[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Hanover 10-22-2002 by Ord. No. 02-07.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Zoning — See Ch. 185.
This chapter shall be known as the "Political Sign Ordinance."
The purpose of this chapter is to permit the posting of political signs
within the Township of Hanover, and to provide procedures to obtain permits
for the posting of such signs and the removal thereof.
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words, terms and phrases
shall have the following meanings:
Any sign posted giving notice of a particular political party or
a candidate for any public office, or referring to ballot issues or special
election and other information pertinent thereto.
This chapter shall not be construed to prevent the posting of any official
sign, poster or chart required or authorized to be so posted by any court,
law or statute of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or of the United States,
nor shall this chapter be construed to prevent any person from physically
carrying a political sign as an expression of such person's right to
freedom of speech.
The maximum size of any political sign in the Township shall be 16 square
feet per side.
The erector of a political sign or an authorized agent of the political
party or candidate shall apply for and obtain a permit from the Township Zoning
Officer. The cost of the permit shall be $50. A separate permit must be obtained
for each election, i.e., primary and general, and no sign erected for the
primary election shall be permitted to remain until after the general election.
No sign shall be erected more than 16 days prior to an election.
The erector of a political sign or an authorized agent of the political
party or candidate shall make a deposit with the Township at the time of application
for the permit, a sum to be set at a certain amount from time to time by resolution
of the Board of Supervisors, to ensure that all political signs shall be removed
promptly within seven days after the election to which such sign relates.
If such signs are not removed at the end of the seven-day period, the Township
will then have them removed and forfeit the sum deposited to reimburse the
expense incurred in removal. The deposit shall be returned upon the satisfactory
removal of such signs within the seven-day period. The deposit amounts required
to be paid herein are in addition to the permit fee.
With permission of a property owner, political signs may be placed on
private property. No political sign shall be placed on any Township property
or on any public utility pole or any traffic lights and or any other municipal
or public utility structure, provided that political signs may be displayed
on election day in the vicinity of the polling places, to the extent that
it is permitted by state and federal election laws.
A.
Any person or entity who violates or permits a violation
of this chapter shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before
a District Justice under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be
guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not less
than $100 nor more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution. In default of payment
thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
90 days. Each day or portion thereof that such violation continues or is permitted
to continue shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this
chapter that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense.
B.
In addition to the above remedies, the
Township may institute in the name of the municipality any appropriate action
or proceeding to prevent, restrain, correct or abate violations of the provisions
of this chapter.
