§ 600. Purpose.

The purpose and intent of this Section is to provide minimum standards to protect the public health, safety and welfare, convenience and enjoyment of the general public through consistent and nondiscriminatory sign standards. Sign regulations are intended to make Manatee County safer by reducing safety hazards, to contribute to the development and maintenance of an attractive visual environment, while facilitating the communication of messages to the public. The purpose is to avoid an environment that encourages visual blight while protecting and promoting the aesthetic environment of the unincorporated area of Manatee County. The objectives and strategies of this section are as follows:

A.

Improve pedestrian and traffic safety;

B.

Lessen the visual clutter that may otherwise be caused by the proliferation of improper placement, illumination and animation and excessive height and excessive size (area) of signs which compete for the attention of pedestrian and vehicular traffic;

C.

To allow and encourage signs appropriate to the zoning district in which they are located and consistent with the category of use and function to which they pertain;

D.

Categorize signs based upon the function that they serve and tailor the regulation of signs based upon their function;

E.

To allow for the identification of business, residential and public uses without creating safety hazards, confusion, unsightliness, or visual obscurity of adjacent businesses or other neighboring structures; and

F.

Recognize the commercial communication requirements of all sectors of the business community and promote both renovation and proper maintenance.