Signs may be erected and maintained only when
in compliance with the provisions of this article and all other ordinances
and regulations relating to the erection, alteration, or maintenance
of signs and similar devices.
Off-premises advertising signs shall be permitted
in the Township and are subject to the following:
A. Off-premises advertising shall be located only in
the following districts: R-2 Residential District, C Commercial District
and I Industrial District, where such areas are located along a major
arterial street as defined in the Carroll Township Comprehensive Plan.
For the purposes of this chapter, those streets are PA Route 34 and
portions of PA Route 850.
[Amended 3-6-2012 by Ord. No. 60]
B. Advertising signs shall not be placed closer than
300 feet to a dwelling which is located on the same side of the street
as the sign nor closer than 2,500 feet to another billboard.
C. Such sign shall be placed no closer than 50 feet from
any street right-of-way and may not exceed 300 square feet in area.
In addition to the sign regulations set forth in §§
138-86 through
138-89 above, the following signs shall be permitted:
A. Temporary signs advertising home garage sales, yard
sales, and the like, as differentiated from signs advertising established
commercial enterprises, may be erected in any zoning district subject
to the following provisions:
(1) The sign may be erected only on the property on which
the sale is going to be held.
(2) The area of one side of any such sign shall not exceed
four square feet.
(3) Only one such sign may be erected on any one piece
of property, unless such property fronts on two streets, in which
case one sign is authorized on each street frontage.
(4) The sign shall be installed no earlier than one week
prior to the sale and shall be removed within one day after the activity.
In no case shall such signs be permitted to remain on the property
in excess of 10 days.
B. Temporary signs advertising public auctions or sales,
as differentiated from signs advertising established commercial enterprises,
may be erected in any zoning district subject to the following provisions:
(1) Such signs shall be subject to the same provisions as in Subsection
A.
(2) Such signs may be erected no earlier than one month
prior to the date of the sale and shall be removed no later than two
days after the sale or auction.
C. Temporary political signs advertising political parties
or candidates for election may be erected, provided:
(1) The area of any one side of such sign shall not exceed
six square feet.
(2) Such sign shall not be erected earlier than 30 days
prior to the election to which they pertain and shall be removed no
later than seven days after the date of the election.
D. Holiday decorations displayed for recognized holidays
shall be exempted from the provisions of this chapter except as they
may cause glare, interfere with traffic safety or in any other way
become a public safety hazard.
[Amended 10-16-2001 by Ord. No. 44]
The following signs shall not be permitted,
erected, constructed or maintained in any zoning district. Such signs
which are prohibited shall be removed or brought into conformity with
the provisions of this part within three years after this chapter
is enacted.
A. Signs which incorporate in any manner any flashing
or moving illumination, or with illumination which varies in intensity
or color, and signs which have any visible revolving parts or visible
mechanical movement of any description, or other apparent visible
movement achieved by electrical pulsation or by actions of normal
wind currents. Hanging signs which simply swing in the wind and clock,
time or temperature signs and barber poles shall not be considered
as a prohibited sign as long as it complies with the other provisions
of this article.
B. Light sources which cast light on signs shall be shielded
by opaque material so that the bulbs, floodlights or tubes are not
visible off the property on which the signs are located.
C. Signs advertising activities that are illegal under
federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances as applied
to the location of a particular sign or the location of such activities.
D. Signs which by reason of size, location, movement,
content, coloring or manner of illumination obstruct the vision of
drivers either when leaving or entering a public street from another
street or driveway, and/or obstruct or detract from the visibility
or effectiveness of any traffic control device or traffic sign on
a public street.
E. Signs which make use of words such as "stop," "look,"
"one-way," "danger," "yield," "go slow," "caution," or any similar
words, phrases, symbols, lights or characters in such a manner as
to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic or which imitate an
official traffic sign or signal.
F. Signs which advertise an activity, business, product
or service no longer produced or conducted. In such case, such sign
shall be removed within 30 days after the same is no longer produced
or conducted,
G. Signs which are placed or located within the public
right-of-way, except as provided elsewhere in this chapter.
H. Signs painted on, pasted or attached to or supported
by utility poles, trees, fences, a stone cliff or other natural object.
I. Signs which consist of pennants, spinners, banners,
streamers or search lights, except for occasions such as grand openings
and then only with permission of the Building Inspector for a use
limited to a period of 15 days.
J. String lights other than temporary holiday decorations
or special events or function of public service, charitable, religious,
educational, and civic organizations which are unshielded from off
the premises on which they are located.
K. Signs which obstruct free ingress to or egress from
a fire escape, door, window or other exitway.
L. Signs which are structurally unsafe or in a state
of disrepair.
The following regulations shall apply to all
sign uses:
A. Computation of sign area.
(1) The area of a sign shall be construed to include all
lettering, wording and accompanying designs and symbols, together
with the background whether open or enclosed, on which they are displayed,
but not including any supporting framework and bracing incidental
to the display itself.
(2) Where the sign consists of individual letters or symbols
attached to a building, wall or window, the area shall be considered
to be that of the smallest rectangle or other regular geometric shape
which encompasses all of the letters and symbols.
(3) In computing square foot area of a double-face sign,
only one side shall be considered, provided both faces are identical.
If the interior angle formed by the two faces of the double-faced
sign is greater then 45º, then both sides of such sign shall
be considered in calculating the sign area.
B. Sign must be constructed of durable materials, maintained
in good condition, and not, allowed to become dilapidated.
C. Signs projecting beyond the property lines shall be
not less than 10 feet above the public sidewalk areas.
D. Signs shall not project above the height limit permitted
in any district in which they are located.
E. All signs erected within the right-of-way of a state
highway shall be in accordance with the regulations of the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation.
F. Except for home occupations and permitted business
identification signs, a permit shall not be required for the erection,
alteration or maintenance of any signs permitted in the CF Conservation
Forest, R-A Residential-Agricultural District, R-1 Residential District,
and R-2 Residential District.
[Amended 10-16-2001 by Ord. No. 44]
G. A permit shall be required for the erection, structural
alteration or reconstruction of billboards or advertising signboards.
[Amended 10-16-2001 by Ord. No. 44]
H. All signs shall be removed when the circumstances
leading to their erection no longer applies.
I. All nonconforming signs, or advertising sign boards,
including poster panels, bulletins, and the like, shall be made to
conform to all pertinent regulations or be removed within three years
after the effective date of this chapter, except that business identification
signs on legal nonconforming uses may be continued and maintained
as a part of the legal nonconforming use.