All signs erected under this section shall conform to the requirements
of the Township Building Code. All signs, as defined, shall require
a permit for the erection and maintenance of the same, unless otherwise
stated.
A. A sign not expressly permitted is prohibited.
B. Sign area. The square-foot area of a sign shall be computed as defined in "sign, gross surface area" in §
27-202 of this chapter.
C. Sign location. No sign shall be located in such a position that it
will cause a hazard by obstructing visibility. No sign shall interfere
with minimum site distance required by PennDOT standards from access
drives to a street. No sign, other than official traffic signs and
off-premises directional signs placed by a government agency, shall
hang over or be erected within the right-of-way of any street, except
as and subject to the following:
(1)
A monument sign as an off-premises directional sign, not to exceed 150 square feet and 12 feet in height, notwithstanding stricter requirements which may be imposed by Chapter
21, Streets and Sidewalks. The sign shall be located within the CC Commercial Corridor or LI Large-Scale Industrial Districts and is approved in accordance with the procedures set forth within and meets the standards of Chapter
21, Streets and Sidewalks. The sign shall not include automatic or manual changeable copy signs.
(2)
Off-premises directional signs shall receive approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, when required, and shall meet the policies and standards of Jackson Township, including those set forth in Chapter
21, Streets and Sidewalks.
(3)
The sign shall function as a directional sign, limited to the
name and address of the office park(s) or retail center(s) to which
the sign provides direction and the names of establishments located
therein.
D. Maintenance and inspection. All signs shall be constructed of a durable material and maintained in good condition. All signs, other than those constructed of decay-resistant wood, shall bear a protective treatment to guard against rust or decay. Signs using removable paper or other materials and general signs bearing protective coatings such as paint shall be maintained in such condition as to eliminate loose or frayed material protruding or hanging or falling from the structure. Any sign found to be in an unsafe or poorly maintained condition upon inspection shall be declared to be a public nuisance, and the Zoning Officer shall give notice to the owner in writing, in accordance with Part
25 of this chapter, to repair or remove the sign within 10 days. Upon failure of the owner to comply, the Township shall remove the sign at the owner's expense.
(1)
Externally illuminated signs.
(a)
Illumination, when authorized by this chapter, shall be directed
upon the sign face and not towards adjoining properties or streets.
(b)
Flashing or oscillating signs shall not be permitted.
(c)
Lighting shall be stationary and constant in intensity and color
at all times.
(d)
The intensity of any source of illumination of any sign, whether
indirect or internal, shall be controlled so as to not exceed a maximum
of 1.0 footcandle at the property line.
(e)
External light bulb fixtures shall project no colors.
(f)
Lighting emitted by signage shall be subject to lighting standards
otherwise applicable to the property.
(2)
The following shall apply to all internally illuminated signs,
including automatic changeable copy signs and electronic message centers:
(a)
Where otherwise authorized by this chapter within the R Residential
District, IIS signs shall have a minimum display time of 12 seconds.
The transition time between messages and/or message frames is limited
to one second.
(b)
Where otherwise authorized by this chapter within the MU, Mixed
Use, CC Commercial Corridor, TO Transitional Overlay, and LI Large-Scale
Industrial Districts, IIC signs shall have a minimum display time
of eight seconds.
(c)
The following display features and functions are prohibited
on all signs: scrolling, traveling, flashing, spinning, rotating,
fade, dissolve, any other moving effects, and all dynamic frame effects
or patterns of illusionary movement or simulated movement.
(d)
Signs may be illuminated at night. Signs that are illuminated
at night may not exceed a maximum luminance level of 250 cd/m2 or NITS, regardless of the method of illumination.
(e)
All illuminated signs must comply with the maximum luminance
level of 250 cd/m2 or NITS at least 1/2
hour before apparent sunset, as determined by the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States Department of
Commerce, for the specific geographic location and date. All illuminated
signs must comply with this maximum luminance level throughout the
night, if the sign is energized, until apparent sunrise, as determined
by the NOAA, at which time the sign may resume luminance levels appropriate
for daylight conditions, when required or appropriate.
(f)
Luminance levels of illuminated signs shall not otherwise exceed
5,000 NITS.
(g)
Signs that have external illumination, whether the lighting
is mounted above or below the sign face or panel, shall have lighting
fixtures or luminaires that are fully shielded.
E. Permit requirements. Each application for a sign permit shall be
accompanied by a drawing to scale showing the design which is being
proposed, the size, character and color of letter, lines and symbols,
method of illumination, the exact location of the sign in relation
to the building and property and construction details. The application
shall be accompanied by the permit fee, as designated in the Township
fee resolution.
F. Permit expiration. Any permit issued by the Zoning Officer for erection,
alteration, replacement or relocation of any sign shall expire automatically
within six months of the date of issuance if work authorized by the
permit has not been initiated and diligently pursued. G. Existing
nonconforming signs. Every sign or other advertising structure lawfully
in existence on the effective date of this chapter may not be replaced,
altered or relocated, unless it is made to comply with this section.
A change in wording of the sign message does not constitute replacement,
alteration or relocation and, as such, shall be permitted.
G. There is no setback requirement for signs whose area does not exceed
two square feet, except that no private sign is permitted in any street
right-of-way, unless otherwise provided by this chapter.
H. All setbacks specified within this chapter shall apply to the entirety
of the sign, including elements that overhang or extend from the supporting
structure.
I. No sign shall bear any part moved by natural or mechanical means
which flash, revolve, rotate, swing, undulate, or convey the impression
of such movements through digital or analog means.
J. No part of any sign shall provide for movement, the impression of
movement, or animation, nor shall any sign emit noise.
K. No sign or structure shall be erected at any location where, by reason
of the position, shape or color of the sign or structure, it may interfere
with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic
sign, signal or device or restricting sight distance.
L. A sign shall bear no more than two faces.
M. Obscene signs are prohibited. No sign shall utilize sexually explicit
or suggestive language or graphics, nor any illustration of specified
sexual activities or specified anatomical areas as defined in this
chapter, and/or bear language deemed obscene by Chapter 59, Public
Indecency, of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code.
N. Pennants, balloons, and similar signage shall not be permitted as
temporary signs.
O. Automatic changeable copy signs shall not bear advertising of an
establishment, an activity, a product, a service or entertainment
which is sold, produced, manufactured, available or furnished at a
site other than on the premises on which the sign is located.
P. Within 90 days of a business's closing, the sign copy of the associated
obsolete sign or signs shall be removed or obscured in a manner commensurate
with general construction standards outlined herein.
Q. Exempt signs. The following types of signs are exempted from permit
requirements and square footage maximums but must be in conformance
with all other requirements of this Part 20:
(1)
Messages placed on the inside of a building, except that no
such sign identifying the business and affixed to the inside of the
window can be larger than 50 square feet.
(2)
Real estate signs not exceeding 12 square feet in area and advertising
the sale, rental or lease of the premises on which the sign is located;
one real estate sign per road frontage, up to a maximum of two such
signs on any one lot at a time.
(3)
A sign not exceeding three square feet in area, used only to
display the name(s) of the individuals, family, organization or institution
occupying the premises.
(4)
Traffic signs or other municipal signs, danger signs, railroad
crossing signs, legal notices and trespassing signs.
(5)
Official notices posted by public officers or employees in the
performance of the officer's or employee's duties.
(6)
Directional signs for hospitals, medical clinics, ambulances,
essential services, libraries and churches up to four square feet,
with no more than three erected at different locations at any one
time throughout the Township, each to be less than 10 feet in height.
Same may not be located within the public right-of-way.
(7)
Signs placed on or affixed to vehicles and/or trailers where
the sign is incidental to the primary use of the vehicle or trailer.
However, this is not in any way intended to permit signs placed on
or affixed to vehicles and/or trailers that are parked on a public
right-of-way, public property or private property so as to be visible
from a public right-of-way where the apparent purpose is to advertise
a product or direct people to a business or activity located on the
same or nearby property.
(8)
Directional signs designating parking area entrances and exits,
limited to one sign for each entrance and/or exit, not exceeding four
square feet in gross surface area and containing no advertising matter.
Parking lot directional signs shall not project higher than five feet.
(9)
American and State of Pennsylvania flags, vertically supported
on a single pole and no larger than 100 square feet.
(10)
Signs for home occupation, where permitted, shall not exceed
two square feet in area on one side in any district.
(11)
Political signs, regulated in § 27-1803.G.
(12)
Holiday decorations temporarily displayed on traditionally accepted
patriotic or religious holidays.
(13)
Window display signs are exempt from permitting requirements
up to 30 square feet of area per establishment. Additional area shall
be subject to the requirements applied to wall signs within this Part
20.
Where a gas or service station is engaged in the on-premises
retail sale of gasoline or other motor vehicle fuels, the following
signage shall be authorized as an accessory use:
A. Monument signs are authorized as follows:
(1)
In lieu of a freestanding or monument sign otherwise authorized
by this Part 18, one monument sign bearing up to 75 square feet of
sign area is authorized on the premises of the gas or service station.
(2)
An automatic changeable copy sign may comprise up to 36 square
feet of said sign area when primarily used for the display of fuel
pricing.
(3)
The monument sign shall not exceed nine feet in height.
(4)
The monument sign shall be located at least 10 feet from the
front property line and 20 feet from side or rear property lines.
(5)
Where the gas or service station is located on a corner lot,
a second sign meeting the standards of this section may be located
on the secondary frontage, provided that both frontages border an
arterial street or an internal street within a retail center or office
park.
(6)
Where the parcel lies within a retail center or office park,
the authorized monument sign may be located within the front yard
adjoining an exterior arterial or collector street.
B. A canopy sign not to exceed 50 square feet on each face of a canopy
covering fuel stations.
No temporary sign shall be approved as a permanent sign, whether
as a wall sign or freestanding sign. The following descriptions outline
what constitutes a temporary sign:
A. Construction signs and development signs shall be authorized as temporary
signs not exceeding in the aggregate 25 square feet, announcing the
erection of a building, the architect, the builders, contractors,
etc., that may be erected on the premises for a period of 60 days,
plus the construction period, the total not to exceed one year after
the date of issuance of a permit, after which the sign shall be removed
from the premises.
B. One temporary sign, not exceeding in the aggregate 32 square feet,
announcing the opening, closing, change of management or change of
location of a business, may be erected on the premises for a period
of 30 days after the date of issuance of a permit, after which the
sign shall be removed from the premises.
C. One temporary sign, not exceeding in the aggregate 32 square feet,
announcing special sales, may be erected on the premises three times
a year for a period with each period not exceeding 45 days after the
date of issuance, after which the sign shall be removed from the premises.
D. Temporary signs for nonprofit organizations shall not exceed 32 square
feet, except for banners over streets. Such temporary signs shall
be displayed for a period not to exceed 10 calendar days. No more
than one temporary sign per nonprofit organization shall be permitted
within any two-month period.
E. Temporary signs identified as banners must be hung a minimum height
of 20 feet above the street, with supports and fastenings to be approved
by the Building Inspector. Temporary cloth signs, banners, streamers,
etc., requested to be hung over streets shall be for civic or community
affairs of a public or semipublic nature and not for private gain.
They shall be removed as soon as torn or damaged, and not later than
30 days after erection. Also, an indemnification is required, saving
the Township harmless from any and all judgments, costs or expenses
that the Township may incur or suffer by permitting the erection of
the temporary sign.
F. One off-premises directional sign for a plan of 10 lots or more is
permitted, up to 25 square feet, for a maximum one-year period. Same
may be renewed on a yearly basis until 85% of the lots are sold, if
the sign is maintained in a proper structural and aesthetic condition
and in compliance with safety provisions.
G. Political signs may be erected or maintained for a period not to
exceed 12 weeks prior to the date the election to which such signs
are applicable is scheduled to occur. The same shall be removed within
five days following the election. Temporary political signs shall
not project higher than 15 feet, as measured from the base of the
sign or grade of the nearest adjacent roadway, whichever is higher.
The following provisions shall also apply:
(1)
Public right-of-way. There shall be no limit on the permitted
number of temporary political signs displayed.
(2)
In the public right-of-way, no such sign may be located across,
over or extending onto the paved portion of any public roadway. Temporary
political signs located in a public right-of-way shall be erected
or installed in such a manner so as not to interfere with or obstruct
access, activity or vision along any public right-of-way. Further,
such signs shall not be attached to or placed on traffic signals,
utility poles, trees or other similar vegetation.
H. A maximum of two off-premises temporary signs, not exceeding in the
aggregate six square feet, for farmers selling their own produce or
those engaging in the sale of products resulting from plant cultivation
activity, as permitted and defined in this section.
The following signs shall be allotted for residential developments
and plans, including group dwelling facilities and multifamily uses,
regardless of the zoning district in which each is located:
A. Two freestanding signs or monument signs, one on each side of a street or access drive entering the development site, for one such access of the subdivision or planned residential development plan or multifamily land development are permitted as of right subject to the standards of this section. Additional such signs shall be authorized as a conditional use subject to the standards of this section and subject to Part
15, Conditional Uses.
B. Freestanding signs shall not exceed 10 square feet in gross surface
area per face and five feet in height.
C. Monument signs shall not exceed 15 square feet in gross surface area.
D. Monument signs shall not exceed six feet in height.
E. The sign may only be illuminated by external lighting. The lighting
may not exceed 0.5 footcandle as measured at the face of the sign.
F. Signs shall bear only the name and/or the address of the subject
plan.
G. Each sign shall be set back at least five feet from the right-of-way
line and shall not obstruct required sight distance.
H. Signs shall be accompanied by low-level landscaping with at least
five low-level landscaping plantings in the immediate vicinity of
each sign.
I. The signs shall be set back at least 25 feet from side or rear property
lines adjacent to residentially zoned building lots.
J. A directory sign is authorized as per §
27-1804.
The following shall apply to premises where home occupations
are approved, regardless of the district in which the home occupation
is located:
A. One freestanding or wall sign two square feet in area.
(1)
A freestanding sign shall not exceed four feet in height.
(2)
A freestanding sign shall be located no closer than 20 feet
from the front property line and shall be located in the center 1/3
of the length of the front lot line.
(3)
Freestanding signs and wall signs shall not be illuminated.
B. Conditional uses in the general residential district. Where specific standards are otherwise listed for such uses within this chapter, said standards shall prevail. Otherwise, those standards applied to adaptive reuses within the Transitional Overlay, as set forth in §
27-1809, shall apply.
C. Institutional uses. Any nonresidential principal use classified as "Institutional" under the general use classes set forth in the Use Authorization Table in Part
27 of this chapter shall be authorized one monument sign, not to exceed 50 square feet, which may include, in whole or in part, automatic or manual changeable copy signs, not to exceed one sign per use or per lot, whichever is less. The sign shall not exceed seven feet in height and shall be set back at least eight feet from adjoining streets and street rights-of-way. Said sign shall be set back a minimum of 25 feet from any lot line adjoining a lot bearing a residential principal use.
The standards contained in this section shall apply to all parcels
within retail centers and office parks:
A. Retail centers, signs. Each retail center which bears 500 or more
feet of continuous frontage along an arterial street is permitted
one monument sign located on front yards borne by the perimeter of
the retail center along said street(s), and conforming to the following
specifications. The aforesaid 500 feet shall be interpreted to mean
that which is borne along any one such street stated, as opposed to
a cumulative amount where frontage on multiple such streets exists.
B. Retail sign dimensions.
(1)
The maximum size of any such sign shall be 150 square feet per
face.
(2)
The maximum height of the monument sign shall be 12 feet.
(3)
The sign shall be located at least 10 feet from the front property
line and 20 feet from side or rear property lines.
(4)
The monument sign may include an automatic changeable copy sign
not to exceed 16 square feet per face, wherein the square footage
of the sign is applied to and made an integral part of the overall
square footage authorized for the sign. Additionally, the character
height shall not exceed 18 inches in height, with no more than two
lines of copy per electronic signboard, and all copy or other images
that physically change or give the appearance of change shall be displayed
at intervals of not less than five seconds. Running, flashing, scrolling
or other distracting movement of the changeable copy is prohibited.
The sign shall utilize snap-and-erase or comparable standard motion
settings that do not permit animation wherein no more than 1/4 of
a second shall pass from the beginning to the completion of each single
copy's display.
(5)
The monument sign may include a manual changeable copy sign
where no automatic changeable copy sign is installed, wherein the
square footage of the sign is applied to and made an integral part
of the overall square footage authorized for the sign and is limited
to 30% of the overall square footage proposed.
(6)
Applications for monument signs authorized by this section which
exceed 50 square feet per face shall include a photometric plan sealed
by a qualified engineer to demonstrate lighting commensurate with
this chapter.
C. Office parks, freestanding and monument entrance signs. Office parks shall be authorized and limited to freestanding signs or monument signs for park entrances in the same manner and shall meet the same standards, requirements, and limitations as signs authorized in §
27-1806, Residential developments.
D. Each retail center is allocated an additional freestanding sign where
the center bears an entrance onto an additional street as secondary
frontage. A secondary freestanding sign for retail centers which complies
with the amount, height, and specifications authorized for freestanding
signs on stand-alone parcels by zoning district is authorized with
the following standards:
(1)
No automatic changeable copy signs are authorized as an accessory
to such signs.
(2)
Where a retail center bears less than 500 feet of secondary
frontage along an arterial street, the aforesaid authorization for
an additional freestanding sign in conformance with stand-alone parcel
standards by zoning district shall apply. Where the center bears more
than 500 feet of continuous frontage on more than one such street,
either may be selected as the primary frontage, and the allocations
for primary and secondary signs shall be applied accordingly.
(3)
The square footage authorized for a secondary entrance sign
(monument sign) shall be in addition to that authorized for a primary
entrance sign.
E. Individual businesses on outparcels within retail centers or office
parks may install one freestanding sign fronting on the access drive
utilized by the parcel which shall be limited to six square feet per
face and shall extend no higher than four feet from the grade of ground.
The authorized sign shall include only information pertaining to activities
on that particular parcel and shall be set back at least eight feet
from the access drive.
F. Individual principal buildings within office parks shall be authorized one freestanding monument sign that conforms to the standards of §
27-1809.
G. Illumination. The signs authorized herein shall be subject to those standards and limitations cited in §
27-1513, as well as those applied to stand-alone parcels by district.
H. Wall signs are authorized in accordance with those specified for
stand-alone parcels by zoning district.
I. Each establishment within a retail center or office park may utilize
one arcade sign in addition to wall signage allotted not to exceed
six square feet.
J. Directional signs of up to four square feet are authorized as freestanding
or monument-style signs within retail centers and office parks when
adjoining parking areas and internal drive aisles and access drives.
The language on said signs shall be limited to the name and address
of the establishment and corresponding directional symbols or language.
Otherwise, the standards otherwise applied to freestanding or monument
signs within the retail center or office park shall prevail.
The following are authorized for stand-alone parcels within
the Transitional Overlay:
A. Adaptive reuses.
(1)
For adaptive reuses, one wall sign per lot not more than 20 square feet in area. The projection of the wall sign shall not exceed two feet measured from the face of the main wall of the building to which it is attached, and it may not project beyond the ends or top of the wall to which it is attached. Where the use constitutes a small-scale retail facility or retail center, wall signs shall be allocated in accordance with §
27-1810, Stand-alone parcels in CC and LI Districts.
(2)
One freestanding sign per lot indicating the business name or
the occupant of that building may be located in the front yard area.
Same shall not exceed 12 square feet per face, nor be mounted higher
than four feet off the ground, measured to the top of the sign. Lots
bearing more than 100 feet of lineal frontage on any street shall
be entitled to a sign not to exceed 24 square feet. The freestanding
sign shall not be located closer than 15 feet to any side lot line.
The freestanding sign shall be located no closer to the front lot
line than 10 feet and shall not be located in an area where the sign
will block or reduce visibility of traffic entering or exiting the
site or adjacent properties. Buildings located on corner lots may
divide total square feet of wall signage permitted between two wall
signs, one facing each street.
(3)
Nonilluminated signs displayed strictly to identify parking
area entrances or exits are permitted on the property, provided that
the area of any one side of any such sign shall not exceed two square
feet. If such signs are ground-mounted, the Zoning Officer shall determine
if the mounting height will cause a sight obstruction.
(4)
The illumination of all authorized signs shall be external and
shall not produce more than one footcandle of light at any point on
the property.
(5)
Manual changeable copy signs are permitted as an accessory to
wall or freestanding signs and shall not exceed 50% of the total copy.
The following are authorized for stand-alone parcels within
the Commercial Corridor District:
A. One wall sign for each business enterprise in a building that occupies
space in the immediate interior of the front first-floor wall of the
building shall be authorized.
(1)
The size of the wall sign for any single enterprise may have
an area equivalent to two square feet of sign area for each lineal
foot of width of a building or part of a building occupied by such
enterprise, but the cumulative square footage of all such signs combined
shall not exceed a maximum area greater than 15% of the wall's face
to which they are affixed. Not withstanding the aforesaid maximum
area, a second sign may be permitted for an establishment within a
retail center that meets at least one of the following criteria:
(a)
The ground-floor area of such individual business within the
retail center is in excess of 30,000 square feet. Such individual
business or establishment is located on an outparcel and is a freestanding
structure. In the event a second building sign is permitted, not more
than one additional building sign shall be erected on any one wall
facing the same direction for an individual business within the retail
center.
(b)
For the purposes of this section, width shall be measured along
the building face nearest parallel to the street line. The sign must
be affixed to the wall from which measurement is taken. In the case
of a corner lot, either frontage may be used in determining width,
but the frontage selected shall be considered the front wall of the
building for the purposes of determining maximum area of the signs.
This maximum area may be divided between two signs, one facing each
street.
(c)
The projection of the wall sign shall not exceed two feet measured
from the face of the main bearing wall of the building and it may
not project beyond the ends or top of the wall to which it is attached.
The wall sign must be attached to that portion of the building occupied
by the business enterprise advertised on same.
(d)
Wall signs may be internally or externally illuminated, provided
that the internal or external illumination does not exceed one footcandle
of illumination at the face of the sign.
(e)
One manual changeable copy sign not to exceed 50 square feet
shall be authorized per principal building.
(2)
One monument sign shall be permitted on the premises of each
lot bearing a principal building and establishment(s) and fronting
on a public street in the Commercial Corridor District which is not
otherwise located within a retail center or office park, wherein freestanding
signs shall also be authorized for such parcels within the Large-Scale
Industrial District, subject to the following:
(a)
The sign area shall be calculated at 0.25 square foot of sign
area for each linear foot of lot frontage up to a maximum of 50 square
feet per face.
(b)
If the lot has frontage on more than one street, the total amount
of signage calculated above may be divided into two signs and placed
on two property lines with street frontage.
(c)
Maximum sign height is 10 feet above the ground.
(d)
The sign shall be located no closer than eight feet to the front
lot line.
(e)
The sign shall be located at least 15 feet from all side and
rear lot signs.
(f)
A manual changeable copy sign is permitted as an accessory to
and as part of the freestanding sign, wherein said sign may not exceed
50% of the total gross surface area of the freestanding sign to which
it is an accessory. The square footage of all signage on the structure
shall not exceed that authorized for the freestanding sign itself.
(g)
An automatic changeable copy sign is permitted as an accessory to and as part of the freestanding sign, wherein said sign may not exceed 25% of the total gross surface area of the freestanding sign to which it is an accessory. The sign shall operate within those standards required under §
27-1808B(4), including the timing, character, lighting and color of digital text.
(h)
Monument signs for institutional uses as authorized in §
27-1807C shall be authorized for such uses within the Commercial Corridor District, subject to the standards therein and provided that such signs are constructed and maintained in lieu of the monument sign(s) previously authorized in this section.