Signs may be erected and maintained only when in compliance with the provisions of this article and any and all other ordinances and regulations of this Township which may be applicable.
The following signs shall be permitted in all districts and shall not be subject to the provisions of this article unless otherwise specifically cited herein. (No zoning permit required.)
A. 
Signs of a duly constituted local, state or federal governmental body, including traffic or similar safety and regulatory devices, legal notices, railway warning signals, memorial signs or tablets;
B. 
Small signs with a surface area not exceeding three square feet, displayed for the direction or convenience of the public, which identify landmarks, parking areas, convenience facilities and similar features; and
C. 
One temporary nonlighted sign on a construction site, not exceeding an area of 32 square feet, denoting engineer, architect, contractor or funding agencies and related information regarding the development.
In the A-1, R-1, R-2 and R-3 Districts, the following requirements shall apply.
A. 
The following signs shall be permitted:
(1) 
One permanent identification sign for each dwelling unit, which may cite the name of the occupant, address and other distinguishing features of the structure or property. Such signs shall not exceed three square feet in area. (No zoning permit required.)
(2) 
One temporary nonlighted real estate sign pertaining to the sale, lease, hire or rental of property on which the sign is displayed, not to exceed six square feet in area. (No zoning permit required.)
(3) 
One announcement sign designating a bed-and-breakfast, professional uses, group residential facilities, day-care or home occupations, provided all such signs shall be limited to four square feet in area.
(4) 
One permanent announcement sign erected by churches, schools, hospitals, funeral homes, cemeteries, municipal facilities, business activities or similar permitted uses, which may include any appropriate message, provided that the area of such sign shall not exceed 24 square feet in area.
(5) 
Temporary signs advertising a garage sale, political campaign, street fair or other temporary activity, or a temporary sign directing persons to the location of such activity. Signs must be removed within seven days of termination of the activity and shall not exceed 12 square feet in area. (No zoning permit required.)
(6) 
Signs relating to the sale of farm products produced on the premises in A-1 Districts, and temporary signs relating to the sale of agricultural products produced on the premises in residential districts. Such signs shall be displayed only when seasonal sales are taking place and removed when not applicable. Said signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in area and shall be limited to two such signs for each sales site. (No zoning permit required.)
(7) 
Signs for private and commercial business permitted in A-1 Districts shall be established in accordance with the following requirements:
(a) 
Signs shall be limited to the immediate site.
(b) 
Signs shall relate only to the activities at the immediate site.
(c) 
There shall be no more than two signs at each business site.
(d) 
Individual signs shall not exceed 20 square feet in area.
(e) 
Signs mounted on a wall, canopy or other portion of a principal site structure shall not protrude more than 18 inches beyond the wall on which said signs are mounted.
B. 
Signs in all A and R Districts shall be located a minimum distance of four feet from the street or road right-of-way, if no sidewalk exists, and two feet from the inside edge of the walk, if such a walk exists.
C. 
The bottommost part of a sign shall not be more than two feet above ground level, except signs attached to a building. No sign shall project above a roof or be mounted on a building above the eave line of a roof or extend above a public sidewalk.
In the Commercial and Industrial Districts, the following requirements shall apply.
A. 
The following signs shall be permitted:
(1) 
Temporary signs not exceeding six square feet in area advertising the sale or rental or development of property. (No zoning permit required.)
(2) 
Signs advertising business conducted or services, material or equipment for sale on the premises.
B. 
Business signs shall have an aggregate area not greater than one square foot for each foot of width of the principal building on the premises.
(1) 
Individual signs shall not exceed 32 square feet in area.
(2) 
Signs shall be located a minimum distance of 10 feet from the street right-of-way line.
(3) 
No sign shall be mounted on a building above the eave line of a roof or extend above a public sidewalk or vehicular right-of-way.
Business signs established for said shopping and business areas shall meet the following criteria.
A. 
Total combined maximum area of all freestanding pole signs and/or ground signs:
(1) 
For facilities with highway frontage of between 150 lineal feet and 250 lineal feet, the following requirements shall apply:
150 to 200 linear feet; maximum sign area to 300 square feet
201 to 250 linear feet; maximum sign area to 400 square feet
(2) 
Five-hundred-square-foot maximum at facilities with highway frontage in excess of 250 lineal feet.
B. 
Signs per unit of use within the site, affixed to the subject premises, shall be limited to one square foot of sign area per lineal foot of frontage, up to a maximum of 100 square feet of sign area.
C. 
Signs shall be located a minimum distance of 25 feet from the public street right-of-way line.
D. 
No sign shall be set closer than 50 feet of a rear or side property line.
Portable or mobile sign displays for special sales, announcements and related purposes, subject to the following provisions:
A. 
Display area of temporary signs shall not exceed 32 square feet. Said area may be in addition to maximum areas specified in this article for permanent signs.
B. 
No portion of the sign or its supporting structure shall occupy a public right-of-way.
C. 
Permits for the placement of such signs shall be issued for a maximum of 90 consecutive days and may be renewed no more than one time during any consecutive three-hundred-sixty-five-day period.
The following standards shall apply to signs in all zoning districts of the Township:
A. 
No sign shall be located or constructed to obstruct or interfere with any traffic control signal, sign, device or intersection sight triangle.
B. 
All signs shall be constructed of durable materials and shall not be permitted to become unsightly or dilapidated.
C. 
No sign shall be permitted that is deemed to constitute a hazard of any kind.
D. 
Signs shall not be attached to utility poles except when authorized for public purposes by the pole owner.
E. 
A sign shall be removed within 30 days when the circumstances that led to its erection no longer apply or if safety violations occur. Circumstances that dictate sign removal shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) 
The creation of a safety hazard.
(2) 
Dilapidation.
(3) 
Vacancy or termination of the subject business for more than 90 days.
(4) 
Legal transfer of ownership of a property that involves a change of name or business activity.
(5) 
The completion of an event, business transaction or other activity for which the sign was originally installed.
(6) 
Any illegality under the provisions of this chapter or regulation of a duly constituted governmental authority.
F. 
Signs shall be subject to the following regulations:
(1) 
All lighting and illumination of signs shall conform to regulations regarding traffic hazards as specified in local and state regulations.
(2) 
Signs or devices with flashing, moving or similar lighting or animation are prohibited in all zoning districts.
G. 
Business signs shall be permitted only when in conjunction with a business or industry located on the immediate premises, except for billboards. Billboards may be permitted as a conditional use when approved by the Board of Supervisors, provided the following requirements are met:
(1) 
Location.
(a) 
Billboards shall not be erected within 100 feet of the right-of-way line of a public road.
(b) 
Billboards shall be limited to A-1 Agricultural and M-1 and M-2 Industrial Districts.
(c) 
Billboards shall not be erected within 100 feet of the boundary line of any R-1, R-2 or R-3 District or within 200 feet of the property line of any public or private school or church property.
(2) 
Size and height.
(a) 
Billboards shall have a maximum allowable gross surface area of 300 square feet per sign face. As used in this section, "sign face" shall mean the entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of writing, representation, emblem or any figure or similar character together with any frame or other material, excluding necessary supports or uprights upon which such sign is placed. For signs utilizing individual letters or figures or characters mounted directly on a wall or a structure, the sign face shall be the entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the writing, representation or other communication material.
(b) 
The billboard's surface area shall not exceed 20 feet in total height or 40 feet in total length.
(c) 
Billboard structure shall be limited to a maximum height of 40 feet above the surface of the roadway from which it is intended to be viewed.
(3) 
Construction methods. Billboards shall be constructed in accordance with applicable provisions of the Township's Code. In addition thereto:
(a) 
A billboard shall be independently supported and have vertical supports of metal that are treated to prevent rust and corrosion.
(b) 
Vertical supports shall be capable of enabling the entire sign face to be able to withstand a minimum 80 mile per hour wind load.
(c) 
All grading shall be in accordance with the Township ordinances.
(d) 
No bare cuts are permitted on a hillside.
(e) 
All cuts or fills must be permanently seeded or planted.
(f) 
A billboard with display lighting shall be constructed so that it does not glare upon adjoining property and shall not exceed a maximum footcandle of 1.5 upon the adjoining property.
(g) 
No billboard or display lighting shall move, flash or emit noise.
(h) 
The minimum front, side or rear yard requirements applying to a principal use, as set forth within a zoning district in which the billboard is to be located, shall apply to each structure.
(i) 
No billboard shall be erected in such a manner as to block the view from a road or street.
(j) 
No billboard shall be constructed within the clear sight triangle of the public street or road on which it is situated.
(k) 
The density (spacing) of billboard placement, regardless of the size of individual installations, shall not exceed two billboards per each lineal mile of public right-of-way.
(l) 
Billboards may not be mounted on the roof, wall or other part of a building or any other structure.
(4) 
Maintenance.
(a) 
The aesthetic quality of billboards shall be maintained at all times.
(b) 
Every five years, the owner of a billboard shall have a structural inspection made of each such sign by a qualified Pennsylvania registered engineer or architect and shall provide to the Township a written certificate and report certifying structural integrity.
(c) 
Billboards found to be in violation of this or any other Township ordinance shall be brought into compliance therewith or removed within 30 days upon written notification by the Township.
(d) 
Billboards using removable paper or other materials shall be maintained.
(5) 
Permits. No billboard shall be erected without first obtaining a permit from the Township and any other approvals, including, but not limited to, that of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
(6) 
Presently existing advertising signs.
(a) 
No billboard existing in the Township as of the effective date of this chapter shall be expanded in any manner except as may be otherwise provided in this section.
(b) 
In the event a presently existing billboard is removed and a replacement sign is erected in its place, said replacement sign must be built in complete conformity with this section.
A. 
A zoning permit shall be required for the erection of signs under this chapter, except that no permit shall be required for the following exclusions:
(1) 
Signs specified under § 260-53 of this chapter.
(2) 
Signs specified under § 260-54A(1), (2), (5) and (6) of this chapter.
(3) 
Signs specified under § 260-55A(1) of this chapter.
B. 
Each application for a permit shall be accompanied by a drawing to scale showing the proposed sign, the size, general characteristics, method of illumination, the exact location of the sign in relation to the lot and structure involved and other data as may be required by the Zoning Officer.
C. 
A fee shall accompany each application for a permit. Such fees shall be established by resolution of the Township Board of Supervisors.