Borough of Saddle River, NJ Chapter 175 Signs

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Saddle River 7-8-1974 as Ch. 3, Art. I, of the 1974 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 175-1 Compliance required.

A. No sign shall be erected or maintained in any zone unless it complies with the regulations of this chapter.

B. All signs shall be in accordance with the provisions set forth in Schedule A, entitled "Sign Limiting Schedule," included at the end of this chapter.

§ 175-2 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

BUSINESS, SEPARATE

Each store of a multi-store building.

INSTITUTION

Any school or place of worship permitted in an R-1 Zone.

[Amended 7-21-2014 by Ord. No. 14-886-C]

SIGN

Each single surface bearing any letters, figures, design, symbol, trademark or illuminating device intended to attract attention to any place, subject, person, firm, corporation, public performance, article, machine or merchandise whatsoever and painted, printed or constructed and displayed in any manner whatsoever out of doors for recognized advertising purposes. However, this shall not include any official court or public notices or the flag, emblem or insignia of a government, school or religious group when displayed for official purposes.

SIGN AREA

The surface area computed by drawing a rectangle touching the outermost edges of the outermost letters or pictures comprising the sign or the area established by reason of distinctive variation in background color, by borders or by some other equivalent manner, whichever is greater.

§ 175-3 (Reserved) [1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 175-5, Service stations and garages, was repealed 7-21-2014 by Ord. No. 14-886-C.

§ 175-4 Temporary signs.

[Amended 12-19-2016 by Ord. No. 16-925-C]

A. In all zones, one wall, bracket or standing sign with an area no greater than three square feet is permitted to advertise the sale or rental of the premises upon which the sign is located no less than five feet from the curbline or edge of pavement, except in the case of corner lots where the dimensions shall be 10 feet from the curb. In addition, no more than one such sign shall be placed per 100 feet of property frontage.

B. In all zones, during construction, up to three general construction signs may be erected on premises where the person placing the sign is engaged in construction, each of an area no greater than three square feet located no less than five feet from the nearest edge of pavement or curb, except for corner lots where the minimum dimension shall be 10 feet.

C. In addition to any sign permitted in this section, it shall be lawful for a real estate broker conducting a house showing or open house to place an additional sign, no greater than three square feet in area, upon the property at which the event is being held, provided that such sign, which may have balloons attached, shall be no less than five feet from the nearest edge of pavement or curb, except for corner lots where said dimensions shall be 10 feet.

§ 175-5 Directory signs.

A single office, business, commercial or professional building having more than one tenant may erect and maintain a directory of the tenants in the form of one wall or ground sign comprising a series of horizontal panels, uniform as to color and dimensions and as to the type of lettering, each of which shall not exceed three inches by 18 inches in size. The overall dimensions of the directory shall not exceed six feet in height by three feet in width at its highest and widest points. The number of panels shall not exceed the number of tenants. No tenant shall be listed more than once. No other signs shall be permitted on such a multi-use building except one sign displaying the name of the building and conforming to the dimensional requirements of the Sign Limiting Schedule.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: The Limiting Schedule is included at the end of this chapter.

§ 175-6 Camp and recreational area signs.

A. The Council may, by resolution, establish rules, regulations and authorities for the construction and maintenance of one or more directories to aid motorists in reaching camps and recreational areas located within a radius of six miles from the point at which the directory is located in the Borough.

B. Such signs shall be subject to the following general requirements:

(1) Each directory shall be in the nature of a post, column or panel, the size, location and appearance of which shall be subject to approval by the Zoning Offi cer.

(2) The directories shall not exceed three in number for each such camp or area, and such directory shall be located at an intersection of arterial roads within the Borough, selected so as to maintain traffic toward the destinations indicated on arterial roads with minimum diversion to other roads of the Borough.

(3) The directories shall comprise a plurality of individual separately removable panels or signs of uniform size, coloring and type lettering and shall occupy a space not greater than eight feet in height measured from the ground to the top of the structure and four feet in width at its widest point.

C. The Council's resolution shall set forth regulations to control the issuance of permits to use the directory panels, the establishment of annual fees for such use and standards and qualifications to be met by applicants to whom permits will be issued and shall designate the office or agency of the Borough responsible for constructing, maintaining and administering such directory signs.

D. The resolution, when adopted, shall be automatically renewed from year to year in the form adopted, unless specifically modified or revoked by the Council.

§ 175-7 Prohibited signs.

A. Within any zone, no sign shall:

(1) Have any mechanically operated moving parts.

(2) Have or consist of any pennants, banners, ribbons, baubles, spinners or similar movable or moving components.

(3) Have more than three colors, including black and white as colors.

(4) Be lighted externally by more than one floodlight.

(5) Have any fluorescent or phosphorescent parts.

(6) Be artificially illuminated after 10:30 p.m. or before 6:30 a.m.

(7) Be illuminated by gas-filled tubes.

(8) Be illuminated by a flashing light source.

(9) Be illuminated by a light source which is directly visible from any place other than on the premises wherein the sign is located.

(10) State or otherwise indicate that the property is sold or rented.

(11) Provide less than eight feet of headroom above a walkway.

(12) Be erected announcing candidates seeking political office.

[Amended 9-8- 1986 by Ord. No. 450-C]

(13) Be mounted on or supported otherwise than by a building structure or by the ground.

[Amended 9-8-1986 by Ord. No. 450-Cl

(14) Be erected announcing an open house for the purpose of sale or rental of a home, property or business.

[Amended 9-8- 1986 by Ord. No. 450-C]

B. No vehicle or mobile sign shall be used to circumvent these regulations.

C. If any sign configuration or type for any zone now or hereafter created in the Borough is not covered by this chapter, such sign shall not be erected without amendment of this chapter or appropriate resolution by the Council.

[Amended 2-22-1994 by Ord. No. 600-C]

§ 175-8 Application; fee.

A. No sign in compliance with the Limiting Schedule shall be erected without first having obtained a permit therefor from the Construction Official/Building Inspector or the control person in the Construction Official/Building Inspector's office, except with respect to temporary signs pursuant to a permit issued for a garage sale under Chapter 121, Garage Sales.

[Amended 5-21-1990 by Ord. No. 542-C]

B. Applications for the permit shall be made in writing to the Construction Official/Building Inspector. The application shall set forth the following information:

(1) The name, address and telephone number of the applicant and the owner.

(2) The location of the building, structure or lot to which or upon which the sign is to be located or erected.

(3) The position of the sign in relation to nearby buildings or structures and property lines.

(4) The name of the person, firm, corporation or association erecting the sign.

(5) A sketch of the sign showing all dimensions such that the Construction Official/Building Inspector may determine whether there is compliance with all the requirements of this chapter and any other applicable ordinance of the Borough.

(6) Such other information as the Construction Official/Building Inspector may require to show full compliance with this chapter and all other laws and ordinances of the Borough.

C. Every application, except that made by a county or state authority, shall be accompanied by a fee as provided in Chapter 134, Licenses and Permits, to cover the costs of examination of the application and related administrative procedures, except that there shall be no fee with respect to permits issued for institutional signs.

[Amended 3-8-1982 by Ord. No. 367-C; 3-20-1989 by Ord. No. 521-C; 2-22-1994 by Ord. No. 600-C]

§ 175-9 Application review.

A. The Construction Official/Building Inspector shall, if an applicant so requests in writing, refer to the Planning Board for its consideration the matter of any proposed sign which he determines does not comply with the provisions of this chapter. The Board's written decision shall be binding upon the Construction Official/Building Inspector.

B. Any sign existing at the time of the enactment of this chapter and which violates any of the provisions hereof shall be removed no later than six months after the enactment of this chapter, except that the Construction Official/Building Inspector shall permit continuance of such nonconforming sign, subject to payment of the required permit fees, upon the owner's written request for all favorable written determination permitting the continuance by the Planning Board.

C. The Planning Board, when considering an application, shall take into consideration the following guide:

(1) The extent to which the particular sign violates the limitations of this chapter.

(2) The effect of the sign upon property values in the vicinity.

(3) The degree to which the sign clashes with the design of other signs and architecture in the vicinity.

§ 175-10 Exceptions.

The following operations shall not be considered as creating a sign and, therefore, shall not require a sign permit:

A. The changing of the advertising copy or message on an approved painted or printed sign or billboard or on a theater marquee and similar approved signs which are specifically designed for the use of replaceable copy.

B. Painting, repainting, cleaning and other normal maintenance and repair of a sign or a sign structure, unless a structural change is made.

§ 175-11 Violations and penalties.

A. Any sign that violates any of the provisions of this chapter without a permit or that no longer advertises a bona fide business conducted for a product sold on the premises on which it is located or is in such state of disrepair as shall, in the opinion of the Planning Board, be considered esthetically objectionable shall be removed by the owner, agent or person having the beneficial use of the premises upon which such sign may be found within one day after written notification from the Construction Official/Building Inspector or Saddle River Police Officer. Upon failure to comply with such notice, the Construction Official/Building Inspector or Police Officer is authorized to cause the removal of such sign, and any expense incident thereto shall be charged against the owner of the premises upon which the sign is located. Moreover, any person, corporation, partnership or other entity which violates any provision of this chapter shall be issued a summons returnable to the Municipal Court. Violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III, General Penalty.

[Amended 9-8-1986 by Ord. No. 450-C; 2-22-1994 by Ord. No. 600-C; 7-16-2001 by Ord. No. 01-716-C]

B. If such violation shall arise from the sign area exceeding that specified herein, the Construction Official/Building Inspector may waive the violation upon a verified showing by the owner that:

(1) The business advertised is part of a chain.

(2) The sign is standard for that specific business and is the nearest approximation to that specified herein.

(3) The area of the standard sign does not deviate more than 10% from that specified herein.

C. Signs advertising the sale or rental of premises shall be removed promptly and in any event within 10 days after the premises are sold or rented. Building construction signs shall be removed not later than the date of issuance of the certificate of occupancy.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former Sec. 3-14, Standards for Board of Architectural Review, which immediately followed this section, was deleted 2-22-1994 by Ord. No. 600-C.