[Ord. 565, 11/17/1986; as amended by Ord. 612, 4/1/1991; by Ord. 634, 2/7/1994; and by Ord.
848, 7/6/2020]
1. Subject
to the other provisions of this Section, only the following types
of permanent signs are permitted throughout the Borough:
A. P-1:
all signs and signals owned or operated by the Borough.
B. P-2:
identification signs for public and for semipublic facilities, such
as schools, churches, hospitals, libraries, clubs and public utilities.
C. P-3:
nameplate identifying the owner or resident of a private property,
excluding mailboxes.
D. P-4:
memorial or historical markers or tablets.
E. P-5:
signs indicating the private nature of a road, driveway or other premises
and signs controlling the use of private property, such as the prohibition
of hunting or fishing.
F. P-6:
incidental on-site directional signage (i.e., enter, exit and drive-thru).
H. P-8:
home occupation signs.
I. P-9: billboards and outdoor advertising signs shall follow the standards contained in §
27-1504.14.
J. P-10: electronic message signs or LED signs shall follow the standards contained in §
27-1504.15.
K. P-11: window signs shall follow the standards contained in §
27-1504.16.
2. Performance
and Location Standards for Permanent Signs. The following table sets
forth the standards to which each of the permitted sign types must
conform:
3. Off-site
directional signs are a conditional use.
[Ord. 565, 11/17/1986; as amended by Ord. 612, 4/1/1991; and by Ord. 848, 7/6/2020]
1. Subject
to other provisions of this Section, only the following types of temporary
signs are permitted throughout the Borough:
A. T-1:
signs identifying architects, engineers, contractors, tradesmen or
others engaged in construction work, on the premises wherein their
work is proceeding. Such signs shall be removed as soon as the work
ceases or is completed.
B. T-2:
real estate signs on individual properties that are for sale, rent
or lease or which have been sold, rented, or leased. The former type
shall be permitted for as long as the property remains for sale or
rent, but the latter type shall be removed within a week of the date
of the sale or rental agreement.
C. T-3: real estate signs similar to those described in Subsection
1.B of this section, but located in housing developments or large acreages which include more than one house lot. Such signs shall be removed when 90% of the properties have been developed. Signs announcing proposed commercial or industrial development of the site may be erected for a maximum of one year.
D. T-4:
signs advertising the temporary sale of products when such sale is
conducted in accordance with all provisions of Borough ordinances.
Such signs shall be displayed only when the products are on sale.
E. T-5:
temporary directional signs for a period not exceeding one week.
F. T-6:
signs advertising or promoting to the general public any special event,
including but not limited to cultural, entertainment, religious or
charitable activities for a period not exceeding 30 days. Such signs
shall be removed within three days following the occurrence of the
event advertised or promoted.
G. T-7: portable signs shall follow the standards contained in §
27-1504.17.
2. Performance
and Location Standards for Temporary Signs. The following table sets
forth the standards to which each of the permitted temporary sign
types must conform:
3. Any temporary sign not conforming to Subsections
1 and
2 above may be permitted by special exception.
[Ord. 565, 11/17/1986; as amended by Ord. 612, 4/1/1991; and by Ord. 848, 7/6/2020]
1. Signs
of such a design and location that they interfere with, compete for
attention with or may be mistaken for a traffic signal. This shall
include any sign visible from the public right-of-way which uses an
arrow device or the word “stop.” It shall also include
signs in which the colors red and green are used either in direct
illumination or in high reflection by the use of special preparation
such as fluorescent paint or glass.
2. Any
sign located in or extending into a public cart way, except those
owned or operated by a duly constituted government.
3. Except as otherwise provided in §
27-1502, any freestanding sign within an area bounded by the intersection of two rights-of way and points 20 feet from such intersection along rights-of-way, except directional signs less than three feet in height.
4. Except
as otherwise provided in this Chapter, signs over a public sidewalk
area. Any sign which exists on the effective date of the ordinance
codified in this section may continue to be used but shall not be
repaired or replaced unless permitted by special exception. Repair
or replacement shall include, but not be limited to, the repainting
or change of an existing sign with the name of another business or
use.
5. Flashing
or oscillating signs.
6. Signs attached perpendicular to any building and projecting over the main traveled portion of a sidewalk, as set forth in the Sidewalk Ordinance [Chapter
21, Part
2].
7. Signs
erected upon or attached to the roof of any building.
8. Hanging
Freestanding Signs. Any hanging freestanding sign which exists on
the effective date of this subsection may continue to be used but
shall not be repaired or replaced unless permitted by special exception.
“Repair or replacement” shall include, but not be limited
to, the repainting or change of an existing hanging freestanding sign
with the name of another business or use.
9. Portable signs, except for temporary signs which conform to the criteria for temporary sign Type T-6 mentioned in §
27-1502.2.
10. Strings
of bulbs, tubular illumination, or rope illumination outlining windows,
buildings, roof lines, on nonresidential uses, are not permitted,
except as part of a holiday celebration or temporary seasonal decorations.
11. Signs
on mobile stands which can be moved from place to place.
[Ord. 565, 11/17/1986; as amended by Ord. 612, 4/1/1991; by Ord. 675, 2/1/1999; and by Ord.
848, 7/6/2020]
1. Signs
must be constructed of durable material, maintained in good condition
and not allowed to become dilapidated.
2. Overhead
signs shall be at least nine feet high, measured from the ground or
pavement to the bottom-most part of the sign.
3. Advertising
painted upon or displayed upon a barn or other building or structure
shall be regarded as an advertising signboard and the regulations
pertaining thereto shall apply.
4. Each
sign shall be removed when the circumstances leading to its erection
no longer apply. The Zoning Officer may remove or have it removed
at the property owner’s expense.
5. In all
districts, only those signs referring directly to materials, products
or services performed, made, sold, or displayed on the premises shall
be permitted.
6. Permits
shall be required for the erection, alteration or maintenance of all
permanent signs. Permits shall be issued by the Zoning Officer upon
the applying person’s compliance with the provisions of the
Code of the Borough and his payment of the permit fee. Council shall
establish, and may from time to time change, the sign permit fee by
resolution.
7. Signs
may be interior lighted with nonglaring lights or may be illuminated
by shield floodlights or spotlights shielded so there is no direct
light transmitted to other properties or public rights-of-way. Internally
illuminated signs shall have an opaque surround cabinet style fixture
with light limiting translucent face(s), flush translucent sign graphics
within an opaque background field, through which light from an internal
source passes (i.e., illuminated text or reverse cut).
8. Traffic
signs shall be of approved design.
9. A person may only erect a freestanding sign within an R-C, C-1 and CBD District of the Borough and in accordance with the requirements of Subsection
9.A of this section:
A. A freestanding
sign shall only be erected according to the following requirements:
(1) The freestanding sign shall be erected outside the right-of-way of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Borough, except when written
permission for erection within the right-of-way is granted by the
governmental body involved;
(2) Only one freestanding sign shall be erected for each building frontage;
(3) The provisions of Subsection 9.A.2 above notwithstanding, one freestanding
sign for each business use within a building may be erected; provided,
that there shall not be more than 20 square feet of sign face per
each 75 square feet of building frontage, plus an additional 6 1/2
square feet of sign face for each additional 25 feet of building frontage;
(4) The post and sign board of the freestanding sign shall be made of
wood or wood products and shall be finished with a nonreflective surface;
(5) The freestanding sign shall not be lighted;
(6) The maximum height of the freestanding sign shall not exceed 10 feet;
(7) The minimum height of the lowest part of the sign board of the freestanding
sign shall be not less than six feet eight inches above the surface
of the ground;
(8) The sign board of the freestanding sign shall not exceed two feet
six inches in width at its widest point;
(9) The sign post for the freestanding sign shall not exceed six inches
on a side; and
(10) The freestanding sign shall be placed at the discretion of the Zoning
Officer or Street Superintendent.
B. Any freestanding sign which exists on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this Section that does not conform to the provisions of this subsection shall not be repaired or replaced unless such repairs or replacement comply with the requirements of Subsection
9.A above. “Repair or replacement” shall include, but not be limited to, the repainting or change of an existing freestanding sign with the name of another business or use.
10. No
sign, sign post or any portion thereof shall obstruct the view from
the cart way of a street or alley of any traffic control device, regulatory
sign or Borough sign, nor impair the free ingress and regress to any
structure or vehicle or in any way interfere with pedestrian traffic.
11. Where
a building has two or more frontages on public streets or alleys,
each building frontage shall be permitted its own maximum sign square
footage that is applicable to that building frontage. Alternately,
the total maximum square footage may be combined to permit signage
to be located upon one or two facades of a building up to the maximum
permitted by each individual frontage.
12. A
person may only erect a mural on the side of a building or other structure
to serve as an advertising sign that does not conform to the provisions
of this Chapter by special exception.
13. A person may only erect a sign on an awning in accordance with the requirements of Subsection
13.A below:
A. A
sign shall only be erected on an awning according to the following
requirements:
(1) The sign shall be painted on the awning or attached flat to the movable
metallic frame of the hinged roll or folding type awning;
(2) The sign shall not extend beyond or be attached to the underside
of the awning or awning frame;
(3) The letters of the sign shall not exceed 10 inches in height;
(4) The minimum height from the lowest part of the framework or fixed
portion of the awning and the surface of the ground shall be seven
feet; and
(5) The minimum height from the lowest part of the valance of a canvas
or fabric of the awning and the surface of the ground shall be six
feet eight inches.
14. Billboard and Outdoor Advertising. A person may only erect a billboard or outdoor advertising sign in accordance with the requirements of Subsection
14.A below:
A. Billboards
and outdoor advertising devices may be allowed as a conditional use
upon a finding that compliance with the requirements of this Chapter,
as well as the following specific criteria, have been established
by the applicant:
(1) All lots upon which outdoor advertising signs are to be located must
conform to the are requirements of the open space zoning district,
and be located entirely within that zoning district and, in addition,
have frontage on U.S. 11 and 15 bypass within the Borough.
(2) The leased portion of any lot upon which outdoor advertising is to
be located shall contain a minimum of 5,000 square feet in area.
(3) No individual billboard or outdoor advertising sign face shall exceed
300 square feet (12 feet by 25 feet) per sign face. All portions of
the display shall fit within such area with no extensions beyond the
edge of the sign’s face or framework.
(4) No billboard or advertising sign shall be permitted to be erected
upon the roof of any building.
(5) V-shaped billboard and advertising sign structures supported by a
single structure shall be permitted; provided, that the angle formed
by the two sides of the advertising sign structure does not exceed
30°.
(6) All utility lines serving the billboard or advertising sign, or those
extended to provide such service, shall be installed completely underground.
Such requirements may be waived if the sign is powered by nontraditional
alternative energy sources (for example solar power).
(7) Landscaping at the base of a billboard or outdoor advertising sign
shall be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
(8) All signs shall be set back from the items described below as follows:
(a) From a roadway intersection: 500 feet;
(b) From any other billboard or outdoor advertising sign (whether such
is located in the Borough of Selinsgrove or otherwise) on the same
side of the roadway: 750 feet;
(c) From any other billboard of outdoor advertising sign (whether such
is located in the Borough of Selinsgrove or otherwise) on the opposite
side of the roadway: 600 feet;
(d) From the road right-of-way: 50 feet;
(e) No billboard and advertising sign shall be permitted to be erected
within 500 feet of an adjoining residential district.
(9) The maximum height of billboard and outdoor advertising signs shall
not exceed 25 feet, as measured from the grade of the roadway from
which the advertising message is principally visible, and the bottom
edge of the sign shall be no more than eight feet above the elevation
of the adjacent roadway, which height shall be sufficient to prevent
unauthorized access upon the sign.
(10) A buffer yard shall be required between the billboard or outdoor
advertising sign and any adjacent lot(s). Such buffer yard shall be
a minimum of 40 feet.
(11) The land area utilized for a billboard or outdoor advertising sign
shall not be otherwise required to support another underlying use
upon such lot, including, but not limited to, buffer yard, parking
area or setback necessary to any preexisting use upon such lot.
(12) All displays on the face of a billboard or outdoor advertising sign
shall be stationary.
(13) Lighting of Signs.
(a) Illumination of the sign display shall be designed so that it shall
be focused on the face of the display itself so as to prevent glare
upon the surrounding area or any portion of the traveled way of any
highway. Sign illumination shall not cause glare or impair the vision
of the driver of any vehicle or interfere with any driver’s
operation of a motor vehicle.
(b) No sign shall be so illuminated that it interferes with the effectiveness
of or obscures an official traffic sign, device, or signal.
(c) No sign shall be so illuminated that it causes glare or interferes
with a residential use.
(d) Illumination of signs shall follow the standards and requirements
of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) and
shall be subject to review and approval of the Borough.
(14) The use of the word “stop,” “go,” “warning,”
“emergency,” or any other words that could be construed
as traffic or warning information is prohibited.
(15) No sign shall advertise any adult or sexually oriented businesses
or materials, contain any obscene or profane language, emit any verbal
announcement or noises of any kind, or otherwise display any content
prohibited by 18 Pa.C.S.A §5903.
(16) Billboards and outdoor advertising signs (including any and all supporting
structures thereof) shall be dismantled ad removed from the premises
upon which they are located within 180 days of the cessation of use.
(17) Billboards and outdoor advertising signs shall be of unipole construction.
No portable billboards are permitted.
(18) Billboards and outdoor advertising signs shall be constructed to
all applicable structural standards for such devices, and all applications
for the conditional use approval shall verify compliance with such
standards as documented and sealed by a registered engineer.
(19) Billboards and outdoor advertising signs shall be maintained by their
owner in a state of repair so that they are as safe and as functional
as when originally installed.
(20) No billboard or outdoor advertising sign shall be constructed or
erected until an applicant thereof has made an application for same.
This shall include a copy of a written lease for use of the land if
the applicant is not the owner thereof.
(21) Annual Fee for Billboards and Outdoor Advertising Signs.
(a) In order for a billboard sign permitted by this Chapter or already built to continue to be a lawful use, the owner or lessee of such sign shall pay annually to Selinsgrove Borough the required fee on or before February 1 of each calendar year, and default of such payment shall be considered a violation of this Chapter, and such sign may be removed as provided for in Subsection
14A.(24) of this Section.
(b) A schedule of officially approved fees and costs is on file at the
Selinsgrove Borough Building and may be obtained upon request.
(22) Billboard signs shall be permitted only if the provisions of the
Outdoor Advertising Control Act of 1971, Act 160, 36 P.S. §2718.101
et seq., have been met.
(23) Before any billboards are erected, the appropriate State and/or Federal
permits that are required for the erection of a billboard shall be
obtained and copies of the same shall be filed at the Zoning Office
of Selinsgrove Borough prior to such erection. In addition to the
requirements contained in this Section, all signs shall comply with
the Uniform construction Code and all applicable Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation Regulations.
(24) Any sign not in conformity with this section shall be removed, and
the Zoning Officer may remove or have it removed at the property owner’s
expense. If the Zoning Officer removes any signs, the same shall be
kept in the possession of Selinsgrove Borough for a period of 30 days
and may be claimed and recovered by the owner thereof upon proper
proof shown; and after 30 days if such signs are not claimed and recovered,
they shall be destroyed. Removal, storage, or destruction shall be
at the property owner’s expense.
15. Electronic
Message Board Signs or LED Signs.
A. A
person may only erect electronic message board signs or LED signs
in accordance with the requirements below:
(1) Electronic signs are allowed as a permitted use in the C-1 Zoning
District, and by special exception in the CBD, RSP, and ED (future)
Zoning Districts.
(2) The background color tones, lettering, logos, pictures, illustrations,
symbols, and any other electronic graphic or video display shall not
blink, flash, rotate, scroll, change in illumination intensity, or
otherwise change in outward appearance (including having the appearance
of a visual dissolve, fading, animation or movement), except when
the electronic message or display is being changed to another message
or display.
(3) The interval between the one message/display and another message/display
may not be less than eight seconds.
(4) The change from one complete message/display to the next complete
message/display must be completed within one second.
(5) All electronic signs must be equipped with a default mechanism that
stops the messaging, and shall go black, when a malfunction in electronic
programming occurs.
(6) Electronic signs shall not exceed a maximum illumination of three-tenths
foot-candle over surrounding ambient light levels during daylight
hours. They shall be dimmed from one hour after sunset to one hour
prior to sunrise to a maximum illumination of one-fifth the permitted
daylight luminance.
(a) Prior to issuance of a sign permit, the applicant shall provide written
certification from the sign manufacturer that the light intensity
has been factored preset not to exceed the above cited foot-candles
and that the intensity level is protected from end-used manipulation
by password-protected software or other appropriate method.
(b) Each electronic messaging sign shall have a light sensing device
that will adjust the brightness of the display as the natural ambient
light conditions change.
(c) Except as provided in subsections 15.A.2, 3 and 4 above, all electronic
messaging signs must have a constant illumination intensity or contrast
of light levels.
(7) The maximum are permitted for an electronic sign or electronic portion
of a sign is 50 square feet.
(8) Only one electronic sign per lot is permitted.
(9) The use of the colors of red or green shall be prohibited within
100 feet of an intersection.
(10) The use of the word “stop,” “go,” “warning,”
“emergency,” or any other words that could be constructed
as traffic or warning information is prohibited.
(11) No sign shall advertise any adult or sexually oriented businesses
or materials, contain any obscene or profane language, emit any verbal
announcement or noises of any kind, or otherwise display any content
prohibited by 18 Pa.C.S.A §5903.
(12) Any form of laser, projecting, pyrotechnics or holographic display
is prohibited.
(13) No portable or billboard electronic signs are permitted.
(14) All signs must be UL listed for certification of product safety,
shall follow the standards and requirements of the Illuminating Engineering
Society of North America (IESNA) and shall be subject to review and
approval of the Borough.
16. Window Signs. A person may only affix a window sign in accordance with the requirements of Subsection
16.A below:
A. A
window sign may only be affixed to a window in R-C, C-1 and CBD Zoning
Districts in accordance with the following requirements:
(1) Temporary or permanent window signs, affixed to a window, shall not
exceed a maximum of 20% of the total window area, and may be covered
by a combination or permanent and temporary window signs.
17. Portable Signs. A person may erect a portable sign in accordance with the requirements of Subsection
17.A below:
A. Illumination
of any portable sign is prohibited.
B. All
portable signs shall be taken in during inclement weather.
C. Sandwich
boards or “A” frame signs that comply with the requirements
in this subsection shall not be included in the determination of the
type, number, or area of signs allowed on a property.
(1) Number. One sandwich board sign is permitted per establishment.
(2) Area. Each sign shall have a maximum area of six square feet per
sign face.
(3) Height. Signs shall have a maximum height of 3 1/2 feet.
(4) Placement.
(a) If a sign is located on a public or private sidewalk, a minimum of
48 inches of unobstructed sidewalk clearance must be maintained between
the sign and any building or other obstructions.
(b) The sign shall be located on the premises.
(c) Portable signs shall be weighted, temporarily secured, or strategically
placed so as to avoid being carried away by high winds.