This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The City of Lancaster Sign Ordinance."
The City is authorized to adopt this chapter pursuant to applicable Pennsylvania law including, but not limited to, 11 Pa.C.S.A. § 12435.
The Council of the City of Lancaster finds and declares that the provisions of this chapter are enacted for the following reasons:
A. 
To protect public health, safety and general welfare.
B. 
To protect and enhance Lancaster City's physical attractiveness and historic quality.
C. 
To enhance Lancaster's economic environment by promoting and regulating signage that enables businesses and institutions to bring adequate public attention to their locations in a manner that is compatible with immediate surroundings.
D. 
To avoid and reduce sign or advertising distractions and obstructions that may contribute to traffic accidents, create hazards for pedestrians, and impede the travel path for persons with disabilities.
E. 
To prevent visual blight caused by excessive signage cluttering building facades and public rights-of-way.
Within the City of Lancaster signs shall only be erected, altered, maintained or used in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, and shall require sign permits in accordance with the fee schedule established by resolution of City Council. In addition to the sign permit, which addresses compliance with this chapter, a separate building permit, with an additional fee requirement, may be required for electrical signs, for freestanding, projecting, wall, and roof signs, and for other signs of a structural or combustible nature. Both a sign permit as per this chapter and a building permit shall require the satisfactory completion of an application form as provided by the Sign Administrator and the Codes Compliance Administrator. Permits must be obtained by the installer of the sign or by the property owner/occupant prior to the installation of the sign.
Sign permit fees shall be paid by the applicant at the time of filing a sign permit application with the Sign Administrator. Application fees for sign permits as per this chapter shall be based upon a schedule established by City Council resolution.
In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter shall be minimum requirements. Wherever the requirements of this chapter are at variance with the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations, ordinances, deed restrictions or covenants, the most restrictive, or that imposing the highest standards, shall govern.
Article IX, Signs, of Chapter 300, Zoning, of the City Code is hereby specifically repealed, as well as all ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith; provided that sign applications currently filed with the Zoning Officer or for which permits have been issued prior to adoption of this Chapter 255 shall be processed and reviewed under the Zoning Ordinance sign regulations in place at the time of sign application. However, the repeal shall in no manner be construed as a waiver, release or relinquishment of the right to initiate, pursue or prosecute, as the case may be, any proceeding at law or in equity, including criminal or civil proceedings, pertaining to any act done which would have constituted a violation of the ordinances or parts of ordinances repealed hereby, or their applicable predecessor ordinances, and all provisions of said repealed ordinances shall remain in full effect and force, and not repealed hereby, as they pertain to said acts.