As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
A sign consisting of lightweight, flexible material which
is supported by frame, rope, wires or other anchoring devices, which
may or may not include copy, logo, or graphic symbols. This definition
includes but is not limited to flags.
An off-premises sign, structure or symbol erected and maintained
by a person engaged in the sale or rental for profit of space thereon
to a clientele of manufacturing, service or commercial enterprises
upon which space there is displayed by means of painting, posting
or other method, advertising copy describing a wide variety of projects
or services which are not necessarily made, produced, assembled, stored
or sold from the lot or premises upon which the advertisement is displayed.
This definition does not include a scoreboard.
An on-premises sign directing attention to a business, public
use (public schools, utility, library, parks, and essential services)
and semipublic uses (hospitals, urgent care, churches, and similar
uses), commodity, service, or entertainment conducted, sold or offered
on the premises.
A sign located at a residential development of 20 or more
residential homes or business park of five or more businesses identifying
the name of the residential development or business park.
A freestanding sign with two identical faces of equal sign
area which are back-to-back and no more than two feet apart.
Any sign or portion thereof that displays electronic images,
graphics, or pictures with or without textual information, using LEDs,
fiber optics, light bulbs, or other illumination devices or combination
thereof within the display area and where a static message change
sequence is accomplished immediately or by means of fade.
A sign and supporting structure which is secured in the ground
and independent of any building, fence or other support. For the purpose
of this definition, freestanding signs consist of the following:
GROUND SIGNA sign designed to be viewed at eye level or below within the immediate vicinity and which is intended to be designed and viewed as an architecturally unified and proportional element. Ground signs shall be constructed so that the maximum height from mean grade to the lowest area of the sign face does not exceed four feet.
POLE SIGNA sign which is detached from a building and supported by no more than two poles or other structural supports which are architecturally dissimilar to the design of the sign.
Any sign for the control of traffic or for identification
purposes, street signs, warning signs, railroad crossing signs and
signs of public utility companies indicating danger or construction,
which are erected by or at the order of a public officer, employee
or agent thereof in the discharge of his official duties.
Any sign illuminated by electricity, gas or any other artificial
light, including but not limited to reflective or phosphorescent light.
An illuminated sign may include lighting devices such as any light,
string of lights, or group of lights located or arranged so as to
cast illumination on a sign. This definition does not include a scoreboard.
Any vehicle with commercial logos, names, and/or messages
covering more than four square feet parked at a location other than
the business location for that specific business and/or entity on
the vehicle or that of a client during the performance of work and/or
business-related activities, which is not at one of those locations
for longer than 24 hours, shall be considered a mobile sign.
Any sign containing informative contents or advertising a
product, service, business, or activity sold, located or conducted
elsewhere than on the premises on which the sign is located. The word
"off-premises sign" includes but is not limited to billboards. Directional,
warning and/or other signs posted by officials in the course of their
public duties shall not be construed as an off-premises sign.
Any sign advertising a product, service, business, message
or activity sold, located or conducted on the premises on which the
sign is located.
An individual, corporation, partnership, organization, association,
trust, or entity. When used in penalty provision, person shall include
members of such partnership, the trustees of such trust, and the officers
and/or members of such organization, association, corporation, or
entity.
A temporary sign relating to the election of a person to
a public office or a political party or a matter to be voted upon
at an election by the general electorate or public.
A descriptive word to include all improvements, buildings,
structures and land on or within a lot.
Signs relating to the oversight and control of real estate,
including signs containing the message "No Trespassing," "Private
Property," "No Hunting or Fishing," "Posted," "Private Drive" or similar
type signs.
An on-premises sign that extends away from the building and/or
structure to which it is attached.
A temporary sign indicating the sale, rental or lease of
premises on which the sign is placed.
A freestanding sign capable of being readily moved or relocated
and advertises products, services, and/or commodities of the business
and located on the premises of said business or commercial establishment.
A sandwich board sign may only be placed outside the building and/or
structure of the business or commercial establishment during business
hours of the business or commercial establishment.
A scoreboard is an on-premises sign designed to provide information
to spectators at athletic events that may or may not contain advertising
message or public service announcements located inside an enclosed
athletic field located at a property owned by a municipal entity or
owned and operated by a nonprofit corporation engaged in providing
recreation facilities to the community.
Any object, device, display, figure, painting, drawing, message,
poster, structure, or other thing, or part thereof, situated outdoors
or indoors, which is designed, intended, or used to advertise, identify,
display, direct, inform or attract attention to an object, person,
institution, organization, business, product, service, event or location
by any means, including words, letters, figures, design, symbols,
fixtures, colors, illumination or projected images. Excluded from
this definition of signs are national or state flags, window displays,
scoreboards, or the official governmental announcements or proclamations.
The area of all lettering, wording and accompanying designs
and symbols, together with the background on which they are displayed,
but excluding any supporting framework and bracing which are solely
incidental to the display itself, provided that the same do not contain
any such lettering, wording, designs, or symbols. For the purpose
of this chapter, sign area shall be computed as a square or rectangle
drawn at the outer limits of the sign face.
Where the sign consists of a double face, only one side shall
be considered for the purpose of calculating the total sign area.
Where both sides are not identical or when the interior angle formed
by the faces of a sign is greater than 45°, all faces shall be
considered in calculating total sign area.
Any spacing between signs designating different or separate
occupants or uses of a building shall not be included in the computed
area(s) of regulated signs.
The part of the sign area that is or can be used to identify,
advertise and communicate information for visual representation which
attracts the attention of the public for any purpose. This definition
shall include any background material, panel, trim and color used
that differentiates the sign from the building or structure on which
it is placed. The sign structure shall not be included, provided that
no message, display or symbol is designed and included as part of
the structure.
The distance from the highest portion of the sign, including
all structural elements, to mean grade.
An on-premises sign which advertises the services of professionals
or building trades during construction or alteration of the premises.
Any such sign shall be removed within two days of said professional
completing his work on premises.
A sign that is located on premises and/or off premises which
advertises a sale of personal items of an individual located at a
residence within the Borough.
A.
The intent of this article is to provide for the regulation of signs
in the Borough of Waynesboro to protect the public health, safety,
and welfare in accordance with the following objectives:
(1)
To
control the size, location, and illumination of signs in order to
reduce hazards to pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
(2)
To
encourage signs that are well designed and pleasing in appearance,
and to provide latitude for variety in order to enhance the economic
value as well as the character of the properties within the Borough.
(3)
To
establish standards designed to encourage signs that are compatible
with their surroundings, appropriate to the type of activity to which
they pertain, expressive of the individual proprietors, and legible
in the circumstances in which they are seen, and to prohibit the erection
of signs that do not meet these criteria.
(4)
To
encourage the effective use of signs as a means of identification
and communication.
(5)
To
maintain and enhance the aesthetic environment of the Borough.
(6)
To
minimize adverse effect of signs on nearby public and private property.
(7)
To
preserve the wholesome and attractive character of the Borough.
B.
Signs as defined in this article shall be regulated for all uses
within all zoning districts.
A.
All signs, as the same are defined in this chapter, shall be subject
to the provisions of this article. All signs located on the premises
shall be considered when determining compliance with this chapter.
B.
All signs shall require a zoning permit except a temporary sign,
real estate sign, political sign, property control signs, and governmental
signs. Any person desiring a permit for a sign may obtain one by filing
the appropriate permit application and the appropriate permit fee
with the Zoning Officer. The fee for permits shall be established
from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council.
C.
No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger traffic
on a street by obscuring a clear view or by causing confusion with
official street signs or signals by virtue of position or color. No
sign shall be placed in a manner on a sidewalk, which interferes with
pedestrians and/or those using said walkways (a clear walkway of five
feet must be maintained at all times).
E.
No sign shall be permitted within the public right-of-way, excepting
sandwich board signs or banners and other signs used for informational
purposes for an event of civic or public interest; provided, however,
said banner or sign shall be approved in advance by Borough Council
of the Borough of Waynesboro, the property owner consents to such
sign being located on the property owned, and which said sign shall
conform to all applicable federal state and local laws, rules, and
regulations.
F.
Maximum sign area for building frontage.
(1)
Building frontage means the architecturally designated front of a
building on a public street, parking lot, or pedestrian walk where
the primary access to the structure is provided. In the case of buildings
located on the corner of two public rights-of-way where the primary
entrance of the building is located on the corner of the building,
the building frontage is the longer of the two sides which front the
public right-of-way. The building front shall be no more than one
face of a building.
(3)
In the event that a building contains a business and any other activity
for which signage is permitted, the cumulative signage for the building
shall not exceed the least restrictive maximum sign area for the building.
G.
The following signs are prohibited in all zoning districts:
(1)
Any sign placed on or over a public sidewalk except as specifically
permitted in this article.
(2)
Any sign which flashes, moves, blinks, animates or emits smoke, steam
or other visible particulates or odor except for an electronic message
center as regulated herein.
(3)
Any sign that projects above the roofline of the building on which
it is mounted, or any sign affixed to a roof, or mounted over and/or
covering any window on the second floor or higher.
(4)
Spinners, pennants, streamers and any moving object used for commercial
advertising purposes, whether or not any of the aforementioned items
contains a message unless otherwise set forth in this article.
(5)
Signs that are of such character, form, shape or color that they
imitate or resemble any official traffic sign, signal, or device that
have any characteristics which are likely to confuse or distract the
operator of a motor vehicle on a public street.
(6)
Signs that use reflective materials to give the appearance of flashing,
blinking or twinkling.
(7)
Balloons of greater than five cubic feet that are tethered to the
ground or a structure and are primarily intended for advertising purposes.
(8)
Signs permanently affixed, placed, maintained, erected, constructed
or displayed upon any public property, public street, public sidewalk,
public right-of-way, tree, utility pole, stone, cliff and other natural
objects except for any government sign, sandwich board sign as permitted
in this chapter, or banners and other signs used for informational
purposes for an event of civic or public interest as permitted in
this chapter.
(9)
Sign illuminated with flashing, intermittent or moving lights.
Signs shall be permitted in accordance with the following requirements:[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Specific Sign Regulations, included as
an attachment to this chapter.
A.
Billboards, as that term is defined in this Article XI, may be authorized by Borough Council as a conditional use upon a finding that compliance with the requirements of this chapter as well as the following specific criteria have been established by the applicant:
(1)
The submission by the applicant of a land development application, which shall contain the information, maps, plans and narrative and graphic materials set forth in Chapter 250, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Borough of Waynesboro.
(2)
All lots upon which billboards are to be located on lots which have
frontage:
(3)
All lots upon which a billboard is to be located must conform to
the area requirements of the district in which it is located. In the
event the requirements of this provision are more restrictive than
the requirements of a district, these restrictions apply.
(4)
The leased portion of any lot upon which the advertising sign is
to be located shall contain a minimum of 5,000 square feet in area.
(5)
The display area of a billboard shall be a maximum of 300 square
feet (12 feet by 25 feet) per face, only one face per sign structure,
and all portions of any display shall fit within such area with no
extensions beyond the edge of the billboard's framework.
(6)
V-shaped billboard sign structures supported by a single structure
shall be permitted provided that the inside angle formed by the two
sides of the Billboard does not exceed 30°.
(7)
All utility lines servicing the advertising sign, or those extended
to provide such service, must be installed completely underground.
Such requirement may be waived if the Billboard is powered by nontraditional
alternative energy sources (for example, solar power).
(8)
All billboards shall be set back from the below described items as
follows:
(a)
From a roadway intersection: 500 feet.
(b)
From any other billboard (whether such is located in the Borough
of Waynesboro or otherwise) on the same side of the roadway: 1,000
feet.
(c)
From any other billboard (whether such is located in the Borough
of Waynesboro or otherwise) on the opposite side of the roadway: 600
feet.
(d)
From the street right-of-way: 50 feet.
(9)
The maximum height of a billboard shall not exceed 25 feet, as measured
from the grade of the roadway from which the face of the billboard
is principally visible, and the bottom edge of the billboard shall
be no less than eight feet above the elevation of the adjacent roadway,
which height shall be sufficient to prevent unauthorized access upon
the billboard.
(10)
A buffer yard shall be required between a billboard and any
adjacent lot(s). Such buffer yard shall be a minimum of 40 feet.
(11)
The land area utilized for a billboard shall not be otherwise
required to support another underlying use upon such lot, including,
but not limited to, buffer yard, parking area or setback necessary
to any preexisting use upon such lot.
(12)
All displays on the face of a billboard shall be stationary.
Moving, rotating, revolving, or oscillating signs or displays shall
be prohibited.
(13)
Except as otherwise specifically provided within this subsection, illumination of advertising signs shall comply with the requirements of § 295-103.
(14)
Illumination of the display shall be designed so that it shall
be focused on the face of the display itself so as to prevent glare
upon the surrounding area. All sources of illumination shall be external
and equipped with shields to prevent spillage of light off the display.
(15)
Except as otherwise may be specified herein, all billboards shall comply with the land development standards contained in Chapter 250, Subdivision and Land Development.
(16)
Billboards (including any and all supporting structures thereof)
shall be dismantled and removed from the premises upon which they
are located within 180 days of cessation of use.
(17)
Billboards shall be constructed to all applicable structural
standards for such devices, and all applications for the conditional
use approval shall verify compliance with such standards as documented
and sealed by a registered engineer.
(18)
Billboards shall be maintained by their owner in a state of
repair so that they are as safe and as functional as when originally
installed.
(19)
No billboard shall be constructed or erected until an applicant
thereof has made an application for same (which shall include a copy
of a written lease for use of the land if the applicant is not the
owner thereof) and paid the applicable fee thereof (as set by separate
ordinance or resolution of the Borough Council of the Borough of Waynesboro)
and received a permit thereof from the Borough.
(20)
Billboards shall be permitted only if the provisions of the
Outdoor Advertising Control Act of 1971, Act 160, 36 P.S. § 2718.101
et seq., have been met.
(21)
Before any billboards are erected, the appropriate state and/or
federal permits that are required for the erection of a billboard
shall be obtained and copies of the same shall be filed at the Borough
Office prior to issuance of a signed permit by the Borough.
(22)
Off-premises advertising signs shall be permitted at an athletic
field with a fenced in area used and/or operated by the local school
district and/or associated with a nonprofit entity. Such off-premises
advertising sign must be located inside and attached to the fence.
B.
Off-premises mobile signs shall be permitted provided they comply
with the following criteria:
(1)
All lots upon which off-premises mobile signs are to be located shall
be on lots which have frontage:
(2)
All off-premises mobile signs shall be set back from the below described
items as follows:
(a)
From a roadway intersection: 500 feet.
(b)
From any other off-premises mobile sign (whether such is located
in the Borough of Waynesboro or otherwise) on the same side of the
roadway: 1,000 feet.
(c)
From any other off-premises mobile sign (whether such is located
in the Borough of Waynesboro or otherwise) on the opposite side of
the roadway: 600 feet.
(d)
From the street right-of-way: 50 feet.
(3)
Off-premises mobile signs shall not be illuminated.
(4)
Off-premises mobile signs shall not be located in the same location
or on the same lot for more than 10 days in a calendar month.
(5)
The owner of the real property where the off-premises mobile sign
is to be located must consent, in writing, to the off-premises mobile
sign.
Scoreboards are permitted in all districts, provided they conform
to the following criteria:
A.
Only one scoreboard per athletic field and/or venue may be erected
on the premises.
B.
Scoreboards may only be permitted when authorized as a conditional
use by the Borough Council of the Borough of Waynesboro.
C.
Size. Such signs shall have a total maximum size area of 500 square
feet with a maximum height of 30 feet.
D.
Primary purpose. The primary purpose of such signs shall be to transmit
the time and/or score and/or any other relevant information regarding
such athletic event or any other event taking place to the spectators
at the event.
E.
Accessory use. Such signs shall be permitted to have an accessory
use of advertising for off-premises businesses and/or entities; provided,
however, such accessory use shall be limited to 25% of the total sign
area and in no case shall the size of any single accessory use exceed
25 square feet. This accessory use may include an electronic message
board.
F.
Sign illumination. Such sign shall be permitted to be externally
illuminated by electricity, gas, or other artificial light, including
reflective or phosphorescent light; provided, however, any illumination
shall include lighting devices such as any light, string of lights,
or group of lights located or arranged so as to cast illumination
on the scoreboard. Such scoreboards shall be located in a position
that minimizes the illumination of the scoreboard on neighboring and/or
adjacent properties. Total illumination shall not exceed 0.30 lumens
at the property line.
G.
Location. A scoreboard shall be located on premises of any athletic
field located at a property owned by a municipal entity, school district,
and/or owned and operated by a nonprofit corporation.
Electronic message centers are permitted provided they conform
to the following conditions:
A.
Only one electronic message center may be erected on the premises.
B.
Electronic message centers may only be permitted as a conditional
use by Borough Council.
C.
Message change. The electronic message center must be programmed
so that the displayed message does not change more frequently than
one time per seven seconds. In measuring the interval, the seven-second
interval will begin when the text or image is first visible and end
when the same text and/or image is no longer visible.
D.
Electronic message centers must be programmed to display static images
only. No flashing, blinking, moving, or other distracting features
are permitted.
E.
Electronic message centers shall not flash, scroll, twist or otherwise
move during the change of message.
F.
The electronic message portion of a business sign shall not exceed
32 square feet in size.
G.
An electronic message center shall not project beyond the property
line.
H.
An electronic message center shall not be erected within 20 feet
of an intersection.
Protruding signs are permitted provided they conform to the
following conditions:
A.
Only one protruding sign may be erected on the premises.
B.
Protruding signs may only be permitted as a conditional use by Borough
Council.
C.
Protruding signs shall not exceed 15 square feet per face.
D.
Protruding signs may only protrude off the building and/or structure
a maximum of six feet.
E.
Protruding signs must be located a minimum of 10 feet off the mean
ground.
Mean ground is the average of the finished ground level at the
center of all exposed walls of the building. Where walls are parallel
to and within five feet of a sidewalk, the sidewalk shall be considered
the mean ground level.
F.
Protruding signs shall not be mounted over and/or covering any window
on the second floor or higher.
G.
The sign area of the protruding sign shall be considered cumulatively
with the sign area of any attached business sign or freestanding sign,
which sign(s) shall not exceed the maximum sign area permitted as
determined by the maximum sign area building frontage equation.
For signs requiring permits, the following requirements shall
apply prior to the erection of said signs:
A.
Permit applications.
(1)
Application for a sign and/or zoning permit shall be made from
the Zoning Officer of the Borough of Waynesboro.
(2)
Application shall be made on a form to be provided by the Borough
and shall contain the following information and documentation:
(a)
The name(s) and address(es) of the sign owner and property owner.
(b)
A drawing to scale, showing the location of the sign with reference
to the adjoining lot lines and streets.
(c)
A drawing to scale, showing all dimensions of the sign. The
drawing shall also contain an accurate representation of advertising
or informative contents of the sign.
(d)
A description of the construction materials of the sign, its
manner of installation, and a description of the building and/or structure
that the sign shall be erected.
(3)
Each application shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee,
as established by the Borough Council.
B.
All applications shall be reviewed and permits issued by the Zoning
Officer. No sign permit shall be issued, except in conformity with
the regulations of this article, except upon order of the Zoning Hearing
Board, pursuant to the procedures established for the issuance of
a variance.
C.
Permit issuance. Following permit application approval, a sign permit
will be issued by the Zoning Officer upon receipt of all required
fees.
D.
Upon obtaining a sign permit, the applicant shall obtain a building
permit from the Borough Office and follow the necessary procedures
to obtain a building permit as outlined in the application and as
requested by the Borough.
E.
If there is any change in location or dimensions of any sign or in
advertising or informative contents of a sign, a new permit shall
be required.
A.
Floodlighting shall be so shielded that the source of light shall
not be visible from any point of the lot on which the sign, building
or structure being illuminated is erected and so that only the sign
is directly illuminated.
B.
All electrified or lighted signs, internally or externally, shall comply with Chapter 123, Uniform Construction Codes, and require an electrical permit and an approved inspection, except the simple plug-in type sign which uses an electrical outlet and which is purchased UL-approved.
C.
There shall be no illumination of a flashing, intermittent or moving
type and such illumination shall not change color or intensity.
Any and all signs found to be dilapidated (reduced to or fallen
into partial ruin or decay, as from age, wear, misuse, or neglect),
deteriorated (made or became lower in character, quality or value)
or otherwise found to pose a risk to public health, safety, and welfare
by the Zoning Officer shall be subject to the following regulations:
A.
If a sign is declared to be dilapidated, deteriorated, or otherwise
found to pose a risk to public health, safety, and welfare by the
Zoning Officer, it shall be either repaired or removed at the owner's
expense within 30 days after appropriate notice has been given from
the Zoning Officer; provided, however, in the event that the Zoning
Officer determines that a sign poses and imminent or immediate risk
of harm to public health, safety, or welfare it shall be immediately
removed by the owner.
B.
Failure to comply with this provision will mean that the dilapidated
or deteriorated sign, regardless of its conformity or nonconformity,
is subject to removal by the Borough and the owner shall be billed
for the cost thereof.
