Richmond Hill By-law 740, s. 4.1.1(a) — Sign By-law

the name or registered trademark including logo, crest or seal of a builder or developer of a development as defined and approved pursuant to Section 41 of the Planning Act, resulting from a Plan of Subdivision approved pursuant to Section 51 of the Planning Act, or a combination thereof;

• (b) directions to a development as defined and approved pursuant to Section 41 of the Planning Act, resulting from a Plan of Subdivision approved pursuant to Section 51 of the Planning Act, or a combination thereof;
• (c) information pertaining to the business occupant of a Premises of an approved development pursuant to Section 41 of the Planning Act, or
• (d) a combination therof of (a), (b), and (c); and
• (e) “Development” shall mean such a development described in (a),
• (b) and (c). “Digital Display ” means a Sign that may display information or images on a digital or electronic screen, and shall include a static, or changing copy, and mechanically adjustable sign but does not include an Animated Sign, Mobile Sign, Portable Sign. By-law 62-23, 14 June, 2023. “ Directional Sign ” means a Sign which gives direction or instructions for the control of vehicular or pedestrian traffic on a Property or Premises and which Copy displays a notation of an arrow. “ Directory Sign” means a Sign on which the Copy displays the unit numbers, business names of tenants, or a combination thereof of a Premises. “ Downtown Special Signage Area ” means an area of the Town outlined on Schedule “B” to this By-law. “ Election Sign ” means "a sign which advertises or promotes the election of a political party or a Candidate for federal, provincial, municipal or school board election; and includes any Sign of a Registered Third-Party Advertiser. (By-law 16-18, 16 April, 2018) “Electric Vehicle Charging Station Sign” means a Ground Sign installed in association with a device that transfers electricity to an electric vehicle battery. (By-law 25-26, 8 April, 2026) “ Entrance Feature Sign ” means a Sign located, erected, or displayed on Property or Premises, at the entrance of a Development in a residential, commercial, industrial, or institutional Zone for the purpose of identifying the Development. “ Election Sign Fee ” Repealed. 13, December 2023. “ Flag Sign ” means a Sign made of cloth or lightweight material attachable by one edge to

a supporting structure and shall not include a Pennant Sign. City of Richmond Hill Sign By-law By-law No. 52-09 “ Flashing Sign ” means a Sign which contains an intermittent or flashing light source or which includes the illusion of intermittent or flashing lights by means of animation or an externally mounted light source and shall not include an Animated Sign or Digital Display. “ Ground Sign ” means a Sign directly supported by one or more uprights, poles, or braces, or located on a structural base placed in or upon the ground and does not include a Flag Sign, a Inflatable Sign, a Mobile Sign, or a Portable Sign. “ Headford Special Signage Area ” means an area of the Town outlined on Schedule “D” to this By-law. “ Height ” means the vertical distance measured from the average grade immediately below

a Sign to the highest point of the Sign and includes any supporting structure or ornamental feature of a Sign. “ Heritage Property ” means Property and/or Premises that is designated to be of cultural heritage value or interest under Part IV of the Onta rio Heritage Act. “Highway Sign” means a Sign that is a minimum of 3m2, is facing a Provincial Highway and is located on a property within 400 metres of a Provincial Highway, that name, identifies, advertises, promotes or directs attention to a business, service and/or activity available at the premise. By-law 62-23, 14 June, 2023. “ Home Occupation ” means a home based business operated within a dwelling unit incidental and secondary to the residential use. “ Illumination ” means lighting of a Sign, in whole or in part, by artificial means directly or through any transparent or translucent material and when used in reference to:

• (a) Internal Illumination includes Internally Illuminated, means lighting or having the potential of lighting the Sign with a light source located behind or within the Sign;
• (b) External Illumination includes Externally Illuminated, means having a light source exterior to the Sign and on or directly at the Sign, and
• (c) Non-illumination includes Non-illuminated, means the Sign is not Internally Illuminated or Externally Illuminated. “ Inflatable Sign ” means an instrument filled with air or gas and tethered to the ground, a vehicle, any structure, or any Premises, and shall include any balloon with commercial advertising that is tethered to the ground. “ Landmark Premises ” means a Premises identified on Schedule “C” to this By-law. “ Lot ” means a parcel of land having specific boundaries which is capable of being conveyed without a requirement for consent pursuant to the Planning Act, including land described as a lot or block on a registered plan of subdivision or by metes and bounds or reference plan in a deed registered in a Land Registry Office. For the purposes of this By- law, a Lot separated from a Street by a strip of land 0.50 metres in width or less abutting a Street that is owned by the authority having jurisdiction over such a Street, as defined in this By-law, shall be deemed to abut such Street. The length of the reserve shall be included in the calculation of distance from a Street Line. “ Lot Line ” means a line delineating any boundary of a Lot, but shall not include a Street Line. “ Menu Board Sign ” means a Sign located, erected, or displayed as part of a drive- through facility for the purposes of displaying or ordering products or services, or a combination thereof available at the drive-through business. “ Mobile Sign ” means a Sign designed to be capable of being readily moved from one location to another and is usually built on a trailer or other solid platform and may include wheels. “Multi-Storey Building” means a building with three or more storeys. “ Municipal Act, 2001” means the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, c. 25. City of Richmond Hill Sign By-law By-law No. 52-09 “ Mural Sign ” means any type of display or artistic endeavour that is applied as paint or film, or a sculpture to any external wall or other part of a Premises or permanent structure, but shall not include any stained glass window of a Premises. (By-law 25-26, 8 April, 2026) “Not-for-profit” means an organization created to benefit the community and whose activities may be for the purposes of social welfare, civic improvement, recreation or any other purpose not involving monetary gain, and whose directors, officers and members have no ownership of the organization or its assets. (By-law 25-26, 8 April, 2026) “Off-Premises Advertising” means use of any Sign related to a business, enterprise or other activity to advertise or promote goods or services that are not available on the Premises on which the Sign is located and shall not include use of an Off-Site Directional Sign, a Real Estate Open-House Sign or a Development Sign. (By-law 25-26, 8 April, 2026) “ Off-Site Directional Sign” means a Sign erected, located, or displayed on Public Properties for the purposes of providing directions to any Corporation owned community facilities, private recreational facilities, place of worship, Private Properties, Premises or districts designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, business improvement areas, or business parks. “ Ontario Heritage Act ” means the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O. 18. “Open House” means an event, during which a Property, Premises or a portion thereof that is offered for sale, rent or lease, is temporarily available for public viewing (without appointment). (By-law 37-21, 24 March, 2021) “ Pennant Sign” means a Sign made of lightweight plastic, fabric, or other material, whether or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a rope, wire, or string, usually in series, designed to move in the wind, but shall not include a Banner Sign or Flag Sign. “ Permit ” means a written permission to locate, erect, or display a Sign or Signs issued by the Commissioner pursuant to provisions of this By-law. “ Person ” means any individual, association, proprietorship, partnership, syndicate, company, firm, business, authorized agent, trustee and their heirs, executors or other legal representatives, or any combination thereof. “ Planning Act ” means the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P. 13. “ Portable Sign ” means a free-standing Sign located, erected, or displayed on but not permanently anchored in the ground and includes, but is not limited to, Signs commonly referred to as A-frame, T-frame, sandwich board, bag Sign or Signs erected temporarily with stakes, but shall not include an Inflatable Sign or a Mobile Sign. By-law 126-23, 13 December 2023. “ Poster Sign ” means a printed notice conveying information that is intended to be displayed for a temporary period of time. “ Premises ” means any building, multiple buildings, or units within a building located on

a Property. “ Private Property ” means Property owned by or under the control of a Property Owner, save and except for any Public Property. “ Projecting Sign ” means a Sign attached to and projecting from a Premises wall or attached to and hanging from a soffit. “ Property ” means a Lot or parcel of land, the whole of which can be conveyed pursuant to the Planning Act. “ Property Owner ” means the registered owner or owners of the Property as shown in the records of the Land Registry Office; or where the lands are included in a description registered under the Condominium Act, 1998, S.O. 1998, c.19, the board of directors of the condominium corporation City of Richmond Hill Sign By-law By-law No. 52-09 “Provincial Highway” means a 400 series highway. By-law 62-23, 14 June, 2023. “ Public Information Sign ” means:

• (a) a Sign erected by or under the direction of a government agency and shall include any Sign on which the Copy displays the name or registered trademark including logo, crest or seal of a community organization and includes, but is not limited to the Rotary Club in the Town or the Lions Club of Richmond Hill; or
• (b) A Sign designating public hospitals, schools operated by a public or separate school board, a public library, a public community centre, public arena, other public government use, or public projects; or
• (c) A Sign erected in parks, stadiums, or playgrounds for use as scoreboards or timers provided such that the non-scoreboard or the non-timer area of any such Sign is not greater than one-quarter of the total Sign Area, or
• (d) A Sign required by a public authority pursuant to an application made pursuant to the Planning Act. “ Public Property ” means Property owned by or under the control of the Corporation or any of its agencies, boards or commissions, including Streets and right-of-ways, and including structures thereon owned and/or controlled by an entity which provides a municipal, regional or public utility service, such as public utility poles, streetlights, stop lights, bus shelters, and garbage containers. “Real Estate Open House Sign” means a Portable Sign that clearly advertises an active Open House. (By-law 37-21, 24 March, 2021) "Real Estate Sign" means a Ground Sign located, erected or displayed for the purpose of notification that a Premises or Property is available for sale, rent, or lease. (By-law 37-21, 24 March, 2021) “Registered Third-Party Advertiser” means "in relation to an election in a municipality, an individual, corporation or trade union that is registered under Section 88.6 of the Municipal Elections Act. (By-law 16-18, 16 April, 2018). “ Roof ” when used in reference to:
• (a) Flat Roof means:
• (i) a Roof having a slope of less than one (1) unit of rise for every ten (10) units of run. Where more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the roof area of a building is flat as defined in the preceding sentence, the entire Roof shall be deemed to be a Flat Roof;
• (ii) a Roof which is not pitched and the surface of which is parallel to the ground;
• (iii) a Roof which has a stepped architectural feature; or
• (iv) a combination, thereof.
• (b) Gable Roof means a ridged roof forming a gable at both ends of the Premises. City of Richmond Hill Sign By-law By-law No. 52-09
• (c) Gambrel Roof means a Gable Roof with two slopes on each side, the lower steeper than the upper.
• (d) Hip Roof means a Roof with sloping ends and sides.
• (e) Mansard Roof means a Roof with two slopes on each of four sides, the lower steeper than the upper.
• (f) Shed Roof means a Roof with one slope. “ Roof Sign ” means a Sign supported entirely or partly by the Roof of a Premises or structure. “ Sign ” means any instrument, object, surface, structure and other component parts, which are used or capable of being used as a visual medium or display to attract attention to a specific subject matter for identification, information or advertising purposes and includes an Abandoned Sign, an Address Sign, an Animated Sign, an Awning Sign, a Banner Sign, a Canopy Sign, a Charity Sign, a Construction Sign, a Development Sign, a Directional Sign,

a Directory Sign, an Election Sign, an Electric Vehicle Charging Station Sign, an Entrance Feature Sign, a Flag Sign, a Flashing Sign, a Ground Sign, an Inflatable Sign, a Menu Board Sign, a Mobile Sign, a Mural Sign, a Off-Site Directional Sign, a Pennant Sign, a Portable Sign, a Poster Sign, a Projecting Sign, a Public Information Sign, a Digital Display, a Real Estate Open House Sign, a Real Estate Sign, a Roof Sign, a Wall Sign, and

a Window Sign. (By-law 25-26, 8 April, 2026) “ Sign Area ” means the entire area of the surface of a Sign including the border or frame, together with any material forming an integral part of the background of the display or used to differentiate the Sign from the Premises façade on which it is located, erected, or displayed, but excluding the supporting structure unless such supporting structure is used for display of any part of the Sign ’s message. Where there is no border or the Sign is composed of individually installed letters, numerals or shapes, the area of the Sign shall include all of the area of a four-sided geometric shape that encloses the surface of the Sign or the grouping of letters, numerals, shapes, or a combination thereof.

Where a Sign is double-faced or multi-faced, the maximum combined Sign Area shall be double the Sign Area permitted for one (1) face. “ Sign Owner” includes:

• (a) the Property Owner;
• (b) a Person who is the occupant of the Property or Premises;
• (c) in the case of a Mobile Sign, the owner or lessor of the Sign;
• (d) the Person or Persons having the use or major benefit of the Sign; and
• (e) any Person acting or purporting to act on behalf of the Persons listed in (a), (b),
• (c) or
• (d) with respect to the Sign, “ Storey ” means that portion of a Premises between the floor line being the floor of a Storey of a Premises and grade, the roof line being the point at which the Roof and wall of a Premises meet, or that portion of a Premises between two floor lines being the floors of a Storey of a Premises. “ Street ” means a highway as defined by the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8. “ Street Line ” means the boundary between a Street and a Lot. “Third-Party Advertisement" means “an advertisement in any broadcast, print, electronic or other medium that has the purpose of promoting, supporting or opposing;
• i. A candidate, City of Richmond Hill Sign By-law By-law No. 52-09
• ii. A "yes" or "no" answer to a question referred to in subsection 8(1), (2) or (3) of the Municipal Elections Act, and, for greater certainty, includes any election sign of a Registered Third-Party Advertiser.” (By-law 16-18, 16 April, 2018) “ Town ” means all lands situated within the geographic boundaries of the Town of Richmond Hill. “ Town Clerk ” means the Clerk or the Deputy Clerk of the Corporation as designated by by-law, or designate. “ Uptown District ” means that portion of the Downtown Special Signage Area outlined on Schedule “B” to this By-law. “ Vacant Land ” means land that is not actively utilized, but is zoned to be developed under the Corporation’s zoning by-law, but shall not include a parking lot. “ Variance ” means permission to locate, erect, or display a Sign in a manner that is not in strict compliance with the requirements of this By-law. “ Village Core District ” means that portion of the Downtown Special Signage Area outlined on Schedule “B” to this By-law. “Voting Day” means the day on which the final vote is to be taken in an election. (By- law 16-18, 16 April, 2018) “ Wall Sign ” means a Sign attached to, marked or inscribed on, located, erected or placed against a wall of a Premises and having the exposed face thereof on a plane approximately parallel to the plane of such wall and may include display boxes, but shall not include an Awning Sign, a Banner Sign, a Canopy Sign, a Mural Sign, or a Poster Sign. A Wall Sign shall not be supported by the Roof, the ground or a combination thereof. “ Window Sign ” means a Sign located on the interior of a Premises and which is located, erected or displayed in the interior of a window, window section or window pane and is intended to be seen from outside a Premises. “ Zone ” means an area designated for particular land uses as determined by a zoning by- law of the Corporation pursuant to the Planning Act, which is in force and effect.