§ 7.56.02. Regulated off-premise sign requirements.

A.

Within one hundred twenty (120) days after the effective date of this chapter, the city shall compile an inventory of existing billboards within the city. Until the inventory is completed, no billboard shall be erected, modified, or relocated, nor shall the City of Bryant issue any permits. Following completion of the inventory, the city shall grant a billboard permit for each existing billboard reflecting the location, size, height, zoning, and the degree of conformity with the requirements of this chapter. Only inventoried billboards may be issued alteration or relocation permits.

B.

The regulated billboard requirements of this chapter are to ensure there are no unplanned construction of billboards and that there are no pedestrian, vehicular traffic safety, hazardous situations, or obstructions to utility service access and setback requirements within the city limits of Bryant because of poor visibility, congestion, and obstructions on the roads and highways and that the welfare of the city is protected by preventing visible clutter and blight and by promoting a positive aesthetic impact.

C.

All inventoried billboards or those billboards under contract prior to the adoption of this chapter are grandfathered within the city limits of Bryant.

D.

Billboard requirements:

1.

There will be no new billboards allowed within the city limits of Bryant, Arkansas, except where allowed along Interstate 30 according to Arkansas Highway Department and federal highway regulations and rules, but they will be spaced no closer than one thousand (1,000) feet to another billboard.

2.

Billboards on Arkansas Highway 5, Highway 183, and Springhill Road will be capped to the total number of signs existing on those roads at the time of the acceptance of this chapter.

3.

Billboards shall not be altered with regard to size, shape, orientation, height, or location without the prior issuance of a billboard alteration or relocation permit. All such permits shall require full compliance with the provisions of this chapter. Ordinary and necessary repairs which do not change the size, shape, orientation, height, or location of an inventoried billboard shall not require alteration permits but may require a relocation permit. An inventoried billboard may be replaced with a same sized or smaller billboard matching the previously existing orientation, but may also be less than the previously existing billboard size, shape, and height.

4.

Billboards on Arkansas Highway 5, Highway 183, and Springhill Road will not be allowed to relocate within the city limits of Bryant. However, they may relocate to Interstate 30 corridor provided the owner obtains a relocation permit. Billboards will meet the City of Bryant, Arkansas Highway Department, and federal highway regulations. An application/registration request must be submitted to the Bryant Planning Commission for review and approval.

5.

Except as stated in subparagraph 13. below, the number of commercial signs per billboard shall comply with the standards provided for in Regulations for Control of Outdoor Advertising on Arkansas Highways as provided for by the Arkansas Highway Department.

6.

All non-grandfathered billboards will have a maximum size of fourteen (14) feet by forty-eight (48) feet and will be spaced no closer than one thousand (1,000) feet from another billboard. Requests to relocate existing billboards shall comply with the requirements of this chapter.

7.

No billboard shall be located in such a position that it obstructs or obscures the view of vehicular or pedestrian traffic in such a manner as to endanger the safe movement thereof.

8.

Each billboard, any single face of which is larger than twenty-four (24) square feet, shall be erected utilizing a twenty-five (25) foot front and twenty-five (25) foot rear setback requirement, measured from the closest part of the sign and at least twenty-five (25) feet from any road or street right-of-way line, measured from the closest part of the sign. Each billboard shall comply with this minimum spacing or the spacing provided in subparagraph 9. below, whichever provides greater spacing.

9.

All billboards shall be erected in conformity with the front, side and rear yard requirements of the zoning district in which they are located. All spacing requirements shall be measured along the nearest edge of pavement between points directly opposite the signs, provided that only on streets separated by a median, each side of the street shall be considered separately for distance purposes.

10.

No billboard shall be permitted whenever property zoned residential would be between the sign and the roadway toward which it is oriented.

11.

No part or foundation or support of any billboard shall be placed on, in, or over any public property, including public rights-of-way, or any utility or drainage easement, or upon telephone or utility poles, or natural features such as trees and rocks, except for the following:

a.

Signs, displays, and devices which locate, identify, mark, or warn of the presence of pipelines, utility lines, or rail lines and appurtenances thereto, including, but not limited to, markers used in maintenance, operation, observation, and safety.

b.

Public signs erected by or on behalf of a governmental body to post legal notices, identify public property, convey public information, and direct and regulate pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

12.

Any wood pole billboard may be upgraded to a monopole, with a maximum size of a single fourteen (14) foot by forty-eight (48) foot face, provided it conforms to the Arkansas Highway Department and federal highway regulations. Prior to replacement, a building and alteration permit must be obtained from the City of Bryant.

13.

New, replacement, upgraded, or relocated billboards will be single faced and no more than two sides.

14.

After the effective date of this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to erect, expand, move, or place any billboard which does not conform to the requirements set forth herein.

15.

All billboards other than those allowed herein are prohibited within the city limits.

( Ord. No. 2014-19 , § II, 9-25-2014)