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Explanation:As was provided for in Section 174-51B,any allowed and approved sign with specified copy may be replaced with a lawful,noncommercial message. Also,as was done for residential districts,this by- law now has eliminated time restrictions on political signs,since the regulation single out protected speech under the First Amendment. K Section 174-55A currently reads: There shall be no temporary or permanent special promotion signs, banners, streamers or placards erected, suspended, posted or affixed in any manner outdoors or on the exterior or any building except for public purposes,except by permit from the Building Inspector. I. By changing Section 174-55A to read as follows: Temporary special event sign(s) and decoration(s) per premises as allowed by permit from the Building Inspector for special events, grand openings, or holidays. Such signs and decorations may be erected 7 days prior to a special event or holiday and shall be removed 24 hours following the event or holiday. For grand openings, such signs may be used for no more than 7 days. This excludes those signs which need Board of Selectmen approval. Explanation: This section is proposed to be re-written in order to provide more clarity on the time frame of these types of signs. L. Section 174-55B currently reads: On each lot in a commercial or industrial district, there is permitted one (1) sign affixed to the exterior of each building for each business therein. The top edge of each sign shall be not higher than the roof ridge of the building, or the highest point of the roof if no ridge pole, and not higher than the plate of a flat roof. The maximum area of the sign shall be five percent(5%)of the area of the wall upon which the sign is located. In addition, an identification sign at each building entrance will be exempted,which shall be up to four(4)square feet in area or three percent(3%)of the area of wall upon which the sign is located,if approved by special permit by the Board of Appeals. 1. By deleting the first, third and fourth sentences of Section 174-55B, moving the second sentence with following changes, and adding the new text as follows: Building signs are allowed up to 10% percent of the aggregate square footage of the front wall area. The square footage allowed includes a single- sign, a series of signs representing individual businesses or any combination thereof. Such signs can be placed on any wall,but in no case shall the total of all building signs exceed 10% of the front wall square footage, nor shall any wall have signage exceeding 10%. These signs can be any of the following: wall, window (per requirements in subsection E), projecting, and awning. No such sign shall exceed the outline of the face of the building or roof line from which it is viewed. Explanation: To provide clarity to businesses and developers and for more enforceable regulations for the Building Inspector as to what signage a building is allowed. As currently allowed, only one entrance sign is allowed per business. These changes will provide those businesses with two entrances the legal means to have one sign per entrance,and reduce requests for variances of this section. M. Section 174-55C currently reads:In an industrial district,one(1)freestanding sign is permitted on each lot,provided that it does not stand(40)square feet in signboard area,does not exceed five(5)feet in height and is located closer than fifty(50)to a lot line. In commercial districts, one(1)freestanding sign per road access point is permitted. Such signs may not exceed forty(40) square feet in signboard area and may not be closer than twelve (12) feet to any lot line. The top edge of any such freestanding shall be not higher than twenty-five (25) feet vertical measure above the average level of the ground between the supports of each sign. I. By revising the first two sentences of Section 174-55C to read as follows: In an industrial district, one (1) freestanding sign is permitted on each lot, provided that it does not stand(40) square feet in signboard area,does not exceed fifteen (15)feet in height and is not located closer than five (5) feet to any lot line or block a line of sight for pedestrian and traffic safety if so determined by the D.P.W.Director. Explanation: The change of five to fifteen feet in height is to provide for the same signage requirements as in commercial zones (as changed below). The change in the location of such signs is same reason discussed for freestanding church and institution signs: to avoid unnecessary clear cut just to place a sign and also make signage easier to read.