Tiburon Municipal Code Art. VII Sign Standards

The size, type, number, illumination, and other physical characteristics of signs shall be regulated by the residential or non-residential nature of the use. Except for those signs not subject to a sign permit under sections 16A.800 and 16A.810 of this chapter, or signs authorized through approval of a sign program under section 16A.525 of this chapter, all sign applications shall comply with the standards and limitations set forth in this section, unless the Town grants an Exception pursuant to section 16A.520.

(Ord. No. 515 N.S., § 2 (part))

The maximum number of signs that are permitted shall be regulated by use as specified below. Where more than one sign is permitted for a use, the combined area of the signs shall not exceed the sign area limit that is allotted.

(Ord. No. 515 N.S., § 2 (part))

(a) Residential Signs. Legal residential uses may erect, maintain and display signs as described in this section. Unless otherwise specified, the signs described in this section are not subject to a permit, but still must conform to the rules stated in this section. Transient occupancy uses (hotels, motels, bed and breakfast establishments, etc.) are not governed by this section.

(b) Single Family and Two-Family Residences. On legal, detached, single family residential uses and on legal, attached or detached two-family residential uses, each dwelling unit may display, at all times and in all zones, a total of eight (8) square feet of sign face, subject to:

(1) Number of sign faces: not limited; maximum area of any one sign face: eight (8) square feet; maximum height of any freestanding sign: eleven (11) feet; illumination: not allowed; mounting methods: wall, window, door, fence, or freestanding;

(2) Acceptable message types: non-commercial; nameplate, garage-sale signs, and signs described in Civil Code 713 (temporary real estate signs), as follows:

a. Nameplates (on-site only, which may include street address) may not be taller than eighteen (18) inches.

b. Other temporary signs for special events, such as garage sales, wedding receptions, etc., (on-site or off-site) on display on the day of the advertised event only, sunrise until event closes, but not later than sunset; maximum area per sign: four (4) square feet; maximum display area of all signs: eight (8) square feet; total number of signs : four (4).

c. Temporary on-site signs as permitted by California Civil Code 713, subject to: maximum number: one (1) per parcel; maximum display face area per sign: three (3) square feet; illumination: not allowed; physical type: attached or freestanding; display time: when the subject property is on the market and up to ten (10) calendar days thereafter.

(3) Pre-Election Period. During the time period that begins forty-five (45) days before and ends five (5) days after a special, general, or primary election, the total display area for non-commercial messages on temporary structures may be increased to sixteen (16) square feet. Such signs may be displayed only with the consent of the owner or legal occupant, may not project above the roofline of any building on the same parcel, and may be posted on walls or fences or windows, but not on trees or other plants. Illumination is prohibited.

(4) Flags, pursuant to section 16A.810, are not included within the limits of this subsection. Flags are subject to: number of freestanding poles per parcel: one (1); maximum height of freestanding flag pole: twenty-four (24) feet; height of the flag: no more than one-fourth (1/4) the height of the pole; number of flags per free standing pole: not limited; total display area of all flags (measured one side only): sixty (60) square feet; image types: no commercial images on residential uses. Illumination is prohibited.

(5) Neighborhood signs. Near any major street entrance to a neighborhood or housing development, the developer or the homeowners' association may install a sign, subject to: maximum height, five (5) feet; maximum length, six (6) feet; maximum area of display face, twelve (12) square feet; illumination, not permitted; copy, permanent image only with no changeable or changing images and no off-site commercial messages.

(c) Multi Family Residential—Units. On legal, attached, multiple family residential uses, at all times and in all zones, each individual dwelling unit may display signs, subject to:

(1) Number of sign faces: not limited; maximum size of any one sign face: eight (8) square feet; illumination: not allowed; mounting methods: wall, window, door, fence; freestanding signs are not allowed;

(2) Acceptable message types: non-commercial; nameplate, garage-sale signs, and signs described in Civil Code 713 (temporary real estate signs), as follows:

a. Nameplates (on-site only, which may include street address) may not be taller than eighteen (18) inches;

b. Other temporary signs for special events, such as garage sales, wedding receptions, etc., (on-site or off-site) on display on the day of the advertised event only, sunrise until event closes, but not later than sunset; maximum size per sign: four (4) square feet; maximum display area of all signs: eight (8) square feet; total number of signs : four (4).

c. Temporary on-site signs as permitted by California Civil Code 713, subject to: maximum number: one (1) per parcel; maximum display face area per sign: three (3) square feet; illumination: not allowed; physical type: attached or freestanding; display time: when the subject property is on the market and up to ten (10) calendar days thereafter.

(3) Pre-Election Period. During the time period that begins forty-five (45) days before and ends five (5) days after a special, general, or primary election, the total display area for non-commercial messages on temporary structures may be increased to sixteen (16) square feet. Such signs may be displayed only with the consent of the owner or legal occupant, may not project above the roofline of any building on the same parcel, and may be posted on walls or fences or windows, but not on trees or other plants. Illumination is prohibited.

(4) Flags, pursuant to section 16A.810, are not included within the limits of this subsection. Flags are subject to: number of flags per dwelling unit: not limited; total display area of all flags (measured one side only): sixty (60) square feet; image types: no commercial images on flags on residential uses. Illumination is prohibited; no freestanding flag poles allowed.

(5) Neighborhood Signs. Near any major street entrance to a neighborhood or housing development, the developer or the homeowners' association may install a sign, subject to: maximum height, five (5) feet; maximum length, six (6) feet; maximum area of display face, twelve (12) square feet; illumination, not permitted; copy, permanent image only with no changeable or changing images and no off-site commercial messages.

(Ord. No. 515 N.S., § 2 (part))

Signs on the public right of way and on town property are regulated by town council Resolution No. 03-2009, or the most current successor thereto.

(Ord. No. 515 N.S., § 2 (part))

Signs located on non-residential uses shall be permitted sign area based on the linear distance in feet of establishment frontage (as defined in section 16A.305), as follows:

(a) The allowable sign area for any establishment shall be one (1) square foot of sign area for each four (4) linear feet of establishment frontage. Additional (e.g., second and third) floor uses, if different uses than ground floor uses, shall have a fifty percent (50%) establishment frontage allowances to ground floor uses.

(b) For establishments or uses with less than twenty (20) linear feet of establishment frontage, a sign area allotment of five (5) square feet shall be allowed without the granting of an exception.

(c) For a parcel with more than one (1) establishment frontage, or where an establishment is contained in more than one (1) building, each establishment frontage shall be considered and calculated separately in determining allowable sign area. Transfer of sign area from one establishment frontage to another where an establishment has more than one (1) establishment frontage may be allowed with the granting of a minor exception.

(d) A maximum of two (2) permanent signs shall be permitted per frontage for each establishment except as follows:

(1) There shall be no more than one (1) freestanding sign per lot or parcel, except that lots or parcels greater than one acre in area may have up to three (3) freestanding signs.

(2) There shall be no more than one (1) projecting sign per establishment.

(e) A shopping center may erect and display an additional sign listing tenants within the center, subject to: maximum area: eighty (80) square feet; location: may be freestanding.

(f) A multiple-tenant building may display an additional sign listing tenants in the building, subject to: maximum area: twenty-five (25) square feet; location: may be freestanding.

(Ord. No. 515 N.S., § 2 (part))

(a) On non-residential uses, temporary and incidental signs may be erected, maintained and displayed according to this section. Unless otherwise specified, the signs described in this section may be displayed in addition to those described in section 16A.720, and are not subject to a permit.

(b) Non-Commercial Messages. In addition to signs authorized or exempted by other sections, and in addition to those signs allowed under the message substitution provision, all legal non-residential uses may erect, maintain and display signs exclusively used for non-commercial messages, as described in this section. If the mounting device qualifies as a "structure" under the Building Code, then all relevant requirements of that and other safety codes must be satisfied. Total number of such signs is not limited, but the total sign area is limited to four (4) square feet at all times.

(c) Pre-Election Period. During the time period that begins forty-five (45) days before and ends five (5) days after a special, general, or primary election, the total display area for non-commercial messages on temporary structures may be increased to sixteen (16) square feet, with no individual sign to exceed eight (8) square feet. Such signs may be displayed only with the consent of the owner or legal occupant, may not project above the roofline of any building on the same parcel, and may be posted on walls or fences or windows, but not on trees or other plants.

(d) Temporary on-site signs as permitted by California Civil Code 713, subject to: maximum number: two (2) per parcel; maximum display face area: six (6) square feet per sign; display time: when the subject property is on the market, and up to ten (10) days thereafter.

(e) Flags. Non-residential uses may display flags with non-commercial images or on-site commercial images, subject to: Maximum number of poles per parcel: one (1); maximum height of any freestanding pole: twenty-four (24) feet; maximum number of flags: three (3); maximum size of any one flag: twenty (20) square feet; total area (measured one side) of all flags on a given parcel or use: sixty (60) square feet; mounting: directly or on shafts attached to a wall, door, window or fence, or on a freestanding pole. Flags displaying commercial messages shall be counted toward sign number, type and area; shall require a sign permit; and shall be subject to all rules and regulations set forth in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 515 N.S., § 2 (part))