The purpose of this article is to regulate existing
and proposed outdoor advertising and outdoor signs of all types. It
is intended to improve safety, protect property values, create a more
attractive and harmonious economic and business climate and enhance
and protect the physical appearance of the community. Special attention
is focused on reducing the potential for visual obstruction and hazards
at intersections and driveways. It is further intended hereby to reduce
sign or advertising distractions and obstructions in order to promote
and protect the public health, welfare, and safety of the community.
A.
Signs may be erected, placed, established, created,
altered or maintained only in conformance with the standards, procedures,
exemptions and other requirements of this article and any and all
other ordinances and regulations relating to signs and similar devices.
Zoning permits will be required for the erection, placement, establishment,
creation, alteration or maintenance of all signs unless otherwise
indicated in this article.
B.
The effect of this article, as more specifically set
forth herein, is as follows:
(1)
To establish a permit system to allow a variety
of types of signs in commercial and industrial districts, and a limited
variety of signs in all other districts, subject to the standards
and the permit procedures of this article;
(2)
To allow certain signs that are small, unobtrusive
and incidental to the principal use of the respective lots on which
they are located, subject to the substantive requirements of this
article, but without a requirement for permits;
(3)
To provide for temporary signs without commercial
messages in limited circumstances in the public right-of-way;
(4)
To prohibit all signs not expressly permitted
by this article; and
(5)
To provide for enforcement of the provisions
of this article.
C.
For purposes of applying the provisions of this article,
parcels which are comprised of one or more individual lots of record,
which are parts of a combined group of businesses operating under
one general corporation, or are part of a single land use, shall be
regarded as a single parcel or lot. All signs, except where exempted,
shall require a permit.
Signs shall be allowed in the Borough in accordance
with Table 9-1 (Permanent Sign Requirements), Table 9-2 (Temporary
Sign Requirements)[1] and other sections of this article.
[1]
Editor's Note: Tables 9-1 and 9-2 are included
at the end of this chapter.
The following signs shall be exempt from regulation
under this chapter:
A.
Signs necessary for the direction, regulation and
control of traffic, street name signs, warnings at railroad crossings,
and other official signs which are similarly authorized or erected
by a duly constituted governmental body;
B.
Any public notice or warning required by a valid and
applicable federal, state or local law, regulation or ordinance;
C.
Any sign inside a building, not attached to a window
or door, that is not legible from a distance of more than three feet
beyond the lot line of the property on which such sign is located;
D.
Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial
message; and
E.
Traffic control signs on private property, such as
Stop, Yield and similar signs, the face of which meet PennDOT standards
and which contain no commercial message of any sort.
All signs not expressly permitted under this
chapter or exempt from regulation hereunder in accordance with the
previous section are prohibited in the Borough. Such signs include,
but are not limited to:
A.
Signs which incorporate in any manner flashing or
moving illumination, or with illumination which varies in intensity
or varies in color, and signs which have any visible moving part,
visible revolving part, visible mechanical movement of any description
or other apparent visible movement achieved by electrical pulsation.
Signs displaying only weather and time information shall not be considered
as flashing/moving signs.
B.
Exterior or interior flashing signs or lights such
as lasers or floodlights that are distracting to drivers of motor
vehicles.
C.
Any sign or structure the state of disrepair of which
constitutes a hazard to public safety or health.
D.
Signs which obstruct the vision of drivers or obstruct
or detract from the visibility or effectiveness of any traffic sign
or control device on public streets and roads.
E.
Any sign which obstructs free ingress or egress from
a fire escape, door, window or other required exitway.
F.
Signs which make use of words such as "stop," "look,"
"one-way," "danger," "yield" or any similar words, phrases, symbols,
lights or characters in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead,
confuse or distract the operator of a motor vehicle on a public street.
G.
Any obsolete sign (including the structural members
of the sign) which is no longer licensed.
H.
Signs on public property, public rights-of-way or
utility poles that are not erected by a governmental body or utility
company.
I.
Strings of lights not permanently mounted to a rigid
background, except those exempt under the previous section.
J.
Inflatable signs and tethered balloons. Balloons or
other inflated devices larger than two feet in diameter, whether inscribed
or not.
K.
Signs on roofs. Roof signs are prohibited.
L.
Signs specially constructed and erected on motor vehicles
for advertising purposes are prohibited. This does not include legally
registered public transportation vehicles.
A.
If a sign requiring a permit under the provisions of this article is to be placed, constructed, erected or modified on a property, the owner of the property shall secure a sign permit in accordance with the requirements of § 200-116.
C.
No sign permit of any kind shall be issued for any
sign unless such sign is consistent with the requirements of this
article (including those protecting existing signs) in every respect.
The following procedures shall govern the application
for and issuance of all sign permits under this chapter.
A.
Applications. All applications for sign permits of
any kind shall be submitted to the Zoning Officer on an application
form or in accordance with application specifications published by
the Borough.
B.
An application for construction, creation or installation
of a new sign or for modification of an existing sign shall be accompanied
by detailed drawings to show the dimensions, design, structure and
location of each particular sign. One application and permit may include
multiple signs on the same premises.
C.
Fees. Each application for a sign permit shall be
accompanied by the applicable fees, which shall be established by
Borough Council from time to time by resolution.
D.
Completeness. Within 10 days of receipt of an application
for a sign permit, the Zoning Officer shall review it for completeness.
If the Zoning Officer finds that it is complete, the application shall
be processed. If the Zoning Officer finds that it is incomplete, the
Zoning Officer shall, within such five-day period, send to the applicant
a notice of the specific ways in which the application is deficient,
with appropriate references to the applicable sections of this chapter.
E.
Action. Within 15 days of the submission of a complete
application for a sign permit, the Zoning Officer shall either:
(1)
Issue the permit, if the sign(s) that is the
subject of the application conforms in every respect with the requirements
of this chapter; or
(2)
Reject the sign permit if the sign(s) that is
the subject of the application fails in any way to conform to the
requirements of this chapter. In the case of a rejection, the Zoning
Officer shall specify in the rejection the section or sections of
this chapter with which the sign(s) is inconsistent.
F.
Inspection. The Zoning Officer shall cause an inspection
of the premises for which each permit for a new sign or for a modification
of an existing sign is issued during the six months after the issuance
of such permit or at such earlier time as the owner may request. If
the construction is not substantially complete at the time of the
inspection, the permit shall lapse and become null and void. If the
construction is substantially complete but not in full compliance
with this chapter and any applicable building and electrical codes,
the Zoning Officer shall give the owner or applicant notice of the
deficiencies and shall allow an additional 30 days from the date of
the inspection for the deficiencies to be corrected. If the deficiencies
are not corrected by such date, the permit shall lapse.
The owner of any property containing signs requiring
a permit under this chapter shall at all times maintain in force a
sign permit for such property.
A.
The owner of the premises or the lessee of the property
on which an off-premises advertising sign is erected and maintained
shall pay a fee for a registration certificate for each sign for which
a permit is required. The fee for the certificate shall be paid biannually,
the amount of which shall be in accordance with the sign fee schedule
adopted by the Borough.
B.
The Zoning Officer shall be required to inspect each
sign requiring a registration certificate and issue the same, provided
that the sign conforms to the provisions of this chapter and any other
applicable Borough ordinances and/or regulations. If the Zoning Officer
determines that a sign has defects requiring repairs or that the sign
violates any provision of this chapter, except in terms of any applicable
nonconforming status, the Zoning Officer shall notify the owner or
user of such sign in writing indicating the defects and/or violations.
The Zoning Officer shall not issue a renewal of a registration certificate
until all repairs and/or corrections have been completed to her or
her satisfaction, subject to the right of appeal.
C.
All off-premises advertising signs in existence on
the effective date of this chapter shall be registered within two
years from the effective date of this chapter.
D.
Failure to apply for or obtain the registration certificate
by any person or firm using and/or maintaining a sign requiring the
issuance of the registration certificate shall constitute a violation
of this chapter.
E.
Registration certificates for off-premises advertising
signs shall be renewed every two years upon payment of the certificate
renewal fee.
Nonconforming signs which lawfully existed and
were maintained at the effective date of this chapter may be continued
subject to compliance with the following requirements:
A.
All existing signs that do not conform to the regulations
of this chapter must be licensed within 180 days after adoption of
this chapter.
B.
Nonconforming signs must comply with the regulations
of this chapter if the sign is damaged or destroyed to the extent
of 50% or more of its replacement value.
C.
Nonconforming signs must comply with the regulations
of this chapter if the use of the sign is abandoned for longer than
one year.
D.
No nonconforming sign may be expanded. Any nonconforming
sign which becomes dilapidated, structurally unsound, or the nonconforming
sign collapses, shall be removed and replacement or reconstruction
of the sign will not be permitted.
Where the nature of the business and its location
require such visibility of signs that the dimensional requirements
of this chapter are inadequate to reasonably attract business, the
area/dimensional requirements of this chapter may be modified by variance
from the Zoning Hearing Board, but only to such extent as is necessary.
Any of the following shall be a violation of
this chapter and shall be subject to the enforcement remedies and
penalties provided by this chapter and by state law:
A.
To install, create, erect or maintain any sign in
a way that is inconsistent with any plan or permit governing such
sign;
B.
To install, create, erect or maintain any sign requiring
a permit without such a permit;
C.
To fail to remove any sign that is installed, created,
erected or maintained in violation of this chapter; or
D.
To continue any such violation. Each such day of a
continued violation shall be considered a separate violation when
applying the penalty portions of this chapter.
The following regulations shall control the
computation of sign area and sign height:
A.
Computation of area of individual signs.
(1)
The area of a sign face (which is also the sign
area of a wall sign or other sign with only one face) shall be computed
by means of the smallest square, triangle, rectangle or circle, or
combination thereof, that will encompass the extreme limits of the
writing, representation, emblem, or other display, together with any
material or color forming an integral part of the background of the
display or used to differentiate the sign from the backdrop or structure
against which it is placed, but not including any supporting bracing,
or decorative fence or wall when such fence or wall otherwise meets
regulations of this chapter and is clearly incidental to the display
itself.
(2)
In computing total sign area, the area of the
faces of all sign displays shall be counted, and any neon tube, string
of incandescent lights or similar device shall be considered as having
a minimum dimension of three inches.
B.
Computation of area of multifaced signs. The sign
area for a sign with more than one face shall be computed by adding
together the area of all sign faces visible from any one point. However,
when two identical sign faces are placed back to back, so that both
faces cannot be viewed from any point at the same time, and when such
sign faces are part of the same sign structure and are not more than
42 inches apart, the sign area shall be computed by the measurement
of only one of the faces.
C.
Computation of sign height. The height of a sign shall
be computed as the distance from the base of the sign at normal grade
to the top of the highest attached component of the sign. Normal grade
shall be construed to be the lower of existing grade prior to construction
or the newly established grade after construction, exclusive of any
filling, berming, mounding or excavating solely for the purpose of
locating the sign. In cases in which the normal grade cannot be reasonably
determined, sign height shall be computed on the assumption that the
normal elevation at the base of the sign is equal to the elevation
of the grade of the nearest point of the crown of a public street
or the grade of the land at the principal entrance to the principal
structure on the zone lot, whichever is lower.
D.
Computation of maximum total permitted sign area for
any property. The permitted sum of the area of all individual signs
on a property shall be computed in accordance with the requirement
in Tables 9-1 and 9-2.[1] Lots fronting on two or more streets are allowed the permitted
sign area for each street frontage. Unless otherwise provided for
elsewhere in this chapter, the total sign area that is oriented toward
a particular street may not exceed the portion of the lot's total
sign area allocation that is derived from the lot, building, or wall
area frontage on that street.
[1]
Editor's Note: Tables 9-1 and 9-2 are included
at the end of this chapter.
In order to reduce and eliminate existing and
potential hazards to life and property, no sign more than two feet
above undisturbed grade may be located or maintained in the clear
sight triangles as determined below.
A.
Near driveways. There shall be provided and maintained
at all driveways a sight triangle with a clear line of sight between
points not less than 75 feet from the intersection of the center lines
of the street and the driveway. No sign exceeding two feet of height
above undisturbed grade shall be located or maintained in this sight
triangle.
B.
Near intersections. There shall be provided and maintained
at all street intersections a sight triangle with a clear line of
sight between points not less than 300 feet from the center line of
each intersecting street. No sign exceeding two feet of height above
undisturbed grade shall be located or maintained in this sight triangle.
The regulations contained in this section shall
apply to all signs and all use districts, regardless of designation.
A.
All signs shall comply with applicable provisions
of any building and electrical codes as adopted by the Borough.
B.
Except for banners, flags, temporary signs, portable
signs, sidewalk signs and window signs conforming in all respects
with the requirements of this section, all signs shall be constructed
of permanent materials and shall be permanently attached to the ground,
a building or another structure by direct attachment to a rigid wall,
frame or structure.
C.
All signs shall be kept in good condition and repair,
and shall not be allowed to become dilapidated.
D.
Dilapidated or damaged signs shall be promptly repaired.
Repairs shall be completed within 90 days of notice by the Borough.
Signs constituting a hazard shall be repaired within 24 hours. Failure
to repair said sign shall result in an automatic revocation of the
permit.
E.
Illumination. Any illuminated sign or lighting device
shall employ only lights emitting a constant intensity, and no sign
shall be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating
or moving light or lights or contain any other moving element, except
to show time and/or temperature. In no event shall an illuminated
sign or lighting device be so placed or so directed as to permit the
beams and illumination therefrom to be directed or beamed upon a public
street, highway, sidewalk, or adjacent premises so as to cause glare
or reflection that may constitute a traffic hazard or nuisance.
F.
No sign shall be placed in such a position that it
will cause danger to vehicular or pedestrian traffic on a street.
G.
No sign or sign-bearing structure other than official
traffic signs and public utility facilities shall be erected within
or extend into the right-of-way of a street except as authorized in
this article.
H.
No sign shall be higher than the height limitations
of the particular district in which it is located.
I.
Utility pole placement. All signs shall adhere to
Act 360 of the State of Pennsylvania which controls the placing of
signs on utility poles.
No signs shall be allowed in the public right-of-way,
except for the following:
A.
Permanent signs. Permanent signs, including:
(1)
Public signs erected by or on behalf of a governmental
body to post legal notices, identify public property, convey public
information and direct or regulate pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
(2)
Bus stop signs erected by a public transit company.
(3)
Informational signs of a public utility regarding
its poles, lines, pipes or facilities.
B.
[1]
Editor's Note: Table 9-2 is included at the end of this chapter.
C.
Emergency signs. Emergency warning signs erected by
a governmental agency, a public utility company or a contractor doing
authorized or permitted work within the public right-of-way.
D.
Other signs forfeited. Any sign installed or placed
on public property, except in conformance with the requirements of
this section, shall be forfeited to the public and subject to confiscation.
In addition to other remedies hereunder, the Borough shall have the
right to recover from the owner or person placing such a sign the
full costs of removal and disposal of such sign.
Unless superseded by the requirements of Table
9-2, the following shall apply to temporary signs:
A.
No person, group, business, organization or entity may erect or maintain any temporary sign without first obtaining a temporary sign permit from the Zoning Officer, except exempted signs as described in § 200-113.
B.
Temporary signs must meet all requirements of this
chapter with the following exceptions: A-frame signs and movable signs
are permitted as long as the sign is secured and would not be easily
blown down by normal wind currents.
C.
Balloons containing advertisement, hot-air balloons
or other inflatable objects are permitted as temporary signs for a
maximum of seven calendar days per year. However, they must be secured
and not create a safety hazard. The sign area will be considered as
zero.
D.
No temporary sign may be placed so as to impede the
normal flow of pedestrian or vehicle traffic, nor shall such signs
impede the sight of or cover any existing business sign and traffic
control sign or any entrance or exit to any property or business.
E.
The time limit for temporary signs is 60 days per
calendar year per business or other entity. Such entity must obtain
a separate permit for each time period that the sign is on display.
The duration of each time period must be declared by the permittee
and will be specified on the permit. Multiple signs may be approved
under one permit.
F.
Temporary sign permits must be obtained prior to the
display of any temporary sign. Should a permit not be applied for
before the sign is erected, the ensuing permit would be dated retroactive
to the first day of the sign's display.
G.
If a sign is not removed at the end of the permitted
duration, such time period will be deducted from the permittee's total
maximum temporary sign allowance of 60 days.
H.
A temporary business may have a temporary sign for
the duration of the valid temporary business license, not to exceed
a maximum of 13 weeks.
Off-premises advertising signs which advertise
products or services other than those which are sold or provided on
the premises where the sign is located are permitted subject to strict
compliance with the following conditions as well as any other applicable
requirement:
A.
The panel shall not exceed 300 square feet in area
on one side.
B.
No more than one panel (two sides) shall be permitted.
C.
There shall be a minimum of 1,000 feet between off-premises
advertising signs, (except if an off-premises advertising sign is
attached to the opposite side of an existing off-premises advertising
sign).
D.
No off-premises advertising signs shall be erected
less than 600 feet from existing dwellings.
E.
If lighted, a nonglare lighting fixture designed for
outdoor use shall be used.
F.
No off-premises advertising sign shall be more than
25 feet high.
G.
All off-premises advertising signs shall be set back
a minimum distance of 100 from the street right-of-way line.
H.
The applicant must furnish a copy of the agreement
with the property owner as part of any off-premises advertising sign
application.
No person shall place or cause to be placed
or maintained in such a location as can be viewed by persons on any
public street any sign or signs, photographic, pictorial, or other
graphic representation, that depict in whole or in part the following:
A.
Act or simulated acts of sexual intercourse, masturbation,
sodomy, bestiality, oral copulation, flagellation, or any sexual acts
which are prohibited by law.
B.
Scene wherein a person displays the vulva or the anus
or other genitals.
C.
Scene wherein artificial devices are employed to depict
or drawings are employed to portray any of the prohibited signs, photographs,
or graphic representatives described above.
D.
Any other graphic illustration pertaining to specified
sexual activities and/or specified anatomical areas.
In addition to the other requirements of this
chapter, the following regulations shall apply to all freestanding
signs:
A.
Freestanding signs, with all parts, braces and supports
thereof, shall be located entirely behind the property line and shall
not project over the public right-of-way or other adjoining lands.
B.
No individual business or other enterprise within
a shopping center may erect or maintain a freestanding sign.
C.
Freestanding signs shall not be placed so as to obstruct
sight distance.
In addition to the other requirements of this
chapter, the following regulations shall apply to all projecting signs:
A.
Projecting signs shall not project more than five
feet beyond the building line in the direction of the street nor shall
any portion of a projecting sign be closer than two feet to the plane
of the vertical face of the street curb or curbline.
B.
Projecting signs shall not have any portion less than
10 feet above grade level.
C.
No individual business or other enterprise within
a planned center may erect or maintain a projecting sign.
In addition to the other requirements of this
chapter, the following regulations shall apply to all canopy signs:
A.
A canopy sign shall not project more than 10 feet
beyond the building line in the direction of the street nor shall
any portion of a canopy sign be closer than two feet to the plane
of the vertical face of the street curb or curbline.
B.
Canopy signs shall not have any portion less than
10 feet above grade level.
C.
No canopy sign shall extend above the top of the wall
upon which it is placed.
D.
The sign area of a canopy sign shall not exceed area
equal to 15% of the building wall/face to which it is attached. In
no instance shall a canopy sign exceed a sign area of 60 square feet.
E.
No canopy sign shall extend laterally beyond the extremities
of the wall to which it is attached.
In addition to the other requirements of this
chapter, the following regulations shall apply to all wall signs:
A.
Marquee signs shall be classified as wall signs for
the purposes of this chapter.
B.
No wall sign, except for a marquee sign, shall extend
above the top of the wall upon which it is placed.
C.
The sign area of a wall sign shall not exceed area
equal to 15% of the building wall/face to which it is attached. In
no instance shall a wall sign exceed a sign area of 60 square feet.
D.
No wall sign shall extend laterally beyond the extremities
of the wall to which it is attached.
Balloons, hot-air balloons or other inflatable
objects are allowed only as temporary signs.
The following shall apply to sidewalk signs:
A.
Sidewalk signs shall be permitted only in the Business
District.
B.
Sidewalk signs shall not exceed four feet in height
and three feet in width.
C.
Sidewalk signs shall be nonilluminated.
D.
Only one sidewalk sign shall be permitted per premises.
E.
Sidewalk signs shall be removed from the sidewalk
during the overnight hours.
F.
No sidewalk sign shall block the flow of pedestrian
traffic or create a hazard for persons with disabilities, nor shall
a sign be placed at any bus stop, loading zone or driveway, or block
corner visibility for drivers. Furthermore, no sidewalk sign shall
be fastened to any tree, utility pole, parking meter, street sign
or other structure.
In addition to the other requirements of this
chapter, the following regulations shall apply to all planned center
signs:
A.
Individual stores located in a planned center may
not have freestanding signs or projecting signs.
B.
Individual stores may have exterior signs only if
the store has a direct exterior door. Such signs may be either wall
signs or canopy signs (where a canopy exists).
C.
A planned center is permitted to have an entrance
sign designated for the name of the center. This sign may also be
used as a directory (menu board) sign. This sign area is counted separately
from the individual store's signage.
D.
A planned center must have access to and/or frontage
on a major collector road to qualify for an entrance sign.
E.
Only one freestanding sign, bearing the name of the
planned center, may be erected on the lands occupied by the center
and is subject to the provisions contained herein.
Window signs shall be permitted only in the
business and industrial districts and shall be further regulated in
accordance with the provisions of Table 9-2, Permanent Sign Requirements.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Table 9-2 is included at the end of this chapter.
[Added 5-9-2016 by Ord.
No. 629]
In addition to the other requirements of this chapter, the following
regulations shall apply to all EMD signs:
A.
Electronic message display (EMD) signs shall be prohibited in the
Business District (B) and in all residential districts (R-1, R-2,
and R-3).
B.
EMD signs shall be permitted in the Industrial and Institutional
Districts, provided the following requirements are met:
(1)
The sign message does not change more than once every eight
seconds.
The EMD display light output shall be as follows:
(2)
No such signs shall be erected within 150 feet of any property
or building used in whole or in part for a residential purpose or
within 150 feet of any residential district.
C.
Signs displaying only weather and time information shall not be restricted
by this subsection.
