[Added 6-10-2009 by Ord. No. 18-2009]
A.
No billboard sign may exceed the maximum height of 35 feet from ground
level. Ground level shall be the lesser of the natural ground level
or the ground level before taking into account any berm or other elevation
on which the sign may be situate.
B.
The maximum advertising surface shall not exceed an area measured
at 10.5 feet by 36 feet for each display area, with a maximum of two
display areas on one side, and a maximum of two display areas on the
opposite side. The maximum overall size cannot exceed 12.5 feet by
36 feet.
C.
The maximum advertising surface area shall not exceed 756 square
feet for each side.
D.
Area not utilized for display, or boundary or border area, shall
not be calculated in the square footage of the advertising sign.
A.
All billboard signs must be in compliance with the Roadside Sign
Control and Outdoor Advertising Act (N.J.S.A. 27:1A-5, 27:1A-6, 27:5-5
et seq.).
B.
No billboard sign shall be applied for or erected until approval
shall have been obtained from the New Jersey Department of Transportation
and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and a license issued for off-premises
billboard signs at the specific location being applied for.
[Amended 9-13-2017 by Ord. No. 14-2017]
Off-premises billboard signs shall be permitted only in the
zones identified as HC and CI, where said zone or zones are adjacent
to the Atlantic City Expressway. The billboard signs shall be positioned
so that their intended direction of visibility shall be from the Atlantic
City Expressway and are intended to be visible only from a limited
access highway.
A.
No billboard sign or signs shall be placed less than 2,000 feet apart
within the HC Zone and less than 1,000 feet apart within the CI Zone.
No billboard sign shall be placed within 1,000 feet of any municipal
boundary within the HC Zone or within 100 feet of any municipal boundary
within the CI Zone.
[Amended 9-13-2017 by Ord. No. 14-2017]
B.
Any off-premises billboard sign to be erected under this article shall be buffered to restrict visibility from residential zones and residential dwelling units. A minimum buffer width of 100 feet shall be provided between any billboard and residential use or zone. Buffers are further described in § 285-298 herein.
[Amended 9-13-2017 by Ord. No. 14-2017]
C.
The minimum distance (spacing) between permitted locations of billboards
shall be measured along the nearest edge of the pavement between points
directly opposite the side of the sign faced nearest the center line
of the right-of-way of the highway where the sign side shall be erected
and shall apply only to the permitted location in the HC and CI Zones.
[Amended 9-13-2017 by Ord. No. 14-2017]
D.
Double-faced-type billboard signs shall be permitted only under the
terms and conditions of this article.
E.
No billboard signs shall be allowed that are painted on or attached
to railroad bridges, overhead bridges, or any other structure over
any highway or overhanging the highway, and within the right-of-way
of any highway.
F.
There shall be a minimum front yard setback (The front yard shall
be the portion of the lot facing the Atlantic City Expressway.) which
shall be not less than 10 feet actual setback as measured from the
right-of-way line of the limited access highway, unless permitted
within the right-of-way via permit from the applicable agency of the
State of New Jersey having jurisdiction over outdoor advertising signs.
The minimum feet per side yard setback shall be not less than 20 feet
from any proposed buffer or berm.
[Amended 9-13-2017 by Ord. No. 14-2017]
G.
No billboard signs shall be permitted unless specifically authorized
by permit from the applicable agency of the State of New Jersey having
jurisdiction over outdoor advertising signs, where said billboard
signs shall be maintained within the State of New Jersey or any department
thereof right-of-way, or any portion of limited access or unlimited
access highways within the State of New Jersey. This prohibition shall
not apply to signs, public notices, or markers erected or maintained
by the Department of Transportation, the County of Gloucester or the
Township of Washington.
H.
No outdoor advertising signs shall interfere with the ability of
an operator of a motor vehicle to have a clear and unobstructed view
of streets or highways ahead; approaching, merging or intersecting
traffic; or official signs, signals or traffic control devices.
I.
No outdoor advertising signs shall interfere with or contain advertisements
that resemble any official traffic sign, signal or device.
J.
No outdoor advertising sign shall be painted, drawn, erected, or
maintained upon trees or other natural features or public utility
poles.
K.
No outdoor advertising sign shall be of a type, size or character
or shall be placed at a location that will endanger or potentially
injure public safety or health or that will pose a physical threat
to property in the vicinity thereof.
L.
No outdoor advertising signs shall be permitted which advertise activities
that are illegal under federal, state or local law.
M.
No outdoor advertising signs shall be permitted which may impair
the vision of a motorist.
Landscaping which contains buffers for off-site billboards shall
be designed and constructed in accordance with the following standards:
A.
Billboards shall be suitably landscaped to improve the environment
of the site and surrounding area and to protect the general welfare
of the public, so that the sign shall be shielded by buffers, which
shall be located not less than 40 feet from the edge of the right-of-way
to the edge of the berm, which shall contain the buffer. The purpose
of the berm described hereinafter is to limit visibility from residential
areas which may overlook the sign. Any and all landscaping around
the off-site billboard installation shall be placed so that it will
not obstruct sight distance along any street frontage.
B.
Landscape shall be constructed in accordance with the standard description
attached hereto and made a part hereof, as Exhibit A,[1] and shall consist of a berm elevated to five feet, on
which and in which shall be located deciduous trees, which shall,
at the top of the berm, at the time of installation, be not less than
19 feet in height, with a total berm and tree elevation of 24 feet
minimum, or 80% of the height of the sign.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said exhibit is on file in the Township offices.
C.
In addition to the trees, the plant types which shall be installed
shall be a mixture of hardy evergreen and other deciduous canopy and
understory trees and shrubs, which shall be indigenous to the area.
A conscious effort shall be made to preserve and incorporate the existing
vegetation on site, wherever possible. The support structure for the
billboard shall be screened with evergreen and deciduous shrubs and
trees. The final spacing and species mixture shall be as approved
by the Planning Board Planner.
D.
Balled and burlapped trees shall be planted so that at least 25%
of the understory trees and shrubs have not less than a four-foot
minimum planting size.
E.
All plant material installed as part of a billboard planting screen
shall be guaranteed for a period of two years.
G.
The berm shall be constructed so as to conceal 80% of the sign elevation
and shall be of that length so as to conceal 80% of the elevated sign
from any visible dwelling houses and residences, as per Exhibit B[3] appended hereto and made a part hereof.
[3]
Editor's Note: Said exhibit is on file in the Township offices.
No off-premises sign shall be approved except under the following
procedure:
A.
Permitted conditional use. The following principal use and uses are
permitted conditionally upon a determination by the Planning Board
that the use can be provided in a manner that will minimize the impact
upon adjacent properties and will conform with the additional standards
as provided in both municipal ordinances and the Administrative Code
of the State of New Jersey and applicable New Jersey statutes.
B.
Application and review procedures.
(1)
An application for billboard site plan review approval and general
application may be obtained from the Planning or Zoning Office upon
proper request and a fee covering costs for said application. It shall
be the right of any applicant to request a meeting with the Planning
Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment to review in concept form the
application, in which event, the applicant shall submit elevations,
size, configuration, colors, buffers and specific locations of the
signs for review and recommendation by the Board.
(2)
Any applicant desiring to obtain a site plan approval and permitted conditional use under Subsection A herein shall file with the Planning Board Secretary or Zoning Board of Adjustment Secretary copies of the required plans and information in accordance with the application checklist and the required fee at least 30 days prior to the regular meeting of the Planning Board from which review is sought. The appropriate Board Secretary, upon determination that the submission is complete, shall distribute copies as applicable to the Planning Board Engineer, Environmental Committee, the Fire Commissioners, Tax Assessor, Township Construction Official, Township Clerk, Planning Board office, Solicitor for the Planning Board, and such other agencies as may have specific jurisdiction over the application.
C.
Review, action and timing.
(1)
At a public meeting of the Planning Board within 45 days of submittal of the required information, or within a mutually agreed upon time extension, the hearing board, as the case may appear, shall approve or conditionally approve or disapprove the application for conditional use under Subsection A herein and any site plan relating thereto. The reason for approval or any disapproval shall be set forth in full in the minutes of the Board hearing the application, and notice shall be given to the applicant in written form within 30 days of such action.
(2)
The hearing board shall adopt a resolution containing findings
of fact.
D.
Changes. In the event the hearing board shall require a substantial
change in the layout, the applicant shall submit an amended or revised
plan. If changes are required by the hearing board, approval may be
given subject to the submission of an amended plan so long as the
use shall have been approved by the hearing board. The action of the
hearing board shall be noted in the final resolution, and the final
site plan shall be filed in accordance with all of the findings of
the hearing board.
E.
No permit shall be issued until such time as the application shall
have been fully approved by the hearing board.
A.
Application fee. The application fee shall be the sum of $250 to
be paid to the Township of Washington and delivered to the Secretary
of the Planning Board at the time of the application filing.
B.
Escrow fee.
(1)
An escrow fee in the amount of $1,500 shall be paid to the Township
of Washington and submitted to the Secretary of the Planning Board
at the time the application shall be filed. Inspection escrow will
be determined at the time of approval by the Planning Board.
(2)
The escrow fee shall be held in escrow by the Township, and
any sums not utilized in the review or inspection process shall be
returned to the applicant. A strict accounting of all sums expended
will be provided to the applicant pursuant to applicable state regulation.
(3)
In the event additional sums should be required, the applicant
shall be notified in writing by the Secretary of the Planning Board
of the required additional amount, and the applicant shall promptly
submit such additional amount as escrow to the Township. In the event
the applicant fails within 20 days to submit the additional sums required
under this application, the application shall be deemed incomplete
and shall be held in abeyance until such time as the applicant shall
correct the deficiency.
C.
The Township of Washington shall itemize any and all expenditures
and costs and provide a full and complete disclosure to the applicant
in written form in accordance with State of New Jersey regulations.
D.
In the event of any deficiency at the completion of all proceedings
and hearings, all costs should be paid in full by the applicant before
the building permit shall be issued by the Township, and following
the procedure outlined herein, the Secretary of the Planning Board
shall advise the Construction Official of the deficiency. The Construction
Official shall not issue any building permit until all such deficiencies
have been paid in full to the Township of Washington. All communications
relating to expenditures, costs, escrows and notices shall be in written
form.
A.
Any person, partnership, corporation or entity violating any of the provisions of this article shall be subject to the penalties provided by § 285-19 of this chapter. In addition, any permit or approval issued by the Township of Washington or certificate relating to the application, whichever the case may be, may be revoked by the Township Committee at its option after due notice to the applicant of the deficiency and violation.
B.
Compliance. Notwithstanding any penalties herein described which
shall be imposed for the violation of any provision of this article,
the Planning Board of the Township of Washington, as the case may
be, shall be entitled to take such other action or institute such
other proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction that may be
required to enforce the provisions of the article or the provisions
of any approval granted.
