Part 7 Signage and Public Display

All proposed developments shall be required to submit a sign package to the Township Planning Department for its approval prior to any sign permits being issued to businesses within the development. This provision shall apply to new construction after the effective date of this chapter. "Sign package" shall mean a detailed description, including but not limited to type, size and location of all signs for each unit within the complex/center, as well as the pole or monument sign.

A sign permit shall be required in order to erect, install, relocate, modify or change any sign within the Township unless otherwise indicated in this section. "Modify," as it is used herein, shall mean cabinet or face replacement because of a change in the nature or name and ownership of the business.

Failure to conform to the conditions of a sign permit, including any conditions and/or stipulations attached thereto, shall render such permit void.

Fees for sign permits shall be required and payable in such sums as the Peters Township Council may from time to time establish by ordinance.

No sign permit shall be valid or effective after six months from the date of issuance thereof and shall thereafter be void unless the sign is in place as of the expiration date.

To obtain a sign permit, applicants must complete a sign permit application including the following information:

A drawing prepared to scale of the proposed sign showing all sign dimensions, including the height of the sign, the grade level of the base of the sign or pole(s) and sign materials and colors.

Lot plan showing proposed locations of any freestanding sign(s).

Any building elevations showing proposed location of sign.

The sources of sign illumination and applicable details of the fixture and screening.

Design, construction and installation.

All signs shall be installed in accordance with good engineering practice which shall be the responsibility of the sign owner. Signs shall be constructed of durable materials using noncorrosive fastenings, shall be structurally safe and shall be installed in strict accordance with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.

All signs shall be designed to be compatible in character and style regarding materials, color and size of the building, other signs on the building and other adjoining parcels in order to produce an overall unified effect.

All freestanding signs shall be submitted to the Planning Department for review in all zoning districts according to the following parameters:

Continuity. Signs shall be considered and reviewed in relation to the zoning district and shall have a continuity of design.

Style/color. The color of a sign shall be generally consistent with the color of the building and shall consist of architectural elements that relate the sign to the building.

Materials. All building and freestanding signs shall be fabricated with materials of good quality, good durability, and that are consistent with or complementary to the building. The use of banners unframed or directly attached to the building shall not be considered compliant with this section.

Maintenance.

Every permitted sign must be kept in good condition and repair. Any sign which is allowed to become dilapidated as determined by the Township Planning Director or their designee may be removed by the Township at the expense of the owner or person in possession of the lot on which the sign is located. The Planning Director or their designee will notify the responsible party with a certified letter prior to any removal action being taken by the Township.

Any damaged sign shall be repaired within 60 days.

Any sign which has been damaged to such extent that it may pose an imminent hazard to passersby, as determined by the Building Inspector, shall be repaired or removed immediately.

Any internally illuminated sign cabinets or sign panels which have been damaged shall remain nonilluminated until repaired.

Nonconforming signs shall only be repaired in accordance with this chapter.

Failure to comply with these sign maintenance requirements shall constitute a violation of the Peters Township Zoning Ordinance.

Dimensions.

Area.

The maximum permitted area for all signs is determined by the sign type and the zoning district in which the sign is located.

The area of a sign, both illuminated and nonilluminated, shall refer to the square footage of the sign facing, including any border or framing or decorative attachments, but not including some architectural or landscaping element that otherwise meets zoning regulations and is clearly identical to the sign itself.

Where the sign consists of individual letters, designs or symbols attached to a building, awning, wall or window, the area shall be that of the smallest rectangle which encloses all the symbols. This includes monument signs mounted as individual letters and/or graphics against a wall or fence incorporated in the landscaping of a building. See the illustration in Part 12, Appendixes, of this chapter.

Height.

The permitted maximum height for all signs is determined by the sign type and the zoning district.

Sign height shall be measured from the top of the sign structure to the mean finished grade at the base of the sign, provided that the ground level is not deliberately elevated to increase the height of the sign.

The height of any decorative base or architectural or landscape feature erected to support or ornament the sign shall be measured at average grade as part of the sign height.

Clearance for freestanding and projecting signs shall be measured as the smallest vertical distance between finished grade and the lowest point of the sign, including any framework or structural elements.

Sign copy mounted or painted on an illuminated surface or illuminated architectural element of a building shall be measured as the entire illuminated surface or element which contains sign copy. A nonilluminated sign placed on an awning shall be measured as if placed on any other architectural element.

Illumination. Signs may be illuminated, unless otherwise specified herein, consistent with the following standards:

No sign may incorporate any flashing or moving illustration, illumination that varies in intensity, or visible movement achieved by electric pulsations or by actions of normal wind currents.

Where permitted, illumination may be:

External.

The source of the light must be concealed by translucent covers and shall be a steady, stationary light source shielded and directed solely at the sign. The light source must be static in color.

Building-mounted signs may be illuminated by ground-mounted lights or building-mounted light bars. Freestanding signs may be illuminated by ground-mounted lights. The light source shall be totally screened from view and shall not cause glare hazardous or distracting to pedestrians, vehicle drivers or adjacent properties.

Internal. Internal illumination, including neon lighting, must be static in intensity and color.

Location.

No sign shall be placed, erected or located so that:

It endangers pedestrians, bicyclists or traffic on a street by obscuring the view or by interfering with official street signs or signals by virtue of position or color.

It interferes with any surface or underground utility or communications lines or equipment.

It is pasted, stapled, or otherwise attached to public utility poles or trees within the street right-of-way line.

It is located on a piece of publicly owned property or in a public right-of-way unless permitted by the Township.

It is painted on, attached to or supported by a tree, stone, cliff or other natural objects.

It is displayed on a vehicle parked and visible from a public right-of-way unless the vehicle is used for the normal day-to-day operation of a business on the premises. The intent of this provision is to prohibit the use of a sign on a vehicle to circumvent sign limits on a lot.

(g)

It is within a sight triangle.

All permanent freestanding signs shall be set back at least 16 feet from the paved cartway of any street in all districts, unless otherwise approved by the Planning Director or their designee.

Signage shall not be lettered or painted directly upon the wall or any other part of the building except for windows. No more than 50% of the window surface shall be taken up by window signs.

Removal. Abandoned signs shall be removed within 90 days. If the sign is a conforming sign in all respects except for placement, only the letter portions of such signs must be removed.

Liability. The provisions of this section shall not be construed as relieving or limiting in any way the responsibility or liability of any person, firm or corporation erecting or owning any sign, or resulting from the negligence or willful acts of such person, firm or corporation, its agents, employees or workmen, in the construction, maintenance, repair or removal of any sign erected in accordance with a permit issued hereunder. Nor shall issuance of such permit be construed as imposing on the Township, or its officers or employees, any responsibility or liability by reasons of approval of any signs structural integrity, construction methods, materials, electrical or mechanical devices or other components which shall be the sole responsibility of the person, firm or corporation erecting, owning, repairing or removing such sign.

§ 440-705 Master sign tables.

Figure 700.1
Permanent Signs Allowed in Residential Districts for Uses by Right
Low-Density Residential (LD), Medium-Density Residential (MD), Woodland Protection (WP), Cluster Residential (CL), Rural Residential (RR), Village Residential (VR)
Sign Types	Allowed	Regulations
Freestanding Signs: § 440-705
Monument sign	Yes	20 sq. ft.; 6 ft. tall. Only at the entrance to a subdivision.
Pole sign	No	—
Drive-through menu board	No	—
Attached Signs: § 440-706
Wall sign (nonresidential uses)	Varies	See § 440-707A
Wall sign (residential uses)	Yes	Street no. sign, additional 3 sq. ft. sign
Projecting sign	Yes	Nonresidential only. 20 sq. ft. total and up to 2 per property with nonresidential uses.
Canopy/awning sign	Yes	Nonresidential only. Up to 2 canopy/awning or projecting sign at properties with nonresidential uses.
Marquee sign	No	—
Window sign	Yes	Nonresidential only. Up to 50% of window area. No permit. Not counted toward attached sign area.
Other signs: § 440-707
Electronic variable-message sign	No	—
Flags	Yes	Not in ROW. 24 sq. ft. max. Up to 15 sq. ft. no permit. 1 flagpole, 2 flags
Hanging bracket	Yes	Attached or freestanding. Maximum 6 sq. ft.
Billboards: § 440-708
Billboards	No	—
Certain uses in residential districts (special exceptions, conditional uses, and otherwise) have additional regulations and allowance for the different sign types. The remainder of the Sign Ordinance (§ 440-700), the supplemental regulations in § 440-601, and Figure 700.2 provide these additional regulations.

	Free-standing Signs § 440-706		Attached Signs § 440-707					Other Signs and Billboards §§ 440-708 and 440-709
Figure 700.2 Allowed Permanent Signs for Special Exceptions and Conditional Uses in Residential Districts Low-Density Residential (LD), Medium-Density Residential (MD), Woodland Protection (WP), Cluster Residential (CL), Rural Residential (RR), Village Residential (VR)	Monument	Drive-Through Menu Board	Wall Sign	Projecting Sign	Canopy/Awning Sign	Marquee Sign	Window Sign	Electronic Variable-Message Sign	Flags	Hanging Bracket	Billboards
Special Exceptions
Animal kennel	Y	N	Y¹	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y	N
Bed-and-breakfast	Y²	N	Y³	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y	N
Cemetery	Y	N	Y¹	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y	N
Equestrian facility	N	N	Y³	N	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	N
Family day care	N	N	Y³	N	N	N	N	N	Y	N	N
Group living facility: Type A	Y	N	Y¹	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y	N
Home occupation (single-family cluster only)	N	N	Y³	N	N	N	N	N	Y	N	N
New tower in the right-of-way	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Place of worship/assembly	Y	N	Y¹	Y	Y	N	Y	Y⁵	Y	Y	N
Private club	Y	N	Y¹	Y	Y	N	Y	Y⁵	Y	Y	N
Recreation facility: private	Y	N	Y¹	Y	Y	N	Y	Y⁵	Y	Y	N
School	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y⁶	Y	Y	N
Conditional Uses
Mobile home park	Y	N	Y³	N	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	N
Nursing-care facility/inpatient rehabilitation	Y	N	Y¹	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y	N
Solar energy system: large	N	N	Y⁴	N	N	N	N	N	Y	N	N
Transitional facility	N	N	Y³	N	N	N	N	N	Y	N	N

¹	Up to 20 square feet in size.
²	Not more than one ground sign shall be permitted on the lot. The maximum permitted sign area shall be 20 square feet.
³	Street number sign, additional three-square-foot sign.
⁴	Up to three square feet in size. A clearly visible warning sign concerning voltage must be placed at the base of all pad-mounted transformers and substations.
⁵	Only along the roadways identified in § 440-708A.
⁶	See § 440-708A for additional information.

Figure 700.3
Permanent Signs Allowed in Nonresidential Districts for Uses by Right
Town Center (TC), Industrial (IN), Village Commercial (VC), General Commercial (GC)
Sign Types	Allowed	Regulations
Freestanding Signs: § 440-706
Monument sign	Yes	Size varies by district. See Figures 700.7 and 700.8.
Pole sign	Yes	IN and GC only. 20 ft. tall. See Figure 700.8.
Drive-through menu board	Yes	Only with drive-through accessory use
Attached Signs: § 440-707
Wall sign	Yes	Varies by district. See Figure 700.9.
Projecting sign	Yes	20 sq. ft. per face and up to 2 per property with nonresidential uses
Canopy/awning sign	Yes	Up to 2 canopy/awning signs at properties with nonresidential uses
Marquee sign	Yes	1 per building. Not permitted in Industrial.
Window sign	Yes	Up to 50% of window area. No permit. Not counted toward attached sign area.
Other Signs: § 440-708
Electronic variable-message sign	Yes	Must be monument style; see § 440-708A for additional regulations.
Flags	Yes	Not in ROW. 35 sq. ft. max. Up to 15 sq. ft. no permit. 1 flagpole, 2 flags.
Hanging bracket	Yes	Attached or freestanding. Maximum 6 sq. ft.
Billboards: § 440-709
Billboards	Yes	Only permitted in GC. 750 ft. away from another billboard. 250 sq. ft. and 35 ft. from grade to bottom of the sign. See § 440-709.
Certain uses in nonresidential districts (special exceptions, conditional uses, and otherwise) have additional regulations and allowance for the different sign types. The remainder of the Sign Ordinance (§ 440-700) and the supplemental regulations in § 440-601 provide these additional regulations.

Figure 700.4
Permanent Signs Allowed in Mixed-Use Districts for Uses by Right
Mixed-Use Activity (MA), Village Mixed-Use (VM), West Venetia Road Mixed-Use Corridor (WV), Valley Brook Road Mixed-Use Corridor (VB)
Sign Types	Allowed	Regulations
Freestanding Signs: § 440-706
Monument sign	Yes	Size varies, see Figure 700.6.
Pole sign	No	—
Drive-through menu board	Yes	Only in MA with drive-through accessory use.
Attached Signs: § 440-707
Wall sign	Yes	Varies by district. See Figure 700.9.
Projecting sign	Yes	20 sq. ft. in MA; 10 sq. ft. elsewhere per face and up to 2 per property with nonresidential uses.
Canopy/awning sign	Yes	Up to 2 canopy/awning signs at properties with nonresidential uses.
Marquee sign	Yes	1 per building.
Window sign	Yes	Up to 50% of window area. No permit. Not counted toward attached sign area.
Other Signs: § 440-708
Electronic variable-message sign	Yes	Must be monument style; see § 440-709A for additional regulations.
Flags	Yes	Not in ROW. 24 sq. ft. max. Up to 15 sq. ft. no permit. 1 flagpole, 2 flags.
Hanging bracket	Yes	Attached or freestanding. Maximum 6 sq. ft.
Billboards: § 440-709
Billboards	No	—
Certain uses in mixed-use districts (special exceptions, conditional uses, and otherwise) have additional regulations and allowance for the different sign types. The remainder of the Sign Ordinance (§ 440-700) and the supplemental regulations in § 440-601 provide these additional regulations.

Figure 700.5
Permanent Signs Allowed in Residential Districts on Properties Owned by a Local Unit of Government
Sign Types	Allowed	Regulations
Freestanding Signs: § 440-706
Monument sign	Yes	Monument only. 50 sq. ft.; 8 ft. tall.
Pole sign	No	—
Drive-through menu board	No	—
Attached Signs: § 440-707
Wall sign	Yes	1 sq. ft. per linear foot of building frontage.
Projecting sign	Yes	20 sq. ft. per face and up to 2 per property with nonresidential uses.
Canopy/awning sign	Yes	Up to 2 canopy signs at properties with nonresidential uses.
Marquee sign	No	—
Window sign	Yes	Up to 50% of window area. No permit. Not counted toward attached sign area.
Other Signs: § 440-708
Electronic variable-message sign	Yes	Must be monument style; see § 440-709A for additional regulations.
Flags	Yes	Not in ROW. 24 sq. ft. max. Up to 15 sq. ft. no permit. 1 flagpole, 2 flags.
Hanging bracket	Yes	Attached or freestanding. Maximum 6 sq. ft.
Billboards: § 440-709
Billboards	No	—
Certain uses in residential districts (special exceptions, conditional uses, and otherwise) have additional regulations and allowance for the different sign types. The remainder of the Sign Ordinance (§ 440-700) and the supplemental regulations in § 440-601 provide these additional regulations.

§ 440-706 Freestanding signs.

Maximum dimension and number.

No land development shall have more than one monument or pole sign, and none shall have both, with the following exception: multiple single tenants comprising a land development may have one monument sign per parcel.

Freestanding major signs shall conform to the maximum dimensions and permitted types specified in Figure 700.6. This table summarizes type-specific regulations detailed in this chapter.

Figure 700.6
Summary of Allowable Types and Dimensions for Freestanding Signs
Zoning District	Sign Type	Size
TC McMurray Town Center	Monument	Single tenant: 30 square feet maximum Buildings with multiple tenants: 50 square feet maximum Maximum 6 feet in height
IN Industrial	Monument or pole	50 square feet maximum Pole signs shall not measure higher than 20 feet in height. Monument sign shall have a maximum height of 6 feet in height, except 8 feet along Route 19.
GC General Commercial	Monument or pole	Single tenant: 50 square feet maximum Single tenant with 200 feet or more of property frontage or 2 to 9 suites or units: 70 square feet maximum Single tenant with 10+ acres or 10 or more suites or units: 100 square feet maximum Pole signs shall not measure higher than 20 feet in height. Monument sign shall have a maximum height of 6 feet in height, except 8 feet along Route 19.
VC Venetia Village Commercial	Monument	35 square feet maximum Maximum 6 feet in height
MA Mixed-Use Activity Center	Monument	Single tenant: 50 square feet maximum Single tenant with 200 feet or more of property frontage or 2 to 9 suites or units: 70 square feet maximum Single tenant with 10+ acres or 10 or more suites or units: 100 square feet maximum Maximum 6 feet in height, except 8 feet along Route 19
VM Village Mixed-Use	Monument	25 square feet maximum Maximum 6 feet in height
WV West Venetia Road Mixed-Use Corridor	Monument	25 square feet maximum Maximum 6 feet in height
VB Valley Brook Mixed-Use Corridor	Monument	25 square feet maximum Maximum 6 feet in height
Residential Districts	Monument	20 square feet maximum¹ Maximum 6 feet in height¹

1.	Maximum 80 square feet in size and eight feet tall if located on a property owned by a local unit of government.

Monument signs.

General regulations.

All permanent freestanding signs in all zoning districts, excluding the General Commercial (GC) and Industrial (IN) Districts shall be monument-style signs.

Location. Monument signs shall be set back at least 16 feet from the paved cartway unless otherwise approved by the Planning Director or their designee. Signs shall not be located in the right-of-way.

Area. Permanent monument signs installed perpendicular to a street may be double-faced with the allowable square footage on each face. Double-faced signs which are erected at an angle to each other will be subject to the interpretation of the Planning Director or their designee as to whether they are intended as two signs or for all intents and purposes only constitute one sign for north/south, east/west orientation on the serving street.

Height: shall be a maximum of six feet in height except along Route 19, where they may reach a maximum of eight feet.

Standards by district. Monument signs on nonresidential properties shall be permitted in addition to building signs subject to the following regulations:

Up to two signs per land development if comprised of separate parcels or outparcels.

In the General Commercial (GC), Mixed-Use (MA), Village Mixed-Use (VM) and Village Commercial (VC) Districts, the following types of illumination shall be permitted: internal and electronic variable-message signs.

Monument signs in all districts, located on a property owned by a local unit of government, shall be permitted to be eight feet in height and 50 square feet in size.

Monument signs located on properties with residential uses may only be located at the entrance to a development or subdivision on a piece of property owned by a common association (HOA) or in an easement dedicated for signage.

Each sign shall have a maximum area as follows:

Figure 700.7
Maximum Area for Monument Signs
District	Maximum Square Footage
Village Commercial (VC)	35
Mixed-Use Activity (MA)	50 to 100¹
General Commercial (GC)	50 to 100¹
Town Center (TC)	30 to 50²
Village Mixed-Use (VM), West Venetia Road Mixed-Use Corridor (WV), and Valley Brook Road Mixed-Use Corridor (VB)	25
Residential	20
Industrial (IN)	50

NOTES:
1.	A maximum area of 50 square feet applies to single tenants in these districts. However, the maximum area increases to 70 square feet for single tenants with 200 feet or greater of property frontage or two to nine suites or units. Single tenants on 10+ acres or with 10 or more suites or units may have a sign measuring up to 100 square feet.
2.	A maximum area of 30 square feet applies to single tenants in this district. However, the maximum area increases to 50 square feet for buildings with multiple tenants.

Pole signs.

General regulations.

Location. Pole signs shall be set back at least 16 feet from the paved cartway unless otherwise approved by the Planning Director or their designee. Signs shall not be located in the right-of-way.

Area.

Signs on poles shall be designed as a single unit with the open spaces between panels counted as part of the allowable square footage.

The width of supporting poles shall not exceed 25% of the width of the sign and shall contain no lettering or logo. Greater width or application for lettering or logos shall qualify the sign as a monument sign subject to all monument sign rules and restrictions.

[3]

Pole signs which are perpendicular to the street may be double-faced with the allowable square footage on each side. Double-faced pole signs shall not be erected at angles.

Height: shall be a maximum of 20 feet in height, with the lowest sign edge either less than four or greater than seven feet above the ground.

Standards by district. Pole signs on nonresidential properties shall be permitted in addition to building signs subject to the following regulations:

Pole signs shall have a maximum height of 20 feet.

The following types of illumination shall be permitted: internal and electronic variable-message sign.

Each sign shall have a maximum area as follows:

Figure 700.8
Maximum Area for Pole Signs
District	Maximum Square Footage
General Commercial (GC)	50 to 100¹
Industrial (IN)	50

NOTE:
¹	A maximum area of 50 square feet applies to single businesses in these districts. However, the maximum area increases to 70 square feet for single businesses with 200 feet or greater of property frontage or two to nine suites or units. Single tenants on 10+ acres or with 10 or more suites or units may have a sign measuring up to 100 square feet.

Use-specific allowances.

In residential and agricultural districts, monument signs may be erected at the entrance to a residential subdivision or on a property owned by a local unit of government, provided that:

Permits are required.

External illumination by white light only.

Maximum size is 20 square feet, or 60 square feet if located on a property owned by a local unit of government. The maximum height of a monument-style sign on a property owned by a local unit of government is eight feet.

If such signs are erected at a new driveway (local unit of government) or street intersection (subdivision), the double-faced allotment may be placed one on each side of the intersection.

All electronic signs are limited to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Signs at the entrance to residential subdivisions shall not be permitted to have an electronic variable-message sign.

Parcels or tenants with a drive-through accessory use are permitted an additional freestanding sign near each drive-through lane entrance that is no more than 36 square feet in size. They are not counted toward total sign allotment.

§ 440-707 Attached signs.

Wall signs.

General regulations.

Location. No portion of a wall sign shall be mounted less than eight feet above the finished grade or extend more than 12 inches from the facade on which it is affixed. If the wall sign projects less than three inches from the building wall on which it is affixed, the eight-foot height requirement does not apply. Wall signs shall not exceed the width or height of the front of the building on which they are located.

Height. In no case shall the height of a wall sign exceed the height of buildings allowed in the zoning district.

Illumination. The following types of illumination shall be permitted: internal, external lit from above, halo or backlit letters and neon lighting.

Building signs in nonresidential districts shall be placed on the front face of the building only, except in instances where the entrance door to the business is on the side or the rear of the building. However, no signs in nonresidential districts may face an immediately adjacent residential zoning district.

Up to two total wall, awning/canopy or projecting signs for properties with nonresidential uses shall be permitted.

Regulations for wall signs in nonresidential districts.

Each tenant may have a maximum of two wall signs, not exceeding the total allowable square footage allotment. The overall total square footage sign allotment shall be split between the two signs.

Each sign face in the Town Center (TC), Village Commercial (VC), Village Mixed-Use (VM), West Venetia Road Mixed-Use Corridor (WV) and Valley Brook Mixed-Use Corridor (VB) Districts shall have a maximum area of 20 square feet and a maximum height equal to the eave line.

Each building, lot or tenant space shall have a combined allowable area for wall signs. When the square footage of all wall signs for a given building, lot or tenant space is added together, it shall not exceed the combined maximum allowable signage area permitted by the district. The landowner and/or developer shall be responsible for determining how to utilize the combined maximum allowable signage area so long as the size restrictions for individual signs are not exceeded.

The combined maximum allowable area of signage shall be applied on a per-lot, per-building or per-tenant basis as follows according to land use. A complete listing of authorized land uses per use category is included within Part 4.

[a]

Office: per lot (single tenant); per building (multitenant).

[b]

Commercial (nonoffice): per lot (single tenant); per tenant (multitenant).

[c]

Industrial: per tenant.

[d]

Other: per lot or per building, whichever is less.

The allowable signage area shall be calculated by multiplying the use category's sign area ratio, presented in Figure 700.9, by the length of building frontage facing the front yard setback.

[3]

The combined maximum area total of signs shall be as follows:

Figure 700.9 Combined Maximum Allowable Area for Wall Signs
Zoning District	Sign Area Ratio (square feet per linear foot of building frontage)
TC McMurray Town Center	2
IN Industrial	1.5
GC General Commercial	2
VC Venetia Village Commercial	1
MA Mixed-Use Activity Center	1.5
VM Village Mixed-Use	1.5
WV West Venetia Road Mixed-Use Corridor	1
VB Valley Brook Mixed-Use Corridor	1
MR: Mixed-Residential Overlay (only for properties with multifamily uses)	1

Regulations for wall signs in residential districts.

Properties with nonresidential uses, excluding those owned by a local unit of government, in residential districts shall be limited to a single wall sign up to 30 square feet in size.

Properties in a residential district, owned by a local unit of government, shall be permitted up to two wall signs not to exceed the eave line height of the building with a combined area of one square foot per linear foot of building frontage.

Properties with dwelling units, in residential districts, shall be required to have/permitted the following wall signs:

Each single-family dwelling unit shall be clearly identified with an attached sign with the unit's street address number, not to exceed three square feet in area, for first responders to locate the residential unit as necessary to respond to any fire or public safety issue.

Each single-family dwelling unit may have one permanent wall sign up to three square feet in size in addition to the required street address number sign.

[3]

Each multifamily dwelling unit shall be clearly identified with an attached sign, not to exceed three square feet in area, with the unit's street address or unit number as applicable for first responders to locate the multifamily dwelling unit to respond to any fire or public safety issue.

[4]

Each multifamily dwelling unit may have one permanent wall sign up to three square feet in size in addition to the required street address number/unit number sign.

[5]

Individual multifamily structures shall be clearly identified with an attached sign, not to exceed six square feet with the building number as applicable for first responders to locate the building as necessary to respond to any fire or public safety issue.

[6]

When utilizing the Mixed-Residential Overlay (MR), multifamily structures shall be permitted two additional wall signs not to exceed the combined area as provided for in Figure 700.9.

Projecting signs.

General regulations.

Location. No portion of a projecting sign shall project more than four feet from the face of the building. The outermost portion of a projecting sign shall project no closer than five feet to a curbline or shoulder of a public street.

Height. In no case shall the height of a projecting sign exceed the height of buildings allowed in the zoning district.

Illumination. The following types of illumination shall be permitted: external lit from above.

Up to two total wall, awning/canopy or projecting signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted.

Projecting signs for properties with nonresidential uses shall be limited to one sign per ground-floor establishment, plus one sign per building entrance serving one or more commercial tenants without a ground-floor entrance.

Each sign shall have a maximum area of 20 square feet per sign face [10 square feet per sign face in the Mixed-Use Activity (MA), Village Mixed-Use (VM), Village Commercial (VC) and Town Center (TC)] and a maximum height equal to the eave line.

Canopy/awning signs.

General regulations.

Location. Canopy or awning signs shall be centered within or over architectural elements, such as windows or doors. The lowest edge of the canopy or awning sign shall be at least eight feet above the finished grade. Sign copy mounted or painted on an illuminated canopy or awning shall be measured as the entire illuminated surface which contains sign copy. A nonilluminated sign placed on an awning shall be measured as if placed on any other architectural element.

Height. In no case shall the height of an awning or canopy sign exceed the height of buildings allowed in the zoning district.

Illumination. The following types of illumination shall be permitted: external lit from above or by building-mounted light bars screened from view.

A canopy or awning without lettering or other advertising shall not be regulated as a sign.

Any ground-floor awning projecting into a street right-of-way must be retractable.

If the awning or canopy sign is mounted on a multitenant building, all awning or canopy signs shall be similar in terms of height, projection and style across all tenants in the building.

(g)

Up to two total wall, awning/canopy or projecting signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted.

Marquee signs.

General regulations.

Location. Such signs shall be located only above the principal public entrance of a building facing a public street or parking lot.

No marquee shall be wider than the entrance it serves, plus two feet on each side thereof.

No marquee shall extend closer to the curb than three feet.

Height. No part of a marquee sign shall extend vertically higher than three feet above the eave line. The lowest edge of the marquee sign shall be at least 10 feet above the finished grade.

Illumination. The following types of illumination shall be permitted: internal and electronic variable-message sign.

Standards by district.

Residential districts and Industrial (IN) District: not permitted.

General Commercial (GC), Mixed-Use Activity (MA), Town Center (TC), Village Commercial (VC), Village Mixed-Use (VM), West Venetia Road Mixed-Use Corridor (WV), Valley Brook Mixed-Use Corridor (VB) Districts.

Marquee signs at nonresidential properties shall be limited to one per building.

The total area of signs on a single marquee shall be counted toward the wall sign allotment with a maximum of two per business.

Window signs.

General regulations.

Location. Window signs shall be located on the interior of the window facing outward.

Illumination. Neon lighting and internal illumination shall be permitted to illuminate window signs for nonresidential uses.

Window signs displaying pertinent business information such as the business' hours of operation and credit cards accepted shall be excluded from area calculations for window signs.

Area. No temporary or permanent window sign or combination of such signs shall cover more than 50% of the window surface. Temporary or permanent window signs may not exceed a total area of 16 square feet if illuminated.

Illuminated window signs shall not be placed above the ground floor of the building and/or more than 10 feet above grade level of the building.

No permit is required for a window sign meeting these criteria. Window signs will not count toward total sign allotment.

Use-specific allowance.

In shopping centers which have covered pedestrian walkways in front of units, a sign in front of each tenant may be erected beneath the canopy for direction for pedestrians. Such signs shall be perpendicular to the building, may be double-faced, shall be of uniform design and shall not exceed six square feet. A corner store is permitted one per side.

When a commercial building in a nonresidential zoning district is oriented towards an interior parking lot, each tenant may have one additional wall sign in addition to the allowance listed above, with the following regulations:

Maximum size is 20 square feet.

A permit is required.

Must be at ground-floor level.

Must be on the side of the building facing the interior parking lot.

§ 440-708 Other permanent signs.

Electronic variable-message signs.

In the districts where they are permitted, electronic variable-message signs, except for those on a property owned by a local unit of government, shall only be permitted on properties that have frontage along the following roadways:

Washington Road/Route 19.

East McMurray Road.

Valley Brook Road.

Waterdam Road.

Venetia Road.

A sign permit is required for all electronic variable-message signs, including conversion from existing nonelectronic signs. The addition of any electronic variable-message sign to a nonconforming sign is prohibited.

Messages shall not change at a frequency of more than once every 20 seconds, except for time-and-temperature signs.

Electronic variable-message signs shall be designed and placed so as not to distract or interfere with operators of motor vehicles or to create glare on adjacent properties, and so that it is compatible with the intensity of ambient light and illumination on surrounding properties.

Such displays shall be limited to static displays and shall not have messages that appear or disappear from the display through dissolve, fade, travel or scroll modes or similar transitions and frame effects.

Text, animated graphics or images that appear to move or change in size or be revealed sequentially rather than all at once are not permitted.

No portion of any image may flash, scroll, twirl or in any way imitate movement.

(8)

Transition. In instances when the message changes, the change sequence must be accomplished by means of instantaneous pixelization of less than one second.

(9)

All electronic variable-message signs must be monument-style signs and conform to the size requirements of this chapter.

(10)

If a property, development, or multitenant center has an electronic variable-message sign, temporary signs, except for those during a political season per Figures 700.10 and 700.11, are not permitted.

(11)

The electronic variable-message signs shall be internal illumination only which includes, but is not limited to, light-emitting-diode (LED) signs.

(12)

Electronic variable-message signs may be double-sided. The sign structure may have sign faces placed back to back or in a V-shaped configuration on a single sign structure. The intersecting angle of a V-shaped configuration shall not exceed 30°.

(13)

Only one contiguous electronic variable-message sign is allowed on a single face. Multiple electronic variable-message signs are not permitted within the maximum allowable signage area. The total surface area of the electronic variable-message sign shall not exceed 50% of the allowable area of the freestanding sign.

(14)

Dimmer control. Electronic graphic-display signs must have an automatic dimmer control to produce a distinct illumination change from a higher illumination level to a lower level with the result being the appearance of the electronic variable-message sign will be no greater than a conventional sign externally illuminated. No electronic variable-message signs shall be erected without a light detector/photocell, a scheduled dimming timer, or a manual control by which the sign's brightness can be dimmed when ambient light conditions darken.

(15)

Public service announcements. The owner of every message center sign shall coordinate with local authorities to display, when appropriate, emergency information important to the traveling public.

(16)

Glare control shall be achieved primarily through the use of such means as cutoff fixtures, shields, baffles and appropriate application of fixture-mounting height, wattage, aiming angle and fixture placement. Vegetation screens shall not be used as the primary means to control glare.

Flags.

General regulations.

Flags up to 15 square feet in area do not require a permit but shall comply to all the appropriate regulations in this chapter.

Location. Flags and flagpoles shall not be located within any right-of-way.

Area. The maximum flag size is 24 square feet in residential districts and 35 square feet in all other districts.

Height. Flags and flagpoles shall have a maximum height of 30 feet.

Number. Each property shall be limited to one flagpole with up to two total flags.

Hanging bracket.

General regulations.

Illumination. Hanging bracket signs may incorporate external illumination subject to the regulations in § 440-704E.

Location. Hanging bracket signs shall be set back at least 16 feet from the paved cartway unless otherwise approved by the Planning Director or their designee. Signs shall not be located in the right-of-way.

Area. Hanging bracket signs shall have a maximum area of six square feet.

Height: shall be a maximum of five feet in height.

§ 440-709 Billboards.

Location. Billboards shall be erected as a principal use only in the General Commercial (GC) District.

Spacing. Billboard signs shall be:

Limited to a maximum of one two-sided billboard per property.

Not mounted on a roof, wall or other part of a building or any other structure.

Erected in such a manner as not to block the view from the road or street of any existing business sign, residential or nonresidential structure.

Set back from the ultimate right-of-way a distance equal to the height of the billboard sign or 16 feet, whichever is greater.

Set back 10 feet from each side property line and 25 feet from the rear property line.

Located no closer than 50 feet to any building, structure or freestanding sign located on the same property.

Located no closer than 750 feet to another billboard sign on either side of the road, measured linearly.

(8)

Not attached to the external wall or otherwise affixed to any part of any building and shall not extend over any public property or right-of-way.

(9)

Not located on utility rights-of-way or pipelines.

(10)

Not located on a bridge.

Size and height.

A billboard shall have a maximum allowable gross surface area of 250 square feet per sign. A billboard shall have a maximum of two sign faces per structure. However, the gross area of each sign face shall not exceed the maximum of 250 square feet.

The billboard structure may have sign faces placed back to back or in a V-shaped configuration on a single billboard structure. The intersecting angle shall not exceed 30°.

There shall be a maximum height of 35 feet from the finished grade to top of sign, measured at the center of the sign. The lowest sign edge shall be at least seven feet above the finished grade.

Illumination.

Any billboard utilizing an electronic display in whole or in part must meet the following operational standards:

Duration. The full billboard image or any portion thereof must have a minimum duration of 30 seconds and must be a static display. No portion of the image may flash, scroll, twirl or in any way imitate movement.

Transition. In instances where the full billboard image or any portion thereof changes, the change sequence must be accomplished by means of instantaneous pixelization of less than one second.

Dimmer control. Electronic graphic-display signs must have an automatic dimmer control to produce a distinct illumination change from a higher illumination level to a lower level with the result being the appearance of the billboard will be no greater than a conventional billboard externally illuminated. No billboard sign shall be erected without a light detector/photocell, a scheduled dimming timer, or a manual control by which the sign's brightness can be dimmed when ambient light conditions darken.

Audio or pyrotechnics. Audio speakers or any form of pyrotechnics are prohibited in association with billboards.

Fluctuating or flashing illumination. No portion of any billboard may fluctuate in light intensity or use intermittent, strobe or moving light or light that changes in intensity in sudden transitory bursts, steams, zooms, twinkles, sparkles, or in any manner creates the illusion of movement.

Video display. No portion of any billboard may change its message or background in a manner or by a method of display characterized by motion or pictorial imagery, or depict action or a special effect to imitate movement, or the presentation of pictorials or graphics displayed in a progression of frames that give the illusion of motion or the illusion of moving objects, moving patterns or bands of light or expanding or contracting shapes.

Illumination of conventional billboards shall be effectively shielded so as to prevent beams or rays of light from being directed at any portion of the traveled rights-of-way or which are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or impair the vision of the driver of the vehicle, or which interfere with any driver's operation of a vehicle, and illumination shall not be permitted that interferes with the effectiveness or obscures an official traffic sign, device or signal. Advertising signs shall not be permitted that contain, include or are illuminated by any flashing, intermittent or moving lights except those giving public service information, such as time, date and temperature or weather.

Permit requirements. A sign permit application must be submitted to the Peters Township Planning Department in accordance with the general sign regulations of this Part 7 in addition to the following requirements:

Engineered structure.

A billboard structure shall be entirely painted a single neutral color every three years.

Every 10 years, the owner of the billboard shall have a structural inspection made of the billboard by a qualified Pennsylvania-registered engineer and shall provide a certificate to the Township Engineer certifying that the billboard is structurally sound.

Annual inspections of the billboard shall be conducted by the Township to determine compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

Landscape plan.

The entire base of the billboard structure on the side of the sign face shall be permanently landscaped with suitable shrubbery and/or bushes a minimum of three feet placed in such manner as to screen the foundation of the structure.

Permanent landscaped trees (minimum three feet in diameter) shall form a base and/or backdrop to the billboard sign when practical in the opinion of the Planning Director or their designee.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). The issuance of a permit for a billboard by Peters Township shall be conditioned upon the approval of the permit by PennDOT within 30 days of the issuance of the permit by Peters Township.

§ 440-710 Temporary signs.

Temporary signs are those intended for short-term display. They are regulated as to height, setback, fixed location, stability, measurement, etc., the same as other signs in this section. The following regulations apply generally, in addition to the more-specific provisions contained in Figures 700.10 and 700.11.

Figure 700.10
Temporary Sign Regulations by Type: Commercial, Mixed-Use and Industrial Districts
Applies in Town Center (TC), General Commercial (GC), Industrial (IN), Mixed-Use Activity (MA), Village Commercial (VC), Village Mixed-Use (VM), West Venetia Road Mixed-Use Corridor (WV), Valley Brook Mixed-Use Corridor (VB) Districts
If a property, development, or multitenant center has an electronic variable-message sign, temporary signs, except for those during a political season, are not permitted.
Temporary signs located at new land developments and construction sites
Number of signs	1 per site maximum; building permit or approved site plan required
Maximum size	20 square feet
Maximum height	6 feet
Duration	Permitted until construction operations cease or final occupancy is issued
Illumination	None permitted
Permit	Required
Temporary signs at all commercial, mixed-use and industrial properties
Maximum size
GC and MA	36 square feet
LI, TC, VC, VM, WV, and VB	20 square feet
Maximum height	6 feet
Frequency/duration	Permitted for 14 days from the date of the permit being received. Cannot be issued at intervals of less than 4 weeks. Cannot exceed 6 permits per year per property.
Number	1 per property
Illumination	None permitted
Permit	Required
Temporary signs located on properties that are for sale
Maximum size	20 square feet
Maximum height	6 feet
Number/duration	1 per property or multi-parcel development. May remain until the property is sold.
Illumination	None permitted
Permit	None required
Temporary signs located on properties that are for lease
Location	Only permitted if incorporated into an existing monument or pole-style freestanding sign
Maximum height/width	2 feet tall, width of the existing monument or pole sign
Number/duration	1 per monument or pole sign. May remain until all available on-site units are leased.
Illumination	None permitted
Permit	None required

Figure 700.11
Temporary Sign Regulations by Type: Residential Districts
Applies in Rural Residential (RR), Woodland Protection (WP), Low-Density Residential (LD), Single-Family Cluster Residential (CL), Medium-Density Residential (MD), Conservation Residential (CR), Mixed-Residential Overlay (MR) Districts
If a property, development, or multitenant center has an electronic variable-message sign, temporary signs, except for those during a political season, are not permitted.
Temporary signs located on properties that are for sale or for lease
Number of signs	1 per property or lot maximum
Maximum size	9 square feet
Maximum height	6 feet
Maximum setback	6 feet from curb or pavement
Illumination	None permitted
Permit	None required
Temporary signs attached to scoreboards of Township and school district ballfields
Maximum size	Combined maximum 160 square feet
Duration	Signs will be hung at the beginning of the season and removed at the end of the season.
Illumination	Shall not be internally illuminated
Other requirements	Print on 1 side only, facing into ball field. Signs shall not include fluttering appurtenances
Permit	Required
Temporary signs at the entrance to a new subdivision or multifamily development
Maximum size	20 square feet
Maximum height	6 feet
Minimum setback	No closer than 16 feet from cartway unless otherwise approved by the Planning Director or their designee
Illumination	None permitted
Other requirements	Development has received Township approval. Realtor's sign must be removed when "for sale" signs are placed on lots. Developer's sign can remain up until permanent signs are erected identifying the plan.
Permit	None required

Not more than one temporary sign per property will be permitted at any one time, except as provided otherwise herein.

The minimum distance from the cartway is 16 feet unless otherwise specified in Figures 700.10 and 700.11, or otherwise approved by the Planning Director or their designee.

Temporary signs must be anchored or secured in their designated location so as not to be portable or affected by winds.

Temporary signs on wheels or with changeable letters are permitted.

Applicants found violating the provisions set forth within this Part 7 will forfeit their right to be issued a temporary sign permit for a period of one year, commencing from the date said violation is found to have occurred.

No sign in any district shall be attached to outdoor displays.

Temporary, nonilluminated window signs may be displayed only on the inside of the window, no more than 50% of the surface of which shall be covered. No permit shall be required for such signs.

(8)

Temporary signs shall not include waving banners, fluttering appurtenances and balloons or other special devices. Banners used as temporary signs are permitted if they are secured and not waving or fluttering and comply with maximum size permitted. Flags shall not be considered as banners.

(9)

§ 440-711 Exemptions.

The following signs are exempt from the permit standards of this section and are permitted in any district:

Signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities, such as traffic, utility, safety, railroad crossing and identification or directional signs for public facilities.

Signs inside an enclosed facility which are located more than three feet from the window and are not meant to be viewed from the outside.

One "private drive" sign per driveway entrance, not to exceed two square feet in area.

Incidental signs no more than two square feet in size shall be exempt from permit requirements in all nonresidential districts.

Certain temporary signs in accordance with this chapter.

Residentially zoned properties with single-family dwelling units shall be permitted to have one yard sign not to exceed six square feet in size, and six feet in height, that shall be exempt from all permit requirements. This sign shall be located in the property's front or side yard and is not required to be a monument-style sign.

Temporary election signage that is required by state or federal statute to contain an advertising disclaimer are exempt from regulation except with regard to election signs placed in publicly owned and publicly maintained rights-of-way. Election signs in publicly owned and publicly maintained rights-of-way can be placed 90 days before an election and must be removed no later than seven days after an election.

§ 440-712 Nonconforming signs.

Nonconforming signs and signs for nonconforming uses.

Any nonconforming sign shall not be moved to another position on the building or lot on which it is located or modified in size or shape after the effective date of this chapter or amendment thereto.

Whenever the nature of the business conducted on the premises changes, and the signs are modified in size, shape or location, the sign shall then be brought into conformance with current regulations.

Whenever the ownership and the name of a business changes and signs are modified in size, shape or location, the sign shall then be brought into conformance with current regulations.

A sign on a nonconforming use may be continued, but the size, shape, or location of such a sign shall not be modified, except to bring it into compliance with the current regulations for that sign.

A sign which is nonconforming as to location on a lot or building shall not be enlarged or modified in any way.

In the event that any nonconforming advertising sign, billboard, nonresidential advertising structure or statuary is damaged by casualty to the extent of 75% of its cost of replacement at the time of destruction, or becomes dangerous, dilapidated or an imminent hazard, such sign shall not be restored or replaced except in conformity with the regulations of this chapter.

Whenever any use of a building, structure or land ceases, all nonconforming signs may be removed by the Township at the expense of the owner or person in possession of the lot on which said sign is located after official notification.

§ 440-713 Prohibited signs.

Signs prohibited by this chapter include any that do not conform to its provisions, including but not limited to the following:

Signs that by reason of size, location, or manner of illumination obstruct the vision of drivers or obstruct or detract from the visibility or effectiveness of any traffic sign or control device on public streets and roads.

Signs that prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, fire escape or that prevent free access from one part of a roof to any other part. No sign other than a safety sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.

Signs that make use of words such as "Stop," "Look," "One-Way," "Danger," "Yield," or any similar words, phrases, symbols, lights or characters in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic.

Signs containing statements, words or images of obscene or pornographic subjects, as determined by the Planning Director or their designee.