[Ord. No. 762, 5/7/2020]
The OPAS Off-Premises Advertising Sign Overlay is an overlay
zoning whose purpose is to provide an area for the placement of off-premises
advertising signs, also known as "billboards," in the Township; to
provide regulations for such signs, defined as signs which advertise
other than the business transacted, services rendered, goods sold
or produced on the premises, name of the business, or the name of
the person, firm or corporation occupying the premises; to provide
standards for construction of such signs; and to locate such signs
so that they are not adverse to the health, safety and general welfare
of the residents of Warminster Township.
[Ord. No. 762, 5/7/2020]
1.
An off-premises advertising sign, also known as a "billboard," shall
be permitted in the OPAS Off-Premises Advertising Sign Overlay, subject
to the following requirements:
A.
Size of sign. An off-premises advertising sign may not exceed 672
square feet per side in area, with a maximum length of 48 feet and
a maximum width of 14 feet.
B.
Height and location of sign. The maximum height of an off-premises
advertising sign shall be the minimum necessary in order for the sign
to be reasonably viewed by the intended motorists and in no event
higher than 30 feet, measured to the top of the sign. Off-premises
advertising signs shall be located no closer than 20 feet to any property
line.
C.
Spacing. Off-premises advertising signs may not be located closer
than 25 feet to any street, measured from the ultimate right-of-way
of such street. Off-premises advertising signs may not be located
closer than 300 feet to another off-premises advertising sign, measured
linearly.
D.
Number of signs per lot. There shall be no more than one off-premises
advertising sign per lot.
E.
Content. Off-premises advertising signs shall not contain advertisements
for gentlemen's clubs, adult entertainment or adult businesses.
F.
Lighting. Lighting for off-premises advertising signs is permitted,
provided that the light is restricted from shining onto other properties
located within Warminster Township, and that such lighting shall not
take place between 12:00 midnight and sunrise. Lighting fixtures must
be placed above the sign and aimed downward, rather than at the bottom
of the sign and aimed upward toward the sky. All lighting fixtures
must be aimed and controlled so as to place their light output only
on the face of the sign and not be projected past the sign.
G.
Internal illumination and computer controlled electronic displays
are subject to compliance with the following:
H.
Lot size. The minimum lot size for a property on which an off-premises
advertising sign may be located is 10,000 square feet.
I.
Maintenance of sign. All off-premises advertising signs shall be
structurally sound and maintained in good condition. If the signs
are not structurally sound or are in poor condition, the signs shall
be immediately removed at the sole cost and expense of the owner of
the sign, in accordance with the provisions of this section. If an
off-premises advertising sign is not structurally sound or remains
in poor condition, Warminster Township shall notify the owner of the
property on which the sign is located and provide the owner 60 days'
written notice by certified mail, sent to the owner's last known
address, to remove the sign. If the sign is not removed within 60
days from the date of the notice, the Township may remove the sign,
and the cost thereof shall be paid by the owner of the property on
which the sign is erected. Warminster Township may file a lien against
the property or take any action authorized by law to collect the cost
of removal if it is not paid by the owner of the property.
J.
Landscaping. Landscaping shall be provided at the base of all off-premises
advertising signs in order to shield from view the base, structural
elements and foundation of the sign. Trees and shrubbery, including
evergreens and flowering trees of sufficient size and quantity, shall
be used to achieve the purpose of this section. A landscaping plan
which meets the following minimum requirements shall be submitted,
reviewed and approved by the Township Engineer:
(1)
Five evergreen trees, with a height of five feet to six feet,
planted within a forty-foot radius on the sides and rear of the base
of the sign;
(2)
Four flowering trees, with a height of eight feet to 10 feet,
planted within a fifty-foot radius on the sides and rear of the base
of the sign; and
(3)
One shrub tree, with a height of three feet to four feet for
each three lineal feet of road frontage along the parcel, or 40 shrubs,
whichever is greater, to be placed in front of the sign.
[Ord. No. 762, 5/7/2020]
All off-premises advertising signs shall comply with any and
all applicable zoning regulations not specifically established herein
and any and all Township, state and/or federal regulations, including,
but not limited to, the Warminster Township Building Code and all
applicable Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regulations.
