[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of Lehigh as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
[Adopted 6-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-5]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
A sign placed or erected by the United States, the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, the County of Northampton, the Township of Lehigh,
or other legally constituted governmental body, or required by law
or order of court, or specifically authorized by a Township ordinance
or resolution, for official governmental purposes.
A sign directly related to a candidate for public elected
office or an issue, which is before the public electorate at an election
conducted under the authority of the Pennsylvania Election Code, on
Township property which has been designated as a polling place by
the Northampton County Board of Elections.
Any device for visual communications, that is used for the
purpose of bringing the subject thereof to the attention of the public.
Real estate owned by Lehigh Township, but not including Township
street rights-of-way not directly abutting real estate owned by Lehigh
Township.
The provisions of § 130-2 shall not apply to:
A.Â
An official sign; or
B.Â
Any person physically carrying a sign at any time as an expression
of such person's right of freedom of speech; or
C.Â
A polling place election sign which is erected not earlier than 8:00
p.m. on the day prior to the date of the election and removed not
later than 8:00 p.m. on the date following the date of the election.
Any political sign placed on private property shall be removed
by the candidate within 21 days after the preceding election.
A.Â
Any person or entity who violates or permits a violation of this
article shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before
a District Justice under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure,
be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of
not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution.
In default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment
for a term not exceeding 90 days. Each day or portion thereof that
such violation continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute
a separate offense, and each section of this article that is violated
shall also constitute a separate offense.
B.Â
In addition to the above remedies, the Township may institute, in
the name of the municipality, any appropriate action or proceeding
to prevent, restrain, correct or abate violations of the provisions
of this article.