It is the purpose of this section to provide for the regulation
of various signs within the district in which they are located.
A sign application shall be prepared and a permit shall be issued
by the Borough for all permanent signs.
1.
Purpose. It is the purpose of this section to provide for the regulation
of various signs within the district in which they are located.
2.
Residential districts. Signs shall be permitted in residential districts,
subject to the following:
A.
No sign shall be fixed higher than 10 feet above the general level
of the ground in the immediate area in which it is located.
B.
Nameplate signs. Only one nameplate sign shall be permitted for each
dwelling unit, not exceeding 1 1/2 square feet in area, indicating
the name or address of the occupant and permitted business; except
that, on a corner lot, two such signs, one facing each street, shall
be permitted.
C.
Identification signs:
(1)
Only one identification sign shall be permitted for each multifamily
dwelling unit containing two or more dwelling units. The size of such
sign shall not exceed eight square feet in area, indicating the name
and address of the building and the management company, if applicable;
except that, on a corner lot, two such signs, one facing each street,
shall be permitted. Nonresidential uses approved in residential districts
as conditional uses may install signage in accordance with Subsection
3.A(1) to (7) herein.
(2)
"For Sale" or "For Rent" signs. Only one such sign shall be
permitted for each property and shall not exceed 10 square feet in
area. All such signs shall be removed within seven days when no longer
needed.
(3)
Bulletin signs for houses of worship. Only one such sign shall
be permitted for each place of worship and shall not exceed 15 square
feet in area.
(4)
No flashing, illuminated, moving or animated signs shall be
permitted.
(5)
All signs shall either be located within the front yard of the
residence or, in the case of a building- or wall-mounted sign, shall
not exceed 15 inches in depth, and no signs shall be placed within
any right-of-way.
3.
Business, mixed use and industrial districts. The number, type and
size of signs permitted in a business, mixed use, or industrial district
are as follows:
A.
Each business located within a business, mixed use or industrial
district shall be permitted to mount or erect:
(1)
One wall-mounted sign, one roof sign, one canopy sign, and one
freestanding sign. Said freestanding sign shall include a monument,
pylon, pole, A-frame, or ground-type sign. If a business is located
on a corner lot, said business is permitted to mount one additional
wall-mounted sign, with one facing each street. No signs shall be
placed within any right-of-way.
(2)
Wall-mounted signs. The total area of wall-mounted signage shall
not exceed 15% of the total front surface area of the business or
a total signage area of 200 square feet, limited to the face and sides
of the building in the case of a business located on a corner lot
aforesaid, whichever is lesser.
(3)
Roof signs. Roof signs shall not exceed 12 feet in height, and
the total area of signage shall not exceed 50 square feet. Said roof
signs shall be mounted on the roof of the business, must have sufficient
clearance of six inches, and no portion of the roof sign shall project
or extend beyond the front of the building.
(4)
Canopy or awning signs. Canopy or awning signs shall be located
in front of the business, the minimum height of which shall be 14
feet measured from the ground level to the bottom of the awning, and
a maximum height not to exceed 17 feet measured from ground level
to the top of the awning.
(5)
Freestanding signs. The total area of freestanding signs shall
not exceed one square foot for each lineal foot of building frontage,
the total area of which in any case shall not exceed a maximum of
50 square feet. Monument signs shall not exceed 12 feet in height.
Pylon signs shall not exceed 12 feet in height. Pole signs shall not
exceed 25 feet in height in a Business District and Mixed-Use District
and 35 feet in height in an Industrial District. Ground or A-frame
signs shall be permitted to be located in any front or side yard area,
provided that they are in conformance with the performance standards
of this section.
(6)
No flashing, moving or animated signs shall be permitted. Only
pole, A-frame or ground signs shall be permitted to be illuminated
but said illumination shall not create undue glare or shine directly
into any residential dwelling, or obstruct or impair the visibility
of any passing motorist or pedestrian traveling along any public way
or street, create a public safety hazard, or disrupt the quiet enjoyment
within any residential dwelling. All signs which are permitted to
be illuminated pursuant to this section shall be interior illuminated
only.
(7)
No sign erected in conjunction with a commercial business district
which is located within 150 feet of a residential district zoning
boundary shall be illuminated between the hours of 12:00 midnight
and 6:00 a.m., unless the business operates 24 hours a day and is
open to the public.
4.
Temporary signs. Temporary signs, including but not limited to banner
or "tarp" signs, shall be permitted for a period not to exceed 30
days in any consecutive twelve-month period and shall be limited to
two signs per business, with the total area of such signage not to
exceed 32 square feet total. Such signs must be located on the business
premises and must otherwise conform to the requirements of this section.
5.
"For Sale" or "For Rent" signs.
6.
Billboards.
A.
Billboards shall not be permitted in any Residential, Business or
Mixed-Use District. Billboards shall only be permitted in an Industrial
District.
B.
Billboards must have a minimum separation distance of 500 feet.
C.
The signage area of billboards shall not exceed 100 square feet.
D.
Billboards shall not be mounted on a roof, wall or other part of
a building or any other structure.
E.
All billboards must be in conformance with the performance standards
of this section.
7.
Performance standards. All signs under this section shall be subject
to the following performance standards:
A.
Signs shall be properly maintained, in good working order and legible
in appearance.
(1)
All portions of signs shall be a minimum of 15 feet from any
right-of-way or adjoining property line except flush-mounted signs,
but in no case shall any sign project or extend into a public right-of-way
and otherwise shall be located within the property lines or boundaries
of the subject property.
(2)
All signs shall be located so as not to interfere with the regular
and orderly flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic or otherwise
cause or contribute to causing a threat to the health, safety and
welfare of any individual, including, but not limited to, a resident,
motorist or pedestrian.
(3)
Permits required. A building and sign permit are required before
any sign may be erected or mounted within the Borough of Sharpsburg.
All applicants who apply for a sign permit shall pay a permit fee
to the Borough Secretary in accordance with the Borough of Sharpsburg's
Schedule of Fees, as amended from time to time by Borough Council.
(4)
No animated sign (except time-and-temperature indicators), signs
illuminated by a flashing, pulsating or intermittent source, strung
pennants or bare bulbs, or signs lighted in such a manner as to create
glare conditions on adjacent properties or any adjacent street are
permitted.
(5)
Signs containing an integral lighting source, as well as their
structural supports, must be made of noncombustible materials, meaning
those materials which will not ignite or deform at temperatures below
1,200° F.
(6)
The maximum lumens measured at any one lot line of the lot on
which the lumens are generated is zero.
B.
Maintenance and inspection.
(1)
Every permitted sign must be constructed of durable material,
kept in good condition and repair.
(2)
If the durability and/or condition of said sign is not improved
within the time period defined by the Zoning Officer, the sign can
be removed by Sharpsburg Borough at the expense of the owner or person
in possession of the lot on which the sign is located. The Zoning
Officer will notify the responsible party with a certified letter
prior to any removal action being taken by Sharpsburg Borough.
(3)
Any damaged sign shall be repaired within 60 days.
(4)
Any sign which has been damaged to such extent that it may pose
an imminent hazard to passersby, as determined by the Zoning Officer,
must be repaired or removed immediately.
(5)
Any internally illuminated sign cabinets or sign panels which
have been damaged shall remain nonilluminated until repaired.
(6)
Failure to comply with these sign maintenance requirements constitutes
a violation of this chapter.
C.
Removal of signs.
(1)
On-premises signs advertising a use no longer in existence or
a product no longer available must be removed or changed to advertise
the new use or product immediately after cessation of the original
use. Signs once removed can be replaced only by signs in conformance
with this chapter.
(2)
Whenever any business, activity or product on a lot is discontinued,
vacated or no longer sold, all signs relating to the discontinued
or vacated business must be removed within 30 days of the vacation
or discontinuance of the business or activity.
(3)
If the landowner and/or developer fails to remove the sign by
the end of the 36th day from which the permit had been issued, Sharpsburg
Borough is permitted to remove the sign at the landowner's and/or
developer's expense.
