[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township
of Washington 5-2-1988 by Ord.
No. 88-13 (Ch. 194 of the 1985 Code). Amendments
noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall
have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:
A sign which directs attention to an issue, issues, candidate
or candidates for public consideration in an election.
[Amended 3-2-1992 by Ord.
No. 92-2]
Every sign, billboard, outdoor advertising or advertising
device for visual communication that is used for the purpose of bringing
the subject thereof to the attention of the public, but not including
any flag, badges or insignias of any government or governmental agency.
A sign shall include any structure or part thereof or any device attached
to or painted on a structure, which shall display or include any letter,
work, model, banner, flag, pennant, insignia, device or representation
used as or which is in the nature of an announcement, direction or
advertisement.
A sign erected for a relatively short period of time, which
period shall be terminated by the work, event, sale of the premises
or produce advertised or occurrence of the event to which it refers.
[Amended 3-2-1992 by Ord.
No. 92-2]
A.
No sign shall hereafter be erected, constructed or maintained except
as provided in these requirements and until a permit for the same
has been issued by the Building Subcode Official.[1] The application for a permit shall be in such form as
the Building Subcode Official may prescribe and shall include such
information and drawings as may be required by the Building Subcode
Official for a complete understanding of the proposed sign. No sign
permit shall be issued until the written permission of the owner or
lessee of the property upon which it is to be erected has been filed
with the Building Subcode Official.
B.
No campaign sign shall be erected, constructed or maintained until
an application for the same has been filed with the Building Subcode
Official, which application shall be in a form prescribed by the Building
Subcode Official and which shall contain the name, address and telephone
number of the party responsible for such campaign sign. One application
shall be sufficient for all campaign signs to be erected, constructed
or maintained for a particular election.
[Amended 3-2-1992 by Ord.
No. 92-2]
A.
Campaign sign restrictions.
(1)
No campaign sign shall be erected, constructed or maintained on public
property.
(2)
No campaign sign shall be erected, constructed or maintained on private
property without the consent of the owner thereof or without an application
under this chapter having been filed.
(3)
No campaign sign shall be posted on fire hydrants, telephone booths
or poles, public utility poles or similar public fixtures, fences
or trees.
(4)
No campaign sign shall be erected, constructed or maintained earlier
than eight weeks before any election, nor shall any such sign remain
longer than one week after such election.
(5)
No campaign sign in excess of 32 square feet shall be permitted.
Large signs, constituting signs having more than three square feet
to 32 square feet, shall be permitted; provided, however, that no
more than six such large signs shall be permitted throughout the Township
for any particular position on an issue, candidate or slate of candidates.
Small signs, consisting of signs of three square feet or less, shall
be unlimited in number. No more than one sign, large or small, shall
be erected, constructed or maintained on any parcel of private property
constituting a tax lot on the Township Tax Assessment Map.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Subsection A(6), concerning signs
maintained within 10 feet of the street line, of the 1985 Code and
which followed, was repealed 4-13-1998 by Ord. No. 98-7.
B.
Prohibited signs. No sign of any kind shall be permitted in any residential
district except for campaign signs, temporary signs and such signs
as are authorized by any other ordinance or as may be permitted by
the Planning Board of the Township of Washington upon application
duly made.
[Amended 12-19-2022 by Ord. No. 22-26]
Except for changes in occupancy and/or exterior signage by current or future tenants in the Washington Township Shopping Center which shall be governed by the procedures set forth in § 580-86F of the Code, no sign shall hereafter be erected, constructed or maintained in the PRTD District, Class C District or the Class O-R District without approval of the Township of Washington Planning Board, which shall review all applications for such signs. An application for such a sign shall be filed with the Planning Board in such form as may be fixed by the Planning Board. Such application shall be treated as a minor site plan application in accordance with and to the extent applicable to all ordinances of the Township of Washington governing minor site plan review.
[Added 11-3-1997 by Ord.
No. 97-17]
All exterior signs erected and to be erected on the Washington
Township Shopping Center building shall conform to the following requirements:
A.
All signs shall be affixed within an area above each establishment
located in the Washington Township Shopping Center consisting of a
space 12 feet, six inches long, and four feet high (the "signage area").
[Amended 9-10-2012 by Ord. No. 12-14]
D.
All canopy signs located in the pedestrian walkway frontage of the
Washington Township Shopping Center building shall not exceed 2 1/2
feet in length and shall be in style and color to be established by
the owner of the Washington Township Shopping Center.
[Amended 6-29-2020 by Ord. No. 20-08]
E.
No exterior signs shall be mounted on the facade of the Washington
Township Shopping Center Building. All signs shall be in the form
of letters on a raceway to facilitate changes in signage without damage
to the Washington Township Shopping Center Building and to facilitate
the continued aesthetics of the building facade, except where approved
by the owner of the Washington Township Shopping Center.
F.
There shall be no signs illuminated by lighting which is intermittent
or of varying intensity or of a nature commonly referred to as "neon."
G.
Except as otherwise provided for herein, no signs, lettering or advertising
matter of any kind whatsoever shall be affixed to the exterior or
interior of windows of any establishment located in the Washington
Township Shopping Center, except that temporary signs advertising
the leasing of premises within the Washington Township Shopping Center
shall be permitted for such period of time as shall be necessary for
the leasing of such advertised premises, such signs being limited
to dimensions of no greater than 46 inches high and 35 inches wide.
Temporary or permanent signage affixed to the interior of windows
of any establishment shall be permitted up to a cumulative area of
40% of window space.
[Amended 9-10-2012 by Ord. No. 12-14; 12-19-2022 by Ord. No. 22-26]
H.
Establishments occupying in excess of 30,000 square feet may have
the size limitations set forth above relaxed where approved by the
owner of the Washington Township Shopping Center.
[Added 12-19-2022 by Ord. No. 22-26]
Within the Class C District, temporary or permanent signage
affixed to the interior of windows of any establishment shall be permitted
up to a cumulative area of 40% of window space.
[Added 3-2-1992 by Ord.
No. 92-2]
A.
In the event of a violation of any provision of this chapter concerning campaign signs, the party responsible as appears on the application for a particular issue, issues, candidate or candidates shall be responsible for such violation and shall be punishable as provided in § 1-1 of Chapter 1, General Provisions. Each day on which a violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense, and each sign in violation of this chapter shall be deemed a separate offense.
B.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any term or provision of this chapter in connection with any sign not constituting a campaign sign shall be punishable as provided in § 1-1 of Chapter 1, General Provisions. Each day on which a violation continues shall constitute a separate offense, and each sign in violation of this chapter shall constitute a separate offense.
