[Amended 12-29-1997 by Ord. No. 1420; 6-19-1999 by Ord. No. 1446; 9-15-1999 by Ord. No. 1450]
Any and all signs are subject to the following performance standards:
A.
Maintenance.
(1)
Signs shall be properly maintained so as to present a legible appearance.
All signs shall be maintained in good repair. All inoperative, broken,
excessively weathered or faded signs shall be repaired or removed.
(2)
All temporary signs shall be removed at the expiration of the event
or sale for which they were erected.
(3)
This section shall apply retroactively to all existing signs and
any new signs.
B.
Prohibited signs.
(1)
All districts.
(a)
No flashing, animated or moving signs (other than electronic
time/temperature or message boards) shall be permitted in any district.
(b)
Off-site advertising signs. Billboards may be permitted in the
General Service District, as therein regulated. However, billboards
and all other types/forms of off-site advertising signs shall be prohibited
at any and all other locations throughout the Borough.
(c)
No sign or its lighting source shall be erected or maintained
in a manner which generates glare, is distractive or hazardous, obstructs
visibility or threatens the safety of motorists or pedestrians proceeding
along any public way or entering/leaving a private residence, business
or lot.
(d)
No sign shall be erected or maintained on the roof or eaves
of any building.
(e)
Banners in all districts but the RDD, streamers, pennants, balloons,
flags (other than national, state and/or municipal flags), etc., are
not permitted.
(2)
B-1 and B-2 Districts. Pole signs are not permitted. Only ground
signs and/or monument signs which do not exceed seven feet in total
height above finished grade are permitted as freestanding signs in
these districts, and as may be otherwise regulated herein.
C.
Vacation. In any district, all signs, other than permitted "for sale"
or "for rent" signs, shall be removed from the lot within 30 days
of the closing or vacation of a business. After 30 days from the closing,
the Borough may at any time require the owner or a successor in title
to remove the sign.
D.
Exemptions. The following signs, except as noted, shall be exempt
from the requirements of this article:
(1)
Properly authorized and/or approved street name signs, traffic-control-related
signage, etc., within any public or approved private street right-of-way,
including, but not limited to, "stop" signs, "yield" signs, signs
regulating on-street parking, etc.
(2)
All signage for any approved recreational use which is open to the
general public without charge, subject to review and approval by the
Borough.
[Amended 12-29-1997 by Ord. No. 1420; 9-15-1999 by Ord. No. 1450]
Signs shall be permitted in any Residential District, subject
to the following conditions:
A.
Nameplate sign. Not more than one such sign shall be permitted for
each single-family dwelling unit. Each sign shall not exceed two square
feet in total surface area. Any such sign shall be limited to address
number, street name, name of occupant and/or approved home occupation.
A permit shall not be required.
B.
Identification sign. Not more than one such sign shall be permitted
for each multifamily dwelling structure containing more than five
dwelling units. Each sign shall not exceed eight square feet in total
surface area and shall not be closer than 10 feet to any property
line or public right-of-way. A permit shall not be required.
C.
"For sale" or "for rent" sign. Only one such sign shall be permitted
for each front yard. Such sign shall not exceed 10 square feet in
total surface area, shall not exceed five feet in height and shall
not be closer than 10 feet to any property or public right-of-way
line. A permit shall not be required.
D.
Development sign (temporary). Signs advertising lots or houses for
sale in real estate developments, where three or more contiguous lots
in common ownership are for sale simultaneously. Only one such sign
shall be permitted for any such development, except that a second
sign shall be permitted where any such development is comprised of
10 or more contiguous lots in common ownership. Not more than two
such signs may be permitted for any such development. Each sign shall
not exceed 25 square feet in total surface area and shall be located
within the boundaries of any such development, but not closer than
10 feet to any private property line or public right-of-way.
(1)
A building permit and a sign permit shall be required for each temporary
development sign.
(2)
A performance bond equal to $100 per sign shall be required.
(3)
Any such sign shall not be erected unless an application for a sign
permit is applied for and approved by the Zoning Officer. Any such
sign shall be removed within two years after receipt of a permit or
when all of the original lots have been sold, whichever is sooner;
at which time, the performance bond will be returned.
(4)
Failure to remove the sign within the stated time period shall result
in the immediate forfeiture of the bond and the removal and disposal
of the sign by the Borough. Any such failure shall constitute a violation
of this article.
(5)
Any such sign may not be illuminated.
E.
Development sign (permanent).
(1)
Not more than one approved development sign may be permitted at each
major entrance or point of vehicular ingress/egress to and/or from
a development.
(2)
A building permit and a sign permit shall be required for each permanent
development sign.
(3)
Letters not exceeding 18 inches in height may be affixed to or engraved
on an ornamental structure, giving the name of the real estate development
or subdivision and serving as a permanent indication of the entrance(s)
to such development.
(4)
Any such sign shall not include identification of the owner, developer,
builder or realtor.
(5)
Any such sign shall not exceed 25 square feet in total surface area
per each sign face.
(6)
Any such sign shall have not more than two sign faces.
(7)
Any such sign shall not exceed a cumulative (combined) gross surface
area of 50 square feet.
(8)
Any such sign shall be no more than 10 feet in height above the finished
grade.
(9)
Any such sign shall be situated not closer than 10 feet from any
public/private property or right-of-way line.
(10)
Any such sign may be directly or indirectly illuminated by a
small white light which is not intermittent, does not flash and does
not generate glare, but instead shines directly within or onto the
sign with enough light to permit the sign to be read from the nearest
roadway at night.
F.
Bulletin signs for houses of worship. Not more than one such sign
shall be permitted for each zoning lot. Each sign shall not exceed
15 square feet in total surface area and shall not be located closer
than 10 feet to any private property line or public right-of-way.
[Amended 9-17-1997 by Ord. No. 1414; 12-29-1997 by Ord. No. 1420; 9-15-1999 by Ord. No. 1450; 9-19-2000 by Ord. No. 1469; 10-17-2001 by Ord. No. 1470; 2-20-2002 by Ord. No. 1474]
In any commercial or industrial district, signs are permitted,
subject to the following conditions:
A.
Permits required.
(1)
A building permit and a sign permit is required for each sign in
a commercial, industrial or mixed-use district.
(2)
A single building permit and single sign permit shall be required
for each banner location not part of a banner cluster, although the
banner located there may be changed as permitted herein. A single
building banner permit and a single sign permit shall be required
for each banner cluster, although the banners which are part of the
banner cluster may be changed as permitted herein.
B.
Number of business signs permitted.
(2)
In any shopping center in the RDD, individual businesses situated
within the principal structure shall only be permitted any combination
of flush-mounted exterior or interior (in a mall) signs.
(3)
In any shopping center in the RDD, individual businesses situated
elsewhere upon the same lot within a separate principal structure
may be permitted one freestanding monument-type sign and any number
of flush-mounted signs.
(4)
In any shopping center in the RDD that is comprised of 10 or more
business establishments (including businesses located in the Boroughs
of Homestead and West Homestead), the shopping center, not each individual
business, may be permitted one additional freestanding sign at each
approved principal entrance to the shopping center site, identifying
the group of businesses as a single unit. Any such development sign
shall be limited to either a monument sign with an overall height
not greater than 15 feet above the finished grade or a pylon sign
with an overall height not greater than 60 feet above finished grade.
In addition, any such development sign shall have an area not greater
than 250 square feet of sign area per side and shall be situated on
site. Any such sign, shall be limited to the name and address of the
development and/or a complete or partial listing of its tenants.
(5)
Banners may only be located on streetlights within or adjacent to
a public right-of-way within the RDD. No more than two banners may
be located on a single streetlight.
(6)
Banner clusters may only be located along Waterfront Drive in the
RDD. No more than one banner cluster may be located along Waterfront
Drive at one time.
(7)
In the RDD, one monument sign of no more than 50 square feet shall be permitted for each building of less than 100,000 square feet containing commercial, warehouse, office and/or flex office use(s) and either two monument signs of no more 50 square feet or one monument sign of no more than 100 square feet shall be permitted for each building of 100,000 square feet or larger containing commercial, warehouse, office and/or flex office use(s). Multiple buildings whose combined GFA totals at least 100,000 square feet and which share a common curb cut are permitted to use a single monument sign of no more than 100 square feet. Signs mounted on a building shall be permitted as provided in Subsection B(3) and (4) herein.
C.
Size of signs permitted.
(1)
Commercial district. The total gross surface area in square feet
for all permitted signage shall not exceed a ratio of one time the
lineal feet of the lot's frontage on a dedicated public or approved
private street right-of-way.*
(2)
Industrial district. The total gross surface area in square feet
for all permitted signage shall not exceed a ratio of two times the
lineal feet of the lot's frontage on a dedicated public or approved
private street right-of-way.*
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*Where a lot has frontage on more than one public or approved
private street, only the frontage on the one street upon which the
lot has the greater or greatest frontage shall be used in determining
the total gross surface area for all permitted signage.
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(3)
Riverfront Development District (RDD).
(a)
Permitted sign area of each use in the RDD shall be 10% of the
total area of the front building facade of that use (building height
x building width x 0.10 = permitted sign area). Permitted sign area
shall be increased by 25% for uses having frontage on more than one
public right-of-way. No more than 75% of permitted signage may be
used for signs mounted on the wall of a building.
(b)
Shopping center. For any shopping center situated in the RDD
that is comprised of 10 or more business establishments, one or more
development signs shall be permitted at approved locations which represent
major points of vehicular ingress/egress to/from the site. The cumulative
gross surface areas in square feet for all of the permitted development
signs for a particular development shall not exceed 2 1/2% of
the cumulative total of all of the front building facades in the development.
(c)
Large identification signs are permitted for any multifamily
dwelling units. Small identification signs are permitted for any multifamily
dwelling containing 50 units or less. No permit shall be required
for any identification signs.
(d)
Banners may not exceed eight feet in height and three feet in
width, not including brackets by which the banners are affixed to
each streetlight.
D.
Location of signs.
(1)
All portions of business signs shall be a minimum of five feet from
any dedicated public right-of-way unless flush-mounted.
(2)
All parts of any sign other than a development sign or a banner shall
be within 15 feet of the general ground level over which it is located,
unless flush-mounted.
(3)
A sign shall be placed so as not to interfere with the safe, regular
and orderly flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
(4)
Flush-mounted signs shall be permitted on all sides of a building,
provided they are in conformance with the area requirements and other
provisions of this chapter.
(5)
Freestanding signs shall be permitted in any yard area, provided
they are in conformance with the performance standards of this article
and other applicable provisions of this chapter.
(6)
Identification signs in the RDD shall be no closer than 10 square
feet to any property line or public right-of-way.
E.
Illumination.
(1)
No sign may generate glare.
(2)
Flashing and/or intermittent signs are prohibited.
(3)
The lighting source for indirectly illuminated signs may not be visible
from any public right-of-way.
(4)
Indirectly illuminated signs, neon signs and internally illuminated
signs are permitted.
(5)
Electronic time/temperature and/or message board signs are permitted,
subject to the other regulations of this article.
F.
Temporary signs. Temporary signs may be permitted for a period not
to exceed 14 consecutive calendar days and more not more than 28 calendar
days in any one calendar year. There shall be no limit as to the number
or size of temporary signs, except that such signs must be located
on the lot of the business whose opening, sale or ownership is being
advertised, and that such signs shall not constitute a hazard or impediment
to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
G.
Directional signs. Two directional signs are permitted for each means
of ingress and egress, and each such sign may not exceed four square
feet in total surface area. Directional signs shall not be included
when determining permitted signage.
H.
Menu boards. In addition to other permitted signs, a fast-food restaurant
may provide a menu board for drive-through customers. A menu board
shall not be located within the required front yard setback area,
shall not exceed 20 square feet in total surface area, and shall not
impede the safe flow of traffic.
I.
Automobile service stations.
(1)
Not more than two price signs may be attached to the permitted freestanding
sign. The area of these signs shall be included in the total permitted
signage surface area. The total surface area of all freestanding signs
shall not exceed 50 square feet.
(2)
Additional signs are permitted on and above gasoline pump islands,
provided they do not extend beyond the edge of the island and are
within 15 feet of the ground. The total surface area of all permitted
freestanding and pump island signs shall not exceed 200 square feet.
(3)
State inspection shingles, where applicable, shall not exceed 24
inches by 26 inches in dimension and may be flush-mounted on the structure.
J.
Awning signs. Signs on awnings are exempt from the limitations imposed
by this article regarding the location of signs with respect to the
public right-of-way. An awning sign shall be affixed flat to the surface
of the awning; may be internally illuminated (backlighted), provided
that it generates no glare; may only list the business name and/or
address and shall otherwise conform to the regulations outlined under
this article.
L.
"For sale" or "for rent" signs.
(1)
Number. Only one such sign shall be permitted for each business and
may be located in a required front yard.
(2)
Size. Any such sign shall not exceed 10 square feet in total surface
area and shall, unless affixed to the face of the building, not be
closer than five feet to any private property line or public right-of-way.
(3)
Real estate "for sale" or "for rent" signs in any commercial, mixed-use
or general service (industrial) district shall not exceed five feet
in height unless approved by Council.
M.
Banner signs. Banner signs may be bracketed to any streetlight along
Waterfront Drive; provided, however, that no more than two banners
may be located on a single streetlight. Banners shall be exempt from
the other limitations imposed by this article unless specifically
made applicable to banners.
