ORDINANCE NO. 01-2021
AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 170 ZONING
Making certain text change amendments to§170-87.C.(5) of the Chestertown Zoning Ordinance.
WHEREAS, it is necessary from time to time to modify the text of existing zoning regulations to provide clarification, apply additional standards for specific uses or to allow uses and minor changes reflecting today’s property uses; and,
WHEREAS the C-3 Neighborhood Commercial District was created during the last comprehensive rezoning which became effective on Nov. 7, 2016; and
WHEREAS it has been determined that this C-3 Neighborhood Commercial District has significantly sized properties outside of the Historic District where the sign area regulations will be proportionally too small; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission in their regular meeting on January 20, 2021 discussed and approved the following text amendment to the Zoning Code to allow larger signs up to thirty (30) square feet in area and fifteen (15) feet in height for properties with a minimum of one-hundred fifty (150) feet of street frontage; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council introduced this ordinance on February 1, 2021 to consider the recommendations of the Planning Commission and recommendations of the Zoning Administrator; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, these text amendments to Chapter 170 Zoning were introduced on February 1st, 2021 is hereby adopted this 16th day of February, 2021 and becomes effective on the 9th day of March, 2021.
(5) Signs subject to permit in the C‑3 Zone include temporary signs, permanent signs and accessory signs. Permanent signs can be flat signs with a maximum area equal to one (1) square foot of sign for one (1) linear foot of store frontage, not to exceed forty (40) square feet for each storefront. One (1) flat sign is permitted for each ground level storefront. In cases where a front yard setback equals or exceeds twenty-five (25) feet, a freestanding sign may be permitted if such sign does not exceed eight feet in height and twelve (12) square feet in area. In cases where the property is outside of the Historic District, a twenty-five (25) feet front yard setback exists, and the property frontage exceeds one hundred fifty (150) feet in length, a freestanding sign may be permitted if such sign does not exceed fifteen (15) feet in height and thirty (30) square feet in area. Signs may be internally lighted except in the Historic District, where such lighting is inappropriate to the structure or property. Store occupants behind or above the ground level storefront must share the sign area square footage allowed to the storefront facing the street.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF CHESTERTOWN
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Chris Cerino, Mayor
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David Foster, Councilmember
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W. S. Ingersoll, Town Manager Tom Herz, Councilmember
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_________________________ Ellsworth Tolliver, Councilmember
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Meghan Efland, Councilmember