Borough of Hellertown, PA Chapter 349 Signs, Political

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Hellertown 2-6-2006 by Ord. No. 668. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Zoning sign regulations — See § 450-22.

§ 349-1 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

BOROUGH PROPERTY

Real estate owned by the Borough of Hellertown, but not including Borough street rights-of-way not directly abutting real estate owned by the Borough of Hellertown.

OFFICIAL SIGN

A sign placed or erected by the United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the County of Northampton, the Borough of Hellertown, or other legally constituted governmental body, or required by law or order of court, or specifically authorized by a Borough ordinance or resolution, for official governmental purposes.

POLLING PLACE ELECTION SIGN

A sign directly related to a candidate for public elected office or an issue which is before the public electorate at an election conducted under the authority of the Pennsylvania Election Code on Borough property which has been designated as a polling place by the Northampton County Board of Elections.

SIGN

Any device for visual communication that is used for the purpose of bringing the subject thereof to the attention of the public.

§ 349-2 Prohibition on signs on Borough property.

A. Except as provided by § 349-3, no person shall place or erect any sign on any Borough property.

B. No sign, including exempt signs pursuant to § 349-3, shall be placed or erected within any planting bed or other landscaped area on any Borough property.

§ 349-3 Exempt signs.

The provisions of § 349-2 shall not apply to:

A. An official sign;

B. Any person physically carrying a sign at any time as an expression of such person's right of freedom of speech; or

C. A polling place election sign at the Borough-designated voter polling place which is erected not earlier than 8:00 p.m. on the day prior to the date of the election and removed not later than 8:00 p.m. on the date following the date of the election.

§ 349-4 Removal of signs from private property.

Any political sign placed on private property shall be removed by the candidate within 21 days after the preceding election.

§ 349-5 Removal of signs by the Borough.

Any sign placed in violation of § 349-2 may be removed by the Police Department or other Borough official. Any person or entity placing or directing the placement of any sign in violation of § 349-2 shall be liable for the cost incurred by the Borough in the removal thereof.

§ 349-6 Requirement to notify Borough and certify subsequent removal.

Any individual or organization wishing to post political signs within the Borough of Hellertown shall notify the Borough by filing a "Notification of Placement of Political Signs" form and certifying that said signs shall be removed within the time frame set forth in § 349-4.

§ 349-7 Violations and penalties.

A. Any person or entity who violates or permits a violation of this chapter shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a Magisterial District Judge 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 Borough 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.