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.
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
| |
|---|---|
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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:
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:
(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.
