[Adopted 4-13-1970 by Ord. No. 485 (Ch. 19, Part 1, of the
1995 Code)]
[Amended 12-11-1995 by Ord. No. 715]
All overhead signs erected prior to the Zoning Ordinance (Chapter
280) above any streets and sidewalks of the Borough shall be annually inspected by an appointed representative of Council, who shall report to the property owner any discoverable defects in said sign, its fittings and fixtures which could or might endanger the traveling public and/or its personal property, and for this inspection and report an annual fee in an amount established from time to time by resolution of Borough Council shall be charged.
Upon receipt of notice of any of the defects set forth under §
208-1, the property owner shall forthwith cause the same to be repaired in such manner as to prevent harm or danger to the traveling public and/or its personal property, and to have said repairs completed within 10 days of said notice in a manner satisfactory to said appointed representative of Council.
Upon failure of the property owner to make said necessary repairs
within the ten-day period, said defective sign shall be removed by
the representative of Council, and the property owner shall be liable
for the actual cost of removal, the same to be collected as like debts
are now by law collectible.
[Amended 5-13-1974 by Ord. No. 525; 12-11-1995 by Ord. No. 715]
Any person, firm or corporation permitting a defective sign,
its fittings and fixtures to remain unrepaired after the expiration
of the aforesaid ten-day notice period shall, upon conviction thereof,
be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $600 plus costs and, in
default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment
not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute
a separate offense.
[Adopted 4-28-2008 by Ord. No. 787-08]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
SANDWICH BOARD SIGNS
Sandwich board signs are self-supporting, A-shaped, freestanding,
temporary signs with only two visible sides that are situated adjacent
to a business, typically on a sidewalk, and which contain commercial
speech.
STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY
That publicly owned land which contains both street and that
strip of land on either side of the street which has been designated
to be used for street improvements, such as sidewalks, curbs, utility
lines, sewers, etc.
It is the intent of this article to regulate only those signs
placed in the street right-of-way.
Sandwich board signs may be permitted for a legal business located
in a commercial district only, subject to the following regulations:
A. The maximum area shall be six square feet per side of sign with a
maximum height of 42 inches as measured from the ground.
B. Sandwich board signs shall be limited to advertising for business
purposes only.
C. Acceptable sandwich board sign materials include the following: steel,
iron, metal and finished wood. Synthetic materials such as chalkboard
and whiteboard are acceptable accent materials but are limited to
50% of the sign area on each side. The sign lettering should be neatly
painted or applied. A graffiti-look is not acceptable.
D. Only one sandwich board per business shall be permitted.
E. Sandwich board signs shall not be placed so as to cause the width
of the sidewalk to be reduced below four feet in width, nor shall
they be erected or maintained in a manner that prevents free ingress
or egress from any door, including vehicle doors, window or fire escape.
No sign may obstruct parking meters, utility poles or any structure/device
necessary for Borough operation. No sign may obstruct vehicular or
pedestrian traffic.
F. A temporary sign permit is required prior to the installation of
the sandwich board sign. Only one temporary sign permit for a sandwich
board sign is allowed per business and such permit is nontransferable.
The business owner must apply for a renewal of the temporary sign
permit on or before March 31 of each calendar year.
G. A sketch including dimensions, materials and location of the sandwich
board sign must be attached to the permit application. The permit
application must be approved and signed by Borough staff before the
sandwich board sign may be displayed. If a sign is displayed prior
to obtaining a sandwich board sign permit, the application may be
denied.
H. Sandwich board signs shall not be illuminated, nor shall they contain
moving parts or have balloons, streamers, pennants or similar adornments
attached to them.
I. Attaching sandwich board signs to structures, poles, objects, etc.,
by means of chains, cords, rope, wire, etc. is prohibited.
J. Sandwich board signs shall be removed from the street right-of-way
during inclement weather. Inclement weather includes, but is not limited
to, wind, rain, snow, etc. Once removed for inclement weather, said
sign shall not be replaced until the inclement weather has ceased.
Sandwich board signs shall not be placed when there is snow accumulation
on the sidewalk.
K. Sandwich board signs are only to be placed during the permitted business's
regular hours of operation, but in no event may signs remain on the
street right-of-way after dusk.
L. Sandwich board signs placed in violation of this article will result
in immediate removal of said sign and the business's temporary
sign permit privileges shall be denied for the remainder of year.
M. Sandwich board signs within the street right-of-way may be moved/removed
by the Borough for municipal purposes, i.e., code enforcement, snow
removal, traffic issues, maintenance, etc.
N. Sandwich board signs shall not be permitted for home occupations.
Signage for home occupations shall continue to be governed by the
Borough of Zelienople Zoning Ordinance.
O. Sandwich board signs shall be placed on the property on which the
legal business is located; and in no case shall the sandwich board
sign be placed more than six feet from the door of the legal business’s
main/principal customer entrance.
[Added 6-24-2019 by Ord. No. 866-19]
P. Placement of an off-site directional sandwich board sign shall result
in the immediate removal of said sign, immediate removal of any other
sandwich board sign for that business, and the business’s temporary
sign permit privileges shall be denied for the remainder of the year.
[Added 6-24-2019 by Ord. No. 866-19]
Q. The Borough of Zelienople shall have the right to request removal
of any sandwich board sign during public festivals, parades, or other
events, when the sign poses a potential safety hazard to the large
number of pedestrians using the sidewalks.
[Added 6-24-2019 by Ord. No. 866-19]
The Borough Council of the Borough of Zelienople is hereby authorized
and directed to execute any and all documents necessary to effectuate
the purposes of this article.