[Amended 10-8-2002]
The intent of this article is to provide for
the regulation of signs in Londonderry Township, as a proper exercise
of the municipal police power, to protect the public health, safety,
and general welfare in accordance with the following objectives:
A.
To control the size, location, and illumination of
signs in the Township in order to reduce hazards to pedestrian and
vehicular traffic.
B.
To encourage signs which are well-designed and pleasing
in appearance, and to provide latitude for variety, in order to enhance
the economic value as well as the visual character of properties within
the Township.
C.
To establish standards designed to encourage signs
that are compatible with their surroundings, appropriate to the type
of activity to which they pertain, expressive of the identity of individual
proprietors, and legible in the circumstances in which they are seen;
and to prohibit the erection of signs that do not meet these criteria
and which are incompatible with the rural landscape and agricultural
character of the Township.
D.
To prohibit the construction of and require the removal
of signs which constitute a hazard or a blighting influence.
All signs shall be divided into the following
classifications for purposes of construction:
A.
Ground ("freestanding") sign. Any sign erected upon
an independent structure (legs, base, or pole) so that such structure
is the main support of the sign, or erected directly upon the ground
surface, and/or any sign that is not supported by any part of a building,
having two faces visible.
B.
Flat wall ("facial") sign. A sign erected of displayed
on or parallel to the surface of a building, fence, wall, or other
structure, including letters or other characters that are carved or
embossed on any such surface, having one face visible.
C.
Window sign. A temporary sign entirely contained within
a building that is visible from the street, providing notification
of products for rental or sale, or of special events, and having one
face visible.
D.
Projecting sign. Any sign mounted upon a building
so that its principal face is at an angle of 135° or less with
the building wall, having not more than two faces visible.
E.
Billboard. A freestanding sign, permitted only in compliance with the terms of § 170-135C(4), which directs attention to a business, commodity, service, or entertainment conducted, sold, or offered at a location other than the premises on which the sign is located.
[Added 12-11-2012 by Ord. No. 08-2012]
The following signs are exempt from the permit
requirements of this chapter. Such signs are deemed not to create
nuisance situations that would threaten the health, safety, or welfare
of persons in the Township. All owners of such signs, however, must
still comply with all applicable standards of this chapter, including
the responsibility for maintenance of signs in good and safe repair.
A.
An official highway route number sign, street name
sign, directional or other traffic sign. These may be erected and
maintained on public roads and highways in the interest of public
safety or for the regulation of traffic.
B.
A sign indicating the prohibition or control of fishing,
hunting, trespassing, etc.; or signs indicating the private nature
of a road, provided the area of any such sign does not exceed two
square feet.
C.
A sign, with an area not exceeding one square foot,
bearing only a property number, street address, post box numbers,
or the names of the occupants in residential districts, provided the
characters do not exceed three inches in height.
D.
A legal notice.
E.
A Christmas tree, other holiday display, or window
display of merchandise, except as specifically prohibited herein,
and provided its duration is limited to the immediate period or season
to which it relates.
F.
Public service and information signs advertising the
availability of rest rooms, telephones, or similar public convenience.
G.
A vending machine sign with an area not exceeding
two square feet, bearing the brand name of a product or the price
of such product, when displayed on a vending machine selling such
product.
H.
One or more signs applied to a windowpane, giving
store hours or the name or names of credit or charge institutions
when the total area of any such sign or all signs together does not
exceed two square feet.
I.
A sign which is a permanent architectural feature
of a building or structure, such as a cornerstone.
J.
Temporary yard sale or garage sale signs, provided
such signs do not exceed two square feet in area and shall be removed
within 24 hours of the conclusion of such sale.
The following signs, because their inherent
characteristics could threaten the health, safety, or welfare of persons
in the Township, are unlawful and prohibited:
A.
Signs which use the words "Stop," "Look," "Danger,"
or any other word, place symbol, or character which attempts or appears
to attempt to direct the movement of traffic or which interferes with,
imitates, or resembles any official traffic sign, signal, or device
within 75 feet of a public right-of-way or within 200 feet of a traffic
control device, whichever is greater.
B.
Any banner sign or sign of any other type across a public street or on any private property, except as permitted under § 170-135B(2)(d), below.
C.
Any suspended sign which is either a pennant that
blows in the wind or a spinner that spins in the wind, except when
located inside a stadium, arena, or temporary fairground in conjunction
with a special event.
D.
Except for traffic control signals, red or green lights
within 75 feet of a public right-of-way or 200 feet of a traffic control
signal, whichever is greater.
E.
Any sign erected or maintained on a tree or utility
pole, or painted or drawn on a rock or other natural feature.
F.
Any sign with flashing, revolving, moving, sound-producing, or animated parts, including any sign that has the capability of motion in whole or in part, with the exception of signs that display time and/or temperature exclusively and any sign subject to the terms of § 170-137.1.
[Amended 8-8-2017 by Ord.
No. 04-2017]
G.
Any vulgar, indecent, or obscene advertising matter
displayed in any manner.
H.
Any sign which obscures or interferes with the line
of sight at any street intersection or traffic signal, or at any other
point of vehicular access to a street.
I.
Any sign erected or maintained so as to prevent free
ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape. No sign of
any kind shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
J.
Any sign on a mobile stand or wheels which can be moved from place to place and thereby is not permanently affixed to the ground, except for signs permitted in § 170-135B(2)(d).
K.
Any sign, or any portion thereof, which extends above
the roof line of the building to which it is attached.
L.
Any off-premises or off-site sign, i.e., a sign unrelated
to the property on which it is situated, with the exception of:
(1)
Temporary political campaign signs permitted in accordance with the terms of § 170-135B(1)(d); and
(2)
Off-site directional signs permitted in accordance with the terms of § 170-135B(2)(c).
(3)
Billboards, permitted in accordance with the terms of § 170-135C(4).
[Added 12-11-2012 by Ord. No. 08-2012]
M.
Any sign utilizing LED technology or similar digital display forms
of messaging, whether such sign contains a message that does not change,
is animated, or employs changeable copy; signs displaying time and/or
temperature exclusively are not subject to this prohibition.
[Added 12-11-2012 by Ord. No. 08-2012]
Signs shall be permitted in the respective zoning districts of the Township only in accordance with the terms of this section. Where applicable, the requirements of §§ 170-136 and 170-137 of this article shall be complied with, as well.
A.
Signs permitted in the R-2 District and Traditional
Neighborhood Overlay District. Signs in these districts shall comply
with the applicable standards in the Londonderry Township Manual of
Written and Graphic Design Guidelines for traditional neighborhood
developments.
B.
Signs permitted in the AP, RA-2, R-1, and MHP Districts.
[Amended 5-23-2005 by Ord. No. 7-05]
(1)
The following signs, not qualified as exempt under § 170-133, shall be permitted within the AP, RA-2, and R-1 Districts of the Township. The requirements of § 170-139 regarding sign permits shall be waived for these signs; compliance with all other provisions of this article shall be required.
(a)
A temporary sign of a contractor, architect,
mechanic, or artisan placed on the property where the contracted work
is occurring.
(b)
Temporary real estate sale-sold-rent-development
signs placed on the property to be sold, rented, or developed.
[1]
Such sign shall be removed within five days
following completion of final transactions.
[2]
Only one such sign per realtor shall be permitted
on any property.
[3]
Maximum dimensions for such a sign shall be as specified in § 170-135B(1)(a)[2].
(c)
Directional signs located within a tract undergoing
development, indicating the route to the sales office, model home,
construction trailer, etc.
(d)
Temporary political campaign signs placed on
any property within the Township.
[1]
Maximum size of any such sign shall be nine
square feet.
[2]
No sign shall be placed earlier than 30 days
prior to the relevant election, and all such signs shall be removed
no later than seven days following such election.
[3]
Signs may be placed within the street right-of
way, but shall not be located so as to obstruct visibility from or
impede the use of any street, driveway, sidewalk, bikeway, parking
area, path or trail.
[4]
As provided in § 170-134E, no such sign shall be erected or maintained on a tree or utility pole.
[5]
When a sign is to be placed on property not
owned by the party placing the sign, it is the obligation of that
party to obtain the property owner's prior approval.
(2)
The following signs, not qualified as exempt under § 170-133 and not prohibited under § 170-134, shall be permitted in the AP, RA-2, and R-1 Districts, provided they conform with all other provisions of this article, including the requirements for a permit as specified in § 170-139:
(a)
Professional, accessory use, home occupation,
or name signs, indicating the name, profession, or activity of the
occupant of a dwelling.
(b)
Identification signs of a permanent, nontemporary
nature identifying schools, churches, hospitals, or similar institutions,
and clubs, lodges, farms, estates, residential developments, or similar
use.
[1]
There shall be not more than one such sign per
organization or use, regardless of construction type.
(c)
Off-site directional signs: (i) of a public
or institutional nature, containing the name or location of a town,
hospital, school, church, etc. and an arrow or other directional symbol
indicating the route to same; or (ii) as temporary signs indicating
the name, location, and sponsoring entity of an event of public interest,
such as a state or county fair, local or general election, horse show,
or auction, or of a real estate "open house" event.
[1]
No advertising shall be contained on such signs.
[2]
No more than two such signs may be placed within
the Township by any one establishment or for any single event, and
no more than one at any single intersection.
[3]
No such sign may be erected, placed, installed,
or maintained without the written permission of the owner of the real
property on which the sign is to be situated.
[4]
Any sign for a special event shall be considered
temporary. It shall be permitted for a maximum period of 14 days,
but in every case shall be removed within 24 hours following conclusion
of said event.
[5]
Such signs shall have a maximum area of four
square feet and a maximum height of 3 1/2 feet.
(d)
Special event temporary signs, including banners,
that identify a grand opening, parade, festival, fund drive, or similar
occasion.
(e)
Temporary signs, located on tracts approved for or undergoing development, which announce the future uses, names, and/or occupants of such tracts. Such signs shall be limited to one per tract, and shall comply with the dimensional standards as stipulated in § 170-135B(2)(b) of this article.
C.
Signs permitted in the C, AB, and GC-I Districts.
(1)
Any sign permitted under the terms of § 170-135B of this article shall be permitted in the C, AB, and GC-I Districts.
(2)
Business, commercial, or industrial signs identifying
the written name and/or the type of business and/or any trademark
of an article for sale or rent on the premises or otherwise calling
attention to a use conducted on the premises.
(a)
Where such business or use is seasonal and temporary
(e.g., sale of Christmas trees, flea market, etc.), any sign shall
be removed within five days of completion of the event.
(b)
For an individual, freestanding principal use of a commercial or industrial nature, there shall be not more than one sign (regardless of construction type) for each public street on which the property fronts, exclusive of window signs and except as stipulated in § 170-135C(2)(h), below.
(c)
The total area of any ground, projecting, or wall signs for an individual freestanding use shall not exceed an area equal to 10% of the total square footage of the building wall parallel to, and facing, any particular street or a total of 25 square feet, whichever is less. The sign area for each street frontage shall be computed separately, and any allowable sign area not used on one frontage may not be used on another street frontage. The total permissible area for window signs shall be as specified in § 170-136D of this article.
(d)
The maximum height of any such sign shall be
15 feet.
(e)
For a multitenant building or property, directory signs shall be permitted under the terms of § 170-135C(3) of this article. In addition, such building or property shall be entitled to wall signs in accordance with the terms of § 170-136B.
(f)
Three or more contiguous individual uses may choose to utilize the directory sign option, as provided in § 170-135C(2)(e), in lieu of the requirements of § 170-135C(2)(b) that otherwise would apply to each individual use.
(g)
Ground signs for a gasoline service station or automobile sales and/or service establishment may be built to the dimensions allowable for a directory sign, as prescribed by § 170-135C(3).
(h)
In addition to the otherwise applicable provisions
of this article, gasoline service stations and automobile sales and/or
service establishments may erect and maintain four accessory signs,
provided that each such sign does not exceed four square feet in area.
(3)
Where permitted under the terms of § 170-135C(2)(e) and (f) of this article, directory signs identifying two or more persons, agencies, or establishments and erected primarily as a service to motoring or pedestrian traffic.
(a)
Such signs shall be ground signs only, and shall be limited in number as prescribed in § 170-136A(1).
(b)
Such signs may list only a name, address, logo,
and primary product or service of each firm or business, and may contain
a graphic directory or map to assist in locating destinations.
(c)
The maximum permitted total sign area for a
directory sign shall not exceed 50 square feet.
(d)
The maximum height of a directory sign shall
be 15 feet.
(e)
Such signs shall be located a minimum of 15
feet from the street line and a minimum of 20 feet from the nearest
street access driveway, and shall be situated to provide unimpeded
visibility from the access driveway to the intersecting street.
(4)
Billboards.
[Added 12-11-2012 by Ord. No. 08-2012]
(a)
Billboards shall be permitted only on properties located in
the C, AB, or GC-I Zoning Districts.
(b)
A billboard shall be permitted only when approved as a conditional use by the Board of Supervisors in accordance with the terms of this section and § 170-157 of this chapter.
(c)
A billboard shall be considered the principal use of the property
on which it is situated. As such, there shall be no more than one
billboard on any parcel or lot.
(d)
Where a billboard is proposed to be located within 660 feet
of Route 41 and will be visible from Route 41, any conditional use
approval shall be contingent upon the applicant obtaining a fully
executed off-premises outdoor advertising device permit issued by
the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in accordance with the
Outdoor Advertising Control Act of 1971, as amended.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 36 P.S. § 2718.104 et seq.
(e)
Due to a billboard's potential deleterious impacts resulting
from its off-site location and increased size in relation to other
signs permitted by this chapter, any application for approval of a
billboard as a conditional use shall be evaluated in terms of its
potential impact on:
(f)
Any application for approval of a billboard as a conditional
use shall demonstrate compliance with the following requirements:
[1]
A billboard may only be constructed as a freestanding sign.
[2]
The maximum sign area of any billboard shall be 300 square feet
per side; a billboard shall have not more than two sides.
[3]
The maximum height of any billboard shall be 24 feet, as measured
from the ground surface to the top of the sign.
[4]
No billboard shall be located closer than 50 feet to any property
line. No portion of any billboard structure may be located within,
or extend into, any street right-of-way.
[5]
There shall be a minimum separation distance of 300 feet between
any two billboards.
[6]
The lighting of any billboard shall be in compliance with the requirements of § 170-137D of this chapter.
[7]
No billboard shall contain moving or animated parts, changeable
copy, or other electronic messages, as such features pose undue distractions
to the traveling public, a risk to public safety, and/or unnecessary
glare.
[8]
A guarantee bond shall be provided by the applicant as a condition of approval. The guarantee bond shall be in a form and amount sufficient to enable the Township to remove the billboard, should it become unsafe or abandoned and is not then removed in accordance with the terms of § 170-138 of this chapter.
In addition to all other applicable standards
of this article, the following standards shall apply to the respective
types of sign construction specified:
A.
Ground signs.
(1)
Except as otherwise specified, one ground sign is
permitted per street upon which the property has direct frontage,
provided that a maximum of two such signs shall be permitted as of
right on any tract.
(2)
No ground sign shall project to a point nearer than
five feet from the street right-of-way line; where compliance with
this standard would nonetheless create an obstruction of view, further
setback may be required.
(3)
Ground signs shall be located no closer to any adjacent
public park, church, school, or public playground than the minimum
setback or separation distance required for any other adjacent structure
or building, as regulated by this chapter.
(4)
No business ground sign may be located nearer to a
residential lot line than the minimum setback distance required for
other business or commercial structures. If located closer than 50
feet and facing into a residential lot line, such sign shall be designed
so as not to shine or reflect light into adjacent residences.
(5)
All poles or columns that support ground signs shall
be made of metal or pressure-treated timbers. All such poles or columns
shall be embedded in the ground at least three feet six inches, unless
the Zoning Officer directs otherwise.
(6)
The maximum height of any sign affixed directly to
the ground shall be three feet six inches. For a pole-type sign, unless
otherwise regulated by this article, the maximum height shall be 15
feet and the minimum distance between the ground surface and the bottom
of the sign face shall be four feet.
B.
Flat wall signs.
(1)
Flat wall signs shall not project more than eight
inches from the building wall and must be so located that the lower
edge is a minimum of 10 feet above grade in any case where projection
from the wall is greater than three inches.
(2)
For a mixed-use development or other multitenant building or property, more than one sign shall be permitted per wall, except that the total area of all signs on one wall shall not exceed 10% of the facade, and shall further comply with the requirements of § 170-135C(2)(c).
(3)
Flat wall signs may be erected upon a canopy or marquee
if the structural strength of such canopy or marquee is sufficient
to safely carry the additional load, and provided that such signs
may not extend beyond the edges of said canopy or marquee or extend
within otherwise prohibited areas.
(4)
No wall sign shall extend above the top of the wall
upon which it is mounted or beyond the edges of same.
C.
Window signs. More than one window sign shall be permitted
per building, provided that all window signs are temporary and at
any one time shall not exceed 25% of the total glass area on the side
of the building where they are placed. For grocery stores, food markets,
and pharmacies, the total glass area covered by window signs shall
not exceed 35%.
D.
Projecting signs.
(1)
Projecting signs shall be permitted only in the R-2
Residential District and the Traditional Neighborhood Overlay District.
Design and location of any such sign shall be consistent with the
Londonderry Township Manual of Written and Graphic Design Guidelines
for Traditional Neighborhood Developments.
(2)
A projecting sign shall be so located upon the building
that the lower edge is a minimum of 10 feet above grade. Projecting
signs may project a maximum of four feet from the building wall; provided,
however, that no sign shall project to a point nearer than five feet
from the edge of a paved street cartway.
(3)
No projecting sign shall extend above the top of the
wall upon which it is mounted.
(4)
Not more than one projecting sign shall be permitted
per building or use.
A.
With the exception of those signs addressed in § 170-135B(1)(c), (2)(c), and C(4), any permitted sign shall identify only the person, establishment, principal product, service, or event available or being performed on the premises which contains the signs.
[Amended 12-11-2012 by Ord. No. 08-2012]
B.
The area of a sign shall refer to the sign facing,
including any border, framing, or decorative attachments. In the case
of freestanding letters, it shall be the area contained between the
highest and lowest points of any letters, and the extremity points
of the first and last letters.
C.
In computing the area of a double-face sign, only
one side shall be considered, provided that the faces are identical.
In "v"-type structures, the interior angle of which exceeds 45°,
both sides shall be considered in measuring the sign area.
D.
Illumination. All electrically illuminated signs shall
be constructed to the standards of the National Board of Fire Underwriters.
Illumination shall only be of an even intensity at all times and shall
not be more than 15 watts per square foot. Illumination may be direct
(giving forth light from the interior of the sign through translucent
material) or indirect, provided that the light source is directed
upon the sign. The lighting source shall not be directly visible from
any street or sidewalk, nor from any other normal vantage point. Lighting
shall not shine directly on abutting properties, nor within the normal
line of vision of the public when using streets or sidewalks.
E.
Maintenance. Every sign shall be constructed of durable
materials, using noncorrosive fasteners; shall be structurally safe
and erected or installed in strict accordance with the Township Building
Code; and shall be maintained in a safe condition and good repair
at all times. Specifically, no sign shall be maintained within the
Township which:
[Added 8-8-2017 by Ord.
No. 04-2017]
A.
LED signs. LED (light-emitting diode) signs or similar digital display
forms of messaging shall be permitted, subject to the following:
(1)
Any LED sign shall have installed an ambient light monitor,
which shall continuously monitor and automatically adjust the brightness
of the sign to appropriate levels for the existing ambient light conditions.
(2)
The maximum brightness levels for LED signs shall not exceed
0.1 footcandle over ambient light levels measured at the boundary
of any abutting property.
(3)
Between sunrise and sunset, luminance shall be no greater than
5,000 nits. At all other times, luminance shall be no greater than
250 nits.
(4)
LED signs shall comply with all applicable general signage and
zoning district regulations of this chapter or as otherwise lawfully
permitted.
B.
Changeable-display signs.
(1)
Changeable-display signs are prohibited except as expressly
provided below.
(2)
Changeable-display signs shall comply will all applicable general
signage and zoning district regulations of this chapter or as otherwise
lawfully permitted.
(3)
Changeable displays shall only be utilized as a component of
a commercial use sign or a multiple commercial use sign.
(4)
A changeable-display sign shall only be located as a freestanding
sign in the front yard or on the front facade of a building or property
fronting on Route 41 in the C Local Commercial, AB Agricultural Business,
or GC-I General Commercial Industrial Zoning District. Only one such
sign shall be permitted per property.
(5)
Changeable displays shall be limited to text in the form of
letters, numbers, and symbols found on an ASCII keyboard, and shall
not include more than one static image per slide.
(6)
Changes in the signage display shall be instantaneous and shall
not scroll, flash, scintillate, oscillate, blink, or otherwise give
the appearance of movement or other variation in display.
(7)
Changes in the signage display shall include the entire display
such that different portions of the display are not changing at different
times.
(8)
Changes in the signage display shall not occur more frequently
than once every 30 seconds.
(9)
No light source for any changeable display sign shall constitute
a nuisance or safety hazard.
(10)
Changeable-display signs shall be subject to the building and
electrical codes of Londonderry Township.
(11)
Any changeable-display sign shall be extinguished automatically
from 11:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. the following day.
(12)
A nonconforming sign shall not be converted to, adapted, repurposed,
or otherwise approved as a changeable-display sign unless it is modified
to conform to the applicable regulations of this chapter, including
the requirements of this section.
(13)
No sign designated as a billboard under the terms of this chapter
shall utilize changeable displays.
A.
Unsafe signs.
(1)
Whenever a sign becomes structurally unsafe and/or
poses a potential threat to the safety of a building or premises or
endangers the public safety, and such condition becomes known to the
Zoning Officer, he shall give written notice to the owner of the premises
on which the sign is located that such sign must be made safe or removed
within five days, unless the Zoning Officer shall deem appropriate
a more extended period for compliance.
(2)
Where, in the opinion of the Zoning Officer upon careful inspection, any sign as described in § 170-138A(1) constitutes an imminent hazard to public safety necessitating immediate action, he shall be empowered to take those measures he deems appropriate to secure, stabilize, or remove such sign without the written notice to the owner of the premises otherwise required by that section. In such cases, a lien shall be placed against the property on which such sign was situated in the amount of the costs incurred by the Township in removing the sign.
(3)
Failure of the Zoning Officer to remove, or require
the removal of, any unsafe sign as described in this section shall
create no liability upon, nor any cause of action against, the Zoning
Officer or any other Township official or employee for damage or injury
that may occur as a result of such sign.
B.
Abandoned signs.
[Amended 12-11-2012 by Ord. No. 08-2012]
(1)
Any sign which was erected for an occupant or business unrelated
to the present occupant or business, or any sign which relates to
a time or event inconsistent with the time limits established by this
section, shall be deemed to have been abandoned.
(2)
Any billboard advertising a product, business, or service that is no longer available or in operation shall be deemed to have been abandoned. Any applicant for a billboard permit shall, as part of the permit application, submit a guarantee bond to enable the Township to remove an abandoned billboard, where necessary, in accordance with the terms of § 170-135C(4) of this chapter. The owner of the billboard or the property owner shall submit to the Township annual proof that the guarantee bond is then in existence for an amount which will then be required for removal, should the billboard subsequently become abandoned.
(3)
Where the Zoning Officer determines that a sign is abandoned, on the basis of the criteria in Subsection B(1) or (2) above, he shall provide the owner of the property on which the sign is located a notice of that determination and an opportunity to respond within 30 days of receipt of such notice. Upon expiration of the thirty-day period, and unless the Zoning Officer receives sufficient documentation from the property owner during that period that the sign has not been abandoned, he shall provide written notification to the property owner that the sign shall be removed within 30 days of receipt of such notification.
(4)
The Township shall have the right to remove any temporary political campaign sign located on public property which is not removed within the time limit prescribed in § 170-135B(1)(d) or where, in the opinion of the Zoning Officer, its continued presence would constitute a safety or visibility hazard to the public.
C.
Nonconforming signs.
[Amended 5-23-2005 by Ord. No. 7-05]
(1)
Any sign existing at the effective date of this relevant
amendment of this article that does not conform to the provisions
of this article shall be considered a nonconforming sign.
(2)
Any nonconforming sign deemed by the Zoning Officer to be unsafe, as stipulated in § 170-138A(1), shall be made safe or removed in accordance with the terms of that subsection.
(3)
Once a sign is removed for any reason other than normal
repair and maintenance, any replacement sign must comply with all
the provisions of this article.
(4)
Signs which, at the effective date of this article
or subsequent amendment thereto, are maintained in connection with
and upon the same lot as a lawful nonconforming use may be maintained,
repaired, or replaced with signs similar in size and character as
long as such lawful nonconforming use continues, but may not be enlarged
or otherwise substantially altered (nor may any illumination be increased
or newly installed) except in accordance with the applicable regulations
of this article.
A.
Any sign to be erected in the Township that is not exempt under § 170-133 or § 170-135B(1) shall require a permit. No such sign shall hereafter be erected, altered, or the content changed (except as part of a directory sign) until a permit is issued by the Zoning Officer.
B.
No permit for a permissible off-site sign shall be
issued until the property owner's consent and signature have been
filed.
C.
No permit to erect a sign shall be issued until the
required fee has been paid to the Township. Such fee shall be established
from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
D.
Application for a sign permit shall be made in writing
to the Zoning Officer and shall contain all information necessary
for the Zoning Officer to determine whether the proposed sign, or
the proposed alterations, conform to all the requirements of this
chapter. All applications for sign permits shall be accompanied by
plans or diagrams in duplicate and to scale, showing the following:
(1)
Exact dimensions of the lot, including any right-of-way
lines, or building upon which the sign is proposed to be erected.
(2)
Exact size, dimensions, and location of the said sign
on the lot or building, together with its construction type, materials
to be used, and manner of installation.
(3)
Any other lawful information which may be required
of the applicant by the Zoning Officer.
E.
Permits shall be granted or refused within 15 days
from the date of application.
F.
No sign permit shall be issued unless there is conformance
with the regulations of this chapter, except upon order of the Zoning
Hearing Board, granted pursuant to the procedures established for
the issuance of a variance.
G.
After installation, the Zoning Officer shall inspect
the sign to insure that the installation has conformed to the regulations
set forth in this article. All signs shall henceforth be subject to
annual inspection.
H.
A changeable display sign meeting the terms of § 170-137.1B shall require a permit in accordance with the terms of this section. The fee for the permit shall be as established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
[Added 8-8-2017 by Ord.
No. 04-2017]
