Signs may be erected and maintained only when in compliance
with the provisions of this article and all other ordinances and regulations
relating to the erection, alteration or maintenance of signs and similar
devices.
For the purposes of the interpretation of Article
VII only, the following definitions shall apply:
ANIMATED SIGN
A sign with electrically or mechanically powered action or
motion or flashing or color changes. This includes signs with wind
actuated elements.
BILLBOARD or ADVERTISING SIGN BOARD
Those boards which direct the motorist or pedestrian to a
business establishment or call the attention of the motorist or pedestrian
to a product, place or activity, that exists or occurs at locations
other than the location upon which the board is erected.
BUSINESS IDENTIFICATION SIGNS
Signs or boards that are directly oriented to activities
that occur at the same premises upon which the board or sign is erected.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A sign designed to guide or direct pedestrians or vehicular
traffic. Said signs may not exceed four feet in height nor be more
than four square feet in area. The business name or trademark may
be placed on a directional sign but said name or trademark may not
exceed more than 50% of the area of said sign. These signs shall not
be considered business identification signs.
FASCIA SIGN
A sign which is affixed to an architectural projection of
the wall of a building or structure or to a canopy or marquee or any
other projected surface.
GROUND SIGN
A sign supported vertically by one or more uprights placed
in or on the ground.
PORTABLE SIGN
A sign used to advertise the products offered for sale on
the premises where it is erected and designed to be movable.
ROOF SIGN
A sign supported by a roof of a building. The highest point
of a roof sign shall not exceed the building height limit for the
district in which it is erected. The maximum area of a roof sign shall
not exceed 200 square feet.
TEMPORARY SIGN
Flags, pennants, special promotional devices or displays
intended to be erected for a limited period of time.
WALL SIGN
A sign attached to or a part of the wall of a structure.
The following regulations shall apply to all permitted sign
uses:
A. No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger
to traffic on street by obscuring the view.
B. No sign, other than an official traffic sign, shall be erected within
the right-of-way lines of any street.
C. No sign shall project over a public sidewalk area or public right-of-way.
D. No sign shall be painted on a tree, stone, cliff or other natural
object.
E. Signs shall not attempt to direct the movement of traffic or interfere
with, imitate or resemble any official signs, signal or device.
F. Signs shall not prevent the driver of a vehicle from having a clear
and unobstructed view of approaching or merging traffic.
G. No sign or portion thereof, including lights, shall be permitted
in any district when, by reason of its design, content, intensity,
color, location or movement, it may interfere or cause confusion with
traffic lights, signals or other controls or otherwise interfere with
the operation of vehicles upon a public thoroughfare. Signs may be
internally or externally illuminated except as further restricted
by this chapter.
H. A permit shall be required for the erection or structural alteration
or modification of all billboards or signs.
I. All signs shall be removed by the owner when the circumstances leading
to its erection no longer apply.
J. All signs with a clearance of less than six feet above grade shall
be a minimum of 20 feet from the face of any curb abutting a street
or 10 feet from the property line abutting any street, whichever distance
is more restrictive.
K. No wall sign shall extend above the top of the wall, nor beyond the
left or right extremity of the wall to which it is attached nor shall
it extend or project more than 18 inches from the wall upon which
it is attached.
L. A fascia sign shall have its copy area parallel to the structure
or building and shall not extend from the surface of the architectural
projection more than as follows:
(1) Eighteen inches out from surface.
(2) Two feet up from top of surface.
(3) Two feet down from bottom of surface.
(4) Zero feet from side of surface.
The following types of signs and no others shall be permitted
in residential districts except as further provided for by this chapter.
No zoning permit is required for the erection of these signs when
erected in a residential district.
A. Sign advertising the sale or rental of the premises upon which they
are erected, when erected by the owner or broker of any other person
interested in the sale or rental of such premises shall be permitted,
provided that:
(1) The size of any such sign is not in excess of six square feet, and
(2) Not more than two signs are placed upon any property, unless such
property fronts upon more than one street, in which case two such
signs may be erected on each frontage.
B. Signs advertising the sale or development of the premises upon which
they are erected, when erected in connection with the development
of the premises by a builder, contractor, developer or other person
interested in such sale or development shall be permitted:
(1) The size of any such sign is not in excess of 32 square feet; and
(2) Not more than two signs are placed upon any property, unless such
property fronts upon more than one street, in which case, two such
signs may be erected on each frontage.
C. Signs indicating the location and direction of premises available
for or in process of development, but not erected upon such premises
and having inscribed thereon the name of the owner, developer, builder
or agent, provided:
(1) The size of any such sign is not in excess of 12 square feet; and
(2) Not more than one such sign is erected on each 500 feet of street
frontage.
D. Construction signs, including signs of mechanics, painters, and other
artisans, may be erected and maintained during the period such persons
are performing work on the premises on which such signs are erected,
provided:
(1) The size thereof is not in excess of 20 square feet; and
(2) Such signs are removed upon completion of the work.
E. Trespassing signs or signs indicating the private nature of a driveway
or property, provided that the size of any such sign shall not exceed
two square feet in area.
F. Signs of schools, colleges, churches, hospitals, sanitariums or other
institutions of a similar nature and signs identifying housing developments,
provided:
(1) The size of any such sign is not in excess of 16 square feet; and
(2) Not more than two signs are placed on a property in a single and
separate ownership, unless such property fronts upon more than one
street, in which case, two such signs may be erected on each frontage.
G. Signs advertising the sale of farm products when permitted by this
chapter, provided:
(1) The size of any such sign is not in excess of six square feet; and
(2) Not more than two signs are used; and
(3) The signs shall be displayed only when such products are on sale.
H. Signs advertising home occupations shall be not larger than six square
feet in area.
I. Auctions, garage or yard sale signs may be permitted, provided:
(1) Such signs shall not exceed six square feet in area;
(2) Such signs shall not be erected more than two days prior to the event
or activity, without the express consent and approval of the Borough
Council; and
(3) Such signs shall be removed within 24 hours following the date of
the event or activity.
Signs bearing the name of the occupant, products manufactured,
processed, sold or displayed and services available, may be erected
and maintained on the premises in C and I Districts, provided such
signs conform with the following as applicable:
A. A zoning permit is issued by the Borough.
B. No more than two ground or wall-mounted signs may be erected or maintained
on any premises at any one time, except when a building is located
on a corner lot and has a public entrance on two or more public ways,
or when a building has both a front and rear public entrance, one
additional sign may be erected. A double faced sign shall count as
a single sign.
C. Height. Signs shall not be placed more than 24 feet in height when
erected within 10 feet of the right-of-way line of a street, road
or highway adjoining the premises.
D. Area.
(1) Single business on one lot. The total sign area of pole-mounted or
wall-mounted signs per premises shall not exceed four square feet
per one lineal foot of property frontage upon a street. No business
shall be limited to less than 32 square feet of total sign area nor
exceed more than 120 square feet of sign area.
(2) More than one business on one lot. The total sign area of pole-mounted
or wall-mounted signs per premises shall not exceed four square feet
per one lineal foot of frontage of the portion of the building occupied
by the occupant of said premises. No business shall be limited to
less than 32 square feet of total sign area nor exceed more than 120
square feet of sign area.
E. Shopping center consisting of more than four individual businesses.
A sign advertising the premises shall not exceed 120 square feet in
area. Signs identifying individual businesses within the shopping
center may be attached to the shopping center sign structure. Such
identification signs shall not exceed an aggregate area of 120 square
feet and is in addition to the 120 square feet in area.
F. Apartment-office building and apartment-office complex, including
office building and office complex signs, shall conform to all general
provisions applicable, and be limited to:
(1) One ground sign for each single office building, apartment or office-apartment
combination.
(2) One ground sign for each office complex, or combination office complex
and apartments.
(3) Each occupant of an office building or an office complex may have
one wall sign or fascia sign not exceeding 25 square feet in area.
On existing lawful uses, nonilluminated movable ground signs
advertising the product offered for sale on the premises may be erected
and maintained. Such signs shall be limited to one double-faced sign
and shall be included in the total number of permitted signs for the
use category. Such signs shall not be greater than 12 square feet
in area per side and shall not be more than six feet in height above
the ground. All portable signs shall be anchored, weighted, spring-loaded
or otherwise designed to resist wind action.
Flags, pennants, special promotional devices or displays or
similar type signs shall be permitted in C and I Districts only, provided
that:
A. The signs or displays shall not endanger the public or be located
in the right-of-way of any state or township road without the prior
approval of the Borough Council.
B. All general regulations, §
475-59, shall apply.
C. An individual business shall be limited to one temporary sign at
any one time per street the business fronts on.
D. A single side or face of a temporary sign shall not exceed 25 square
feet.
E. Temporary signs shall be permitted for a period not exceeding 30
days in any six-month period or such additional time as may be authorized
by the Borough Council.
F. A zoning permit has been issued.
G. Temporary signs must be removed immediately upon the expiration of
the permit for its erection or as soon as torn or damaged.