As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AWNING OR CANOPY SIGN A sign that is part of an awning or canopy over a door, entrance, window, or outdoor service area. See also §
186-5C, Word usage and definitions, "Awning or canopy."
BILLBOARD See "off-premises signs" and "commercial outdoor advertising signs."
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN A sign on which message copy can be changed through the use of electronic switching of lamps or other illuminated devices. This includes public service information, such as time and temperature, displays or any sign which features automatic or manual switching or changing of its message content.
COMMERCIAL OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN A permanent off-premises sign erected, maintained or used for the purpose of providing copy area for advertising messages for rent or lease.
CONSTRUCTION/DEVELOPMENT SIGN A type of temporary sign which is intended to advertise the name of project or development and/or the contractor, architect, engineer, financier, etc.
FREESTANDING SIGN A sign supported by means of poles or standards on the ground. The height of a freestanding sign shall be measured from the proposed finished grade to the highest point of the sign structure.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN A sign which directs attention to a person, business, profession, product, home occupation or activity not conducted on the same premises.
ON-PREMISES SIGN A sign which directs attention to a person, business, profession, product, home occupation or activity conducted on the same premises.
PARALLEL SIGN A sign parallel to a wall or other vertical building surface. Parallel signs shall not extend beyond the edge of any wall or other surface to which they are mounted or shall not project more than six inches from its surface.
POLITICAL SIGN Any temporary sign pertaining to political views, an individual seeking election or appointment to a public office or a forthcoming public election or referendum.
PREMISES A separate lot or tax parcel with individual frontage abutting the street line. A "premises" may include more than one occupant, as in an office complex or shopping center.
PROJECTING SIGN A sign on a wall or other vertical building surface other than a parallel sign or a window sign.
REAL ESTATE SIGN A sign pertaining to the sale, lease or rental of the property upon which it is located.
ROOF SIGN A sign upon the roof or parapet of a building, the entire face of which is situated above the highest point of the roof for flat roofs, the decklines of mansard roofs and the mean height between eaves and ridge for gable, hip and gambrel roofs of the building to which it is attached and which is wholly or partially supported by said building.
SANDWICH BOARD SIGN A temporary sign, also called an A-frame sign, which has no permanent base and is not fixed permanently to the ground or a building, with a one- or two-sided sign face.
SIGN Any permanent or temporary structure or part thereof or any device attached, painted or represented, directly or indirectly, on a structure or other outdoor surface that shall display or include any letter, work, insignia, flag or representation used as or which is in the nature of an advertisement, announcement, visual communication, direction or which is designed to attract the eye or bring the subject to the attention of the public.
TEMPORARY SIGN A sign intended for short-term use, such as a promotional sign, including signs pertaining to business events, community events, political issues, an individual seeking public office or a forthcoming public election.
VEHICULAR SIGN A sign which is affixed and/or painted to a vehicle in such a manner that the carrying of such sign or signs is no longer incidental to the vehicle's primary purpose. Such signs shall be subject to the regulations for freestanding signs as defined in this article. This definition does not apply to signs on vehicles when in motion and vehicles with a valid license.
WINDOW SIGN A temporary or permanent sign which is oriented to the public right-of-way and is located on the inside or outside of a window to direct attention to an activity conducted on the same lot.
No sign shall be allowed except as follows:
A. Parallel or freestanding signs for bulletin- or announcement-type boards or for identification of schools, churches, hospitals, recreation areas and other principal uses and buildings other than dwellings, provided that the area of any such sign shall not exceed 15 square feet and not more than one such sign shall be placed on property held in single and separate ownership, unless such property fronts on more than one street, in which case one such sign may be placed on each street frontage, and provided that the height of such sign shall not exceed 20 feet.
B. Parallel or freestanding signs for identification of an apartment development or single-family residential development of 25 units or more, erected on the site of said development and containing only the name of the development and the location of a sale or rental office, provided that the area of any such sign shall not exceed 15 square feet and not more than one such sign shall be placed on property held in single or separate ownership, unless such property fronts on more than one street, in which case one such sign may be erected on each street frontage. Such signs shall be constructed of brick, masonry, wood or other durable material to resist weathering and deterioration. No portion of such sign shall exceed 20 feet in height.
C. One sign for home occupations, indicating only names of persons, addresses, telephone numbers and the occupations, provided that the area of any such sign shall not exceed four square feet. A permit for such sign shall not be required if the subject home occupation has been approved by the Zoning Hearing Board where required. Signs of this nature shall be located within five feet of the rear edge of the sidewalk or within 10 feet behind the proposed curbline of the street in those areas not having a sidewalk.
D. One construction/development sign, provided that the area of any such sign shall not exceed 24 square feet and such sign shall be removed within 20 days after the final inspection by the Borough Building Inspector. In addition to the construction/development sign, the following temporary signage is permitted in association with a new residential development.
[Amended 2-6-2017 by Ord. No. 1000]
(1) Temporary on-premises signs associated with the proposed development may be erected along the project frontage/right-of-way during the construction period, provided that the area of such signs shall not exceed six square feet per sign and that no more than one sign per 200 feet of frontage shall be permitted along the existing right-of-way.
E. A sign which identifies an individual building containing multiple dwelling units. The sign may identify only the property number, street address and/or the name of the building for a multiple family dwelling.
(1) Number: no more than one sign shall be provided for any one building unless the building is located on a corner lot, in which case a sign may be erected on each street frontage.
(2) Type: awning, freestanding, projecting, or wall.
(3) Size: maximum of eight square feet.
(4) Height of freestanding sign: maximum of five feet.
(5) Illumination: unilluminated or indirectly illuminated only.
Except for residential signs as governed by §
186-79, supra, or home occupation signs as permitted in §
186-18H(4)(j), no sign shall be permitted except as hereinafter set forth:
A. Parallel signs for nonresidential uses, subject to the following conditions:
[Amended 2-6-2017 by Ord. No. 1000]
(1) No portion of the signs shall be less than 10 feet above the proposed finished grade. If not projecting more than three inches from a wall of a building, the sign need not conform to the ten-foot height limit.
(2) The total area of all signs shall not exceed 15% of the area of the first floor of the building face, including window and door area and cornices, to which they are attached.
(3) Permanent window signs shall be considered parallel signs and included in this computation; temporary window signs shall not be included in this computation but shall nevertheless not exceed 40% of the total window area on each street.
(4) One parallel sign may be erected for each street-level use occupying a single structure on the same premises.
(5) If a parallel sign is utilized at a premises, then the premises shall not also have a roof sign.
B. Freestanding signs in the case of planned commercial development shall be subject to the following conditions:
(1) They shall be limited to one sign indicating the name of the development or similar information. In the event that such development fronts on two or more streets, a sign may be placed for each street frontage.
(2) No portion of the sign shall be more than 20 feet above the ground.
(3) The area of the sign shall not exceed one square foot for each two feet of linear lot frontage or 60 square feet, whichever is smaller.
(4) Freestanding signs shall be so landscaped as to screen any utility and/or service equipment associated with them.
C. Freestanding signs for nonresidential use in the case where planned commercial development has not been applied due to configuration of lots, size of lots or where individual lots are not considered part of a planned commercial development, subject to the following conditions:
(1) They shall be limited to one such sign per structure. If more than one use is carried on in a single structure, then only one such sign may be erected; said sign may indicate the presence of all uses in the structure.
(2) No portion of the sign shall be more than six feet above the ground.
(3) The area of the sign shall not exceed 16 square feet or one square foot for each two feet of premises frontage, whichever is less.
(4) In the event that the premises fronts on more than one street, one sign may be placed along each street frontage.
(5) In the C-2 District, signs located along the Ridge Road frontage shall meet the following height and area standards instead of the standards of §
186-80C(2) and
(3): No portion of the sign shall be more than 12 feet above the ground, and the area of the sign shall not exceed 30 square feet.
D. Projecting signs are prohibited in the C-1 District.
E. Projecting signs for nonresidential uses are permitted in the C-2 District, subject to the following conditions:
[Amended 2-6-2017 by Ord. No. 1000]
(1) No portion of a projecting sign shall be less than 10 feet nor more than 20 feet above the proposed finished grade, and no such sign shall be less than two feet from the plane of the face of the curb.
(2) When a building is occupied by one use, the area of such signs shall not exceed 16 square feet or one square foot for each two feet of premises frontage, whichever is less.
(3) When a building is occupied by more than one use, each business may have a projecting sign; the area of such signs shall not exceed eight square feet.
(4) In the event there are multiple uses occupying a single structure, one projecting sign may be erected for each use occupying a single structure on the same premises.
(5) In the event that the premises fronts on more than one street, one projecting sign may be placed along each street frontage. Where multiple uses occupy a single structure, each projecting sign shall be located on the same street frontage as the entrance for the associated use.
(6) If a projecting sign is utilized at a premises, then the premises shall not have a freestanding sign.
F. Sandwich board signs are permitted in commercial districts in accordance with the following:
(1) Such sign shall be displayed outside only during business hours and taken inside after business hours.
(2) Only one such sign shall be permitted per property frontage.
(3) Such signs shall not obstruct pedestrian traffic nor interfere with the opening of vehicle doors or obstruct sight lines along streets, sidewalks, or driveways.
(4) Such signs shall be a maximum of two feet by three feet per side, exclusive of the stand.
Except for residential signs as governed by §
186-79, supra, or home occupation signs as permitted §
186-18H(4)(j), no sign shall be permitted except as hereinafter set forth:
A. On-premises signs.
(1) Parallel signs for permitted nonresidential uses, provided that:
(a) No portion shall be less than 10 feet above the proposed finished grade and extend more than six inches from the building wall. If not projecting more than three inches from a wall of a building, the sign need not conform to the ten-foot height limit.
(b) The total area of all signs shall not exceed 15% of the area of the building face, including window and door area and cornices, to which they are attached.
(c) Permanent window signs shall be considered parallel signs and included in this computation; temporary window signs shall not be included in this computation but shall nevertheless not exceed 40% of the total window area on each street.
(d) One parallel sign may be erected for each use occupying a single structure on the same premises.
(e) If a parallel sign is utilized at a premises, then the premises shall not also have a roof sign.
(2) Freestanding signs in the case of planned industrial development shall be subject to the following conditions:
(a) They shall be limited to one sign indicating the name of the development or similar information. In the event that such development fronts on two or more streets, a sign may be placed for each street frontage.
(b) No portion of the sign shall be more than 20 feet above the ground.
(c) The area of the sign shall not exceed one square foot for each two feet of linear lot frontage or 100 square feet, whichever is smaller.
(d) If a freestanding sign is utilized at a premises, then the premises shall not also have a projecting sign.
(3) Freestanding signs for nonresidential uses in the case where planned industrial development has not been applied due to configuration of lots, size of lots or where individual lots are not considered part of a planned industrial development, subject to the following conditions:
(a) They shall be limited to one such sign per structure. If more than one use is carried on in a single structure, then only one sign may be erected; said sign may indicate the presence of all uses in the structure.
(b) No portion of the sign shall be more than 20 feet above the ground.
(c) The area of the sign shall not exceed 100 square feet or one square foot for each two feet of premises frontage, whichever is less.
(d) In the event that the premises fronts on more than one street, one sign may be placed along each street frontage.
(e) If a freestanding sign is utilized at a premises, then the premises shall not also have a projecting sign.
(4) Roof signs shall conform in all respects to the conditions specified for freestanding signs in this section, except that no portion of a roof sign shall be more than 10 feet above the roof. Roof signs shall not be established less than 100 feet from an R-1A, R-1B, R-2, R-3 or A District, unless the advertising surface of the roof sign is not visible therefrom.
(5) Projecting signs are prohibited in the I-1 District.
(6) Projecting signs for nonresidential uses are permitted in the I-2 District, subject to the following conditions:
(a) All projecting signs shall be reviewed for structural soundness by the Borough Code Enforcement Officer prior to erection and issuance of a building permit.
(b) No portion of a projecting sign shall be less than 10 feet nor more than 20 feet above proposed finished grade, and no such sign shall be less than two feet from the plane of the face of curb.
(c) The area of such signs shall not exceed 20 square feet or one square foot for each two feet of premises frontage, whichever is less.
(d) In the event that the premises fronts on more than one street, one sign may be placed along each street frontage.
(e) If a freestanding sign is used at a premises, then the premises shall not also have a projecting sign.
B. Off-premises signs, commercial outdoor advertising signs. Only one commercial outdoor advertising sign may be erected per premises fronting on a public right-of-way, provided that:
(1) Yard setbacks.
(a) Right-of-way. No outdoor advertising sign or any part thereof shall be erected or maintained within 50 feet of the future right-of-way of a public street.
(b) Side or rear yards. No outdoor advertising sign or any part thereof shall be erected or maintained within 50 feet of any side or rear property line.
(2) No such sign shall be erected within 500 feet of any other such sign or freestanding sign.
(3) The following minimum landscaping shall be planted adjacent to each such sign:
(a) Five five-foot-to-six-foot-high evergreen trees planted within a forty-foot radius on the sides and rear of the base of the sign.
(b) Four eight-foot-to-ten-foot-high flowering trees planted within a fifty-foot radius on the sides of the base of the sign.
(c) One three-foot-to-four-foot-high shrub per three lineal feet of frontage or 40 shrubs, whichever is greater, to be planted in front of the sign.
(4) Area and height.
(a) No outdoor advertising sign shall be permitted to exceed a maximum area of 50 square feet, including border and trim, but excluding supports.
(b) No outdoor advertising sign shall exceed 20 feet in height.
(5) Commercial outdoor advertising signs/billboards shall not have internally illuminated, light emitting diode (LED), or electronic or digital displays.