Borough of Tarentum, PA Article VII Signs

The construction, operation, improvement, and maintenance of all signs in the Borough of Tarentum shall be subject to the standards outlined in this article.

§ 265-701 Calculation methods.

A. For purposes of this article, sign area shall be calculated as follows:

(1) In the case of panel or cabinet type signs, the sign area shall include the entire area of the sign panel, cabinet or face substrate upon which the sign copy is displayed or illustrated.

(2) Signs consisting of individual letters and/or elements or logos installed directly on a building surface will be measured as one sign when the distance between the letters and/or elements is less than the largest dimension of the largest sign letter.

(3) When the sign faces of a multisided sign are parallel or within 30° of parallel, only one side is counted. If the sign faces are not parallel or within 30° of parallel, all sign faces are counted.

B. Where sign area allotment is calculated based on building frontage, the linear feet used shall be the length of the building facade at ground level.

§ 265-702 General standards.

A. Obscene material, illustrations, or language shall not be depicted or displayed on any sign.

B. To the extent possible, signs should meet the design guidelines prepared by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, attached as an appendix to this chapter.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Said appendix is on file in the Borough offices.

C. Notwithstanding that any signs not expressly authorized within this article are prohibited, the following are expressly prohibited:

(1) Flashing signs.

(2) Banners, series of balloons, and pennants.

(3) Balloons and other inflatable objects with a diameter of two feet or greater.

(4) Signs larger than two square feet that are suspended by chains, ropes, or other means designed to allow the sign to swing or move freely.

(5) Roof signs.

(6) Signs affixed directly to a tree, utility pole, light pole, traffic control device, barn, shed, or roof of a building or structure.

(7) Back-lit, translucent awnings or canopies.

(8) Permanent signs made of plywood, pressed board, MDO or non-exterior-grade wood products.

(9) Signs attached to or painted on a licensed vehicle within a residential zoning district if such sign is visible from a public street where such is displayed with the intent of advertising.

D. Signs shall not block required sight distance at intersections of streets and access roads and driveways to streets.

E. No sign or structure shall be erected at any location where, by reason of the position, shape or color of the sign or structure, it may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device or public directional, emergency, or street signage.

F. The display of signage within public rights-of-way, including sidewalks within public rights-of-way shall be governed by Article VII of this chapter.

G. Window signs displayed on a permanent basis shall be considered as walls signs for purposes of this article.

H. All external lighting associated with signs shall be provided as indirect lighting.

I. Billboards, as defined, shall be permitted in the RRO Rural Resource Overlay District. (See § 265-406, Subsection F.)

§ 265-703 Exemptions.

The following signs shall not require a permit. The sign area of the following shall not count toward maximum sign area requirements imposed by this article.

A. Public, semipublic, and commemorative signs and monuments including signs established by, or by order of, any governmental agency; and religious symbols, commemorative plaques of recognized historic agencies, or identification emblems of religious orders or historic agencies.

B. Signs indicating the address or name of a building up to two square feet for single-family dwellings and six square feet for all other uses.

C. One "For Sale" or "For Rent" sign is allowed per street frontage. Such signs must be removed within seven days after the sale, rental, or lease has been accomplished.

D. "For Sale" or "For Rent" signs on lots containing a single-family dwelling unit or zoned for single-family residential development may not exceed nine square feet in area.

E. "For Sale" or "For Rent" signs on lots containing principal uses other than single-family dwellings may not exceed the greater of 32 square feet or 0.25 square feet of sign area per each linear foot of street frontage for the first 150 feet of street frontage and 0.10 square feet of sign area for each linear foot of street frontage for street frontage in excess of 150 feet. These area calculations must be based on the street frontage to which the sign is oriented. No such sign may exceed 150 square feet in area.

F. One construction sign is allowed per street frontage during the time that construction or development activity is occurring on the subject lot, as follows:

(1) Construction signs on a lot bearing a single-family dwelling or zoned for single-family residential development may not exceed 12 square feet in area.

(2) Construction signs on a lot containing multifamily residential, office, institutional, public, commercial or industrial uses or a lot zoned for such uses may not exceed 32 square feet in area.

G. Holiday decorations on private property clearly incidental, customary, and commonly associated with national, local or religious holidays are allowed, provided they are displayed for a period of not more than 60 days for each holiday.

H. One sign per lot not exceeding two square feet with the name of a business operating as a home occupation on the lot.

§ 265-704 Commercial Center, CC and HCM Highway Commercial and Manufacturing District sign standards.

A. The following types of signs shall be authorized in the Commercial Center CC District, on buildings and lots bearing one or more nonresidential principal uses, subject to the standards contained in this section. No internal illumination of signs is permitted.

(1) Walls signs.

(2) Freestanding signs.

(3) Monument signs.

(4) Electronic message center.

(5) Changeable copy signs.

(6) Projecting signs.

(7) Awning and canopy signs.

B. Wall signs.

(1) Wall signs may be installed on any building facade. The minimum sign area allotted shall be 15 feet for each building facade up to a maximum of 200 square feet. The preceding allotments notwithstanding, permitted sign area shall be determined as follows by measuring the respective frontage of the respective building facade on which the wall sign is attached. Multiple wall signs may be installed, the maximum cumulative sign area of which shall not exceed that authorized below.

	Sign Type	Square feet of sign per linear foot of building frontage
	Box sign	0.25
	Screened box sign with raised or recessed letters	05
	Raceway-mounted channel letter signs	1.0
	Pin-mounted channel letter sign	1.25
	Distinctive materials/design sign	1.50

(2) Wall signs shall not include changeable copy signs or electronic message centers, except as expressly authorized within this section as wall signs.

(3) Wall signs representing an establishment located on solely on the first floor of a building be located a minimum of 12 feet and a maximum of 20 from the average grade of the ground.

(4) Walls signs representing an establishment located on the second floor of a building shall be located on the second story of a building shall be located over the header of the second floor and below the second floor cornice line on two-story buildings or over the window header and below the sill line of third-story windows of third stories.

(5) Wall signs shall bear only the name(s) or logos of the establishments located within the building on which the sign(s) are installed.

(6) Maximum letter height: three feet.

(7) Wall signs shall not project more than 18 inches from the building facade to which it is attached.

C. Awning and canopy signs.

(1) Nonilluminated canopies or awnings with no more than six square feet of sign (copy) area on the border of the awning may be used in addition to wall signs. Other awning signs or canopy signs may be substituted for allowed wall signs, provided that the total combined number of wall signs and awning and canopy signs may not exceed that authorized for wall signs with respect to the building facade to which the signs are attached.

(2) Maximum sign area. Notwithstanding the sign area allotment limitations otherwise applicable, letters, logos, and symbols on awning or canopy signs are limited to a maximum area of 1.25 square feet per one foot of awning length or 25% of the awning area, whichever is less. The total combined length of letters, logos and symbols may not exceed 70% of awning or canopy length. In calculating the length and area of an awning or canopy only the single longest plane of the awning or canopy may be counted. This generally means that the valance and sides (ends) of the awning or canopy will not be counted for purposes of measuring length or area.

D. Projecting signs shall be permitted under the following conditions.

(1) The sign must be attached directly to the building facade as opposed to an awning or canopy.

(2) No more than one is installed for every 50 linear feet of building facade to which the sign(s) is (are) attached.

(3) The lowest point of the sign shall not be located less than 7.5 feet from the grade of adjacent ground.

(4) The sign shall no project more than 3.5 feet from the building facade to which it is attached.

(5) The sign area of such signs shall not exceed six feet or 25% of the allotted wall sign area of the respective building facade, whichever is less. The number of square feet used for projected signage shall be deducted from the wall signage allotted for the building facade to which the projected signage is affixed.

E. Freestanding and monument signs.

(1) One freestanding or monument sign is authorized in the front yard of each lot where the yard is 10 feet or greater.

(2) The sign shall not exceed six feet in height.

(3) The sign area of freestanding signs shall not exceed eight square feet.

(4) The sign area of monument signs and freestanding signs that are distinctive materials/design signs shall not exceed 24 square feet.

F. Electronic message centers.

(1) Electronic message centers shall be authorized as window signs provided that such do not encompass greater than eight square feet. Where messages are intended to be conveyed to or font size or display are clearly discernible to the motoring public, messages shall remain stationary and shall not change more than once every five seconds.

(2) Electronic message centers are otherwise permitted as and subject to the standards of wall or projecting signs provided that such do not exceed 10 square feet and display only time and temperature.

G. Changeable copy signs. Changeable copy signs shall be authorized to be incorporated as part of a freestanding sign, provided that the face consisting of the changeable copy sign does not exceed 30% of the sign area of the freestanding sign.

§ 265-705 Standards in residential and overlay districts.

Signage in all districts excepting the Commercial Center CC District and including overlay districts shall be subject to the following standards.

A. Stand-alone lots. Signs on stand-alone lots, as defined in this chapter, shall be authorized as follows:

(1) Walls signs.

(a) Wall signs may be installed on the building facade of any principal building and other building faces where said faces are oriented to property lines that adjoin properties bearing or approved for the development and operation of nonresidential principal use(s). The minimum sign area allotted shall be 15 feet for each building facade up to a maximum of 400 square feet. The preceding allotments notwithstanding, permitted sign area shall be determined as follows by measuring the area of the respective building facade or face on which the wall sign is attached. Multiple wall signs may be installed, the maximum cumulative sign area of which shall not exceed that authorized below.

[1] Combinations of sign types may be installed where the percentage allotted for a particular sign type is not entirely used and the unused percentage is converted proportionally to that allotted for the respective additional sign type. For example, if 3% of a building face or facade is used for a box sign, the remaining 1% allotted equals 25% of the portion allotted for box signs. This 25% may be applied to the percentage of the face applied to another sign type such as a distinctive materials/design sign where 3.75% (or 25% of the 15% allotted) of the building face or facade may be used for such a sign.

	Sign Type	Square feet of sign as a percentage of building face
	Box sign	4%
	Screened box sign with raised or recessed letters	4%
	Raceway-mounted channel letter signs	6%
	Pin-mounted channel letter sign	9%
	Distinctive materials/design sign	15%

(b) Wall signs shall not include changeable copy signs or electronic message centers, except as expressly authorized within this section as wall signs.

(c) Wall signs representing an establishment located on solely on the first floor of a building be located a minimum of 12 feet and a maximum of 20 from the average grade of the ground.

(d) Walls signs representing an establishment located on the second floor of a building shall be located on the second story of a building shall be located over the header of the second floor and below the second floor cornice line on two-story buildings or over the window header and below the sill line of third-story windows of third stories.

(e) Wall signs shall bear only the name(s) or logos of the establishments located within the building on which the sign(s) are installed.

(2) Freestanding and monument signs on stand-alone lots.

(a) One freestanding or monument sign is authorized in the front yard of each lot where the yard is 10 feet or greater.

(b) The sign shall not exceed six feet in height.

(c) The sign area of freestanding signs shall not exceed 16 square feet.

(d) The sign area of monument signs and freestanding signs that are distinctive materials/design signs shall not exceed 24 square feet.

(3) Electronic message centers.

(a) Electronic message centers shall be authorized as wall signs provided that such do not encompass greater than 12 square feet. Messages shall remain stationary and shall not change more than once every five seconds.

(b) Electronic message centers are otherwise permitted as up to 50% of a freestanding sign or as projecting signs provided that any such sign does not exceed eight square feet and displays only time and temperature.

(4) Awning and canopy signs.

(a) Nonilluminated canopies or awnings with no more than 15 square feet of sign (copy) area on the border of the awning may be used in addition to wall signs. Other awning signs or canopy signs may be substituted for allowed wall signs, provided that the total combined number of wall signs and awning and canopy signs may not exceed that authorized for wall signs with respect to the building facade to which the signs are attached.

(b) Maximum sign area. Notwithstanding the sign area allotment limitations otherwise applicable, letters, logos, and symbols on awning or canopy signs are limited to a maximum area of 1.25 square feet per one foot of awning length or 40% of the awning area, whichever is less. The total combined length of letters, logos and symbols may not exceed 70% of awning or canopy length. In calculating the length and area of an awning or canopy only the single longest plane of the awning or canopy may be counted. This generally means that the valance and sides (ends) of the awning or canopy will not be counted for purposes of measuring length or area.

(5) Changeable copy signs. Changeable copy signs shall be authorized to be incorporated as part of a freestanding sign, provided that the face consisting of the changeable copy sign does not exceed 50% of the sign area of the freestanding sign.

B. Shopping centers and office parks.

(1) Wall signs as authorized for stand-alone parcels shall be authorized on building facades and faces within shopping centers and office parks except that wall signs in office parks shall be authorized at a rate of 75% as otherwise authorized for stand-alone parcels and shopping centers.

(2) One freestanding or monument sign is authorized for each entrance from a public street with a limit of one sign per street where multiple entrances exist on the street.

(a) Monument and freestanding signs shall not be located closer than 10 feet to any adjoining street right-of-way.

(b) Freestanding signs shall not exceed 15 feet in height. The sign area of freestanding signs as box signs and similar sign types shall not exceed 100 feet and the sign area for freestanding signs as distinctive materials/design sign shall not exceed 150 square feet. The lowest point of the sign face attached to the sign's support structures shall be mounted no higher than eight feet from the average grade of the ground.

(c) The sign area of monument signs shall not exceed 150 square feet.

(3) Each outparcel in a shopping center or lot within an office park shall be authorized one freestanding or ground sign as authorized for stand-alone lots provided that said sign is located within 15 feet of an entrance from the lot to the internal street or access road network of the shopping center or office park.

C. Traditional neighborhood development. Signage within an area approved and developed as a traditional neighborhood development shall adhere to the standards set forth for the CC Commercial Center District.

§ 265-706 Miscellaneous standards.

A. Menu board signs. Menu board signs accessory to allowed drive-through uses are permitted in addition to other allowed signs, as follows:

(1) Number and dimensions.

(a) Primary menu board. One primary menu board not to exceed 36 square feet in area or eight eight feet in height is allowed per order station up to a maximum of two primary menu boards.

(b) Secondary menu board. One secondary menu board not to exceed 15 square feet in area or six feet in height is allowed.

(2) Residential separation. Menu board signs must be set back at least 75 feet from residential zoning districts.

B. Neighborhood or subdivision identification signs. Neighborhood or subdivision identification sign are allowed as entrance features to neighborhoods or subdivisions and must be actively maintained by a homeowners association. Neighborhood/subdivision identification signs must be monument signs and may not exceed eight feet in height or 40 square feet of sign area. One such sign shall be authorized for a group of multifamily dwellings and may be installed as a freestanding sign in the form of a distinctive materials/design sign not to exceed 20 square feet.

C. Temporary signs. The following shall be authorized for nonresidential establishments in all districts. One temporary sign no greater than 16 square feet in sign area may be displayed for a period not more than 30 days after the opening of an establishment nor 14 days before the opening of said establishment. One temporary sign not exceeding 24 square feet and advertising an onsite promotional event for an establishment may be placed at an establishment two times per year, not to exceed 14 days each time.