[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of
Ambridge as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Zoning — See Ch. 310.
[Adopted 6-13-1960 by Ord. No. 730]
There is hereby imposed an annual tax for general Borough purposes
at the rates hereinafter specified upon all billboards, now or in
the future, erected or attached for display or advertisement in the
Borough and shall be in addition to any charges made by the Borough
under other ordinances for permits required before such billboards
may be erected.
The tax imposed is and shall be an annual fee upon any billboard
erected or constructed by any device or method whatsoever or attached
to any building, pole, post or structure and used for purposes of
display or advertisement at which fee amounts are set from time to
time by resolution of the Borough Council.
Every person, firm, corporation or association owning, possessing,
erecting or maintaining such billboard shall, on or before June 1,
1960 and annually thereafter on or before May 1 of every succeeding
year, register with the Borough Secretary every such billboard and
shall pay the tax aforesaid to him on or before said date or the same
date of every succeeding year.
Such registration shall be in writing upon forms to be supplied
by the Borough and shall contain the names of the owner and user of
every such billboard, the location, size, character of construction,
purpose and amount of tax payable.
The Borough Secretary is hereby authorized and directed to keep
such registration, which shall be numbered and which shall be made
and signed in duplicate by the user or owner of every such billboard.
Upon payment of the tax imposed, the Borough Secretary shall sign
a receipt upon the original registration form, which shall be retained
by the taxpayer. The duplicate shall be retained by the Borough Secretary.
If the tax hereby imposed shall not be paid on or before the
date fixed for the payment thereof, there shall be added a penalty
of 10% thereof, and the said delinquent tax shall bear interest at
the rate of 1/2% for each month or fraction thereof after the date
herein required for payment of the same.
The Borough Solicitor shall proceed for the collection of any
delinquent taxes arising hereunder, together with penalties, costs
and interest thereon, and shall take such action for that purpose
as may be authorized by law.
This article shall not apply to any person or property as to
whom or which it is beyond the legal power of the Borough Council
to impose the tax or duties herein provided.
[Amended 1-17-1983 by Ord. No. 1009[1]]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this article shall be, upon conviction thereof, sentenced to pay
a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment
of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30
days.
[Adopted 8-27-2002 by Ord. No. 1178]
The Borough Council makes the following findings:
A.
Unauthorized signs along Borough roads and property are a danger
because they are intended to distract motor vehicle operators and
because they often obstruct views of other vehicles;
B.
Unauthorized signs along Borough streets spoil the natural beauty
that is an invaluable asset treasured by residents, commuters and
visitors;
C.
Residents, commuters and visitors have frequently asked Borough Council
members what could be done to eliminate roadside signs, including,
but not limited to, signs supporting candidates for elected public
and labor union offices and signs soliciting for a variety of business
interest; and
D.
There are a number of alternatives available to advertisers that
do not have the negative impacts that signs on roadsides have.
For the purpose of this article, the following definition shall
apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different
meaning.
An organization formed for supporting causes that exist within
the region that has at its core the improvement of the community.
Any surface, fabric or device bearing lettered, pictorial
or sculptured matter designed to convey information visually and exposed
to public view; or any structure, including billboard or poster panel,
designed to carry the above visual information.
Unless approval has been issued and is valid in accordance with
the provisions elsewhere in this Code, all signs are prohibited from:
A.
Removal procedure. Any sign found to violate this article may be
removed forthwith by Street Department employees or by any other Borough
employee duly authorized by the Borough Manager. If the sign is located
upon a state or county right-of-way, the Borough may notify the designated
state or county authorities of the pending violation.
B.
Notice, storage, return. Upon removal of any sign in violation of
this article, a reasonable attempt shall be made to contact the owner
by telephone. If such attempt is successful, the owner shall be notified
of the removal and of the location where the sign may be retrieved.
If telephone contact is not achieved, written notice of the violation
and of the retrieval location may, but is not required to, be provided.
In either case, the Street Department shall store any removed sign
for at least 10 days. After expiration of the ten-day period, the
Borough shall be permitted to destroy or discard any sign.
C.
Persons deemed responsible. The person(s), organization(s) or business(es)
named or promoted on the sign posted in violation of this article
shall be deemed the owner responsible for the violation, absent prior
notification to the Borough. Nothing in this article shall be interpreted
to make any person, organization, or business liable for any signs
posted by persons over whom he/she/it has no control.
A community organization wishing to place a sign on public property
to promote a community event may request approval from Borough Council.
The sign may be no larger than 16 square feet or greater than five
feet in any single dimension. The sign may not be lit and must be
positioned in a way that it does not hinder sight distances or distract
drivers along public streets.
A violation of this article shall be a summary offense. Each
sign in violation of this article shall constitute a separate offense.
The owner of the sign and/or any person who causes the violation of
this article shall be subject to the prosecution and fine. The fine
shall be not more than $300 per sign and no less than $75 per sign.
