[Amended 12-8-1982 by Ord. No. 71-1982; 7-14-1993 by Ord. No. 30-1993; 12-8-1993 by Ord. No. 53-1993; 6-8-1994 by Ord. No. 25-1994; 9-13-1995 by Ord. No.
18-1995; 10-11-2006 by Ord. No. 51-2006; 7-11-2007 by Ord. No. 37-2007; 12-18-2013 by Ord. No. 44-2013; 7-18-2018 by Ord. No. 34-2018]
It shall be unlawful for any person to erect or alter any sign
or other advertising structure as defined in this chapter without
first obtaining a permit from the Zoning Officer.
The following signs are declared exempt from the requirements of § 225-57:
A.
Professional signs indicating the name and profession of the occupant
of a dwelling, provided that such signs do not exceed two square feet
on any one side.
B.
Temporary signs inside windows of commercial establishments not covering
more than 25% of the window area.
C.
Any signs forbidding trespassing, hunting, fishing or trapping as
authorized by the fish and game laws.
D.
Temporary signs indicating a political preference or a political
cause, provided that such signs do not exceed 32 square feet on any
one side. Signs are permitted to be displayed for a period of 60 days
prior to a primary, general or special election and they shall be
removed within 15 days following the election.
E.
Temporary charitable signs, provided that such signs do not exceed
16 square feet on any one side.
F.
Real estate sign ("for sale," "for rent" or "sold"), provided that
the sign is temporary and for the purpose of marketing and selling
of property and removed within 30 days of closing, shall be exempt.
The following temporary real estate signs are permitted:
(1)
In a residential zone, one sign per lot is permitted, with a maximum
sign area of four square feet. The sign shall be set back a minimum
of 12 feet from the edge of pavement.
(2)
A residential major subdivision under construction with approval
from the Planning Board, one sign advertising the sale of lots in
the development is permitted and shall have a maximum sign area of
16 square feet. The sign shall be removed upon the sale of the last
lot in the development.
(3)
In a commercial zone, one sign per street frontage is permitted,
and shall have a maximum area of 16 square feet and a minimum setback
of 10 feet from the edge of pavement.
G.
Traffic directional and traffic control sign located on private property,
provided that said sign does not exceed two square feet in surface
area.
H.
All signs erected by the Township of Egg Harbor.
A.
No sign shall be erected, used or maintained which in any way simulates
official, directional or warning signs erected or maintained by the
State of New Jersey, by any county or municipality thereof or by any
public utility or similar agency concerned with the protection of
the public health or safety.
B.
No neon sign or similar illuminated advertisement shall be of such
color or located in such a fashion as to diminish or detract in any
way from the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar safety
or warning device.
C.
The following advertisements are specifically prohibited: any advertisement
which uses a series of two or more signs placed in a line parallel
to the highway or in similar fashion, all carrying a single advertisement
or message, part of which is contained on each sign.
D.
No sign shall have flashing lights or exposed flashing lights or
exposed high-intensity illumination, except that signs using a digital
lighted display panel shall not be classified nor considered as a
flashing, exposed or exposed high-intensity illumination device.
E.
No sign may obstruct any window, door, fire escape, stairway or opening
intended to provide light or ingress and egress to or from any building
or structure, with the exception that 25% of any window may be occupied
by a sign or signs subject to the further provisions of this chapter.
F.
No sign may be placed in a position such as to cause a danger to
traffic by obscuring visibility.
A.
The following types of signs are not permitted within the Township
of Egg Harbor:
(1)
Billboards and outdoor display structures, except as per the requirements of § 225-63C of this article.
(2)
All roof signs.
(3)
Signs tacked, pasted, painted or otherwise attached to poles, posts, trees, fences, sidewalks or curbs unless classified as exempt under § 225-58.
(4)
Exterior signs using moving parts, except clocks.
(5)
No sign other than official traffic control devices or street signs
shall be erected within or encroach upon the right-of-way lines of
any street unless specifically authorized by other ordinances or regulations
of the Township.
(6)
Rotating or moving signs.
B.
Additional sign restrictions.
(1)
No sign, other than warning or safety signs, which is designed or
intended to attract attention by sudden, intermittent or rhythmic
movement or physical or lighting change shall be permitted.
(2)
No sign, other than warning or safety signs, which changes physical
position by any movement or rotation or which gives the visual impression
of such movement or rotation shall be permitted.
A.
Illumination. Illumination devices, such as but not limited to floor
lights or spotlights, shall be so placed and so shielded as to prevent
the rays of illumination thereof from being cast into neighborhood
dwellings and approaching vehicles.
B.
Signs over public right-of-way. No portion of any sign shall be located
within or suspended over a public right-of-way.
C.
Setback from residential district. No sign for a business use shall
be located closer than 25 feet to any residential zone boundary.
Signs in residential districts shall be in accordance with the
following regulations:
A.
One nonilluminated residential nameplate sign, situated within the
property lines and not exceeding two square feet on any one side.
B.
One nonflashing sign advertising a farm or nursery activity situated
not less than 10 feet from any street or property line and not exceeding
10 square feet in area on any one side.
C.
One temporary sign advertising the lease or sale of a lot or construction
of the building on which it is placed. Such signs shall be nonflashing,
shall be situated within the property lines of the premises to which
it relates and shall not exceed eight square feet in total area. Nevertheless,
no signs shall be erected or placed on any lot or lots in a proposed
subdivision prior to final approval of the plat by the Planning Board.
D.
One nonflashing sign identifying a church, or other such permitted
use, not exceeding 32 square feet in area and located not less than
25 feet from any street or property line.
E.
One nonflashing sign identifying a permitted golf course and not
exceeding 32 square feet in area on any one side and located not less
than 25 feet from any street or property line.
F.
One nonflashing sign to identify a permitted professional office
which does not exceed six square feet on any one side and located
not less than 10 feet from any street or property line.
G.
A nonflashing sign(s) identifying a major subdivision or development
shall be permitted not less than 25 feet from any property line. The
entire area of a monument sign shall not exceed 32 square feet, and
the height shall not exceed six feet. If identification signs are
not requested at the time of Board approval, an amendment for the
approval is needed and the applicant must appear in front of the Board.
The number of freestanding signs permitted is dictated by the number
of homes, as follows:
The following signs shall be permitted in business, commercial
and industrial districts as an accessory structure to the principal
use:
A.
Building mounted signs attached to the main building advertising
a business conducted on the premises, subject to the following regulations:
(1)
One sign per tenant shall be permitted. On lots that front on more
than one street, driveway or access drive, additional signs are permitted,
providing the total area does not exceed that which is permitted based
on the building facade oriented to the primary street frontage, based
on street hierarchy.
(2)
Such sign shall not exceed two square feet in area for each one-foot
width of the front (based on primary street frontage) building facade
which is devoted to the business and to which it is attached; and
in no case shall any such sign exceed 250 square feet on any one side.
(3)
Such sign shall not project more than 15 inches from the building
facade to which it is attached; provided, however, that where a sign
extends more than three inches from the face of said wall, the bottom
of said sign shall not be closer than 10 feet from the ground level
of said sign.
(4)
Such sign shall not have a vertical dimension in excess of eight
feet.
(5)
Maximum sign height shall be a minimum of one foot below the topmost
portion of the structure to which it is attached.
B.
Freestanding signs, subject to the following conditions and regulations:
(1)
Such signs shall not exceed a height of 15 feet or the height of
the principal building, whichever is the greater, measured from the
ground level to the topmost portion of the structure. Supporting frames
for all freestanding signs shall be of permanent materials, such as
steel, concrete or masonry. The base of the freestanding sign shall
be constructed of masonry block at a height not to exceed 36 inches
above grade. Landscaping shall be provided around the base.
(2)
The maximum area of any freestanding sign shall be one square foot
of surface area on any one side for each five-foot interval of street
frontage, except that no freestanding sign shall exceed 250 square
feet in area on any one side.
(3)
Not more than one freestanding sign shall be permitted for each 300
feet of street frontage on the primary street frontage based on street
hierarchy. Freestanding signs shall not be permitted on the secondary
street.
(4)
Such sign may be internally lighted with nonglaring lights or may
be illuminated by shielded floodlights. No lights of intermittent
or flashing type shall be permitted.
(5)
Such signs shall advertise only such businesses as conducted on the
premises.
(6)
All freestanding signs shall be located within a curbed area, and
no portion of any freestanding sign shall project beyond the curbline
of the sign location.
(7)
No freestanding sign shall be located closer to any property line
than 25 feet.
(8)
A changeable message sign is one where the characters, letters or
illustrations can be changed or rearranged without altering or changing
the face of the sign. A changeable message sign cannot be animated
with any flashing colors. Each changeable message shall be fixed for
a minimum of 10 seconds before changing to the next message. After
dusk, a dimmer light shall be used. No change in the message is permitted
from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
(9)
The project street address number shall be provided on the freestanding
sign, and the address is not computed in the sign area computation.
The maximum vertical dimension of the street address number shall
not exceed 12 inches.
(10)
Freestanding signage for drive-through restaurants shall be
permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Directional signage, limited to signage indicating entrance,
exit, thank you, do not enter, or similar language, shall not exceed
an area of two square feet.
(b)
A maximum of two menu boards shall be permitted and the area
of each sign shall not exceed 32 square feet and a maximum height
of eight feet measured from grade.
(11)
Temporary signs, banners, flags, balloons, pennants, and the
like, shall be permitted, subject to the following:
(a)
The applicant shall be required to obtain a permit from the
Zoning Officer for the temporary signage or banner. The applicant
is permitted a maximum of three temporary signs per year for promotional
events or sales, with a minimum of 30 days between each permit.
(b)
Signage announcing a promotional event or sale may remain on
the site for a maximum of 14 days.
(c)
A temporary sign shall not exceed a maximum height of 10 feet.
(d)
No temporary signs may be located closer than 25 feet to any
property line.
(e)
The temporary signs shall be spaced at intervals of no less
than 50 feet, with a maximum of five temporary signs per site.
(f)
Signage for the purposes of announcing a grand opening shall
be removed within 30 days of that opening.
C.
Billboards and off-premises advertising signs shall be additional
permitted principal uses in the GC, M-1 and RCD Zoning Districts,
subject to the following regulations:
(1)
The maximum gross surface area per sign face shall be 1,000 square
feet. The advertising surface of the sign shall not exceed a maximum
height of 25 feet and a maximum length of 60 feet.
(2)
The maximum sign height permitted in the GC, M-1 and RCD Zoning Districts,
measured from the adjacent street grade, is 60 feet.
(3)
No sign shall be located closer than 25 feet to a property line and
an existing or proposed right-of-way line.
(4)
Billboards or off-premises advertising signs shall not be located:
(a)
Within 50 feet of a structure on the same lot.
(b)
Within 500 feet of any residential district.
(c)
Within 1,000 feet of an interchange or intersection.
(d)
Within 1,000 feet of any other such sign on the same side of
the highway. The measurement of 1,000 feet shall be along the nearest
edge of the pavement between points directly opposite the edge of
the sign face nearest the pavement edge and shall apply only to signs
on the same side of the highway. The point of measurement for back-to-back
signs shall be the midpoint between the nearest edge of the back-to-back
sign faces.
(5)
A digital or LED billboard is permitted in the GC, M-1 and RCD Zoning
Districts. A digital or LED billboard shall conform to the lighting
standards as established by the Outdoor Advertising Association of
America brightness criteria (www.oaaa.org) and is subject to any future
revisions to those standards. No change in the message shall be permitted
between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
(6)
In addition to the standards in Subsection C(1) through (5) above, a billboard shall be permitted in the Pinelands Area provided that:
(a)
For any new billboard, the applicant can demonstrate that, for
each new sign, a nonconforming off-site sign pursuant to N.J.A.C.
7:50-6.108(b) has been removed;
(b)
If a new or existing conforming billboard proposes to have a
digital or LED display, it shall meet the following requirements:
[1]
The electronic message display is programmed to freeze in one
position if a malfunction occurs;
[2]
The transition of one displayed message to another displayed
message is accomplished within one second or less;
[3]
The duration of the interval between the end of any transition
and the start of its subsequent transition is at least eight seconds;
and
[4]
The brightness of the display is automatically adjusted based
on ambient light conditions through the use of an integrated light
sensing device.
(c)
Except as provided in Subsection C(6)(b) above, billboards or other off-site signs shall not contain, include, or be illuminated by any flashing, intermittent, scrolling or moving light or lights. All sources of illumination shall be shielded or directed such that light is not directed towards the sky.
D.
Any sign permitted in the residential zones.
A.
Signs for any county or municipal owned park, playground, public
facility or public building shall be subject to the following standards:
(1)
In any residential district, one nonflashing sign is permitted
which shall not exceed 36 square feet in area and shall be located
not less than 25 feet from any street or property line.
(2)
In all other zoning districts, one freestanding sign is permitted which shall have a sign area calculated in accordance with § 225-63B(2).
