§ 5.06.04. Development Standards for Signs in Nonresidential Districts.

A.

Noncommercial signs are allowed in all districts and may be substituted for any sign expressly allowed under this ordinance, and any sign permitted by this ordinance may display a noncommercial message. Noncommercial signs are subject to the same permit requirements, restrictions on size and type, and other conditions and specifications as apply to the sign for which they are being substituted.

B.

Applicability. Signs within nonresidential zoning districts and in designated nonresidential portions of PUD zoned properties shall be permitted as provided for in this section.

C.

Development standards.

1.

The maximum size limitation shall apply to each sign structure or sign area , whichever is applicable. Pole or ground signs may be placed back to back or in V-type construction, when both sides bear the same graphic display; then such sign structure shall be considered as one sign.

2.

Spot or floodlights shall be permitted only where such spot or floodlight is non-revolving and said light shines only on the owner's premises or signs and away from any right-of-way.

3.

The use of accent lighting as defined by the Land Development Code is prohibited.

4.

The use of fluorescent colors on signs is prohibited.

5.

If the applicant is not the owner of the property, then a copy of a notarized authorization letter between the property owner or property manager and the applicant is required, specifically authorizing approval of the erection of a sign on the subject parcel .

6.

Official Address Numbers and/or the range of Official Address Numbers shall be posted within the upper third portion of the sign face for commercial signage that utilizes the following sign types: pole sign , ground sign , and directory sign . Address numbers on signs shall be a minimum height of 8 inches. Where signs are erected on streets that do not match the building address, no address numbers shall be posted on the sign . Address numbers shall not count as sign message or graphics, unless address numbers exceed 12 inches in height.

7.

The permit or application number shall be displayed or affixed at the base of the sign structure and shall have the same life expectancy as the sign . Such permit number shall be clearly legible to a person standing 5 feet in front of the base of the sign and, in no case, shall the permit number be less than ½ inch in height.

8.

Double-faced signs shall be measured by one side only if both sides display the same graphics.

9.

No signs shall be permitted on a vacant lot or parcel , unless a building permit or clearing permit has been issued, with the exception of real estate signs which may be allowed on parcels less than 10 acres.

10.

For any ground sign over 32 square feet or over 8 feet in height, construction drawings shall be certified by a Florida registered engineer or a Florida registered architect. The construction drawings shall contain the plans and specifications, the method of construction, and the method of attachment to the building or the ground for pole signs and all projecting signs.

11.

Sign area shall be no lower than 24 inches above grade.

D.

Real estate signs shall be permitted in nonresidential districts subject to the following:

1.

One ground sign with a maximum height of 8 feet or wall sign with a maximum sign area of 12 square feet per street frontage for each parcel , or lot less than 1 acre in size. No building permit is required.

2.

One ground sign with a maximum height of 8 feet or wall sign with a maximum area of 32 square feet per street frontage for each parcel , or lot of 1—10 acres in size. No building permit is required.

3.

One ground sign with a maximum height of 15 feet or wall sign with a maximum sign area of 64 square feet per street frontage for each parcel or lot in excess of 10 acres in size. A building permit is required.

4.

Real estate signs shall be located no closer than 10 feet from any property line. When a property line encompasses a portion of the road, then the setback shall be no less than 10 feet from the edge of the roadway, paved surface or back of the curb, as applicable, unless otherwise provided for in this section.

5.

Real estate signs shall be removed when an applicable temporary use permit has expired, or within 7 days of any of the following conditions: ownership has changed; or, the property is no longer for sale, rent, lease or exchange.

E.

Construction signs. Signs may be erected and located upon a site under construction. Such signs shall be securely built, and allowed under the following:

1.

Signs shall be located a minimum of 10 feet from any property line.

2.

One ground sign with a maximum height of 8 feet or wall sign with a maximum sign area of 12 square feet is allowed within each front yard for each parcel less than one acre in size. No building permit is required.

3.

One ground sign with a maximum height of 8 feet or wall sign with a maximum sign area of 32 square feet is allowed within each front yard for each parcel 1—10 acres in area. No building permit is required.

4.

One pole sign with a maximum height of 15 feet or wall sign, with a maximum sign area of 64 square feet is allowed within each front yard for each parcel in excess of 10 acres in size. A building permit is required.

5.

In addition to those signs identified above, 1 ground or wall sign , with a maximum area of 4 square feet and a maximum height of 6 feet, may be used as a construction sign regardless of parcel size. No building permit required.

6.

Construction signs may be placed on a site when either a building permit is issued or a permit is issued to clear the site. All constructions signs shall be removed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the structure .

F.

On-premise signs . On-premises pole signs, ground signs, projecting signs, wall signs , and mansard signs shall be allowed in all nonresidential zoning districts subject to the restrictions below:

1.

Pole or ground signs. Single-occupancy or multiple-occupancy parcels , having frontage of 150 feet or more on a public street , or combined public street frontage of 220 linear feet or more for corner lots , shall be permitted one pole or ground sign . Additional pole or ground signs may be permitted provided that each sign is separated by a minimum of 1,000 feet as measured along the street frontage , and all setback requirements are met.

a.

Maximum allowable height. All pole or ground signs within nonresidential zoning districts and as applicable to designated nonresidential portions of PUD zoned properties are limited to a maximum height of 15 feet when located along an arterial or collector road and 12 feet for all other roads, except as otherwise provided herein. Height shall be measured from the lowest centerline grade of the nearest public or private right-of-way or easement to the uppermost portion of the sign structure .

b.

Minimum setback . All pole or ground signs within nonresidential zoning districts, and as applicable to designated nonresidential portions of PUD zoned properties, shall be located no closer than 10 feet from any property line.

c.

Maximum allowable sign area : 80 square feet for pole or ground signs located along an arterial or collector road and 60 square feet for all other roads.

d.

Pole signs and, where applicable, ground signs shall provide a pole cover no less than 50 percent of the width of the sign, with architectural design features including colors and or materials common to those used in the design of the building to which the sign is accessory.

e.

A minimum 100 square foot landscaping area shall be provided around the base of any ground sign or pole sign .

f.

Ground signs for smaller lots. Single occupancy or multiple occupancy parcels shall be allowed 1 ground sign provided the following requirements, as applicable, are met:

i.

For those lots or parcels with public road frontage of no less than 75 feet, but up to 149.9 feet, or a combined public street frontage of no less than 150 feet but less than 219.9 feet for corner lots or parcels :

a)

No portion of the ground sign may be located closer than 10 feet from any property line.

b)

A landscaping area of no less than 100 square feet shall be provided around the base of the ground sign .

c)

The ground sign design shall include features common to those used in the design of the building(s) to which the sign is accessory.

d)

The ground sign may be double-sided but cannot be placed in a V-shape.

e)

Any illumination of the sign shall be non-revolving and shine away from any right-of-way , unless otherwise provided for in this section. An electrical permit is required and the sign shall meet the standards of the National Electric Code, as adopted by Collier County.

f)

The Official Address Numbers and/or the range of Official Address Numbers for the property shall be displayed in numerals at least 8 inches high on all of the sign faces and shall be located so as to not be covered by landscaping or other impediments; Address numbers shall not count as sign message or graphics, unless address numbers exceed 12 inches in height.

g)

No other freestanding signs shall be allowed on the same lot or parcel .

ii.

Maximum height and sign area .

a)

For those lots or parcels with frontage of 121 to 149.9 feet, or a combined public street frontage of no less than 150 feet for corner lots or parcels but less than 219.9 feet:

i)

The ground sign shall be limited to 8 feet in height, as measured from the lowest centerline grade of the nearest public road to the uppermost portion of the sign structure regardless of the roadway classification; and

ii)

The maximum allowable sign area is 32 square feet.

b)

For those lots or parcels with frontage of 75 to 120.9 feet:

i)

The ground sign shall be limited to 8 feet in height, as measured from the lowest centerline grade of the nearest public road to the uppermost portion of the sign structure regardless of the roadway classification; and

ii)

The maximum allowable sign area is 16 square feet.

2.

Outparcels. In addition to the above requirements, signs for outparcels , regardless of the size of an outparcel , shall be limited to the following:

a.

In addition to any wall signs permitted by this Code, outparcels may by allowed 1 additional 60 square foot wall sign facing the shopping center if the additional sign is not oriented towards any public right-of-way . In no case shall the number of wall signs for an outparcel exceed 2 signs ; and,

b.

A single ground sign for outparcels having a frontage of 150 feet or more, not to exceed 60 square feet. Ground signs shall be limited to eight feet in height.

3.

Directory Signs. Multiple-occupancy parcels or multiple parcels developed under a unified development plan , with a minimum of 8 independent units, and containing 20,000 square feet or more of leasable floor area shall be permitted 1 directory sign at one entrance on each public street.

a.

The maximum height for directory signs is limited to 20 feet. Height shall be measured from the lowest centerline grade of the nearest public or private right-of-way or easement to the uppermost portion of the sign structure .

b.

Directory signs shall not be closer than 10 feet from the property line, unless otherwise noted below or as provided for in section 9.03.07.

c.

Maximum allowable sign area : 200 square feet for directory signs .

d.

A minimum 100 square foot landscaping area shall be provided around the base of any directory sign .

4.

Wall, mansard, canopy or awning signs. One wall, mansard, canopy or awning sign shall be permitted for each single-occupancy parcel , or for each unit in a multiple-occupancy parcel . Sign(s) shall be affixed to the associated tenant or lease holder's unit, with exceptions for architectural design impediments, as noted in LDC section 5.06.04 F.4.b. End units within shopping centers and multiple-occupancy parcels , or single occupancy parcels where there is double frontage on a public right-of-way , shall be allowed 2 signs, but such signs shall not be placed on one wall. Retail businesses with a floor area of larger than 25,000 square feet and a front wall length of more than 200 linear feet, are allowed 3 wall signs; however, the combined area of those signs shall not exceed the maximum allowable display area for signs by the LDC.

a.

The maximum allowable display area for signs shall not be more than 20 percent of the total square footage of the visual façade including windows of the building or unit to which the sign will be attached and shall not, in any case, exceed 150 square feet for buildings or units up to 24,999 square feet, 200 square feet for buildings or units between 25,000 and 59,999 square feet and 250 square feet for buildings over 60,000 square feet in area.

b.

No wall sign shall exceed 80 percent of the width of the unit(s) or the building with a minimum of 10 percent clear area on each outer edge of the unit(s) or of the building . Exceptions may be granted for architectural design impediments subject to noted approval(s).

i.

The clear area may be reduced in width or eliminated provided approval is granted by the County Manager or designee.

ii.

A sign may encroach onto an adjacent unit provided the following:

a)

Approval is granted by the County Manager or designee; and

b)

A notarized authorization letter is required at the time of building permit submittal from the property owner or property management company giving authorization for the sign installation and encroachment onto the adjacent tenant space.

c.

No wall or mansard sign shall project more than 18 inches from the building or roofline or exceed the height of the parapet wall to which it is attached.

d.

Additional signs are allowed on façades located interior to courtyards and shopping malls and the like provided the signs are not visible from any public property (e.g. street , right-of-way , sidewalk , alley ), interior drive, parking lot or adjacent private property.

e.

In addition, any non-illuminated, non-reflective signs located in a window shall not exceed 25 percent of each window area. No building permit required.

i.

Signs located in windows shall not be illuminated in any manner with the following exception:

a)

One sign per business establishment that is located in a window may have 2.25 square feet of illuminated signage.

f.

Multi-story buildings with 3 or more stories are limited to 1 wall sign per street frontage not to exceed a maximum of 2 wall signs per building , but such signs shall not be placed on the same wall.

i.

Wall signs may be located in the uppermost portion of the building not to exceed the main roof or parapet. A notarized authorization letter is required at the time of building permit submittal from the property owner or property management company giving authorization as to which tenant signs will be allowed.

ii.

On first floor commercial units only, 1 wall sign shall be allowed not to exceed 20 percent of the total square footage of the visual façade of the unit to which the sign will be attached and shall not in any case exceed 64 square feet. This sign shall be located solely on the façade of the unit which the tenant occupies.

g.

Wall signs, or any separate part thereof, which is to be affixed to a wall shall be fastened flush with the surface with fasteners which shall have the capacity to carry the full load of the sign or separate part thereof under wind load conditions of the approved Collier County Building Code Ordinance [Code § 22-106 et seq.], Flood Ordinance [Code ch. 62. art. II], and the Coastal Building Zone Ordinance [Code ch. 22, art. VIII]. Any such sign or separate part thereof which is not mounted flush with the surface and which weighs more than 20 pounds shall have a Florida registered engineer design the mounting or fastening system and depict the system on signed and sealed drawings which shall accompany the permit application.

5.

Menu boards: One sign with a maximum height of 6 feet measured from drive thru lane grade adjacent to the sign and 64 square feet of area is allowed per drive thru lane, not to exceed 2 signs per parcel .

6.

Projecting signs. Projecting signs may be substituted for wall or mansard signs provided that the display area of the projecting sign shall not exceed 60 square feet of display area.

a.

Projecting signs shall not project more than 4 feet from the building wall to which it is attached.

b.

Projecting signs shall not extend above the roofline of the building to which it is attached.

c.

Projecting signs shall not project into the public right-of-way .

d.

Projecting signs which project over any pedestrian way shall be elevated to a minimum height of 8 feet above such pedestrian way.

7.

Under-canopy/blade signs. In addition to any other sign allowed by this Code, one under-canopy/blade sign shall be allowed for each unit in a multiple-occupancy development . This sign shall not exceed 6 square feet in area and shall be a minimum of 8 feet above finished grade. Under-canopy/blade signs do not require a building permit unless the sign is equipped with an electrical component.

8.

Flags & flagpoles. Nonresidential zoned properties that have been issued a certificate of occupancy are permitted up to 3 flags on a single flagpole.

a.

On all nonresidential zoned properties, a flagpole shall not exceed 50 feet in height from the finished grade, nor extend more than 20 feet from any building to which it is attached.

b.

Non-residential developments at least 10 acres in size having multiple entrances, may have up to 3 flagpoles at each entrance that provides ingress/egress off an arterial or collector road, provided that there is a minimum 300-foot separation between entrances.

i.

Four additional flagpoles may be permitted within a non-residential development provided that the flagpoles are not visible to motorists along any frontage roadways.

c.

All nonresidential flagpoles shall have the flagpole foundation or flagpole attachment design/construction plan signed and sealed by a design professional as provided for in the Florida Building Code. The design/construction plan shall indicate the maximum flag area that the flagpole is capable of supporting.

d.

All flagpoles shall have a minimum 5-foot setback from all property lines.

e.

All flagpoles that are permitted must display their permit number at the base of the flagpole in numerals a minimum of ½ inch in height.

9.

On-premises directional signs may be permitted within nonresidential zoning districts intended to facilitate the movement of pedestrians and vehicles within the site upon which such signs are posted. On-premises directional signs shall not exceed 6 square feet in area. On-premises directional signs shall not exceed 4 feet in height unless located on the side of the building. On-premises directional signs shall be limited to 2 at each vehicle access point and a maximum of 4 internal to the development. Internal signs are not intended to be readily visible from the road.

a.

Directional signs located internal to the subdivision or development shall maintain a minimum setback of 10 feet from the property line.

b.

Directional signs may be combined into a single sign not to exceed 6 feet in height and 64 square feet in area. Such signs shall require a building permit.

10.

On-premise signs within agricultural districts.

a.

In the rural agricultural area designated on the future land use map of the growth management plan. On-premises signs shall be permitted within agriculturally zoned or used property, for agri-commercial uses defined within the Collier County Zoning Ordinance only, and subject to the following restrictions:

i.

One pole or ground sign , located at the entrance or gate of each street frontage . The maximum allowable sign area for each pole or ground sign shall not exceed 100 square feet with a maximum height of 20 feet, and shall be located a minimum of 15 feet from any property line, public or private right-of-way or easement .

b.

On-premises signs within agricultural zoning districts in the urban area shall comply with the requirements of section 5.06.04 of the Land Development Code.

c.

Wall, mansard canopy or awning signs within agricultural districts. Wall, mansard, canopy or awning signs shall be permitted within agriculturally zoned or used property, for agri-commercial uses defined within the Collier County Land Development Code, and subject to the following restrictions:

i.

One wall or mansard, canopy or awning sign shall be permitted for each principal use structure on the parcel . Corner parcels or double- frontage parcels shall be allowed 1 sign per street frontage , but such signs shall not be combined for the purpose of placing the combined area on one wall. The maximum allowable display area for any sign shall not be more than 20 percent of the total square footage of the wall to which it is affixed, and shall not in any case exceed 250 square feet in area per sign.

11.

Illuminated signs. All illuminated signs shall have electrical components, connections, and installations that conform to the National Electrical Code, and all other applicable federal, state, and local codes and regulations. Further, lighted signs shall be shielded in such a manner as to produce no glare, hazard or nuisance to motorists or occupants of adjacent properties; nor be reflective or fluorescent; and shall have a steady non-fluctuating or non-undulating light source.

12.

Mobile billboard. It shall be unlawful for any person to display any mobile billboard .

13.

See section 5.05.05 of this Code for signage regulations for automobile service stations.

14.

Sandwich Board/Sidewalk Signs may be permitted subject the following conditions:

a.

One nonilluminated sandwich board/sidewalk sign is allowed per business establishment.

b.

The sign must be placed on the private property and within 10 feet of the front door of the business or within a designated outdoor eating area. Signs shall allow a 3 foot passage way for pedestrian accessibility and shall not block access to an entrance.

c.

The size of the sign shall be no more than 30 inches wide and 42 inches in height. The sign must be weighted at the base to provide stability. A maximum of 2 sign faces are allowed per sign.

d.

The sign must be moved inside the business when the business is closed.

G.

Off-premises directional signs. Off-premises directional signs are permitted if the following requirements are met:

1.

Off-premises directional signs shall be permitted only in nonresidential zoning districts, agricultural districts and designated nonresidential components of PUDs.

2.

No more than 2 one-sided or 1 double-sided off-premise directional signs shall be permitted for a building, structure , or use which is not visible from the roadway serving such building, structure , or use, provided:

a.

Each sign shall not be more than 12 square feet in area.

b.

The sign shall not be more than 8 feet in height above the lowest center grade of the roadway adjacent to the sign location.

c.

The sign shall not be located closer than 10 feet to any property line.

d.

The applicant shall submit with the permit application, a notarized written letter of permission from the property owner where the off-premises directional sign is to be located.

e.

The sign shall be located no more than 1,000 feet from the building, structure , or use for which the sign is displayed.

3.

Off-premises directional signs shall be located a minimum of 50 feet from a residential zoning district.

4.

Off-premises directional signs shall be located a minimum of 100 feet from another off-premises directional sign .

(Ord. No. 09-43, § 3.B; Ord. No. 09-55, § 3.C; Ord. No. 12-38, § 3.V; Ord. No. 13-56, § 3.V; Ord. No. 14-33, § 3.T; Ord. No. 15-44, § 3.I)