[Ord. 96-7, 6/10/1996, § 1]
BUSINESS SIGN
A sign that directs attention to a business, profession, activity, commodity, service, product price or entertainment conducted, sold or offered upon the premises where such sign is located or within the building to which such sign is affixed.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN
A sign identifying individuals or companies involved in design, construction, wrecking, financing or development when placed upon the premises where work is under construction but only for the duration of construction or wrecking.
DIRECTORY SIGN
A sign which indicates the name and/or address of the occupant, the address of the premises and/or identification of any legal business or occupation which may exist at the premises.
GROSS SURFACE AREA
The entire area within a single continuous perimeter composed of a single face enclosing the extreme limits of characters, lettering, illustrations, ornamentation or other figures, together with a material or color forming an integral part of the display or to differentiate the sign from the background to which it is placed. Structural supports bearing no sign copy shall not be included in gross surface area; however, if any portion of the required structural supports become enclosed for decorative or architectural purposes, that portion will be included in the total gross surface area of the sign.
LOT
A designated parcel, tract or area of land established by plot, subdivision or otherwise permitted by law to be used, developed or built upon as a single unit under single ownership or control.
OFF-PREMISES SIGNS
A sign, consisting of 32 square feet or more of gross surface area as hereinafter defined, visible from a public way that directs attention to a business, commodity, service, entertainment, attraction or subject sold, offered or existing elsewhere than upon the same lot where such sign is displayed. The term off-premises sign shall include an outdoor advertising sign (billboard) on which space is leased or rented by the owner thereof to others for the purpose of conveying a commercial or noncommercial message.
POLITICAL SIGN
A sign which displays or identifies an individual, individuals, slate of candidates or political party for a federal, state, county or local municipal office, and/or a sign supporting, opposing or commenting upon a referendum issue placed upon the ballot for consideration by the general voting public in either a primary or general election.
REAL ESTATE SIGN
A sign which is used to offer for sale, lease or rent that premises upon which such sign is placed.
[Ord. 96-7, 6/10/1996, § 1]
The owner of every lot upon which an off-premises sign is located within the Township of New Hanover shall be responsible to obtain an annual off-premises sign license for every off-premises sign located thereon. The term for the off-premises sign license shall be July 1 to June 30. Every owner shall be responsible to obtain the necessary license(s) by July 1 of every year.
[Ord. 96-7, 6/10/1996, § 1]
1. 
Application for an off-premises sign license shall be made upon a form provided by the Township of New Hanover. The application form shall require the following information:
A. 
The name and address of the owner of the lot upon which the off-premises sign is located.
B. 
When there is more than one sign on a lot, a description of the off-premises sign.
C. 
The gross surface area of the sign.
D. 
The name and address of the sign operator, if any.
E. 
The address of or description of the location of the lot where the off-premises sign is located. The Township of New Hanover shall make the application form available to the lot owner, but responsibility for acquiring the application form and obtaining an off-premises sign license by July 1 remains with the lot owner. A separate application form must be submitted for every off-premises sign.
[Ord. 96-7, 6/10/1996, § 1]
With the annual application for an off-premises sign license, the owner shall pay the full amount of the off-premises sign tax, which shall be calculated by multiplying by $2 the gross surface area, measured in square feet, of the off-premise sign. The term of the annual license shall commence on July 1 through June 30 of the following year. If a new off-premises sign is erected between July 1 through December 31, inclusive, the full amount of the tax for the year shall be paid. If a new off-premises sign is erected between January 1 through June 30, inclusive, one-half of the tax shall be paid.
[Ord. 96-7, 6/10/1996, § 1]
Business signs, construction signs, directory signs, real estate signs and political signs as, defined in § 24-501 of this part, are exempt from the provisions of this part.
[Ord. 96-7, 6/10/1996, § 1; as amended by Ord. 97-7, 10/13/1997, § 24-706; and by Ord. 17-03, 3/27/2017]
1. 
Notice. The Codes Officer of the Township of New Hanover shall enforce the provisions of this part. When an owner fails to properly submit an application by July 1, or within 14 days of erecting a new off-premises sign, the Codes Officer shall notify the owner by certified mail that the license application must be submitted within 30 days.
2. 
Penalty. Any person, partnership or corporation who or which has violated or permitted the violation of any provision of this part, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by the Township, shall pay a judgment of not more that $600 plus all court costs. No judgment shall commence or be imposed, levied or payable until the date of the determination of a violation by a magisterial district judge. If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the Township may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable rules of civil procedure, at which time, in addition to any penalties, the violator shall be liable for any attorney's fees and costs incurred by the Township. Each day that a violation continues or each section of this part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate violation.