[Amended 10-27-1970 by Ord. No. 70-ZC-10; 7-6-1971 by Ord. No. 71-ZC-10; 7-6-1971 by Ord. No. 71-ZC-13; 7-27-1971 by Ord. No. 71-ZC-15; 9-14-1971 by Ord. No. 71-ZC-17; 8-5-1975 by Ord. No. 75-ZC-57; 4-7-1981 by Ord. No. 81-80-ZC-95; 1-26-1982 by Ord. No. 82-ZC-108; 6-12-1990 by Ord. No. 90-ZC-233; 4-4-2000 by L.L. No. 6-2000; 9-10-2002 by L.L. No. 39-2002; 10-26-2004 by L.L. No. 34-2004; 5-10-2005 by L.L. No. 18-2005]

It is the intention of the Town Board to exercise its police power and zoning authority to (a) assure the compatibility of signs with the surrounding environment, (b) create a more attractive economic and business climate; (c) conserve property values in all areas, (d) protect public investment in streets and highways, (e) promote the welfare and safety of motorists and town residents, (f) safeguard the streetscape of the Town, (g) prevent property damage and personal injury which may result from signs which are improperly constructed, secured or poorly maintained, (h) balance public and private objectives, and (j) promote the use of signs which are aesthetically pleasing, of appropriate scale, and integrated with surrounding buildings and landscape, in order to meet the community's expressed desire for quality development.

Any sign lawfully existing prior to the effective date of an amendment to this Chapter, which, by virtue of such amendment, does not conform to the requirements of the Chapter, shall be permitted to remain in place for a period of two (2) years of the effective date of such legislation. Such signs and sign assemblages shall be brought into compliance with current requirements or shall be dismantled and removed from their location prior to the expiration of such period. The property owner and person or business entity for whose benefit the sign is placed. shall be responsible for compliance with the provisions of this section and the failure to do so shall be deemed an offense against this chapter.

Except as otherwise set forth in this article:

A. The following signs in all Districts shall be exempt from the requirement of a sign permit. Such signs shall not interfere with vehicular or pedestrian travel or cause a public hazard or nuisance.

(1)Signs required by statute, law or as a result of legal proceedings; and signs of official nature posted for public or governmental purposes by federal, state, county or local agencies.

(2)Any directional, directory, or announcement sign posted or installed by a municipality in connection with a public building or public event, as long as the sign is not more than eighteen (18) square feet in area.

(3)Public information signs.

(4)Danger or cautionary signs posted by a public utility company or public carrier to warn or inform the public.

(5)One (1) real estate sign not more than six (6) square feet in area [indicating] announcing the sale, lease or rental of the premises, as long as the sign is displayed on the property which is for sale, lease or rent. On lots greater than 35,000 square feet which are either located in a commercial or industrial district, or are utilized for commercial or industrial purposes, a real estate sign shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet.

(6)One (1) nonilluminated announcement sign of a permanent nature accessory to the use of the property by a charitable, educational, philanthropic, civic or religious organization, as long as the sign is not located closer than ten (10) feet from any property line and is not more than six (square feet in area. Such sign may be up to thirty-two (32) square feet in size, if it is not place for more than thirty (30) days.

(7)Historical markers and tablets, memorial signs. plaques and emblems installed by governmental agencies, where no public hazard is created and the space does not exceed four (4) square feet.

(8)Signs located at designated public transit bus stops and on bus shelter canopies, provided that the Town Board has licensed the use of such areas for signage.

(9)Signs on vehicles operated by the Town of Huntington or other municipality that provide public transportation.

(10)Signs on licensed commercial vehicles, such as vehicles regularly used in the regular course of business, including trailers, provided such vehicles and trailers are not utilized as parked or stationary outdoor display signs.

(11)Signs located within malls, courts, arcades and similar areas where such signs are not visible from any point beyond the boundary of the property.

(12)Signs temporarily required to be posted in connection with an application before the Town Board, Zoning Board of Appeals or Planning Board, provided such signs are removed as provided in the applicable provisions of the Town Code.

B. The following signs in all Districts shall not require a sign permit but shall be subject to an inspection and the payment of an inspection fee as provided in § 198-99(B)(3).

(1)Nonilluminated directional or directory signs not more than two (2) square feet in area.

(2)One (1) freestanding nonilluminated directional or directory sign not more than four (4) square feet in area nor more than eight (8) feet in height at each point of egress and ingress to a premises used for nonresidential purposes.

(3)One (1) nameplate and one (1) home occupation sign, each not more than two (2) square feet in area and nonilluminated, except that a sign placed to announce the office of a physician may be illuminated.

(4)One (1) nonilluminated sign not more than twelve (12) square feet in area announcing the sale of agricultural products or animals raised on the premises.

(5)One (1) directly or indirectly illuminated announcement sign accessory to the use of property by a charitable, educational, philanthropic, civic or religious organization, including bulletin boards customarily used by religious organizations, provided that the sign is not more than twenty (20) square feet in area or located closer than ten (10) feet from any property line.

C. The following signs shall be permitted in the R-3M and R-RM Residence Districts, C-1 Office-Residence District and C-12 Professional District:

(1)One (1) directly or indirectly illuminated facial sign not more than ten (10) square feet in area, for multiple dwelling residential uses, which shall contain only the name and address of the building or the management thereof.

(2)For commercial uses in the C-1 and C-12 Districts, one (1) indirectly illuminated facial sign not more than ten (10) square feet in area, which shall contain only the name and address of the building and the management thereof, and one (1) nonilluminated nameplate not more than one (1) square foot in area, attached to the face of the building, for each office occupant.

D. The following signs shall be permitted in the C-2 Single Purpose Office Building District and in the I-1, I-2, I-3 and I-4 Light Industry Districts:

(1)One (1) directly or indirectly illuminated facial identification sign for the main building, provided that no such sign shall be more than four (4) feet in vertical dimension, nor more than sixty (60) square feet in area.

(2)One (1) monument sign.

(3)In the case of buildings used for multiple tenancy, not more than three a) facial identification signs shall be permitted on the frontage of the building, provided that such signs shall not be more than four (4) feet in vertical dimension, nor more than sixty (60) square feet in aggregate area for each sign.

E. The following signs shall be permitted in the C-3, C-4, C-6 Huntington Station Overlay District, C-9, C-10 and C-11 Business Districts:

(1)Directly or indirectly illuminated facial identification signs for each business establishment. The total area of all identification signs allowed for any permitted structure shall not exceed thirty (30) square feet for each business located on the property or fifteen percent (15%) of the area of the principal frontage of the building, whichever is greater. The term "principal frontage" shall exclude parapet walls or other walls which do not enclose a portion of the building. In no event shall more than three (3) facial identification signs be permitted for each business establishment.

F. The following signs shall be permitted in the C-5, C-6, C-7 and C-8 Business Districts:

(1)Directly or indirectly illuminated facial identification signs for each business establishment. The total area of all identification signs allowed for any permitted structure shall not exceed sixty (60) square feet for each business located on the property or fifteen percent (15%) of the area of the principal frontage of the building, whichever is greater. The term "principal frontage" shall exclude parapet walls or other walls which do not enclose a portion of the building. In no event shall more than three (3) facial identification signs be permitted for each business establishment.

(2)A marquee may be permitted where accessory to a permitted theater, hotel or as otherwise provided in this Chapter. The sign area of a marquee shall be included in the total sign area allowance permitted in the District where the property is located.

G. The following signs shall be permitted in the I-5 General Industry District:

(1)Not more than one (1) directly or indirectly illuminated identification sign shall be permitted on each of two (2) frontages of a building, provided that no such sign shall be more than four (4) feet in vertical dimension, nor more than sixty (60) square feet in area. Such signs shall be facial signs, and no freestanding signs shall be permitted, except one (1) freestanding monument sign subject to the size and location restrictions set forth in Subsection (I)(2) herein.

H. The following signs shall be permitted in the I-6 Generating Station District:

(1)One (1) indirectly illuminated facial identification sign on each street frontage, provided that such sign shall not be more than one hundred (100) square feet in area nor more than fifteen (15) feet in height and no such sign shall be erected within fifty (50) feet of a street line.

I. The following signs shall be permitted in all commercial districts or commercially-utilized properties unless otherwise noted:

(1)Interior signs limited to twenty five percent (25%) of the total area of the window in which they are displayed.

(2)One freestanding identification sign not larger than thirty two (32) square feet may be erected. For each foot of setback from the permitted location as provided in Subsection (I)(2)(d) of this section, the sign area may be increased by two (2) square feet to a maximum of ninety-six (96) square feet subject to the limitations listed below. Any proposed freestanding sign within a Historic District, a Historic Overlay District or a Historic Site or Landmark shall be subject to the review and approval of the Town of Huntington Historic Preservation Commission, as well as the Director of Public Safety.

(a)The height of such sign from grade to the top of the sign structure shall not exceed one-half (1/2) of the square footage of the sign area to a maximum of thirty (30) feet.

(b)No variance shall be granted so as to permit a sign larger in dimension than provided in this article for the particular district and any such freestanding sign shall be included in computing the total sign allowance.

(c)Not more than one (1) such sign shall be permitted for each lot or property regardless of the number of buildings located on the property or the number of business enterprises located within each building.

(d)No freestanding sign shall be erected or maintained so that any portion of the sign or assemblage is located within ten (10) feet of a street right-of-way line.

(e)No more than one (1) facial identification sign shall be permitted if the applicant elects to erect a freestanding identification sign pursuant to this section.

(f)An additional five (5) square feet of sign may be permitted solely for the street number on any permitted sign.

(g)When a freestanding sign is included on a site plan requiring the approval of the Planning Board, the location of the freestanding sign shall be at the discretion of the Planning Board. No freestanding sign shall be relocated or repositioned from its approved location without the consent of the Planning Board.

(h)Signs advertising the price of gasoline at individual pumps in automotive service stations as provided in § 151-1(A) shall be exempt from the provisions limiting the number and area of permitted signs. Advertising price signage required by § 151-1(C) along street frontages shall also be exempt from the number and area requirements. but shall comply with the height and setback requirements of this Chapter.