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.
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.