirements of this chapter.

Pennant means any lightweight plastic, fabric, or other material, whether or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a rope, wire, or string, usually in series, designed to move in the wind.

Person means any association, company, corporation, firm, organization, or partnership, singular or plural, of any kind.

Portable sign means any sign not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported, including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels; signs converted to A- or T-frames; menu and sandwich board signs; balloons used as signs; umbrellas used for advertising; and signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public right-of-way, unless said vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day operations (current registration, insurance, and used at least three times a week) of the business.

Principal building means the building in which is conducted the principal use of the zone lot on which it is located. Zone lots with multiple principal uses may have multiple principal buildings, but storage buildings, garages, and other clearly accessory uses shall not be considered principal buildings.

Projecting sign means any sign affixed to a building or wall in such a manner that its leading edge extends more than six inches beyond the surface of such building or wall.

Residential sign means any sign located in a district zoned for residential uses that contains no commercial message except advertising for goods or services legally offered on the premises where the sign is located, if offering such service at such location conforms to all requirements of the zoning ordinance.

Roof sign means any sign erected and constructed wholly on and over the roof of a building, supported by the roof structure, and extending vertically above the highest portion of the roof.

Roof sign, integral means any sign erected or constructed as an integral or essentially integral part of a normal roof structure of any design, such that no part of the sign extends vertically above the highest portion of the roof and such that no part of the sign is separated from the rest of the roof by a space of more than six inches.

Setback means the distance from the property line to the nearest part of the applicable building, structure, or sign, measured perpendicularly to the property line.

Sign means any device, fixture, placard, or structure that uses any color, form, graphic, illumination, symbol, or writing to advertise, announce the purpose of, or identify the purpose of a person or entity, or to communicate information of any kind to the public.

Snipe sign means any sign of any size, made of any material including paper, cardboard, wood and metal when such sign is tacked, nailed, posted, pasted, glued or otherwise attached to trees, poles, fences, or other objects and the advertising matter appearing thereon is not applicable to the premises upon which said sign is located.

Street means a strip of land or way subject to vehicular traffic (as well as pedestrian traffic) that provides direct or indirect access to property, including, but not limited to, alleys, avenues, boulevards, courts, drives, highways, lanes, places, roads, terraces, trails, or other thoroughfares.

Street frontage means the distance for which a lot line of a zone lot adjoins a public street, from one lot line intersecting said street to the furthest distant lot line intersecting the same street.

Suspended sign means a sign that is suspended from the underside of a horizontal plane surface and is supported by such surface.

Temporary sign means any sign that is used only temporarily and is not permanently mounted.

Wall sign means any sign attached parallel to, but within six inches of, a wall, painted on the wall surface of, or erected and confined within the limits of an outside wall of any building or structure, which is supported by such wall or building, and which displays only one sign surface.

Window sign means any sign, pictures, symbol, or combination thereof, designed to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity, event, sale, or service, that is placed inside a window or upon the window panes or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window.

Zone lot means a parcel of land in single ownership that is of sufficient size to meet minimum zoning requirements for area, coverage, and use, and that can provide such yards and other open spaces as required by the zoning regulations.

(Ord. No. 2010-11-13, 5-23-2011)