NOTICE
CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF ORION
ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE 153
SIGN ORDINANCE
The Charter Township of Orion Board of Trustees, at the regular meeting of Monday, July 17, 2017, held at 7:00 p.m., at the Orion Township Hall, 2525 Joslyn Rd., Lake Orion, Michigan 48360, adoptedan ordinance regulating the size, placement, and location of signs in the Charter Township of Orion; providing the process for application, issuance of and fees for sign permits; providing for enforcement of the provisions of this Ordinance, including penalties for the violation of its provisions; and providing for the repeal of Ordinance 138 and all ordinances or parts of ordinances which are inconsistent or in conflict with this Ordinance.
THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF ORION ORDAINS:
SECTION 1 of Ordinance
Section 1 – Short Title
This Ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the Charter Township of Orion “Sign Ordinance,” and it shall be deemed sufficient, in any action for enforcement of any of the provisions hereof, to refer to this Ordinance by this short title or by reference to the number hereof.
Section 2 – Intent and Purpose
Pursuant to the authority granted to the Charter Township of Orion by law, including the Charter Township Act, PA359 of 1947, the Township Zoning Act, PA 184 of 1943, the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, PA110 of 2006 and the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, PA33 of 2008, the Township hereby enacts the following regulations for the erection and maintenance of temporary and permanent signs in Orion Township.
The intent of this Ordinance is to regulate the location, size, construction, and manner of display of signs and outdoor advertising in order to minimize their harmful effects on the public health, safety and welfare. While this Ordinance recognizes that signs and outdoor advertising are necessary to promote commerce and public information, failure to regulate them may lead to poor identification of individual businesses, deterioration and blight of the business and residential areas of the Township, conflicts between different types of land use, and reduction in traffic safety to pedestrians and motorists.
Regulations are necessary to enhance visual quality of new and older business areas; to enhance and insure the compatibility between outdoor advertising signs and adjacent land uses; to limit the impact of the visual sign clutter and confusion, to ensure appropriate proportional scale with adjacent land uses and adjacent signs.
To achieve its intended purpose, this Ordinance has the following objectives:
A. To prevent the placement of signs in a manner that will conceal or obscure other signs or adjacent businesses;
B. To keep the number of signs and messages at the level reasonably necessary to identify a business and its products;
C. To keep signs within a reasonable scale with respect to the buildings they identify;
D. To reduce visual distraction and obstructions to motorists traveling along, entering or leaving streets;
E. To promote a quality manner of display which enhances the character of the Township; and
F. To prevent the proliferation of temporary signs which might promote visual blight.
(A s ummary of the provisions of the ordinance follows. See complete copy of ordinance at oriontownship.org for details)
Section 3 – Definitions
Section 4 – Exempt Signs
Section 5 – Prohibited Signs
Section 6 – Temporary Signs
Section 7 – Permitted Ground and Wall Signs by Use
Section 8 – Billboard Signs
Section 9 – Permitted Interior Window and Door Signs
Section 10 – Procedure for Obtaining Sign Permits
Permit Application. Permits are required, as provided for in this ordinance except where specifically exempted herein. Application shall be made on forms provided by the Building Department.
A. Planning and Zoning Approval.
1. Permanent Signs.
2. Temporary Signs.
Section 11 – Fees
Section 12– Variances and Appeals
Variances and Appeals.Variances to the requirements of this Ordinance and appeals from decisions of the Building Official or his or her designee may be heard upon application to the Township Zoning Board of Appeals.
A. The Township Zoning Board of Appeals shall be charged with the responsibility of interpreting and carrying out the provisions of this Ordinance.
B. Hearings.
C. Action of Zoning Board of Appeals.
D. Scope of Hearing.
E. Stay.
F. Variances.
G. Appeals.
Section 13 – Inspections
Section 14 – Requirements
A. Registration.
B. Contractor’s Insurance.
C. Installation without Owner’s Consent.
Section 15 – Construction Requirements
A. General Construction and Notice Requirements.
B. Obstruction to Ventilation.
C. Electric Signs.
D. Supports and Braces.
E. Wind Loads.
F. Protrusions.
G. Setbacks from Utilities.
H. Clear Vision.
I. Sight Distance.
J. Movement.
K. Maintenance.
L. Unsafe Signs.
M. Sign Lighting.
Section 16 – Limitations by Zoning District
Signs shall be permitted only in accordance with the schedules contained in this Ordinance which provide for limitations for height, display area, number of signs.
Section 17 – Nonconforming Signs
Section 18 – Unlawful Signs
A person shall not erect or maintain, or permit the erection or maintenance on any premises owned or controlled by them, any sign which does not comply with the provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 2 of Ordinance
Section 19 – Violations and Penalties
A. Municipal Civil Infraction/Payment of Fine.
B. Costs.
C. Additional Writs and Orders.
D. Default on Payment of Fines and Costs.
E. Failure to Comply with Judgment or Order.
F. Failure to Appear in Court.
G. Civil Contempt.
H. Lien Against Land, Building, or Structure.
Section 20 – Repeal
Ordinance No. 138 of the Charter Township of Orion, and all other ordinances or parts of ordinances which are inconsistent or in conflict herewith, are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency or conflict.
Section 21 – Severability
The various parts, sections and clauses of this Ordinance are declared to be severable. If any part, sentence, paragraph, section or clause is adjudged unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of the Ordinance shall not be affected.
Section 22 – Effective Date
This Ordinance shall be published in full in a newspaper of general circulation in the Charter Township of Orion, qualified under State law to publish legal notices, and shall become effective upon publication, as provided by law.
Section 23 – Adoption
This Ordinance is hereby declared to have been adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Charter Township of Orion at a meeting thereof duly called and held on the 17thday of July, 2017, and ordered to be given publication in the manner prescribed by the Charter of the Township of Orion.
Copies of the Ordinance are on file in the office of the Township Clerk, 2525 Joslyn, Lake Orion, Michigan, 48360, and may be examined during normal business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Penny S. Shults, Clerk
Charter Township of Orion
Publish: 07.26.17