The following conditions shall apply to all signs:
A. No sign shall be placed or located in any manner that would create
a hazard or endanger the health, safety or welfare of the general
public.
B. No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger
to traffic on a street.
C. Only authorized official traffic or public utility signs may be erected
within or over any street right-of-way.
D. Official traffic signs are permitted in all districts and shall be
in conformity with regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
E. Public utility signs required in connection with the identification,
operation or protection of a public utility are permitted in all districts.
F. All sign types may be illuminated. Any illuminated sign or lighting
device shall employ only lights emitting a light of constant intensity,
and no sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent
rotating or moving light or lights, with the exception of time and
temperature signs. In no event shall an illuminated sign or lighting
device be placed or directed so as to permit the beam and/or illumination
therefrom to be directed or beamed upon a public street, sidewalk
or adjacent premises so as to cause glare or reflection that constitutes
a hazard or nuisance. If signs are externally illuminated at night,
all light sources shall be shielded from the view of adjacent lots
and roads.
[Amended 7-16-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-05]
G. No sign shall be erected or maintained at the intersection of roads in such manner as to obstruct free and clear vision of the intersection. No sign shall be located within the clear sight triangle, as specified in Chapter
390, Subdivision and Land Development, of any public or private street intersections.
H. No signage shall be on the roof or above the roofline drip edge of
any building.
[Amended 3-15-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-03]
I. Unless stated otherwise in this article, no such sign shall be more
than 15 feet in height from the average existing natural grade at
the base of the sign, and all such structures shall have an open space
of not less than three feet between its lower edge and the ground.
J. All signs, other than wall signs, shall be self-supporting on their
own structure and shall not be attached to trees, utility poles or
other like features unless otherwise allowed under this ordinance.
K. With exception of monument signs located at four-way intersections,
no sign shall contain more than two faces, with each face being a
backup to the other with an interior angle of no greater than 30°.
L. All proposed signs in any zoning district along a state or interstate
or highway shall obtain PennDOT approval and a permit, where applicable.
M. The applicant shall provide the Township Zoning Officer a copy of
PennDOT's approval of the sign placement prior to sign construction,
where applicable.
N. An application for any sign shall include plans for the size, shape, color, and lighting, manner of display, lettering and placement of any such consolidated or combined signs at any such sign plaza. Any sign erected without all the appropriate permits shall be in violation of this Article
VII.
O. Every sign shall be maintained in safe structural condition at all
times.
P. Must comply with the applicable state and Township building codes,
the Uniform Construction Code ("UCC"), as amended as to structural
and electrical standards, and all other applicable laws, ordinances,
codes, and standards.
The following signs are prohibited in all zoning districts:
A. Banners, flags (excluding the United States flag and the flags of
levels of government), spinners, pennants, human signs, or any moving
object containing a message or not, excluding PennDOT-permitted banners
over roadways.
[Amended 3-15-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-03]
B. Flashing, blinking, twinkling, animated or moving signs of any type. This restriction specifically includes signs on mobile stands. This shall not prohibit Christmas or other holiday lighting or displays. This shall not prohibit electronic message signs as permitted in §
470-108D.
C. Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors or particles, sound or odor.
D. No sign shall be painted directly upon a roof of any building.
E. No sign shall be erected, used or maintained which in any way simulates
official, directional or warning signs erected or maintained by the
state, county or Township or by any railroad or public utility or
similar agency concerned with the protection of the public health
or safety.
F. Signs placed in, on or affixed to trailers, whose sole purpose is
to support a freestanding sign.
G. The outlining of rooflines, doors, windows or wall edges by illuminated
neon light tubing.
[Amended 3-15-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-03]
Permitted Sign Types
|
R-1 and R-2
|
RD
|
C
|
CD
|
I
|
---|
Freestanding
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
Wall
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
Billboards
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Monument
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Sign plaza
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Window
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Digital and electronic
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Secondary
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
None
|
Allowed
|
Temporary
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
Allowed
|
The following apply to all signs regardless of type or location:
A. Set back at least five feet from the future road right-of-way for
all signs.
[Amended 3-15-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-03]
B. Located no closer than 300 feet from a R-1, R-2, or RD Zoning District
as measured along the same side of the street.
C. Shall be erected in conformity with the front, side and rear requirements
of the zoning district in which they are located.
A master sign plan shall be submitted to the Zoning Officer
for all nonresidential developments, lots, sites or structures of
one or more uses that utilize or will utilize five or more signs requiring
a zoning permit. All signs requiring a zoning permit in a nonresidential
development, lot, site, structure or use requiring a master sign plan
shall comply with the master sign plan. A master sign plan shall be
submitted to the Zoning Officer prior to the issuance of a zoning
permit for a sign(s) for each use in a nonresidential development,
lot, site or structure requiring a master sign plan. A master sign
plan shall include the following information:
A. A site plan of the lot or site clearly and legibly drawn at a scale
of one inch being equal to 50 feet or less, showing the location of
all existing proposed and future signs of any type, whether requiring
a zoning permit or not, except that incidental signs need not be shown,
and their dimensioned setbacks from the front and nearest side property
line.
B. Building elevations drawn to scale of each side of the building on
which a sign is located or will be placed showing the sign dimensions
and proportions, location of each existing and proposed sign on the
building, material, color scheme, lettering or graphic style, and
lighting, if any.
C. Drawings of the planned signs clearly indicating the dimensions of
all signs including height above finished grade, lettering, logos
and other graphics, colors, materials, texture and method of illumination,
if any.
D. Type and total number of signs proposed, plus any existing signs
that will remain, and a computation of the maximum total sign area
and the maximum areas for individual signs compare to the signage
allowed.
E. The master sign plan may contain other standards and criteria not
regulated by the Township as the property owner or developer may require,
such as uniform sign standards.
F. Additional submittals or amendments to the master sign plan will
be necessary as changes to a sign(s) in a qualifying nonresidential
development, lot, site structure or use(s) occur. Any amendments to
a master sign plan must be signed and approved by the property owner(s)
and Zoning Officer before such amendment will become effective.
G. Where a master sign plan is required, no zoning permit shall be issued
for a sign requiring a zoning permit and no sign shall be erected
unless and until a master sign plan, or amendment thereto, for the
nonresidential development, lot, site, structure or use on which a
sign will be erected has been submitted to, and approved by, the Zoning
Officer.
H. A master sign plan shall be submitted as part of a final land development plan for a nonresidential land development, in whole or in part, that is governed by this Article
VII with respect to all existing, proposed, or future signs known at the time of final land development plan submission.
Fees for sign permits shall be as determined from time to time
by resolution of the Township Commissioners.
[Added 3-15-2021 by Ord.
No. 2021-03]
The following signs are allowed in all zoning districts and
do not need a zoning permit, provided the signs meet the requirements
of this article:
A. Any sign required by law and which is required to be posted outdoors.
B. Auto dealer vehicle signs as accessory to an on-site lawful vehicle
sales use.
C. Business nameplates not exceeding one square foot in area per nonresidential
establishment.
D. Building markers not exceeding four square feet and not exceeding
four feet in height.
E. Decals not exceeding an aggregate of two square feet per building
entrance.
F. Historical markers erected by an historical agency or association
and approved by a majority vote of the Board of Commissioners at a
regular meeting, or by a state agency.
H. The United States Flag and the flags of levels of government.
I. Memorial signs located in an approved cemetery.
J. Construction signs and real estate signs of 16 square feet or smaller
in sign area.
M. Public notification signs for hearings held by a Pocono Township
Board.
N. Personal use and information signs.
O. Public use and information signs.
P. A sign that is physically carried by a person and does not rest upon
the ground or a building. However, such person shall not enter into
the travel lanes or shoulder of a public street or obstruct a vehicle
driveway while actively displaying the sign.
Q. Shopping cart corral signs.
R. Window signs that are not illuminated and that are 10 square feet
or smaller in sign area.
S. On-premises signs that are not readable from any highway, street
or lot line, and which are not internally illuminated, and which have
a total height of less than 10 feet shall not be regulated in number,
type or sign area size by this article.
T. Signs that existed within a resort complex or commercial resort development
at the time of approval of such use, or that are within the scope
of the land development plan submitted and approved for such use under
a prior Township Zoning Ordinance.
U. Signs within an approved resort complex or commercial resort development
that cannot be read from any public street and from any lot located
outside of the resort complex or commercial resort development. See
also the definition of "on-premises signs" in regard to resorts.
[Added 3-15-2021 by Ord.
2021-03]
The following terms, unless otherwise expressly stated, shall
have the following meanings throughout the chapter:
BANNER
A strip or piece of cloth on which a sign is painted, printed
or embossed.
BILLBOARD
An off-premises sign that is larger than 50 square feet of
gross surface area.
COPY
The words, letters, numbers, figures, designs, or other symbolic
representations incorporated into a sign.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE SIGN
An electronic sign, typically comprising a liquid crystal
diode (LCD), light-emitting diode (LED), plasma, or other digital
illuminated display that contains one or more messages. An electronic
message sign is different from an illuminated sign in that the illumination
of the display creates the message, rather than an internal or external
light source illuminating the message. See figure below (Electronic
Message Sign).
FREESTANDING SIGN
A permanent sign that is self-supporting in a fixed location
and not attached to a building. A freestanding sign can be connected
or attached to a sign structure, fence, or wall that is not an integral
part of a building. Freestanding signs include, but are not limited
to, monument signs, pole signs, or pylon signs. See figure below (Freestanding
Sign).
GROSS SURFACE AREA
The entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing
the extreme limits of such sign. However, such perimeter shall not
include any structural or framing elements lying outside the limits
of such sign.
HUMAN SIGN
A sign held by or attached to a human for the purposes of
advertising or otherwise drawing attention to an individual, business,
commodity, service or product. This includes a person dressed in costume
for the purpose of advertising or drawing attention to an individual,
business, commodity, service or product.
ILLUMINATED SIGN
A sign with an artificial light source incorporated internally
or externally for the purpose of illuminating the sign; includes signs
made from neon or other gas tube(s) that are bent to form letters,
symbols, or other shapes. An illuminated sign excludes electronic
message signs, which are separately defined.
INCIDENTAL SIGN
A small nonelectric information sign, two square feet or
less in area, which pertains to goods, products, services or facilities
which are available on the premises where the sign occurs and is intended
primarily for the convenience of the public while on those premises.
MONUMENT SIGN
A freestanding sign that is detached from a building and
having a support structure that is a solid-appearing base constructed
of a permanent material, such as concrete block or brick. See figure
below (Monument Sign).
NONCONFORMING SIGN
A sign lawfully erected that does not comply with the provisions
of this ordinance.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN
A sign advertising a land use or promoting a commercial or
noncommercial message unrelated to the activity conducted on the lot,
development or site where the sign is located; or a sign which directs
attention to a business, commodity, service, entertainment, or attraction
sold, offered, or existing elsewhere than on the same lot or development
where the sign is located. All off-premises signs are billboards.
ON-PREMISES SIGN
Signs accessory to commercial, industrial, or institutional
activities, the purpose of which is to sell or index a product, service,
or activity or to provide information regarding a commercial, industrial,
or institutional facility. On-premises signs are located on the same
lot, development or site as the advertised use. If a sign relates
to an activity or use within a resort complex or commercial resort,
a business subdivision or multifamily development, and that sign is
placed within that same complex, resort, subdivision or development,
such sign shall be considered an on-premises sign, even if the sign
is on a different lot than the activity or use advertised by the sign.
PENNANTS
A flag or banner longer in the fly than in the hoist; especially
one that tapers to a point designed to move in the wind.
PERMANENT SIGN
A sign that is entirely constructed out of durable materials,
is fixed in place, and is intended to exist for more than 120 days.
SECONDARY SIGN
An additional sign permitted for regional impact developments
and institutional campuses.
SIGN
Any identification, description, illustration, advertisement
or device, illuminated or nonilluminated, which is visible to the
general public and directs attention to a product, service, place,
activity, person, institution, business or solicitation, including
any permanently installed or situated merchandise or any emblem, painting
or plaque designed to advertise, identify or convey information. Except
as otherwise provided in this article, a sign shall include the structural
and framing elements which do not form an integral part of the display.
SIGN FACE
That area or portion of a sign on which copy is intended
to be placed.
SIGN PLAZA
Signs consolidated and confined within a single frame or
as a combination of sign panels.
SPECIAL EVENT SIGN
A temporary sign that announces special events, including
but not limited to auctions, grand openings, new management, going
out of business, and events sponsored by religious, charitable, or
public service groups.
SPINNERS
A device designed to spin to catch one's attention with movement
and/or copy.
TEMPORARY SIGN
A structure or device used for the public display of visual
messages or images, which is easily installed with or without common
hand tools and which is not intended or suitable for long-term or
permanent display, due to lightweight or flimsy construction materials.
WALL SIGN
A sign attached to or erected against the wall of a building
or structure with the exposed face of the sign parallel to the plane
of such wall. See figure below (Wall Sign).
WINDOW SIGN
Any sign, picture, letter, character, or combination thereof,
designed to communicate information placed upon and/or inside and/or
within three feet of a window for the purpose of being visible from
the exterior of the window.