A.
All signs which can be seen off the premises on which they are located, unless they are listed under Subsection C, shall comply with any applicable provisions of this chapter, regardless of whether a permit is required.
B.
A zoning permit shall be required for all business identification
signs, advertising signs, temporary signs, and announcement or professional
signs which will be seen off the premises on which the sign is located
before erection or replacement. No permit shall be required for normal
maintenance of existing signs.
[Amended 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631]
C.
No permit shall be required for and the regulations of this section
shall not be applicable to the following types of situations:
(1)
Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only
property numbers, post box numbers, names of occupants of premises,
or other identification of premises not having commercial connotations.
(2)
No-trespassing signs and other signs indicating the private
nature of a road, driveway or premises, which do not exceed two square
feet in area.
(3)
Flags and insignia of any government except when displayed in
connection with commercial promotion.
(4)
Legal notices; identification, informational or directional
signs erected or required by governmental bodies; official traffic
signs and signals; other state, county, school district or municipal
government signs.
(5)
Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings,
except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights.
(6)
Nonilluminated signs, not exceeding six square feet in area
and bearing no advertising matter, which direct and guide traffic
and parking on private property.
(7)
Nonilluminated signs, not exceeding six square feet in area
and bearing matter, which give information on location of such things
as restrooms, telephones, offices, or the functional subdivision of
the premises.
(8)
Signs which do not individually exceed four square feet in area
and bear only the property owner's noncommercial personal expression
or belief.
[Amended 12-6-2004 by Ord. No. 573].
(9)
A sign indicating that the nonresidential use of the premises
is either open for business or closed and indicating the hours of
operation of the nonresidential use of the premises, provided all
of the following restrictions are met:
[Added 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631; amended 7-7-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-641]
(a)
Said sign is for a nonresidential use located on a premises
in a commercial class or manufacturing class zoning district or said
sign is for a permitted home occupation;
(b)
Said sign may be illuminated, provided that the illuminated
sign does not flash intermittently, blink or strobe. Open for business
or closed signs which fluctuate in light intensity or are animated
shall be prohibited;
(c)
Said sign shall only be illuminated during the hours of operation
for the nonresidential use of the premises;
(d)
Said sign shall not revolve, rotate or otherwise move, in whole
or part;
(e)
Said sign shall have not more than two faces, neither of which
may exceed two square feet in area;
(f)
Said sign shall be attached to the side of the building where
the nonresidential entrance to the building is located; and
(g)
Not more than one such sign shall be placed on the premises.
(10)
A two-sided, portable, freestanding, self-supported, business
identification sign provided all of the following restrictions are
met:
[Added 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631]
(a)
Said sign is for a nonresidential use located on a premises
in a commercial class or manufacturing class zoning district;
(b)
Said sign shall neither be illuminated nor contain any moving
parts;
(c)
Said sign shall not exceed eight square feet in area on either
side of the sign;
(d)
Said sign shall not exceed a height of four feet above the average
grade level directly below the face of the sign;
(e)
The width of said sign shall not exceed two feet;
(f)
Said sign shall only be displayed during the hours of operation
of the nonresidential use of the premises and shall be removed from
display to an area not readily visible to the public during non-business
hours;
(g)
Said sign shall conform with § 675-135 of the Zoning Ordinance and shall not obstruct use of any public sidewalk,
(h)
In the event the Borough Zoning Officer, in his sole discretion, determines that said sign violates § 675-135 of the Zoning Ordinance and/or obstructs use of any public sidewalk and notifies, in writing, the property owner of such determination, said sign shall be subject to all regulations of the Zoning Ordinance and said sign shall be removed immediately after the date of mailing the Zoning Officer's determination to the property owner; and
(i)
Not more than one such sign shall be placed on the premises.
(11)
A one- or two-sided sign which advertises the prospective or
completed sale or rental of the premises upon which the sign is located
is permitted, provided all of the following restrictions are met:
[Added 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631]
(a)
Said sign shall neither be illuminated nor contain any moving
parts;
(b)
Said sign shall not exceed six square feet in area on either
side of the sign;
(c)
Said sign that is mounted to a structure on the premises shall
not exceed a height of four feet above the floor level of the first
story of the structure;
(d)
Said sign that is not mounted to a structure on the premises
shall not exceed a height of four feet above the average grade level
directly below the face of the sign;
(e)
Said sign shall not be placed on any public sidewalk;
(f)
Said sign shall be maintained and removed within 10 days after
the execution of a lease or transfer of ownership of the premises;
and
(g)
Not more than one such sign shall be placed on each street fronted
by the premises.
(12)
A one- or two-sided sign indicating the contractors, consultants,
mechanics, or artisans performing work or services on those premises
(and not their place of business), provided all of the following restrictions
are met:
[Added 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631]
(a)
Said sign shall neither be illuminated nor contain any moving
parts;
(b)
Said sign shall not exceed six square feet in area on either
side of the sign;
(c)
Said sign that is mounted to a structure on the premises shall
not exceed a height of four feet above the floor level of the first
story of the structure;
(d)
Said sign that is not mounted to a structure on the premises
shall not exceed a height of four feet above the average grade level
directly below the face of the sign;
(e)
Said sign shall not be placed on any public sidewalk;
(f)
Said sign shall be maintained and removed within 10 days after
completion of the service or work; and
(g)
Not more than one such sign shall be placed on each street fronted
by the premises.
(13)
Window signs provided all of the following restrictions are
met:
[Added 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631]
(a)
Said signs are for a nonresidential use located on a premises
in a commercial class or manufacturing class zoning district;
(b)
Said signs shall neither be illuminated nor contain any moving
parts; and
(c)
Said signs and the sign display area of said signs calculated
individually or collectively shall not exceed 30% of the windowpane
area that said signs are painted upon or attached to.
[Amended 12-6-2004 by Ord. No. 573; 2-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-719]
The following types of signs shall not be permitted or erected
in any district, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter.
A.
Signs which make use of words such as "stop," "look," "one-way,"
"danger," "yield," or any similar words, phrases, symbols, lights,
or characters, in such manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse
traffic.
B.
Signs of which all or any part is in motion by any means, including
fluttering, rotating, revolving or other motion devices.
C.
Any sign displaying activities which constitute violation of 18 Pa.C.S.A.
§ 5903, as amended, relating to display, sale, lending,
distribution or exhibition of obsence or other sexual materials are
prohibited in every zoning district.
D.
Signs that contain the property owner's personal expression or belief
which individually exceed four square feet in area.
E.
Signs displayed in a residential area for a fee or any commercial
advertisements on residential property not otherwise permitted under
this section.
F.
Signs that are determined to be a nuisance, based on any one or more
of the following:
The maximum surface area for each type of sign for which a permit is required shall not exceed the Schedule of Sign Regulations set forth in § 675-133 The maximum surface area shall also be subject to the following standards:
A.
The total area of any freestanding sign shall not exceed one square
foot for each two feet of lineal lot frontage, up to the maximum surface
area stipulated for each sign district in the Schedule of Sign Regulations.
B.
The total area of any wall sign shall not exceed 30% of the area
of the building face (including window and door area cornices) to
which the sign is attached, up to the maximum surface area stipulated
for each district in the Schedule of Sign Regulations.
[Amended 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631]
C.
Window signs calculated individually or collectively that exceed 30% of the windowpane area shall be considered a wall sign and included in the computation of the maximum surface area permitted by the Schedule of Sign Regulations in § 675-133, but such window signs shall nevertheless not exceed 50% of the windowpane area.
[Amended 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631]
The number of signs allowed for each type of sign for which a permit is required shall be subject to the Schedule of Sign Regulations in § 675-133. For purposes of determining the number of signs permitted, a sign shall be considered to be a single entity organized, related and composed to form a unit. Where the organization, relationship or composition of a number of elements is not readily discernible as a single sign, each element shall be considered to be a single sign.
Signs for which a permit is required are subject to the setback requirements set forth in the Schedule of Sign Regulations in § 675-133.
[Amended 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631; 7-7-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-641; 9-2-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-646; 2-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-719]
A.
Business identification, wall and freestanding signs.
|
Business Identification
|
Wall Sign
|
Type of Sign Freestanding
| |
|---|---|---|---|
|
R-1
| |||
|
Maximum number per property
|
1 per street
|
or
|
1 street fronted
|
|
Setback
|
N/A
|
10 feet
| |
|
Maximum surface area
|
6 square feet
|
6 square feet
| |
|
R-2
| |||
|
Maximum number per property
|
1 per street
|
or
|
1 street fronted
|
|
Setback
|
N/A
|
10 feet
| |
|
Maximum surface area
|
6 square feet
|
6 square feet
| |
|
R-3
| |||
|
Maximum number per property
|
1 per street
|
or
|
1 street fronted
|
|
Setback
|
N/A
|
10 feet
| |
|
Maximum surface area
|
6 square feet
|
6 square feet
| |
|
C-N
| |||
|
Maximum number per property1
|
2
|
and
|
1
|
|
Setback
|
N/A
|
10 feet
| |
|
Maximum surface area
|
24 square feet
|
32 square feet
| |
|
C-H1 and C-H2
| |||
|
Maximum number per property1
|
2
|
and
|
1
|
|
Setback
|
N/A
|
10 feet
| |
|
Maximum surface area
|
32 square feet
|
55 square feet
| |
|
M-C and M-C2
| |||
|
Maximum number per property1
|
2
|
and
|
1
|
|
Setback
|
N/A
|
20 feet
| |
|
Maximum surface area
|
75 square feet
|
75 square feet
|
|
NOTES:
| |
|
1
|
In the case of a corner lot or other situation where a building
has its front facing on more than one street ordained and/or improved
by the Borough of Bath or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is
zoned as nonresidential (Commercial Neighborhood, Commercial Highway
or Manufacturing Commercial), one additional wall sign or one additional
freestanding sign may be permitted at the premises.
|
B.
Advertising signs.
(1)
Permitted zoning districts. Advertising sign shall be permitted
only in CH-2 Commercial Highway with Limited Residential Use and M-C
Manufacturing Commercial Zone provided such sign complies with the
requirements listed herein.
(2)
Location requirements. Advertising sign shall be:
(a)
Attached to an exterior building wall of a building that complies
with setback requirements set forth in this chapter in the subject
zoning district on the date the sign permit application is duly filed
with the Borough of Bath;
(b)
Set back at a minimum distance of 35 feet from the closest part
of any street, road or highway or other private or public way;
(c)
Set back at a minimum of 150 feet from the closest part of any
any intersection of public or private streets;
(d)
Set back at a minimum of 300 feet from the closest part of any
residential use or residential zoning district;
(e)
Set back a minimum of 150 feet from the closest part of any
building or structure, except that there shall be a minimum of 600
feet between advertising signs. If a building is constructed after
an advertising sign has been erected which then violates this distance
requirement, the advertising sign shall not be considered nonconforming,
and such advertising sign shall be permitted to remain as a legal
permitted use pursuant to its zoning permit.
(f)
Erected parallel to the building wall the advertising sign is
attached to.
(3)
Size. Maximum sign display area is 32 square feet. Not more
than one advertising sign is permitted on a lot.
(4)
Height. Advertising sign shall comply with the wall sign requirements set forth in § 675-135 of the Zoning Ordinance.
(5)
Illumination. An advertising sign may be illuminated subject
to compliance with § 675-135D(2) and, if illuminated, shall
comply with the electrical safety standards of the National Electrical
Code adopted by the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.
C.
Billboards.
(1)
Permitted zoning districts. Billboards shall be permitted only
in CH-2 Commercial Highway with Limited Residential Use and M-C Manufacturing
Commercial Zone provided such sign complies with the requirements
listed herein.
(2)
Location requirements. A billboard shall be:
(a)
Located in front yard and shall not be located in side yard
or rear yard;
(b)
Set back at a minimum distance of 35 feet from the closest part
of any street, road or highway or other private or public way;
(c)
Set back at a minimum of 300 feet from the closest part of any
residential use or residential zoning district;
(d)
Set back a minimum of 100 feet from the closest part of any
building or structure, except that there shall be a minimum of 600
feet between billboard structures. If a building is constructed after
a billboard has been erected which then violates this distance requirement,
the billboard shall not be considered nonconforming, and such billboard
shall be permitted to remain as a legal permitted use pursuant to
its zoning permit.
(e)
Billboard shall not be erected parallel to or at an angle of
less than 45° to any public or private street, nor shall they
be permitted on buildings or in utility easements.
(3)
Size. Billboard shall be limited to one panel, two display faces
per structure. Maximum sign display area is 360 square feet per face.
Not more than one billboard is permitted on a lot.
(4)
Height. The top of the billboard shall not be higher than 35
feet above ground level and the bottom thereof shall be sufficiently
high to provide adequate traffic visibility as determined by the Zoning
Officer. Height shall be measured from the average grade level directly
below the face of the sign to the highest part of the sign.
(5)
Illumination. A billboard may be illuminated internally or by
reflected light provided the source of light is not directly visible
except by neon tubes and is so arranged as to reflect away from adjoining
premises and provided that such illumination shall not be so placed
as to cause confusion or a hazard to traffic or conflict with traffic
control signs or lights. No illumination involving movement or causing
the illusion of movement by reason of the lighting arrangements or
other devices shall be permitted. Any illuminated billboard shall
conform to the electrical safety standards of the National Electrical
Code adopted by the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.
The surface area of a sign shall be computed as including the
entire area within a regular geometric form or combination of regular
geometric forms comprising all of the display area of the sign including
all of the elements of the matter displayed. In computing the surface
area of a multifaced sign, only one side shall be considered provided
all faces are identical. Frames and structural members not bearing
advertising matter or not in the form of a symbol shall not be included
in the computation of surface area.
A.
Sign placement. Sign placement shall be subject to the following
requirements:
(1)
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 characteristics),
or through other means.
(2)
No sign in nonresidential districts of the Borough shall be
located so as to face residential districts of the Borough. This provision
shall not apply to signs at right angles to the street right-of-way
line of such street or where a street constitutes the zone boundary.
B.
Sign height. In addition to signs being subject to the maximum heights for each district listed in Article XI, signs are also subject to the following limitations:
C.
Clearance. No freestanding sign shall have less than eight feet of
clear space between such sign and the ground if it impedes the clear
sight visibility of pedestrian or vehicular traffic, provided that
necessary support may extend through open space. No wall sign that
is mounted perpendicular to a building wall or facade shall have less
than eight feet of clear space between such sign and the ground.
[Amended 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631]
D.
Projection from walls.
(1)
Wall signs attached parallel to a building wall or facade shall
not project more than six inches from the building. Wall signs attached
perpendicular to a building wall or facade shall not project more
than 48 inches from the building.
[Amended 5-6-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-631]
(2)
All signs may be interior lighted with nonglaring lights or
may be illuminated by shielded floodlights; provided, however, that
no red or green lights shall be permitted within 75 feet of the point
of intersection of the street right-of-way lines at a street corner.
Signs for the following uses shall be permitted according to the listed standards. These signs shall be allowed in addition to those set forth in § 675-128B.
A.
In the case of a shopping center or a group of stores or other business
uses on a lot held in single or separate ownership, the provisions
of this section related to the maximum surface areas of signs permitted
on a premises shall apply with respect to each building, separate
store, or similar use. No more than two freestanding signs indicating
the name of the center or similar use shall be erected.
B.
An entrance to an industrial or office park serving five or more
tenants may have a single sign having a maximum area of 100 square
feet indicating the name of the park and listing each tenant.
C.
One sign may be erected to identify a major subdivision, land development,
mobile home park or apartment complex, providing that such sign is
located at a main entrance and has a maximum area of 25 square feet.
[Amended 12-6-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-573; 5-6-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-631]
A.
Temporary signs described below may be permitted on private property subject to the regulations set forth in this Chapter 675 and subject to the following additional regulations:
(1)
Devices, signs or displays such as floodlights, flags, banners,
pennants and related devices shall only be permitted for a new business
or an existing business for special occasions not more than two times
per year in the nonresidential districts of the Borough for a period
of not more than 30 days in any one calendar year. At no other time
shall such devices, signs or displays be permitted. The maximum number
of such devices, signs or displays is one per street frontage.
(2)
Temporary signs appertaining to political, civic, philanthropic
or educational campaigns, drives, or events, provided that such signs
shall be removed within 10 days of the completion of the campaign,
drive or event. No such sign shall be posted earlier than three weeks
before the occurrence of the event to which the temporary sign relates.
B.
Temporary signs described below may be permitted on public property subject to the regulations set forth in this Chapter 675 and subject to the following additional regulations:
(1)
Temporary signs appertaining to civic, philanthropic or educational
campaigns, drives, or events, provided that such signs shall be removed
within 10 days of the completion of the campaign, drive or event.
No such sign shall be posted earlier than three weeks before the occurrence
of the event to which the temporary sign relates. A refundable deposit
of $100 is required for all signs erected on property owned by the
Borough. No such sign shall be posted on the public property without
the property owner's permission. A zoning permit shall not be granted
unless proof of the property owner's permission has been submitted
and determined acceptable by the Zoning Officer.
