EMC Sign Laws for MX3 Zoning District in the City of Butte, Montana

GIS map of Butte, Montana

Sign permit zoning laws

 

General Provisions

 

• Illumination: "Unless otherwise specified by this title, all signs may be illuminated; however, no sign regulated by this title may utilize any revolving, stroboscopic, or beacon light or any light having the appearance of lighting used for emergency purposes such as police, ambulance, snowplow, fire trucks, etc." This means your EMC sign can be illuminated, but it cannot use flashing, revolving, or emergency-vehicle-like lights.

• Changeable Copy: "Unless otherwise specified by this title, any sign herein allowed may use manual or automatic changeable copy." This explicitly permits the use of automatic changeable copy, which includes EMC signs, as long as the sign itself is otherwise permitted in its zone.

 

Specific Zone Permissibility

 

The text doesn't explicitly state where "changeable copy signs (automatic)" are permitted but rather that any allowed sign can use this feature. Therefore, the permissibility of an EMC sign would depend on the type of sign it is (e.g., freestanding, wall sign) and the zoning district where it's located.

For example, if you want to have an EMC sign as a freestanding sign in a commercial or industrial zone, it would need to adhere to the following:

• Permit Required: Unless explicitly exempt (which EMC signs are not), all signs require permits.

• Number of Signs: A developed parcel in commercial and industrial zones is generally permitted a maximum of three freestanding signs, with specific spacing requirements (no two freestanding signs less than 150 frontage feet apart). Development complexes have slightly different rules.

• Location: Freestanding signs must be adjacent to a public street or highway on which the property borders.

• Sign Area & Height (Varies by Zone):

  • C-1, C-M, M-1, and M-2 districts: Individual freestanding signs cannot exceed 175 square feet in sign area and 30 feet in height.

  • C-2 and C-3 districts:

    • Signs can be up to 40 feet in height and not exceed 300 square feet in area.

    • Signs between 41 and 60 feet in height are permitted within one-half mile of the I-90/15 interstate intersection with Harrison Avenue or Montana Street and cannot exceed 175 square feet in area.

    • Each frontage is permitted a total of 300 square feet of sign area.

• Setback: All freestanding signs must be set back five feet from the property line.

• Construction: Must follow construction, clearance, and projection specifications of the Uniform Sign Code.

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Important Considerations:

• Vision Clearance: All signs, including EMC signs, must adhere to the vision clearance triangle requirements at corners, driveways, and alleys to ensure they don't impede vision. Pole diameters within these triangles cannot exceed eight inches.

• Prohibited Signs: Make sure your EMC sign doesn't fall under any prohibited categories, such as

  • Imitating or resembling official traffic or government signs.

  • Creating undue glare on residences in residential zones.

  • Constituting a traffic hazard due to location, size, illumination, or type.

• Maintenance and Repair: All signs, including EMC signs, are subject to requirements regarding safety, maintenance, and repair.