[Ord. 7/12/94]
The regulation of signs by this chapter is intended to promote
and protect the public health, safety, and welfare by reducing the
depreciation of property values caused by signs which are incompatible
with surrounding land uses; by creating a more attractive economic
and business climate within the commercial and industrial areas of
the Borough; by enhancing and protecting the physical appearance of
all areas of the Borough; and by reducing the distractions, obstructions
and hazards to pedestrians and those traveling the roadways within
the Borough which can be caused by the indiscriminate placement and
use of signs.
[Ord. 7/12/94]
This chapter shall govern and control the construction, erection, enlargement, repair, renovation, alteration, relocation, operation, maintenance, reconstruction, demolition or removal of signs within the Borough. Any sign not expressly permitted by these regulations shall be prohibited. These provisions shall be in addition to and read in pari materia with the provisions of Chapter 4, Licensing and Business Regulations, and Chapter 14, Building and Housing.
[Ord. 7/12/94]
Shall mean a structure, portion of a wall or other outdoor
surface, or any device, whether indoor or outdoor, used for visual
communication, display, identification or publicity, which is visible
from any street, road, sidewalk, public or private property.
For purposes of this chapter, shall mean a sign which shall
not remain in place for a period exceeding three months in a calendar
year.
[Ord. 7/12/94]
The Construction Official is hereby appointed to administer
and implement this chapter by granting or denying sign permits in
accordance with its provisions.
[Ord. 7/12/94]
a.
All signs shall require a sign permit unless exempted from the sign permit requirements under subsection 28-1.6.
b.
Sign permits shall be issued by the Construction Official for signs permitted under this chapter upon application and payment of a sign fee in the amount of $20. The sign fees will be waived by the Construction Official for temporary signs for charitable, religious or educational purposes and for signs for which a fee is already required to obtain a construction permit under subsection 14-1.3.
c.
Applicants must submit as part of the permit application a sketch
showing the size, location, text and owner of the sign.
[Ord. 7/12/94]
Subject to the further provisions of this chapter, the following
signs are expressly permitted in any zone of the Borough provided
they are not prohibited by any other chapter:
a.
Professional signs indicating the name and profession of the occupant
of a dwelling, provided such signs do not exceed four square feet
on any one side.
b.
Residential nameplate signs situated within the property lines and
not exceeding four square feet on any one side.
c.
Temporary signs inside windows of commercial establishments not covering
more than 25% of the window area.
d.
Any signs forbidding trespassing, hunting, fishing or trapping as
authorized by the Fish and Game Laws.
e.
Temporary signs indicating a political preference or a political
cause provided such signs do not exceed 18 square feet in area on
any one side.
f.
Temporary charitable, religious or educational signs provided such
signs do not exceed 18 square feet on any one side.
g.
Temporary real estate "for sale," "for rent" and "sold" signs provided:
1.
No such sign in a residential zone shall exceed nine square feet
in surface area on any one side and is unlighted. No more than one
such sign shall be permitted for each of 100 feet of lot frontage
or fraction thereof.
2.
No such sign shall exceed 25 square feet on any one side in a nonresidential
zone. No more than one such sign shall be permitted for each of 100
feet of lot frontage or fraction thereof.
3.
No such sign shall be located closer than 10 feet to a property line
unless attached to a building.
[Ord. 7/12/94]
The following signs are prohibited:
a.
Billboards signs in residential zones.
b.
Exterior signs using moving parts, except clocks and temperature
gauges.
c.
Signs which direct attention to a business, commodity, service or
entertainment conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than on the premises
upon which the sign is located.
d.
Rotating, moving, flashing or glittering signs.
e.
Temporary real estate signs on lots in a proposed subdivision prior
to final approval of the plat.
[Ord. 7/12/94]
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 and 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 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 this or other chapters.
c.
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.
d.
The following signs are specifically prohibited: signs advertising
a single advertisement message using a series of two or more signs
placed in a line parallel to the roadway or in similar fashion, part
of which message is contained on each sign.
e.
No sign shall have flashing lights or exposed high intensity illumination.
f.
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, excepting
those serving a fire escape, may be occupied by a sign or signs subject
to the further provisions of this chapter.
g.
No sign may be placed in such a position to cause a danger to traffic
by obscuring visibility.
h.
No sign shall contain profane language or language or pictures which
are sexually explicit or of a sexually oriented nature.
[Ord. 7/12/94]
a.
Illumination. Illumination devices such as, but not limited to, floor
or spot lights, shall be so placed and so shielded as to prevent the
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 or pedestrian walkway
except for projecting signs as permitted by this chapter.
c.
Setback from Residential District. No sign in a nonresidential zone
shall be located closer than 25 feet to any residential zone boundary
and further, shrubbery, a wall or other suitable device shall be provided
as a visible barrier between the sign and adjoining residential properties.
d.
General Provisions. No existing sign shall be enlarged, rebuilt, structurally altered or relocated except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and until a construction permit has been issued in accordance with Chapter 14, Building and Housing.
e.
Nonconforming Signs. Nonconforming signs may be continued in use,
but may not be enlarged, relocated, altered, rebuilt (except for existing
billboards), extended nor made less conforming. Failure to keep signs
in good repair for a period of 12 consecutive calendar months shall
constitute abandonment, and such sign may not then be replaced or
reused and must be removed.
f.
Sign and Sign Structures. All signs shall be set back or elevated
sufficiently to allow a clear, unobstructed line of sight from points
of ingress or egress for at least 400 feet along all abutting streets
and highways.
[Ord. 7/12/94]
The following signs are permitted in R-1, R-2, R-3 and Public
zones:
a.
One nonflashing sign identifying a church, public building, playground
or other such permitted use and not exceeding 25 square feet in area
on any one side. No such sign shall be located closer than 10 feet
to any property line.
b.
Clubs, where permitted, shall be permitted one unlighted, attached
sign not to exceed nine square feet on any one side.
c.
Apartment buildings, where permitted, shall be permitted to attach
signs not to exceed 10% of the wall area facing a street or streets.
d.
Buildings permitted to be used for office professional purposes shall
be permitted to attach one sign to the side of the structure facing
the street; the sign not to exceed 5% of the wall area of front facade.
[1]
Editor's Note: Codified as adopted by Ord. 7/12/94.
[Ord. 7/12/94]
The following signs are permitted in all nonresidential zones:
a.
Attached Signs. Signs attached to the main building advertising a
business or businesses conducted on the premises shall be subject
to the following regulations:
1.
For a building having one side facing a street, the attached signs
may be placed on the front of the building of 25 square feet or 10%
of the front of the building, whichever is greater. No sign shall
have a vertical dimension in excess of five feet.
2.
For a building on a corner lot or having both front and rear entrances
for customers or patrons to the business, attached signs may be placed
on the front, side or rear of the building not to exceed 10% of the
wall area of the front and side or rear walls of the building except
that no such sign shall have a vertical dimension in excess of five
feet.
3.
Such sign shall not project more than four feet from the building
facade to which it is attached, provided, however, where a sign extends
more than eight inches from the face of the wall, the bottom of the
sign shall not be closer than 10 feet from the ground level of the
sign.
4.
No sign projecting more than eight inches from a wall shall have
a vertical dimension in excess of five feet, and no such sign shall
extend more than four feet above the roof line.
b.
Freestanding Signs.
1.
Such signs shall not exceed a height of 18 feet or the height of
the principal building on the lot, whichever is greater. The bottom
edge of the sign shall not be less than three feet above the ground.
2.
No such sign shall exceed 25 square feet in area on any one side.
3.
Not more than one freestanding sign per business premises shall be
permitted on any one street frontage.
4.
Such sign shall advertise only such business as is conducted on the
premises where the sign is located.
5.
Such sign shall not overhang the front property line nor be less
than one foot from a side or rear property line.
