§ 3.503. Exemptions.
The following types of signs are exempt from all the provisions of this subtitle, except for construction and safety regulations and the following standards:
(a)
Public Signs. Signs of a noncommercial nature and in the public interest, erected by, or on the order of, a public officer in the performance of his public duty, such as directional signs, regulatory signs, warning signs and information signs.
(b)
Temporary Signs. Temporary signs not larger than 32 square feet announcing any public, charitable, educational, or religious event may be placed on the property at which the event will take place. Temporary signs announcing the event may be placed at other locations provided that the total area of these signs on any residential lot shall not exceed six square feet and the total area of these signs on any commercial or industrial lot shall not exceed 32 square feet. Such signs shall be permitted to be erected within a County public road right-of-way except in an area designated as an historic district in a form no larger than six square feet and of materials prescribed by the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits solely upon the specific written approval of the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits in accordance with subsection 3.505a(b), provided that no more than two such signs are erected at any one time at any one location, and that placement of the signs does not create a situation hazardous to pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Such signs shall be allowed no more than 21 days prior to the event and must be removed within seven days after the event. Such signs may be illuminated in accordance with the restrictions set forth in section 3.508. If building mounted, these signs shall be flat wall signs and shall not project above the top of the wall. If ground mounted, the top shall be no more than 12 feet above ground level.
(c)
Integral Signs. Names of buildings, dates of erection, monumental citations, commemorative tablets and the like, when carved into stone, concrete or similar material or made of bronze, aluminum or other permanent type construction and made an integral part of the structure.
(d)
Private Traffic Direction. Signs directing traffic movement onto a premise or within a premise, not exceeding eight square feet in area for each sign. Illumination of these signs shall conform to section 3.508, except that standard traffic signal light devices may be used if needed. Horizontal directional signs on and flush with paved areas are exempt from these standards.
(e)
Real Estate Signs.
(1)
Signs on private property. Temporary real estate signs not exceeding six square feet in area located on the subject property and limited to one such sign for each frontage of a home, lot, parcel or tract under two acres in area. Signs shall be removed within seven days of the sale.
(2)
Signs on approach routes. Temporary real estate directional signs, not exceeding three square feet in area and four in number, showing a directional arrow and placed back of the property line, shall be permitted on approach routes to an open house. These directional signs announcing an open house may be placed in the County right-of-way between the hours of 4:00 p.m. Friday and noon on the following Monday. When a holiday occurs on a Monday or Friday, the hours in which these signs may be placed in the County right-of-way hall [shall] be extended by 24 hours to include the holiday. A Police Officer may remove these signs if in the opinion of the Police Officer, the signs so placed constitute a hazard to traffic.
(3)
Height of real estate signs. The top of any temporary real estate signs shall not exceed three feet in height, except crossbar post signs located on the property, the crossbar of which shall be limited to no higher than five feet above the ground.
(f)
Political Campaign Signs. Signs announcing candidates seeking public political office and other data pertinent thereto shall be permitted up to a total area of nine square feet for each premises in a residential district and 32 square feet in a commercial or industrial district. These signs shall be located only on private property and shall be no less than 15 feet from the nearest edge of the pavement and no less than 100 feet from the nearest curb intersection of any street or road. These signs may be displayed 60 days prior to and seven days after the election for which intended. In cases where a final election follows within 75 days of a primary election, those candidates who won in the primary election may continue to display their signs during the interim period and up to seven days after the final election.
(g)
Single-Family Residential Name and Street Address Signs. Two single-family residential name signs not exceeding two square feet each in area shall be permitted per single-family dwelling. Such signs shall be allowed on mailboxes, but shall otherwise be set back at least six feet from the nearest property line and shall not be over five feet above the ground, whether freestanding or on a building. Two street number signs not exceeding two square feet in area shall be allowed in any district. Such signs shall be allowed on mailboxes and over doorways but shall otherwise be set back at least six feet from the nearest property line, shall not be over five feet above the ground when freestanding, and shall not be over ten feet above ground on a building.
(h)
Flags. Flags of a nation, State, municipality, educational institution or noncommercial organization. In addition, any commercial or industrial use may display its corporate emblem in the form of a flag, provided that there is not more than one such flag on any parcel. In Downtown Columbia, flag poles shall not exceed the height of the building or 70 feet, whichever is less. Building wall mounted flag poles must comply with the projection criteria for "projecting signs" in Downtown Columbia. Each parcel shall be allowed a maximum of three flag poles.
(i)
Vending/Dispensing Machines. Permanent signs on vending machines, gas pumps or similar dispensing devices.
(j)
Banners. One temporary banner no more than 32 square feet in area is permitted for 14 days to announce the grand opening of an establishment. In Downtown Columbia, permanent and temporary banners are allowed on private land and may be mounted on buildings, street lights, and similar pole-like structures subject to the following:
(1)
Permanent banners shall be mounted perpendicular to a building with permanent brackets and constructed of canvas or other durable awning type material. Permanent banners are counted toward the total sign area of the building as calculated in subsection 3.501(c)(1)b. of this subtitle.
(2)
Seasonal banners may be displayed for up to 90 days and do not count towards the total sign area of a building provided the banner does not identify any specific commercial business. Seasonal banners shall not exceed 16 square feet per side. Seasonal banners shall be coordinated as to size, style, and placement.
(3)
Temporary banners may announce a grand opening, entertainment, or other event and do not count towards the total sign area of a building. Temporary banners shall be removed after 14 days.
(k)
Small Construction Identification Signs. Signs six square feet in area or smaller to identify building contractors, professional firms and lending institutions are permitted at construction sites provided there are no more than three such signs per site.
(l)
Athletic Playing Field Banners. An entity that operates and maintains an athletic playing field used by youth sports teams may display temporary banners on the fences of the field. The top of the banner shall not be over eight feet above the ground. Notwithstanding section 3.508 of this subtitle, a banner shall not be illuminated. The banners may be displayed only:
(1)
Facing the inside of the field; and
(2)
From March 1 through December 1.
(C.B. 1, 1972; C.B. 77, 1981; C.B. 44, 1983; C.B. 34, 1985; C.B. 90, 1989; C.B. 106, 1989; C.B. 8, 2008; C.B. 56, 2010, § 2)