No signs shall be erected, altered, or replaced
which are not in accordance with the standards of this article.
A.
Zoning permits shall be required for all signs greater
than two square feet in area unless specifically exempted herein.
Relief from the requirements of this article shall be requested in
the form of a variance from the appropriate Board pursuant to N.J.S.A.
40:55D-l et seq.
B.
No signs shall be placed on or attached to a building
or erected independently for any purpose other than to advertise a
permitted business or use conducted on the same premises unless specifically
permitted herein.
C.
No sign shall be placed in a public right-of-way nor
otherwise obstruct driving vision, traffic signals, traffic directional
or identification signs. All signs shall comply with the requirements
of this chapter pursuant to sight triangles and required sight distances.
D.
Except as otherwise specifically provided in this
article, no part of any sign shall extend above the top or beyond
the ends of the wall surface on which it is placed; no sign, except
such directional devices as may be required by federal aeronautical
authorities, shall be placed, inscribed or supported upon the roof
or upon any building which extends above the roof of any building;
and no sign shall be placed so as to interfere with the opening of
an exit door or to obstruct any window opening to a room to be used
for dwelling purposes.
E.
Freestanding signs shall be supported by one or more
columns or uprights which are firmly embedded in the ground. Exposed
guy wires, chains or other connections shall not be permitted except
that the sign itself may hang from its supporting frame by flexible
links. Two-faced freestanding signs shall have no angle between the
two sides.
F.
Interior window signs shall not be considered in computing
total allowable signage, provided that such signs shall not exceed
50% of the total window area, shall be used only for advertising of
special sales, products, or services sold on the premises, and shall
not be used for business identification purposes.
G.
Informational signs such as street number designations,
postal boxes, parking signs, "private property" signs, on-site directional
signs, and warning signs are permitted in all zones. Such signs shall
not exceed one square foot in area and shall not be considered in
calculating total permitted signage.
H.
Illuminated signs shall be designed to minimize light
spillage and/or glare beyond the border of the sign, itself. Such
signs shall be either indirectly lighted or of the diffused lighting
type. Illumination shall be designed to direct light and glare away
from adjoining streets and properties. Floodlights used for sign illumination
shall not project light above the highest elevation of the illuminated
wall of the building.
I.
A single decorative flag of 25 square feet or less
may be affixed to any building in any zone without necessity for a
zoning permit. Such flags may contain generic words such as "open,"
but shall not advertise any product or event. Such a decorative flag
shall not be included in any calculation of total permitted signage.
The following signs are expressly prohibited
in all zones:
A.
Billboards are not permitted in any zone of Cedar
Grove Township.
B.
Flashing, intermittent intensity or revolving signs
shall not be permitted, nor shall any illuminated sign of red, green,
yellow, or any light placed in a location or manner which could be
mistaken for a traffic signal or emergency vehicle.
C.
No person may erect a sign which is affixed to a fence,
utility pole, tree or natural object. No sign, artistic mural/painting
or mosaic may be painted directly on the exterior surface of a building
or an accessory structure such as a storage tank.
[Amended 10-4-2021 by Ord. No. 21-881]
D.
All other attention attracting devices such as streamers,
strings of pennants, spinners, pin wheels, beacons, inflatables, flashing
signs or similar devices are prohibited. Banners shall be permitted
as temporary signs in accordance with the requirements of this section.
F.
It shall be unlawful to utilize a vehicle or trailer
as a structure to which a sign is attached or placed. Vehicles on
which signs are placed, painted, or erected and which are regularly
parked in a conspicuous location for the purpose of advertising are
prohibited.
A.
Real estate "for sale/for lease/sold" signs. One sign
is permitted per lot to advertise the sale or rental of the premises
upon which the sign is located by the owner or a real estate agent
or broker. The sign is not to exceed an area of six square feet in
residential districts or 16 square feet in all other districts and
shall be set back a minimum of five feet from all street right-of-way
lines. The sign shall be removed within seven days of the consummation
of a sale or lease transaction. No permit is required for such signs.
B.
Real estate "open house" sign. One sign in addition
to the "for sale" sign, may be placed on the subject property. The
sign shall not exceed six square feet in area, shall be set back a
minimum of five feet from all street right-of-way lines, and may be
erected from 72 hours before the open house until no more than 24
hours after it. No permit is required for such signs.
C.
Land development signs. Signs advertising the sale
of property or structures in developments of two or more lots and
signs advertising the opening or construction of a new business shall
be permitted for a period of up to six months, or until the signing
of the contract or transaction of sale or lease of the last lot or
structure in the development, or until a certificate of occupancy
is issued for a new business, whichever event occurs last. The applicant
shall be permitted to request a renewal at the end of the six-month
period, if necessary. No such sign shall exceed 24 square feet in
area, and shall otherwise conform to the sign regulation of the district
in which it is located. No permit shall be issued for such sign until
the subdivision and/or site plan has been granted approval by the
appropriate municipal board.
D.
Nonprofit organization event signs. Temporary signs
advertising a specific event sponsored by a bona fide nonprofit organization
may be located on or off the premises of the organization's operating
location. Such signs shall be unlighted, shall be set back a minimum
of five feet from all street right-of-way lines and shall not exceed
32 square feet in area. Such signs may be displayed for a period of
time not to exceed 30 days and shall be removed within 24 hours after
the event. No permit shall be required for nonprofit organization
event signs, but the back of each such sign shall be clearly marked
with the name, address and phone number of the person empowered to
remove the sign.
E.
Political signs. Temporary signs advertising a political
campaign may be located on or off the premises of the organization's
operating location. Such signs shall be unlighted, shall be set back
a minimum of five feet from all street right-of-way lines, and shall
not exceed 32 square feet in area. Political signs relating to any
municipal, county, state, or national election shall be permitted
for 30 days prior to the election and shall be removed within seven
days after it. No permit shall be required for political signs.
F.
Business promotional signs. A temporary sign or banner
advertising a special sale or business promotion on the premises of
a commercial enterprise may be authorized by zoning permit up to four
times per year, provided the sign or banner is not displayed for more
than 21 days at a time; does not exceed 32 square feet in area; and
is set back a minimum of five feet from all street right-of-way lines.
Such signs shall not be considered in determining total permitted
signage.
In residential zones the following signs may
be permitted:
A.
A nonilluminated nameplate sign, situated within the
property lines and bearing only a place name, the name of the principal
occupant, and/or the address of a private dwelling, and not exceeding
96 square inches in total area.
B.
Signs advertising a use in a residential zone such
as a nonprofit organization or fraternal group, identification for
a multifamily development, public or quasi-public building or building
used solely for a nonprofit church, school, hospital or other like
purpose, but not including any activity of a retail nature, provided
that it is located on the same premises which it advertises. Such
sign shall not exceed 32 square feet in area. Where such signs are
freestanding they shall be a minimum of 10 feet from any property
line and no higher than six feet.
C.
Not more than one sign shall be posted for each use
or activity permitted within the provisions of this section.
A.
Business and commercial establishments. Business and
other commercial establishments including industrial uses and offices
may display any one or combination of the following signs, provided
that no individual business shall be permitted more than three exterior
signs. New and replacement signs on properties containing more than
one use or business establishment shall be part of a comprehensive
signing plan for the property, which is subject to Board approval
at the time of site plan review.
(1)
Wall signs. Wall signs are permitted on each facade
of a commercial building that faces on a public street or on-site
parking lot, subject to the following requirements:
(a)
Not more than one wall sign on each such wall
shall be permitted for each business establishment or use located
within the building and having a public entrance from that wall.
(b)
The bottom of said sign shall be at least seven
feet above the ground or sidewalk below it if the sign extends more
than three inches from the face of the building wall.
(c)
The total area of all such signs shall not exceed
10% of the area of the building wall, including window area, to which
they are attached.
(d)
A cantilevered sign may be substituted for a
permitted wall sign, or may be placed in addition to a wall sign where
the total area of both does not exceed the area permitted for the
wall sign, by itself. The bottom of a cantilevered sign shall be at
least seven feet above the ground or sidewalk below it, and its extension
from the building wall shall not exceed 48 inches. Cantilevered signs
may extend into the required yard area of the building, but may not
extend beyond the property line.
(2)
Ground or freestanding signs. One ground or freestanding
sign shall be permitted for each street frontage of a commercial property,
subject to the following requirements:
(a)
Such signs shall not exceed 50 square feet in
area nor 15 feet in height above the ground.
(b)
Such signs and all supports shall be situated
at least 10 feet from any building and 10 feet from any property line.
(c)
Shopping centers consisting of a building or
buildings having a total gross floor area of 20,000 square feet or
more, shall be permitted one freestanding sign of up to 100 square
feet in area with a maximum 24 feet in height above the ground. Such
signs shall be set back from all property lines a distance equal to
not less than their height.
B.
Motor vehicle service stations.
(1)
The following types of signs are permitted at gas
stations: freestanding signs, attached or canopy signs, signs over
garage bay doors, customary lettering or other insignia which are
a structural part of the gasoline pump, and a sign indicating the
location of a waste oil recycling facility. The waste oil recycling
sign shall be attached to the building.
(2)
The number of signs shall be limited as follows: one
freestanding sign, three attached signs, provided that two of these
are permitted only if attached to a canopy, one sign over each garage
bay door, one credit card sign, one oil recycling facility sign and
pump price signs as required by law.
(3)
The maximum size of signs permitted shall be limited
as follows:
|
Sign Type
|
Maximum Size
(Square Feet)
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Freestanding
|
50
| |
|
Attached
|
20
| |
|
Over bay doors
|
4
| |
|
Oil recycling sign
|
4
| |
|
Pump price sign
|
As required by law
| |
|
Pump structural signs
|
Limited by size of pump
|
(4)
No freestanding sign shall be closer than 10 feet
to a street right-of-way line or to a property line not coincident
with a street line and no freestanding sign shall exceed 24 feet in
height or have the lowest edge of the display area closer than eight
feet from the ground.
C.
Public and institutional uses. One wall or ground
sign shall be permitted on properties dedicated to public or quasi-public
uses such as hospitals, eleemosynary institutions, churches, schools,
government buildings, libraries, or other like purposes. Such signs
shall not exceed 32 square feet in area. Where such signs are freestanding
they shall be a minimum of 10 feet from any property line and no higher
than six feet.
