HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLN 01-25Report to
Executive Committee
Report Number: PLN 01-25 Date: January 13, 2025
From: Kyle Bentley
Director, City Development & CBO
Subject: Sign By-law Review
- File: L-2000-024 Sign By-law
Recommendation:
1. That Report PLN 01-25, which provides additional information regarding Council
Resolution #587/24, be received;
2. That the revised Sign By-law as set out in Appendix I to Report PLN 01-25 be enacted;
3. That Council approve an amendment to the General Municipal Fees & Charges By-law 6191/03, as amended, as set out in Appendix II, to implement fees related to the new
Sign By-law.
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to provide additional information in response to Council Resolution #587/24, related to Report PLN 25-24 on the Sign By-law
Review.
The City’s current Sign By-law, enacted on November 16, 2009, is being reviewed and updated to ensure alignment with current sign standards, trends, and municipal and development best practices. City staff conducted public consultations, including virtual and in-
person open houses, and engaged with over 45 stakeholders to prepare the draft Sign By-law.
On October 7, 2024, staff brought forward Report PLN 25-24 (see Attachment 1) to the Executive Committee. The Committee referred the report back to staff, requesting further engagement with key industry stakeholders (see Extract from Executive Committee Minutes of October 7, 2024, Attachment 2).
In response to the referral, City staff have:
• consulted with identified key stakeholders, and additional public agency stakeholders
• reviewed municipal best practices and re-evaluated the proposed Billboard Sign District area and related provisions
• revised the draft Sign By-law permissions and Schedules to:
• expand the existing Billboard District
• establish a new Billboard District within the Seaton Innovation Corridor (see Appendix I, Schedules B1 and B2)
• align additional provisions with public agency criteria and guidelines
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Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 2
Based on the additional engagement, and proposed revisions, City staff recommend that the new Sign By-law as set out in Appendix I, be finalized and brought forward for Council
enactment and that Council approve an amendment to the General Municipal Fees & Charges
By-law 6191/03, as amended, as set out in Appendix II, to implement fees related to the new Sign By-law.
Relationship to the Pickering Strategic Plan: The recommendations in this report respond
to the Pickering Strategic Plan Priority of Advance Innovation & Responsible Planning to Support a Connected, Well-Serviced Community.
Financial Implications: Sign permit fees, licence fees, and variance fees are contained within the City’s General Municipal Fee By-law. The City is not expected to realize any significant additional revenue resulting from updates to the Sign By-law.
Discussion: The purpose of this report is to provide additional information in response to Council Resolution #587/24, related to Report PLN 25-24 on the Sign By-law Review. This report highlights the amendments made to the draft Sign By-law based on additional stakeholder engagement and analysis. The report outlines updates to the Billboard Sign
provisions, including the addition and expansion of the existing Billboard Sign district locations,
new provisions to align with municipal best practices and policies, and a summary of feedback received during the additional engagement.
1. Background
On October 7, 2024, the Executive Committee of Council considered Report PLN 25-24
(see Attachment 1). The report summarized the City’s review of its existing Sign By-law 6999/09, as amended. The review aimed to update the Sign By-law based on public input and feedback, an analysis of approved signed variances from the past 15 years and based on best practices from other municipal sign by-laws.
The report included:
• the rationale for reviewing the existing Sign By-law
• a summary of the public engagement process, including public feedback and staff’s responses
• proposed revisions to the existing Sign By-law provisions, including specific sign types, enforcement updates, general amendments and additional comments
• the removal of Schedule “A” from the new Sign By-law to minimize the need for Sign
By-law Amendments; fees are proposed to remain in the City’s current General
Municipal Fee’s By-law, which is updated annually
The Committee referred Report PLN 25-24 back to staff to engage further with key industry stakeholders. Staff were directed to present their findings and recommendations at the December 2, 2024 Executive Committee. However, due to the feedback received and
the need for further analysis by City staff, additional time was required.
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Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 3
2. Response to the Committee’s Comments
As part of the initial Sign By-law review, City staff engaged with various stakeholders
through both virtual and in-person open house meetings. Comments and responses
from these sessions are included in Attachment 1 to Report PLN 25-24 (see Attachment 1). In total, over 45 key stakeholders were consulted with, including but not limited to Metrolinx, the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), sign companies, the Durham Region Association of REALTORS, real estate brokers, and the development industry.
After the October 7, 2024, Executive Committee meeting, staff were given contact
information for three additional stakeholders:
1. Sussex-Strategy Group 2. Vendo Media Inc. 3. Pattison Outdoor Advertising
Staff note that Pattison Outdoor Advertising was previously consulted and staff
responded to their comments before the Executive Committee Meeting of October 7, 2024. At the Committee’s request, staff contacted Pattison Outdoor Advertising again, and also consulted with the Region of Durham, MTO, Transport Canada and Great Canadian Entertainment (Pickering Casino Resort). Staff shared the
draft Sign By-law and supporting materials and requested feedback.
The comments received generally focused on the following topics:
• the City’s existing Special Sign Districts, particularly the Billboard District and its associated provisions
• municipal best practices for issuing Requests for Proposal for advertising billboards on City properties
• permitting billboard signs on ‘big box’ retail locations
• allowing Billboard Signs on vacant properties
• processes for allowing Billboard signs outside of the Billboard District
• municipal best practices relating to Billboard Signs
• a request to designate the Pickering Casino Resort as a new Sign District, with exemptions for sign area and height limits
• compliance with the Region of Durham’s Vision Zero Initiative for safer regional
roads and enforcement of signage placement at Durham Region Transit bus stops and shelters
A complete summary of stakeholder comments and staff’s responses is provided in Attachment 3 to this report.
3. Billboard Signs
The City currently has one Billboard Sign District, which extends along Bayly Street, from Church Street South to the east and between Brock Road and the hydro corridor to the west.
PLN 01-25 January 13, 2025
Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 4
Several comments provided to the City requested an expansion to the Billboard Sign District and changes to certain provisions related to billboard signs, as the current
permissions do not allow for further opportunity for Billboard Sign placement and
only allow current vendors with existing billboards to be permitted. In response, staff re-evaluated whether additional locations would be suitable for inclusion in a Billboard District. This assessment involved reviewing municipal best practices for billboard regulations, identifying appropriate additional locations for billboard signs to be
permitted within the City, and ensuring compliance with appropriate public agencies
requirements.
Based on the review of comments received through this further consultation, staff determined that certain areas zoned as Employment and Major Tourist Destination are suitable for permitting billboard signs, and have incorporated revisions into the new Sign
By-law regarding Billboard Signs. The proposed revisions to the new Sign By-law are
outlined below:
3.1 Expansion to the Existing Billboard Sign District
The Pickering Casino Resort has requested that its property be included in the City’s existing Billboard District, located along Bayly Street. The Billboard District boundaries
have now been expanded to include both Durham Live and the Pickering Casino lands
(refer to Schedule B1 of Appendix I). Under the new Sign By-law, Billboard Signs are now allowed on lands as identified in Schedule B1, if they are zoned as Employment or Major Tourist Destination. Since Billboard Signs often promote local tourist activities and attractions, staff consider this expansion appropriate, provided the signs comply with the
provisions of the new Sign By-law.
The expansion of the sign location provides a 14 metre setback from Highway 401
as required by the MTO, and properties located within 400 metres from Highway 401
will be required to obtain a Sign Permit from MTO (in addition to a Sign Permit from the
City of Pickering).
Billboard Signs, which are already legally existing within this Billboard District, would not be required to comply with the new provisions of the Sign By-law, provided the sign has
continuously remained in the same location and has not been altered.
3.2 Seaton Innovation Corridor
Based on feedback from the additional engagement, staff have included an additional Billboard Sign District, located in the Seaton Innovation Corridor. This proposed Billboard District area is generally bordered by Highway 7 to the north, Highway 407 to
the south, North Road to the west, and Sideline 22 to the east (refer to Schedule B2 of
Appendix I).
As with the expansion of the existing Billboard Sign District, billboard signs would only be permitted on lands zoned for Employment, and they must comply with the provisions outlined in the new Sign By-law. The new billboard sign location maintains a buffer
greater than 250 metres from other Special Sign Districts in the immediate vicinity.
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City staff consulted with the MTO, Transport Canada and the City’s Economic Development Department to ensure the new sign location was appropriate.
3.3 Billboard Sign Provisions
Based on the engagement and a further review of municipal best practices, additional provisions have been added to the By-law. The proposed provisions align with criteria from public agency policies, including the Region of Durham’s Vision Zero initiative for safer Regional Roads and the Ministry of Transportation’s Highway Corridor
Management Manual.
The new provisions for Billboard Signs are:
• Permitted Locations: Only in areas shown in Schedules B1 and B2 of the Sign By-law, on lands zoned Employment or Major Tourist Destination Zone categories.
• One Billboard Sign is permitted per property.
• Setback from an intersection: At least 30 metres away.
• Setback from another sign: At least 30 metres away from any other sign type.
• Setback from Residential Zone/Use: At least 100 metres away.
• Setback from Roads, Streets or Railway Crossing a Highway at Grade: At least 45 metres away.
• All billboard signs within 400 metres of Highway 401 shall require the approval of a permit issued by the MTO in addition to the City of Pickering. All billboard signs located in Schedule B2 of the Sign By-law may require the approval of a permit
issued by the MTO and Transport Canada, in addition to the City of Pickering.
Complete details on Billboard Signs regulations are in Sections 35 and 54 of the new Sign By-law (refer to Appendix I).
4. Additional Comments
Staff received several comments and suggestions, regarding additional permissions for
Billboard Signs, particularly on ‘Big Box’ commercial/retail lands (see Attachment 3).
Provincial policy direction, including the Provincial Planning Statement (2024) and City Policy Official Plan Amendment 38 – the Kingston Road Corridor and Specialty Retailing Node Intensification Plan, as well as trends from recent development applications, indicate a shift in land use permissions. Big box commercial and retail
lands are transitioning towards mixed-use developments that include residential uses.
Given this shift, staff believe it is not appropriate to permit Billboard Signs in these areas.
Staff also received a request to exempt provisions for maximum sign area and maximum height for the Pickering Casino lands. To evaluate this, staff reviewed
practices in other Greater Toronto Area municipalities with Casinos. The review did not
identify sufficient municipal best practices to support such exemptions.
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Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 6
However, as outlined in Section 3.1 of this report, staff support expanding the Billboard
District to include the Durham Live lands, provided the lands are zoned as Employment
or Major Tourist Destination. If a proposed sign exceeds the maximum permitted sign
area of 20 square metres or maximum height of 7.5 metres, or another provision
contained within the Sign By-law, the proponent may consider applying for a Sign
Variance or receiving an exemption through the City’s Site Plan approval process.
5. Conclusion
The discussion above outlines the additional public engagement that was undertaken as directed by Council Resolution #587/24, and the amendments made to the draft Sign By-law. Staff recommend that the revised Sign By-law, as set in Appendix I, be enacted
by Council and that Council approve an amendment to the General Municipal Fees &
Charges By-law 6191/03, as amended, as set out in Appendix II, to implement fees related to the new Sign By-law.
Appendices
Appendix I Draft Sign By-law Appendix II Draft By-law to Amend By-law 6191-03 General Municipal Fees
Attachments:
1. Report PLN 25-24 2. Extract from Executive Committee Minutes of October 7, 2024 3. Response to additional comments received
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Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 7
Prepared By:
Original Signed By
Amanda Zara Dunn, MCIP, RPP
Principal Planner, Development Review
Original Signed By
Nilesh Surti, MCIP, RPP Division Head, Development Review & Urban Design
Original Signed By
Jason Litoborski
Manager, Municipal Law Enforcement Services
Approved/Endorsed By:
Original Signed By
Kyle Bentley, P.Eng.
Director, City Development & CBO
Original Signed By
Paul Bigioni Director, Corporate Services & City Solicitor
Recommended for consideration
of Pickering City Council
Original Signed By
Marisa Carpino, M.A.
Chief Administrative Officer
Appendix I to Report PLN 01-25
Draft Sign By-law
The Corporation of the City of Pickering
By-law No. XXXX/25
A By-law to regulate signs in the City of Pickering
Whereas pursuant to paragraph 7 of subsection 11(3) of the Municipal Act, 2001 a lower-tier
municipality may pass by-laws respecting signs;
And whereas signs are necessary to advertise or identify services, businesses, locations and
provide other information;
And whereas, if not effectively regulated, signs may create a nuisance, affect public safety and
detract from the character of the community;
And whereas the Municipal Act, 2001 provides the ability for a municipality to impose fines in
excess of $5,000.00 under the Provincial Offences Act R.S.O. 1990, and further allows for
special fines that may exceed $100,000.00;
Now therefore be it resolved that the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering enacts
as follows:
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 2
Part 1 – Administration and Interpretation
Title
1.This By-law and any amendments thereto shall be known as the “City of Pickering Sign
By-law”.
Other Applicable Laws
2.The applicant shall be responsible for obtaining the approval from any other government
authority having jurisdiction over the installation of a proposed sign.
Scope
2.1 This By-law applies to all signs that are or are to be located, erected, or displayed within
the boundaries of the City, save and except any other sign prescribed by statue, and shall
regulate the location, size, number, construction, alteration, repair, and maintenance of
signs.
2.2 All tables within the body of this By-law and schedules attached to this By-law shall form
part of this By-law.
2.3 This By-law does not apply to a sign that was lawfully elected, located, or displayed on
the day the By-law comes into force and effect if the sign is not substantially altered, and
the maintenance and repair of the sign or a change in the message or contents displayed
is deemed not in itself to constitute a substantial alteration.
Objectives
3.This By-law shall be applied and interpreted in a manner consistent with the following
objectives:
(a)reasonable means should be available to the public to erect signs on a property in
order to identify facilities, businesses and services located thereon;
(b)signs should not create any distraction or safety hazard for pedestrians or motorists,
or create any other danger to the public;
(c)signs should not create any adverse impacts on adjacent public or private property;
(d)signs should not detrimentally alter the physical appearance and architecture of any
building;
(e)to regulate signs placed on lands, buildings, and other structures within the
Corporate limits of the Municipality of Pickering;
(f)signs should not create unnecessary visual clutter due to their size, number or
location; and
(g)temporary signs should be strictly regulated in order to limit the visual impact on the
built environment and the consumption of resources.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 3
Definitions
4.In this By-law,
“address sign” means a sign that depicts the municipal address or civic number of a
property as regulated by this By-law and By-law 7686/19, as amended or replaced from
time to time;
“animation” means a method in which graphics, images or figures are manipulated to
appear as moving images and indicates colour or light changes through electronic means;
“applicant” means an owner, or any person authorized by an owner, who applies for a
sign permit, sign licence or sign permit variance;
“automobile service station” means an establishment where vehicle fuels, lubricants,
and automobile-related accessories are offered for retail sale, and which may include a
car washing establishment and a convenience store;
“automobile service station sign” means a sign on top of gasoline service pumps or on
the columns of a gas bar canopy, on guard posts or freestanding on a gasoline pump
apron and shall include signage for electrical vehicle charging stations;
“banner sign” means a temporary sign of lightweight fabric, plastic or similar material;
“billboard sign” means a sign that is fastened, posted, painted or projected in such a
manner as to permit its periodic replacement and that advertises goods, products or
services that are not available at the location of the sign or that directs a person to a
location different from where the sign is located. A billboard sign displays third-party
advertising with images that may change mechanically and/or displays information or
images on a digital or electronic screen;
“boulevard” means all parts of a highway except the roadway, shoulder and sidewalk;
“canopy sign” means any single-faced sign that is part of or attached to an awning,
canopy or other fabric, plastic or structural protective element installed over a window,
door, entrance, outdoor service area or similar type of entrance way, movable or
immovable;
“Chief Building Official” means the City’s Chief Building Official (CBO) or a designate;
“City” means The Corporation of the City of Pickering or the geographical area of
Pickering, as the context requires;
“community event sign” means a temporary sign that advertises a public event to be
held in the City organized for a non-profit, civic, cultural, religious or recreational purpose;
“construction information sign” means a temporary sign located on a property where a
building is to be built, renovated or demolished indicating information related to design,
construction, renovation, demolition, ownership and rental or sale, and may include the
name of the project, the architect, engineer, and other firms associated with the project;
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 4
“demising wall” means a wall that separates two adjacent tenants or a tenant from one
of the building’s common areas;
“development sales office sign” means a temporary sign located on a property where a
temporary sales office has been legally erected, to identify the builder,
subdivision/condominium marketing name and any other relevant information related to
the sales office;
“development sales sign” means a temporary sign directing people to a temporary
sales office where new homes and other residential developments are marketed to the
public;
“development sign” means a temporary sign that advertises a proposed development to
be constructed and may include the project name and graphic depictions, the developer(s)
and builder(s) names and contact information, and other pertinent information. A
development sign shall not include a construction information sign, a development sales
office sign, or a development sales sign;
“directional sign” means a sign that is intended solely for public information, safety or
convenience in directing persons or traffic and shall contain no commercial advertising,
but may include a corporate logo;
“Director” means the City’s Director, City Development or a designate;
“directory sign” means a sign intended to identify the location of a building containing
multiple occupancies;
“display surface” means the entire sign area which encloses the extreme limits of the
message or content displayed on a sign;
“drive-through facility” shall mean a building or structure or part thereof where goods,
food or services are offered to the public by way of a service window or kiosk while the
patrons are in a parked or in a stationary vehicle, and where goods, money or materials
are exchanged in a designated stacking lane with either a menu board and pre-menu
board signs;
“election sign” has the meaning ascribed to it in Election Sign By-law 7591/17, as
amended or replaced from time to time;
“electronic message display” means a component of a ground sign with moving parts,
flashing lights or fluorescent materials, billboard sign or wall sign that is computer
controlled and illuminated, which displays information to the public by way of prearranged
or variable sequence of electronically generated alphanumeric characters and digital
images;
“erect” means display, attach, affix post, alter, construct, (re)place, locate, install,
relocate and maintain, and cause or permit to be displayed, attached, affixed, posted,
altered, constructed, placed, located, installed, relocated and maintained of any sign or
part thereof;
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 5
“farm sign” means a sign advertising the sale of farm produce grown or produced on the
property where the sign is located;
“fence” means a fence as defined in Fence By-law 6943/09, as amended or replaced
from time to time;
“filming location sign” means a temporary sign identifying a site used for a film
production;
“first storey” means the storey with its floor closet above average grade and having its
ceiling more than 1.8 metres above average grade, and has the same meaning as
defined as Storey, First in the City’s applicable Zoning By-law, as amended;
“fixture” means any structure that the City permits to be located within a boulevard
including, but not limited to, a utility box, newspaper vending box, bench, transit shelter,
telephone pole, telephone booth, transformer box or vault, hydro pole, streetlight,
stoplight pole, recycling waste module, mailbox, tree and street sign;
“flag” means a piece of cloth, or lightweight non-rigid material that is attached by one
edge to a pole or rope, bearing a crest, emblem or insignia of any corporation, federal,
provincial and municipal government agency, or religious, charitable, fraternal, cultural or
community organization with no informational or advertising content;
“flag sign” means a sign made of cloth or lightweight non-rigid material that is attached
by one edge to a pole or rope, and displays information, promotional or advertising
content;
“frontage” means the linear distance along the façade of the building, which is parallel
to, or most close to being parallel to, an abutting public and/or private street. For the
purpose of this By-law, a building may have more than one building frontage this being
determined by the number of public and/or private streets abutting the lot. In a building
with multiple units, a unit is only considered to have building frontage if the main customer
access to the unit/tenancy leads directly outside. If the main customer access of a unit
only leads to an interior sideyard of the site and/or an exterior parking lot, that wall face
may be considered for building frontage per unit/tenancy.
“garage/yard sale sign” means a temporary sign advertising a garage/yard sale of
personal merchandise at a residential property, and includes any directional signs thereto;
“ground sign” means a permanent sign which is free standing in a fixed location and is
wholly supported by a structural base erected on and in or upon the ground, but not part
of a building, and includes a pylon sign, a directional sign, directory sign and drive-through
sign, but does not include a billboard sign;
“heritage conservation district” means a heritage conservation district designated
under the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.18;
“heritage property” means property that has been designated under the Ontario
Heritage Act to be of cultural heritage value or interest or a property on the City's registry
of properties that the City believes to be of cultural heritage value or interest;
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 6
“high density residential” means a residential building other than low density residential;
“hoarding” means any temporary construction barrier continuously enclosing a
construction site that is erected for the purpose of site protection; including any temporary
structure required for safety required by provincial or federal legislation or regulation and
including covered sidewalks, scaffolding, fencing, etc.;
“home-based business sign” means a sign located on a property advertising an
accessory business or occupation used or conducted in a residential premises on the
property where the sign is located;
“home improvement sign” means a temporary sign advertising or promoting
landscaping, home repairs or home renovations;
“inflatable sign” means a temporary sign filled by air or other gas that is either designed
to be airborne or tethered to the ground, a vehicle, a roof or any other structure and
includes balloons;
“interior sign” means a sign located within the interior of a building that is intended to be
seen outside of the building and includes a window sign;
“low density residential” means a single detached dwelling, semi-detached dwelling,
duplex, triplex, fourplex, townhouse, mobile home, or any other residential facility housing
six or fewer residents;
“menu board” means a permanent sign erected as part of a drive-through facility and
used to display, provide pricing for goods, food, and/or services and order products and
services available at the premises;
“mixed-use building” means a building or complex that includes mixed land uses;
“model home sign” means a temporary sign located on a property containing a model
home for the purpose of marketing new residential construction;
“mural” means any type of display or artistic endeavour applied to any external wall or
other part of a building or structure which does not include any words, images, logos, or
trademarks that advertise or convey any promotional message;
“new business” means a business at a location that has been in operation for less than
90 days;
“no trespassing sign” means an informational sign which relates exclusively to
regulating access to a property upon which the sign is located;
“officer” means a municipal law enforcement officer employed by the City to enforce
municipal by-laws or a police officer appointed under the Police Services Act ;
“official sign” means a sign to be used, required by, or erected by any federal,
provincial, regional, or municipal government, a public body or agency thereof or board or
commission or public utility, including, but not limited to, signs designating hospitals,
schools, libraries, community centres, arenas or other public government uses. Where
signage is proposed for private use on public lands, authorization from the public body
and a sign permit will be required;
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 7
“open space system” means the Open Space System land use designation identified on
Schedule I of the City of Pickering’s Official Plan, as amended from time to time;
“owner” means the registered owner of a property, person identified in the most recent
tax roll as the owner of a property or a lessee, tenant, mortgagee in possession or any
other person in charge or possession of a property;
“person” means an individual, association, firm, partnership, corporation, trust,
organization, trustee or agent, and the heirs, executors or legal representatives of the
person to whom the context can apply according to law;
“portable sign” means any temporary sign and/or any sign readily moveable from place
to place, which is not anchored to the ground, including signs commonly referred to as
a-frame, t-frame, sandwich boards, signs fixed to a trailer and any type of device used or
capable of being used for advertising purposes;
“poster” means a printed notice conveying information intended to be displayed for a
temporary period of time and includes a bill, handbill, leaflet and placard;
“pre-menu board” shall mean a sign erected at the entry to a stacking lane of a
drive-through facility and used to display goods, food and/or services available at the
premises;
“premises” means the area of a building or part thereof and/or land or part thereof
occupied or used for residential, commercial and/or industrial purposes and in a multiple
occupancy building, occupied by more than one business, each business area shall be
considered a separate premises;
“property” means a parcel of land, with or without a building or structure, that is a legal
property of record;
“pylon sign” means a type of ground sign that is free standing in a fixed location and is
wholly supported by a structural base erected on and in the ground, but not part of a
building;
“real estate sign” means a temporary non-illuminated sign erected to advertise that a
property, building or a portion of a building is offered for sale, rent or lease;
“real estate open house sign” means a temporary sign advertising that a property for
sale, rent or lease is available for public viewing during a specified date and time;
“Region” means The Regional Municipality of Durham;
“setback” means the shortest distance between a property lot line and the closest
portion of a sign;
“sidewalk sign” means a freestanding temporary sign, not affixed to the ground,
advertising a business, service or product and installed on a sidewalk;
“sign” means any device, notice or visual medium including its structure and other
component parts that is used, or is capable of being used, to attract attention to a specific
subject matter for identification, information or advertising purposes;
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 8
“sign area” means,
(a)in the case of a sign having one display surface, the area of the display surface;
(b)in the case of a sign having two display surfaces located on a sign structure
exactly opposite the other, the area of one display surface;
(c)in the case of a free standing number, letter or shape, the smallest rectangle
which will enclose the number, letter or shape; and
(d)in the case of groupings of free standing numbers, letters or shapes, or
combinations thereof, the sum of the areas of the smallest rectangles which will
enclose each separate grouping of letters, numbers or shapes;
“sign height” means the vertical distance from the ground directly below the sign
measured to the highest extremity of the sign, including the sign structure;
“sign licence” means any licence issued by the City pursuant to the provisions of this
By-law;
“sign permit” means any permit issued by the City pursuant to the provisions of this
By-law;
“sign structure” means the framework, bracing or support of a sign;
“Special Sign District” means a Special Sign District identified in Schedule "A";
“stacking lane” shall mean an on-site area used exclusively for queued vehicles
whose occupants are waiting to be provided with goods, materials or services from a
drive-through facility;
“street” includes a common and public highway, street, avenue, parkway, driveway,
square, place, bridge, viaduct or trestle, any part of which is intended for or used by the
general public for the passage of vehicles and includes the area between the lateral
property lines thereof;
“Substantially Altered” or “Alter” means any change to the sign structure or sign face,
with the exception of:
(i)a change in the message being displayed; and/or
(ii)repair and maintenance, including replacement by identical components as
required by this By-law;
“temporary”, when describing a sign, means a sign conveying a message for a limited
period of display;
“temporary operations” means a business in operation for a maximum of 4 months;
“variance” means permission to locate, erect or display a sign in a manner that is not in
compliance with the requirements of this By-law;
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 9
“wall sign” means a sign attached to a building wall, that projects from a wall, and a
single-faced sign directly painted, marked on or inscribed on an exterior wall surface of a
building, but shall not include a mural. A wall sign may include a canopy sign, directional
sign and directory sign.
“window sign” means a sign located on the interior of a premise which is intended to be
seen from off the premises, but shall not include illuminated signs, or upon or marked or
inscribed on, or attached to, the inside of a window or door for the purpose of viewing
from outside the premises.
Application
5.This By-law applies to all signs displayed within the City, unless otherwise stated in this
By-law.
References to Legislation
6.In this By-law, reference to any Act, regulation or by-law is reference to that Act,
regulation or by-law as it is amended or re-enacted from time to time.
7.The issuance of a permit does not relieve the person/applicant/owner of the responsibility
of obtaining all other approvals that may be required by the Corporation, or any level of
government and agencies thereof or compliance with a by-law, legislation or obligation.
Word Usage
8.This By-law shall be read with all changes in gender or number as the context may
require.
9.A grammatical variation of a word or expression defined has a corresponding meaning.
Schedules
10.Schedule "A" (Special Sign Districts) and Schedule "B1 and B2" (Billboard Sign Districts)
are attached to and form part of this By-law.
11.Unless otherwise specified, references in this By-law to Parts, Sections and Schedules
are to Parts, Sections and Schedules in this By-law.
Conflicts
12.If a provision of this By-law conflicts with a provision of any applicable Act, regulation or
by-law, the provision that establishes the higher or more restrictive standard to protect the
health, safety and welfare of the general public shall prevail.
13.Where an industrial building contains commercial uses that are permitted in an industrial
category of the City's Zoning By-law, the sign requirements for a commercial zone shall
apply.
14.Where the provisions for sign exemptions are not met, a sign permit or sign licence as
well as associated sign variance may be required.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 10
Measurements
15.All dimensions in this By-law are in millimetres (mm), centimetres (cm), metres (m),
hectares (ha) or square metres (m²) and all plans, specifications, documents and other
information submitted with any application under this By-law shall use such dimensions.
Severability
16.Each section of this By-law is an independent section, and the holding of any section or
part of any section of this By-law to be void or ineffective for any reason shall not be
deemed to affect the validity of any other section or parts of sections of this By-law.
Fees
17.Any fees charged under this By-law are as outlined in the City’s current General Municipal
Fees By-law, as amended from time to time, and are per sign and non-refundable.
Maintenance
18.The Owner of the building to which a sign is attached, or of the lot upon which a sign is
located, shall maintain or cause the sign to be maintained in a state of good repair. For
the purposes of this section, a sign which is in a state of good repair is a sign which is
clean, neatly painted and property maintained.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 11
Part 2 – Sign Permits
Required Sign Permits
19.(i) No person shall erect any ground sign, wall sign, canopy sign, development sign,
billboard sign or drive-through sign without a sign permit.
(ii)No person shall erect any sign without a sign permit, where a sign permit is required
pursuant to this By-law.
20.Notwithstanding Section 25, any sign lawfully erected prior to the passing of this By-law
shall not require a sign permit provided such sign has continuously remained in its
location and has not been substantially altered.
21.Notwithstanding Sections 25 and 26, any billboard sign lawfully erected prior to the
passing of this By-law shall not require a sign permit provided such billboard sign has
continuously remained in its location, has not been substantially altered and the owner of
the billboard sign has obtained a sign licence.
Sign Permit Applications
22.A sign permit application shall be made by the Owner of the property, building or
business, on which the sign is to be erected or an authorized representative of the owner.
23.The City’s Chief Building Official shall be responsible for administration of all sign permits.
24.All sign permit applications shall be filed with the City's prescribed form.
25.Every sign permit application shall,
(a)identify and describe in detail the proposed sign and all other signs existing on the
property at the time of the application;
(b)describe the property on which the proposed sign is to be erected by legal
description and municipal address or by other equivalent description that will readily
identify the property;
(c)state the name, address, telephone numbers and email of the applicant and any
persons designing or erecting the sign;
(d)be accompanied by plans, specifications, documents and other information
describing the construction, dimensions, materials and specific location of the
proposed sign in sufficient detail to permit the Chief Building Official to determine
whether the sign will comply with this By-law, the building code, an approved site
plan, heritage conservation district guidelines, or any other applicable law;
(e)be accompanied by the applicable fee(s) set out in the City’s current General
Municipal Fees By-law, as amended from time to time;
(f)include, where the applicant is not the owner of the property, authorization for
making the application on behalf of the owner;
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 12
(g)be signed by the applicant who shall certify the accuracy and truth of the contents of
the application; and
(h)the applicant shall obtain approval for the proposed sign, if required, from other
governmental authorities or agencies having jurisdiction.
26.If required by the City, all plans and specifications covering the erection of a sign and
supporting framework that are submitted as part of a sign permit application shall be
certified by a Registered Professional Engineer as to the structural adequacy of the sign.
Sign Permit Issuance
27.The City’s Chief Building Official may approve or refuse any sign permit application, and
may impose any conditions upon an approval as he or she determines to be appropriate.
28.The City shall refuse to issue a permit if the proposed sign does not comply with this
By-law, the building code, an approved site plan, heritage conservation district guidelines,
or any other applicable law.
Revocation of Sign Permit
29.The City’s Chief Building Official may revoke a sign permit under any of the following
circumstances:
(a)the sign permit has been issued in error;
(b)the sign for which the sign permit was issued is erected in contravention of any part
of this By-law, the building code, an approved site plan, heritage conservation
district guidelines, or any other applicable law;
(c)the sign permit has been issued as the result of false, mistaken, incorrect, or
misleading statements, information or undertakings on the application or on any
submitted documents that formed the basis of the issuance;
(d)the business or other subject matter to which the sign relates ceases to exist;
(e)the sign permit holder requests that the sign permit be revoked; or
(f)6 months have elapsed following the date of sign permit issuance and the sign
authorized by the sign permit has not been erected.
Special Sign Districts
30.In addition to the requirements of Sections 32 to 37, every permit application for a sign in
a Special Sign District shall be accompanied by scale drawings clearly showing,
(a)the proposed sign materials, letter fonts and colours;
(b)the proposed means of any sign illumination; and
(c)in the case of a wall sign, an accurate building elevation drawing showing the size
of the sign and a cross-section of the sign showing the proposed method of affixing
the sign to the building.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 13
Heritage Properties
31.(a) A sign permit for a sign in a heritage conservation district shall not be issued unless
the sign conforms to the applicable heritage conservation district guidelines adopted
by the City.
(b)A sign permit for a sign on heritage property shall not be issued unless the applicant
has met all additional requirements under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Ground Signs
32.(1) Ground signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Use Maximum
Sign Height
Maximum
Sign Area
Maximum
Number
Minimum
Setback*
Low Density Residential Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Part of the Open Space System Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
High Density Residential 2.0 metres 4.0 square
metres 1 3.0 metres
Institutional 2.0 metres 4.0 square
metres 1 3.0 metres
Commercial or industrial (less
than 30 metre frontage) 4.0 metres 10.0 square
metres
1 per street
frontage 3.0 metres
Commercial or industrial
(30 metre frontage or more) 6.0 metres 18.0 square
metres
1 per street
frontage 3.0 metres
All Other Uses 3.0 metres 6.0 square
metres
1 per street
frontage 3.0 metres
*setback from property lines
(2)Specific Ground Sign Regulations:
(a)Notwithstanding section 32. (1), no ground sign exceeding 1.5 square metres in
sign area or 1.5 metres in sign height shall be erected in a Special Sign District.
(b)Every ground sign shall contain the municipal address number in numerals (refer
to the City’s By-law pertaining to Civic Numbering of Buildings and Properties,
By-law 7686/19, as amended or replaced from time to time).
(c)Every ground sign shall be located on the property to which the sign relates,
and shall only reference businesses located on that property.
(d)Subject to subsection (e), a maximum of one ground sign shall be permitted for
each street frontage on any one property.
(e)A second ground sign shall be permitted on a property in a commercial or
industrial zone where the street frontage is not less than 200 metres, and the
ground signs are not located within 100 metres of each other.
(f)For regulations specific to an electronic message display, refer to Section 63.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 14
Wall Signs
33.(1) Wall signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Use Maximum
Sign Area Maximum Number Minimum Height
from Ground
Low Density Residential Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
High Density Residential 4.0 square metres 1 per frontage 2.4 metres
Institutional 4.0 square metres 1 per frontage 2.4 metres
Commercial / Industrial
(multi-tenant & multi-
storey)
15 percent of
tenancy walls
1 per owner/tenant per
frontage of the
tenancy walls
2.4 metres
Mixed-use Building 15 percent of
tenancy walls
1 per owner/tenant per
frontage of the
tenancy walls
2.4 metres
All Other Uses 4.0 square metres 1 per frontage 2.4 metres
(2)Specific Wall Sign Regulations:
(a)Notwithstanding section 33. (1), no wall sign exceeding 1.5 square metres in
sign area shall be erected in a Special Sign District.
(b)Except as permitted by By-law 7686/19, as amended or replaced from time to
time, and Section 61 (home-based businesses), no wall sign shall be erected
for a low density residential use.
(c)A wall sign shall be located within the demising tenancy walls.
(d)The maximum sign area per tenancy includes the combined sign area of wall
signs and canopy signs.
(e)In a commercial or industrial building containing multiple tenancies, the
applicable building face area for a wall sign respecting an individual tenancy
shall be measured only to the limits of the tenancy demising walls adjacent to
the wall on which the sign is located.
(f)No wall sign shall be erected for a high density residential use other than a sign
displaying the building identification, corporate logo or similar content on the
highest storey of the building, a minimum of 2 storeys above grade and shall
not exceed 6.0 square metres in sign area.
(g)No wall sign shall be erected on any building that contains more than 1 storey
above grade other than on the first storey, the second storey, and highest
storey of such building.
(h)A maximum of one wall sign may be erected on each wall face of the highest
storey of a building that is more than 2 storeys above grade.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 15
(i)No part of a wall sign shall project more than 0.5 metres from the building
except in the case of a canopy sign provided it is located a minimum of
2.4 metres above grade and does not project more than 2.0 metres from any
wall it is attached to.
(j)For regulations specific to an electronic message display, refer to Section 63.
(k)For regulations specific to canopy signs, refer to Section 36.
Development Signs
34.Specific Development Sign Regulations:
(a)Development signs shall not be permitted in the Open Space System. For all other
land uses, development signs not exceeding 6.0 metres in sign height and with a
setback of at least 3.0 metres shall be permitted.
(b)A maximum of one development sign having a sign area not exceeding 20 square
metres may be erected on each street frontage on any single development site.
(c)A maximum of two additional development signs having a sign area not exceeding
10 square metres may be erected on any vacant property outside of the
development site.
(d)No more than three development signs shall be erected in relation to any single
development project.
(e)A development sign shall be removed no later than 30 days upon the earlier of,
(i)the completion of sales related to the development; or
(ii)24 months after the date the sign permit is issued; or
(iii)as prescribed by specific locational City policies/standards which permits
identified periods of time/duration.
Billboard Signs
35.Specific Billboard Sign Regulations:
(a)Billboard signs shall not be permitted in any location other than within the Billboard
Sign District shown in Schedule “B1” and “B2”.
(b)Notwithstanding Section 35.(a), billboard signs are permitted only within an
Employment or Major Tourist Destination Zone.
(c)One billboard sign is permitted per property.
(d)No billboard sign shall exceed a sign area of 20 square metres.
(e)No billboard sign shall exceed a sign height of 7.5 metres.
(f)No billboard sign shall be located within 30 metres from an intersection.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 16
(g)No billboard sign shall be located within 100 metres from a residential zone/use.
(h)No billboard shall be located within 45 metres from a road, street, or railway that
intersects a highway at grade.
(i)No billboard sign shall be erected on a roof of a building.
(j)No billboard sign shall be located within 250 metres of any other billboard sign.
(k)No billboard sign shall be located within 30 metres from any other sign type.
(l)No billboard sign shall be located within 3 metres of a property line.
(m)Where an existing billboard sign is to be revised to an Electronic Display Board a
sign permit is required.
(n)All billboard signs within 400 metres of Highway 401 shall require the approval of a
permit issued by the Ministry of Transportation in addition to the City of Pickering.
(o)All billboard signs located in Schedule “B2” may require the approval of a permit
issued by the Ministry of Transportation and Transport Canada in addition to the City
of Pickering.
(p)For regulations specific to an electronic message display, refer to Section 63.
Canopy Signs
36.Specific Canopy Sign Provisions:
(a)No person shall erect or display, or cause to be erected or displayed, a canopy sign
except in compliance with the provisions of this subsection.
(b)Where a canopy overhangs more than 0.5 metres from a building wall and/or
functions as a sign, a sign permit shall be required.
(c)No canopy sign shall project more than 2.0 metres from any wall to which it is
attached.
(d)No canopy sign shall project more than 1.0 metre above a roof line.
(e)No canopy sign shall extend beyond the end of a wall except to connect with another
canopy sign that is perpendicular to it and of identical dimensions, excluding length.
(f)A canopy sign on a first storey may be located partly above the first storey, provided
at least half of the sign is on the first storey and all of the sign is located below the
lowest window or set of windows on an upper storey.
(g)Canopy signs on the same wall face shall be separated vertically by not less than
1.5 metres.
(h)No person shall erect or maintain any canopy sign attached or affixed to any land or
building so as to project into or over or be suspended over a City Street without an
encroachment permit.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 17
(i)The issuance of a building permit or sign permit shall not be provided for a canopy
sign that projects into or over, or is suspended over a City Street until an
encroachment permit is issued.
Drive-through Signs
37.Specific Drive-Through Sign Regulations:
(a)Drive-Through Signs include:
(i)Menu Board;
(ii)Pre-Menu Board;
(b)No menu board sign shall exceed a sign area of 4 square metres.
(c)No pre-menu board sign shall exceed a sign area of 2 square metres.
(d)No person shall erect a drive-through sign at any location other than entirely on
private property.
(e)A maximum of one menu board sign is permitted per drive-through stacking lane and
one pre-menu board sign is permitted per drive-through stacking lane.
(f)Maximum height per drive-through sign shall be 2.5 metres.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 18
Part 3 – Sign Licences
Required Sign Licences
38.(a) No person shall erect any portable sign, banner sign, flag sign, inflatable sign,
sidewalk sign or billboard sign without a sign licence.
(b)No person shall erect any sign without a sign licence, where a sign licence is
required pursuant to this By-law.
Sign Licence Applications
39.A sign licence application shall be made by an owner of the property on which the sign is
to be erected or an authorized representative of the owner.
40.The City’s Manager, Municipal Law Enforcement, or their designate shall be responsible
for administration of all sign licences.
41.All sign licence applications shall be filed using the City's prescribed form.
42.A separate sign licence application is required for every sign.
43.Every sign licence application shall be accompanied by details of the size and location of
the proposed sign and the applicable fee(s) set out in the City’s current General Municipal
Fees By-law, as amended.
44.Where a sign licence application is for a portable sign for an individual business in a
building containing multiple tenants, the application must include written permission from
the owner or the owner's authorized representative consenting to the placement of the
portable sign.
General Sign Licence Requirements
45.All sign licences shall expire on the date indicated on the sign licence.
46.A maximum of four sign licences for signs may be issued concerning an individual
business or service in any calendar year provided at least 30 days have elapsed since
the expiry of the last sign licence and the sign has been removed.
47.(a) A maximum of one sign licence may be issued for a single property at any one time,
irrespective of the number of business tenancies located on the property.
(b)Notwithstanding the foregoing, new businesses and temporary operations may be
permitted additional temporary signage in accordance with Section 49.
48.No sign licence shall be issued on any heritage property.
Sign Licence Relief
49.Subject to approval by the City’s Manager, Municipal Law Enforcement Services, relief
from the provisions of this By-law for any sign requiring a sign licence may be granted
provided such relief is consistent with the objectives of this By-law and the relief is for a
maximum of 3 months.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 19
Portable Signs
50.(1) Portable signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Use Maximum
Sign Height
Maximum
Sign Area
Maximum
Number
Minimum
Setback
All Residential (High Density and
Low Density Residential) Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Special Sign Districts Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Open Space System Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
All Other Uses 2.0 metres 4.0 square
metres 1* 3.0 metres
* per street frontage where 2 street frontages are > 70 metres
(2)Specific Portable Sign Regulations:
(a)Every portable sign shall be located on the property to which the sign relates.
(b)In the case of corner properties, no portable sign shall be located less than
15.0 metres from the inside curb at the point of intersection of the two streets.
(c)Portable signs may be illuminated but shall not incorporate electronic message
displays, moving parts, or flashing lights or fluorescent materials.
(d)Lettering used on a portable sign shall not be greater than 0.2 metres in sign
height.
(e)No portable sign shall be capable of being connected to a power supply without
written Electrical Safety Authority approval.
(f)A sign licence for a portable sign shall be valid for a period of not more than
30 days, after which the sign shall be immediately removed.
Banner and Inflatable Sign Restrictions
51.(1) Banner and inflatable signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Use Maximum
Sign Height
Maximum
Sign Area
Maximum
Number
Minimum
Setback
All Residential (High Density
and Low Density Residential) Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Special Sign Districts Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Open Space System Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
All Other Uses 6.0 metres
4.0 square
metres per
tenant
1 3.0 metres
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 20
(2)Specific Banner and Inflatable Sign Restrictions:
(a)Every banner or inflatable sign shall be located on the property to which the
sign relates.
(b)No banner or inflatable sign is permitted on canopies, awnings, fences or on
sidewalks.
(c)A banner or inflatable sign shall be securely affixed to the exterior wall or a roof
of a building, or to the ground.
(d)A sign licence for a banner sign shall be valid for a period of not more than
30 days on private property, after which the sign shall be immediately removed.
(e)A sign licence for an inflatable sign shall be valid for a period of not more than
30 days on private property, after which the sign shall be immediately removed.
Flag Signs
52.(1) Flag signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Use Maximum
Sign Height
Maximum
Sign Area
Maximum
Number
All Residential (High Density and
Low Density Residential) Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Special Sign Districts Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Open Space System Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
All Other Uses 1.8 metres 2.0 square
metres 3
(2)Specific Flag Sign Restrictions:
(a)Every flag sign shall be located on the property to which the sign relates.
(b)A sign licence for a flag sign shall be valid for a period of not more than 30 days
on private property, after which the sign shall be immediately removed.
Sidewalk Signs
53.(a) Sidewalk signs shall not exceed a sign height of 1.0 metres or a width of 0.6 metres.
(b)Sidewalk signs shall not be permitted in any location other than within a Special Sign
District.
(c)A sidewalk sign shall be installed immediately in front of the business to which it
pertains, and shall only be erected during the hours of operation of the business.
(d)A sidewalk sign may be located on a public sidewalk provided a minimum of
1.5 metres of unobstructed sidewalk space is maintained.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 21
(e)A maximum of one sign licence for a sidewalk sign may be issued to an owner.
(f)A sign licence for a sidewalk sign shall be valid for a period of 1 year.
Billboard Signs
54.(a) No sign licence shall be issued for a new billboard sign unless a sign permit has
been issued for such billboard sign.
(b)A sign licence for a billboard sign shall be valid for a period of 1 year.
Sign Licence Issuance
55.The City may approve or refuse any sign licence application, and may impose any
conditions upon an approval as the City determines to be appropriate.
56.The City shall refuse to issue a sign licence if the proposed sign does not comply with this
By-law, the building code, an approved site plan, heritage conservation district guidelines,
or any other applicable law.
57.The City may refuse to issue a sign licence if there are reasonable grounds to believe that
the applicant will not operate in accordance with applicable laws or with honesty and
integrity.
58.The City may refuse to issue a licence if the applicant has failed to pay fines imposed for
previous convictions relating to contraventions of any municipal by-laws.
59.The City may refuse any sign licence if there are existing violations of this By-law on the
property where the sign is proposed.
Revocation of Sign Licence
60.The City may revoke a sign licence under any of the following circumstances:
(a)the sign licence has been issued in error;
(b)the sign for which the sign licence was issued is erected in contravention of any
provision of this By-law, the building code, an approved site plan, heritage
conservation district guidelines, or any other applicable law;
(c)the sign licence has been issued as the result of false, mistaken, incorrect, or
misleading statements, information or undertakings on the application or on any
submitted documents that formed the basis of the issuance;
(d)the business or other subject matter to which the sign relates ceases to exist
(excluding Billboard Signs); or
(e)the property owner of the sign licence holder requests that the sign licence be
revoked.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 22
Part 4 – Signs Exempt from Sign Permits and Sign Licences
Permitted Signs
61.Signs described in this Part shall be permitted without a sign permit or a sign licence
provided all restrictions in this By-law applicable to the signs have been complied with.
(1)Signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Sign Type Maximum Size Regulations
Community Event
Signs
1.5 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a community event sign
closer than 100 metres to another community
event sign advertising the same community event.
No person shall erect a community event sign
more than 14 days prior to the event.
No person shall erect a community event sign at
any location other than entirely on private
property or on a boulevard.
No person shall permit a community event sign to
remain erected after the day of the event.
Construction
Information Signs
Low Density
Residential:
3.0 metres in
sign height or
4.0 square
metres in sign
area
All Other Uses:
6.0 metres in
sign height or
10.0 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a construction information
sign unless the person has either entered into a
site plan control agreement with the City or the
City has issued a building permit or a Fill and
Topsoil permit for the construction.
No person shall erect a construction information
sign except on a temporary fence or other
physical barrier, hoarding, around the perimeter of
the construction site to which the sign pertains, or
on the subject property at where the construction
is located.
No person shall erect a construction information
sign more than 30 days prior to construction
commencing.
No person shall permit a construction information
sign to remain erected 30 days after construction
has completed or discontinued.
Development Sales
Office Signs
1.0 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a development sales office
sign except on or immediately surrounding a
temporary sales office.
No person shall erect a development sales office
sign except where it has been shown on building
permit application documents and authorized by
the City through issuance of a building permit.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 23
Sign Type Maximum Size Regulations
Development Sales
Signs
1.2 metre height
and
0.8 metre width
No person shall erect a development sales sign at
any location other than entirely on private property
or on a boulevard.
No person shall erect a development sales sign
within 500 metres of any other development sales
sign being used to direct attention to the same
temporary sales office.
No person shall permit a development sales sign
to remain erected in its original location, or within
500 metres of its original location, for a total of
more than 72 hours (excluding statutory holidays)
during any consecutive 7 day period.
No person shall erect a development sales sign
with a sign height greater than 0.6 metres within
20 metres of the curb or the edge of the traveled
portion of any intersecting street, private road,
driveway or Regional road.
Directional Signs 1.5 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a directional sign at any
location other than entirely on private property.
No person shall erect a directional sign unless the
sign has no promotional or advertising content.
Directory Signs 1.0 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a directory sign at any
location other than entirely on private property.
No person shall erect more than one directory
sign at each access point from a street to the
building.
Farm Signs 1.5 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect more than one farm sign
per property.
No person shall erect a farm sign at any location
other than entirely on private property.
Filming Location
Signs
N/A No person shall erect a filming location sign
unless the person has received a filming permit
from the City.
No person shall erect a filming location sign other
than at a location that is approved and identified
within a filming permit.
No person shall erect a filming location sign at
any location other than entirely on private property
or on a boulevard.
No person shall erect a filming location sign other
than while the film is in production.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 24
Sign Type Maximum Size Regulations
Flags 2.7 square
metres in sign
area
A maximum of three flags bearing a crest,
emblem or insignia of any corporation, federal,
provincial and municipal government agency,
Country, or religious, charitable, fraternal, cultural
or community organization are permitted on one
property. Such flags do not require a sign licence
or sign permit.
No person shall erect a flag at any location other
than entirely on private property.
No person shall erect more than three flags on a
single property.
One flag (Federal, Provincial or Municipal) on a
commercial or industrial zoned property may
exceed the maximum size.
Garage/Yard Sale
Signs
1.0 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a garage/yard sale sign at
any location other than entirely on private property
or on a boulevard.
No person shall erect a garage/yard sale sign
more than 3 days prior to the day of the sale.
No person shall permit a garage/yard sale sign to
remain erected after the day of the sale.
Automobile Service
Station Signs
1.0 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a sign on an automobile
service station canopy that contains anything
other than corporate identification of the owner or
operator of the gasoline station.
Automobile service station signs are permitted to
have electronic message boards subject to the
restrictions for electronic message displays set
out in Section 63 of this By-law.
Automobile service station signs are permitted to
be located on the columns of the gas station
canopy, on top of gasoline pumps or free-standing
on gasoline pump aprons or islands.
Home-Based
Business Signs
0.2 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a home-based business
sign unless a home-based business licence has
been issued by the City.
No person shall erect a home-based business
sign in any location other than on the front wall,
door, mailbox, or on a post not exceeding 1 metre
in height entirely on private low density residential
property.
No person shall erect a home-based business
sign that is internally illuminated.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 25
Sign Type Maximum Size Regulations
Home Improvement
Signs
1.0 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a home improvement sign
at any location other than entirely on private
property where the home improvement is being
undertaken.
No person shall erect a home improvement sign
more than 2 days prior to the commencement of
the home improvement project.
No person shall permit a home improvement sign
to remain erected for more than 90 days.
Interior Signs 20 percent of
total window
area on first
storey
No person shall erect an interior sign unless it is
erected in a window of a building used for office,
commercial or industrial.
Model Home Signs 2.0 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a model home sign at any
location other than on a property containing a
model home.
No Trespassing
Signs
0.3 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a no trespassing sign at any
location other than entirely on private property.
Posters 0.5 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a poster on a fixture.
No person shall erect a poster on a vehicle or a
trailer.
Real Estate Signs All Residential
or Open Space
System:
1.0 square
metres in sign
area
Other Uses:
2.5 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a real estate sign at any
location other than entirely on the property
advertised for sale.
No person shall erect a real estate sign except for
entirely on private property
No person shall erect more than one real estate
sign per property unless the property is at least
0.5 hectares in size, then no person shall erect
more than two real estate signs on separate street
frontages.
Real Estate Open
House Signs
1.0 square
metres sign
area; and,
1.0 metre sign
height
No person shall display more than eight real
estate open house signs in connection with any
one open house.
No person shall erect an open house sign except
for between the hours of 8:00 am to 8:00 pm on
the day of the open house as indicated on the
sign.
No person shall erect a real estate open house
sign at any location other than entirely on private
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 26
Sign Type Maximum Size Regulations
property or on a boulevard at least 3.0 metres
from another sign for the same listing.
No person shall display a real estate open house
sign that does not list the date and time of the
open house.
(2)Specific Sign Restrictions:
(a)This section shall not apply to any sign lawfully erected prior to the passing of
this By-law provided such sign has continuously remained in its location and
has not been substantially altered.
(b)No person shall erect a sign that exceeds the size permitted in this By-law.
(c)Should the above provisions not be met, a Sign Permit or Sign Licence may be
required, as well as an associated Sign Variance.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 27
Part 5 – General Restrictions
General Restrictions Applicable to all Signs
62.No person shall erect any sign,
(a)that does not comply with any provision of this By-law;
(b)that does not comply with any condition of a sign permit, sign licence or variance;
(c)that advertises a use not permitted by the City’s Zoning By-law applicable to the
property on which the sign is located, unless expressly permitted by this By-law;
(d)without a sign permit if a sign permit is required;
(e)without a sign licence if a sign licence is required;
(f)on or over, or partly on or over, public property or any part of a street without the
City's approval unless the sign is expressly permitted by this By-law to be erected
on a sidewalk or a boulevard. This includes any sign advertising a business,
service, sale or event unless expressly listed as a permitted sign in this By-law;
(g)with the exception of temporary signs permitted within a boulevard, every sign shall
be authorized by the registered Owner of the lot on which it is to be located;
(h)on or over, or partly on or over a driveway, a parking space, loading space or aisle
required by the City’s Zoning By-law;
(i)within 3.0 metres of a driveway at the streetline;
(j)within 15.0 metres of a traffic light;
(k)on a walkway or other means of egress on a property unless there is a minimum of
1.5 metres of unobstructed footpath space between the sign and the nearest
structure;
(l)that projects less than 2.4 metres above the walking surface of a pedestrian
walkway;
(m)that pertains to a past event or purpose that no longer applies subject to the
timeline criteria as stated which is applicable to the sign type;
(n)that is structurally faulty, has broken, displaced or missing parts, is inappropriately
displayed, contains lettering that is no longer fully legible, or is otherwise not
maintained properly;
(o)on a roof or projecting in whole or in part above the roof, eaves or parapet of a
building;
(p)no sign shall obstruct or impede the functioning of any flue or air intake or any
exhaust;
(q)in a location that obstructs the view of any pedestrian or motorist so as to cause an
unsafe condition;
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 28
(r)that interferes with, or obstructs the view of, an authorized traffic sign, traffic signal
or official sign;
(s)no sign shall screen from view, obstruct or impede any emergency vehicle access,
fire route, fire escape, hydrant, standpipe, fire exit, exit direction marker, fire
fighter’s access panel or other fire safety device, or prevent or impede free access
from or to any part of a building or fire access by fire fighters to any part of a
building;
(t)that advertises a business, service, or product that is not located on the property
where the sign is erected, unless expressly permitted by this By-law;
(u)located within a visibility triangle formed by the intersection of a street line and a
driveway line, or the projections thereof and a straight line connecting 6.0 metres
from their point of intersection or a railway sight triangle;
(v)that obstructs, or is located in, a required parking space;
(w)that has more than two sign faces;
(x)that is obscene or in bad taste;
(y)no sign shall, by reason of its size, location, content, colouring or manner of
illumination, obstruct the vision of drivers entering or leaving a city street, regional
road, or provincial highway from or to another city street, regional road or a
provincial highway or private road or driveway or obstruct, detract from or interfere
with the visibility or effectiveness of any traffic sign or traffic signal light or any City
street, regional road or provincial highway;
(z)no sign shall resemble any regulatory traffic sign established under the Highway
Traffic Act or the regulations made thereunder or be used for the purpose of
attempting to direct the movement of traffic;
(aa) no sign shall have a colour, shape or location which may cause it to be confused
with any traffic control sign, signal or device;
(bb) no sign shall be erected or displayed in such a manner as to interfere with any
public service or utility;
(cc)no person shall erect, paint, mark or inscribe any sign containing any promotional or
advertising content,
(dd)on pavement;
(ee) on the exterior wall of a building except as approved by the City;
(ff) on a utility pole, tree, stone or other natural object, or a fence unless as identified
within this By-law; or
(gg) on a vehicle or on a trailer that is parked or located for the purpose of sign display.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 29
Electronic Message Displays
63.(1) No person shall erect an electronic message display which does not comply with the
following restrictions:
Permitted sign types Only permitted on permanent ground signs,
wall signs and billboard signs
Maximum sign area As per ground sign, wall sign, and billboard
sign provisions
Maximum sign height As per ground sign, wall sign and billboard
sign provisions
Minimum setback from a residential
use/zone 100 metres
Minimum setback from another electronic
message display 100 metres
Minimum setback from property line 3.0 metres
Permitted content Alphanumeric characters and digital images
Minimum dwell time 6 seconds
Maximum day time luminance 5,000 nits
Maximum night time luminance 300 nits
Hours of dimming/turning off
Must operate within maximum night time
luminance between 9:00 pm to 8:00 am for
signs located within 200 metres of a
residential use, and in all other instances,
between 11:00 pm to 7:00 am
(2)Specific Electronic Message Display Restrictions:
(a)No person shall erect an electronic message display that contains full motion
video, animation or movement except for billboard signs. This does not include
menu boards.
(b)No person shall erect an electronic message display on a wall sign or ground
sign that does not relate to the property it is located on.
(c)All electronic message displays require an ambient light sensor that will
automatically adjust the sign luminance according to the environmental
conditions.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 30
Boulevards
64.Where signs are permitted by this By-law to be erected on a boulevard, no such sign shall
be erected closer than 1.0 metres from the curb of a street or, where there is no curb,
closer than within 2.0 metres of the travelled portion of a street.
Vacant Properties
65.No person shall erect any sign, other than a development sign, community event sign,
filming location sign, real estate sign, farm sign or no trespassing sign on vacant property.
Special Sign Districts
66.(a) No development sign, portable sign, banner sign, inflatable sign, flag sign or
electronic message display shall be erected in a Special Sign District.
(b)Section 66. (a) does not apply to community event signs.
Election Signs
67.Election signs must comply with all applicable provisions of Election Sign By-law 7591/17,
as amended or replaced from time to time.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 31
Part 6 – Sign Permit Variances
Variance Provisions
68. Variances for any sign requiring a sign permit must be approved by the Director.
69.An application for a sign variance shall be made on the appropriate form and shall beaccompanied with the prescribed fee set out in the City’s current General Municipal FeesBy-law.
70.Every sign variance application shall include all of the information required to be
submitted in relation to a permit application under Sections 31 to 37 (if applicable) andshall also include written reasons why the provisions of this By-law cannot be compliedwith.
71.The Director may recommend authorization for a sign variance from the provisions of this
By-law if the general intent and purpose of this By-law is being maintained.
72.In considering an application for a sign variance, the Director shall have regard for:
(a)special circumstances or conditions applying to the property, building or use referredto in the application;
(b)whether strict application of the provisions of this By-law in the context of the special
circumstances applying to the property, building or use, would result in practical
difficulties or unnecessary and unusual hardship for the applicant that areinconsistent with the objectives of this By-law;
(c)whether such special circumstances or conditions are pre-existing and not createdby the owner or applicant; and
(d)whether the sign that is the subject of the variance will alter the character of the
area.
73.Signs approved under the provisions of a site plan control agreement shall be deemed tobe in compliance with the provisions of this By-law.
74.Prior to making a determination on any variance application, the application details may
be brought to the attention of the City's Site Plan Review Panel.
75.The Director shall notify the applicant prior to the meeting of the City's Site Plan ReviewPanel to provide the applicant an opportunity to appear before the City’s Site Plan ReviewPanel to make representations respecting the application.
76.When commenting on a variance, the City's Site Plan Review Panel shall act under the
authority given to it under this By-law and not under the Planning Act, R.S.O 1990, c.
P.13 and shall have regard for 66(a) to (d).
77.If the applicant does not attend the City's Site Plan Review Panel meeting at theappointed time, the City’s Site Plan Review Panel may proceed in the absence of theapplicant and the applicant shall not be entitled to any further notice dealing with the
application.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 32
78.The Director may approve or refuse any variance application, and may impose any
conditions upon an approval as he or she determines to be appropriate.
79.If the Director refuses to grant a variance, he or she shall advise the applicant and
provide the applicant with written reasons for the refusal.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 33
Part 7 – Exemptions
80.This By-law shall apply to all existing and proposed signs in the City other than,
(a)Official Signs;
(b)signs on a property that are less than 0.2 square metres in area provided they do not
contain any promotional or advertising content; and
(c)any advertising on fixtures approved by the City or the Region.
81.This By-law does not apply to any changes to a sign face if,
(a)the sign has been previously approved;
(b)there is no change in sign area, shape, construction or design; and
(c)the sign is not located within a Special Sign District.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 34
Part 8 – Enforcement
Administration and Inspections
82.An officer may, at any reasonable time, enter upon any property for the purpose of
carrying out an inspection to determine whether or not the provisions of this By-law have
been complied with.
83.An Officer(s) is authorized to enforce the provisions of this By-law. No person shall
prevent, hinder or interfere or attempt to prevent, hinder or interfere with an inspection
undertaken by an officer.
84.Where an officer has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has been committed
by a person under this By-law, the officer may require the name, address and proof of
identity of that person, and the person shall supply the requested information.
85.Where a sign is erected or displayed in contravention of any provision of this By-law, any
person named on the sign shall be presumed to have been the person who erected or
displayed the sign, which presumption may be rebutted by evidence to the contrary on a
balance of probabilities.
86.Where a sign is erected or displayed in contravention with any provision of this By-law,
and the sign has no person’s name on it, but a telephone number appears on the sign,
any person to whom the telephone number is listed in a telephone directory, including any
internet directory, shall be presumed to have been the person who erected or displayed
the sign, which presumption may be rebutted by evidence to the contrary on a balance of
probabilities.
87.Where a sign is erected or displayed by a Corporation in contravention of any provision of
this By-law, the directors and officers of the corporation shall be presumed to have
knowingly concurred in the erection or display of the sign in contravention of this By-law,
which presumption may be rebutted by evidence to the contrary on a balance of
probabilities.
Order to Comply
88.(a) Where an officer is satisfied that there has been a contravention of any provision of
this By-law, the officer may issue an order requiring the owner of the property on
which the contravention has occurred or the person who erected the sign to do work
to correct the contravention, including removal of the sign.
(b)An order shall set out,
(i)reasonable particulars of the contravention;
(ii)the location of the property;
(iii)the general nature of the work required to be done to correct the contravention;
and
(iv)the date by which the work must be done.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 35
(c)An order may be served by,
(i)personally delivering it to the owner;
(ii)sending it by registered mail to the owner at the address of the owner shown on
the last revised assessment roll for the property; or
(iii)sending it by registered mail to the owner at the last known address of the
owner.
(d)If the address of an owner is unknown or the City is unable to effect service on an
owner in accordance with subsection (c), a placard setting out the terms of the order
may be placed in a conspicuous place on or near the owner's property.
(e)Service of an order under this section shall be deemed to have been effected on the
date that it is delivered personally, 3 days after it was mailed, or the date that it is
posted on the property, as the case may be.
89.No person shall fail to comply with an order issued under this By-law.
Remedial Action
90.(a) Where an order has been issued respecting any sign and compliance has not been
achieved by the date specified in the order, the City may cause the work set out in
the order to be done.
(b)The City may recover all costs of doing any work undertaken pursuant to subsection
(a), together with an administration charge equal to 25 percent of such costs, from
the owner by adding the costs to the tax roll and collecting them in the same manner
as property taxes.
Removal of Signs
91.(a) Where a sign is erected on, over, partly on, or partly over, property owned by or
under the jurisdiction of the City, such sign may be removed immediately by the City
without notice or compensation and may be disposed of at the City’s discretion.
signs made of paper or any substance that will degrade will be disposed of
immediately.
(b)A sign removed by the City may be stored for a period of not more than 30 days,
during which time the sign may be redeemed by the person who erected the sign
upon payment of the applicable fee set out in the City’s current General Municipal
Fees By-law.
(c)Signs not redeemed by the person who erected the sign within 30 days of removal
by the City shall be disposed of by the City without notice or compensation.
(d)An Officer may enter onto a Property or Premises at any time and/or may remove a
sign immediately without notice or compensation to the Owner if the sign constitutes
a safety hazard or a concern.
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 36
(e)A person who erects a sign may be responsible for the cost of its removal, storage,
and/or disposal. These costs may be collected by the same manner as taxes as per
the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001.
Liens
92.All costs incurred by the City for the removal, care and storage of a sign that was erected
in contravention of this By-law are a lien upon the sign that may be enforced by the City
under the Repair and Storage Liens Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. R.25.
Offences and Penalties
93.Every person who contravenes any provision of this By-law is guilty of an offence and
upon conviction is liable to:
(a)A fine of not more than $100,000.00
(b)In the case of a continuing offence, a minimum fine for each day or part thereof shall
be a minimum of $500.00 and a maximum of $10,000.00. Daily fines for a continuing
offence shall not be limited to $100,000.00.
(c)In addition to any other fines under this section, a special find may be imposed if the
commission of an offence resulted in economic gain or advantage. The maximum
amount of a special fine may exceed $100,000.00.
94.No person shall make a false or intentionally misleading recital of fact, statement or
representation in any application or other document required by this By-law.
95.If a sign has been erected or displayed in contravention of any provision of this By-law,
and the contravention has not been corrected, the contravention of the provision shall be
deemed to be a continuing offence for each day or part of a day that the contravention
remains uncorrected.
Repeal
By-law 6999/09, as amended, is repealed.
Effective Date
This By-law comes into effect on the date of its passing.
By-law passed this XXXX day of XXXX, 2025.
___________________________________
Kevin Ashe, Mayor
___________________________________
Susan Cassel, City Clerk
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 37
Schedule “A” – Special Sign Districts
Schedule "A1" Liverpool Road Waterfront District
Schedule "A2" Whitevale District
Schedule "A3" Greenwood District
Schedule "A4" Cherrywood District
Schedule "A5" Green River District
Schedule "A6" Claremont District
Schedule "A7" Brougham District
Schedule "A8" Kinsale District
Schedule "A9" Balsam District
Frenchman's
Bay
Schedule A1
Liverpool Road Waterfront District
Lake Ontario
Schedule A1 to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 25
I
(1)
C
Schedule A2
Whitevale District
.8 i----_J <
Schedule A2 to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 25
;o
(1)
0 a:: ts lo ,z
l
Schedule A3
Greenwood District
@re-e:n1'.i'
Town of Ajax
Schedule A3 to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 25
-ssii:m-:
I
Schedule A4
Cherrywood District
Schedule A4 to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This xxrd
Day of XXXX 25
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Schedule AS
Green River District
-"' '-'i------__,__-----1 a:: E cut----,-----~ ..c ~ cu ~
Schedule A5 to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 25
I
Schedule AG
Claremont District
j Tofnship of Uxb~ge
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Schedule A6 to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 25
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Schedule A7
Brougham District
Schedule A? to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This xxrd
Day of XXXX 25
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;..,l(Di.-<ll q ~ ;q (n
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Schedule AB
Kinsale District
Schedule AB to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 25
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Balsam District
Schedule A9 to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 25
I
By-law No. XXXX/25 Page 38
Schedule “B” – Billboard Sign Districts
Schedule "B1" Bayly District
Schedule "B2" Seaton Innovation Corridor District
Schedule 81
Billboard District
,--PERMITTED BILLBOARD AREA -J dimension taken from centreline of road
Schedule B1 to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 25
J
X ro ~
Schedule B2
Billboard District
/
-"1 SPECIAL SIGN DISTRICT
L -dimension taken from edge of road
Schedule 82 to By-Law XXXX/25
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 25
)
I
Appendix II to Report PLN 01-25
Draft By-law to Amend By-law 6191/03
General Municipal Fees
The Corporation of the City of Pickering
By-law No. XXXX/25
Being a by-law to amend By-law 6191/03 to confirm
General Municipal Fees
Whereas the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering enacted By-law 6191/03, as amended, on October 14, 2003 to confirm general municipal fees.
Whereas Schedule “I” to By-law 6191/03 was updated and replaced under By-law, 6338/04, By-law 6519/05, By-law 6652/06, By-law 6677/06, By-law 6748/07, By-law 6857/08, By-law
6951/09, By-law 7032/10, By-law 7119/11, By-law 7194/12, By-law 7268/13, By-law 7339/14,
By-law 7411/15, By-law 7478/16, By-law 7542/17, By-law 7605/18, By-law 7679/19, By-law 7740/20, By-law 7823/21, By-law 7918/22, By-law 7983/23, By-law 8017/23, By-law 8065/23; By-law 7982/23; and By-law 8140/24
Now therefore the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering hereby enacts as follows:
1.Schedule “I” to By-law 6191/03, as amended, is hereby revised by deleting the fees with
respect to Sign Licences under “By-law & Animal Services” and replacing them with newSign Licence Fees as set out in Schedule “I” attached hereto.
By-law passed this XX day of XXXX, 2025.
________________________________
Kevin Ashe, Mayor
________________________________
Susan Cassel, City Clerk
Schedule “I” to By-law No. XXXX/25
By-law & Animal Services
User Fee or Charge 2025 Fee Updated Fee HST
Temporary Sign – one month $100.00/each $110.00/each N
Portable Sign Licence – 30 days $100.00/each $110.00/each N
Banner and Inflatable Sign – 30 days $100.00/each $110.00/each N
Flag Sign-30 days N/A $125.00 (max of 3 flag signs per property)
N
Sidewalk Sign – 1 year $100.00/each $110.00/each N
Billboard Annual Licence $500.00/each $525.00/each N
Additional fee for any sign installed prior to licence insurance
$50.00/each $65.00/each N
Redemption Fee – election signs $25.00/each $30.00/each N
Redemption Fee – all signs less than 2m² $25.00/each $30.00/each N
Redemption Fee – all other
signs
$100.00/each $150.00/each N
Sign Variance – all other
signs
$100.00/each $135.00/each N
Attachment 1 to Report PLN 01-25
Report to
Executive Committee
Report Number: PLN 25-24 Date: October 7, 2024
From: Kyle Bentley
Director, City Development & CBO
Subject: Sign By-law Review
-File: L-2000-024 Sign By-law
Recommendation:
1.That Report PLN 25-24 regarding the Sign By-law Review be received;
2.That the Sign By-law as set out in Appendix I to Report PLN 25-24 be enacted;
3.That Council approve an amendment to the General Municipal Fees & Charges By-law6191/03, as amended, as set out in Appendix II, to implement fees related to the newSign By-law.
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to update and modernize the City’s existing Sign By-law 6999/09 to align with current sign standards, trends, and development practices. The City of Pickering’s current Sign By-law 6999/09 was enacted by Council on
November 16, 2009. Since then, the City has received 93 sign variance applications and initiated nine by-law amendments.
In response to emerging trends, and to reduce the number of sign variances requested by applicants, City staff completed an assessment of best practices from other municipalities. Through engagement with businesses and sign companies, staff identified several areas
where the Sign By-law could be updated and/or improved. As a result, a review of the existing Sign By-law 6999/09 was undertaken.
This report summarizes the Sign By-law Review process and discusses proposed changes to the existing Sign By-law. Staff recommend that Council approve the new draft Sign By-law, included as Appendix I to this report.
Relationship to the Pickering Strategic Plan: The recommendations in this report respond to the Pickering Strategic Plan Priority of Advance Innovation & Responsible Planning to
Support a Connected, Well-Serviced Community.
Financial Implications: Sign permit fees, sign licence fees and sign variance fees are within the City’s General Municipal Fee By-law. The City is not expected to realize any
significant additional revenue resulting from updates to the Sign By-law.
PLN 25-24 October 7, 2024
Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 2
Discussion: The purpose of this report is to update and modernize the City’s existing Sign By-law 6999/09 to align with current sign standards, trends, and development practices.
1.Background
The Sign By-law sets out comprehensive regulations for signs, including their size,height, illumination, and location. It also establishes sign districts that reflect the City’scharacter, and outlines the approval process for signage, whether through obtaining asign permit, a sign licence, or a sign variance.
The current Sign By-law 6999/09 was enacted by Council following extensive public
engagement with industry stakeholders, commercial and industrial property owners, andresidents. Since then, the by-law has been amended nine times, mainly to update theAppendix – Fee Schedule. In 2017, provisions related to election signs were removedfrom the Sign By-law, leading to the creation of a separate Election Sign By-law 7591/17.
The Sign By-law includes a process for property owners to apply for a Sign Variance, to
permit a proposed sign for a specific property for situations where the owner is unable toconform to the City’s established sign regulations. Since the By-law’s enactment in 2009,the City has received 93 sign variance applications. Most of these applications were forWall Signs (42 variance applications) and Ground Signs (31 variance applications), with
six variances specifically requesting permission for Electronic Message Displays. The
remaining 20 variance applications sought relief from regulations for Banner Signs(eight), Development Signs (six) and Directional Signs (one).
This report recommends modifications to the existing Sign By-law based on public inputand feedback, staff’s review of Sign By-law Variance applications received over the last
15 years, and an assessment of municipal best practices identified in other municipal
sign by-laws.
2.Review of the Current Sign By-law
The City of Pickering Sign By-law is a City-wide, comprehensive by-law, that providesregulations governing all signs, except for Election Signs. Staff initiated a review of the
current Sign By-law to:
•address emerging trends in marketing and sign products
•reduce the number of sign variances for frequently requested variances
•support the City’s urban design objectives, and
•reformat the by-law to make it more user-friendly and easier to navigate
City staff reviewed previous sign variance applications, past amendments to the Sign
By-law, benchmarks from other municipalities, and current market trends. A working
group was also formed, including representatives from the Planning Division, the Sustainability Section, Municipal Law Enforcement Services, and the Building Services Section. This group met regularly to discuss the research, data collected, and the potential impacts and implications of revised standards and provisions to the Sign By-law.
PLN 25-24 October 7, 2024
Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 3
In addition to the working group and research completed, public engagement sessions were held with key stakeholders and residents, which will be discussed further below.
3.Public Engagement Process
The new draft Sign By-law was circulated to key stakeholders, which included, but wasnot limited to, sign companies, the Sign Association of Canada, the Durham RegionAssociation of REALTORS, and real estate brokers, and was also posted on the City’swebsite. Along with the draft new Sign By-law, City staff circulated a summary document,
outlining the proposed amendments, along with graphics to highlight key provisions for
each sign type.
An electronic Public Open House was held to discuss the proposed revisions to theexisting Sign By-law on December 8, 2020. Notice of this meeting was emailed to keystakeholders, posted on the City’s website, advertised in the newspaper, and advertised
on the City’s social media and electronic signs. Before the electronic Public Open House,
staff also met with the Mayor and Members of Council to discuss the recommendedchanges to the Sign By-law.
Following the electronic Public Open House, staff reviewed the comments received andfurther revised the draft Sign By-law accordingly. An in-person Public Open House was
then held on July 17, 2024, to discuss the proposed revisions. Notice of this meeting
was emailed to key stakeholders, posted on the City’s website, posted in the City’sEconomic Development Newsletter, posted on the City’s Let’s Talk Pickering webpage,and advertised on the City’s social media sites.
The main topics of discussion and comments received included:
•revisions needed to allow for additional menu boards
•updates to the regulations on Billboard Signs, including a definition, locationalpermissions, and hours of dimming for illuminated signage
•Real Estate Signage and municipal best practices
•general restrictions, prohibitions, and setback requirements for signage
•requirements for Portable Signs and licencing
•the introduction of an online submission tool
•provisions for Electronic Message Displays
Comments received and City staff’s responses are summarized in Attachment 1 to this
report.
4.Proposed Revisions to Sign Provisions
Through the review process, staff identified necessary changes to certain sign typesbased on municipal best practices, industry trends, the assessment of sign variances,
and feedback from both the community and the sign industry. The following sections
outline the major changes proposed to Sign By-law 6999/09.
PLN 25-24 October 7, 2024
Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 4
4.1 Electronic Message Displays
The current By-law does not define “Electronic Message Display” and only states that it
is prohibited within the Special Sign Districts and areas zoned for residential uses. It
also includes a setback requirement from residential zone areas if the display is visible, but it lacks specific regulations to ensure these displays are safe for pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
The new draft Sign By-law now defines “Electronic Message Display” and specifies
which sign types can include this feature (Ground signs, Wall signs and Billboard signs).
Additional provisions have been introduced, including setbacks from other Electronic Message Displays and property boundaries. To prevent these signs from becoming a public nuisance, the new draft Sign By-law includes regulations for maximum luminance during the day and night, requirements for dimming or turning off overnight, prohibiting
animation, and rules for the minimum dwell time of each graphic or text on the display.
4.2 Wall Signs
Staff have proposed changes to the existing wall sign provisions to address the number of similar variance applications processed (and approved) and to align with market trends and municipal best practices. Staff have processed 42 sign variance applications
for wall signs, 18 of which were requests to allow signage on additional frontages. The
current Sign By-law does not specify how many wall signs are permitted per frontage for High-Density Residential and Institutional Uses.
The new draft Sign By-law now specifies that one sign per frontage for High-Density Residential, Institutional and all Other Uses is permitted. For commercial, Industrial, and
Mixed-Use Buildings, up to 15 percent of the tenancy wall is allowed for signage, with a
maximum of one sign per owner or tenant per frontage of the tenancy wall. Additionally, wall signs are now permitted above the first storey, including the second storey, to respond to mixed-use developments and to minimize the need for a sign variance for this common situation.
4.3 Billboard Signs
Staff propose a required minimum 3.0 metre setback for Billboard Signs from the property limits and a reduction in the maximum height of a Billboard Sign from 10.0 metres to 7.5 metres to align with the Ministry of Transportations’ Billboard Sign requirements.
The definition of a “Ground Sign” has been revised to remove Billboards and provides
greater clarity that Ground Sign criteria do not apply to Billboards, which have their own
specific definition and regulations.
In response to comments, the new draft Sign By-law now includes provisions regarding the hours for dimming and turning off Billboard Signs that feature Electronic Displays. Such signs will be required to comply with Section 63 of the new draft Sign By-law
(Electronic Message Displays). The new provisions specify that a maximum nighttime
luminance of 300 nits is allowed between 9:00 pm to 8:00 am for signs located within 200 metres of residential areas. In all other instances, this luminance limit applies between 11:00 pm to 7:00 am.
PLN 25-24 October 7, 2024
Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 5
4.4 Menu Boards
The current Sign By-law includes provisions for Menu Boards under Part IV – Signs
Exempt from Permits and Licences. Currently, the by-law allows for one menu board
per property, with a maximum area of 4.0 square metres.
Feedback received highlighted the need for additional menu boards per drive-through lane. Staff acknowledge this request, as dual-lane drive-throughs have become common, and there is a growing trend of including pre-menu boards. The new draft Sign By-law
has been updated to define a drive through facility and now allows for one menu board
per drive through lane, with a maximum of 4.0 square metres, as well as one pre-menu board per drive through lane, with a maximum area of 2.0 square metres.
The new draft Sign By-law also proposes that drive-through signage be included under Part 2 – Sign Permits. While signage for drive throughs is typically reviewed and
approved through the Site Plan Approval process, in situations where Site Plan Approval
is not required, such as when a pre-menu board is added to an existing drive-through facility, a sign permit would be required for the new pre-menu signage.
4.5 Canopy Signs
In the current Sign By-law, Canopy Signs are treated as wall signs and are reviewed
under the wall sign provisions. However, for better clarity, staff felt it was necessary to
create a separate definition and specific provisions for Canopy Signs, along with the requirement for a sign permit. This change is intended to ensure that Canopy Signs, which are typically installed above the first story, are constructed securely for pedestrian and vehicle safety. Additionally, these provisions are necessary to ensure that canopy
signs do not extend beyond the private property limits, particularly onto municipal
boulevards. Under the updated by-law, staff recommend that Canopy Signs require a sign permit or approval through the associated Site Plan Approval process.
4.6 Real Estate Open House Signs
Staff received comments requesting clarification on how long Real Estate Open House
Signs should be allowed to be displayed and concerns that the current Sign By-law is
silent on the maximum number of Open House Real Estate Signs permitted.
The new draft Sign By-law now includes provisions for Real Estate Open House Signs under Part 4 – Signs Exempt from Sign Permits and Sign Licences. The proposed regulations permit the erection of Open House Signs between 8:00 am to 8:00 pm on
the day of the Open House as indicated on the sign. The sign must also specify the date
and time of the Open House. Additionally, a maximum of eight Open House Signs are allowed for each Open House, provided that all signs are placed entirely on private property or on a boulevard, and at least 3.0 metres away from other signs for the same listing.
PLN 25-24 October 7, 2024
Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 6
4.7 Portable and Banner/Inflatable Signs
Both Portable and Banner Signs fall under the signage type which requires a Sign
Licence.
The new draft Sign By-law allows for one Portable Sign per property. For properties with two frontages greater than 70 metres, one portable sign is permitted per street frontage. This change acknowledges corner lots and allows a sign on each street frontage, whereas the current by-law only permits one Portable Sign per property.
The new draft Sign By-law extends the licence period for Banner Signs from 14 days to
30 days. It also allows up to one of each sign type (portable, banner and/or inflatable) to a maximum of three signs per property, compared to the current regulation which permits only one sign regardless of type. These revisions address the sign variances received. Additionally, the maximum area for Banner Signs has been reduced from
10.0 square metres to 6.0 square metres to align with municipal best practices and to
reduce sign clutter.
4.8 Flag Signs
The current Sign By-law does not define or include provisions for Flag Signs, leading to their placement in undesired locations and for longer durations than the City supports. To
address this, the new draft Sign By-law now defines Flag Signs and includes specific
provisions and a requirement for a sign licence. This will help Municipal Law Enforcement Services regulate the location and placement of Flag Signs to reduce sign pollution and ensure their temporary nature. The proposed sign licence for Flag Signs will be valid for a maximum of 30 days.
Flag signs will be permitted in Mixed-Use, Commercial, Institutional and Industrial areas.
The draft provisions specify:
•a maximum height of 1.8 metres
•a maximum sign area of 2.0 square metres, and
•a maximum number of three per property
The proposed fees for Flag signs can be found in Appendix II.
5.Enforcement
Changes have been made to the offence and enforcement provisions to address
enforcement challenges and complaints. The new provisions eliminate the requirementto identify the person who placed a sign illegally. One of the main enforcement issueswith the current Sign By-law is the need to identify the installer of the sign. The newprovisions allow charges to be laid against any person, business, or corporation named
on a sign. Additionally, charges can be laid against anyone associated with a phone
number listed on a sign if that number is registered to a business, or corporation. Thesechanges are expected to significantly enhance staff’s ability to enforce regulationsrelated to illegal signs and their placement.
PLN 25-24 October 7, 2024
Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 7
The penalty section has also been updated to increase the maximum fine to $100,000. It now includes provisions for a special fine if the offence results in economic gain,
which exceeds $100,000.
6.Other Proposed General Amendments
The following additional changes have been made to update and improve the existingSign By-law:
•Rewritten Text: The By-law text has been rewritten for internal consistency in
administration and enforcement, making it easier for readers to navigate.
•Restructuring and Alignment: The By-law has been restructured to align with theCity’s draft Comprehensive Zoning By-law, where applicable, as well as with policy
requirements of the Region of Durham and the Ministry of Transportation.
•Expanded Definitions: A centralized and expanded list of defined terms has beenadded for clarity. Definitions have been updated to cover additional types of signage,ensuring that in instances, where exempted sign provisions are not met, the signscan still be assessed. For example, the definition of a Ground Sign now includes
Directional Signs, which were previously exempt from requiring a sign permit or signlicence. If Directional Signs exceed the exemption requirements, a Sign Varianceand a Sign Permit may be required, and the appropriateness of the sign can beassessed against the Ground Sign provisions.
•General Restrictions: The General Restrictions Section has been expanded toinclude a comprehensive list of provisions and restrictions applicable to all signtypes.
•Maintenance Requirements: New provisions have been added to ensure that
Owners maintain their signs in good and orderly condition.
•Fee Schedule: Schedule “A” Fees have been removed from the new draft SignBy-law to minimize the need for by-law amendments. Fees will remain in the City’scurrent General Municipal Fees By-law, which is updated annually.
•Sign Licence Relief: A new Sign Licence Relief Section allows the Manager ofMunicipal Law Enforcement Services to grant relief from the Sign Licence provisionsfor up to three months, provided that the objectives of the Sign By-law are met. This
change aims to enhance the enforceability of the By-law by making its provisions
more detailed and clearer, supporting fair and consistent application.
Notwithstanding all of the above-mentioned amendments, City staff did not identify any other specific trends, municipal best practices or justifications to further amend the remaining signage provisions of the current Sign By-law.
7.Additional Comments
During the review process of the Sign By-law, City staff received various comments andsuggestions, detailed in Attachment 1, regarding policy direction and existing signprovisions. Many of the suggestions aligned with City staff’s recommendedamendments and have been incorporated into the new draft Sign By-law where
appropriate.
PLN 25-24 October 7, 2024
Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 8
One comment received during public engagement requested an expansion of the City’s Billboard Sign District, which currently extends along Bayly Street, from Church Street
South to between Brock Road and the hydro corridor. City staff evaluated the possibility
of extending the Billboard District along Brock Road and have concluded that there does not appear to be any compelling reason to expand the existing Billboard Sign District at this time. The City will continue to encourage Billboard Signs within the existing district parameters.
Another comment inquired about the potential implementation of online sign permits and
licence applications. This would allow sign companies to apply, pay for, and receive permits and licences online electronically. Currently, the City provides the ability to apply and pay for Sign Licences online, and receive the licence via email once processed. City staff are reviewing this request, with the intention of making both sign
permits and sign licences available in the future through the expansion of the Pickering
Residential Interface & Service Modernization (PRISM), known to the public as the myPickering application, which would make the digital process for sign permits and licencing more convenient and user-friendly.
8.Conclusion
The discussion above outlines the process review for the new draft Sign By-law, details
the public engagement process, provides an overview of the Sign Variances processedby the City, and presents the key amendments recommended by City staff. Staffrecommend that the new draft Sign By-law as set out in Appendix I, be enacted byCouncil.
Appendix
Appendix I Draft Sign By-law
Appendix II Draft By-law to Amend By-law 6191/03 General Municipal Fees
Attachments:
1.Response to Comments Received on the Proposed Sign By-law
2.The current Sign By-law 6999/09, as amended
PLN 25-24 October 7, 2024
Subject: Sign By-law Review Page 9
Prepared By:
Original Signed By
Amanda Zara Dunn, MCIP, RPP
Principal Planner, Development Review
Original Signed By
Nilesh Surti, MCIP, RPP Department Head, Development Review & Urban Design
Original Signed By
Jason Litoborski
Manager, Municipal Law Enforcement
Services
Approved/Endorsed By:
Original Signed By
Kyle Bentley, P. Eng.
Director, City Development & CBO
Original Signed By
Paul Bigioni Director, Corporate Services & City Solicitor
AD:ld
Recommended for the consideration
of Pickering City Council
Original Signed By
Marisa Carpino, M.A. Chief Administrative Officer
Appendix I to Report PLN 25-24
Draft Sign By-law
The Corporation of the City of Pickering
By-law No. XXXX/24
A By-law to regulate signs in the City of Pickering
Whereas pursuant to paragraph 7 of subsection 11(3) of the Municipal Act, 2001 a lower-tier
municipality may pass by-laws respecting signs;
And whereas signs are necessary to advertise or identify services, businesses, locations and provide other information;
And whereas, if not effectively regulated, signs may create a nuisance, affect public safety and
detract from the character of the community;
And whereas the Municipal Act, 2001 provides the ability for a municipality to impose fines in excess of $5,000.00 under the Provincial Offences Act R.S.O. 1990, and further allows for special fines that may exceed $100,000.00;
Now therefore be it resolved that the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering enacts
as follows:
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 2
Part 1 – Administration and Interpretation
Title
1.This By-law and any amendments thereto shall be known as the “City of Pickering SignBy-law”.
Other Applicable Laws
2.The applicant shall be responsible for obtaining the approval from any other government
authority having jurisdiction over the installation of a proposed sign.
Scope
2.1 This By-law applies to all signs that are or are to be located, erected, or displayed within the boundaries of the City, save and except any other sign prescribed by statue, and shall regulate the location, size, number, construction, alteration, repair, and maintenance of
signs.
2.2 All tables within the body of this By-law and schedules attached to this By-law shall form part of this By-law.
2.3 This By-law does not apply to a sign that was lawfully elected, located, or displayed on the day the By-law comes into force and effect if the sign is not substantially altered, and
the maintenance and repair of the sign or a change in the message or contents displayed
is deemed not in itself to constitute a substantial alteration.
Objectives
3.This By-law shall be applied and interpreted in a manner consistent with the followingobjectives:
(a)reasonable means should be available to the public to erect signs on a property in
order to identify facilities, businesses and services located thereon;
(b)signs should not create any distraction or safety hazard for pedestrians or motorists,or create any other danger to the public;
(c)signs should not create any adverse impacts on adjacent public or private property;
(d)signs should not detrimentally alter the physical appearance and architecture of any
building;
(e)signs should not create unnecessary visual clutter due to their size, number orlocation; and
(f)temporary signs should be strictly regulated in order to limit the visual impact on the
built environment and the consumption of resources.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 3
Definitions
4. In this By-law,
“address sign” means a sign that depicts the municipal address or civic number of a property as regulated by this By-law and By-law 7686/19, as amended or replaced from time to time;
“animation” means a method in which graphics, images or figures are manipulated to appear as moving images and indicates colour or light changes through electronic means;
“applicant” means an owner, or any person authorized by an owner, who applies for a sign permit, sign licence or sign permit variance;
“automobile service station” means an establishment where vehicle fuels, lubricants,
and automobile-related accessories are offered for retail sale, and which may include a car washing establishment and a convenience store;
“automobile service station sign” means a sign on top of gasoline service pumps or on the columns of a gas bar canopy, on guard posts or freestanding on a gasoline pump apron and shall include signage for electrical vehicle charging stations;
“banner sign” means a temporary sign of lightweight fabric, plastic or similar material;
“billboard sign” means a sign that is fastened, posted, painted or projected in such a manner as to permit its periodic replacement and that advertises goods, products or services that are not available at the location of the sign or that directs a person to a location different from where the sign is located. A billboard sign displays third-party
advertising with images that may change mechanically and/or displays information or images on a digital or electronic screen;
“boulevard” means all parts of a highway except the roadway, shoulder and sidewalk;
“canopy sign” means any single-faced sign that is part of or attached to an awning, canopy or other fabric, plastic or structural protective element installed over a window,
door, entrance, outdoor service area or similar type of entrance way, movable or immovable;
“Chief Building Official” means the City’s Chief Building Official (CBO) or a designate;
“City” means The Corporation of the City of Pickering or the geographical area of Pickering, as the context requires;
“community event sign” means a temporary sign that advertises a public event to be held in the City organized for a non-profit, civic, cultural, religious or recreational purpose;
“construction information sign” means a temporary sign located on a property where a building is to be built, renovated or demolished indicating information related to design, construction, renovation, demolition, ownership and rental or sale, and may include the
name of the project, the architect, engineer, and other firms associated with the project;
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 4
“demising wall” means a wall that separates two adjacent tenants or a tenant from one of the building’s common areas;
“development sales office sign” means a temporary sign located on a property where a temporary sales office has been legally erected, to identify the builder, subdivision/condominium marketing name and any other relevant information related to
the sales office;
“development sales sign” means a temporary sign directing people to a temporary sales office where new homes and other residential developments are marketed to the public;
“development sign” means a temporary sign that advertises a proposed development to
be constructed and may include the project name and graphic depictions, the developer(s) and builder(s) names and contact information, and other pertinent information. A development sign shall not include a construction information sign, a development sales office sign, or a development sales sign;
“directional sign” means a sign that is intended solely for public information, safety or
convenience in directing persons or traffic and shall contain no commercial advertising, but may include a corporate logo;
“Director” means the City’s Director, City Development or a designate;
“directory sign” means a sign intended to identify the location of a building containing multiple occupancies;
“display surface” means the entire sign area which encloses the extreme limits of the message or content displayed on a sign;
“drive through facility” shall mean a building or structure or part thereof where goods, food or services are offered to the public by way of a service window or kiosk while the patrons are in a parked or in a stationary vehicle, and where goods, money or materials
are exchanged in a designated stacking lane with either a menu board and pre-menu board signs;
“election sign” has the meaning ascribed to it in Election Sign By-law 7591/17, as amended or replaced from time to time;
“electronic message display” means a component of a ground sign with moving parts,
flashing lights or fluorescent materials, billboard sign or wall sign that is computer controlled and illuminated, which displays information to the public by way of prearranged or variable sequence of electronically generated alphanumeric characters and digital images;
“erect” means display, attach, affix post, alter, construct, (re)place, locate, install,
relocate and maintain, and cause or permit to be displayed, attached, affixed, posted, altered, constructed, placed, located, installed, relocated and maintained of any sign or part thereof;
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 5
“farm sign” means a sign advertising the sale of farm produce grown or produced on the property where the sign is located;
“fence” means a fence as defined in Fence By-law 6943/09, as amended or replaced from time to time;
“filming location sign” means a temporary sign identifying a site used for a film
production;
“first storey” means the storey with its floor closet above average grade and having its ceiling more than 1.8 metres above average grade, and has the same meaning as defined as Storey, First in the City’s applicable Zoning By-law, as amended;
“fixture” means any structure that the City permits to be located within a boulevard
including, but not limited to, a utility box, newspaper vending box, bench, transit shelter, telephone pole, telephone booth, transformer box or vault, hydro pole, streetlight, stoplight pole, recycling waste module, mailbox, tree and street sign;
“flag” means a piece of cloth, or lightweight non-rigid material that is attached by one edge to a pole or rope, bearing a crest, emblem or insignia of any corporation, federal,
provincial and municipal government agency, or religious, charitable, fraternal, cultural or community organization with no informational or advertising content;
“flag sign” means a sign made of cloth or lightweight non-rigid material that is attached by one edge to a pole or rope, and displays information, promotional or advertising content;
“frontage” means the linear distance along the façade of the building, which is parallel to, or most close to being parallel to, an abutting public and/or private street. For the purpose of this By-law, a building may have more than one building frontage this being determined by the number of public and/or private streets abutting the lot. In a building with multiple units, a unit is only considered to have building frontage if the main customer
access to the unit/tenancy leads directly outside. If the main customer access of a unit only leads to an interior sideyard of the site and/or an exterior parking lot, that wall face may be considered for building frontage per unit/tenancy.
“garage/yard sale sign” means a temporary sign advertising a garage/yard sale of personal merchandise at a residential property, and includes any directional signs thereto;
“ground sign” means a permanent sign which is free standing in a fixed location and is wholly supported by a structural base erected on and in or upon the ground, but not part of a building, and includes a pylon sign, a directional sign, directory sign and drive through sign, but does not include a billboard sign;
“heritage conservation district” means a heritage conservation district designated
under the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.18;
“heritage property” means property that has been designated under the Ontario
Heritage Act to be of cultural heritage value or interest or a property on the City's registry of properties that the City believes to be of cultural heritage value or interest;
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 6
“high density residential” means a residential building other than low density residential;
“hoarding” means any temporary construction barrier continuously enclosing a construction site that is erected for the purpose of site protection; including any temporary structure required for safety required by provincial or federal legislation or regulation and including covered sidewalks, scaffolding, fencing, etc.;
“home-based business sign” means a sign located on a property advertising an
accessory business or occupation used or conducted in a residential premises on the property where the sign is located;
“home improvement sign” means a temporary sign advertising or promoting landscaping, home repairs or home renovations;
“inflatable sign” means a temporary sign filled by air or other gas that is either designed
to be airborne or tethered to the ground, a vehicle, a roof or any other structure and includes balloons;
“interior sign” means a sign located within the interior of a building that is intended to be seen outside of the building and includes a window sign;
“low density residential” means a single detached dwelling, semi-detached dwelling, duplex, triplex, fourplex, townhouse, mobile home, or any other residential facility housing six or fewer residents;
“menu board” means a permanent sign erected as part of a drive through facility and used to display, provide pricing for goods, food, and/or services and order products and
services available at the premises;
“mixed-use building” means a building or complex that includes mixed land uses;
“model home sign” means a temporary sign located on a property containing a model home for the purpose of marketing new residential construction;
“mural” means any type of display or artistic endeavour applied to any external wall or
other part of a building or structure which does not include any words, images, logos, or
trademarks that advertise or convey any promotional message;
“new business” means a business at a location that has been in operation for less than 90 days;
“no trespassing sign” means an informational sign which relates exclusively to
regulating access to a property upon which the sign is located;
“officer” means a municipal law enforcement officer employed by the City to enforce municipal by-laws or a police officer appointed under the Police Services Act ;
“official sign” means a sign to be used, required by, or erected by any federal,
provincial, regional, or municipal government, a public body or agency thereof or board or
commission or public utility, including, but not limited to, signs designating hospitals, schools, libraries, community centres, arenas or other public government uses. Where signage is proposed for private use on public lands, authorization from the public body and a sign permit will be required;
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 7
“open space system” means the Open Space System land use designation identified on Schedule I of the City of Pickering’s Official Plan, as amended from time to time;
“owner” means the registered owner of a property, person identified in the most recent tax roll as the owner of a property or a lessee, tenant, mortgagee in possession or any other person in charge or possession of a property;
“person” means an individual, association, firm, partnership, corporation, trust, organization, trustee or agent, and the heirs, executors or legal representatives of the person to whom the context can apply according to law;
“portable sign” means any temporary sign and/or any sign readily moveable from place to place, which is not anchored to the ground, including signs commonly referred to as
a-frame, t-frame, sandwich boards, signs fixed to a trailer and any type of device used or capable of being used for advertising purposes;
“poster” means a printed notice conveying information intended to be displayed for a temporary period of time and includes a bill, handbill, leaflet and placard;
“pre-menu board” shall mean a sign erected at the entry to a stacking lane of a drive
through facility and used to display goods, food and/or services available at the premises;
“premises” means the area of a building or part thereof and/or land or part thereof occupied or used for residential, commercial and/or industrial purposes and in a multiple occupancy building, occupied by more than one business, each business area shall be considered a separate premises;
“property” means a parcel of land, with or without a building or structure, that is a legal property of record;
“pylon sign” means a type of ground sign that is free standing in a fixed location and is wholly supported by a structural base erected on and in the ground, but not part of a building;
“real estate sign” means a temporary non-illuminated sign erected to advertise that a property, building or a portion of a building is offered for sale, rent or lease;
“real estate open house sign” means a temporary sign advertising that a property for sale, rent or lease is available for public viewing during a specified date and time;
“Region” means The Regional Municipality of Durham;
“setback” means the shortest distance between a property lot line and the closest portion of a sign;
“sidewalk sign” means a freestanding temporary sign, not affixed to the ground, advertising a business, service or product and installed on a sidewalk;
“sign” means any device, notice or visual medium including its structure and other
component parts that is used, or is capable of being used, to attract attention to a specific subject matter for identification, information or advertising purposes;
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 8
“sign area” means,
(a)in the case of a sign having one display surface, the area of the display surface;
(b)in the case of a sign having two display surfaces located on a sign structureexactly opposite the other, the area of one display surface;
(c)in the case of a free standing number, letter or shape, the smallest rectangle
which will enclose the number, letter or shape; and
(d)in the case of groupings of free standing numbers, letters or shapes, orcombinations thereof, the sum of the areas of the smallest rectangles which willenclose each separate grouping of letters, numbers or shapes;
“sign height” means the vertical distance from the ground directly below the sign
measured to the highest extremity of the sign, including the sign structure;
“sign licence” means any licence issued by the City pursuant to the provisions of this By-law;
“sign permit” means any permit issued by the City pursuant to the provisions of this By-law;
“sign structure” means the framework, bracing or support of a sign;
“Special Sign District” means a Special Sign District identified in Schedule "A";
“stacking lane” shall mean an on-site area used exclusively for queued vehicles whose occupants are waiting to be provided with goods, materials or services from a drive through facility;
“street” includes a common and public highway, street, avenue, parkway, driveway, square, place, bridge, viaduct or trestle, any part of which is intended for or used by the general public for the passage of vehicles and includes the area between the lateral property lines thereof;
“Substantially Altered” or “Alter” means any change to the sign structure or sign face,
with the exception of:
(i)a change in the message being displayed; and/or
(ii)repair and maintenance, including replacement by identical components asrequired by this By-law;
“temporary”, when describing a sign, means a sign conveying a message for a limited
period of display;
“temporary operations” means a business in operation for a maximum of 4 months;
“variance” means permission to locate, erect or display a sign in a manner that is not in compliance with the requirements of this By-law;
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 9
“wall sign” means a sign attached to a building wall, that projects from a wall, and a single-faced sign directly painted, marked on or inscribed on an exterior wall surface of a building, but shall not include a mural. A wall sign may include a canopy sign, directional sign and directory sign.
“window sign” means a sign located on the interior of a premise which is intended to be
seen from off the premises, but shall not include illuminated signs, or upon or marked or inscribed on, or attached to, the inside of a window or door for the purpose of viewing from outside the premises.
Application
5.This By-law applies to all signs displayed within the City, unless otherwise stated in this
By-law.
References to Legislation
6.In this By-law, reference to any Act, regulation or by-law is reference to that Act,regulation or by-law as it is amended or re-enacted from time to time.
7.The issuance of a permit does not relieve the person/applicant/owner of the responsibility
of obtaining all other approvals that may be required by the Corporation, or any level of
government and agencies thereof or compliance with a by-law, legislation or obligation.
Word Usage
8.This By-law shall be read with all changes in gender or number as the context mayrequire.
9.A grammatical variation of a word or expression defined has a corresponding meaning.
Schedules
10.Schedule "A" (Special Sign Districts) and Schedule "B" (Billboard Sign Districts) areattached to and form part of this By-law.
11.Unless otherwise specified, references in this By-law to Parts, Sections and Schedules
are to Parts, Sections and Schedules in this By-law.
Conflicts
12.If a provision of this By-law conflicts with a provision of any applicable Act, regulation orby-law, the provision that establishes the higher or more restrictive standard to protect thehealth, safety and welfare of the general public shall prevail.
13.Where an industrial building contains commercial uses that are permitted in an industrialcategory of the City's Zoning By-law, the sign requirements for a commercial zone shallapply.
14. Where the provisions for sign exemptions are not met, a sign permit or sign licence aswell as associated sign variance may be required.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 10
Measurements
15. All dimensions in this By-law are in millimetres (mm), centimetres (cm), metres (m), hectares (ha) or square metres (m²) and all plans, specifications, documents and other information submitted with any application under this By-law shall use such dimensions.
Severability
16. Each section of this By-law is an independent section, and the holding of any section or
part of any section of this By-law to be void or ineffective for any reason shall not be deemed to affect the validity of any other section or parts of sections of this By-law.
Fees
17. Any fees charged under this By-law are as outlined in the City’s current General Municipal
Fees By-law, as amended from time to time, and are per sign and non-refundable.
Maintenance
18. The Owner of the building to which a sign is attached, or of the lot upon which a sign is located, shall maintain or cause the sign to be maintained in a state of good repair. For the purposes of this section, a sign which is in a state of good repair is a sign which is
clean, neatly painted and property maintained.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 11
Part 2 – Sign Permits
Required Sign Permits
19.(i) No person shall erect any ground sign, wall sign, canopy sign, development sign,billboard sign or drive through sign without a sign permit.
(ii)No person shall erect any sign without a sign permit, where a sign permit is requiredpursuant to this By-law.
20. Notwithstanding Section 25, any sign lawfully erected prior to the passing of this By-law
shall not require a sign permit provided such sign has continuously remained in itslocation and has not been substantially altered.
21. Notwithstanding Sections 25 and 26, any billboard sign lawfully erected prior to thepassing of this By-law shall not require a sign permit provided such billboard sign has
continuously remained in its location, has not been substantially altered and the owner of
the billboard sign has obtained a sign licence.
Sign Permit Applications
22.A sign permit application shall be made by the Owner of the property, building orbusiness, on which the sign is to be erected or an authorized representative of the owner.
23. The City’s Chief Building Official shall be responsible for administration of all sign permits.
24.All sign permit applications shall be filed with the City's prescribed form.
25.Every sign permit application shall,
(a)identify and describe in detail the proposed sign and all other signs existing on theproperty at the time of the application;
(b)describe the property on which the proposed sign is to be erected by legal
description and municipal address or by other equivalent description that will readilyidentify the property;
(c)state the name, address, telephone numbers and email of the applicant and anypersons designing or erecting the sign;
(d)be accompanied by plans, specifications, documents and other information
describing the construction, dimensions, materials and specific location of theproposed sign in sufficient detail to permit the Chief Building Official to determinewhether the sign will comply with this By-law, the building code, an approved siteplan, heritage conservation district guidelines, or any other applicable law;
(e)be accompanied by the applicable fee(s) set out in the City’s current General
Municipal Fees By-law, as amended from time to time;
(f)include, where the applicant is not the owner of the property, authorization formaking the application on behalf of the owner;
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 12
(g)be signed by the applicant who shall certify the accuracy and truth of the contents ofthe application; and
(h)the applicant shall obtain approval for the proposed sign, if required, from othergovernmental authorities or agencies having jurisdiction.
26.If required by the City, all plans and specifications covering the erection of a sign and
supporting framework that are submitted as part of a sign permit application shall becertified by a Registered Professional Engineer as to the structural adequacy of the sign.
Sign Permit Issuance
27.The City’s Chief Building Official may approve or refuse any sign permit application, andmay impose any conditions upon an approval as he or she determines to be appropriate.
28.The City shall refuse to issue a permit if the proposed sign does not comply with this
By-law, the building code, an approved site plan, heritage conservation district guidelines,or any other applicable law.
Revocation of Sign Permit
29. The City’s Chief Building Official may revoke a sign permit under any of the following
circumstances:
(a)the sign permit has been issued in error;
(b)the sign for which the sign permit was issued is erected in contravention of any partof this By-law, the building code, an approved site plan, heritage conservationdistrict guidelines, or any other applicable law;
(c)the sign permit has been issued as the result of false, mistaken, incorrect, ormisleading statements, information or undertakings on the application or on anysubmitted documents that formed the basis of the issuance;
(d)the business or other subject matter to which the sign relates ceases to exist;
(e)the sign permit holder requests that the sign permit be revoked; or
(f)6 months have elapsed following the date of sign permit issuance and the signauthorized by the sign permit has not been erected.
Special Sign Districts
30.In addition to the requirements of Sections 33 to 35, every permit application for a sign ina Special Sign District shall be accompanied by scale drawings clearly showing,
(a)the proposed sign materials, letter fonts and colours;
(b)the proposed means of any sign illumination; and
(c)in the case of a wall sign, an accurate building elevation drawing showing the sizeof the sign and a cross-section of the sign showing the proposed method of affixingthe sign to the building.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 13
Heritage Properties
31.(a) A sign permit for a sign in a heritage conservation district shall not be issued unlessthe sign conforms to the applicable heritage conservation district guidelines adopted by the City.
(b)A sign permit for a sign on heritage property shall not be issued unless the applicant
has met all additional requirements under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Ground Signs
32.(1) Ground signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Use Maximum Sign Height Maximum Sign Area Maximum Number Minimum Setback*
Low Density Residential Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Part of the Open Space System Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
High Density Residential 2.0 metres 4.0 square
metres 1 3.0 metres
Institutional 2.0 metres 4.0 square
metres 1 3.0 metres
Commercial or industrial (less
than 30 metre frontage) 4.0 metres 10.0 square
metres
1 per street
frontage 3.0 metres
Commercial or industrial
(30 metre frontage or more) 6.0 metres 18.0 square
metres
1 per street
frontage 3.0 metres
All Other Uses 3.0 metres 6.0 square
metres
1 per street
frontage 3.0 metres
*setback from property lines
(2)Specific Ground Sign Regulations:
(a)Notwithstanding section 32. (1), no ground sign exceeding 1.5 square metres insign area or 1.5 metres in sign height shall be erected in a Special Sign District.
(b)Every ground sign shall contain the municipal address number in numerals (refer
to the City’s By-law pertaining to Civic Numbering of Buildings and Properties,
By-law 7686/19, as amended or replaced from time to time).
(c)Every ground sign shall be located on the property to which the sign relates,and shall only reference businesses located on that property.
(d)Subject to subsection (e), a maximum of one ground sign shall be permitted for
each street frontage on any one property.
(e)A second ground sign shall be permitted on a property in a commercial orindustrial zone where the street frontage is not less than 200 metres, and theground signs are not located within 100 metres of each other.
(f)For regulations specific to an electronic message display, refer to Section 63.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 14
Wall Signs
33.(1) Wall signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Use Maximum Sign Area Maximum Number Minimum Height from Ground
Low Density Residential Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
High Density Residential 4.0 square metres 1 per frontage 2.4 metres
Institutional 4.0 square metres 1 per frontage 2.4 metres
Commercial / Industrial (multi-tenant & multi-storey)
15 percent of tenancy walls
1 per owner/tenant per frontage of the tenancy walls
2.4 metres
Mixed-use Building 15 percent of tenancy walls
1 per owner/tenant per frontage of the
tenancy walls
2.4 metres
All Other Uses 4.0 square metres 1 per frontage 2.4 metres
(2)Specific Wall Sign Regulations:
(a)Notwithstanding section 33. (1), no wall sign exceeding 1.5 square metres insign area shall be erected in a Special Sign District.
(b)Except as permitted by By-law 7686/19, as amended or replaced from time totime, and Section 61 (home-based businesses), no wall sign shall be erected
for a low density residential use.
(c)A wall sign shall be located within the demising tenancy walls.
(d)The maximum sign area per tenancy includes the combined sign area of wallsigns and canopy signs.
(e)In a commercial or industrial building containing multiple tenancies, the
applicable building face area for a wall sign respecting an individual tenancyshall be measured only to the limits of the tenancy demising walls adjacent tothe wall on which the sign is located.
(f)No wall sign shall be erected for a high density residential use other than a signdisplaying the building identification, corporate logo or similar content on the
highest storey of the building, a minimum of 2 storeys above grade and shallnot exceed 6.0 square metres in sign area.
(g)No wall sign shall be erected on any building that contains more than 1 storeyabove grade other than on the first storey, the second storey, and higheststorey of such building.
(h)A maximum of one wall sign may be erected on each wall face of the higheststorey of a building that is more than 2 storeys above grade.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 15
(i)No part of a wall sign shall project more than 0.5 metres from the buildingexcept in the case of a canopy sign provided it is located a minimum of2.4 metres above grade and does not project more than 2.0 metres from anywall it is attached to.
(j)For regulations specific to an electronic message display, refer to Section 63.
(k)For regulations specific to canopy signs, refer to Section 36.
Development Signs
34.Specific Development Sign Regulations:
(a)Development signs shall not be permitted in the Open Space System. For all otherland uses, development signs not exceeding 6.0 metres in sign height and with a
setback of at least 3.0 metres shall be permitted.
(b)A maximum of one development sign having a sign area not exceeding 20 squaremetres may be erected on each street frontage on any single development site.
(c)A maximum of two additional development signs having a sign area not exceeding10 square metres may be erected on any vacant property outside of the
development site.
(d)No more than three development signs shall be erected in relation to any singledevelopment project.
(e)A development sign shall be removed no later than 30 days upon the earlier of,
(i)the completion of sales related to the development; or
(ii)24 months after the date the sign permit is issued; or
(iii)as prescribed by specific locational City policies/standards which permitsidentified periods of time/duration.
Billboard Signs
35.Specific Billboard Sign Regulations:
(a)No billboard sign shall exceed a sign area of 20 square metres.
(b)No billboard sign shall exceed a sign height of 7.5 metres.
(c)No billboard sign shall be erected on a roof of a building.
(d)No billboard sign shall be located within 250 metres of any other billboard sign.
(e)No billboard sign shall be located within 3 metres of a property line.
(f)For regulations specific to an electronic message display, refer to Section 63.
(g)Where an existing Billboard sign is to be revised to an Electronic Display Board asign permit is required.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 16
(h)Billboard signs shall not be permitted in any location other than within the BillboardSign District shown in Schedule “B”.
Canopy Signs
36.Specific Canopy Sign Provisions:
(a)No person shall erect or display, or cause to be erected or displayed, a canopy sign
except in compliance with the provisions of this subsection.
(b)Where a canopy overhangs more than 0.5 metres from a building wall and/orfunctions as a sign, a sign permit shall be required.
(c)No canopy sign shall project more than 2.0 metres from any wall to which it isattached.
(d)No canopy sign shall project more than 1.0 metre above a roof line.
(e)No canopy sign shall extend beyond the end of a wall except to connect with anothercanopy sign that is perpendicular to it and of identical dimensions, excluding length.
(f)A canopy sign on a first storey may be located partly above the first storey, providedat least half of the sign is on the first storey and all of the sign is located below the
lowest window or set of windows on an upper storey.
(g)Canopy signs on the same wall face shall be separated vertically by not less than1.5 metres.
(h)No person shall erect or maintain any canopy sign attached or affixed to any land orbuilding so as to project into or over or be suspended over a City Street without an
encroachment permit.
(i)The issuance of a building permit or sign permit shall not be provided for a canopysign that projects into or over, or is suspended over a City Street until anencroachment permit is issued.
Drive Through Signs
37.Specific Drive Through Sign Regulations:
(a)Drive Through Signs include:
(i)Menu Board;(ii)Pre-Menu Board;
(b)No menu board sign shall exceed a sign area of 4 square metres;
(c)No pre-menu board sign shall exceed a sign area of 2 square metres;
(d)No person shall erect a drive through sign at any location other than entirely onprivate property.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 17
(e)A maximum of one menu board sign is permitted per drive through stacking lane andone pre-menu board sign is permitted per drive through stacking lane.
(f)Maximum height per drive through sign shall be 2.5 metres.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 18
Part 3 – Sign Licences
Required Sign Licences
38.(a) No person shall erect any portable sign, banner sign, flag sign, inflatable sign,sidewalk sign or billboard sign without a sign licence.
(b)No person shall erect any sign without a sign licence, where a sign licence isrequired pursuant to this By-law.
Sign Licence Applications
39.A sign licence application shall be made by an owner of the property on which the sign isto be erected or an authorized representative of the owner.
40. The City’s Manager, Municipal Law Enforcement, or their designate shall be responsiblefor administration of all sign licences.
41.All sign licence applications shall be filed using the City's prescribed form.
42.A separate sign licence application is required for every sign.
43.Every sign licence application shall be accompanied by details of the size and location ofthe proposed sign and the applicable fee(s) set out in the City’s current General MunicipalFees By-law, as amended.
44.Where a sign licence application is for a portable sign for an individual business in a
building containing multiple tenants, the application must include written permission fromthe owner or the owner's authorized representative consenting to the placement of theportable sign.
General Sign Licence Requirements
45.All sign licences shall expire on the date indicated on the sign licence.
46.A maximum of four sign licences for signs may be issued concerning an individualbusiness or service in any calendar year provided at least 30 days have elapsed sincethe expiry of the last portable sign licence and the sign has been removed.
47.(a) A maximum of one sign licence may be issued for a single property at any one time,
irrespective of the number of business tenancies located on the property.
(b)Notwithstanding the foregoing, new businesses and temporary operations may bepermitted additional temporary signage in accordance with Section 54.
48.No sign licence shall be issued on any heritage property.
Sign Licence Relief
49.Subject to approval by the City’s Manager, Municipal Law Enforcement Services, relief
from the provisions of this By-law for any sign requiring a sign licence may be grantedprovided such relief is consistent with the objectives of this By-law and the relief is for amaximum of 3 months.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 19
Portable Signs
50.(1) Portable signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Use Maximum Sign Height Maximum Sign Area Maximum Number Minimum Setback
All Residential (High Density and Low Density Residential) Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Special Sign Districts Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Open Space System Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
All Other Uses 2.0 metres 4.0 square metres 1* 3.0 metres
* per street frontage where 2 street frontages are > 70 metres
(2)Specific Portable Sign Regulations:
(a)Every portable sign shall be located on the property to which the sign relates.
(b)In the case of corner properties, no portable sign shall be located less than15.0 metres from the inside curb at the point of intersection of the two streets.
(c)Portable signs may be illuminated but shall not incorporate electronic messagedisplays, moving parts, or flashing lights or fluorescent materials.
(d)Lettering used on a portable sign shall not be greater than 0.2 metres in sign
height.
(e)No portable sign shall be capable of being connected to a power supply withoutwritten Electrical Safety Authority approval.
(f)A sign licence for a portable sign shall be valid for a period of not more than30 days, after which the sign shall be immediately removed.
Banner and Inflatable Sign Restrictions
51.(1) Banner and inflatable signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Use Maximum Sign Height Maximum Sign Area Maximum Number Minimum Setback
All Residential (High Density and Low Density Residential) Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Special Sign Districts Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Open Space System Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
All Other Uses 6.0 metres 4.0 square metres per
tenant
1 3.0 metres
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 20
(2)Specific Banner and Inflatable Sign Restrictions:
(a)Every banner or inflatable sign shall be located on the property to which thesign relates.
(b)No banner or inflatable sign is permitted on canopies, awnings, fences or onsidewalks.
(c)A banner or inflatable sign shall be securely affixed to the exterior wall or a roofof a building, or to the ground.
(d)A sign licence for a banner sign shall be valid for a period of not more than30 days on private property, after which the sign shall be immediately removed.
(e)A sign licence for an inflatable sign shall be valid for a period of not more than
30 days on private property, after which the sign shall be immediately removed.
Flag Signs
52.(1) Flag signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Use Maximum Sign Height Maximum Sign Area Maximum Number
All Residential (High Density and Low Density Residential) Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Special Sign Districts Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
Open Space System Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited
All Other Uses 1.8 metres 2.0 square metres 3
(2)Specific Flag Sign Restrictions:
(a)Every flag sign shall be located on the property to which the sign relates.
(b)A sign licence for a flag sign shall be valid for a period of not more than 30 days
on private property, after which the sign shall be immediately removed.
Sidewalk Signs
53.(a) Sidewalk signs shall not exceed a sign height of 1.0 metres or a width of 0.6 metres.
(b)Sidewalk signs shall not be permitted in any location other than within a Special SignDistrict.
(c)A sidewalk sign shall be installed immediately in front of the business to which itpertains, and shall only be erected during the hours of operation of the business.
(d)A sidewalk sign may be located on a public sidewalk provided a minimum of1.5 metres of unobstructed sidewalk space is maintained.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 21
(e)A maximum of one sign licence for a sidewalk sign may be issued to an owner.
(f)A sign licence for a sidewalk sign shall be valid for a period of 1 year.
Billboard Signs
54.(a) No sign licence shall be issued for a new billboard sign unless a sign permit hasbeen issued for such billboard sign.
(b)A sign licence for a billboard sign shall be valid for a period of 1 year.
Sign Licence Issuance
55.The City may approve or refuse any sign licence application, and may impose anyconditions upon an approval as the City determines to be appropriate.
56.The City shall refuse to issue a sign licence if the proposed sign does not comply with this
By-law, the building code, an approved site plan, heritage conservation district guidelines,or any other applicable law.
57.The City may refuse to issue a sign licence if there are reasonable grounds to believe thatthe applicant will not operate in accordance with applicable laws or with honesty andintegrity.
58.The City may refuse to issue a licence if the applicant has failed to pay fines imposed forprevious convictions relating to contraventions of any municipal by-laws.
59.The City may refuse any sign licence if there are existing violations of this By-law on theproperty where the sign is proposed.
Revocation of Sign Licence
60. The City may revoke a sign licence under any of the following circumstances:
(a)the sign licence has been issued in error;
(b)the sign for which the sign licence was issued is erected in contravention of anyprovision of this By-law, the building code, an approved site plan, heritageconservation district guidelines, or any other applicable law;
(c)the sign licence has been issued as the result of false, mistaken, incorrect, or
misleading statements, information or undertakings on the application or on anysubmitted documents that formed the basis of the issuance;
(d)the business or other subject matter to which the sign relates ceases to exist(excluding Billboard Signs); or
(e)the property owner of the sign licence holder requests that the sign licence be
revoked.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 22
Part 4 – Signs Exempt from Sign Permits and Sign Licences
Permitted Signs
61.Signs described in this Part shall be permitted without a sign permit or a sign licenceprovided all restrictions in this By-law applicable to the signs have been complied with.
(1)Signs shall comply with the following restrictions:
Sign Type Maximum Size Regulations
Community Event
Signs
1.5 square
metres in sign area
No person shall erect a community event sign
closer than 100 metres to another community event sign advertising the same community event.
No person shall erect a community event sign more than 14 days prior to the event.
No person shall erect a community event sign at
any location other than entirely on private property or on a boulevard.
No person shall permit a community event sign to remain erected after the day of the event.
Construction Information Signs Low Density Residential: 3.0 metres in
sign height or 4.0 square metres in sign area
All Other Uses:
6.0 metres in sign height or 10.0 square metres in sign area
No person shall erect a construction information sign unless the person has either entered into a site plan control agreement with the City or the
City has issued a building permit or a Fill and Topsoil permit for the construction.
No person shall erect a construction information sign except on a temporary fence or other physical barrier, hoarding, around the perimeter of
the construction site to which the sign pertains, or on the subject property at where the construction is located.
No person shall erect a construction information sign more than 30 days prior to construction
commencing.
No person shall permit a construction information sign to remain erected 30 days after construction has completed or discontinued.
Development Sales Office Signs 1.0 square metres in sign area
No person shall erect a development sales office sign except on or immediately surrounding a temporary sales office.
No person shall erect a development sales office sign except where it has been shown on building permit application documents and authorized by the City through issuance of a building permit.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 23
Sign Type Maximum Size Regulations
Development Sales Signs 1.2 metre height and
0.8 metre width
No person shall erect a development sales sign at any location other than entirely on private property or on a boulevard.
No person shall erect a development sales sign
within 500 metres of any other development sales
sign being used to direct attention to the same temporary sales office.
No person shall permit a development sales sign to remain erected in its original location, or within
500 metres of its original location, for a total of more than 72 hours (excluding statutory holidays) during any consecutive 7 day period.
No person shall erect a development sales sign with a sign height greater than 0.6 metres within
20 metres of the curb or the edge of the traveled portion of any intersecting street, private road, driveway or Regional road.
Directional Signs 1.5 square metres in sign area
No person shall erect a directional sign at any location other than entirely on private property.
No person shall erect a directional sign unless the sign has no promotional or advertising content.
Directory Signs 1.0 square metres in sign area
No person shall erect a directory sign at any location other than entirely on private property.
No person shall erect more than one directory
sign at each access point from a street to the building.
Farm Signs 1.5 square
metres in sign area
No person shall erect more than one farm sign
per property.
No person shall erect a farm sign at any location other than entirely on private property.
Filming Location Signs N/A No person shall erect a filming location sign unless the person has received a filming permit from the City.
No person shall erect a filming location sign other
than at a location that is approved and identified within a filming permit.
No person shall erect a filming location sign at any location other than entirely on private property or on a boulevard.
No person shall erect a filming location sign other than while the film is in production.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 24
Sign Type Maximum Size Regulations
Flags 2.7 square metres in sign area
A maximum of three flags bearing a crest, emblem or insignia of any corporation, federal, provincial and municipal government agency, Country, or religious, charitable, fraternal, cultural
or community organization are permitted on one
property. Such flags do not require a sign licence or sign permit.
No person shall erect a flag at any location other than entirely on private property.
No person shall erect more than three flags on a
single property.
One flag (Federal, Provincial or Municipal) on a commercial or industrial zoned property may exceed the maximum size.
Garage/Yard Sale Signs 1.0 square metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a garage/yard sale sign at any location other than entirely on private property
or on a boulevard.
No person shall erect a garage/yard sale sign more than 3 days prior to the day of the sale.
No person shall permit a garage/yard sale sign to remain erected after the day of the sale.
Automobile Service Station Signs 1.0 square metres in sign area
No person shall erect a sign on an automobile service station canopy that contains anything other than corporate identification of the owner or
operator of the gasoline station.
Automobile service station signs are permitted to have electronic message boards subject to the restrictions for electronic message displays set out in Section 63 of this By-law.
Automobile service station signs are permitted to
be located on the columns of the gas station canopy, on top of gasoline pumps or free-standing on gasoline pump aprons or islands.
Home-Based Business Signs 0.2 square metres in sign area
No person shall erect a home-based business sign unless a home-based business licence has been issued by the City.
No person shall erect a home-based business
sign in any location other than on the front wall, door, mailbox, or on a post not exceeding 1 metre in height entirely on private low density residential property.
No person shall erect a home-based business
sign that is internally illuminated.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 25
Sign Type Maximum Size Regulations
Home Improvement Signs 1.0 square metres in sign area
No person shall erect a home improvement sign at any location other than entirely on private property where the home improvement is being undertaken.
No person shall erect a home improvement sign
more than 2 days prior to the commencement of the home improvement project.
No person shall permit a home improvement sign to remain erected for more than 90 days.
Interior Signs 20 percent of total window area on first
storey
No person shall erect an interior sign unless it is erected in a window of a building used for office, commercial or industrial.
Model Home Signs 2.0 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a model home sign at any
location other than on a property containing a
model home.
No Trespassing
Signs
0.3 square
metres in sign area
No person shall erect a no trespassing sign at any
location other than entirely on private property.
Posters 0.5 square metres in sign area
No person shall erect a poster on a fixture.
No person shall erect a poster on a vehicle or trailer that is parked or located for the purpose of sign display.
Real Estate Signs All Residential or Open Space System:
1.0 square
metres in sign area
Other Uses: 2.5 square
metres in sign
area
No person shall erect a real estate sign at any location other than entirely on the property advertised for sale.
No person shall erect a real estate sign except for
entirely on private property
No person shall erect more than one real estate sign per property unless the property is at least 0.5 hectares in size, then no person shall erect
more than two real estate signs on separate street
frontages.
Real Estate Open
House Signs
1.0 square
metres sign area; and,
1.0 metre sign height
No person shall display more than eight real
estate open house signs in connection with any one open house.
No person shall erect an open house sign except for between the hours of 8:00 am to 8:00 pm on the day of the open house as indicated on the
sign.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 26
Sign Type Maximum Size Regulations
No person shall erect a real estate open house sign at any location other than entirely on private property or on a boulevard at least 3.0 metres from another sign for the same listing.
No person shall display a real estate open house
sign that does not list the date and time of the open house.
(2)Specific Sign Restrictions:
(a)This section shall not apply to any sign lawfully erected prior to the passing ofthis By-law provided such sign has continuously remained in its location andhas not been substantially altered.
(b)No person shall erect a sign that exceeds the size permitted in this By-law.
(c)Should the above provisions not be met, a Sign Permit or Sign Licence may berequired, as well as an associated Sign Variance.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 27
Part 5 – General Restrictions
General Restrictions Applicable to all Signs
62.No person shall erect any sign,
(a)that does not comply with any provision of this By-law;
(b)that does not comply with any condition of a sign permit, sign licence or variance;
(c)that advertises a use not permitted by the City’s Zoning By-law applicable to the
property on which the sign is located;
(d)without a sign permit if a sign permit is required;
(e)without a sign licence if a sign licence is required;
(f)on or over, or partly on or over, public property or any part of a street without theCity's approval unless the sign is expressly permitted by this By-law to be erected
on a sidewalk or a boulevard. This includes any sign advertising a business,
service, sale or event unless expressly listed as a permitted sign in this By-law;
(g)with the exception of temporary signs permitted within a boulevard, every sign shallbe authorized by the registered Owner of the lot on which it is to be located;
(h)on or over, or partly on or over a driveway, a parking space, loading space or aisle
required by the City’s Zoning By-law;
(i)within 3.0 metres of a driveway at the streetline;
(j)within 15.0 metres of a traffic light;
(k)on a walkway or other means of egress on a property unless there is a minimum of1.5 metres of unobstructed footpath space between the sign and the nearest
structure;
(l)that projects less than 2.4 metres above the walking surface of a pedestrian walkway;
(m)that pertains to a past event or purpose that no longer applies subject to thetimeline criteria as stated which is applicable to the sign type;
(n)that is structurally faulty, has broken, displaced or missing parts, is inappropriately
displayed, contains lettering that is no longer fully legible, or is otherwise not
maintained properly;
(o)on a roof or projecting in whole or in part above the roof, eaves or parapet of abuilding;
(p)no sign shall obstruct or impede the functioning of any flue or air intake or any
exhaust;
(q)in a location that obstructs the view of any pedestrian or motorist so as to cause anunsafe condition;
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 28
(r)that interferes with, or obstructs the view of, an authorized traffic sign, traffic signalor official sign;
(s)no sign shall screen from view, obstruct or impede any emergency vehicle access,fire route, fire escape, hydrant, standpipe, fire exit, exit direction marker, firefighter’s access panel or other fire safety device, or prevent or impede free access
from or to any part of a building or fire access by fire fighters to any part of abuilding;
(t)that advertises a business, service, or product that is not located on the propertywhere the sign is erected, unless expressly permitted by this By-law;
(u)located within a visibility triangle formed by the intersection of a street line and a
driveway line, or the projections thereof and a straight line connecting 6.0 metresfrom their point of intersection or a railway sight triangle;
(v)that obstructs, or is located in, a required parking space;
(w)that has more than two sign faces;
(x)that is obscene or in bad taste;
(y)no sign shall, by reason of its size, location, content, colouring or manner ofillumination, obstruct the vision of drivers entering or leaving a city street, regionalroad, or provincial highway from or to another city street, regional road or aprovincial highway or private road or driveway or obstruct, detract from or interferewith the visibility or effectiveness of any traffic sign or traffic signal light or any City
street, regional road or provincial highway;
(z)no sign shall resemble any regulatory traffic sign established under the Highway
Traffic Act or the regulations made thereunder or be used for the purpose ofattempting to direct the movement of traffic;
(aa) no sign shall have a colour, shape or location which may cause it to be confused
with any traffic control sign, signal or device;
(bb) no sign shall be erected or displayed in such a manner as to interfere with any public service or utility;
(cc) no person shall erect, paint, mark or inscribe any sign containing any promotional oradvertising content,
(dd)on pavement;
(ee) on the exterior wall of a building except as approved by the City;
(ff) on a utility pole, tree, stone or other natural object, or a fence unless as identified within this By-law; or
(gg) on a vehicle or on a trailer that is parked or located for the purpose of sign display.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 29
Electronic Message Displays
63.(1) No person shall erect an electronic message display which does not comply with thefollowing restrictions:
Permitted sign types Only permitted on permanent ground signs, wall signs and billboard signs
Maximum sign area As per ground sign, wall sign, and billboard sign provisions
Maximum sign height As per ground sign, wall sign and billboard
sign provisions
Minimum setback from a low density residential dwelling 100 metres
Minimum setback from another electronic
message display 100 metres
Minimum setback from property line 3.0 metres
Permitted content Alphanumeric characters and digital images
Minimum dwell time 6 seconds
Maximum day time luminance 5,000 nits
Maximum night time luminance 300 nits
Hours of dimming/turning off
Must operate within maximum night time luminance between 9:00 pm to 8:00 am for signs located within 200 metres of a residential use, and in all other instances, between 11:00 pm to 7:00 am
(2)Specific Electronic Message Display Restrictions:
(a)No person shall erect an electronic message display that contains full motion
video, animation or movement, or displays third party advertising except forbillboard signs. This does not include menu boards.
(b)No person shall erect an electronic message display on a wall sign or groundsign that does not relate to the property it is located on.
(c)All electronic message displays require an ambient light sensor that will
automatically adjust the sign luminance according to the environmentalconditions.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 30
Boulevards
64.Where signs are permitted by this By-law to be erected on a boulevard, no such sign shallbe erected closer than 1.0 metres from the curb of a street or, where there is no curb,closer than within 2.0 metres of the travelled portion of a street.
Vacant Properties
65.No person shall erect any sign, other than a development sign, community event sign,
filming location sign, real estate sign, farm sign or no trespassing sign on vacant property.
Special Sign Districts
66.(a) No development sign, portable sign, banner sign, inflatable sign, flag sign orelectronic message display shall be erected in a Special Sign District.
(b)Section 66. (a) does not apply to community event signs.
Election Signs
67. Election signs must comply with all applicable provisions of Election Sign By-law 7591/17,as amended or replaced from time to time.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 31
Part 6 – Sign Permit Variances
Variance Provisions
68. Variances for any sign requiring a sign permit must be approved by the Director.
69.An application for a sign variance shall be made on the appropriate form and shall beaccompanied with the prescribed fee set out in the City’s current General Municipal FeesBy-law.
70.Every sign variance application shall include all of the information required to be
submitted in relation to a permit application under Sections 31 to 37 (if applicable) andshall also include written reasons why the provisions of this By-law cannot be compliedwith.
71.The Director may recommend authorization for a sign variance from the provisions of this
By-law if the general intent and purpose of this By-law is being maintained.
72.In considering an application for a sign variance, the Director shall have regard for:
(a)special circumstances or conditions applying to the property, building or use referredto in the application;
(b)whether strict application of the provisions of this By-law in the context of the special
circumstances applying to the property, building or use, would result in practical
difficulties or unnecessary and unusual hardship for the applicant that areinconsistent with the objectives of this By-law;
(c)whether such special circumstances or conditions are pre-existing and not createdby the owner or applicant; and
(d)whether the sign that is the subject of the variance will alter the character of the
area.
73.Signs approved under the provisions of a site plan control agreement shall be deemed tobe in compliance with the provisions of this By-law.
74.Prior to making a determination on any variance application, the application details may
be brought to the attention of the City's Site Plan Review Panel.
75.The Director shall notify the applicant prior to the meeting of the City's Site Plan ReviewPanel to provide the applicant an opportunity to appear before the City’s Site Plan ReviewPanel to make representations respecting the application.
76.When commenting on a variance, the City's Site Plan Review Panel shall act under the
authority given to it under this By-law and not under the Planning Act, R.S.O 1990, c.
P.13 and shall have regard for 66(a) to (d).
77.If the applicant does not attend the City's Site Plan Review Panel meeting at theappointed time, the City’s Site Plan Review Panel may proceed in the absence of theapplicant and the applicant shall not be entitled to any further notice dealing with the
application.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 32
78.The Director may approve or refuse any variance application, and may impose anyconditions upon an approval as he or she determines to be appropriate.
79.If the Director refuses to grant a variance, he or she shall advise the applicant andprovide the applicant with written reasons for the refusal.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 33
Part 7 – Exemptions
80.This By-law shall apply to all existing and proposed signs in the City other than,
(a)Official Signs;
(b)signs on a property that are less than 0.2 square metres in area provided they do notcontain any promotional or advertising content; and
(c)any advertising on fixtures approved by the City or the Region.
81.This By-law does not apply to any changes to a sign face if,
(a)the sign has been previously approved;
(b)there is no change in sign area, shape, construction or design; and
(c)the sign is not located within a Special Sign District.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 34
Part 8 – Enforcement
Administration and Inspections
82.An officer may, at any reasonable time, enter upon any property for the purpose ofcarrying out an inspection to determine whether or not the provisions of this By-law havebeen complied with.
83.An Officer(s) is authorized to enforce the provisions of this By-law. No person shall
prevent, hinder or interfere or attempt to prevent, hinder or interfere with an inspection
undertaken by an officer.
84.Where an officer has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has been committedby a person under this By-law, the officer may require the name, address and proof ofidentity of that person, and the person shall supply the requested information.
85.Where a sign is erected or displayed in contravention of any provision of this By-law, any
person named on the sign shall be presumed to have been the person who erected ordisplayed the sign, which presumption may be rebutted by evidence to the contrary on abalance of probabilities.
86.Where a sign is erected or displayed in contravention with any provision of this By-law,
and the sign has no person’s name on it, but a telephone number appears on the sign,
any person to whom the telephone number is listed in a telephone directory, including anyinternet directory, shall be presumed to have been the person who erected or displayedthe sign, which presumption may be rebutted by evidence to the contrary on a balance ofprobabilities.
87.Where a sign is erected or displayed by a Corporation in contravention of any provision of
this By-law, the directors and officers of the corporation shall be presumed to haveknowingly concurred in the erection or display of the sign in contravention of this By-law,which presumption may be rebutted by evidence to the contrary on a balance ofprobabilities.
Order to Comply
88.(a) Where an officer is satisfied that there has been a contravention of any provision ofthis By-law, the officer may issue an order requiring the owner of the property on which the contravention has occurred or the person who erected the sign to do work to correct the contravention, including removal of the sign.
(b)An order shall set out,
(i)reasonable particulars of the contravention;
(ii)the location of the property;
(iii)the general nature of the work required to be done to correct the contravention;and
(iv)the date by which the work must be done.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 35
(c)An order may be served by,
(i)personally delivering it to the owner;
(ii)sending it by registered mail to the owner at the address of the owner shown onthe last revised assessment roll for the property; or
(iii)sending it by registered mail to the owner at the last known address of the
owner.
(d)If the address of an owner is unknown or the City is unable to effect service on anowner in accordance with subsection (c), a placard setting out the terms of the ordermay be placed in a conspicuous place on or near the owner's property.
(e)Service of an order under this section shall be deemed to have been effected on the
date that it is delivered personally, 3 days after it was mailed, or the date that it isposted on the property, as the case may be.
89.No person shall fail to comply with an order issued under this By-law.
Remedial Action
90.(a) Where an order has been issued respecting any sign and compliance has not been
achieved by the date specified in the order, the City may cause the work set out in
the order to be done.
(b)The City may recover all costs of doing any work undertaken pursuant to subsection(a), together with an administration charge equal to 25 percent of such costs, fromthe owner by adding the costs to the tax roll and collecting them in the same manner
as property taxes.
Removal of Signs
91.(a) Where a sign is erected on, over, partly on, or partly over, property owned by orunder the jurisdiction of the City, such sign may be removed immediately by the City without notice or compensation and may be disposed of at the City’s discretion.
signs made of paper or any substance that will degrade will be disposed of immediately.
(b)A sign removed by the City may be stored for a period of not more than 30 days,during which time the sign may be redeemed by the person who erected the signupon payment of the applicable fee set out in the City’s current General Municipal
Fees By-law.
(c)Signs not redeemed by the person who erected the sign within 30 days of removalby the City shall be disposed of by the City without notice or compensation.
(d)An Officer may enter onto a Property or Premises at any time and/or may remove asign immediately without notice or compensation to the Owner if the sign constitutes
a safety hazard or a concern.
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 36
(e)A person who erects a sign may be responsible for the cost of its removal, storage,and/or disposal. These costs may be collected by the same manner as taxes as perthe Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001.
Liens
92.All costs incurred by the City for the removal, care and storage of a sign that was erected
in contravention of this By-law are a lien upon the sign that may be enforced by the City
under the Repair and Storage Liens Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. R.25.
Offences and Penalties
93.Every person who contravenes any provision of this By-law is guilty of an offence andupon conviction is liable to:
(a)A fine of not more than $100,000.00
(b)In the case of a continuing offence, a minimum fine for each day or part thereof shallbe a minimum of $500.00 and a maximum of $10,000.00. Daily fines for a continuingoffence shall not be limited to $100,000.00.
(c)In addition to any other fines under this section, a special find may be imposed if the
commission of an offence resulted in economic gain or advantage. The maximumamount of a special fine may exceed $100,000.00.
94.No person shall make a false or intentionally misleading recital of fact, statement orrepresentation in any application or other document required by this By-law.
95.If a sign has been erected or displayed in contravention of any provision of this By-law,
and the contravention has not been corrected, the contravention of the provision shall bedeemed to be a continuing offence for each day or part of a day that the contraventionremains uncorrected.
Repeal
By-law 6999/09, as amended, is repealed.
Effective Date
This By-law comes into effect on the date of its passing.
By-law passed this XXXX day of XXXX, 2024.
___________________________________ Kevin Ashe, Mayor
___________________________________
Susan Cassel, City Clerk
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 37
Schedule “A” – Special Sign Districts
Schedule "A1" Liverpool Road Waterfront District
Schedule "A2" Whitevale District
Schedule "A3" Greenwood District
Schedule "A4" Cherrywood District
Schedule "A5" Green River District
Schedule "A6" Claremont District
Schedule "A7" Brougham District
Schedule "A8" Kinsale District
Schedule "A9" Balsam District
By-law No. XXXX/24 Page 38
Schedule “B” – Billboard Sign Districts
SCHEDULE A1
LIVERPOOL ROAD WATERFRONT DISTRICT
Frenchman's
Bay
Lake Ontario
Schedule A1 to By-Law XXXX/24
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 24
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WHITEVALE DISTRICT
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Schedule A2 to By-Law XXXX/24
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 24
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SCHEDULE A3
GREENWOOD DISTRICT
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Town of Ajax
Schedule A3 to By-Law XXXX/24
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 24
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SCHEDULEA4 CHERRYWOOD DISTRICT
Schedule A4 to By-Law XXXX/24
Passed This xxrd
Day of XXXX 24
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Day of XXXX 24
SCHEDULE AG
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SCHEDULE A7
BROUGHAM DISTRICT
Schedule A? to By-Law XXXX/24
Passed This xxrd
Day of XXXX 24
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KINSALE DISTRICT
Schedule AB to By-Law XXXX/24
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 24
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Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 24
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Schedule B to By-Law
Passed This XXrd
Day of XXXX 24
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Appendix II to Report PLN 25-24
Draft By-law to Amend By-law 6191/03
General Municipal Fees
The Corporation of the City of Pickering
By-law No. XXXX/24
Being a by-law to amend By-law No. 6191/03 to
confirm General Municipal Fees
Whereas the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering enacted By-law 6191/03, as amended, on October 14, 2003 to confirm general municipal fees.
Whereas Schedule “I” to By-law 6191/03 was updated and replaced under By-law, 6338/04, By-law 6519/05, By-law 6652/06, By-law 6677/06, By-law 6748/07, By-law 6857/08, By-law
6951/09, By-law 7032/10, By-law 7119/11, By-law 7194/12, By-law 7268/13, By-law 7339/14,
By-law 7411/15, By-law 7478/16, By-law 7542/17, By-law 7605/18, By-law 7679/19, By-law 7740/20, By-law 7823/21, By-law 7918/22, By-law 7983/23, By-law 8017/23, By-law 8065/23; and By-law 8074/24
Now therefore the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering hereby enacts as follows:
1.Schedule “I” to By-law 6191/03, as amended, is hereby revised by deleting the fees with
respect to Sign Licneces under “By-law & Animal Services” and replacing them with newSign Licence Fees as set out in Schedule “I” attached hereto.
By-law passed this XX day of XXXX, 2024.
________________________________
Kevin Ashe, Mayor
________________________________
Susan Cassel, City Clerk
Schedule “I” to
By-law XXXX/24
By-law & Animal Services
User Fee or Charge Current Fee (Excluding HST) Proposed Fee (Excluding HST)
HST Applicable (Y/N)
Signs
Temporary Sign – one month $100.00/each $110.00/each N
Portable Sign Licence – 30 days $100.00/each $110.00/each N
Banner and Inflatable Sign – 30 days $100.00/each $110.00/each N
Flag Sign – 30 days (max of 3 flag signs per property)
N/A $125.00 N
Sidewalk Sign – 1 year $100.00/each $110.00/each N
Billboard Annual Licence $500.00/each $525.00/each N
Additional fee for any sign
installed prior to licence
insurance
$50.00/each $65.00/each N
Redemption Fee – election
signs
$25.00/each $30.00/each N
Redemption Fee – all signs
less than 2m2
$25.00/each $30.00/each N
Redemption Fee – all other
signs
$100.00/each $150.00/each N
Sign Variance – all other
signs
$100.00/each $135.00/each N
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
Attachment 1 to Report PLN 25-24
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
1 Forward Signs •Menu boards: A maximum of one menu board sign is permitted per business
Some businesses with multiple drive-thru lanes need one menu board per
lane. It would be more effective to permit one menu board per drive-thru lane.
•Staff have revised the Menu Board Section for Drive Through Signs to allow one
Menu Board and one Pre-Menu Board per drive through lane (refer to Section 37
of the Sign By-law).
2 Pattison Signs •Billboard Area: It would be helpful to identify the process required for an
applicant to seek approval for a new billboard outside of the defined area.
There are areas we would like to propose something where we can meet the
billboard regulations, but it is outside of the defined area.
•A new Billboard Sign is a permanent sign that requires a sign permit. The by-law
includes guidance on the variance process for permanent signs (refer to Part 6كof
the Sign By-law).
•Definitions: It may be helpful to specifically exclude Billboards from the
definition of Ground Signs, to clearly show that the provisions for Ground
Signs do not apply to Billboards, and vice versa.
•This change has been made to provide greater clarity (refer to Section 4 of the
Sign By-law).
•If the City refuses to renew a Sign Licence for a Billboard due to other
contraventions out of the Sign Owner’s control, it could have severe impacts
on the Sign Company. Consider revising the wording to “The City may refuse
any sign licence if there are existing violations of this by-law related to the
sign the licence is required for on the property where the sign is proposed.
•Subject to the approval of the City’s Manager, Municipal Law Enforcement, relief
from the provision of this By-law for any sign requiring a sign licence may be
granted provided such relief is consistent with the objectives of the By-law and
the relief is provided for a maximum of 3 months (refer to Section 49 of the Sign
By-law).
•Consider revising to “the business or other subject matter to which the sign
relates ceases to exist (excluding Billboards); or”.
•Change has been made (refer to Section 60(d) of the Sign By-law).
•Hours of Dimming / Turning Off – This requirement can be clarified by adding
in that these signs “Must operate within maximum nighttime luminance
between 9 pm to 8 am for signs located within 200 metres of a low-density
residential dwelling, and in all other instances, between 11 pm to 7 am.”
•Change has been made (refer to Section 63 of the Sign By-law).
•Thanked the City for initiating a review of the Sign By-law and engaging the
sign industry in this process. Appreciate the level of transparency through this
process and that staff have considered Pattison’s comments.
•Would like to recommend that City Council consider expanding the Billboard
District further north along Brock Road up to Plummer Street (approx. 120
metres north). This expansion will allow 1 or 2 additional Billboard Signs. The
zone for the properties along Brock Road is similar to those properties within
the Billboard District, as the uses are generally employment, commercial or
light manufacturing, and no public spaces or residential located nearby. The
benefits of new billboards include enabling new or existing businesses in
Pickering to identify themselves and their services to residents, contains
billboards to one area within the City, will allow the opportunity for one or two
new billboards, and provides an opportunity to display emergency messages.
•Staff considered whether the expansion of the Billboard Sign District was
warranted and have concluded that there does not appear to be any compelling
reason to expand the existing Billboard Sign District at this time. Staff encourage
Billboard signs within the appropriate and existing Billboard district.
•What triggered this Sign By-law update? Was it a request of Council?•The Sign By-law review was initiated by City Staff. Staff acknowledged that the
existing Sign By-law was approved in 2009, and since then the City has received
numerous of variances and amendments to the Sign By-law. Given the number
of amendments, and changes to the sign industry, City Staff felt that a review of
the Sign By-law was necessary to respond to emerging trends.
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
3 Pro-Signs •Can portable signs be provided with a licence of more than 30 days and more
than 1 licence per calendar year per business?
•The draft By-law identifies that subject to the approval of the City’s Manager,
Municipal Law Enforcement, relief from the provision of this By-law for any sign
requiring a sign licence may be granted provided such relief is consistent with the
objectives of the By-law and the relief is provided for a maximum of 3 months.
Further, each business can have a maximum of four portable signs per year
(refer to Section 49 of the Sign By-law).
4 Cheap Mobile Signs •Is there any changes to the mobile signs?•Minimal changes were warranted for Portable Signs. The one change proposed
is the maximum number of portable signs for all Other Uses (which excludes all
residential, special sign districts and open space systems) permitting a maximum
of one sign per street frontage, where two street frontages are less than 70 metres
(refer to Section 50 of the Sign By-law).
•The City also has now included Flag Signs as a new signage type and includes a
definition and applicable provisions (refer to Section 52 of the Sign By-law).
5 Royal LePage •The City of Pickering should partner with RECO (Real Estate Council of
Ontario) to develop policies regarding the use of signage.
•The draft sign by-law was circulated to RECO. RECO has advised that they do
not provide comments, but encourage Real Estate Brokers to provide their
feedback to the municipality.
6 Durham Region
Association of Realtors
& Toronto Regional
Real Estate Board
•Real estate signs continue to be an important marketing tool for our
members, clients and your constituents when promoting the sale of their
property. Prohibiting real estate signs only on the property being advertised
for sale limits strategic marketing opportunities for the property. The current
Pickering sign by-law puts your constituents at a competitive disadvantage to
home sellers in neighbouring municipalities.
•Staff completed a best practice review of sign by-laws within Durham Region
and other neighbouring municipalities. To reduce current sign pollution, staff are
proposing regulations to limit the number of signs and the duration they can
remain up.
Real Estate signs are included under Sign Exemptions from Permits and
Licences and consist of Real Estate Open House Signs and Real Estate Signs.
Real estate signs must be entirely on the property being advertised for sale,
while Real Estate Signs are limited to one per property. If a property is larger
than 0.5 hectares and fronts onto two streets, two signs may be permitted, one
per street frontage.
Real Estate Open House Signs are permitted on private property or on a
boulevard and must be at least 3.0 metres away from another sign for the same
listing. A maximum of 8 Open House Real Estate signs are permittedكin relation
to any specific Open House (refer to Part 4 of the Sign By-law).
•In this regard, we believe that it is imperative to consider best practices used
in other municipalities. Regional roads in Durham Region follow different by-
laws regarding real estate signs that can cause confusion. Consistency
between municipalities for real estate sign by-laws eliminates the competitive
disadvantage of restrictions on signs.
•The Region of Durham Sign By-law 76-2017 has been repealed and the Region
of Durham delegated enforcement to lower tier municipalities. The City’s Sign
By-law now applies to signs on private properties, municipal properties, and
regional roads. The provisions related to distances from curbs and the travelled
portion of the roadway contained within the draft Sign By-law are consistent with
provisions previously contained within By-law 76-2017.
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
7 Re/Max Hallmark First
Group
•Our comments are directed towards the Real Estate signs. We like the
maximum sign limits for open houses and support the idea of posting the time
and date of the open house on the sign. We do have concerns with the
proposed by-law that if an agent is doing an open house on Saturday and
Sunday from 2 pm to 4 pm they will be able to put up open house signs on
Friday at 2 pm and these signs will be allowed to stay out on the streets until
five hours after 4 pm on Sunday.
•The draft provisions enable a maximum of eight Real Estate Open House Signs
in connection with any Open House, and the provisions allow the Open House
Sign to be erected between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm on the day of the Open
House as indicated on the Sign. For example, should there be an Open House
displayed for Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 4 pm, the Open House Sign would
be allowed to be displayed from Saturday at 8 am through to 8 pm, and reinstalled
on Sunday from 8 am through to 8 pm (refer to Part 4 of the Sign By-law).
•From an enforcement point of view, I think it would be easier to manage if
realtors were allowed to put their signs up at 8 am the day of the open house
and remove them by 6 pm on the same day as the open house. This would
make it a lot easier for officers to identify those individuals who comply and
those who are not.
•Further, provisions have been included which identify that no Real Estate Open
House signs are permitted in any location other than entirely on private property
or on a boulevard at least 3.0 metres from another sign for the same listing (refer
to Part 4 of the Sign By-law).
8 Mayor and Council •Consider exceptions for Durham Live (large, electronic display signs).
Potential to create an entertainment area Schedule.
•Through the site plan approval process, exceptions to the sign by-law can be
considered and approved without the requirement for a sign variance. Currently,
staff are working with Durham Live to consider an electronic display sign along
Bayly Street.
•Requested that the draft new Sign By-law be circulated to Real Estate
Brokers who do business in Pickering.
•The draft sign by-law was circulated to all who requested to be notified, which
included Real Estate Brokers, the Durham Region Association of Realtors,
various Sign Companies, Developers, Architects, Commercial Real Estate
Services, Metrolinx, and the Ministry of Transportation. The draft sign by-law was
also posted on the City’s social media sites and included in the City’s Economic
Development newsletter.
•Reduce the size of real estate open house signs. 1 m² is too large.•The size of real estate signs is in keeping with other municipal standards, and in
some cases is more restrictive than some. The 1m2 exists within the current sign
by-law, which has not resulted in any concerns or issues (refer to Part 4 of the
Sign By-law).
•Reduce the time the open house sign is erected. Signage should be removed
immediately after the Open House.
•The existing Sign By-law does not include time restrictions. The draft By-law
requires real estate open house signs to be erected between the hours of 8 am
and 8 pm on the day of the Open House as indicated on the Real Estate Open
House Sign (refer to Part 4 of the Sign By-law).
•Clarification whether existing signage that does not conform with the draft
new By-law will be recognized.
•The proposed Sign By-law identifies that the by-law does not apply to any
changes to a sign face if the sign has been previously approved (refer to
Section 80كof the Sign By-law).
•Include a minimum separation distance for Open House signs on boulevards.•The draft By-law proposes a 3.0 metre separation between signs on a boulevard
(refer to Part 4 of the Sign By-law).
•Revise menu sign provisions based on comments received from Forward
Signs, to permit more than 1 sign if there is a double-lane drive-thruل
•The draft By-law proposes one menu board and one pre-menu board per drive
through lane (refer to Section 37 of the Sign By-law).
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
9 Residents/Public •Is there no setback requirements for ground signs on private property?•The draft sign by-law proposed that ground signs installed on private property
must be setback a minimum 3.0 metre setback from all property lines (refer to
Section 32 of the Sign By-law).
•How are advertising signs mandated which are located on public
infrastructure such as traffic signal posts and contribute to sign pollution?
•As per the draft Sign By-law, no sign shall be erected or displayed to interfere
with any public service or utility. Further, locational criteria and minimum
distances are included from traffic signals and posts.
•I didn't read in this document anything about notices (ads) that are on poles,
light standards, etc. Often these notices stay on for quite a long time. They
end up getting faded, ripped, or don't stay on completely. It can be a real eye
sore. Is there any provision for people that post things on structures such as
these, that they must be removed within a certain time frame?
•Under Part 5 – General Restrictions, there are applicable policies which have
been included that would prohibit this type of signage:
•Signage is not permitted on public property or any part of a street without the
City’s approval unless the sign is expressly permitted by this by-law to be
erected on a sidewalk or a boulevard. This includes any sign advertising a
business, service, sale or event;
•Signage is not permitted within 15 metres of a traffic light;
•Signage is not permitted in a location that obstructs the view of any
pedestrian or motorist so as to cause an unsafe condition;
•Signage that interferes with, or obstructs the view of, an authorized traffic
sign, traffic signal or official sign is not permitted;
•Signage that advertises a business, service, or product that is not located on
the property where the sign is erected is not permitted, unless expressly
permitted by this by-law;
•Signage is not permitted on a utility pole, tree, stone or other natural object,
or a fence; and
•These included provisions will enable the City to enforce the removal and
appropriate locational placement of signs.
•In my hometown, they had a public works pickup truck patrolling the
neighbourhood removing illegal and unauthorized signs. We should have the
same.
•By-law Services enforce the City's Sign By-law. Due to capacity constraints,
By-law Services works mainly on a complaint basis. However, if a patrolling
By-law enforcement officer comes across a contravention of the Sign By-law,
they will enforce it.
•I would like to propose some wording that reflects that the small plastic
advertising signs that seem to pop up in neighbourhoods on City lands
should not be allowed as they create environmental garbage issues. Signs
that are on homeowners’ property having or have had work done by
advertising companies are okay as these will be removed by the property
owner at some point in time.
•The proposed draft Sign By-law includes wording that states no person shall
erect a sign on or over, or partly on or over, public property or any part of a street
without the City’s approval unless the sign is expressly permitted by this By-law
to be erected on a sidewalk or boulevard. This includes any sign advertising a
business, service, sale or event unless expressly listed as a permitted sign in
this by-law (refer to Part 5 of the Sign By-law).
•I generally have no opinion on signs with one exception and that is when
multiple developers line up their real estate signs on one corner blocking
driver sight lines. This happens a lot at Whites Road and Finch typically on
weekends.
•Sidewalk signs are proposed to be permitted but only by way of getting a sign
licence first to permit the sidewalk sign, and there are specific provisions related
to them such as size, and location, and are only permitted to be installed in front
of the business to which it pertains and during the erected hours of operation of
the business.
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
•When you are sitting at a red light waiting to turn right at Whites and Finch,
trying to look west to see if cars are coming, you have to move so far forward
to look around the signs. I kept saying to myself how can that be legal? I
think from reading the summary this in fact would be a violation. Not sure
how you get action to deal with it on weekends but I think I’m interpreting the
rules correctly. If not, I think it should be addressed.
•Currently the Sign By-law allows for one real estate sign to be erected entirely on
a private property and no more than one real estate sign shall be on any single
property, although two real estate signs may be erected on a separate street
frontage if the property is at least 0.5 ha in size (refer to Part 4 of the Sign By-law).
The proposed Sign By-law has similar provisions for Real Estate Open House
Signs, no person shall erect a sign except between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm
on the day of the Open House as indicated on the sign and also states that the
sign has to be entirely on private property or on a boulevard at least 3.0 metres
from another sign. Both Real Estate and Real Estate Open House Signs are
exempt from Sign Permits and Sign Licences should they meet the provisions as
outlined in the By-law (refer to Part 4 of the Sign By-law).
The proposed Sign By-law also includes provisions relating to Development
Signs. Development Signs are temporary in nature and advertise a proposed
development to be constructed. These signs require a sign permit and are
required to be setback a minimum distance of at least 3.0 metres from property
limits (refer to Section 34 of the Sign By-law).
•Residential street signs are often not easy to locate because they are too
close to an intersection or hidden by foliage, and the print is difficult to read
when driving past at normal speeds - larger signs and larger print would be
helpful.
•Residential street signs are administered by Operations Staff. Residential Signs
do not fall under the Sign By-law.
•Internally illuminated signs, such as the railroad overpass across Kingston,
can be so bright at night as to interfere with seeing the road, and pedestrians
and bikes along the road. Perhaps not so bright?
•The proposed Sign By-law has provisions for Electronic Message Display
requiring a maximum nighttime luminance of 300 nits and states hours of
dimming turning/off and that the signage must operate within maximum nighttime
luminance between 9 pm to 8 am for signs located within 200 metres of a low-
density residential dwelling, and in all other instances, between 11 pm to 7 am
(refer to Section 63 of the Sign By-law). City staff has confirmed that the existing
signage on the railroad overpass across Kingston complies with the draft
provisions. Further, the signage on the overpass is considered as an Official
Sign under the By-law, and Official Signs are exempt from the provisions of the
By-law (refer to Part 7 of the Sign By-law).
•Low Density Residential - there are certain circumstances where directional
signage is appropriate for Residential areas, this being entrances to gated
communities, mobile home parks etc. something to consider.
•Directional Signs are exempt from receiving a permit or licence if they comply
with the stated provisions. They are not prohibited in residential zones. The
proposed By-law has added additional clarity to provide greater flexibility for
directional signs in residential areas (refer to Part 4 of the Sign By-law).
•Wall Signs-32(1) the maximum sign area and the maximum number
contradict each other. The easiest for everyone is to keep it to the percentage
of the wall area.
•For Commercial, Industrial and Mixed-Use Buildings, the maximum sign area is
as a percentage of the wall area. In the case of multi-unit or multi-tenant
buildings, the percentage is calculated based on the wall area of each individual
unit, rather than the entire building, and only one sign is permitted per frontage of
each unit’s wall. If the building is a single unit, the percentage would be based on
the total wall area (refer to Section 33 of the Sign By-law).
Executive Committee
Meeting Minutes
October 7, 2024
Hybrid Electronic Meeting – 2:00 pm
Chair: Councillor Cook
7
Attachment 2 to Report PLN 01-25
4.8 Director, City Development & CBO, Report PLN 25-24
Sign By-law Review
Recommendation:
Moved by Councillor Brenner Seconded by Councillor Butt
1.That Report PLN 25-24 be referred back to staff to undertake engagementwith industry stakeholders; and,
2. That staff be directed to report back to the December 2, 2024, ExecutiveCommittee Meeting.
Carried
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
Attachment 3 to Report PLN 01-25
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
1 Sussex Pdg •Objectives: The described objectives do not make any referral/mention to
advertising billboards. This, unto itself, creates a tone of prohibition. An
additional objective should be added to “regulate and control advertisingbillboards”. The Courts have adequately ruled that a municipality mayregulate but not prohibit advertising billboards.
•The objectives section of the Sign By-law is intended to apply broadly to all signs
covered by the Sign By-law. An additional objective has been added, which
states “to regulate signs placed on lands, buildings, and other structures withinthe corporate limits of the Municipality of Pickering”.
•Special Sign Districts: Specifically, the City has allocated an area on Bayly
Road specific to advertising billboards. This, unto itself, becomes a prohibitionas once Bayly has established advertising Billboards, including minimumsetback, there could be no further opportunities. In practice, only those fewcurrent vendors with existing billboards would be allowed permits. The Cityshould seek to expand the lawfulness of advertising billboards to those areas
that are commercial, and retail, and do not negatively impact residentialcommunities. This will not create a ‘surge’ in billboards in Pickering as themarket would not warrant extensive expansion nor would most commercialroadways provide enough vehicular traffic, as required by the advertising
billboard industry, to warrant capital expenditure. There would be several
areas worth consideration.
•Staff reviewed locations for additional billboard signs and identified an
opportunity within the Seaton Innovation Corridor. Specifically, billboard signscould be permitted on the south side of Highway 7, between North Road to thewest and Sideline 22 to the East. The additional Billboard Sign District isincluded in Attachment B2 of the draft Sign By-law. Staff also included anexpansion to the existing Billboard Sign District along Bayly Street.
A)Pickering is currently hosting several digital billboards on provincial or raillands so, in practice, the City is limiting its abilities whilst other legislativeauthorities place billboards.
•In 2018, Council approved a Digital Sign Program for the City of Pickering inpartnership with the Canadian National Railway (CN) and RCC Media Inc. The
program includes one digital screen on the CN overpass and four monumental-
style signs with digital display, strategically located around the City. The fourmonumental style signs are owned by the City and maintained by RCC Media.The signs enable the City to provide timely and accurate information on Citynews, events, programs and services to residents, businesses, visitors and other
stakeholders.
B)Many municipalities in Canada are hosting RFPs for advertising (digital)billboards on City properties to generate worthwhile revenue for municipalfunding. Allowing advertising billboards on commercial/retail lands would,in advance, allow Pickering to host such an RFP. Municipalities that have
or are considering RFPs are:
a. Vaughanb.Hamiltonc.Bramptond.Niagara Falls
•Should the City wish to pursue an RFP in the future for advertising billboards asa revenue-generating initiative, this would be handled separately from the SignBy-law. The City’s existing agreement with RCC Media Inc would remain in
effect.
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
C)Non-considered Applications/Emerging TrendsThe popularity of large, “big box” retail locations has created a need within
the signage industry. Specifically, the City should the allowance of limited
digital marquis/billboards at those properties qualifying as “big box”. Thesewould typically be those operated by SmartCentres, RioCan, and FirstCapital and feature a) a larger anchor retailer, c) expansive parking lots,and d) significant land usage. It would not apply to roadside plazas that do
not contain anchor retailers and typically have limited allocation of parking
for select retailers. The purpose of this would be to allow Digital StaticMarquis-style signs/billboards that would allow the property to promote a)businesses, b) products and services c) general advertising for non-related businesses, d) community information, and e) amber alerts. These
could not be erected without a permit and agreement by the property
owner, in consideration for the on-site tenants. For example, a typicaldisplay of this nature might feature a loop (based upon the City’s 6-secondrequirement of:
1)Anchor tenant
2)Retail tenant
3)Property Information4)Non-related advertising (for example, an auto ad or airline)5)Non-related advertising (same as above)6)Tenant related product
7)Community Information
•The economic benefit to these important developers is important. The abilityto capitalize on this form of display (typically costing $250,000 on average),plus the need to promote tenants, anchors, and its role in the community is
imperative. The addition of this technology also reduces clutter on existing
multi-signed structures.
•As a result of policies contained within the Provincial Planning Statement (2024)
and well as City policy direction through Official Plan Amendment 38, staff are
receiving development proposals to convert traditional “big box” properties intomixed-use developments. These typically include commercial or retail spaceson the ground floor and residential uses above. In these cases, billboard signlocations may not be appropriate near mixed-use residential areas.
•If a digital billboard sign is allowed (which I contend should be on commerciallands), what is featured on the billboard sign should be of no concern to the
municipality as it becomes a matter of freedom of expression, as contained
within the Canadian Charter of Rights. The concern of the municipality shouldbe limited to placement, safety, and regulation and not the prohibition ofcontent or ideas.
•The draft Sign By-law includes detailed regulations for billboards and electronicdisplay boards covering maximum sign area, maximum sign height as well as
location and setbacks from other billboard signs, setbacks from property lines
and residential land uses. The regulations for Electronic Message Displays,include minimum distance from another electronic message display, maximumdwell time, and maximum day/night time luminance as well as hours ofdimming/turning off. The draft Sign By-law does not regulate content. However,
Part 5 – General Restrictions, in the draft Sign By-law, prohibits signs that are
obscene or in bad taste. These provisions allow By-law enforcement to exercisediscretion when addressing such cases.
2 Pattison Signs •Billboard Map – please provide a copy of Schedule B Map for review.•Provided.
•Vacant Properties – if we wanted to seek approval for a billboard sign onvacant property, could we make a sign variance application.•Section 65 of the draft By-law states that no person shall erect any sign onvacant property, except for specific types of signs such as development signs,
community event signs, filming location signs, real estate signs, farm signs or no
trespassing signs.
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
•Signs Outside Billboard Map – If we wanted to propose a sign located outside
the Billboard Map, can you advise on what process we would undertake?
•Under Part 6 – Sign Permit Variances, individuals may apply for a sign variance.
Staff would then evaluate the appropriateness of locating a billboard on a vacant
property.
3 Vendo Media •There are no changes to the billboard regulations (other than lowering the
height) from the previous Sign By-law 6999/09.
•Specifically, there is no change to the Billboard Sign District, a stretch of2kms along Bayly Street, that has not been open to additional billboard sites
for several years due to the dominance of Pattison Outdoor and Bell Media
[c/o Astral Media]: Pattison has three [3] billboard locations and Astral hasfour [4] billboard locations.
•Based on feedback from key stakeholders, staff have identified an expansion to
the existing Billboard District along Bayly Street, and an additional location forbillboards within the Seaton Innovation Corridor. Along with this location, thefollowing provisions have been added:
•Permitted only on lands zoned Employment and/or Major TouristDestination
•Setback from a Highway 400 series – 400 metres (unless permitted by theMinistry of Transportation)
•Setback from an intersection – 30 metres
•Setback from another sign type – 30 metres
•Setback from a residential zone/use – 100 metres
•Setback from road, street or railway that intersects a highway at grade –45 metres
•As a result of the above, the City is not meeting its stated objective “to update
and modernize the City’s existing Sign By-law 6999/09 to align with currentsign trends and development practices.” What this entails is a prohibition ofnew billboard locations in the City of Pickering which has negative benefits tothe local economy. This will lead media operators to submit variance
applications to try and secure a new billboard location to best serve local
business interests. This practice goes against the City’s intent “to reduce thenumber of sign variances requested by applicants”.
•Based on the above-stated comments, we are requesting the City to
reconsider their position and to follow the best practices that are in place with
other municipalities. Those practices typically have the following billboardregulations in place:
•Billboards are appropriate within commercial, retail and industrial lands
•The City has evaluated the potential for additional billboard locations, including
the Innovation Corridor, north of Highway 407, and vacant employment/industriallands. The analysis concluded that establishing an additional Billboard SignDistrict within the Innovation Corridor is warranted
•In Line with Part 6 – Sign Permit Variances, applicants can submit a signvariance application and staff will evaluate the appropriateness of the Billboardlocations on a site-specific basis, beyond the permissions of the Sign By-law.
•Staff explored additional locations to determine the feasibility of allowing
billboard signs. It was determined that Employment/Industrial Areas are the most
suitable for billboard signs. The existing Billboard location along Bayly Street willremain, and an additional billboard location along Highway 7 within theInnovation Corridor has been included, as shown in Schedule B1 and B2 of thedraft Sign By-law.
•For electronic billboards no video, motion with static images displayed for aminimum of 6 seconds •The draft Sign By-law proposes a maximum dwell time of 6 seconds forelectronic boards.
•Separation distance from other billboards (100 metres)•Staff conducted a best practices review of several municipalities, including
Oshawa, Markham, Vaughan, Oakville, Burlington, Waterloo, Mississauga and
Kingston. Based on this review, the draft Sign By-law is proposing a minimumseparation distance of 250 between billboards. This aligns with best practices,which range from 200 metres to 600 metres, except in Kington, where theseparation distance is only 100 metres.
•Separation distance from ID Pylon Signs (25 metres)•Staff have included a “separation distance of 30 metres from another sign onsame the property”
•Separation distance from property line (3 metres) to prioritize ID pylon signs
abutting Property lines
•The draft sign by-law identifies a minimum separation of 3 metres from a
property line
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
•Separation distance from intersections (30 metres)•Staff have included a minimum separation distance of 30 metres from an
intersection
•Separation distance from residential zones (100 metres, unless not facing ornot visible due to obstructions, technology enhancements, etc.)•For both Electronic Message displays and Billboard Signs, the draft Sign By-lawincludes a minimum setback of 100 metres from residential zone/use
•Billboard sign area and height (20 square metres to 65 square metres and
7.5 metres in height) with the ability to increase for specific sign district areasor unique destination locations (i.e. sporting arenas/stadiums, touristdestinations, casinos, entertainment complexes, etc.) where both the City andproperty owner gains benefits.
•The draft Sign By-law proposes a maximum sign area of 20 square metres and
a maximum height of 7.5 metres. Should there be a circumstance where theproposed use justifies a larger maximum sign area, staff will assess theappropriateness through a Sign Variance application and/or through the SitePlan Approval process.
4 Great Canadian Entertainment •Great Canadian Entertainment operates Pickering Casino Resort located at888 Durham Live Avenue. We are interested in working with an out-of-home
media company to install new digital billboards on the property, but currently,the City’s Sign By-law restricts this.
•We are requesting that the City reconsider the by-law and designate theproperty where we operate Pickering Casino Resort as a new sign district
where we can mutually generate value by installing new digital billboards and
supporting the continued growth of the business. Given the unique nature ofthe location and the business, we also request that no sign area or heightrestrictions be placed on future digital billboards should the City designate ourarea as an approved sign district.
•As a follow-up, we have included some relevant examples of other Canadianmunicipalities creating sign districts for unique venues and locations. Manymore international examples exist but for our purposes, we have kept thisresponse focused on municipalities in Canada.
Below are four examples in Toronto and Edmonton where the City wentthrough the process of creating special sign districts for unique venues andlocations. Attached you will also find an excerpt from Toronto’s sign by-law forToronto’s Yonge Street and Dundas Square sign district.Toronto and Edmonton Sign Districts:
•Edmonton’s Arena and Entertainment District Zone (below is an excerptfrom the sign by-law about the Arena and Entertainment District)
“Signs are intended to consist of an array of high-quality, expressive signage that serves a primary role in establishing the character of the
Arena and Entertainment District as a unique place in the city, promotes and supports activities fostering a sense of arrival and excitement, and serving a wayfinding function. Large-format Signs are imagined as an integral component of the Arena and Entertainment District’s design and character”
•Toronto’s Yonge Street & Dundas Square
•Toronto’s Gardiner’s Gateway
•Toronto’s Chinatown
•Staff reviewed the Sign By-laws from other Greater Toronto Area municipalitieswith gaming and casino locations to determine whether any sign exemptions
were provided for these types of uses. The Sign By-law’s examined include:
•Clarington
•Milton
•Scugog
•Toronto
Following this review, the City is not in a position to exempt the Casino Lands
from the sign area and height restrictions for billboard signs in the draft Sign
By-law.
However, staff acknowledge that the Durham Live lands, including the Casino and Hotel site, serve as a major tourist destination, and billboard signage promoting local tourist-related activities and attractions could be beneficial. As a
result, staff have determined that it would be appropriate to expand the existing
Billboard location along Bayly Street to include the Durham Live lands, specifically for properties zoned as Employment and Major Tourist Destinations. Even with this potential expansion, the current Billboard Sign provisions contained in the draft Sign By-law would be in effect. Similar to the approach
taken in Toronto at the Woodbine Racetrack, should Great Canadian
Entertainment wish to vary the Billboard Sign Provisions, they can apply through the Sign Variance Process or the Site Plan Approval process. Staff would then assess the proposal on a case-by-case basis.
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
•Another relevant example is at Woodbine Racetrack, where we operate one
of our properties, Great Casino Resort Toronto, located at 1133 Queen’s
Plate Drive in Etobicoke. Although the City did not create a special signdistrict, there were multiple digital billboard permit approvals to enhance thecharacter and experience of the venue. Given the nature of the venue andthe location, we would request that no sign area or height restrictions be
placed on future digital billboards should the City designate our area as an
approved sign district.
5 The Region of Durham •The sign by-law has revised provisions for Electronic Message Boards. I
know a couple of years ago, electronic sign boards started to come in and beinstalled along Highway 2 in Pickering. At the time, the Region had passedtheir Vision Zero initiative for safer Regional Roads. I recall the Region’sgeneral concerns about electronic sign boards coming in and how it was not
compatible with Vision Zero. Pickering has included provisions and
restrictions so that the signs operate safely such as no animation, differentillumination levels for day and night and setbacks from the road. I believethese restrictions would be compatible with Vision Zero.
•City Staff consulted staff at the Traffic Engineering and Operations Division at the
Region of Durham, who provided the following comments on the draft Sign By-law were provided:
•The restrictions concerning full motion video, animation, movement, dwell
time and luminance in Section 63 of the proposed Sign By-law appear to be
consistent with industry best practices in terms of minimizing driverdistraction
•With the restrictions that have been put in place by the draft Sign By-law,
along with an overall effort to control the number, location, size and operationof these signs, along with an ability to address particularly signs thatpotentially become problematic from a collision frequency perspective, it isfair to say the proposed Sign By-law takes the appropriate steps to minimizeany potential safety impacts of these types of signs to road users.
•The main reason that the Region rescinded our sign bylaw was to permit thelocal municipalities to enforce their sign bylaws on Regional Roads wasmotivated by the different treatment that the local municipalities were giving totemporary election signs during election periods. It appears as part of this
new bylaw, the definition of Election signs simply refers back to their original
Election sign by-law which is Election Sign By-law 7591/17. Thereforemaintaining the status quo on enforcement of election sign bylaws. We arefine with this.
•This is correct, the draft new Sign By-law is separate from the Election SignBy law 7591/17.
•I did not see anything in the sign bylaw about any prohibitions aboutdisplaying signs with offensive or obscene content. But I think this is implicitlycovered under the sign approval provisions under Clause 27 which is theapproval provision for obtaining a Sign Permit and also under Clause 55which speaks to a Sign License Issuance where the approval of the City must
be obtained for either one and the City can approve either with the impositionof conditions. Pickering’s new sign bylaw did not address content, but Ibelieve the issue would be covered under the approvals of Clauses 27 and55.
•The draft new Sign By-law, in Part 5 – General Restrictions, Section 62 (x),states that no person shall erect any sign, that is obscene or in bad taste.
The City of Pickering acknowledges the importance of freedom of speech andexpression and will enforce the by-law accordingly.
Response to Comments Received on Proposed Sign By-law
# Commenter Comment Action Taken
•One item that I did not see covered is if Durham Region Transit (DRT) was
consulted on their bus stops and shelters. DRT has had the traditional
problem of flyer signs and advertising being posted on our bus shelters.Traditionally the local municipalities have been shy about enforcement ofsuch issues at DRT bus stops and they view them as infrastructure owned bythe Region of Durham and DRT would go out and do the enforcement and
clean-up of signs that cause litter. As the Pickering sign bylaw was revised
and updated, I am not sure if Pickering staff availed themselves of theopportunity to consult with DRT on our bus stops and shelters. I do see theterm “bus transit shelter” incorporated in the definition of Fixture. But doesthis mean that Pickering will enforce sign postings and advertising that is not
compatible with the provisions of the revised sign-law on transit shelters? It
appears to be the case where on page 25 of the bylaw under the Postercategory it states that “No person shall erect a poster on a fixture”. Clause 69incorporates transit shelters in the definition as well under the Postercategory. This is good and for the other local municipalities, the Region’s view
is that they incorporate these provisions as well if they have not to maintain
consistency on this issue.
•The Region of Durham was provided with a copy of the draft Sign By-law for
review and did not provide any further comments regarding bus stops and
shelters.
The draft sign by-law does reference fixtures, and if enforcement is required, theCity will take action, including laying charges if appropriate. However, the City ofPickering will not remove illegally posted signs or stickers from Durham RegionTransit Shelters. This responsibility lies with the Region or Durham or its
contractor.
6 Transport Canada •Highway 7 is a provincial road, as such, has the City engaged MTO in this
regard?
•The City engaged both the Ministry of Transportation and the Region of Durham
as part of the Sign By-law Review.
•Has the City accounted for a hang gliding operator (High Perspective Inc.)being on the north side of Highway 7, west of sideline 22? Transport Canada
has a lease with High Perspective Inc. for that parcel of land
•The maximum height for billboard signs is 7.5 metres, it is also noted that theBillboard location is located south of Highway 7 for approximately 100 metres, in
addition to a 14 metres setback from Highway 7. The proposed height complies
with the City’s Zoning By-law. Staff have included within the Sign By-law thatpermission may be required from Transport Canada for this Billboard District.
•What is the messaging that would be on a billboard(s), would the City be just
renting the billboard space to third-party interests – are there guidelines as towhat can be posted on the billboard(s)?
•The proposed Sign By-law outlines provisions for the location and placement of
the signage. The definition for billboard signs is “means a sign that is fastened,posted, painted or projected in such a manner as to permit its periodicreplacement and that advertises goods, products or services that are notavailable at the location of the sign or that directs a person to a location differentfrom where the sign is located. A billboard sign displays third-party advertising
with images that may change mechanically and/or displays information orimages on a digital or electronic screen”. The proposed billboards are not to beowned by the City and rented out.
•The draft provisions require a minimum setback from intersections of 30 metres
to maintain clear lines of sight and align with the Region of Durham’s Vision Zero
initiative for safer Regional Roads
•Has the City taken into consideration that the billboard(s) not pose a traffic
hazard/distraction and should not be in the line of sight (when turning left and
right)?
•The Sign By-law has been modified to include provisions thatconsultation/permissions from Transport Canada may be required.