Belmont Zoning Code § 23.5

• (a) Changeable copy, as defined herein, is prohibited except as follows:

  • (1) On Nonresidential Properties Fronting El Camino Real . See Subsection 0 (“Additional Sign Allowances for Nonresidential Properties Fronting El Camino Real”).

  • (2) For Uses Characterized by Public Assembly and Changing Programs or Events . Changeable copy signs are allowed on nonresidential property, subject to a sign permit, provided the copy area does not exceed 75% of the maximum allowable sign area.

  • (3) Gas Station Fuel Prices . Changeable copy is allowed for fuel price signs provided the copy area does not exceed 25% of the maximum allowable sign area for the establishment.

• (b) In all cases, the following requirements shall be met:

City of Belmont Zoning Ordinance 23-11

• (1) Illumination . Changeable copy signs are subject to the illumination standards of the district and use of the property on which they are located.

• (2) Maximum Frequency of Changes . Copy shall not be changed more than once every 24 hours.

• 23.5.3 Illumination Standards. The intent of these standards is to create a safe and comfortable nighttime environment, and ensure personal, pedestrian, and motor vehicle safety while reducing the negative effects of glare, light pollution and light trespass. The illumination of signs shall be designed, installed and maintained to avoid negative impacts on surrounding rights-of-way and properties. The following standards shall apply to all illuminated signs.

  • (a) Light Sources and Shielding Requireme nts. Light sources shall be concealed or shielded to prevent or to minimize light spillage, glare, momentary blindness, or other annoyance, disability or discomfort to persons within the view of such light sources.

  • (b) Time Controls . All illuminated signs shall be equipped with an automatic timed controller that prevents the operation of lighting fixtures between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. unless a different time limit is established by a Conditional Use Permit.

  • (c) Internally Illuminated Signs . Except for address signs, internally illuminated signs are allowed for nonresidential uses only. On any internally illuminated sign, the sign background or field shall be opaque and of a non-reflective material. Only the following internally illuminated structures are allowed:

    • (1) Stencil-cut Internal Illumination . This form restricts the illuminated portions of the sign to the lettering or logo. The remaining face of the sign is opaque.

    • (2) Channel Letter Internal Illumination . This style of sign is comprised of individual letters and symbols, each with its own internal illumination.

    • (3) Halo Lit Illumination. This channel letter sign has an opaque front, with an open or translucent back such that light from the letter is directed against the surface behind the letter, producing a halo lighting effect around the letter.

• (d) Light Sources Adjacent to Residential Areas. Illuminated signs located adjacent to any residential area shall be located and installed to reduce glare for residential buildings in the line of sight of the sign.

  • (e) Properties Fronting El Camino Real. For nonresidential properties fronting El Camino Real see Subsection 0 (“Additional Sign Allowances for Nonresidential Properties Fronting El Camino Real”).

• 23.5.4 Maintenance Required . All signs and associated supporting structures shall be maintained undamaged and in good condition.

  • (a) Deteriorated Signs . Any sign or sign structure that is sagging, leaning, fallen, decayed, broken, deteriorated or otherwise dilapidated shall be promptly repaired to the satisfaction of the City, or removed.

  • (b) Maintenance Standards . All parts, portions, units and materials composing a sign, or a sign structure, including all braces, bolts, supporting frames, and fastenings, shall be

City of Belmont Zoning Ordinance 23-12

maintained in a safe condition, painted, adequately protected from weathering, and reasonably free from deterioration, rot, rust, and loosening, so that they do not create a hazard to persons or property, or constitute a nuisance.

• (c) Summary Removal of Hazards . Whenever any sign, by virtue of its physical nature and condition, poses an immediately and serious threat to public safety, the sign may be removed or repaired by the City, to the extent necessary to protect public safety. The cost of such removal or repair shall be assessed against the sign owner.

• (a) Materials . Signs shall be made of sturdy, durable materials. Paper, cardboard, canvas and other materials subject to rapid deterioration may only be used for temporary signs.

  • (b) Mounting Requirement . All permanent signs shall be firmly anchored, shall comply with all requirements for public safety, and shall satisfy all applicable safety codes and all other applicable governmental enactments, rules, regulations, or policies.

• 23.5.6 Message Substitution. A protected noncommercial message of any type may be substituted, in whole or in part, for any duly permitted commercial message or any other protected noncommercial message. Any on-site commercial message may be substituted, in whole or in part, for any other on-site commercial message.

  • (a) No Additional Approval . This message substitution may be made without any additional approval, permitting, registration or notice to the City. The purpose of this provision is to prevent inadvertent favoring of commercial speech over noncommercial speech, or favoring of any particular protected noncommercial message over any other noncommercial message.

  • (b) Limitations . This message substitution provision does not:

    • (1) create a right to increase the total amount of signage on a parcel, lot or land use;

    • (2) affect the requirement that a sign structure or mounting device be properly permitted;

    • (3) allow a change in the physical structure of a sign or its mounting device; or

    • (4) authorize the substitution of an off-site commercial message in place of an on-site commercial message or in place of a noncommercial message.

• (a) Continuance and Maintenance . Non-conforming signs that were legal when first installed, and which have not been modified so as to become illegal, may be continued, except as otherwise provided for in this Subsection.

  • (1) Routine maintenance and repairs may be performed on signs that are nonconforming.

  • (2) A sign that did not conform to law existing at the time of its erection shall be deemed an illegal sign and shall not be a non-conforming sign. The passage of time does not cure illegality from the outset.

City of Belmont Zoning Ordinance 23-13

• (b) Alterations and Additions to Non-Conforming Signs . No non-conforming sign shall be moved, altered, enlarged, or converted to a different display technology or methodology unless required by law or unless the moving, alteration or enlargement will result in the elimination of the nonconformity. Modifications to either sign copy or the design of a sign display shall not constitute an alteration that would require the elimination of a sign’s nonconformity.

• (c) Restoration of a Damaged Sign .

  • (1) Whenever a non-conforming sign shall be destroyed by vandalism, fire or other calamity to the extent of 50% or less, the sign may be restored to display the preexisting sign area and the non-conforming use of the sign may be resumed, provided that restoration is started within one year and diligently pursued to completion and the height of the restored sign conforms to the standards of Section 23.

  • (2) Whenever a non-conforming sign shall be destroyed by vandalism, fire or other calamity to a greater extent than 50%, or shall be voluntarily razed or shall be required by law to be razed, the sign shall not be restored except in full conformity with Section 23.

  • (3) The extent of damage or partial destruction shall be based upon the ratio of the estimated cost of restoring the sign to its condition prior to such damage or partial destruction, to the estimated cost of duplicating the entire sign as it existed prior thereto. Estimates for this purpose shall be made or shall be reviewed and approved by the Director of Community Development.

• (d) Signs Rendered Non-Conforming by Annexation . Any sign that becomes nonconforming subsequent to the effective date of this Section by reason of annexation to the City of the territory, upon which the sign is located, shall be subject to the provisions of this Section

• (e) Façade Improvement Funds . For any project that City Façade Improvement Program funds are provided, all existing non-conforming signs on the subject property shall be brought into full compliance with existing sign standards at the time of the façade improvement as a condition for the receipt of City funding.

• (f) Abandoned Nonconforming Signs. Any nonconforming sign structure which has carried no message for more than 90 days, or which no longer identifies a bona fide establishment, business, lessor or owner, shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the property, after notice and hearing required by law.

• 23.5.8 On-site/Off-site Distinction. Throughout Section 23, the distinction between on-site (or on-premise or point-of-sale) and off-site (or off-premise or non-point-of-sale) applies only to commercial messages.

• 23.5.9 Signs That Display Obsolete Commercial Messages. Any sign copy that displays a commercial message identifying an establishment, lessor or owner whose use of the premises has ceased for more than 90 days, or which no longer identifies a bona fide establishment, lessor, service, owner, product, activity or event shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the property.

City of Belmont Zoning Ordinance 23-14

• 23.6 SIGN STANDARDS FOR NONRESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS . This Subsection establishes standards for signs in Nonresidential Districts. These signs also are subject to the regulations in 0 (“General Regulations Applying in All Districts”) and in 0 (“Standards for Specific Sign Types”). Regulations for temporary signs are in 0.

• 23.6.1. Types of Signs Allowed in Nonresidential Districts. The following table establishes the types of permanent signs allowed in Village, Commercial, Manufacturing, Executive, and Planned Development Districts.

Table 0: Permitted Permanent Signs By District – Nonresidential[1 ]

■ Permitted (subject to compliance with this Section)

◘ Permitted only as part of an approved Master Sign Program as described in 0

1. Additional allowances apply to signs on properties fronting El Camino Real; see Subsection 0.

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Figure 0: Village Sign Districts

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23.6.2 Dimensional Limits for Signs in Nonresidential Zoning Districts . Table 0 establishes the dimensional standards for permanent signs allowed in Nonresidential zoning districts. Additional allowances apply to signs on properties fronting El Camino Real; see Subsection 0.

Table 0: Dimensional Limits For Signs In Nonresidential Districts

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Table 0: Dimensional Limits For Signs In Nonresidential Districts

* Total Sign Area is based on an allowance in square feet per lineal foot of all street frontage.