08-052 - O TOWN OF PROSPER,TEXAS ORDINANCE NO. 08-052
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF PROSPER, TEXAS, AMENDING SIGN
ORDINANCE NO. 04-03, BY AMENDING SECTION 1.01 DEFINITIONS,
AMENDING SECTION 1.09(D) MONUMENT SIGNS; BY ADDING DIGITAL
DISPLAY SIGN, AND AMENDING SECTION 1.11 PROHIBITED SIGNS;
PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY FOR THE VIOLATION OF THIS
ORDINANCE; PROVIDING FOR REPEALING, SAVINGS AND
SEVERABILITY CLAUSES; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF
THIS ORDINANCE; AND PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE
CAPTION HEREOF.
WHEREAS,the Town Council of the Town of Prosper,Texas("Town Council")has investigated
and determined that Ordinance No. 04-03 (Regulation of Signs) should be amended as set forth below;
and
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to regulate signs within Prosper and its
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction("ETJ");
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to prevent potential traffic hazards resulting
from the signs' distractions and locations;
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to prevent nuisances;
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to create a neat and orderly appearance
throughout Prosper;
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to create a means to safely identify a place of
business and the services available on the premises without creating aesthetic offenses and harm;
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to support the general economic development
of Prosper;
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to support the general welfare of the citizens
ESTABLISHING SIGN CODE AMENDMENTS FOR DIGITAL DISPLAYS AND BILLBOARDS Page 1 of 5
and to maintain the historically small town atmosphere during a time of growth by providing for a means
to communicate information related to the non-residential community, civic activities and government;
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to ensure a noncommercial atmosphere in
residential areas;
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to create appropriate and orderly commercial
and residential atmospheres;
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to maintain the privacy of the home and limit
what an unwilling viewer must be exposed to relative to the enjoyment of the investment made in the
home;
WHEREAS, the Town Council has investigated and determined that it will be advantageous,
beneficial and in the best interest of the citizens of Prosper to enhance property values and psychological
well-being for individuals and families;
WHEREAS,Prosper has complied with all notices as required by law;and
WHEREAS, the Town Council finds that it will be advantageous, beneficial and in the best
interest of the citizens of Prosper to amend Ordinance No. 04-03 (Regulation of Signs)as set forth below.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN
OF PROSPER,TEXAS:
SECTION 1: Findings Incorporated/Applicability of Ordinance. The findings set forth above
are incorporated into the body of this Ordinance as if fully set forth herein. This Ordinance shall regulate
signs within Prosper and its ETJ.
SECTION 2: Amendment to Ordinance No. 04-03 (Regulation of Signs) Section 1.01
Definitions. Ordinance No. 04-03, Section 1.01 Definitions is hereby amended to add the following:
DIGITAL DISPLAY—for the purpose of this code shall have the same meaning as an Electronic
Message Board(EMB)or a Changeable Electronic Variable Message Sign(CEVMS).
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD (EMB) - means any sign with a fixed or changing
display/message composed of a series of lights that may be changed through electronic means.
Signs that contain alphabetic, pictographic or symbolic informational content can be changed or
altered on a fixed display screen composed of electrically illuminated segments.
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CHANGEABLE ELECTRONIC VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGN (CEVMS) - means a sign
which permits light to be turned on or off intermittently or which is operated in a way whereby
light is turned on or off intermittently, including any illuminated sign on which such illumination
is not kept stationary or constant in intensity and color at all times when such sign is in use,
including light emitting diode (LED) or electronic message board or digital display, and which
varies in intensity or color. A CEVMS does not include a sign located within the right-of-way
that functions as a traffic control device and that is described and identified in the Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) approved by the Federal Highway Administration or
the Texas Department of Transportation.
SECTION 3: Amendment to Ordinance No. 04-03 (Regulation of Signs) Section 1.09(D)
Monument Signs. Ordinance No. 04-03 Section 1.09 (D) is hereby amended to add paragraph 3, Digital
Display Signs to read as follows:
3. A Digital Display Sign, as defined in Section 1.01, may only be permitted as part of
an approved Monument Sign as defined in paragraph 1.
a. Time — A Digital Display Sign may only be permitted in conjunction with an
approved Monument Sign, whether new or retrofitting an existing monument
sign. In the case of retrofitting an existing Monument Sign, all current provisions
of the sign code, as they exist or may be amended, shall apply.
b. Place—
1. A Digital Display Sign shall meet the same requirements as a Monument
Sign.
c. Manner—
1. A Digital Display Sign shall meet the same requirements as a Monument
Sign, including the minimum height for text and graphic elements shall be
six inches(6").
2. A light detection device and/or photocell sensor shall be installed as part of
the sign to ensure the sign's brightness is dimmed when ambient light
conditions darken. No sign within one hundred fifty feet (150') of an
adjacent residential tract shall create a light nuisance. No sign adjacent to a
thoroughfare shall create a light nuisance or an impairment of vision creating
a hazard for vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
ESTABLISHING SIGN CODE AMENDMENTS FOR DIGITAL DISPLAYS AND BILLBOARDS Page 3 of 5
3. Duration of message display shall not be less than 10 seconds. Public
Service information such as date, time, temperature, weather, or information
related to a public emergency (local, regional, state or national) shall be
permitted to display not less than 5 seconds. This is also referred to as Hold
Time or Frame Duration.
4. Message transition such as entry or exit effect shall not be greater than 1
second, meaning the message should transition from one message to another
within 1 second.
5. Frame effects such as flashing shall be prohibited.
6. All Digital Display Signs shall be maintained and kept in good working
order. Reasonable accommodations shall be made within thirty (30) days to
repair damaged or non-working displays.
7. Digital Display Signs may not be used to display commercial messages
relating to products or services that are not offered on the premises.
SECTION 4: Amendment to Ordinance No. 04-03 (Regulation of Signs) Section 1.11
Prohibited Signs. Ordinance No. 04-03, Section 1.11 Prohibited Signs is hereby amended by the
following:
1.11 (D) Commercial Billboard Signs is hereby amended by adding the following sentence to the
existing definition as follows:
The conversion of existing traditional static commercial billboard signs to signs employing digital
or any similar electronic technology shall be prohibited.
1.11(J)Other Signs is hereby amended as follows:
1. Signs which move and/or are animated by means of flashing, traveling or blinking lights, or
other means not providing constant illumination; unless specifically allowed herein.
3. Appendages to primary signs which have flashing, blinking, or traveling lights; unless
specifically allowed herein.
SECTION 5: Penalty Provision. Any person, firm, corporation or business entity violating this
Ordinance, or as amended, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be
fined a sum not exceeding Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). Each continuing day's violation under this
Ordinance shall constitute a separate offense. The penal provisions imposed under this Ordinance shall
ESTABLISHING SIGN CODE AMENDMENTS FOR DIGITAL DISPLAYS AND BILLBOARDS Page 4 of 5
not preclude Prosper from filing suit to enjoin the violation. Prosper retains all legal rights and remedies
available to it pursuant to local, state and federal law.
SECTION 6: Savings/Repealing Clause. Ordinance No. 04-03 shall remain in full force and
effect, save and except as amended by this or any other Ordinance. All provisions of any ordinance in
conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed, but such repeal shall not abate any pending prosecution
for violation of the repealed ordinance, nor shall the repeal prevent a prosecution from being commenced
for any violation if occurring prior to the repeal of the ordinance. Any remaining portions of said
ordinance shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 7: Severability. Should any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this
Ordinance be declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, it is expressly
provided that any and all remaining portions of this Ordinance shall remain in full force and effect.
Prosper hereby declares that it would have passed this Ordinance, and each section, subsection, clause or
phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses and
phrases be declared unconstitutional or invalid.
SECTION 8: Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective from and after its adoption
and publication as required by law.
DULY PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF
PROSPER,TEXAS,on this 10th day of June,2008.
APPROVED A TO FO
Charles Niswanger,Ma
ATTESTED TO AND
CORRE Y CORDED BY:
atthew Denton,TRMC
Town Secretary
DATE OF PUBLICATION: Tit tr f/, a-t'& , Dallas Morning News—Collin County
Edition
ESTABLISHING SIGN CODE AMENDMENTS FOR DIGITAL DISPLAYS AND BILLBOARDS Page 5 of 5
AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION
STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF DALLAS
Before me, a Notary Public in and for Dallas County, this day personally appeared Lynda
Black, Legal Advertising Representative for the DALLAS MORNING NEWS being duly
sworn by oath, states the attached advertisement of:
Town of Prosper
as published in THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS—Metro North Edition on:
TOWN of June 19, 2008
j PROSPERITEXAS
I ORDINANCE NO.08-052-
AN ORDINANCE'OF THE
TOWN OF PROSPER,
TEXAS, AMENDING
SIGN ORDINANCE NO.04
``03, BY AMENDING SEC-
['AMENDING DEFINITIONS,
I f
1.09(D) MONUMENT
1 %
SIGNS; BYADDING'DIG'
AND DISPLAY SIGN-
AND AMENDING SEC-
TION
1.11 PROHIBITED
SIGNS; PROVIDING FOR
' A PENALTY FOR THE (Lynda Black)
" VIOLATION OF THIS OR-
DINANCE; PROVIDING
FOR REPEALING, SAV-
INGS AND SEVERABILI-
I TY CLAUSES; PROVID- -
ING FOR AN EFFEC;
I TIVE DATE OF THIS
; ORDINANCE; AND PRO-
VIDING FOR THE-PUB.
LICATION OF THE CAP-
TION HEREOF. I i
Sworn to and subscribed before me this June 19, 2008
(Not Pu
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; y c ry Public.State of Texas
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