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CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF COLOMA PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF COLOMA, BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing concerning proposed amendments to the Coloma Charter Township Zoning Ordinance will be held on April 19, 2010, commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Coloma Charter Township Hall,, 4919 Paw Paw Lake Road, Coloma, MI 49038.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the items to be considered include the following:

Single Family

Section 8.07 - Signs.

One (1) Wall Sign is permitted on either the dwelling structure or an accessory building. The Sign may be up to six (6) square feet in size and be placed anywhere on the wall of the dwelling or accessory building. All other signs, except signs permitted by Article XX, Section 20.05, are prohibited in this District.

Two-Family

Section 9.07 - Signs.

Multi-Family

Section 10.07 - Signs.

One (1) Wall Sign is permitted on either the dwelling structure or an accessory building. The Sign may be up to eighteen (18) square feet in size and be placed anywhere on the wall of the dwelling or accessory building. All other signs, except signs permitted by Article XX, Section 20.05, are prohibited in this District.

Residential Mobile Home

Section 11.07 - Signs.

Commercial

Section 12.08 - Signs.

Two (2) On-Site ground signs in addition to marquee, canopy, directional, and wall signs are permitted for the purpose of advertising only the enterprise of the property on which the sign is located provided each individual sign conforms to the size and locations standards of Section 20.14, and provided the total area of all ground signs do not exceed one hundred (100) square feet of total combined sign area.

If the Planning Commission determines a need, larger ground sign area, sign plaza, roof signs, and electronic message board ground signs may be allowed upon issuance of a Special Land Use Permit pursuant to Article XXV. Size, location and necessity shall be determined by the Planning Commission.

Commercial Industrial

Section 13.08 - Signs.

One (1) On-Site ground sign in addition to marquee, canopy, directional, and wall signs are permitted for the purpose of advertising only the enterprise of the property on which the sign is located provided each individual sign conforms to the size and locations standards of Section 20.14, and provided the total area of all ground signs do not exceed two hundred (200) square feet of total combined sign area.

Industrial

Section 14.08 - Signs.

Ag-Transitional

Section 15.08 - Signs.

Two(2) on-premise ground signs in addition to marquee, canopy, directional, and wall signs for the purpose of advertising the farming enterprise(es) of the property on which the sign is located are permitted, provided each individual sign conforms to the size and locations standards of Section 20.14 The total area of all signs on the property shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet.

If a Special Land Use Permit is granted in this district, any signage must be included in the application and approved as part of the Special Use Permit.

Any existing uses in this district granted through a Special Land Use permit is allowed one ground sign.

A. The signs shall not exceed sixteen (16) square feet in area.

B. The sign shall not exceed six (6) feet in height.

On properties bordering I-94 Highway, one (1) or more billboards may be allowed upon issuance of a Special Land Use Permit pursuant to Article XXV and meeting the standards of Section 20.14. Such billboards, if allowed, shall be placed within One Hundred (100) Feet of the highway right-of-way.

Seasonal temporary on-premises signs announcing the availability of seasonal farm products are permitted.

A. The total area of all signs shall not exceed sixty four (64) square feet.

B. Signs shall not exceed eight (8) feet in height.

C. Seasonal signs shall not be erected more than fifteen (15) days in advance of

the harvest of the produce in question and shall be removed thirty (30) days

from the end of harvest.

D. All signs shall be neat in appearance, with consistent lettering size.

Ag-Primary

Section 16.08 - Signs.

Two(2) on-premise ground signs in addition to marquee, projecting roof, directional, and wall signs for the purpose of advertising the farming enterprise(es) of the property on which the sign is located are permitted, provided each individual sign conforms to the size and locations standards of Section 20.14 The total area of all signs on the property shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet.

If a Special Land Use Permit is granted in this district, any signage must be included in the application and approved as part of the Special Use Permit.

Any existing uses in this district granted through a Special Land Use permit is allowed one ground sign.

A. The signs shall not exceed sixteen (16) square feet in area.

B. The sign shall not exceed six (6) feet in height.

Seasonal temporary on-premises signs announcing the availability of seasonal farm products are permitted.

A. The total area of all signs shall not exceed sixty four (64) square feet.

B. Signs shall not exceed eight (8) feet in height.

C. Seasonal signs shall not be erected more than fifteen (15) days in advance of

the harvest of the produce in question and shall be removed thirty (30) days

from the end of harvest.

D. All signs shall be neat in appearance, with consistent lettering size.

Floodplain Overlay

Section 17.14 – Signs

Waterfront Overlay

Section 18.19 – Signs

Exception: Commercial Business in Waterfront Overlay Zone. One (1) or more On-Site sign(s) may be allowed upon issuance of a Special Land Use Permit pursuant to Article XXV and meeting the standards of Section 20.14. The size and location of the sign(s) will be reviewed and a recommendation to the Township Board will be made by The Planning Commission through the Special Land Use process.

Section 20.11 Prohibited Signs are hereby amended as follows to add the following subsections:

7. Display or parking a motor vehicle or trailer upon a lot or premises in a location visible from a public right of way, for the primary purpose of displaying a sign attached to, painted on or placed on the vehicle or trailer, with the exception of vehicles used regularly in the course of conducting the principle use located on the premises.

8. Any off-premise signs other than directional and billboards.

9. Signs which incorporate in any manner flashing, blinking, fluttering or moving lights.

10. Signs which advertise an activity, business, product or service no longer conducted on the premises upon which the sign is located.

Section 20.14 Size, Height and Location Standards.

Subsection C. Ground Signs are hereby amended to eliminate the following subsections.

1. No sign shall be erected within the side or rear yard as required in the district in which the property is located.

3. The sign area shall not exceed one(1) square foot for each lineal foot of road frontage of the parcel on which the sign is to be erected.

D. Marquee Signs are hereby amended to eliminate the following subsection.

The sign area shall not exceed one (1) square foot for each lineal foot of road frontage of the parcel on which the sign is to be erected.

E. Parapet Signs, eliminate Parapet Signs from the Zoning Ordinance and replace subsection E with Projecting and Roof Signs to read as follows:

All projecting, roof and similar type signs and structures located within any zoning district in the Township and where allowed by this Ordinance shall comply with the following standards:

1. All signs erected shall provide for a minimum clear space of not less than five (5) feet between the lowest part of the sign and the roof level, except for necessary structural supports and braces.

2. No roof sign shall be placed within three (3) feet of the outer wall of the building.

3. No sign shall be erected which exceeds twenty (20) feet above any parapet, wall or eave line of the building on which is attached.

4. The sign area shall not exceed one (1) square foot for each lineal foot of road frontage of the parcel on which the sign is to be erected.

F. Wall Signs are hereby amended to eliminate the following subsection .

4. The sign area shall not exceed one(1) square foot for each lineal foot of road frontage of the parcel on which the sign is to be erected.

Section 20.14 is hereby amended to add the following new subsection:

G. Directional Signs. All directional signs and similar type structures located within any zoning district in the Township and where allowed by the Ordinance shall comply with the following standards:

1. No directional sign shall located in the road right of way

2. The sign area shall not exceed four (4) square feet in area

3. The sign shall be limited in content to the name of the business or event, distance in miles and a directional arrow.

4. Sign shall be placed within a two (2) mile radius from the business or event.

5. If signs are clustered, the total square footage of signage shall not exceed twelve (12) square feet.

6. Directional signs must be two thousand (2000) feet from any other directional sign unless the direction of travel changes.

Section 20.15 Temporary Signs is hereby amended to read as follows:

Temporary signs shall be permitted by the Zoning Administrator for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days.

Section 20.17 Mobile Signs is hereby added to read as follows:

All mobile and similar type signs located within any zoning district in the Township and where allowed by this Ordinance shall comply with the following standards:

1. Mobile signs shall be permitted by the Township Board for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days.

2. Mobile signs shall not exceed six (6) feet tall by eight (8) feet wide in sign area.

3. Mobile signs shall be constructed of such material and erected in such fashion as not to be or become unsafe during the sixty (60) day permitted time period.

4. An application for a mobile sign permit shall identify the location of the sign and the Zoning Administrator shall certify that the location of the proposed temporary sign is in conformance with all other terms of this Ordinance.

5. The applicant shall provide written evidence of permission to erect such sign if the applicant does not own the property on which the sign is to be erected.

6. The applicant shall, upon expiration of the sixty (60) day temporary permit, remove the sign. Failure to remove a mobile sign shall be a violation of this Ordinance and may serve as the basis for denial of request for future mobile sign permits made by the applicant.

SECTION II

AMENDMENT OF SECTION 34 - DEFINITIONS

Coloma Charter Township Zoning Ordinance is hereby amended to add the following definitions.

Sign, Billboard. A Ground Sign consisting of a panel for the display of advertisements. Billboard ground signs may only be located along Interstate I-94.

Sign, Canopy. An on-premise sign attached to or part of a canopy. A canopy is a covering that serves as a roof to shelter an area from the weather

Sign, Directional. Signs giving directional assistance for the convenience of the public when the direction of travel changes to a business or event within the Township.

Sign, Electronic Message Board. A sign, or portion of a sign, that displays an electronic image and/or video, which may or may not include text. Such signs include any sign, or portion of a sign, that uses changing lights to form a sign message or messages or uses electronic means to change the sign message. Electronic message boards include but are not limited to signs also known as Electronic Reader Boards, Electronic Message Center Signs, Tri-Panel Message Systems, and Commercial Electronic-Variable Message Signs (CEVMS). Electronic Message Signs are not considered flashing signs.

Sign, Mobile. A sign or display for commercial, industrial, service, institutional or entertainment purposes that is designed and manufactured to be self supporting, can be readily moved from place to place and does not need to be permanently affixed to the ground or a foundation.

Sign, Plaza. A group of permanent or temporary signs consolidated on a single display advertising businesses or events within the Township.

SECTION III

AMENDMENT OF SECTION 34 - DEFINITIONS

Coloma Charter Township Zoning Ordinance is hereby amended to read as follows.

Sign, On-Site to Sign, On-Premise

Sign, Off-Site to Sign, Off-Premise

Sign, Ground. A sign which is supported by one or more poles, uprights, or braces anchored permanently into the ground or affixed to a permanent foundation, which are not part of a building.