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9.3.2(X)  Wall Sign

(1)  Non-Residential

(b)      The total number of wall signs shall be limited to two on single tenant and multi-tenant buildings that share a common principal entrance, except as provided for in Item (k) below.

(c)      No wall sign shall project above the highest point of the building wall on the same side of the building as the sign; this shall include marquee signs and any other signs not affixed directly to such wall.

(d)      On a single occupancy building, all signage or message elements, except for poster boxes, marquee signs, logos and wall signs on theaters on any single wall, shall be considered parts of the same sign and shall be measured by a rectangle surrounding all of them;

(e)      On a multi-occupancy building, each occupant with a separate individual outside entrance serving the general public may have a separate wall sign. Corner tenants with a door or window on their side walls and tenants with a separate outside entrance serving the general public where such entrance is in a different exterior wall from any other entrance for which such tenant shall be allowed one additional wall sign; 

(f)       On a multi-occupancy building serving primarily office uses, there may be signs on two (2) separate walls of the building, and more than one sign per façade may be permitted provided the façade is divided into architecturally distinct segments with more than one (1) principal entrance serving interior offices or businesses;

(g)      On a multi-occupancy building, more than two (2) signs may be permitted provided that:

1.  the allowable sign area for each unit/tenant space is defined in the Uniform Sign plan or when the first sign permit is submitted, and

2.  the total signage of a multi-occupancy building shall be limited to one and ¼ (1.25) square feet in area for each linear foot of building frontage.

3.  At least two (2) of the building sides have been designed to appear as a multi-tenant structure composed of at least two (2) individual “storefronts” each (in addition to the principal entrance if located upon the same side); and

4.  Each “storefront” shall include the following elements at a minimum:

          a.  A facade which projects above and outwards from the primary building wall plane; and

b.  The inclusion of vertical and horizontal design elements; and

c.  The inclusion of different surface materials and textures so as to distinguish the storefront from the remainder of the building wall; and

d.  The inclusion of windows (whether false or otherwise) to give the appearance of an individual storefront.

5.       Multi-story buildings with more than 3 floors shall be allowed a maximum of one and one-half (1.5) square feet in area for each linear foot of building frontage.

(h)      Conditions above shall not apply to changeable copy signs for a theater, which shall be subject to the requirements of marquee signs, above.

(i)       In addition to other permitted signs, but subject to total sign area limits applicable to all wall signs, a theater may install one or more back-lighted or internally illuminated "poster boxes", provided that:

1.  Such boxes shall not exceed 36 by 54 inches each in area;

2.  The top of such boxes shall not be more than ten feet above ground; and

3.  Such boxes shall be permanently mounted to a wall.

(j)       For Town Center locations refer to Section 9.6.

(k)      Single tenant buildings may have more than two wall signs provided the following conditions are met:

1.  The building is located within an Mixed Use Center Overlay area or a traditional neighborhood development as described in Section 8.4; and

2.  Any single tenant building proposed for more than two wall signs meets all the design guideline requirements for an Mixed Use Center; and

3.  At least two of the building sides have been designed to appear as a multi-tenant structure composed of at least two individual “storefronts” each (in addition to the principal entrance if located upon the same side); and

4.  Each “storefront” shall include the following elements at a minimum:

a.   A facade which projects above and outwards from the primary building wall plane; and

b.   The inclusion of vertical and horizontal design elements; and

c.   The inclusion of different surface materials and textures so as to distinguish the storefront from the remainder of the building wall; and

d.   The inclusion of windows (whether false or otherwise) to give the appearance of an individual storefront.

5.   Multi-story buildings with more than three (3) floors shall be allowed a maximum of one and one-half (1.5) square feet in area for each linear foot of building frontage and may have a maximum of four (4) signs across the building façade provided that the total square feet of all signs combined do not exceed the maximum of one and one-half (1.5) square feet in area for each linear foot of building frontage and all signs are arranged so they share a common horizontal centerline along the facade.  For buildings displaying more than one (1) sign, one (1) of the following criteria shall be met:

a.   Signs shall be spaced evenly across the building façade; or

b.   Signs shall be separated from all other signs a minimum of two times (2X) the length of the longest sign by facade.

6.  The aggregate size of all signage on the building is limited to one square foot of sign area for each linear foot of the building’s frontage.

(2)      Residential/Institutional

Wall signs shall be allowed on residential/institutional properties provided that:

(a)      Single-family residential units (either attached or detached) in zoning districts or planned developments designated for such use shall be permitted one wall sign, provided that:

1.  Such sign shall not exceed two square feet in area; 

2.  Such sign shall not be separately illuminated; and

3.  Such sign shall not contain any commercial message.

(b)      Multi-family residential or institutional uses located in residential zoning districts, including planned developments designated for such use, shall be permitted one wall sign per public entrance, provided that:

1.  Such sign shall not exceed six square feet in area; and

2.  Each such sign may be illuminated only by direct, external illumination.

Cary, NC Land Development Ordinance On-line VIC Version - This site last updated 3/4/2008

Note: This is not the official version of the Cary Land Development Ordinance