Except as otherwise provided, no sign shall be erected, placed, altered, located or relocated anywhere in the Borough until a sign permit for such sign has been issued by the Borough Manager.
Application for a sign permit shall be made upon forms provided by the Borough Manager and shall include the following information:
A. 
Name, address and telephone number of applicant.
B. 
Location of building, structure or lot to which or upon which the sign or other advertising structure is to be attached or located.
C. 
Position of the sign or other advertising structure in relation to nearby buildings or structures.
D. 
Two blueprints or drawings or equivalent of the plans and specifications and method of construction and attachment to the building or ground.
E. 
Name of person, firm, corporation or association erecting the sign.
F. 
Written consent of the owner of the building, structure or land to which or on which the sign is to be located.
G. 
Any electrical permit required and issued for said sign.
H. 
Such other information as the Borough Manager shall require to show full compliance with this and all other codes and ordinances of the municipality.
[Amended 5-25-2016 by Ord. No. 2244]
The Borough Manager shall examine the application and accompanying information and the premises upon which the sign is proposed to be located, and if it shall appear that the proposed sign is in compliance with all the requirements of this chapter and any other applicable ordinance, he shall then issue a permit. Such permit shall be valid for a period of six months and all work for which the permit was issued shall be completed within said time period. Should said work not be completed within six months after issuance of the sign permit, the applicant shall be required to submit a new application for review, which application shall be subject to all changes that have been made to ordinances and regulations relevant to the proposed sign.
[Amended 10-12-2011 by Ord. No. 2176]
Beginning November 1, 2011, every applicant for a sign permit shall pay to the Borough a permit fee at the time such permit is granted in an amount established from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council.
[Amended 10-12-2011 by Ord. No. 2176; 5-25-2016 by Ord. No. 2244]
The Borough shall inspect and approve the initial installation of the sign and shall make periodic inspections thereof to determine conformity of the sign with the regulations set forth in this chapter and other relevant laws, ordinances and regulations. In the event that a sign is changed, the Borough Manager may inspect same to determine that such change does not result in the failure of the sign to comply with the terms hereof and with other relevant laws, ordinances and regulations. Should it be determined that a sign is no longer in compliance with the terms hereof or any relevant laws, ordinances or regulations or that a change to the sign results in such noncompliance, the Borough Manager may initiate an enforcement action pursuant to the terms of this chapter.
The Borough Manager is hereby authorized and empowered to revoke any sign permit or annual license issued by him upon failure of the applicant to comply with any provision of this chapter.
A. 
If the Borough Manager shall find that any sign or part thereof is unsafe, insecure, a menace to the public, not in good condition or repair or has been constructed or located in violation of the provisions of this chapter, he shall notify the permittee or owner thereof to comply with the provisions of this chapter within 15 days from receipt of such notice. Upon failure to comply with such notice within the prescribed period, the Borough Manager is hereby authorized to remove or to take whatever corrective action is necessary to bring the sign into compliance with this chapter and to collect the cost of such removal or corrective action, together with a penalty of 10% in addition thereto, from the permittee or owner, in the manner provided by law.
B. 
The Borough Manager shall refuse to issue any sign permit or annual license to any permittee or owner who refuses to pay any costs so assessed.
C. 
The Borough Manager may cause any sign or part thereof which is an immediate danger to persons or property to be removed summarily and without notice.
Any sign which no longer advertises an existing business conducted or product sold on the premises shall be removed by the owner of the sign or premises upon which such sign is located. The Borough Manager, upon determining that all business operations have ceased and noting that a sign exists, shall notify the owner of the premises in writing to remove said sign within 90 days after the date of such notice. Upon failure to comply with such notice within the prescribed period, the Borough Manager is hereby authorized to remove or cause removal of such sign and to collect the cost of such removal, together with a penalty of 10% in addition thereto, from the owner of such sign or of such property, as the case may be, in the manner provided by law.
The exemption from the permit and licensing provisions of this chapter shall not be construed as relieving the owner or person in control of the sign from complying with all other applicable provisions of this chapter. The following is a list of signs for which no permit or license shall be required:
A. 
The public service signs erected by public agencies in locations approved by the Borough of a size not larger than permitted by state highway regulations of this or other Borough ordinances. The following signs are included in this group:
(1) 
Signs for regulatory purposes, such as traffic control signs, trespassing signs and parking control signs.
(2) 
Signs for directional or informational purposes, such as street name signs, location of public facilities, historic signs or markers and utility information signs.
B. 
Signs or bulletin boards of schools, colleges, churches, hospitals and other similar institutions, provided that:
(1) 
The sign area of any directional or information sign shall not be more than eight square feet.
(2) 
The sign area of any other such sign shall not be more than 30 square feet.
C. 
Memorial plaques, cornerstones or historic markers, built in or attached to the walls of structures, bearing only the name or use of the structure, the date of erection of the structure and/or reading matter commemorating a person or event.
D. 
Street addresses not exceeding two square feet in area for each main entrance.
E. 
Signs identifying home occupations, provided that the area of such sign shall not be larger than two square feet. No more than one such sign shall be permitted for each occupation.
F. 
Temporary signs of contractors, architects, mechanics or craftsmen, provided that such signs shall:
(1) 
Be placed only off the public right-of-way on the property where such work is being performed.
(2) 
Not exceed 12 square feet in size.
(3) 
Be removed promptly upon completion of the work.
(4) 
A sign permit is obtained with the building permit.
G. 
Temporary real estate signs:
(1) 
Advertising the sale or rental of premises, provided that the sign area of such sign shall not exceed six square feet and no more than two such signs shall be placed on any property, off the public right-of-way, held in single ownership.
(2) 
On the property for sale or being developed, off the public right-of-way, indicating the location of premises in the process of development, provided that the sign area of such sign shall not exceed 20 square feet and no more than one sign shall be placed for each 500 feet of street frontage.
(3) 
Signs bearing the word "sold" or the word "rented" with or without the name of the person affecting the sale or rental may be erected and maintained, provided they are not in the public right-of-way and that the conditions of this chapter are complied with. Such sign shall not remain more than 30 days on the premises, and a permit must be filed prior to erection stating the time the sign will be erected and removed. The permit shall be without fee.