22.049 An Ordinance Relative to Form-Based Zoning - Amend Ch. 350-7.4 Signs - CertifiedIn the Year Two Thousand Twenty Two
Upon the Recommendation of Mayor Gina‐Louise Sciarra & Planning & Sustainability
22.049 AN ORDINANCE RELATIVE TO FORM-BASED ZONING - AMEND CH. 350-7.4 SIGNS
An Ordinance of the City of Northampton, Massachusetts, providing that the Code of Ordinances, City of
Northampton, Massachusetts, be amended to create form‐based zoning in downtown Northampton and
Florence Center. Such zoning requires modification of many sections of the code including the following
sections below.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Northampton, in City Council assembled, as follows:
Amend Chapter 350 7.4 as shown
Signs permitted in any B or Character Based District.
The following signs shall be permitted in any B or Character Based District:
7.4 B3
(c) Except in the Central Business Districts and Florence Village Districts, when an establishment is
located on a lot with more than one frontage (i.e., a corner or through lot) a main (frontage) wall sign
may only be displayed on one of the frontages. The other frontage(s) may display a side wall sign as
allowed below. In the Central Business Districts and Florence Village Districts, a main wall sign can be
placed on any wall with street frontage instead of a side wall sign.
7.4B4
One side wall sign per structure (except in the CB and FV Districts, where it may be one side wall per
establishment plus one directory wall sign on the structure) on each side wall (that wall facing a non‐rear
lot line), provided that:
(a) The surface area of the sign shall not be larger than 25 square feet; provided, however, that in the CB
and FV Districts, the total surface area of all the side wall signs for each side wall of a building shall not
exceed 100 square feet or 10% of the side wall area of the ground floor of the side where the signs are
located, whichever is less; and
7.4D(3)
(3) In particular instances, upon review by Office of Planning and Development staff, sign site plan
approval for one ground sign, in addition to the wall sign(s) permitted in § 350‐7.4B above, for each lot
frontage of each lot in the Neighborhood Business (NB), General Business (GB), Entranceway Business
(EB) and Central Business (CB) Districts may be granted, provided that:
(c) Said ground sign shall not exceed a height of 10 feet, nor have a surface area greater than 80 square
feet in the CBCentral Business Districts, GB or EB District or greater than 20 square feet in the NB
District. ……….
Form Based Code
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