The intent of this article is to strike a reasonable balance
between the need or desire to display public information on signs
with the need or desire to minimize visual conflicts that can occur
when placement of signs is not adequately controlled. Appropriate
design, placement and maintenance of signage can complement the visual
appeal of the community and facilitate safe and efficient travel within
the Township. Absence of appropriate standards can allow development
of signage that distracts or competes excessively for visual attention
or that detracts from the desirable appearance of the community.
In addition to the words and terms included in §
220-6, Definitions, pictorial descriptions of certain sign types defined in this section are provided by Exhibits XXV-1 through XXV-2.
The following signs shall be exempt from zoning permit requirements,
but must conform to all other requirements of this article. Construction
permits may be necessary.
A. Signs erected or posted and maintained for public safety and welfare,
pursuant to any governmental function, law or other regulation, and
any sign related to an emergency.
B. On-premises directional signs that are placed at driveways solely
to indicate the location of ingress and egress at public streets.
Such signs may not exceed four square feet per face or extend higher
than 3.5 feet above ground level. Such signs shall not contain any
advertising, but up to 25% of the sign area may contain the business
name and/or logo.
C. Incidental signs, in accordance with §
220-252K.
E. Real estate and on-premises residential sales signs, in accordance with temporary sign provisions of §
220-254.
F. Regulatory signs, in accordance with §
220-252L.
G. A bulletin board or similar sign not exceeding 40 square feet per
sign face, with a limit of two sign faces, in connection with any
church, neighborhood or civic association, museum, library, school
or similar public or semipublic nature, provided that the top of the
sign shall be not more than eight feet above ground level, and provided
that it complies with all other provisions of this article.
H. Holiday decorations displayed for recognized holidays, except as
they may interfere with traffic safety or in any other way become
a safety hazard.
I. Flags of any political or noncommercial entity.
J. Sign, or portions thereof, devoted solely to display of building
address numbers.
K. Any on-premises event, identification or marketing sign that is not
primarily intended for viewing from a public street, or adjacent property,
and the copy of which is not readily discernible from an adjacent
property or the public street that abuts the property on which the
sign is located.
L. Off-premises signs located at athletic facilities, typically utilized
for fund-raising purposes, that are attached to fences, scoreboards
and other structures, provided that they are primarily oriented for
viewing by participants and spectators.
M. Opinion and election campaign signs, in accordance with the general
sign regulations of the underlying zoning district.
Temporary signs provide an alternative or supplement to permanent
signs for communicating information to the public. Their messages
are generally applicable for a limited time, and the signs are not
permanently fastened to the ground or a structure.
A. General regulations for temporary signs.
(1)
Placement, public rights-of-way. The only temporary signs permitted
in a public right-of way are those classified as traffic control devices
or emergency signs. They may only be installed by, or at the direction
of, the authority having jurisdiction over the right-of-way.
(2)
Placement, private property. All other temporary signs must
be located on private property. In the case of off-premises temporary
signs, written permission of the private property owner must be obtained,
and the signs must bear the name, address and telephone number of
the person responsible for placement of the sign.
(a)
Temporary signs may be freestanding or attached to permanent
buildings or structures.
(b)
All temporary signs must be located at least 5.0 feet from any
adjacent property line.
(3)
Permits. A zoning permit shall be obtained prior to displaying
any temporary sign except opinion, election campaign, real estate
and on-premises residential sale signs.
(4)
Illumination. The only temporary signs that may be illuminated are on-premises commercial signs and community event signs that are located on properties used for nonresidential purposes. Illumination must be in accordance with §
220-248C.
(5)
Durability and wind resistance. Temporary signs need not be
constructed of permanent materials, but they must be constructed so
that the sign and its message remain intact for the duration of the
display period. The placement of a temporary sign must include a method
of attachment to a structure or the ground that provides sufficient
resistance to uplifting, overturning or transporting of the sign by
wind forces. Freestanding temporary signs must either be fastened
to a support structure that is embedded into the ground or displayed
on a portable structure that is anchored to the ground.
(6)
Height limits. Attached temporary signs may not exceed the height
of the building upon which they are fastened and may not be installed
as projecting signs. Freestanding temporary signs are limited to 3.5
feet in height when installed within 10.0 feet of the dedicated public
right-of-way line. When installed greater than or equal to 10.0 feet
from the dedicated public right-of-way line, they may be up to 6.0
feet in height if located on a property used for residential purposes,
and up to 10.0 feet in height if located on a property used for nonresidential
purposes.
(7)
Off-premises outdoor advertising. These temporary sign regulations
are not intended to preclude or limit the legitimate use of off-premises
outdoor advertising signs, commonly referred to as "billboards." Temporary
signs displayed on a public transportation shelter located in a public
right-of-way shall be regulated in a manner prescribed by the authority
having jurisdiction over the right-of-way.
B. Specific regulations for temporary signs.
(1)
Residential sales. This type of temporary sign is intended for
use with garage sales, yard sales, auctions and similar events. These
temporary signs may be displayed not more than 10 days before the
event and must be removed not more than one day after the event.
(2)
Commercial signs. This type of temporary sign provides an opportunity
for businesses to replace or supplement permanent signs on a short-term
basis. They also provide an opportunity for businesses to display
public information regarding special events, new products and services,
changes in ownership or management, employment opportunities and similar
messages. Temporary commercial signs shall be on-premises signs and
must be placed and maintained in accordance with the general regulations
for temporary signs. Home occupations are excluded from using this
type of sign.
(a)
Freestanding temporary commercial sign limitations.
[1]
When a temporary freestanding sign is used as a short-term substitute
for a permanent freestanding sign that is removed for replacement
or repair, the temporary freestanding sign area may exceed the zoning
district area limitation, provided that the temporary sign area is
not greater than the area of the permanent sign.
(b)
Temporary commercial building sign limitations.
[1]
When a temporary building sign is used as a short-term substitute
for a permanent building sign that is removed for replacement or repair,
the area of such temporary sign may not exceed the area of the permanent
building sign.