Township of North Brunswick, NJ Article XXV Signs and Outdoor Advertising

[Amended 2-4-1985]

§ 205-101 Applicability.

The following regulations shall apply to all signs and outdoor advertising and shall be in addition to other regulations for specific uses elsewhere in this chapter.

§ 205-102 General regulations.

The following general provisions are applicable to all zones:

A. Unless otherwise provided for, all signs shall relate to the premises on which they are erected.

B. Any signs not specifically permitted are hereby prohibited.

C. No sign shall be located closer than 20 feet to any lot line, except traffic signs and other signs installed by governmental agencies.

D. No sign shall exceed 20 feet in height above ground level, except signs erected against the side of a building, which signs shall not extend above the height of the vertical wall or cornice to which they are attached. The exception to this provision is the TMU Zone, where signs may extend above the wall or cornice.

[Amended 2-3-1997 by Ord. No. 97-2]

E. Signs may be double-faced, in which case the maximum sign area will apply to only one side.

F. The area of a sign shall include every part of the sign, including moldings, frames, posts, pylons or other supporting members.

G. Where the face of a sign has openings or is of an irregular shape, the area of the sign, exclusive of supporting members, shall be considered as the total area of the smallest rectangle that can enclose the sign.

H. Freestanding signs shall be supported by posts or pylons of durable materials, which may include concrete, steel, treated wood or other suitable material, and shall be set securely in the ground or concrete so that the sign will be capable of withstanding high winds. No other bracing or guy wire shall be permitted.

I. Any sign attached flat against the surface of a building shall be constructed of durable material and attached securely to the building with nonrusting hardware. The use of wood or fiber plugs is prohibited.

J. Advertising or identification of an establishment painted on the surface of a building shall be considered part of the total allowable sign area and shall be subject to the regulation of this Article.

K. Signs attached to the side of the building shall not exceed more than 12 inches from the face of the building.

L. A permit shall be secured from the Construction Official after review and approval of the Zoning Officer for the erection, alteration or reconstruction of any signs, other than nameplate, identification, temporary, sales or rental signs which are less than two square feet in area.

M. Whenever a sign becomes structurally unsafe or endangers the safety of the building or the public, the Zoning Officer shall order such sign to be made safe or removed. Such order shall be complied with within 10 days of the receipt thereof by the person, firm or corporation owning or using the sign or the owner of the building or premises on which such unsafe sign is affixed or erected.

N. Signs shall not be painted on or affixed to water towers, storage tanks, smokestacks or similar structures.

O. The area surrounding ground signs shall be kept neat, clean and landscaped. The owner of the property upon which the sign is located shall be responsible for maintaining the condition of the area.

P. Facade signs and freestanding signs for office, commercial and industrial uses, permitted in § 205-105 of this Article, may be internally illuminated.

Q. Temporary signs advertising public functions, fund-raising events other than a building fund for charitable, nonprofit or religious organizations, or political signs as permitted by §§ 205-104 and 205-105 shall be subject to the following conditions:

[Added 9-2-2003 by Ord. No. 3-29]

(1) A temporary sign may be placed not more than 40 days prior to the function, event, or election to which it applies; and

(2) A temporary sign must be removed not more than seven days after the function, event, or election to which it applies; and

(3) The owner of the property on which the temporary sign is placed shall be responsible for its removal; and

(4) The temporary sign must comply with all other regulations related to signs; and

(5) The temporary sign advertising a building fund for a charitable nonprofit or religious extension organization may be placed for not more than 10 days from its erection.

R. No signs in excess of three feet above curb level are permitted in the site triangle pursuant to § 205-22.

[Added 9-2-2003 by Ord. No. 3-29]

S. No person shall erect a sign on or over any public property or public right-of-way other than traffic directional signs or signs erected by a governmental entity.

[Added 9-2-2003 by Ord. No. 3-29]

§ 205-103 Prohibited signs.

The following signs are prohibited:

A. Moving or revolving signs and signs using waving, blinking, flashing, vibrating, flickering, tracer or sequential lighting, except in the TMU Zone where such signs are permitted only to advertise a movie theater.

[Amended 2-3-1997 by Ord. No. 97-2]

B. Signs using words such as "stop," "look" or "danger" or any other sign which in the judgment of the Police Chief of the Township constitutes a traffic hazard or otherwise interferes with the free flow of traffic.

C. Roof signs.

D. Signs advertising a product or service not sold on the premises, signs advertising or directing attention to another premises and any other sign not related to the premises on which the sign is erected.

E. Signs causing interference with radio or television reception.

F. Signs obstructing doors, fire escapes or stairways or keeping light or air from windows used for living quarters.

G. Signs placed in awnings, trees, fences, utility poles or signs attached to other signs.

H. Temporary mobile message signs.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection I, which prohibited the use of flags, banners and pennants, and which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 5-20-2020 by Ord. No. 19-11.

§ 205-104 Permitted signs in residential districts.

The following signs are permitted in R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-4A, R-5, R-6, R-7, R-M and R-T-D Districts:

A. Nonilluminated directional signs identifying parking areas, entrances, loading zones, exits and similar locations and not exceeding three square feet in area.

B. Name and number plates identifying residences and affixed to a house, apartment or mailbox and not exceeding 50 square inches in area.

C. Lawn signs identifying residents and not exceeding 1 1/2 square feet in area.

D. Nonilluminated real estate signs announcing the sale, lease or rental of the premises on which the sign is located. Such signs shall not exceed three square feet in area in a residential zone.

E. Temporary and permanent traffic signs and signals or other signs installed by a government agency.

F. Temporary signs advertising public functions or fund raising events for charitable, nonprofit or religious organizations, the combined total area of all such signs not exceeding an area of 32 square feet in total on one premises.

[Amended 9-2-2003 by Ord. No. 3-29]

G. Religious institutions, hospitals, nursing homes, private schools and service organizations may have one freestanding wall not exceeding 20 square feet in area.

H. Housing developments or garden apartment developments may place one temporary sign at each entrance to the project and at the rental or sales office during the course of the development. One sign shall not exceed 20 square feet in area or six feet in height. Other signs shall not exceed 15 square feet in area or five feet in height.

I. One nonflashing sign identifying farms, public and private parks and recreation areas, and not exceeding 30 square feet in area on any one side, and further provided that such sign shall not be closer than 35 feet to any street or property line.

J. Temporary political signs, the combined total area of all such signs not exceeding an area of 32 square feet in total on one premises.

[Amended 9-2-2003 by Ord. No. 3-29]

§ 205-105 Permitted signs in nonresidential districts.

The following are permitted signs in C-1, C-2, G-O, ERR, O-R, I-1 and I-2 Districts:

A. Nonilluminated directional signs identifying parking areas, entrances, loading zones, exits and similar locations and not exceeding three square feet in area.

B. Nonilluminated real estate signs announcing the sale, lease or rental of the premises on which the sign is located. Such signs shall not exceed 20 square feet in area for commercial and office uses and 50 square feet in area for industrial properties.

C. Temporary signs advertising public functions or fund-raising events for charitable, nonprofit or religious organizations or political signs and not exceeding a combined total area of all such signs of 32 square feet in total on one premises.

[Amended 9-2-2003 by Ord. No. 3-29]

D. Temporary and permanent traffic signs and signals or other signs installed by a government agency.

E. No person shall erect a sign on or over any public property or public right-of-way other than traffic directional signs or signs erected by a governmental entity.

[Amended 9-2-2003 by Ord. No. 3-29]

F. Religious institutions, hospitals, nursing homes, private schools and service organizations may have one freestanding or wall sign not exceeding 20 square feet in area.

G. Each office, commercial use or industry not exceeding two stories in height may have one or more exterior signs identifying or advertising the names of tenants or uses occupying the premises, provided that such signs(s) shall not exceed 10% of the front facade area of the building.

H. Freestanding signs.

(1) Any office, commercial or industrial building over two stories in height having a gross floor area of less than 10,000 square feet shall be permitted one freestanding sign, provided that the area of such sign shall not exceed 40 square feet. Any office, commercial or industrial building having a gross floor area of at least 10,000 square feet shall be permitted one freestanding sign, provided that the area of such sign shall not exceed 50 square feet. Where more than one use is conducted in a building or attached buildings on the same lot, only one freestanding sign shall be permitted.

(2) Freestanding signs for office, commercial and industrial buildings in excess of 10,000 square feet of gross floor area shall be in accordance with the following schedule:

	Gross Floor Area (square feet)	Maximum Size of Sign Face (square feet)
	10,000 to 15,000	50
	15,000 to 30,000	75
	30,000 to 50,000	100
	Over 50,000	150

(3) Any office, commercial or industrial building having over 100,000 square feet of gross floor area may have two freestanding signs. The total area of both signs shall not exceed the maximum size sign face of 150 square feet.

(4) One nonflashing sign identifying farms, public and private parks and recreation areas and not exceeding 30 square feet in area on any one side, and further provided that such sign shall not be closer than 35 feet to any street or property line.

I. Billboards.

[Added 5-16-2016 by Ord. No. 16-06]

(1) Billboards are a permitted use only in the I-1 Zoning District.

[Added 5-20-2019 by Ord. No. 19-12[1]]

[1] Editor's Note: This ordinance also redesignated former Subsection I(1) through (14) as Subsection I(2) through (15), respectively.

(2) No part of an advertising structure (billboard) shall be less than 20 feet nor more than 100 feet from the right-of-way line.

(3) Maximum billboard height shall be 40 feet as measured from an elevation of the finished grade at the base of the structure to the top of the billboard.

(4) The maximum permitted advertising area showing in one direction shall not exceed 672 square feet. All dimensions include border, trim, cutouts, and extensions but exclude decorative bases and supports.

(5) The billboard support shall not be located closer than 15 feet from a parking lot, driveway, sidewalk, patio, pedestrian plaza, pedestrian-way, bikeway and the like.

(6) Billboards shall not interfere with or obscure driver sight distances.

(7) The location and design of an advertising structure shall comply with N.J.S.A. 27:5-5 et seq. (P.L. 1991, c. 413), entitled "Roadside Sign Control and Outdoor Advertising Act," and N.J.A.C. 16:41C-1.1 et seq., entitled "Chapter 41C, Roadside Sign Control and Outdoor Advertising Act," and any other regulations adopted thereunder.

(8) Billboards shall not be closer than 500 feet from a residential zone line.

(9) Any billboard greater than 30 feet from the edge of the main travel way of the highway shall be angled toward the driver's view.

(10) Billboards shall not be closer than 1,500 feet to another billboard to minimize highway sign clutter and allow time for driver recognition with minimum distraction.

(11) No part of an advertising structure shall be located closer than 25 feet to any building. Billboards shall not be attached to, wrapped around, painted or projected on any building face or roof. Billboards shall be located so as not to obscure existing signs or building facades.

(12) Words used in the sign's message shall be of such size and brevity as to be readable to the average driver at a minimum distance of 550 feet so its message can be read safely at highway speeds.

(13) Billboards which flash, blink, move, simulate or create the illusion of motion, or contain an animated display or full motion video shall be prohibited.

(14) Billboards with digital, electronic, LED, or changeable copy, and multiple message signs, shall be permitted provided that the dwell time for each message or message board is not less than eight seconds. A message change shall be accomplished completely within two seconds.

(15) The billboard advertising surface may be internally or externally lighted from dusk until 11:00 p.m. Lighting fixtures shall be directed so as not to cause glare on any street or building.