SECTION 43 - SIGNS

43.1     General: Unless otherwise provided in this Section, no sign shall be established, constructed, reconstructed, enlarged, extended, moved or structurally altered until an APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF ZONING COMPLIANCE therefor has been approved by the Zoning Enforcement Officer. It is the purpose and intent of this Section to accommodate the establishment of signs necessary for identification, direction and reasonable commercial promotion while avoiding signs of a character, as well as a proliferation and extension of signs, that would be detrimental to the public health and safety, property values and the appearance and beauty of the community. All signs shall conform to the provisions hereinafter specified.

43.2     Definitions: For the purpose of these Regulations, the term “sign” shall include every sign, billboard, illustration, insignia, lettering, picture, display, banner, pennant, flag, or other device, however made, displayed, painted, supported or attached, intended for use for the purpose of advertisement, identification, publicity or notice, when located out-of-doors and visible from any street or from any lot other than the lot on which the sign is located. The term “sign” shall include continuous strip lighting and shall not include any flag, pennant or insignia of any governmental unit or nonprofit organization or any sign located within the right-of-way of any public street when authorized by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Branford in accordance with the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut.

43.3     Standards All Districts: Signs in all Districts shall conform to the following standards:

43.3.1  Purpose: Except as otherwise permitted in Business Districts, Industrial Districts and Commerce Park Districts, all signs shall pertain only to a use of land, buildings and other structures actually in being on the lot where the sign is located. When such use shall have been discontinued for a continuous period of six (6) months, all signs pertaining thereto shall be removed or eliminated.

43.3.2  Location: No sign shall be located within or hung over the right-of-way of any street, except that a sign attached to the wall of a building may project 12 inches into such right-­of-way.

43.3.3  Projection and Hanging Signs: No sign, except signs attached to a marquee or canopy, shall project over or hang over any sidewalk, driveway, walkway, roadway or accessway, except that signs attached to the wall of a building may thus project not more than 15 inches there from, provided that such projection does not occur within eight (8) feet vertical clearance of the ground.

43.3.4  Obstructions: No sign shall be located or maintained so as to be a hazard to traffic or pedestrians, to obstruct any door, window, ventilation system or fire escape or exit, or to cause any other hazard to the public health or safety.

43.3.5  Light and Motion: No flashing, revolving or moving signs are permitted. All lighting of signs in Residence Districts shall be indirect with the source of illumination not visible from any street or from any lot other than the lot on which the sign is located.

43.4     Residence Districts: In addition to the standards specified in Paragraph 43.3 the following regulations shall apply to signs in Residence Districts:

43.4.1  Purpose: The following signs are permitted:

a.       identification signs giving only the name of the premises and of the occupant, and on any lot only two (2) such signs, each not over three (3) square feet in area;

b.      on a lot where the premises are for sale or for rent, one (1) real estate sign not exceeding five (5) square feet in area;

c.       on a tract of land for which a subdivision map has been approved by the Commission, one (1) real estate sign not exceeding 60 square feet in area for a period of one (1) year, subject to renewal annually and only during the development of the tract;

d.      building contractors’ and designers’ signs pertaining to buildings under construction; the total area of such signs shall not exceed 60 square feet, and such signs shall be removed within 30 days after completion of the project;

e.       on any lot containing a farm, church, place of worship, parish hall, cemetery, museum, school, college, university, membership club, charitable institution, hospital, recreation facilities, nature preserve, wildlife sanctuary, convalescent home, sanitarium, public utility or buildings, uses and facilities of the Town of Branford, State of Connecticut or Federal Government, one (1) sign not exceeding 16 square feet in area.

f.       private warning and traffic signs, with no advertising thereon, each not exceeding two (2) square feet in area;

g.      temporary signs for other purposes and for limited periods of time when approved by the Zoning Enforcement Officer.

NO APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF ZONING COMPLIANCE and no CERTIFICATE is required for signs permitted under Subparagraphs 43.4.la, 43.4.lb, and 43.4.lf.

43.4.2  Location and Height: Signs permitted under Paragraph 43.4.lc, 43.4.ld and 43.4.le shall not extend within less than 10 feet of any property line or street line; other signs may extend to the property line or street line. No sign shall be located on any roof, and no sign attached to a building shall project above the top of the wall of the building. Signs attached to buildings may project into the area required for setbacks provided that the sign does not project more than 12 inches from the wall of the building. No sign attached to the ground shall exceed a height of eight (8) feet.

43.5     Other Districts: In addition to the standards specified in Paragraph 43.3, the following regulations shall apply to signs in other than Residence Districts:

43.5.1  Purpose: The following signs are permitted:

a.       signs conforming to the requirements of Paragraph 43.3.1; and

b.      signs permitted in Residence Districts.

43.5.2  Location: Signs shall observe all setbacks required for buildings and other structures except as follows:

a.       signs that are also permitted in Residence Districts under Paragraph 43.4.1;

b.      signs attached to buildings may project into the area required for setbacks provided that the sign does not project more than 12 inches from the wall of the building; and

c.       on any lot in other than Central Business BC Districts, one (1) sign may extend to within 10 feet of any street line provided that the sign does not exceed an area of 40 square feet and more than eight (8) feet in any dimension.

43.5.3 Number, Height and Area: On any lot the total number of signs attached to the ground, except signs permitted under Paragraph 43.5.lb, shall not exceed one for each 30,000 square feet of lot area or fraction thereof, and only one of which may have an area greater than 40 square feet but not greater than 300 square feet. Any sign which is attached to the ground shall not exceed a height of 21 feet. Any sign attached to or mounted on a building shall not project more than four (4) feet above the top of the wall of the building. Signs attached to a wall of a building plus signs mounted on the roof of a building and designed to be viewed from the same side of the building as such wall shall not have an aggregate area greater than 1.5 square feet for each horizontal linear foot of such wall.

43.6     Measurements: Any sign may be double facing, and when a sign is attached to the ground only one face shall be counted in determining conformity to sign area limitations. All dimensions for signs shall be based on measurements to the outside edge of the sign excluding any structure necessary to support the sign. The area of any sign shall be the entire area encompassed by the perimeter of the sign, which perimeter shall be the polygon formed by connecting all the outermost edges or points of the sign.

43.7     Site Plans and Special Uses: Limitations on signs which may be imposed in connection with the approval of a site plan or the approval of a SPECIAL USE under these regulations are in addition to the provisions of this Section.

43.8     Special Events: Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, the Commission may by resolution authorize the establishment of temporary signs for periods not exceeding 10 consecutive days, and totaling not more than 30 days in any calendar year, for the purpose of announcing special events. In a Residence District, any such sign shall pertain only to a use permitted in such District.