[Ord. No. 294, 9/23/2019]
1.
The purposes of this Part are as follows:
A.
To provide for signs as a means of effective visual communication.
B.
To promote adopted Comprehensive Planning and zoning objectives.
C.
To assure compatibility of signs with land uses and buildings in
the vicinity of the signs and in the community as a whole.
D.
To improve the safety of pedestrians, vehicular traffic and property.
E.
To enhance the economic value of the community.
F.
To enhance the aesthetic environment.
G.
To minimize adverse effects of signs on nearby property.
H.
To otherwise promote the public health, safety, morals, and general
welfare of the community.
I.
To regulate the use of signs through a sign permitting process.
J.
To enable the fair and consistent enforcement of these sign regulations.
[Ord. No. 294, 9/23/2019]
1.
The following guidelines shall apply when interpreting area and height
regulations in this Part:
A.
Area. The area of a sign shall be the area of the smallest rectangle,
triangle, or circle that will encompass all elements of the sign,
such as letters, figures, symbols, designs, or other display.
(1)
When the sign is a separate unit, the area shall include any
borders, framing, trim, decorative attachments, background, and space
between elements; it shall not include any supporting structure, unless
that structure is illuminated, is in the form of a symbol, or contains
advertising elements.
(2)
When the sign is applied to a wall or otherwise has no definable
edges, the area shall include all color, artwork, or other means used
to differentiate the sign from the surface upon which it is placed.
(3)
When a single sign structure has more than one face with the
same message, and no two sign faces are more than three feet apart
at any point, the area shall be computed by determining the greatest
total area of all sign faces visible from any single location.
B.
Height. The height of a sign shall be measured from the average ground
level beneath the sign to the highest point of the sign. The ground
level shall be the lower of the ground level existing at the time
of construction or the ground level existing prior to construction
and prior to any earth disturbance at the site. This prior ground
level may be established by any reliable source, including, without
limitation, existing topographic maps, aerial photographs, photographs
of the site, or affidavits of people who are personally familiar with
the site. No person(s) shall artificially increase the maximum height
of a sign by altering the grade at the base of the sign by any means.
(1)
No sign shall be higher than the height limitation of the district
in which it is located.
(2)
The height of freestanding signs shall be controlled by the
regulations in Tables 5-1 and 5-2 herein this Part 5.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said tables are included as an attachment to this chapter.
(3)
Wall signs may be at any height on the wall to which they are
attached, except that they may not extend higher than the top of the
wall.
(4)
Roof signs may extend no more than five feet above the lowest
point where they are attached to the building and may not extend above
the highest point of the roof.
[Ord. No. 294, 9/23/2019]
1.
The following regulations shall apply to all signs, in addition to
the specific regulations contained in the following provisions of
this Part.
A.
Where the general regulations are contradicted by a specific regulation,
the specific regulation shall control:
(1)
All signs shall reflect the general character of the neighborhood.
(2)
All signs shall be constructed of durable materials, maintained
in good condition and secured in a safe manner.
(3)
When a sign becomes unsafe, the Zoning Officer shall give written
notice to the owner of the premises on which the sign is located that
the sign must be made safe or removed immediately.
(4)
The areas surrounding all signs shall be maintained in a neat,
clean and attractive condition.
(5)
All signs shall be removed within three months if the purpose
for which they were erected no longer exists.
(6)
Each property that displays one or more permanent freestanding
signs and that is in an area where street addresses have been assigned,
must prominently display the address on one permanent freestanding
sign visible from the street. The address must include the street
number; the street name is optional. The address must be of a size
and design that is easily identifiable and legible from moving traffic
in the street at a distance of 100 feet (three-inch-high lettering/numerals
with a three-fourths-inch stroke). The area taken up by the address
does not count as part of the sign area. Center signs are exempt from
this requirement.
(7)
No temporary signs shall be permitted, except as authorized
elsewhere in this Part.
(8)
No sign shall be located within a street right-of-way, except
a government sign, a public utility sign, a sidewalk sign, a nonprofit
organization sign, or another sign approved by the governing body
or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
(9)
No sign within the clear sight triangle should obstruct vision
between the heights of 30 inches and eight feet above the elevation
of the center line of the street.
(10)
No signs shall be painted, pasted, nailed, stapled, or otherwise
attached to utility poles, trees, fences, fire hydrants, or in an
unauthorized manner to walls or other signs, except insofar as such
signs comply with generally applicable rules, regulations, or policies
formally adopted by the Mountville Borough Council.
(11)
Any freestanding sign within a floodplain must receive approval
as a special exception.
(12)
No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct any door, stairway,
window, fire escape, or other means of egress or ingress.
(13)
No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct ventilation or light
from a building.
(14)
No overhead sign shall have a clearance of: less than eight
feet between any pedestrian walk and the lowest part of the sign and
less than 17 feet six inches between any roadway and the lowest part
of the sign.
(15)
No sign that is parallel to and attached to the face of a building
shall project more than 18 inches over a public sidewalk.
(16)
No sign that is perpendicular to and attached to the face of
a building shall project more than 48 inches from the building.
(17)
No sign shall have lights or other illuminating devices that
constitute a public safety or traffic hazard.
(18)
No sign shall be permitted that imitates or that might be confused
with an official traffic sign or signal, such as: by containing the
words "STOP" or "DANGER"; or by including red, green or yellow lights.
(19)
No sign or window display shall include a revolving beam or
beacon of light resembling an emergency vehicle or facility.
(20)
No sign shall advertise activities or products that are illegal
under federal, state, or local municipal laws or regulations.
(21)
No sign shall include statements, words or pictures that are
considered to be vulgar, obscene or pornographic.
(22)
No streamers, pennants, spinners, reflectors, ribbons, tinsel,
balloons or similar materials shall be displayed outside a building.
(See "special event sign" in Table 5-2 of this Part[1] for regulations that apply to banners used as special
events signs.)
[1]
Editor's Note: Tables 5-1 and 5-2 are included as an attachment to this chapter.
(23)
In addition to any other signage permitted by this article,
each commercial or industrial property may display one flag not to
exceed 35 square feet with a company or corporate identification logo
on premises on an approved standard flagpole.
(24)
No animated, sequential, intermittent, flashing, rotating, or
oscillating signs shall be permitted, except for time-and-temperature
signs, and those sequential signs which change their message on an
hourly basis. Any sequential signs changing their message on an hourly
basis shall be limited to signs located within either the Town Center
Zoning District, the Commercial Zoning District, or the Industrial
Zoning District.
(25)
No sign shall emit smoke, visible vapors, particles, sound,
or odor.
(26)
No sign shall be placed on an automobile, truck or other vehicle
if that vehicle is being used primarily for displaying such sign.
(27)
No inflatable signs shall be permitted.
(28)
No open flames shall be permitted as part of a sign or in any
other way to attract attention.
(29)
Advertising painted upon or displayed upon a barn or other structure
shall be considered a sign and shall comply with the regulations of
this Part.
(30)
Any sign which has been authenticated as historically significant
and accurate for its specific location, whether original or a replica,
may be exempted from the regulations of this Part as a special exception.
(31)
Signs may be interior lighted with nonglaring lights; signs
may be externally lighted by lights that are shielded so there is
no direct light transmitted to other properties or public rights-of-way.
Such signs shall only be allowed within either the Town Center Zoning
District, the Commercial Zoning District, or the Industrial Zoning
District.
(32)
The light from any illuminated sign shall not adversely affect:
(33)
No lighting shall be permitted to outline buildings or structures
or parts thereof through the use of exposed neon tubing, strings or
lights, or other means, with the exception of customary holiday decorations,
which may be installed 30 days prior to and removed not later than
21 days after the holiday.
(34)
Existing business signs as of the effective date of this chapter
in zoning districts other than the Town Center Zoning District, the
Commercial Zoning District, and the Industrial Zoning District shall
not be illuminated when the business is closed.
(35)
All electrically illuminated signs shall be constructed to the
standards/listing of the Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. and the latest
edition of the National Electrical Code.
[Ord. No. 294, 9/23/2019]
Tables 5-1 and 5-2[1] herein this Part 5 provide regulations for specific kinds
of signs in each zoning district. Table 5-1 provides regulations for
permanent signs; Table 5-2 provides regulations for temporary signs.
Kinds of signs not provided for in Tables 5-1 or 5-2 or anywhere else
in this Part shall not be allowed.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said tables are included as an attachment to this chapter.
[Ord. No. 294, 9/23/2019]
Permits for the placement of new signs or changes to existing
signs are required as indicated by the last column in Tables 5-1 and
5-2 herein this Part 5. Sign permit application requirements, such
as forms, plans and fees, shall be established by the Mountville Borough
Council.
[Ord. No. 294, 9/23/2019]
1.
Nonconforming signs may continue to be displayed, as long as there
is compliance with the following limitations and conditions:
A.
There may be no expansion or increase in the nonconformity in any
way.
B.
Maintenance and repair of the sign is permitted; if necessary, up
to 50% of the entire area of a sign and its supporting structure may
be replaced in the event of damage; any such replacement must be completed
within six months of the damage occurring.
C.
The sign must be brought into conformity if, for a period of at least
three months, the message has no longer applied to an activity on
the premises (this does not apply to billboards).
