The purpose of this article is to permit such signs that will
not, by their size, location, construction or manner of display, obstruct
the vision necessary for traffic safety or otherwise endanger public
health, safety and morals and to permit and regulate signs in such
a way to support and complement Slippery Rock Borough's community
character and advance the community objectives set forth in the Borough
Comprehensive Plan. Additionally, the purposes of the Borough's
sign regulations are to:
A. Encourage the effective use of signs as a means of identification
and communication.
B. Maintain and enhance the Borough's unique community aesthetic
and character.
C. Promote pedestrian and vehicular safety and prohibit the erection
of signs in such numbers, sizes and designs and locations that may
create a hazard to pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
D. Minimize adverse effects of signs on nearby public and private property.
E. Promote and protect the public health, safety, morals, and general
welfare of the Borough.
F. Promote the installation of signs that are complementary to the buildings
they serve and consistent with the general character of the surrounding
development.
G. Provide adequate identification for locations within the Borough
while minimizing sign clutter and confusion.
H. Avoid the uncontrolled proliferation of signs.
I. Promote legibility, reduce the time needed to read signs, and reduce
vehicular driver distraction.
J. Restrict signs that overload the public's capacity to receive
information or that increase the probability of traffic congestion
and accidents by distracting attention or obstructing vision.
K. Avoid potential hazards to motorists and pedestrians using the public
streets, sidewalks, and rights-of-way.
L. Control public nuisances created by signs.
The following definitions shall be used for the purpose of this
article and for all articles of this chapter:
ADDRESS MARKER
A marker, not more than two square feet in size, indicating
the address and/or name of a residential property or indicating the
address of a commercial property.
AWNING SIGN
A sign painted or incorporated into a roof-like cover, often
made of fabric, metal or glass, designed and intended for protection
from the weather or as a decorative embellishment, which projects
from a wall or roof over a window, walk or door.
BILLBOARD
An off-premises sign that conveys information regarding an
establishment, an activity, a person, a product, or a service that
is unrelated to or unavailable on the premises on which the sign is
located.
SIGN
A sign is a name, identification, description, display (including
electronic) or illustration which is affixed to, or painted, or represented
directly or indirectly upon a building, structure, or piece of land
and which directs attention to an object, product, place, activity,
persons, institution, organization, or business. The definition of
"sign" does not include the display of any official court or public
office notices, nor any official or municipal traffic control or parking
sign or device, nor shall it include the flag, emblem or insignia
of a nation, state, county, municipality, school, or a religious group.
A sign shall not include a name, identification, description, display
or illustration that is located completely within an enclosed building.
SIGN, ANIMATED
Any sign or part of a sign or sign face that changes physical
position or light intensity by any movement or rotation or that gives
the visual impression of such movement or rotation of the sign or
sign face.
SIGN AREA
The entire sign face (one side only), or, where the sign
consists of raised letters or symbols, or a sign face of irregular
shape, the sign area shall include the area of the smallest rectangle,
circle or oval that can encompass the letters, symbols, or irregularly
shaped sign face.
SIGN, BANNER
Any sign intended to be hung, either with or without frames,
of lightweight material such as paper, plastic, or fabric of any kind.
National flags, state or municipal flags or the official flag of any
institution or business shall not be considered banners.
SIGN, BUILDING
A sign attached to any part of a building, including a sign
projecting from a part of a building.
SIGN, CANOPY
A sign attached to a roof extension of a building, with or
without support, but not walls.
SIGN, CHANGEABLE COPY OR LETTERING
A sign or portion thereof with characters, letters, or illustrations
that can be changed or rearranged, mechanically or electronically,
without altering the face or the surface of the sign.
SIGN, DIRECTIONAL
A sign, no greater than five square feet in size, that provides
on-site directional assistance or instruction to vehicular or pedestrian
traffic relative to parking area, entrances and exits. Such sign shall
contain no advertising other than the business name or logo and shall
provide directional information, such as "No Parking," "Entrance,"
"Exit," "One Way," "Loading Only," "Telephone," and other similar
directives. Directional incidental signs shall be located only in
conjunction with site drive entrances and/or internal traffic drive
aisles.
SIGN, FREESTANDING
A sign that is supported from the ground and not attached
to a building. The sign may be attached to a pole, mast, frame or
other structure that is not itself an integral part of, or attached
to, a building.
SIGN, LED
Any sign or portion thereof that displays electronic images,
graphics, or pictures, with or without textual information, using
LEDs (light-emitting diodes), fiber optics, light bulbs, or other
illumination devices or combination thereof within the display area
and where a static message change sequence is accomplished immediately
or by means of fade, repixilation, dissolve or other such modes, devices,
processes, products, applications or technologies from a proximate
or remote location. Such signs include computer-programmable and microprocessor-controlled
electronic displays.
SIGN, MARQUEE
A sign attached to a permanent structure, other than a roof,
attached to, supported by, and projecting from a building, and providing
protection from natural elements.
SIGN, MONUMENT
A freestanding sign in which a solid structure, the width
of which is equal to or greater than the width of the sign face, is
used to mount the sign area on, in or as an integral part of such
structure.
SIGN, POLITICAL
A temporary sign directly associated with any national, state,
or local government election.
SIGN, TEMPORARY
Any sign not permanently attached to the ground or other
permanent structure or designed to be transported.
SIGN, WALL
Any sign painted on or adhered directly to a wall of a building.
The following types of signs shall not require the issuance
of a sign permit:
B. Signs erected by a public agency or utility providing warning or
information to the public, and any signs erected by the Borough or
under direction of the Borough.
C. Signs denoting the availability of property for lease or sale, a
maximum of 12 square feet in area and a maximum of one sign per property.
Such signs shall be permitted only if the property on which the sign
is located, or a building thereon, is for lease or sale. No such sign
shall be located within the public right-of-way.
D. Political signs. Such signs shall be removed within seven days after
the political event for which they were intended.
The following signs are permitted in residential zoning districts:
A. Building signs for identification of home occupations or no-impact
home-based businesses shall be permitted, provided that such sign
is a maximum of five square feet and shall not be illuminated.
B. Monument signs identifying a residential development or neighborhood,
provided that the maximum sign area shall be 18 square feet per sign
face and the sign shall not exceed four feet in height.
C. Signs displaying name, activities and/or functions for public institutions
(churches, public schools, accredited private schools, and publicly
owned or operated buildings), provided that:
(1)
One monument sign is permitted on a property.
(a)
The maximum sign area shall not exceed 30 square feet per sign
face, and there shall be a maximum of two sign faces.
(b)
Changeable copy/lettering and LED signs are permitted, provided
that they do not comprise more than 50% of the total sign area. Except
as to permitted location, all other requirements of this chapter for
LED signs shall be met.
(c)
The maximum height shall be four feet.
(d)
No monument sign shall be located in such a manner as to obstruct
traffic sight visibility.
(2)
One building sign is permitted per building.
(3)
The maximum sign area shall be 15 square feet, and the sign
shall meet all other building sign requirements of this chapter.
Any physical change or alteration to the structure of an existing,
nonconforming sign, excluding regular maintenance and in-kind replacement
of the sign face, requires compliance with the requirements of this
chapter.