All ordinances dealing with the regulation and/or construction of signs, billboards or other advertising display within the Borough are hereby repealed and replaced by this chapter.
The purpose of this chapter is to cover construction, erection, use, maintenance, regulating, restricting, limiting, prohibiting signs (both indoor and outdoor), billboards, lights, outdoor display structures, and certain outdoor advertising to minimize the abuses and hazards incident to the use of such signs and which would be injurious to property in the vicinity and to the public interest and to prevent the danger to public health, safety and morals.
a. 
SIGN – Shall mean and include every sign, billboard poster, symbol display, advertising or advertising device for visual communication, either indoor or outdoor (which may be viewed from outdoors), that is used for the purpose of bringing the subject thereof to the attention of the public, but not including any flag, badges or insignias of any government or governmental agency or of any civic, charitable, religious, patriotic, fraternal or similar organization. A sign is any structure or part thereof, or any device attached to a structure or painted or represented on a structure, whether inside the structure or on the outside thereof, which shall display or include any letter, work model, banner flag, pennant, insignia, device or representation used as, or which is in the nature of, an announcement, direction or advertisement.
b. 
ILLUMINATED SIGN – Shall mean any sign designed to give forth any artificial light or designed to reflect such light deriving from any source which is intended to cause such light or reflection. See also Chapter 9-19 entitled "Lighting Restrictions."
c. 
FLASHING SIGN – Shall mean any illuminated design on which the artificial light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times, when in use.
d. 
ROOF SIGN – Shall mean a sign erected, constructed and maintained above the roof of any building.
e. 
BUSINESS SIGN – Shall mean a sign which directs attention to a business or profession conducted or to products sold upon the same lot. A premises sign is a business sign.
f. 
ADVERTISING SIGN – Shall mean a sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than upon the same lot.
g. 
OFF-SITE ADVERTISING BILLBOARDS – Shall mean and include any and all erections annexed to the land or building in the nature of a fence, structure or a wall for the purpose of posting advertising bills and posting other than those defined in Subsection h defining on-site advertising billboards.
h. 
ON-SITE ADVERTISING BILLBOARDS – Shall mean and include any and all erections annexed to the land or building in the nature of a fence, structure or a wall for the purpose of posting advertising bills and posters which advertise the business which the owner or lessee of the lands are conducting: or advertise the products sold by the owner or lessee of the land on the land.
No sign shall hereafter be erected, constructed or maintained except as provided in these requirements and until a permit for the same has been issued by the Building Subcode Official. The application for a permit shall be in such form as the Building Subcode Official may prescribe and shall include such information and drawings as may be required by the Building Subcode Official for a complete understanding of the proposed work. No sign permit shall be issued until the written permission of the owner or proof of a bona fide lessee of the property, upon which it is to be erected, has been filed with the Building Subcode Official.
a. 
Exemptions.
1. 
An occupancy sign, such as used for professional, religious, fraternal or charitable purposes, containing not more than two square feet. Said sign shall be at least 10 feet from any lot line.
Political campaign signs on commercial properties and on residential properties so long as the signs on residential properties are no larger than nine square feet in area.
Signs in residential zones indicating the name or addresses of the occupant provided that they shall not be larger than two square feet in area. Only one such sign per dwelling unit shall be permitted.
Signs accessory to parking areas, provided that they designate entrances or exits to or from a parking area, and are limited to one sign for each such exit or entrance, with a maximum size of four square feet for each sign.
A memorial sign or tablet, which indicates the name of the building and/or date of erection, when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other, incombustible materials.
[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-09]
2. 
The exemptions permitted in Subsection a1 of this section shall apply only to the requirement of a permit and shall not be construed as relieving the owner of the sign for erection of the sign in a good and safe condition.
Every sign, billboard light or structure erected for advertisement or display purposes upon completion shall be inspected by the Building Subcode Official and in case of projecting signs, annually thereafter. All signs, billboards, lights or structures erected for advertising or display purposes shall be properly secured, supported and braced and shall be kept in perfect structural condition, clean and well painted at all times. The Building Subcode Official may order the removal of any sign(s) that are not maintained in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
No person shall paint, post, place or affix any business or commercial advertisement, house numbers or markings, or cause same to be done on or to any curb stone, flagstone or any other portion of any street or sidewalk, or upon any tree, lamp post, telegraph, electric light, telephone pole, hydrant within the limits of any street within the Borough unless by special permission from the construction code official.
Danger, warning, automobile director, street, safety signs and signs designated primarily to indicate the location on the premises of utility facilities for the use of the general public shall be subject to the supervision of the Mayor and Council and Police Department.
No sign erected before September 15, 1980, shall be rebuilt or relocated without conforming to these requirements except as otherwise provided by law or by this chapter.
All electrical equipment used in connection with outdoor advertising display signs, shall, in the absence of specific requirements, be installed in accordance with the National Electrical Code, American Standard CL - 1946, of the latest edition thereof approved by the American Standards Association Incorporated, and certification from the construction code official will be required showing compliance.
All temporary signs used as accessory to new construction or alteration on the premises are permitted only after a building permit for said construction and sign has been issued; provided, however, that said temporary sign shall not be larger than 12 square feet and must be removed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for said construction.
It shall be unlawful for any person to construct or erect an off-site sign or billboard as defined herein within the Borough of Englewood Cliffs.
Every sign, billboard, poster, or structure erected for advertisement pertaining to any candidate or organization for a local, county, State or National elective office shall be removed by the person or persons responsible for the erection of such sign, billboard, poster or structure within 10 days after the date of the election to which such sign, billboard, poster or structure pertains.
It shall be unlawful for any person to:
a. 
Erect an off-site billboard.
b. 
Equip with electrical lights, battery operated light or illumination of any other type than by natural means, any off-site billboard, as defined herein, now in existence.
c. 
Equip any sign, as defined herein, with an artificial light which is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times when in use.
d. 
Erect or equip any sign or advertising that employs flashing, intermittent illumination, rotating or other movement.
e. 
Erect any illuminated sign.
Signs in residential districts. The following kinds of signs shall be permitted in residential districts known as R-B and R-B1 Residential Zones, upon payment for a permit as hereinafter provided.
a. 
One sign advertising a permitted use or indicating the home or office of a member of a recognized profession provided that such sign shall not exceed a size of one foot in length and four inches in height.
b. 
(1) 
One temporary sign indicating real property for sale or rent which shall be not larger than four square feet maximum advertising the sale or letting of only the premises on which it is maintained. The sign may remain on the property until a certificate of occupancy is issued in regard to the rental of the property. In the event that there is a sale and not a rental, the sign may remain until the actual closing of the property.
(2) 
An additional Open House sign shall be allowed on the property on the day and during the hours of a scheduled Open House, but it shall be removed at the end of the day. The maximum size shall be four square feet.
c. 
One temporary sign shall be permitted bearing the builder's or general contractor's name and other pertinent information. Prior to obtaining the certificate of occupancy, the sign must be removed and the sign shall not be larger than four square feet (24 inches by 24 inches). No subcontractor's sign shall be permitted.
The following kinds of signs and advertising shall be permitted in B-1, B-3 and B-4 Zones, upon payment for a permit as hereinafter provided:
a. 
All types of signs permitted in residential districts:
b. 
Signs attached to buildings (whether inside or outside of the structure, permanent or temporary).
1. 
A premises sign or sign advertising either a business conducted or products made or sold or services rendered upon the premises, or on the lot adjacent thereto.
2. 
Signs attached to and parallel to buildings shall not exceed 32 square feet of total sign area and in no event shall exceed four feet in height or 16 feet in length.
3. 
Only one sign shall be permitted for each building; however, where a building has frontage of 200 feet or more, one additional sign shall be permitted for every 100 lineal feet of building facing the front street side. Where two signs are permitted, they shall be at least 100 feet apart from each other.
4. 
Signs shall not extend above the parapet or the main roof level, as distinguished from towers, pylons or other similar structures.
[Ord. No. 8102 § 16; Ord. No. 9303 § 1; Ord. No. 9601; Ord. No. 9705]
The following kinds of signs and advertising shall be permitted in the B-2 Zones:
a. 
All types of signs permitted in residential districts.
b. 
All types of signs permitted in B-1, B-3 and B-4 Zones.
c. 
Billboards or ground signs shall be permitted provided they do not exceed 32 square feet total sign area and shall in no event exceed four feet in height or eight feet in length and shall contain only the advertisement of the person owning the property and/or the occupancy(s) of the premises. In no event shall the total height of the sign, and any stand or base upon which the sign rests, exceed the height of six feet, to be measured from the ground. Only one billboard or ground sign shall be permitted within the property boundary lines of any business establishment. No billboard or ground sign shall be located closer than 30 feet of any street or avenue line or within 20 feet of any lot line.
[Ord. No. 8102 § 17]
Signs may project from the walls of buildings provided they shall be so fastened so as to be at right angles to the building line of same. No such sign shall be more than one foot in thickness and may not project more than one foot from the building line. Total area of advertisement shall not exceed 16 square feet on each face.
[Ord. No. 8102 § 18]
Any sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than upon the premises is hereby prohibited in all cases except those provided for in this chapter.
[Ord. No. 2016-03]
a. 
Advertising signs may be placed on the interior portion of the fences surrounding the Borough's recreation fields.
b. 
Advertising may be placed on the scoreboards on the Borough's recreation fields.
c. 
Any sign placed pursuant to Subsections a and b above can be no bigger than 16 square feet.
d. 
A sign placed pursuant to Subsections a and b above cannot be illuminated.
e. 
The Borough shall be permitted to accept donations for the signs placed pursuant to Subsections a and b above. Said donations shall be dedicated to the Englewood Cliffs Parks and Recreation Donations Trust.
f. 
The terms and conditions relating to the placement of signs on municipal recreation fields shall be governed by a recreation field advertising policy that is to be adopted by the Mayor and Council.
[Ord. No. 8102 § 19]
The construction of all advertising signs in the business and industrial districts shall meet the standards of the American Standard Building Code requirements for sign and outdoor display structures approved April 6, 1949, by the American Standard Association, Inc., and these building code requirements are incorporated in this chapter and made a part hereof, except wherein there is any conflict with any of the terms of this chapter, in which event the terms of this chapter shall supersede and make null and void any of the requirements of the American Standard Association, Inc.
[Ord. No. 8102 § 20]
No sign shall hereafter be erected, constructed or maintained except in compliance with the terms of this chapter.
a. 
No sign of any type whatsoever shall be constructed which in any manner projects over or upon any public sidewalk or thoroughfare.
[Ord. No. 8102 § 21]
a. 
A permit fee for all types of signs of $10 shall be paid to the construction code official before any permit is granted or sign erected.
b. 
There shall be a monthly fee of $5 for any temporary sign accessory to construction.
[Ord. No. 8102 § 22]
Any person, including any business or entity, violating the provisions of this chapter may be fined a sum not to exceed $100. A violation of the provisions herein shall be deemed continuing, and for each and every day or part thereof that a violation of this chapter is found to exist, the court may impose a separate penalty as stated herein.