Temporary Signs

According to the City of Brighton Sign Ordinance, Section 66-2 defines a temporary sign as the following:

Temporary sign means a sign, which is not permanently affixed. All devices such as banners, pennants, flags (not intended to include flags of any nations), searchlights, twirling or sandwich type signs, sidewalk or curb signs and balloons or other air or gas filled figures.

The following zoning districts permit temporary signs:

DBD – Downtown Business District
C-1 – Community Shopping Center Zone
C-2 – General Business District
C-3 – Limited Business District
C-4 – Limited Intensity Business/Office District
O-S – Office Service District
R-T – Residential Transition District

Temporary signs are permitted in the above noted zoning districts with the following requirements:

• Display period. Banners, pennants, A-frame signs, portable signs, sandwichboard signs, sidewalk or curb signs shall be erected for a period not to exceed two weeks in a three-month period.
   
• Projection into right-of-way. No temporary sign shall be strung across any public right-of-way nor shall any temporary sign project beyond the property line.
   
• Area and height. No temporary banner sign may have a single face greater than ten square feet in area nor have a greater height than ten feet above the ground; provided, however, that the lower edge of such sign shall be a height of not less than eight feet above ground level. No temporary ground sign shall exceed six feet in height.
   
• Removal. Temporary signs shall be removed promptly at the end of the display period provided above.
   
• Unsafe signs. Any temporary sign found by the administrator to be in an unsafe condition must be removed by the owner within three days after his receipt of notice to do so by the administrator.
   
• Limitation on placement. Temporary signs shall be limited to private property only, unless otherwise permitted by this chapter.
   
• Temporary sign permit. All temporary signs shall require a temporary sign permit application as required by chapter 66, signs, article II "permit," and upon approval of the administrator the applicant shall pay a temporary sign permit fee as specified by the city council.

PLEASE NOTE THAT A PERMIT IS REQUIRED FOR ANY TEMPORARY SIGN PERMIT. PERMITS ARE $50.00 AND REQUIRE 7-10 DAYS TO BE REVIEWED AND ISSUED BY THE CITY OF BRIGHTON.

According to the City of Brighton Sign Ordinance, Section 66-91 (a) (14) states the following types of signs are expressly prohibited in all districts, except as otherwise provided by this chapter:

a. Animated and intensely lighted signs. No sign shall be permitted which is animated by means of flashing, scintillating, blinking or traveling lights or any other means not providing constant illumination (unless specifically permitted in special sign districts). Public service information signs and other electronic message centers classified as changing signs are permitted.

b. Miscellaneous signs and posters. The tacking, pasting or otherwise affixing of signs of a miscellaneous character, visible from a public way, located on the walls of buildings, barns, sheds, on trees, poles, posts, fences or other structure is prohibited unless otherwise permitted by this chapter.

c. Moving signs. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no sign or any portion thereof shall be permitted which moves or assumes any motion constituting a nonstationary or fixed condition except for the rotation of barber poles, permissible changing signs or permissible multiprism units. Indexing multiprism units must not exceed a speed of two complete revolutions every 20 seconds. This section is not meant to prohibit any form of vehicular signage such as a sign attached to a bus or lettered on a motor vehicle.

d. Abandoned signs. Such business signs that advertise an activity, business, product or service no longer conducted or available on the premises on which the sign is located shall be prohibited.

e. Parking of advertising vehicles prohibited. This section is not intended to prohibit any form of vehicular signage such as a sign attached to a bus or lettered on a motor vehicle.

f. Public areas. No sign shall be permitted which is placed on any curb, sidewalk, post, pole, electrolier, hydrant, bridge, tree or other surface located on public property or over or across any street or public thoroughfare except as may otherwise expressly be authorized by this chapter.

g. Banners, pennants, A-frame signs, portable signs, sandwichboard signs, sidewalk or curb signs shall not be used on a permanent basis, unless otherwise permitted by this chapter. These signs will be permitted at the opening of a new business in a commercial or industrial district for a total period not to exceed 60 days and will be allowed in residential districts in conjunction with an open house or model home demonstration conducted by a realtor for two days before the opening of such a demonstration to two days after and not to exceed a total period of 30 days.

h. Flags. Flags other than those of any nation, state, or political subdivision or corporation flag are prohibited except as set forth in subsection (14)g. of this section.

i. Swinging signs. Swinging signs are prohibited.

j. A-frame signs. A-frame or sandwich board, sidewalk or curb signs are prohibited.

k. Portable signs. Portable or wheeled signs are prohibited. This shall not be interpreted to prohibit lettering on motor vehicles or permissible advertising on buses.

l. Visible frames. Visible angle iron frames or structures to support projecting signs are prohibited.

m. Indecent signs. Signs which bear or contain statements, words or pictures of an obscene, pornographic, immoral character, or which contain advertising matter which is untruthful.

n. Wall, fence not part of building. Signs which are painted on or attached to any fence or any wall which is not structurally a part of a building, except to identify a residence or residence structure by means of posting the name of the occupant or structure, and the street address.

o. Moving pictures or parts. Signs which operate or employ any stereopticon or motion picture projection or media in conjunction with any advertisements, or have visible moving parts or any portion of which moves, or gives the illusion of motion except as permitted in this chapter.

p. Sounds, odors, visible matters. Signs which emit audible sound, odor, or visible matters.

q. Signs resembling traffic-control signs. Signs which purport to be, or are an imitation of, or resemble an official traffic sign or signal, or which bear the words "Stop," "Go Slow," "Caution," "Danger," "Warning," or similar words.

r. Signs that may be confused with traffic-control signs or vehicle lights. Signs which, by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illuminations, may be confused with or constructed as a traffic control sign, signal or device, or the light of an emergency or road equipment vehicle, or which hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal or device.

s. Off-premises signs.

t. Signs painted on buildings.

If you have any questions regarding temporary signs, feel free to contact Amy Cyphert, Deputy City Planner, at (810) 225-9257.