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Article 6: Development Standards Section 6.12: Signs Orange County, North Carolina – Unified Development Ordinance Page 6-79 ‘danger’, or any sign that is likely to be misconstrued by the traveling public as being official governmental signs or emergency warnings or which by their distracting nature create a hazard to motorists; (B) Signs, except for off-premises signs allowed under this Section, advertising an activity, business, product or service no longer conducted on the premises upon which the sign is located. Such signage shall be removed within 90 days from the date of termination of such activity. Upon failure of the owner to remove such signs within the prescribed time, the Planning Director shall take appropriate legal action to have such sign removed; (C) Flashing, blinking, pulsating, signs or signs with moving parts except for signs showing time of day and temperature that are part of an approved sign advertising a permitted business activity on a parcel of property; 2 (D) Signs with electronic moveable copy, scrolling messages, or other similar electronic displays designed to change/display different advertising message(s) more than once an hour or a maximum of 6 times in a 24 hour period.3 The use of electronic displays in off- premise commercial signs is specifically prohibited except in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.12 inclusive.4 (E) Signs, other than traffic, governmental, street name signs, political signs erected in accordance with State law, or other official governmental or public agency sign, shall not be permitted within any street right-of-way; (F) Roof signs; (G) Snipe signs; (H) Beacon lights, animated signs, trailer signs and snipe signs; (I) Portable signs, unless approved for a special event in accordance with Section 6.12.11(D); (J) Signs supported in whole or in part by water, gas, air, or could otherwise be designated as inflatable signs; Individuals erecting an inflatable sign shall be subject to an immediate notice of violation and shall be required to remove the sign within the time frame it would normally take to deflate the sign, unless approved for a special event in accordance with Section 6.12.11(D); (K) Signs mounted on a single pole or mast; (L) Signs that contain rotating sign panels or objects; (M) Signs that obstruct ingress and egress to any door, window, fire escape, stairway, ladder, or other opening intended to provide light, air, ingress, or egress for any room or building; and (N) Signs that violate any provision of any law of the State of North Carolina relative to outdoor advertising. (O) Signs erected on telecommunication facilities or support structures other than safety notification(s) and those required by State or Federal regualtions.5 2 On advice from the County Attorney’s office we are deleting this language to address a concern existing language is not content neutral. The content of a sign cannot be specified, even if it is just ‘time/temperature’. 3 We need a standard as to what constitutes changeable copy to ensure proper enforcement while allowing some opportunity for said advertising display to be altered during the course of a day. 4 Section 6.12.2 establishes the County’s limitations with respect to the regulation of off-premise/outdoor advertising (i.e. billboards). We will continue to ban the use of electronic outdoor advertising so long as said ban is consistent with applicable State and Federal regulations in accordance with NCGS 136-131.2. 5 From time to time staff has received requests to place advertising signs on telecommunication facilities. To date we have forbidden such placement. Staff believes it is necessary to amend the UDO to include a specific prohibition to avoid uncertainty. 11