OR 2003-1064 Provisions for temporary signs; providing regulations; providing definitionAN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF COPPELL, TEXAS
ORDINANCE NO. 2003-1064
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF COPPELL, TEXAS,
AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADDING ARTICLE 6-15,
SECTIONS 6-15-1 THROUGH 6-15-8, ESTABLISHING PROVISIONS FOR
TEMPORARY SIGNS; PROVIDING REGULATIONS; PROVIDING
DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING FOR PERMIT PROCEDURES AND FEES;
PROVIDING PROVISIONS FOR ALL ZONING DISTRICTS; PROVIDING
FOR ON-PREMISES AND OFF-PREMISES TEMPORARY SIGNS;
PROVIDING FOR SIGN ZONES; PROVIDING FIGURES 1 THROUGH 3,
WHICH ESTABLISH SIGN SIZE, SIGN ZONES, AND SIGN LOCATIONS;
PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; PROVIDING A PENALTY OF FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE
SUM OF TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2,000.00) FOR EACH OFFENSE;
AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COPPELL,
TEXAS:
SECTION 1. That the Code of Ordinance of the City of Coppell, Texas be, and the same is
hereby amended by adding Article 6-15 Sections 6-15-1 through 6-15-8 establishing provisions for
Temporary Signs, which shall read as follows:
"ARTICLE 6-15. TEMPORARY SIGNS
Sec. 6-15-1. Purpose.
Signs use private land and the sight lines created by the public right-of-
way to inform and persuade the general public by publishing a message. This
section provides regulations and standards for the erection and maintenance of
temporary private signs. All such private signs not exempted shall be erected and
maintained in accordance with these regulations and standards. The general
objectives of these regulations and standards are to promote health, safety,
welfare, convenience and enjoyment of the public, and in part to achieve the
following:
signs that:
Safety: To promote the safety of persons and property by providing
(A)
Do not create a hazard due to collapse, fire, collision, decay or
abandonment;
(B) Do not obstruct fire fighting or police surveillance; and
(c)
Do not create traffic hazards by confusing or distracting motorists,
or by impairing the driver's ability to see pedestrians, obstacles, or
other vehicles, or to read traffic signs.
2. Communications efficiency: To promote the efficient transfer of
information in sign messages by providing that:
(A)
Those signs which provide messages and information most needed
and sought by the public are given priorities.
(B)
No person or group is arbitrarily denied the use of the sight lines
from the public right-of-way for communication purposes.
(c)
Persons exposed to signs are not overwhelmed by the number of
messages presented, and are able to exercise freedom of choice to
observe or ignore said messages, according to the observer's
purpose.
3. Landscape quality and preservation: To protect the public welfare
and to enhance the appearance and economic value of the landscape, by providing
that signs:
(A) Do not interfere with scenic views;
(B) Do not create a nuisance to persons using the public right-of-way;
(c)
Do not create a nuisance to occupancy of adjacent and contiguous
property by their brightness, size, height or movement; and
(D) Are not detrimental to land or property values.
Sec. 6-15-2. Definitions.
Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following words and
phrases shall have meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section. Where
terms are not defined, they shall have their ordinary accepted meanings within the
context with which they are used. Webster's Third New International Dictionary
of the English Language, Unabridged, copyright 1981, shall be considered as
providing ordinarily accepted meanings.
1. Building: means a structure which has a roof supported by
columns, walls or air for the shelter, support, or enclosure of persons, animals or
chattel.
2. Effective area of temporary sign: means measured as the surface
face of the sign as depicted on Figure 1 of this article.
3. Model home: means a single-family dwelling structure that is open
for inspection by the general public and is not used as a dwelling.
4. Premises: means a lot or unplatted tract, or a combination of
contiguous lots or unplatted tracts if the lot or tract, or combination thereof is
under single ownership that is reflected in the plat records of the city.
5. Premises, dwelling: means a lot zoned SF, TH, or 2F that is
occupied by a residential housing structure.
6. Public right-of-way: means a dedicated road or street including the
easement for that road or street.
7. Sign: means any device, flag, banner, light, figure, picture, letter,
word, message, symbol, plaque, poster, display, design, painting, drawing,
billboard, wind device or other thing visible from outside the premises on which it
is located and that is designed, intended or used to inform, to advertise or to
attract the attention of persons not on those premises.
8. Signs, attached: means any sign attached to, applied on, or
supported by, any part of a building (such as a wall, window, awning, arcade, or
marquee) which encloses or covers usable space, with the exception of any
window sign as defined herein.
9. Sign, banner: means a sign which is not permanently affixed.
10. Sign, detached: means any sign connected to the ground that is not
an attached, portable or vehicle sign.
11. Sign, monument: means any detached sign which is of monolithic
or semi-monolithic construction being made from masonry, concrete materials,
wood or plastic provided that a masonry base is incorporated into the sign, with
no separation between the base of the sign and grade. (See Appendix Illustration
17)
12. Sign, off-premise: means a sign displaying advertising copy that
pertains to a business, person, organization, activity, event, place, service, or
product not principally located or primarily manufactured or sold on the premises
on which the sign is located.
13.
sign.
Sign, pole: means any detached sign which is not a monument
14. Sign, political: means any type of sign which refers only to the
issues or candidates involved in a political election.
15. Sign, portable: means a sign that is not securely connected to the
ground in such a way that it cannot easily be moved from one location to another,
and that is not an attached sign, vehicular sign, or a sign that refers solely to the
sale or lease of the premises.
16. Sign, premise: means a sign identifying or advertising a business,
person, or activity, and installed and maintained on the same premises as the
business, person or activity.
17. Sign, protective: means any sign which is commonly associated
with safeguarding the permitted uses of the occupancy, including, but not limited
to, "bad dog", "no trespassing", and "no solicitors".
18. Sign, subdivision: means a sign that identifies the name of the
subdivision only.
19. Sign support: means any pole, post, strut, cable, or other structural
fixture or framework necessary to hold and secure a sign, providing that said
fixture or framework is not imprinted with any picture, symbol or word using
characters in excess of one inch in height, nor is internally or decoratively
illuminated.
20. Sign, vehicular: means any sign on a vehicle moving along the
ground or on any vehicle parked temporarily, incidental to its principal use for
transportation. This definition shall not include signs which are being transported
to a site of permanent erection.
21. Sign, window: means any sign not government mandated, which is
attached to either side of the glass within a window or which is located within a
window opening and, as viewed from outside, is forward of the plane of the inside
face of an exterior wall.
22. Zoning district, business: means any zoning district designated by
this ordinance as O, R, C, TC, LI or HI. Any PD district with the previous listed
zoning prefix is also included in this list, unless specifically excluded by its
provisions.
23. Zoning district, non-business: means any zoning district not
designated as a business district as defined herein.
Sec. 6-15-3. Nonconforming Signs.
It is declared purpose of this section that in time all temporary signs shall
either conform to the provisions of this section or be removed. By the passage of
this ordinance and its amendments, no presently illegal sign shall be deemed to
have been legalized unless such sign complies with all current standards under the
terms of this ordinance and all other ordinances of the city. Any sign which does
not conform to all provisions of this ordinance shall be an illegal sign.
(A)
Impoundment: Any sign erected in or over a public right-of-way
either prior to or after the adoption of this ordinance, except as
permitted in this article, shall be construed a public nuisance and
the city may, without notice, remove and destroy any such sign.
Sec. 6.15-4. Permit procedures and fees.
1. Permits: No person shall erect, construct, relocate, alter, or repair a
sign under this article without first having obtained a permit, except as otherwise
provided in this section. This section does not apply to government signs.
2. Application: Application for a permit shall include a drawing to
scale of the proposed sign and all existing signs maintained on the premises and
visible from the right-of-way, and the sign specifications.
3. Fees: Every applicant, before being granted a permit, shall pay the
applicable fee established by resolution of the city council.
(A)
Any person who erects, places, alters, repairs or relocates a sign, or
commences work thereon, without first having obtained a permit,
shall pay a late fee equal to twice the amount of the applicable sign
permit fee.
Sec. 6-15-5. Provisions for all zoning districts.
1. Imitation of traffic and emergency signs prohibited: No person
shall cause to be erected or maintained any sign using any combination of forms,
words, colors, or lights, which imitate standard public traffic regulatory,
emergency signs, or signals, as established by the Texas Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices.
2. Special purpose signs:
(A)
Government signs: Signs which are legally required or necessary to
the essential functions of government agencies, such as flags,
insignia, legal notices, or informational, directional, or traffic signs
concerning governmental activities or buildings, shall be exempt
from the provisions of this section.
(B)
prohibited.
(A)
(B)
(c)
(D)
(E)
(F)
(H)
(H)
Holiday lights and decorations: Temporary lights and holiday
decorations shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
Prohibited signs: The following types of signs are specifically
Portable signs.
Balloons, streamers, bunting, banners, flags, flag poles, pole signs
or signs that contain moving parts unless otherwise specifically
allowed by this section.
Signs attached to or maintained upon any tree or public utility pole
or structure.
Signs attached to or painted on the outside of a fence, railing or
wall that is not a structural part of a building.
Signs illuminated to an intensity to cause glare or brightness to a
degree that could constitute a hazard or nuisance.
Signs that move, flash light intermittently, change color or revolve.
(G) Off-premise signs except as otherwise allowed under this
subsection.
Signs erected in the public right-of-way except as otherwise
allowed under this subsection. (I) Signs attached to a vehicle
advertising the sale of the vehicle where the vehicle is parked on
the premises of the business or in such a way that the sign attracts
the attention of or informs persons using the public right-of-way.
(J)
(K)
4.
(A)
(B)
A-framed signs (signs located in the back of a truck or other
vehicle).
Can signs made of plastic or similar translucent materials.
Flags: All flags shall conform to the following requirements:
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the display of
a national, state, county or school district or city flag.
A business may erect one corporate flag and flag pole, per
location, for a bonafide company or corporate office located within
the city.
5. Obscenity: No person shall display on any sign any obscene,
indecent or immoral matter. Any sign which contains any obscene, indecent or
immoral matter shall be removed or the obscene, indecent or immoral matter must
be removed within 24 hours of notice.
6. Obsolete signs: All temporary signs relating to an event shall be
removed within twenty-four (24) hours after the occurrence of the event.
7. Maintenance of signs: Sign and sign supports shall be maintained
in a state of good repair and neat appearance at all times.
8. Temporary banner signs: Banner signs shall be permitted subject
to the following restrictions:
(A)
Banner signs shall be constructed of cloth or canvas material and
must be anchored in such a way that would prevent the sign from
moving freely in the wind. Businesses that erect signs under the
provisions of this section shall not display a sign that states "Going
Out of Business" or similar message more than one time.
(B)
During the initial year of operation, a business shall be permitted to
erect one temporary banner sign a maximum of four times. Such
signs shall be erected a maximum of 14 days for each permit
except the initial sign may be erected for a maximum of 45 days. A
permit shall not be issued within 30 days of the date that any
temporary banner sign was erected at the occupancy. The permit
application for the sign must include the date the sign will be
erected, the date the sign will be removed and a drawing showing
the location of the sign. The effective area for such signs shall not
exceed 40 square feet.
(c)
A business that has been in operation for a period of one year or
more, and non-profit organizations, shall be permitted to erect one
temporary banner sign at an occupancy two times per calendar
year. Such signs shall be erected a maximum of 14 days for each
permit. A permit, for such a sign, shall not be issued within 30
days of the date that any temporary banners sign was erected at the
occupancy. The effective area for such signs shall not exceed 40
square feet.
(D)
New multi-family developments shall be allowed to display one
banner sign as provided in this section. Signs shall refer to leasing
information only and shall be removed within six months of the
date the permit was issued. Signs shall not exceed 150 square feet
in effective area. Signs shall be constructed of cloth or canvas
material and must be anchored in such a way that would prevent
the sign from moving freely in the wind.
Sec 6-15-6. Provisions for temporary (on-premise) signs.
The following signs may be erected and maintained subject to the
following restrictions:
1. Residential property sale and rental signs: The owner or occupant
may erect non-illuminated real estate sale and rental signs and personal property
sale signs in the required front yard of platted property zoned SF, 2F or TH until
the ownership has been transferred or the property is leased. On lots where a
sidewalk exists within the street right-of-way, signs shall be located between the
sidewalk and the house, but no closer than three feet from the sidewalk. On lots
where no sidewalk exists within the street right-of-way, the sign shall be located
at least 15 feet from the edge of the street pavement. On lots that abut streets
where sidewalks exist the signs shall be located no closer than 15 feet to any
street pavement. Lots shall be limited to three signs not exceeding six square feet.
No permit is required.
2. Business real estate signs:
(m)
Highway frontage:
(i) Temporary signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of the
land upon which the sign is located may be erected on a
tract of land two acres or larger in size fronting State
Highway 121 or Interstate Highway 635 subject to the
following restrictions.
(ii) Such signs shall not exceed 200 square feet in effective
area, shall be located a minimum of 15 feet from all
property lines and shall be limited to one sign per tract.
Permits for such signs are limited to a period of one year
from the date of issuance. No such signs may be erected or
maintained once 75 percent of the property has been sold,
rented or leased.
(B)
Other locations requiring a permit:
(i) Temporary signs advertising the sale, rental or lease of the
property on which the sign is located may be erected on a
tract of land less than two acres in size fronting State
Highway 121 and Interstate Highway 635, and on tracts of
any size elsewhere, except for property zoned SF, TH or
2F, subject to the following restrictions.
(ii) Such signs shall not exceed 36 square feet in effective area,
shall be located a minimum of 15 feet from all property
lines, shall be spaced a minimum of 50 feet apart along a
lot frontage, and shall be limited to no more than four signs
per lot. Permits for such signs are limited to a period of one
year from the date of issuance. No such signs may be
erected or maintained once 75 percent of the property has
been sold, rented or leased.
(c)
Locations not requiring a permit: No permit is required for the
owner or occupant of business zoned property to erect and
maintain non-illuminated real estate sale signs until the ownership
has been transferred, subject to the following restrictions. Such
signs shall not exceed six square feet and shall be located no closer
than 15 feet from any property line. No more than one sign shall be
located for every two acres in a tract of land or portion thereof.
3. Subdivision identification: Owners of property zoned SF, TH, and
2F may erect signs to identify new subdivisions, developers and builders, builders'
phone numbers and new home price information. Only one sign per subdivision is
allowed. Such signs shall not exceed 36 square feet in effective area, shall be
located a minimum of 15 feet from all property lines, and shall be limited to 15
feet in height. Permits for such signs shall be limited for a period of one year from
the date of issuance subject to renewal upon approval of the building official.
Such signs must be removed when permits have been issued for construction on
75 percent of the lots within the subdivision.
4. Temporary construction signs: One temporary construction sign is
permitted to advertise the coming of a new business. Such signs shall not be
erected prior to the approval of the site plan and/or zoning action by the city
council for the property on which the sign is to be located. The sign must be
removed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy or two years from the
date of the city council action, whichever occurs first. Such signs shall conform to
the following provisions:
Maximum effective area--100 square feet.
Maximum height-- 15 feet.
Minimum setbacks--15 feet from the street right-of-way.
Sec 6-15-7. Provisions for temporary off- premise signs.
1. Builders and Developers: Builders and developers may erect temporary off-
premise signs which refer to a subdivision. No more than ten signs per subdivision
may be erected. Such signs shall refer only to subdivisions located within the city.
A subdivision shall be defined as a platted tract of land that is zoned SF, TH or 2F.
Separate sections or phases of a subdivision shall not constitute a new and separate
subdivision. Such signs shall not list or refer to any builders or developers, and
shall be erected only between the hours of 6:00 p.m. Thursday and 10:00 p.m.
Sunday. Such sign faces shall not exceed six (6) square feet in effective area, or 36
inches in height as measured from grade. Signs may only be placed in the City's
right-of-ways as listed in Section 6-15-8, Sign Zones of this Article. No sign will
be allowed within any street median or attached to any tree, public utility pole,
street sign, traffic control sign or devise or other sign. No permit or fee is
required.
2. Real estate signs: Real estate agents or homeowners may erect on
private or public right-of-way, as measured and configured in accordance with
Figure 1 hereof, temporary off-premise signs which are only directional and only
refer to open houses within the City. Signs may contain only a directional arrow
and the words "OPEN HOUSE". Such signs shall be erected only between the
hours of 6:00 p.m. Thursday and 10:00 p.m. Sunday. Signs shall not exceed two
(2) square feet in effective area or 36 inches in height, as measured from grade.
Signs may be placed within the public right-of-way provided that they do not
project out over the street or sidewalk. Signs must be placed within a Sign Zone
as described by Section 6-15-8, Sign Zone, of this ordinance, if such a Sign Zone
is available at the location. No sign shall be allowed within any street median or
attached to any tree, public utility pole, street sign, traffic control sign or devise or
other sign. No permit or fee is required.
3. Religious institutions: Religious institutions may erect temporary
off-premise signs which refer to location and service schedules. Such signs shall
be erected only between the hours of 6:00 p.m. Thursday and 10:00 p.m. Sunday.
Signs shall not exceed six-square feet in effective area and 36 inches in height, as
measured from grade, as established in Figure 1. Signs may be placed within the
public right-of-way, provided they do not project out over the street or sidewalk.
Signs must be placed within a Sign Zone as described by section 6-15-8, Sign
Zone, of this ordinance. No sign shall be erected within any street median or
attached to any tree, public utility pole, street sign, traffic control sign or devise or
other sign. No permit or fee is required.
4. Political Signs:
(A)
Political signs on private property are exempt from the provisions
of this Article if it:
111.
iv.
does not have an effective area greater than 36 square feet;
is 8 feet or less in height;
is not illuminated; or
does not have any moving elements.
(B)
Political signs are strictly prohibited from any and all public
property and right-of-way within the City.
5. Garage sale signs: An occupant of a Single-Family or Multi-
Family residence may erect temporary off-premise signs which refer to a garage
sale held on their property. Such signs shall be erected only between the hours of
6:00 p.m. Thursday and 10:00 p.m. Sunday. Sign faces shall not exceed six (6)
square feet or 36 inches in height from grade, as depicted in Figure 1. Signs may
be placed within the city right-of-way, provided that they do not project out over
the street or sidewalk. Signs must be placed within a Sign Zone as described by
Section 6-15-8, of this article, if such a Sign Zone is available at the location. No
sign will be allowed within any street median or attached to any tree, public utility
pole, street sign, traffic control sign or devise or other sign. No permit or fee is
required.
6. Community event notices: Bonafide non-profit organizations may
erect temporary off-premise signs which refer to an activity or function of the
organization. Such signs shall not be erected for more than ten days. Sign faces
shall not exceed six square feet in effective area or 36 inches in height as
measured from grade, as depicted in Figure 1. Signs for events benefiting non-
profit organizations that are sponsored by a private business shall use a font for
the name of the non-profit that is three (3) times the size of the font used for the
name of the private business as depicted in Figure 1. Signs may only be placed
with the city's right-of-ways as listed in Section 6-15-8 Sign Zones, of this
Article. No sign will be otherwise allowed within any street median or attached to
any tree, public utility pole, street sign, traffic control sign or devise or other sign.
A permit shall be required for these signs; however, no permit fee will be
assessed.
Sec. 6-15-8. Sign Zones.
Signs listed in Section 6-15-7(1) Builders and Developers, Section 6-15-7(3)
Religious Institutions, and Section 6-15-7(6) Community event notices signs may
only be placed within identified Sign Zones. All other temporary signs, as herein
permitted, shall also be placed within the Sign Zone, when such sign is located at
an intersection which such sign zone exists. Signs within the sign zone may only
be placed in the direction of travel as the intersection is approached, as depicted in
Figure 2. Signs must be placed within the limits of the Sign Zone as identified on
the adjacent curb or pavement where a curb is not present. No sign will be
allowed within any street median or attached to any tree, public utility pole, street
sign, traffic control sign or devise or other sign. The following intersections are
designated as Sign Zones for the purposes of this section:
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Parkway Boulevard and Denton Tap Road
Sandy Lake Road and Denton Tap Road
Bethel School Road and Denton Tap Road
Beltline Road and Denton Tap Road
Wrangler Drive and Denton Tap Road
MacArthur Boulevard and Samuel Blvd.
MacArthur Boulevard and Parkway Boulevard
MacArthur Boulevard and Sandy Lake Boulevard
Beltline Road and MacArthur Boulevard
Sandy Lake Road and Samuel Boulevard
Sandy Lake Road and Moore Road
Ruby Road and Freeport Parkway
Creekview Drive and Freeport Parkway
Beltline Road and Fairway Drive (See Fig. 3)."
SECTION 2. That should any word, phrase, paragraph, section or phrase of this ordinance
or of the Code of Ordinances, as amended hereby, be held to be unconstitutional, illegal or invalid,
the same shall not affect the validity of this ordinance as a whole, or any part or provision thereof
other than the part so decided to be unconstitutional, illegal or invalid, and shall not affect the
validity of the Code of Ordinances as a whole.
SECTION 3. That it is further the intent and declared the purpose of this ordinance that no
offense committed, and no liability, penalty or forfeiture, either civil or criminal, incurred prior to
the time this ordinance was adopted shall be discharged Or affected by such passage, but prosecution
and suits for such offense, liabilities, penalties, or forfeitures may be instituted, and causes presently
pending may proceed. -
SECTION 4. Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this
ordinance or the Code of Ordinances of the City of Coppell, Texas, as amended hereby, shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction in the municipal court of the City of Coppell,
Texas, shall be subject to a fine not to exceed the sum of Two Thousand ($2,000.00) dollars for
each offense, and each and every day such offense shall continue shall be deemed to constitute a
separate offense.
SECTION 5. That this Ordinance shall take effect on January 1, 2004.
DULY PASSED by the City Council of the City of Coppell, Texas, this the ~ day of
~~~.~:l~ 2~3. i~
ATTEST:
RAPo~ LIBBY B~,, CITY SECRETARY
TORNEY
6 square-foot signs
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When a community event is sponsored by a private
company, the size of the event/non-profit's name
shall be a minimum of 3 times the size of the
sponsoring business or entity.
Figure 1
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