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ISLE OF WIGHT

Isle of Wight County has adopted new rules regarding temporary signs. The revised sign ordinance, listed in Article IX section 9-1006 took effect in mid-March following a vote by the county’s Board of Supervisors.

The ordinance states that up to two feather signs or a single non-feather sign up to 32 square feet in size may be placed for 30 days, but must them be removed for at least 30 days before being put out again. Feather signs must also be 10 feet from the right of way and outside sign triangles.

For banner signs, the ordinance states that a single banner up to 24 square feet in size may be placed for 30 days but must then be removed for at least 30 days before being re-hung. The ordinance further requires that any banner sign be securely affixed to a building.

For signs at shopping centers, the ordinance allows up to three temporary signs with a minimum of 20 feet of separation between signs at shopping centers of 25,000 square feet or less; four temporary signs with a minimum of 25 feet of separation for shopping centers 25,001 to 50,000 square feet; five temporary signs with a minimum of 30 feet of separation for shopping centers 50,001 to 100,000 square feet; and six temporary signs with a minimum of 35 feet of separation for shopping centers 100,000 square feet and above.

The ordinance further mandates that temporary signs shall require a permit from the county and that any feather signs, temporary signs or banners found to be in violation of the requirements shall result in the immediate removal of the violating sign by the county, and a loss of privileges on the part of the sign owner to display feather signs, temporary signs or banners for a period of four months for a first violation, six months for a second violation and one year for any subsequent violation. It also requires that all feather signs, temporary signs or banner signs shall be maintained in a state of good repair, and states that any in a state of disrepair for a period of three days or longer, following notification of the owner by the county, are subject to immediate removal and disposal as a nuisance.

The revised ordinance also changes the requirements for permanent window signs, stating that these either individually or collectively shall be limited to occupying no more than 20 square feet. The previous wording of the ordinance had imposed a limit of 15 percent of the surface area of the transparent portion of the window or door to which they were attached.

The changes to the sign ordinance were first proposed last year by Newport District Supervisor William McCarty.