[Ord. 275, 2/9/2000, § 601]
2.
3.
Nonconforming Signs.
A.
Signs existing at the date of enactment of this Chapter and which
do not conform to the requirements of the chapter shall be considered
nonconforming signs.
B.
Once a nonconforming sign is removed, it may be replaced only with
a conforming sign.
C.
Nonconforming signs (including existing lighting) may be repainted
or repaired provided such repainted or repaired sign does not exceed
the dimensions of the existing sign; wording may also be changed.
[Ord. 275, 2/9/2000, § 602]
[Ord. 275, 2/9/2000, § 603]
1.
Not Within Street Lines. No sign shall be allowed within street right-of-way
lines; except directional signs and those of the government body which
owns such right-of-way, unless specifically authorized by another
Township ordinance or Commonwealth of Pennsylvania law or regulation.
2.
No Traffic Interference.
A.
No sign shall be so located or arranged that it interferes with traffic
through glare, through blocking of reasonable sight lines for streets,
sidewalks, or driveways, through confusion with a traffic control
device (by reason of color, location, shape, or other characteristic).
[Ord. 275, 2/9/2000, § 604]
No freestanding sign structure shall exceed 24 feet in height
above the average ground level at the base of such sign.
[Ord. 275, 2/9/2000, § 605; as amended by Ord.
295, 9/14/2005, § 2]
1.
On-Premises Signs.
B.
Planned Developments.
(1)
Planned Commercial, Office or Industrial Developments. In addition
to the signs permitted for individual commercial uses, one freestanding,
on-premises sign indicating the name of the development may be erected
along each road fronting such development.
(2)
Residential Developments. One freestanding, on-premises sign
indicating the name of the subdivision, or single-family cluster development
may be erected along each road fronting such development.
[Amended by Ord. No. 393, 9/11/2019]
C.
Temporary Signs.
(1)
Real Estate. A temporary sign may be permitted within the property
lines, advertising the prospective or completed sale or rental of
the premises upon which it is located, provided that such sign shall
be maintained and removed within seven days after consummation of
the lease or sale transaction.
(2)
Construction Sites. A nonilluminated temporary sign (developer/contractor
sign or mechanic/subcontractor/other artisan sign) may be permitted
on a construction site, provided such sign shall be removed within
seven days after completion of the construction work and not more
than one sign per developer, contractor, mechanic, subcontractor or
artisan shall be placed on each street frontage of the construction
site.
2.
Off-Premises Signs.
[Ord. 275, 2/9/2000, § 606]
1.
Shielding. Signs may be illuminated by direct lighting, provided
such lighting shall be shielded so no direct light will shine on abutting
properties or in the normal line of vision of the public using the
streets.
2.
Internally illuminated signs and digital electronic signs are prohibited
in the BMC, SR and PR Districts.
[Amended by Ord. No. 393, 9/11/2019]
3.
Flashing Signs Prohibited. All flashing, blinking, twinkling, animated,
or moving signs of any type (except those portions of signs which
indicate time and temperature change(s)) are prohibited in all districts.
4.
Digital Signs. Where allowed, digital electronic signs may change
their message from time to time, provided that each message is visible
for a minimum of eight seconds, except as follows: time and temperature
signs may change more frequently; and if there is an electronically
changing sign area of greater than 50 square feet, the sign shall
not change its message more frequently than once every 20 seconds.
The interval between message changes shall not be greater than one
second, except such interval shall be 0.1 seconds if there is a sign
area of greater than 50 square feet. This provision on sign timing
shall not regulate signs that are not readable from a public street
and that are not readable from any dwelling.
[Added by Ord. No. 393, 9/11/2019]
5.
Maximum Luminance of Signs.
[Added by Ord. No. 393, 9/11/2019]
A.
Nits in this section shall mean a measure of the luminance or brightness
of a sign, as measured from the sign's face, in candelas per square
meter.
B.
The brightness of a sign with an electronically changing message
shall not exceed 3,500 nits during daytime hours and 150 nits during
nighttime hours. The sign shall have an automatic dimming process
to meet these maximum levels. Information on the illumination in nits
shall be provided at the time of the permit application.
C.
If a digital electronic sign malfunctions, it shall be designed to
display a dark static image or to turn off the image.
D.
Compliance. Compliance with the maximum luminance standard shall
be certified by an independent professional after installation is
complete, prior to issuance of the final permit. In case of doubt
of compliance, at any time the Zoning Officer may require the owner
of the sign to provide independent written proof of compliance with
the luminance requirements from a qualified professional. An all-white
background shall be used for the test, which shall fill the sensor
of the light meter.
6.
For any sign of more than 10 feet in total height above the ground,
any lighting of the sign that is external to the sign that may have
any light spillover beyond the sign face shall have the light fixrure(s)
attached to the top of the sign to shine downward, as opposed to shining
upward, in order to avoid light extending into the sky.
[Added by Ord. No. 393, 9/11/2019]
7.
Any sign with more than 100 square feet per side of digital electronic
sign area shall be setback a minimum of 1,000 feet in all directions
from any other sign with more than 100 square feet per side of digital
electronic sign area.
[Added by Ord. No. 393, 9/11/2019]
8.
Any sign with more than 100 square feet per side of digital electronic
sign area shall not be illuminated between the hours of 11:00 p.m.
and 6:00 a.m., unless the sign is advertising a on-premises use that
is open during those hours. The maximum sign area of a digital electronic
sign shall be limited by the maximum sign area for the zoning district,
provided that an existing nonconforming sign shall not be converted
into a digital electronic sign.
[Added by Ord. No. 393, 9/11/2019]
[Ord. 275, 2/9/2000, § 607]
1.
On-premises signs advertising a use no longer in existence or a product
no longer available shall be removed or changed to advertise a new
use or product within 90 days after cessation of the original use
or availability of the original product.
2.
Signs once removed shall be replaced only by signs in conformance
with this Chapter.
[Ord. 275, 2/9/2000, § 608]
1.
Any vehicle or structure to which a sign is affixed in such a manner
that the carrying of such sign or signs no longer is incidental to
the primary purpose of the vehicle or structure but becomes a primary
purpose in itself, shall be considered a freestanding sign and as
such be subject to the provisions regarding freestanding signs in
the district in which such vehicle or structure is located.
2.
All sign provisions of this Chapter shall apply to the use of silos,
smokestacks, water towers and other similar structures as signs.
[Ord. 275, 2/9/2000, § 609]
1.
The following signs are prohibited in all zoning districts:
A.
Banners, spinners, flags, pennants, or any moving object used for
commercial advertising purposes (whether containing a message or not),
except for use during not more than four special occasions in one
calendar year by a use located in the Village Center, Planned Commercial,
or Light Industrial/Business Park Districts, for a period of not more
than a total of 20 days per calendar year.
B.
Flashing, blinking, twinkling, animated, or moving signs of any type,
except those portions of signs which indicate time and temperature
changes.
C.
Signs placed, inscribed or supported upon the roof or upon any structure
which extends above the eave of the roof of any building.
D.
Signs on mobile stands which can be moved from place to place.
E.
Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors or particles, sound or odor.
[Ord. 275, 2/9/2000, § 610; as amended by Ord.
302, 2/8/2006, §§ 1, 2; and by Ord. No. 393, 9/11/2019]
No sign shall exceed the maximum sign area in square feet established
for that sign in Table 27-610.1.
|
Table 27-610.1
Sign and Area Regulations
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Location of Sign
|
Type of Sign Structure
|
FF an BMC Districts
(square feet)
|
SR, PR and VR Districts
(square feet)
|
VC, HI and GC Districts
(square feet)
|
I-BP, GI CI & SW Districts
(square feet)
|
|
On-Premisesb
|
Freestanding Sign
|
12
|
8
|
16
|
32
|
|
Parallel Sign
|
12
|
8
|
Not exceeding 20% of building face area on that street
|
Not exceeding 20% of building face area on that street
| |
|
Projecting Sign
|
12
|
8
|
Not exceeding 20% of building face area on that street
|
Not exceeding 20% of building face area on that street
| |
|
Window Sign
|
8
|
8
|
Not exceeding 25% of total window area on that street 32 square
feet whichever is smaller
|
Not exceeding 25% of total window area on that street or 50
square feet, whichever is smaller
| |
|
Off-Premisesc
|
Billboardd
|
Permitted only in the HI District along Route 33 and subject
to the following size requirements: Not to exceed 300 square feet
along Route 33
| |||
|
Other Off-Premises Advertising Signs
|
—
|
—
|
16
|
32
| |
|
Directional Signs
|
Standardized directional signs six inches wide and up to 36
inches long are permitted in all Zoning Districts. Directional signs
shall (1) be mounted to a stand street pole or a 2 1/2-inch diameter
galvanized pipe; and (2) have a green background with white professional
lettering
| ||||
|
a
|
Area of Signs.
| ||
|
1.
|
The area of a sign will be construed to include all lettering,
wording, and accompanying designs and symbols, together with the background
whether open or enclosed, on which they are displayed, but not including
any supporting framework and bracing which are incidental to the display
itself.
| ||
|
2.
|
Where the sign consists of individual letters or symbols attached
to or painted on a surface, building wall or window, the area shall
be considered to be that of the smallest rectangle or other simple
shape, including the sign background, which encompasses all of the
letters and symbols.
| ||
|
3.
|
In computing square foot area of a double-face sign, only one
side shall be considered, provided both faces are identical. If the
interior angle formed by the two faces of the double-faced sign is
greater than 45°, then both sides of such sign shall be considered
in calculating the sign area.
| ||
|
b
| |||
|
c
| |||
|
d
|
Billboard Setback and Spacing. Billboards shall be:
| ||
|
1.
|
Set back at least 50 feet from the street right-of-way.
| ||
|
2.
|
Spaced no closer than 500 feet from another billboard.
| ||
|
3.
|
Such sign shall be located no closer than 100 feet from a residential district and no closer than 250 feet from an existing dwelling. These setbacks shall be increased to 200 feet from a residential district and 350 feet from an existing dwelling for a digital electronic sign with a sign area of more than 100 square feet. See also separation distances in § 27-606 for digital electronic signs. Stacked or side-by-side billboards are not permitted.
| ||
|
4.
|
This Section shall not regulate the placement of "tourist oriented
directional signs," provided the signs are posted along a public street
right-of-way in a manner allowed under PennDOT regulations for such
signs or that are approved by the Township along a Township street.
(Note: These are typically blue signs that direct motorists to various
major destinations.)
| ||
