Code of the City of Washington, North Carolina
Chapter 27 - Zoning
Article XVI. Signs
Illustrated Sign Ordinance
Section 179: Shopping center signs

(a) Shopping center developments, regardless of the zoning district in which located, shall conform to the sign regulations contained in this section.

(b) Wall signs for individual businesses in shopping center developments shall be calculated as provided in subsection (c) below. The intent of these provisions is to allow each separate business establishment to have a reasonable means of identification. Because shopping centers include many individual businesses, the cumulative total wall sign area permitted by subsections (c) and (d) below may exceed the total sign area authorized in Section 27-170.

(c) One (1) wall sign per separate business establishment per street frontage is permitted. Allowable wall sign area is determined as follows:
(1) The sign surface area on any sign located on a wall of a structure may not exceed thirty (30) percent of the total surface area of the wall on which the sign is located or one-half (0.5) of a square foot of sign area for each linear foot of building frontage, whichever is less.
In no case may any wall sign exceed two hundred (200) square feet in area.
(2) For shopping centers located in the B1H district, the sign surface area on any sign located on a wall of a structure may not exceed five (5) percent of the total surface area of the wall on which the sign is located.
(d) One freestanding sign per street frontage in shopping centers shall be permitted in accordance with Section 27-171(b).
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