Article 6: Development Standards
<br /> Section 6.12: Signs
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<br />Orange County, North Carolina – Unified Development Ordinance Page 6-75
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<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 period;
<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 />(J) Signs supported in whole or in part by water, gas, air, or could otherwise be designated
<br />as inflatable signs; Individuals erecting an inflatable sign shall be subject to an immediate
<br />notice of violation and shall be required to remove the sign within the time frame it would
<br />normally take to deflate the sign, unless approved for a special event in accordance with
<br />Section 6.12.11(D);
<br />(K) Signs mounted on a single pole or mast;
<br />(L) Signs that contain rotating sign panels or objects;
<br />(M) Signs that obstruct ingress and egress to any door, window, fire escape, stairway, ladder,
<br />or other opening intended to provide light, air, ingress, or egress for any room or building;
<br />and
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