Orange County NC Website
Article 6: Development Standards <br /> Section 6.12: Signs <br /> <br /> <br />Orange County, North Carolina – Unified Development Ordinance Page 6-83 <br /> <br />Planning Department and all other related agencies (i.e. NC Department of <br />Transportation). <br />6.12.12 Signs Permitted in Specific Zoning Districts <br />The following signs shall be permitted in the zoning districts indicated, in accordance with all <br />other provisions of this Section and specific standards for each sign established herein: <br />(A) On-Premise Commercial Signs <br />(1) These signs shall comply with all state and county building codes and the <br />National Electric Code. Clearance of signs is required from high voltage power <br />lines and signs shall be located in such a way that they will maintain horizontal <br />and vertical clearance of all overhead electrical conductors in accordance with <br />the National Electric Code specifications, provided that no sign shall be installed <br />closer than ten feet horizontally or vertically from any conductor or public utility <br />guy wire. <br />(2) On-premise commercial signs shall be permitted within the following zoning <br />districts: LC-1, NC-2, CC-3, GC-4, EC-5, OI, EI, I-1, I-2, I-3, AS, MPD-CZ, MHP- <br />CZ, ASE-CZ, REDA-CZ7 and all of the Economic Development zoning districts. <br />(3) All oOn-premise commercial signs shall be setback a minimum of ten feet from <br />the front, side, and rearall property lines or and the edge of any existing or <br />projected street right-of-way line whichever is greater. Signs greater than 32 <br />square feet, as allowed herein, shall be setback an additional 5 feet. 8In cases <br />where a property abuts a residential zoned parcel of property, the side or rear <br />yard setback requirement shall be doubled. <br />(4) Number of Signs Permitted <br />(a) One on-premise commercial sign shall be permitted per parcel. <br />However, one additional on-premise commercial sign may be permitted <br />for parcels with frontage on more than one right-of-way in accordance <br />with the provisions of this Section. <br />(b) Under no circumstances shall more than one three-dimensional sign be <br />permitted on-site. <br />(c) For multi-tenant buildings and/or sites permitted as a conditional use or <br />conditional zoning district, additional on-premise commercial signs or <br />sign area may be permitted by the Board of County Commissioners with <br />the approval of a master sign plan. <br />(5) Height of Signs <br />(a) Pole signs shall be limited to a height of 24 feet with a mandatory ground <br />clearance of eight feet from the normal or finished grade elevation of the <br />property at the base of the sign. Pole signs shall be mounted on 2 posts <br />or masts. 9 <br />(b) Ground signs shall not exceed six feet in height from the normal or <br />finished grade elevation of the property at the base of the sign <br />(6) The allowable area for on-premise commercial signs shall be determined as <br /> <br />7 We are adding references to the recently adopted Agricultural Support Enterprises Conditional Zoning District  <br />(ASE‐CZ) and the Rural Economic Development Area Conditional Zoning District (REDA‐CZ).  This is to ensure  <br />freestanding signage can be erected on property.  <br />8 Staff is recommending the imposition of a larger setback in those instances were a larger free-standing <br />sign is allowed.    <br />9 This requirement is currently referenced within the definition section of the UDO. We are moving it here <br />as regulation(s) are more appropriate within the various, applicable, sections rather than being contained <br />within definitions. <br /> 14