Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 974 CMR - DEVENS ENTERPRISE COMMISSION › Title 974 CMR 6.00 - Sign Control › Section 6.02 - Definitions and Administration

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1)
Definitions
Animated Sign
: any sign that uses
				movement or a change of lighting to depict action or create a special effect or
				scene.
Awning Sign
: A sign that is part of or
				attached to an awning, canopy, or other fabric, plastic, or structural
				projection or cover over a door, window, storefront, or outdoor service
				area.
Building or Face Wall
: A wall area of
				a building in one plane or elevation.
Building Sign
: Any sign connected to
				the wall of a building, projected or suspended from the building, or any sign
				attached to any exterior part of a building.
Changeable Sign Copy
: A sign or
				portion thereof with characters, letters, or illustrations that can be changed
				whether electronically or manually without altering the face or surface of the
				sign. A sign on which the message changes more than once a day shall be
				regulated as an animated sign. A sign on which the only changes are a
				mechanical or electronic indication of time or temperature is not considered a
				changeable or animated sign in
				974 CMR
				6.00.
Community Banner
: A temporary sign of
				lightweight fabric or similar material serving a community purpose or convey
				information of community-wide interest.
Directional Sign
: A sign erected near
				a street, driveway, parking area, or other access area for the safety and
				convenience of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Directional signs can indicate
				"ENTRANCE", "EXIT", "HANDICAPPED PARKING", fire lanes, loading zones, and other
				information to enable the safe and orderly flow of traffic.
Externally Illuminated Sign
: A sign
				which is lighted from a source which is outside of the sign panel, with the
				light source mounted on the building face or the sign structure.
Freestanding Sign
: Any sign supported
				by structures or supports that are placed on or anchored in the ground and that
				are independent from any building or other structure.
Internally Illuminated Sign
: A sign
				that is lighted by a source concealed behind a translucent sign panel.
Off Premises Sign
: Any sign visible
				from a public right-of-way identifying or advertising a business, person,
				activity, goods, products or services not located on the premises where the
				sign is located or maintained.
Pole or Pylon Sign
: A freestanding
				sign that is supported by uprights, braces, columns, poles, or other vertical
				members which are not attached to a building and where the bottom edge of the
				sign is located above the finished grade at the base of the sign.
Portable Sign
: Any sign not
				permanently attached to the ground or some type of permanent structure; a sign
				designed to be transported by wheels; a sign connected to or located on A- or
				T- frames; a twosided sign attached to boards and commonly called a "sandwich
				board sign;" and a sign attached to or painted on a vehicle parked and visible
				from the public right-of-way, unless such vehicle is used in the normal
				day-to-day operations of the business.
Principal Facade
: Any facade or
				facades that constitute the primary visual and functional orientation of the
				building or tenant space, characterized by a combination of such features as
				principal entry, storefront, and visibility from streets or parking
				areas.
Real Estate Sign
: Any sign advertising
				exclusively the sale, rental or lease of the premises, or a portion thereof,
				upon which the sign is located.
Roof Sign
: Any sign erected and
				constructed on the roof of a building or supported by the roof
				structure.
Setback
: The distance from the
				property line to the nearest part of the applicable building, structure, or
				sign, measured perpendicular to the property line.
Sign and Advertising Device
: Any
				device, fixture, placard, or structure that uses color, form, graphic,
				illumination, symbol, or writing to advertise, announce the purpose of, or
				identify the purpose of a person or entity, or to communicate information of
				any kind to the public.
Sign Area
: The area of a sign shall be
				the area of the smallest rectangle or circle within which the entire sign can
				fit; excluding structural supports which do not contribute through shape,
				color, or otherwise to the sign's message; but including any separate surface,
				board, frame or shape on or within which the sign is displayed. The height of a
				sign shall be measured to the highest point of the sign, including any
				structural or ornamental projections above the sign proper, from the average
				ground level above which the sign is located. For signs the components of which
				are painted or engraved on, or otherwise applied directly to a building or
				other structure, the sign area shall include any back ground of a different
				color, material or appearance from the remainder of the wall or structure, and
				shall in any event enclose all letters, figures, or representations related to
				the sign. The dimensions of a sign shall be the length and width of such a
				rectangle or the diameter of such a circle.
SIGN AREA
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Signboard
: The flat surface of durable
				material upon which letters or other graphic content of a sign is
				displayed.
Temporary Off Premises Real Estate
				Sign
: Any sign visible from a public right-of-way advertising the
				sale, rental or lease of parcels or buildings not located on the premises where
				the sign is located or maintained.
Temporary Sign
: Any sign, except for a
				window sign, that is used for a period as specified in
				974 CMR
				6.00 and is not permanently mounted.
Wall Sign
: Any sign parallel and
				attached to a wall, painted or affixed to a separate surface which is then
				mounted securely to the building, painted or produced directly on the building,
				or composed of separate letters, numbers, logos, or symbols attached to the
				surface of the building, or erected and confined within the limits of an
				exterior wall of a building or structure, which supported by such wall, and
				displays only one sign surface.
Window Sign
: Any sign, picture,
				symbol, or combination thereof, designed to communicate information about an
				activity, business, commodity, event, sale, or service, that is placed,
				painted, or affixed inside a window, upon the interior face of window panes, or
				mounted to the interior window frame. Window signs are visible from the
				exterior of the window.
(2)
Administration
. Level One sign permits are always
			 required or the sign permit may be incorporated with a Level Two unified permit
			 application. In either case, sufficient graphic representation, details on
			 location, setbacks from property lines, illumination, construction, and other
			 information shall be submitted to the DEC.
(a)
With a Unified Permit application
. Signs shall be
			 shown as to location, size, type, and specifications in terms of materials,
			 illumination, and other features, during site plan review. All review of signs
			 shall be incorporated within the overall site plan review process. In the case
			 of a building or premises whose occupancy is unknown at the time of permit
			 approval, signs shall be shown in a general form.
(b)
Without Other permit
			 application
. Signs for existing premises shall comply with
			 974 CMR
			 6.00. Application for a sign permit is made with the
			 Director.