What signs can my business have in Orion Township?

Signs live in their own ordinance, Sign Ordinance No. 153, adopted in 2017; the zoning ordinance simply defers to it in every district (Section 27.02.G; Section 14.03.E).

The permanent allowances by district (Ord. 153 Section 7):

• Ground sign, up to 6 feet tall: 40 square feet per side (80 total) in RB, OP, and LI; 50 per side (100 total) in GB.
• Ground sign, 6 to 8 feet tall: the area drops, 32 per side in RB, 40 in GB, 30 in OP and LI.
• Setback: 20 feet from the right-of-way, 30 feet in GB, with an area bonus for setting back farther (footnote 3).
• Wall sign: one per establishment, 10 percent of the facade or 200 square feet, whichever is less.
• A second ground sign is available on corner lots with 200 feet of frontage on each street, and on lots with over 650 feet of frontage (footnote 5). In GB, drive-through restaurants may add two small signs near the window, and gas stations one fuel-price sign up to 24 square feet per side (footnote 6).
• Electronic message centers: at most 30 percent of the sign area, 10 second message hold, off from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Process and limits:

• Permits come from the Building Department (Ord. 153 Section 10), with fees set by the Township Board (Ord. 153 Section 11).
• Prohibited outright (Ord. 153 Section 5): roof signs, flashing or animated signs except in SP-1 at 10 second or longer intervals, balloons and inflatables, search lights, string lights, signs on trees or utility poles, and parked vehicle or trailer signs.
• Temporary signs follow their own schedules by district, and on-site pennants or similar attention devices need a permit, capped at 14 days per permit and 42 days per year (Ord. 153 Section 6.G).
• Exempt without a permit (Ord. 153 Section 4): address signs, small directional signs up to 2 square feet, real estate signs up to 16 square feet on non-residential property, and window signs per Section 9.
• Variances and appeals go to the Zoning Board of Appeals (Ord. 153 Section 12).

Drive-through menu boards and speaker boxes also carry the zoning ordinance's 100 foot residential standoff (Section 14.02.A). Confirm your district's exact schedule with the Building Department at 248-391-0304.