The purpose of this article is:
A. To control the size, location, character, lighting,
number and other pertinent features of all exterior on-premises graphics.
B. To promote street graphics which are:
(1) Compatible with surroundings, expressive of the identity
of individual proprietors and of a community character.
(2) Orderly, readable and appropriate to the activity
to which they pertain.
(3) Nondistracting to motorists so as not to contribute
to traffic accidents.
For the purposes of this chapter, except as
the context may otherwise require, certain words and phrases used
herein are defined as follows:
ACTIVITY
The type of business or use conducted upon the parcel of
land.
ADVERTISING GRAPHICS
Graphics which direct attention to an individual, business,
product, commodity or service conducted, sold or offered elsewhere
than on the premises where the sign is located (for example, a billboard).
ANIMATED GRAPHICS
A.
The movement of a sign body or any segment thereof,
such as rotating, revolving, moving up or down or any other type of
action involving a change of position of a sign body or segment thereof,
whether caused by mechanical, illusional or other means.
B.
A lighted sign on an intermittent or flashing
circuit or the movement of any light used in connection with any sign,
such as blinking, traveling, flaring or changing degree of intensity.
ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICS
Letters, symbols, shapes or words incorporated into any portion
of a building and which can be recognized as such.
ATTRACTION BOARD
A street graphic so constructed that all items of information
are presented in print or electronic form and can be readily interchanged.
BANNERS and PENNANTS
Advertising devices affixed to poles, wires or ropes and
made of cloth or plastic materials. Governmental flags are excluded
from this definition.
CANOPIES and AWNINGS
Forms of permanent, temporary or portable roof-like coverings
for entrances, window, etc.
CUT-OUT LETTER
Any figure cut in the shape of a letter and supported independently
on an awning or directly on a wall of a building. Any frame, artificial
background or background support enclosing any letters excludes a
letter from the classification of "cut-out."
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN
A sign on which the items of information are presented in
print or electronic form and may be easily changed, either manually
or electronically.
DIRECTIONAL GRAPHIC
An advertising graphic located within the Township giving
information and direction to an individual, business, products, commodity
or service conducted, sold or offered at a location within the Township
of Kingwood but not on the roadway along which the directional graphic
is located.
EAVES
The projecting overhang at the lower edge of a roof.
FRONT or FRONTAGE
Surfaces of any building or facility that present themselves
to a public right-of-way giving immediate access to the premises.
GRAPHICS
Any device used for visual communication, including signs.
INDIRECT LIGHTING
The use of fluorescent and other vapor light or incandescent
lighting set apart from but directed towards the surface of the street
graphic.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
The use of fluorescent and other vapor light or incandescent
lighting to illuminate a street graphic from behind the lettering
or from inside the graphic structure.
ITEMS OF INFORMATION
A syllable, abbreviation, number, symbol, any geometric shape
or broken plane. In computing items of information, the following
lettering is not to be included:
A.
Lettering less than three inches in height if
it is contained in a wall graphic.
B.
Letters less than 19 inches in height carved
into or securely attached in such a way that they are an architectural
detail of a building.
LANDSCAPE GRAPHICS
Signs created through the use of plant materials, ground
forms, rocks and other natural materials.
POLITICAL GRAPHICS
Graphics advertising candidates for political office or involving
a ballot issue.
PROJECTING GRAPHICS
A graphic attached to a building or other structure and extending
from the building wall or structure, including canopies and awnings
which contain items of information.
READER BOARD
A graphic displaying movable or changing characters, whether
in print or electronic, for presentation of a message displayed for
less than five continuous minutes.
RESIDENTIAL NAMEPLATE
A graphic permitted for the sole purpose of identifying the
inhabitants residing therein, the house name or the address.
ROOFLINE
Highest continuous horizontal line of a roof. On a sloping
roof, the roofline is the principal ridge line or the highest line
common to one or more principal slopes of the roof. On a flat roof,
the roofline is the highest continuous line of the roof or parapet,
whichever is higher.
SIGNS
Any device employing letters, words, symbols, etc., used
or intended to attract the attention of the public from streets, sidewalks
or other outside public areas. (See "street graphics.")
SIGNABLE WALL AREA
The area of the facade of a building up to the roofline which
is free of doors, windows or major architectural details and can be
enclosed by an imaginary rectangle.
STREAMERS
Long, narrow, ribbon-like pieces of fabric or plastic less
than one-foot wide, which flutter or blow in the wind.
STREET GRAPHICS
Every sign, bulletin board, projecting graphic, attraction
board, ground graphic, wall graphic, reader board, window graphic,
illuminated sign, projecting sign, official sign, including any item
of information, letter, word, number, logo, symbol or combination
thereof; model, mural, decoration, banner, flag, pennant, clock, thermometer,
insignia, light or combination of lights, used or placed as an announcement
or declaration to identify, advertise or promote the interest of any
person, place, product or corporation when the same is placed in view
of the general public from outside the structure (including interior
window signs) on which it is placed.
WALL GRAPHICS
A sign attached to, painted on or erected against a wall
or flat vertical surface of a structure with the exposed face of the
sign on a plane parallel to the face of said vertical surface.
WINDOW GRAPHICS
All signs attached to or applied directly onto the internal
or external surface or set back less than four feet from the interior
surface of any window in view of the general public from outside the
structure.
No street graphic shall be constructed, reconstructed,
erected or maintained which:
A. Bears or contains statements, words or pictures of
an obscene, indecent or immoral character, which will offend public
morals or decency.
B. Purports to be, or is an imitation of, or resembles
an official traffic sign or signal or which bears the words STOP,
GO SLOW, CAUTION, DANGER, WARNING or similar words other than those
contained in the name of the business, unless located upon the property
to control internal traffic circulation.
C. By reason of its size, location, movement, content,
coloring or manner of illumination, may be confused with or construed
as a traffic control device or which hides from view any traffic or
street sign or signal.
D. Advertises or publicizes any activity, business, product or service not conducted on the premises upon which such graphics are maintained, except in accordance with §
132-88F.
E. Is a computerized or electronic sign or is in any
way animated, capable of rapid change of the items of information
other than through manual manipulation of the sign, emits smoke, sparks,
visible vapors, particles, sound or odor.
[Amended 11-2-2004 by Ord. No. 12-16-2004]
F. Is located in a public right-of-way or approved sight
easement (if sign is taller than 24 inches) except those owned and
operated by a duly constituted governmental agency.
G. Consists of banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers,
strings of light bulbs (except that this prohibition shall not apply
to seasonal decorations at residential properties) and spinners.
H. Is portable, fixed on a movable stand, self-supporting without being firmly embedded in the ground, supported by other objects, mounted on wheels or a movable vehicle or made easily movable in any other manner unless a temporary changeable copy sign granted through special permit, pursuant to §
132-82.
I. Is located (painted, affixed, etc.) on a water tower,
storage tank, smokestack, utility pole or other similar structure.
J. Is located (painted, stapled, affixed, etc.) on trees,
rocks or other natural features.
K. Is attached to or placed upon the roof of a building
or structure.
L. Is, consists of or incorporates a roof graphic, projecting graphic, a reader board or, except as permitted pursuant to §
132-82, a changeable copy sign.
Except as specifically permitted pursuant to §
132-88F, off-premises directional graphics are prohibited within the Township.
Temporary changeable copy signs are the only permitted portable signs. Signs may be no larger than five feet by 10 feet and may be displayed for no more than 30 days. The 30 days shall be divided as follows: 25 days before the event, the day of the event and four days after the event. A changeable copy sign may not be displayed again for 60 days after the date on which it was last displayed. Changeable copy signs may be used by civic, service or religious groups only. Said signs shall be permitted only where they do not create a hazard, destroy landscaping, must be displayed level and meet all the requirements of §§
132-73 and
132-74.
Temporary directional graphics which direct
the public to subdivisions, buildings, activities or the like may
be erected with the approval of the Zoning Officer. The size, location,
period of display and necessity for the graphic shall be evaluated.
Public safety and traffic flow maintenance shall be the primary reason
for granting a permit. Such graphics may be illuminated if found necessary
by the Zoning Officer.
Except as noted, the following temporary graphics
shall not require a graphics permit, provided that they comply with
the stated regulations.
A. Construction of project graphics shall not exceed
four square feet on a residential lot in the VR, VC and PO/R Zones
and eight square feet in rural areas where lots are zoned for four
acres or 32 square feet in area and eight feet in height in the Highway
Commercial and Business Park Zones. Such signs are not to be illuminated.
There may be one graphic for each street frontage. A sign shall be
removed upon completion of the project.
B. Real estate signs temporarily advertising the sale,
rental or lease of the premises or portion thereof shall be, if not
attached to the building, set back at least 10 horizontal feet from
all curblines or, in the absence thereof, the edge of the paved surface.
Such signs shall not exceed four square feet on a residential lot
in the VR, VC and PO/R Zones and eight square feet in rural areas
where lots are zoned for four acres. Signs shall not exceed eight
square feet on nonresidential lots and shall be removed at the expense
of the advertiser within 15 days after the termination or completion
of the matter or business being advertised. "Sold" signs shall be
permitted between the signing of the contract of sale and the date
of the legal closing. One sign shall be permitted per lot frontage.
C. Graphics advertising the opening of a new business,
a change in the name of the business or a change in the ownership
control of an existing business, provided that the following criteria
are met:
[Added 11-4-2003 by Ord. No. 12-13-2003]
(1) The temporary sign may only contain:
(a)
The name of the business; and
(b)
The phrase "Grand Opening" or the phrase "Under
New Management."
(2) The sign may be any style sign permitted as a street
graphic, a banner or a sandwich board.
(3) Temporary signs permitted under this section and which
are banners or sandwich board signs may be displayed for not more
than 14 days.
(4) Temporary signs permitted under this section and which
are not banners or sandwich boards may be displayed for not more than
90 days.
(5) All temporary signs permitted under this section must
comply with all size, area, lighting and height restrictions applicable
to permanent signs of the same type (i.e., wall or street graphics).
D. Buntings, ribbons and streamers may temporarily be
displayed in connection with the opening of a new business, a change
in the name of the business or a change in the ownership control of
an existing business, provided that such decorations may be displayed
for not more than 14 days.
[Added 11-4-2003 by Ord. No. 12-13-2003]
Applicants for political graphics shall comply
with the following requirements:
A. The applicant shall post a $100 cash bond with the
Zoning Officer to guarantee removal of all political signs; however,
a graphics permit is not required.
B. Each sign shall not exceed eight square feet in area.
C. The signs shall not be located closer together than
500 feet.
D. Such signs shall not be nailed or otherwise fastened
to trees, fence posts or public utility poles and shall not be located
in the public right-of-way or obstruct the view of motorists in any
way.
E. All political signs shall be removed within 10 days
after the election date or the bond posted shall be forfeited. The
municipality shall use whatever part of the bond money is necessary
for removal of the sign. Any amount of the bond remaining shall be
refunded upon written request made within 90 days after the election.
Included are graphics for yards, garage sales,
etc., open house and grand openings. Such graphics shall be on the
premises and shall not exceed six square feet in area and shall be
displayed only for the dates of the event and one day after. In no
case shall such graphics remain in place for more than two weeks.
Such graphics may not be placed within the public right-of-way and
shall not be placed on utility poles, natural features, etc. Only
one such graphic shall be placed on the property on which the activity
or use in question takes place. Off-premises signs of this type are
not permitted.
Neighborhood identification signs shall be permitted
only in the AR-2 Zone and shall be subject to the following conditions:
A. All neighborhood identification signs shall be submitted
to the Planning Board for approval at the time of the application
for preliminary subdivision approval.
B. Neighborhood identification signs shall be permitted
to remain in place at a subdivision until a certificate of occupancy
has been issued for a dwelling on each lot within the subdivision.
C. When a neighborhood identification sign is approved by the Planning Board as part of the application for preliminary subdivision approval, such approval shall contain a condition requiring the applicant to post a cash bond of $200 to cover the costs of removal of such sign in the event that the applicant fails to do so as required by Subsection
B above.
The following street graphics are exempt from all provisions of this chapter, except for §
132-73, and provided that each meets the stated additional requirements:
A. Graphics of public noncommercial nature, including
safety signs, danger signs, "no trespassing" signs, signs indicating
scenic or historical points of interest and any official sign, provided
that it is erected by a public officer in the performance of a public
duty.
B. Memorial signs and tablets. Nonilluminated memorial
signs or tablets indicating the name of a building or date of erection,
not exceeding two square feet in surface area, which are part of the
building construction or attached as wall signs.
C. Nameplates and directories (nonresidential). Nonilluminated
nameplates and building directories relating only to the use or occupancy
of the building to which attached. Such graphics shall not exceed
16 square feet in surface area and may be part of the building construction
or attached as a wall graphic.
D. Nameplates (residential). One nonilluminated or shielded
illuminated (not to exceed 75 watts) nameplate, not exceeding two
square feet in surface area, shall be permitted for each single-family
residence or home occupation.
F. Graphics utilized by farmers or other persons offering
for sale only those products which they have grown on their own property
located within the Township of Kingwood. Such graphics shall be of
a temporary nature and can be located on or off site and shall be
removed within 21 days of the end of the growing season for the particular
products offered for sale. Such graphics shall be limited to ground
graphics as defined herein, the size of which shall not exceed eight
square feet.
Such graphics are subject to design review and
permitting by the Planning Board. The Board shall determine if the
proposal meets the goals and objectives of this chapter.
Such graphics are subject to design review and
permitting by the Planning Board. The Board shall determine if the
proposal meets the goals and objectives of this chapter. The Planning
Board may make requirements to ensure the health and maintenance of
plant materials that may be a part of such graphic displays.
[Amended 11-4-2021 by Ord. No. 21-20-2021]
Any person who shall violate any provisions of this article or any rule, regulation or order made under the authority of this article shall be subject to the penalty provisions in Chapter
1, General Provisions, Article
II, General Penalties, of the Township Code, and in cases of continuing violations, each day that such violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.