[Amended 7-11-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-03]
It is the purpose of this article to promote
the public safety and welfare by regulating the placement, size, number,
and condition of signs; limiting visual clutter; limiting potential
conflict with vehicle or pedestrian movement, and danger from collapse
due to disrepair or dilapidation; and minimizing potential adverse
effects on property and roadways.
The following types of signs and no other shall be permitted
in Residential Districts and Apartment/Professional Office Districts:
A.
Official signs erected by or at the direction of governmental agencies
or nonprofit organizations with proof of nonprofit status.
[Amended 11-7-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-06]
B.
Home occupation and office signs indicating the name, profession,
or activity of the occupant of a building. Not more than one such
sign shall be erected for each unit, and such sign shall not exceed
two square feet in size on any one side nor have a total exposed area
in excess of four square feet.
C.
Trespassing signs or signs indicating the private nature of a driveway
or premises; such signs shall not exceed one square foot in size on
any one side nor have a total exposed area in excess of two square
feet.
D.
Real estate and multifamily housing signs.
(1)
The size of any such sign shall not exceed 12 square feet on
any one side. The total exposed area of any such sign shall not exceed
24 square feet.
(2)
Signs advertising a property shall be placed on the property
to which they pertain. Directional signs are prohibited.
[Amended 11-7-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-06]
(3)
Not more than two signs shall be permitted on any one property.
E.
Other permitted residential district uses may have one sign, such
sign not exceeding two square feet on any one side nor having a total
exposed area in excess of four square feet.
F.
Any resident or property owner proposing to hold a yard sale or any
other singular commercial event, may erect a maximum of four yard
sale signs for any given yard sale or event. Such signs may be erected
for a period of not more than two weeks prior to the yard sale or
event. Signs shall be removed immediately upon completion of the sale;
however, under no circumstances shall any sign remain for more than
30 days. Fees for a deposit and permits shall be as stated in the
Township's Fee Schedule.
[Added 11-7-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-06; 10-2-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-06]
[Amended 7-11-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-03]
The following types of signs and no other shall
be permitted by Administrative Research, Neighborhood Commercial,
Commercial, Limited Industrial, Industrial/Limited Industrial, and
Industrial Districts:
A.
Any sign permitted in the residential districts.
B.
Commercial or industrial signs in conjunction with
any permitted use, provided that:
(1)
Such sign shall be erected on the premises on
which the use to which the sign pertains is conducted.
(2)
There shall be not more than three signs for
any one use.
(a)
Such signs shall not exceed 50 square feet in
area on any one side and the maximum total exposed sign area of all
three signs shall be two square feet in area for every one linear
foot of building length facing a street, but in no case shall exceed
100 square feet in area.
(b)
Window signs shall not be considered in computing
the total exposed sign area but shall not cover more than 20% of the
area of any window opening.
(c)
Letters painted on or affixed to a building
shall be included in the computation of the total exposed sign area.
(3)
Signs in a shopping center shall conform to
the following regulations:
(a)
Signs for individual establishments shall follow § 370-177B; provided, however, that individual establishments cannot have ground signs.
(b)
Pedestrian directory signs shall be permitted
in the proportion of one such sign for each 10 establishments. The
signs shall not exceed 15 square feet on any one side, they may be
double-faced, and they may be located on a building, on a mall or
in any area used solely by pedestrians.
(c)
Parking signs and directional signs shall be
permitted but shall not exceed two square feet on any one side.
(d)
One ground sign identifying the shopping center
shall be permitted at each vehicular entrance from a public street,
provided that:
[1]
The overall height of any entrance sign, including
structural support, shall not be more than 25 feet.
[2]
The total exposed area of all permitted entrance
signs shall not exceed 300 square feet. Any one two-faced sign shall
not exceed a total of 170 square feet. No single-faced sign or any
one side of a two-faced sign shall exceed 85 square feet, of which
not more than 50% may be used to identify the various tenants. Below
such a sign and not forming part of it may be a semipermanent changeable
sign which shall not exceed 34 square feet on any one side. The area
of the changeable sign shall form part of the three-hundred-square-foot
limitation.
[3]
The distance between such signs, with reference
to each other, shall not be less than 400 feet measured in a single
straight line.
[4]
There shall not be more than three such signs
for any one shopping center. The signs may be double-faced.
[Amended 11-7-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-06; 7-11-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-03]
Except as provided for otherwise in § 370-179, the following shall apply:
A.
No sign shall be of a flashing type.
B.
No sign shall rotate, move, or oscillate or give the
appearance of movement.
C.
No sign or light illuminating a sign (whether or not
attached to the sign structure) shall be placed in such a position
that it will obscure the view, or otherwise cause a danger to traffic,
or create light trespass glare upon adjacent properties or streets.
D.
No sign, other than signs authorized by § 370-176A, shall be erected within the ultimate right-of-way lines of any streets.
E.
Temporary signs of mechanics and artisans may be erected
in any district, provided the size of the sign shall not exceed 12
square feet on any one side nor have a total exposed area in excess
of 24 square feet. All such signs shall be located on the premises
to which they relate and shall be moved upon completion of the work.
F.
All signs shall be constructed of durable material
firmly supported and must be maintained in good condition.
H.
With the exception of the height requirement of §§ 370-177B(3) and 370-179A(1)(c), the overall height of any ground sign, including support structure, shall not be more than 20 feet.
I.
Where applicable, signs in an industrial park shall conform with the regulations of § 370-177B(3).
J.
For any residential use existing in other districts of the Township, the sign regulations of § 370-176 herein shall apply.
K.
All temporary signs, including yard sales and advertising signs shall
be limited to a period of 30 days. For specific fees for deposits
and permits refer to the Township's Fee Schedule.
[Added 10-2-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-06]
[Amended 11-7-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-06; 7-11-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-03]
A.
Billboard signs, or billboards, shall be constructed,
located and operated only in the LI Limited Industrial District in
accordance with the following regulations:
(1)
Construction.
(a)
A billboard shall be constructed as a ground
sign.
(b)
No individual billboard sign area shall exceed
300 square feet. However, where the principal road associated with
the proposed billboard has an average daily traffic count as defined
by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation of less than 19,000,
the billboard sign area shall not exceed 210 square feet. If present,
nondisplay physical borders around the display image shall not exceed
six inches on a side.
(c)
A billboard shall have a maximum total height
of 35 feet. The height of such sign shall be measured from the average
grade based on the area found within a fifty-foot radius of the outer
limits of the sign structure, to the highest point of the structure.
(d)
A billboard shall contain no more than two billboard
display areas. A triangular three-sided configuration shall not be
permitted.
(f)
All billboards shall be serviced by underground
electrical wiring.
(g)
A billboard shall be properly and adequately
secured to prevent unauthorized access, with such features as a locked
ladder way.
(h)
Billboards shall require a building permit and
shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the applicable
provisions of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as enacted
in Schuylkill Township.
(i)
All applications for a building permit shall
be accompanied by an engineering plan signed and sealed by a Pennsylvania
licensed professional engineer. Such a plan shall illustrate that
the sign, configuration, dimensions, characteristics, attachment details,
anchoring details, and the like have been designed in accordance with
accepted engineering practices.
(2)
Location.
(a)
Billboards shall be located only along state
roads.
(b)
Billboards shall be separated by a minimum distance
of 1,000 linear feet as measured along the road right-of-way line.
(d)
A billboard shall be set back a minimum of 10
feet from any ultimate street or road right-of-way.
(e)
Billboards shall be located at least 100 linear
feet from any lot line of a residential use or district.
(f)
Billboards shall be screened from any abutting
property used or zoned for residential use. Such screening shall consist
of evergreen trees of a least 15 feet in height at the time of planting
that form a continuous visual buffer along or near the property line
abutting the residential use or lot. Such screening shall be installed
prior to completion of construction and prior to obtaining a certificate
of use and occupancy.
(g)
Billboards shall be located at least 300 linear
feet from the nearest lot line of a park, playground, school, library,
or municipal use or property.
(h)
Billboards shall be located at least 150 feet
from any intersection with a traffic signal measured from the center
line of the intersection, and no billboard shall cause any visual
obstruction to traffic or traffic control devices.
(i)
Billboards shall not be located in, nor project
into any existing easement.
(3)
Operation.
(a)
The billboard shall be externally or internally
illuminated only from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. All lighting fixtures
shall be equipped with devices which automatically extinguish the
lighting at 11:00 p.m.
(b)
Lighting shall comply with the Illuminating
Engineering Society of North America's (IES) recommended practices
and criteria in the IES Lighting Handbook, including, but not limited
to, criteria for full cutoff fixtures.
(c)
All lighting shall be aimed, located, designed,
fitted and maintained so as not to create light trespass glare and
not project or reflect light onto a neighboring use or property, frontage
road or street, or nearby intersecting road.
(d)
Fixtures shall be equipped with, or be capable
of being back-fitted with light-directing devices, such as shields,
visors or hoods when necessary to redirect offending light distribution.
(e)
There shall be a maximum luminance of 0.1 footcandles
measured at any residential property line, and a maximum luminance
of 1.0 footcandles measured at any nonresidential property line.
(f)
No billboard advertisements for cigarettes or
tobacco products shall be permitted.
(g)
All maintenance, cleaning and repair, including
repair of torn or worn advertising copy, and removal of graffiti shall
be performed promptly by the sign owner or lessee. In the event the
Township notifies the owner or lessee of any damage, vandalism, graffiti
or disrepair to the billboard, the owner or lessee shall repair or
correct the problem within hours of such notification. If repairs
and corrections are not timely, the Township shall have the right,
but not the obligation, to make repairs or corrections and be reimbursed
the cost thereof by the owner or lessee.
B.
Digital billboard signs, or digital billboards, may
be permitted in the LI Limited Industrial District, but shall be designed
in accordance with the following regulations:
(2)
The digital billboard shall be a ground sign.
(3)
The display shall have a maximum luminance of
5,000 nits during daylight hours and a maximum of 125 nits from 6:00
p.m. through 11:00 p.m., provided the brightness of the digital billboard
does not exceed 0.3 footcandles of light above the normal ambient
light levels. Such signs shall be equipped with automatic dimming
technology which automatically adjusts the sign's brightness based
on ambient light conditions:
(a)
The billboard luminance specification shall
be determined by a footcandle metering device held at a height of
five feet, and aimed towards the billboard from a distance of 150
feet.
(b)
The metering device shall be at a location perpendicular
to the billboard center (as seen in plan view) as this angle has the
highest luminance.
(c)
This check shall include the measurement of
an all-white image displayed by the billboard to evaluate the worst
case condition.
(d)
If the difference in luminance between the billboard
on and the billboard off conditions is 0.3 footcandles or less, then
the billboard luminance is in compliance.
(4)
The message displayed on the digital billboard
shall be static for a minimum of eight seconds.
(5)
When the message on the digital billboard is
transitioned, it shall be accomplished in one second or less with
all moving parts or illumination changing simultaneously and in unison.
(6)
The message displayed during the static display
period on the digital billboard shall be static and shall not have
movement, or the appearance or optical illusion of movement, or the
flashing, scintillating or the varying of light intensity.
(7)
There shall be no visual special effects of
any kind during the transition between successive messages on the
digital billboard. The screen shall transition from one message to
the next with no perceptible dimming, swiping or blanking of the display,
and with no visible effects, such as fade, dissolve, or other animated
transition methods. The change in message shall consist of a seamless,
imperceptible transition from one image to the next.
(8)
Message sequencing on the digital billboard
shall be prohibited.
(9)
The digital billboard shall contain a default
mechanism that will freeze the sign display in one position if a malfunction
occurs, or shut down and show full black on the display.
(10)
No portion of the digital billboard shall rotate,
move, or produce noise, smoke or odor, give the illusion of movement;
display video; be animated, blinking, scrolling or flashing; consist
of any other type of variable message, electronic, trivision or other
animated characteristics.
(11)
The owner of the digital billboard shall provide
for appropriate luminance levels during times of inclement weather,
particularly daytime fog, during which times there may exist bright
ambient lighting conditions (which would otherwise warrant high luminance
levels from the billboard) but during which times there exists a need
for lower luminance from the billboard for safety reasons.
(12)
The digital billboard shall not have lighting
that would compete with or distract from traffic signal lighting.
(13)
The digital billboard shall not display words
or symbols that connote traffic control commands, such as but not
limited to "stop" or "danger," or which may be confused with a traffic
control sign displayed by a public authority.
(14)
The digital billboard shall not be painted with,
or be composed of any fluorescent, phosphorescent, or holographic
material.
(15)
In the event of a public emergency, such as
extreme weather, hazardous traffic conditions, natural disasters,
attacks by terrorists, amber alerts, emergency evacuations, public
infrastructure failures, massive traffic accidents or a blockade of
traffic, the digital billboard shall, upon directive from the Township,
continuously display a public emergency message as communicated by
Township, state or federal officials. The time for the public emergency
message shall be a minimum period of two hours or until such time
as the public emergency message is no longer deemed necessary as determined
by the Township, whichever period shall be shorter. Such messages
shall preempt paying advertisers. The Township shall develop, adopt,
and communicate to the owner a written protocol concerning the display
of such public emergency messages in order to ensure that the messages
are communicated as quickly as possible, and for the duration necessary.
(16)
The digital billboard shall be designed to employ
ambient light meters at no less than three locations, and utilize
technology which operates at one intensity level for all colors displayed.
The billboard shall be upgraded with respect to the above as improvements
in technology become available and such upgrade(s) shall occur within
one year of the availability of such technology.
C.
Termination of billboard use.
(1)
Discontinuance of the use of a billboard for
a period of six consecutive months constitutes termination of use
of the billboard.
(2)
A billboard which has terminated use shall be
removed within 60 days of termination of use by the owner or lessee
and at the expense of the owner or lessee.
(3)
To ensure that the billboard will be properly
removed after the termination of use, a bond or other security acceptable
to the Township, in the form, amount, and duration satisfactory to
the Township, shall be posted with the Township at the time of issuance
of a certificate of use and occupancy.
