All signs not expressly authorized under this article or exempt
from regulation hereunder in accordance with the subsequent sections
are prohibited in the Township. Prohibited signs shall include, but
are not limited to:
A.
All illegal signs and all signs not in compliance with this chapter
or any other ordinance or regulation of the Township.
B.
Signs not in good repair.
C.
Signs interfering with or impeding drivers' vision, including line
of sight or vehicular traffic or safety signs.
D.
Any sign erected closer than five feet to any underground utility
line.
E.
Obsolete signs and abandoned signs. Each sign shall be promptly removed
when the circumstances leading to its erection no longer apply.
F.
Beacons.
G.
Flashing signs.
H.
Roof signs.
I.
Pennants.
J.
Banners.
K.
Vehicular signs.
L.
Portable signs.
The following types of signs are permitted in all districts:
A.
"For sale" and "for rent" signs as hereinafter specially regulated
in each district.
B.
Political posters and placards, which shall be removed by the person
erecting such sign, the person responsible for the land on which it
is erected or the candidate or party upon whose behalf the posters
and placards are erected, within seven days after the election.
C.
Public service signs of such size and type and in such locations
as required to satisfy the public need in any district, including:
(1)
Convenience signs identifying location of rest rooms, freight entrances
and parking areas.
(2)
Government signs for the control of traffic and other regulatory
purposes.
(3)
Public transit service signs.
(4)
Public utility information signs and community special event signs.
(5)
Safety signs.
(6)
Signs erected by a public agency in the performance of a public duty.
(7)
Signs indicating scenic or historic points of interest.
(8)
Street signs.
(9)
"No trespassing" signs and "no hunting" signs.
(10)
Directional signs without advertising, as may be deemed necessary
for the reservation of the public health or safety.
(11)
Directional signs with advertising and having a maximum size
of no more than three square feet per entrance or exit.
The following types of signs are permitted in residential districts.
E.
There shall be not more than two identification signs erected by
churches, schools or other similar institutions, each of which shall
be located on the premises and shall not exceed 32 square feet in
area. Additional directional and informational signs may be erected
on such premises as necessary, each of which shall not exceed three
square feet in area.
A.
For all uses within nonresidential districts along these corridors,
each business establishment is permitted to have one of the following
combinations of signage:
(1)
One ground sign and one projecting sign with a total area of 100
square feet.
(2)
One ground sign and one awning sign with a total area of 100 square
feet.
(3)
One wall sign and one projecting sign with a total area of 100 square
feet.
(4)
One wall sign and one awning sign with a total area of 100 square
feet.
(5)
One wall sign and one ground sign with a total area of 80 square
feet.
(6)
If granted a special exception for an electronic sign, one electronic
sign and one wall sign with a total maximum area of 80 square feet
for all sign faces.
B.
The maximum size of each sign is 50 square feet.
C.
Including additional signs and electronic signs, but excluding supplemental
signs, the maximum total signage area of all signs for each business
establishment along these corridors is 100 square feet for all sign
faces.
D.
Ground signs must comply with all bufferyard requirements.
E.
The maximum height of any sign attached to a building is one foot
above the roofline of the building to which it is attached.
F.
The maximum height of any permitted sign not attached to a building
is 25 feet above the level of the ground.
G.
Supplemental wall signs with a maximum size of six square feet are
permitted.
H.
Electronic signs are not permitted except by special exception.
J.
Temporary signs.
(1)
The maximum number of temporary signs permitted per business establishment
is one temporary sign within a calendar year.
(2)
The maximum size of any temporary sign erected within any calendar
year is 12 square feet.
(3)
The maximum length of time a temporary sign may be displayed per
business establishment is 30 days within any calendar year, and the
temporary sign shall be removed within two days following the last
day of the event.
(4)
Window signs affixed to the inside of windows are not considered
temporary signs.
K.
The minimum distance of any sign from a paved portion of the public
right-of-way, except for a wall sign, is 15 feet.
L.
The minimum distance of any sign from a residential lot is 40 feet.
M.
"For sale" and "for rent" signs:
(1)
Maximum number of signs per lot is one sign, or two signs on a corner
lot.
(2)
Maximum size is 50 square feet.
(3)
Minimum distance from the paved portion of a public right-of-way
is 15 feet.
(4)
The signs may not be illuminated.
(5)
The sign shall be erected only upon the property for sale or being
rented.
A.
For all uses within nonresidential districts along these corridors,
each business establishment is permitted to have one of the following
combinations of signage:
(1)
One ground sign and one projecting sign with a maximum total signage
area of 125 square feet for all sign faces.
(2)
One ground sign and one awning sign with a maximum total signage
area of 125 square feet for all sign faces.
(3)
One wall sign and one projecting sign with a maximum total signage
area of 125 square feet for all sign faces.
(4)
One wall sign and one ground sign with a maximum total signage area
of 125 square feet for all sign faces.
(5)
One wall sign and one electronic sign with a maximum total signage
area of 125 square feet for all sign faces.
(6)
The maximum size of each sign is 100 square feet.
B.
Ground signs must comply with all bufferyard requirements.
C.
The maximum height of any sign attached to a building is one foot
above the roofline of the building to which it is attached.
D.
The maximum height of any permitted sign not attached to a building,
excluding billboards, is 25 feet above the level of the ground.
F.
Including additional signs and electronic signs but excluding supplemental
signs, the maximum total signage area of all signs for each business
establishment along these corridors is 125 square feet for all sign
faces.
G.
Supplemental wall signs with a maximum size of six square feet are
permitted.
H.
Electronic signs complying with this chapter are permitted.
I.
Temporary signs:
(1)
The maximum number of temporary signs permitted per business establishment
is one temporary sign within a calendar year.
(2)
The maximum size of any temporary sign erected within any calendar
year is 12 square feet.
(3)
The maximum length of time a temporary sign may be displayed per
business establishment is 30 days within any calendar year, and the
temporary sign shall be removed within two days following the last
day of the event.
(4)
Window signs affixed to the inside of windows are not considered
temporary signs.
J.
The minimum distance of any sign from a paved portion of the public
right-of-way, except for a wall sign, is 15 feet.
K.
The minimum distance of any sign from a residential lot is 40 feet.
L.
"For sale" and "for rent" signs:
(1)
Maximum number of signs per lot is one sign, or two signs on a corner
lot.
(2)
Maximum size is 50 square feet.
(3)
Minimum distance from the paved portion of a public right-of-way
is 15 feet.
(4)
The signs may not be illuminated.
(5)
The sign shall be erected only upon the property for sale or being
rented.
A.
For all uses within nonresidential districts along this corridor,
each business establishment is permitted to have one of the following
combinations of signage:
(2)
Supplemental wall signs with a maximum size of six square feet are
permitted.
(3)
One ground sign and one projecting sign with a total maximum signage
area of 150 square feet for all sign faces.
(4)
One ground sign and one awning sign with a total maximum signage
area of 150 square feet for all sign faces.
(5)
One wall sign and one projecting sign with a total maximum signage
area of 150 square feet for all sign faces.
(6)
One wall sign and one ground sign with a total maximum signage area
of 150 square feet for all sign faces.
(7)
One wall sign and one electronic sign with a maximum total area of
150 square feet for all sign faces.
(8)
The maximum size of each sign is 100 square feet.
(9)
For a building on a corner lot, either frontage may be used for calculation,
but the frontage selected will be the front where the sign is erected.
B.
Ground signs must comply with all bufferyard requirements.
C.
The maximum height of any sign attached to a building is one foot
above the roofline of the building to which it is attached.
D.
The maximum height of any permitted sign not attached to a building,
excluding billboards, is 25 feet above the level of the ground.
F.
Including additional signs and electronic signs but excluding supplemental
signs, the maximum total signage area of all signs for each business
establishment along these corridors is 150 square feet for all sign
faces.
G.
Lots without buildings are permitted one ground sign with a maximum
size of 50 square feet.
H.
Ground signs must comply with all bufferyard requirements.
I.
Temporary signs:
(1)
The maximum number of temporary signs permitted per business establishment
is one temporary sign within a calendar year.
(2)
The maximum size of any temporary sign erected within any calendar
year is 12 square feet.
(3)
The maximum length of time a temporary sign may be displayed per
business establishment is 30 days within any calendar year, and the
temporary sign shall be removed within two days following the last
day of the event.
(4)
Window signs affixed to the inside of windows are not considered
temporary signs.
J.
Electronic signs complying with this chapter are permitted.
K.
Billboards complying with this chapter are permitted.
(2)
The face of the sign shall not be visible within a ground-level sight
distance of 350 feet of property zoned residential, cemetery or professional,
a public park or playground of 1/4 acre or more, or a cultural and/or
recreation center.
(3)
The billboard must be within the lot where the base is erected.
(4)
Minimum distance from a public right-of-way is 15 feet.
(5)
Maximum height of a billboard sign is 40 feet.
(6)
Only one billboard is permitted per lot, but one sign may have a
maximum of two faces arranged back to back or deck style.
(7)
Maximum size: 240 square feet.
M.
"For sale" and "for rent" signs:
(1)
Maximum number of signs per lot is one sign, or two signs on a corner
lot.
(2)
Maximum size is 50 square feet.
(3)
Minimum distance from the paved portion of a public right-of-way
is 15 feet.
(4)
The signs may not be illuminated.
(5)
The sign shall be erected only upon the property for sale or being
rented.
A.
Uses within a Professional District outside of a signage corridor
will use the signage standards for nonresidential uses in the most
restrictive directly adjacent district or corridor.
B.
All other nonresidential uses outside of a signage corridor, shall
use the standards for the Babcock Boulevard/Evergreen Road Corridors.
A.
Illuminated signs complying with this chapter are permitted in each
nonresidential zoning district.
B.
All signs may be illuminated with back, internal or external lighting.
Each sign that is lit entirely by backlighting or external lighting
is permitted to increase the total permitted signage area by 5%. Backlighting
does not include internal lighting.
C.
All illumination must be cutoff lighting. All lighting must be limited
to a maximum candlepower of 2 1/2% of the total lamp lumens at
an angle of 90° above horizontal and a maximum candlepower of
10% at an angle of 80° above horizontal for any lateral angle
around the light.
D.
No illuminated off-premises advertising sign shall be illuminated
between 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m., prevailing time.
A.
Electronic signs complying with the requirements of this chapter
may be approved by the Code Enforcement Officer in the Route 8 and
East Ohio Street Corridors and the Babcock Boulevard and Evergreen
Road Corridors in the Township.
B.
Electronic signs complying with the requirements of this chapter
are permitted as a special exception in the Mount Royal Boulevard
and Seavey Road Corridors of the Township.
C.
All electronic signs in the Township are subject to the following
criteria:
(1)
No electronic off-premises advertising sign shall be illuminated
between 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m., prevailing time.
(2)
Electronic signs with large video display are permitted in the Route
8 and East Ohio Street Corridors and the Babcock Boulevard and Evergreen
Road Corridors in the Township.
(3)
Dwell time. The text, image or display on an electronic sign may
not change more than once every 10 seconds. Twirl time between subsequent
text, images or display shall not exceed 0.25 of a second.
(4)
Brightness. During daylight hours between sunrise and sunset, luminance
shall be no greater than 5,000 nits. At all other times, luminance
shall be no greater than 500 nits.
(5)
Location. No electronic sign may be erected except as authorized
herein.
(6)
Interference. No electronic sign shall be erected or maintained in
such a manner as to obscure or otherwise physically interfere with
an official traffic sign, signal or device, or to obstruct or physically
interfere with the driver's view of approaching, merging or intersecting
traffic.
(7)
Controls/testing/annual certification.
(a)
All electronic signs shall be equipped with an automatic dimmer
control or other mechanism that automatically controls the sign's
brightness as provided above.
(b)
Prior to approval of any permit to operate an electronic sign,
the applicant shall certify that the sign has been tested and complies
with the motion, dwell time, brightness and other requirements herein.
(c)
The owner and/or operator of an electronic sign shall submit
an annual report to the Township certifying that the sign complies
with the motion, dwell time, brightness and other requirements herein.
(8)
Maintenance. Routine maintenance of electronic signs is permitted,
including the replacement of solid state electronic components, subject
to compliance with regulations set forth herein relating to motion,
brightness and dwell time.
A.
No sign shall be erected until the owner, occupier or applicant has
received a permit for the erection of the sign and pays to the Township
a fee in such amount as the Board of Commissioners may from time to
time set by resolution.
B.
A separate permit is required for the erection of each individual
sign.
C.
No permit is required for signs with an area of 12 square feet or
less.
D.
No permit is required for "for sale" or "for rent" signs.
All nonconforming signs in existence prior to the effective
date of this chapter are permitted to continue, provided that no such
sign shall be:
A.
Changed, altered or expanded in any way which increases the sign's
nonconformity or replaced by another nonconforming sign, except that
copy may be changed on an existing sign.
B.
Relocated, except in conformance with the requirements of this chapter.
C.
Reestablished after it has been removed or is an abandoned sign.
Where a ground sign is permitted and the width of the sign at
its base would extend beyond the bounds of an established or proposed
bufferyard, the bufferyard must be expanded in a "cut out" so that
the entire base of the sign is within a contiguous landscaped area
with a minimum distance of two feet from the edge of the base of the
sign to the edge of the landscaped bufferyard area. The "cut out"
must be circular or semicircular in shape unless the lot shape and/or
public right-of-way does not allow for this shape; in which case,
the "cut out" should be rounded in shape.
The following signs shall be exempt from regulation under this
chapter:
A.
Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal,
state or local law, regulation or ordinance.
B.
Any sign inside a structure not attached to a window or door that
is not legible from a distance of more than three feet beyond the
lot line of the lot or site on which such sign is located.
C.
Works of art that do not include a commercial message.
D.
Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message.
E.
Memorial signs or tablets denoting the date of erection of a building.
F.
Auctions, garage or yard sale signs, provided that they do not exceed
five square feet and are removed as soon as the event or activity
has occurred, and provided that they shall not be permitted to be
erected more than seven days prior to the event and only permitted
at the site at which the event will take place and removed within
48 hours of the conclusion of the event.
G.
Signs and banners erected by a governmental body or under the direction
of such body.
H.
Community special event signs announcing a nonprofit event of a civic
organization for noncommercial purposes, where such sign does not
exceed four square feet in area and banners no more than 60 square
feet in area, for a period not to exceed 30 days prior to the start
of the event and removed within three days after the conclusion of
the event.
Temporary political signs posted or erected on public property
located within the Township are subject to the following general requirements:
A.
Number of signs. No more than one temporary political sign shall
be placed on public property on each leg of the intersection of roads
or streets for any one candidate or issue.
B.
Area. Temporary political signs on public property shall not exceed
an aggregate gross surface area of 12 square feet per sign.
C.
Height. Temporary political signs shall not project higher than four
feet, as measured from the base of the sign or grade of the nearest
adjacent roadway, whichever is higher.
D.
Timing. Temporary political signs may be erected or maintained for
a period not to exceed 30 days prior to the date of the election to
which such signs are applicable and shall be removed within seven
days following the termination of the election.
E.
Illumination. No temporary political sign shall be illuminated in
any manner.
F.
Required consent. The Township reserves the right to deny a request
to post any temporary political sign on public property and to require
the removal of any temporary political sign at any time whatsoever
whenever such temporary political sign poses a threat to the public's
safety, health and welfare. Specific prohibitions include, but are
not limited to, the following:
(1)
Temporary political signs shall be prohibited within five feet of
the edge of the paved surface of any road or street within the Township.
(2)
Temporary political signs shall be prohibited along any road or street
within the Township where it would obstruct the clear sight distance
of traffic, and no temporary political sign shall be placed in such
a position that it will cause danger to traffic on a street by obstructing
the view.
(3)
No temporary political sign or sticker shall be posted, nailed, wired,
attached or affixed to any public property, including, but not limited
to, traffic signs, structures or devices, traffic control boxes, guardrails,
telephone poles, utility posts or Township street signs.
No temporary political sign shall be placed or erected on any
private property without first obtaining permission from such property
owner.
Every prohibited temporary political sign is declared to be
a public nuisance, and the person or persons having authority over
the public or private property may remove the same or cause it to
be removed immediately at the reasonable expense of the person placing,
maintaining or erecting the temporary political sign.
