Prior to placing a temporary or permanent sign not exempt in § 170-8, a sign permit pursuant to § 170-18, Sign permits, shall be obtained. If the sign permit is approved, the applicant shall receive a sign license pursuant to § 170-19, Sign licenses. For those applicants in the Planned Research and Business Park Zoning District and the Medical Campus Zoning District, a signage master plan may be applied for pursuant to § 170-20, Signage master plan. In such cases, the applicant shall first apply for approval of the signage master plan. Upon approval from the Township, the applicant shall then receive a sign permit and license for each sign contained in the master plan.
A.
Permits required. Except for exempt signs as specified in § 170-8, no person may erect, alter, or relocate within College Township any sign without first obtaining a sign permit from the Zoning Officer and paying the required fees.
B.
Permit application. Applications for sign permits shall be submitted
to the Zoning Officer and shall contain or have attached the following
information:
(1)
Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the applicant, the owner
of the property on which the sign is to be erected or affixed, the
owner of the sign, and the person to be erecting or affixing the sign
must be included on the application.
(2)
Site plan of the parcel on which the sign is to be erected or affixed
must show the accurate placement of the proposed sign.
(3)
Blueprints or ink drawings of the plans must include specifications
of the proposed sign to be erected or affixed and the method by which
it will be attached to a building or the ground. Such plans and specifications
shall include details of dimensions, color, materials, and the message
to be displayed.
(5)
The application must contain written consent of the owner of the
building or property on which the sign is to be erected or affixed.
C.
Review of sign permit applications. Upon the filing of an application
for a sign permit, the Zoning Officer shall examine the plans, specifications,
and other submitted data and the premises upon which the sign is to
be erected or affixed. If the Zoning Officer determines the application
is incomplete or incorrect, the applicant shall be notified of the
deficiency within 30 calendar days of filing. Upon submission/resubmission
of a complete and accurate application, the Zoning Officer shall have
30 calendar days to review the application for issuance or denial
of a sign permit.
D.
Permit fees. Each applicant requiring a sign permit shall pay a fee
established by resolution by College Township Council. (See § 203-11A.)
All signs, unless exempted in § 170-8, Exempted signs, must be licensed by College Township.
A.
All signs to be licensed shall be classified as temporary, permanent
or nonconforming for the purpose of license duration and corresponding
fees. The Township reserves the right to require evidence that the
property owner has granted permission for a sign to the applicant
prior to the issuance of a license.
B.
The change of a sign face or product advertised may be done under
the same license; however, any change in the sign structure, sign
dimensions or location of a sign will require a new permit and license.
C.
License fees and the initial permit fee will be set by resolution
of the College Township Council.
D.
Sign licenses shall be renewed every three years upon payment of
the license fee.
E.
There shall be no license fees for nonprofit organizations.
F.
There shall be no license fees for signs identifying developments
in residential districts.
College Township Council, at its sole discretion, may permit
temporary or permanent signs on public property, public rights-of-way
or utility poles. Such signs shall only be erected as follows:
B.
The applicant shall provide a sign application to the College Township
Zoning Office 30 calendar days prior to a College Township Council
Meeting.
D.
The applicant shall demonstrate to the College Township Engineer that the proposed sign(s) will not pose a safety hazard to the traveling public and does not obstruct sight distance pursuant to § 180-16D(2).
E.
College Township Council shall render a decision on the application
within 30 calendar days after College Township Council receives the
application.
F.
College Township Council shall not grant permission for a sign within
public property, rights-of-way or utility pole if the sign can be
reasonably accommodated on private property.
Developments within the Planned Research and Business Park Zoning
District or Medical Campus Zoning District shall be permitted to submit
a signage master plan to receive an increase in the number of permitted
freestanding signs or increase in the area of freestanding and/or
building signs. The applicant shall prepare, submit and receive approval
for such a master plan as follows:
A.
The following is a list of items required to be a part of the signage
master plan:
(1)
A map or series of maps illustrating the locations of all signs to
be covered by the master plan and the map(s) shall:
(a)
Include an index map if the master plan includes a series of
maps outlining the location of each individual map;
(b)
Be at a scale of no less than one inch equals 200 feet;
(c)
Include parcel and rights-of-way boundaries; and
(d)
Identify each sign with a unique identifier to be used consistently
throughout the master plan.
(2)
The master plan shall include the following for each individual sign:
(a)
A sketch to scale of the sign;
(b)
Square footage of the sign face(s);
(c)
Height of the sign(s);
(d)
Type of sign, i.e., freestanding or building sign;
(e)
Type of construction material used; and
(f)
A unique identifier which correlates to the sign's location
on the map(s) included in the master plan.
(3)
A table delineating all signs in the master plan, their unique identifier,
area, height and type of sign with a total for the number of each
type of signs and total area for each and for the campus as a whole.
(4)
A phasing schedule shall be completed if the signs are to be installed
over a period of time.
B.
A signage master plan shall require approval from the governing body
or its designee. A decision on the master plan shall be rendered within
60 days of receipt of the master plan.
C.
College Township Council or its designee shall review the master
plan for its conformance with applicable regulations and compatibility
of signs in terms of number of, dimensions and any other applicable
regulation herein.
D.
Amendments to the signage master plan may need to be made from time
to time. Any change to signs already approved under the signage master
plans or new additional signs shall require an amendment to the master
plan. If more than 50% of the number of existing signs are to be changed
in terms of their numbers or dimensions, or the total area of new
signs results in an increase of 50% more sign area in the development,
a new signage master plan will be required pursuant to the aforementioned
requirements.
A.
All existing signs that do not conform with the regulations of this
chapter must be licensed within 180 days after adoption of this chapter.
B.
Loss of nonconforming status.
(1)
Discontinuance. If there is no sign in place on a sign structure
or building wall for a period of one year or more, the nonconforming
rights are lost and a nonconforming sign may not be reestablished.
(2)
Destruction. When a sign or sign structure is removed or intentionally
destroyed, replacement signs and sign structures must comply with
the current standards, However:
(a)
Repair and maintenance. A nonconforming sign or sign structure
may be removed temporarily to perform sign maintenance or sign repair.
In order to preserve the nonconforming sign status, the person removing
the sign must inform the Zoning Officer, in writing, before the sign
is removed. If the responsible party fails to inform the Zoning Officer,
any re-erected sign will be considered a new sign and must conform
with the regulations contained herein.
(b)
Unintentional destruction. When a sign or sign structure that
has nonconforming elements is partially or totally damaged by fire
or other causes beyond the control of the owner, the sign and sign
structure may be rebuilt to the same size and height using the same
materials unless the sign is destroyed to the extent of 50% of its
replacement value, which, in such case, the sign shall conform to
the existing sign regulations contained herein.
C.
Sign maintenance, sign repair, and changing of permanent sign faces
is allowed so long as structural alterations are not made and the
sign is not increased in size.
D.
Permanent signs and sign structures that are moved, replaced, or
structurally altered must be brought into conformance with the sign
regulations. However, nonconforming signs required to be moved because
of public right-of-way improvements or takings may be reestablished.
