[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of Polk 6-27-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-03. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Polk Township
E-911 Street and Building Number Sign Ordinance."
This chapter is adopted pursuant to the provisions of the Pennsylvania
Second Class Township Code, Act of May 1, 1933 (P.L. 103, No. 69),
as reenacted and amended November 9, 1995 (P.L. 350, No. 60), as amended.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 65101 et seq.
The purpose of this chapter is to enhance public safety and
security, and generally protect the public health, safety and welfare
by improving the ability of emergency response personnel to navigate
and locate dwellings and other structures in the Township, and to
enhance the convenience of the general public. This chapter:
A.
Provides the authority to the Township Board of Supervisors to assign
street names to all public and private streets in the Township to
eliminate duplicates and prevent confusion within the Township;
B.
Requires conformance to the street addressing system established
by Monroe County for 911 emergency call system; and
C.
Establishes a uniform system for street names and building number
signs.
A.
Street names required. All public and private streets, driveways
and access streets in the Township which serve two or more principal
structures shall be named and posted with a street name sign in accordance
with this chapter.
B.
Street name assignment. The Board of Supervisors shall have the sole
authority to assign names to all public and private streets, driveways
and access streets in the Township and to change such names if deemed
necessary to achieve the purposes of this chapter. In the case of
new subdivisions and land developments, the street names shall be
included on the plans required by the Township for review.
C.
Street name duplication. No street name sign shall be posted on any
public or private street, driveway or access street unless the Township
has approved such name in order to avoid duplication of names.
All street addresses in the Township shall conform to the street
addressing system established by Monroe County for the 911 emergency
call system, and all occupied structures shall have a building number
sign conforming to the requirements of this chapter.
[Amended 12-19-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-05; at time of adoption of Code (see
Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
All street name sign standards in this chapter are intended
to conform to the recommendations of the National Committee on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices published in March, 2001 and PennDOT requirements
per 67 Pa. Code Ch. 212, Official Traffic-Control Devices.
A.
Installation of street signs. The Township shall initially install
all new street name signs for public roads on public roads only.
(1)
The sign and pole on which the sign is mounted shall be made of a
material and installed in a manner approved by the Township and shall
meet the approved current Township and/or Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation standards and specifications for street and/or road
signs as set forth within the current edition of the Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), as amended.
(2)
The text of the sign shall be six inches in height with initial capital
letter, then all lowercase letters, spaced in a manner so it is identifiable
and readable from both sides of the roadway. The sign face shall be
a minimum of eight inches in height exclusive of the border, if any.
In the case of a local street or any street with a posted speed limit
of 25 miles per hour or less, the street name may be composed of initial
uppercase letters at least four inches in height and lowercase letters
at least three inches in height.
(3)
The text shall be in reflective white letters and/or numbers with
green background, in accordance with the minimum retro-reflectivity
requirements of MUTCD.
(4)
The sign shall be located on a ten-foot-tall pole.
(5)
The background of the sign shall contrast in color from the reflective
white text so that the text of the sign is more visible in accordance
with MUTCD, as amended.
(6)
The signs shall be mounted at each roadway intersection in accordance
with MUTCD, as amended.
(7)
Signs naming the roadways at the intersection shall be installed
with their faces parallel to the roadways they name.
(8)
The sign shall be retro-reflective to show the same shape and color
both day and night.
B.
Private roads. The owner(s) of any private road shall be responsible
for erecting street signage in conformity with the requirements of
this chapter.
(1)
The background color for private street signage may be different
than the green color of the public street name signs, but must be
consistent within any private development or subdivision, and must
meet the approved color and retro-reflectivity requirements of MUTCD.
The letters shall be reflective white.
C.
Roads adjoining a collector street. Any private or Township road which intersects with a collector street or any street with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour or more shall be posted with signage that complies with § 316-6A(2) of this chapter.
D.
Time for repair. If a private roadway sign is knocked down and/or
removed and/or otherwise covered by an unforeseen occurrence, the
owner and/or maintainer of the private roadway shall repair and/or
reinstall the roadway sign within 15 days of the occurrence.
E.
Time for installing signs. All persons required to install roadway
signs, as set forth herein, shall install said signs for existing
roadways, both public and private, on or before July 1, 2012. The
owners of any new roadways shall procure the official roadway name
assignment and complete the requisite sign installation as part of
the normal subdivision and land development process. New roadways
shall be assigned a name, and the requisite sign shall be installed
within 30 days after completion of the roadway.
A.
Installation of building number signs. All owners of premises shall
install building number signs.
B.
Specifications of building numbers sign:
(1)
The building number sign identifying the building or other structure
shall have reflective four inches white numerals on a uniform green
reflective rectangular background of sufficient size, and in full
view, positioned so that snow, leaves, branches, shrubs or other such
impediments shall not obstruct the visibility required by this chapter,
and shall comply with the following regulations:
(a)
Numerals shall be at least four inches in height and spaced
in a manner so that the reader can easily read the numbers.
(c)
The numbers shall be in reflective white numerals and shall
be visible from both directions on the roadway.
(d)
The background shall be a uniform green reflective material
with a minimum margin of not less than 1/2 inch around the numbers.
(e)
The building number on the required background may be affixed
to the sides of a mailbox or the building number sign may be attached
to the mailbox or mounted on the mailbox support, if the mailbox is
located immediately adjacent to the driveway of the premises. Where
the building number is not located on the mailbox, it shall be installed
on an approved post or mount at a location where the driveway intersects
the private roadway and/or the Township and/or state road right-of-way
in a manner acceptable to the Township, unless otherwise approved
by the Township. Such signage should optimally be erected six feet
to eight feet from the edge of the road pavement.
[1]
For apartments, townhouses, shopping centers or other similar
complexes, where only one number is assigned, it shall be displayed
at the main driveway.
[2]
Numbers for individual units or establishments within the complex
shall be displayed on, above or to the right side of the main doorway
of each unit or establishment, utilizing four-inch reflective white
numerals on a reflective green background.
[3]
When a building number sign is utilized, it shall be rectangular
green reflective material overlaid on an aluminum or other corrosion-resistant
metal, rigid fiberglass-reinforced plastic or other durable material
approved by the Township. Wood, plywood and other wood products are
not acceptable. Building number signs shall be double-sided, with
the number on each side, or two single-sided signs may be used, when
necessary, such as when they are placed on the sides of a mailbox.
(f)
The building number sign shall be easily visible by at least
50 feet by emergency responders as they approach the subject property
from either direction on the roadway; however, no building number
sign shall be located within the right-of-way of any state or Township
road.
(g)
The height of the building number or building number sign shall
at be least 42 inches to the bottom, but no greater than 72 inches
to the top, above the ground surface, except for numbers displayed
over a doorway.
(h)
Unless otherwise approved by the Township, the building number
sign shall be mounted on one of the following configurations:
[1]
Mounted on a stand-alone post or pole per specifications established
by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
[2]
Mounted on any other type or kind of approved mounting device
in a manner established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors,
except that it shall not be mounted on a utility pole.
[3]
Attached to the mailbox or mounted on the mailbox support.
(i)
Additional street number signage is not required to be erected
on the building itself, except for individual units or establishments
within a complex.
(2)
If the building number sign post and/or mount is knocked down and/or
removed and/or otherwise covered by an unforeseen occurrence, the
owner of the subject property shall repair and/or reinstall the building
number sign within 15 days of the occurrence.
A.
Enforcement. This chapter shall be enforced by the Zoning Officer
and such other officials as may be designated by the Board of Supervisors.
B.
Building number signs and certificate of zoning compliance. No zoning
permit or other Township permit shall be issued for any existing or
proposed structure until a building number sign has been installed
on the property in accordance with this chapter.
A.
All street name signs placed, replaced, modified or maintained after
the effective date of this chapter shall conform to the requirements
of this chapter.
B.
All new building number signs shall be installed in compliance with
this chapter within 365 days, and all nonconforming building number
signs shall be brought into compliance within 365 days of official
notice that the number has been assigned by Monroe County.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter
shall, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding
commenced by the Township before a Magisterial District Judge, pay
a fine of not more than $600, plus all court costs, including reasonable
attorneys' fees, incurred by the Township in the enforcement of this
chapter. If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment,
the Township may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable Rules
of Civil Procedure. Each day a violation exists shall constitute a
separate offense. Further, the appropriate officers or agents of the
Township are hereby authorized to seek equitable relief, including
injunction, to enforce compliance herewith.
The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any sentence,
clause or section is for any reason found to be unconstitutional,
illegal or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of
any of the remaining provisions of this chapter. It is hereby declared
as the legislative intent that this chapter would have been adopted
had such unconstitutional, illegal or invalid provisions had not been
included herein.
