Orange County NC Website
Article 6: Development Standards <br /> Section 6.12: Signs <br /> <br /> <br />Orange County, North Carolina – Unified Development Ordinance Page 6-82 <br /> <br />(2) A Zoning Compliance Permit shall not be required to allow for the placement of a <br />political sign on private property. <br />(3) There shall be no limit to the number of political signs that can be placed on <br />private property so long as the placement of these signs complies with the <br />provisions of this Ordinance and the signs do not create a public safety hazard. <br />(4) Within residential zoning districts, political signs shall not exceed nine square feet <br />in area or four feet in height. <br />(5) Within non-residential zoning districts, political signs shall not exceed the <br />maximum allowable sign area permitted for freestanding signs. <br />(6) Political signs shall only be erected 90 days prior to the established date of a <br />general election, school board election, referendum, special election, primary, or <br />other similar political activity. <br />(7) Political signs shall be removed within 21 days after an election. <br />(8) Political signs shall be allowed within rights-of-way of the State highway system <br />only in accordance with State law. <br />(9) Political signs shall not be allowed on telephone poles, utility poles, trees, other <br />similar natural objects, and other signs or sign structures. <br />6.12.6 Prohibited Signs <br />The following signs are prohibited in all zoning districts: <br />(A) Advertising signs resembling traffic signals, traffic signs, emergency vehicles’ flashing <br />lights, non-governmental sanctioned signs utilizing the words ‘stop’, ‘slow’, ‘caution’, <br />‘danger’, or any sign that is likely to be misconstrued by the traveling public as being <br />official governmental signs or emergency warnings or which by their distracting nature <br />create a hazard to motorists; <br />(B) Signs, except for off-premises signs allowed under this Section, advertising an activity, <br />business, product or service no longer conducted on the premises upon which the sign is <br />located. Such signage shall be removed within 90 days from the date of termination of <br />such activity. Upon failure of the owner to remove such signs within the prescribed time, <br />the Planning Director shall take appropriate legal action to have such sign removed; <br />(C) Flashing, blinking, pulsating, signs or signs with moving parts except for signs showing <br />time of day and temperature that are part of an approved sign advertising a permitted <br />business activity on a parcel of property; <br />(D) Signs with electronic moveable copy, scrolling messages or other similar electronic <br />displays designed to change display more than once an hour or a maximum of 8 times in <br />a 24 hour period7; <br />(E) Signs, other than traffic, governmental, street name signs, political signs erected in <br />accordance with State law, or other official governmental or public agency sign, shall not <br />be permitted within any street right-of-way; <br />(F) Roof signs; <br />(G) Snipe signs; <br />(H) Beacon lights, animated signs, trailer signs and snipe signs; <br />(I) Portable signs, unless approved for a special event in accordance with Section <br />6.12.11(D); <br /> <br />7 Staff is proposing a universal standard for what constitutes electronic changeable copy to ensure proper  <br />enforcement.  <br /> 105