Township of North Fayette, PA Signs

Residential Development Identification Sign. The sign shall contain no commercial message and, if a ground sign, shall be located at the principal entrance or entrances of a development.

Business/occupation identification.

Building identification.

Directional (on-premises).

Display sign.

Classes. Permanent signs that are permitted within the Township are classified by physical attributes into the following categories:

Freestanding.

Ground sign.

Pole Sign.

[Amended by Ord. No. 513, 11/14/2023]

Wall sign.

Arcade sign.

Bulletin.

Changeable copy.

A sign with changeable copy shall be permanently affixed to the ground or principal structure of a lot. Signs, if lighted, shall be lit from the top or from a ground source. Backlighting shall not be an acceptable form of lighting.

No electronic scrolling images or metallic movement shall be incorporated into a changeable copy sign.

Window.

§ 27-1004 Minor Permanent Signs.

[Ord. No. 477, 5/11/2021]

The following types of signs are considered minor and are permitted for all land uses and within all zoning districts of the Township:

Notification.

Signs bearing legal and/or lot notices such as "no trespassing," "private property," "no turnaround," "safety zone," "no hunting" and similar messages, and signs posted by a governmental agency for traffic control or the safety of the general public.

In all zoning districts, the number, location, and size of legal notification signs erected by public agencies shall be in accordance with the laws of the commonwealth. In all zoning districts, legal notification signs posted on a private lot by landowner and/or developers such as "no trespassing," "no hunting," and the like shall be limited to a surface area not exceeding two square feet. The placement and maximum notification signs permitted along road frontages shall be one sign for every 100 feet of road frontage.

Memorial/Historical Plaques. Commemorative plaques placed by a recognized agency of the Township, county, state, or federal government.

Governmental Signs. Signs erected by a governmental agency, including street signs and official traffic signs.

Secondary Signs. In all zoning districts, the number, location, and size of secondary signs shall be in accordance with the following provisions:

A secondary sign shall be permitted to be posted on the lot's principal structure so long its placement is secondary to the function of the structure on which it is located.

The maximum area of secondary signage on any given structure shall not exceed 10% or 10 square feet, whichever is lesser, of the surface of the structure on which the sign is located.

Secondary signs, if lighted, shall be lit from the top or from a ground source. Backlighting shall not be an acceptable form of lighting.

A maximum of one secondary sign shall be permitted on a single lot. To protect the general safety of the public and to minimize motorist distractions, secondary signs shall be spaced a minimum of 300 feet from one another.

No metallic streamers, flashing illumination, changeable copy, or similar visual components shall be utilized as part of secondary signs.

Any business posting a secondary sign shall demonstrate in writing to the Township that the property owner, Township, and/or PennDOT on which the structure is located has granted permission for the posting of said secondary sign.

§ 27-1005 Temporary Signs.

[Ord. No. 477, 5/11/2021]

The following classes of temporary signs are permitted for all land uses and within all zoning districts of the Township.

Classes of Temporary Signs.

Real estate.

Development.

Construction.

Political sign.

Temporary event or temporary display.

Conditions for Use of Temporary Signs.

Real Estate Sign. One nonilluminated temporary real estate sign shall be permitted on each lot, provided the surface area of the sign shall not exceed six square feet. The real estate sign shall not exceed 12 square feet in surface area when located in on a lot with any residential use and shall not exceed 32 square feet on any other lot. Such sign shall be removed within 30 days of the sale or rental of the lot on which it is located.

Development Sign. One nonilluminated temporary development sign shall be permitted on each lot, provided the surface area of the sign shall not exceed 32 square feet in surface area. The development sign shall not exceed six feet in height when located on a lot with any residential use and shall not exceed 10 feet in height on any other lot. Such sign shall be removed within 30 days of the sale or rental of the last lot or completion of the proposed construction in the development.

Construction Sign. Two nonilluminated temporary construction signs announcing the names of contractors, mechanics, or artisans engaged in performing work on the premises shall be permitted on a lot, provided that:

Each sign shall not exceed 32 square feet in area.

The signs shall be removed within 30 days of the completion of the work.

The establishment wishing to display such signs shall contact the Township Zoning Officer prior to displaying, to give notice of the intent and the period during which the sign will be displayed.

Political Signs. Nonilluminated temporary political signs erected during a political campaign shall not be permitted in public ROWs, provided that they are not of a type restricted by this Part 10. A political sign shall not be erected more than 45 days prior to the election in which the candidate is pursuing office and shall be removed within five days after the election for which it was erected. Political signs are excluded from public spaces and ROWs.

Temporary Event Sign.

One nonilluminated temporary event sign, as defined by this Part 10, shall be permitted to be erected on the face of the lot's principal structure, provided that the area of the signs shall not exceed 40 square feet, and provided that the sign is displayed for a period no longer than 30 days and is removed within five days following the event that it is erected to promote.

Portable signs shall not be permitted as temporary event signs.

Temporary event signs shall be nonilluminated.

(4)

If the landowner and/or developer fail(s) to remove the temporary sign by beginning of the 36th day from which the permit had been issued, the landowner and/or developer shall be subject to the provisions of § 27-1508.

(5)

Landowners and/or developers found violating the provisions set forth within this section will forfeit their right to be issued a temporary sign permit for a period of one year commencing from the date said violation is found to have occurred.

§ 27-1006 Prohibited Signs.

[Ord. No. 477, 5/11/2021]

The following signs shall not be permitted within the Township:

"A-frame" or sandwich board signs.

Portable or wheeled signs.

Blowup signs.

Balloons, arrays, and the like.

Flags other than governmental.

Banners and pennants, other than temporary event or displays authorized by this Part 10.

Framed banners, such as banners in a wooden box surrounded by plexiglass.

Moving or flashing signs otherwise not authorized by this Part 10.

Signs on trees, utility poles, or official traffic control devices or signs.

10.

Signs that imitate traffic control devices.

11.

Signs painted on walls or chimneys of a building or on fences or walls.

12.

Signs on or affixed to vehicles and/or trailers which are parked on a public ROW, public lot or private lot, other than temporarily for overnight storage on the sight of a business or for maintenance, repair, loading, unloading, or rendering a service at any location, which are visible from the public ROW and where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct people to a business or activity located on the same or nearby lot.

13.

Signs that, by reason of size, location, content, coloring, or manner of illumination, obstruct the vision of drivers or obstruct or detract from the visibility or effectiveness of any traffic sign or control device on public streets and roads.

14.

Any sign that obstructs free ingress to or egress from a fire escape, door, window, or other required exit way.

15.

Signs that make use of words as "stop," "look," "one way," "danger," "yield," or any similar words, phrases, symbols, lights, or characters in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.

16.

Misleading Information. No sign shall be created which states or implies that a lot may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of this Part 10.

§ 27-1007 General Sign Provisions.

[Ord. No. 477, 5/11/2021]

Lots with Multiple Street Frontage. In all zoning districts, lots fronting on more than one street shall be permitted to have one sign of authorized sign types as defined by Table 15, Table 16, or Table 17 for each street frontage.

Visibility. No sign shall be located in such a position that it will cause a hazard by obstructing visibility for traffic on a street or obscuring a traffic signal or other traffic control device. No sign, other than official traffic signs, shall hang over or be erected within the ROW of any street.

Illumination. Illumination, when authorized by this Part 10, shall be directed upon the sign face and not towards adjoining lots or streets. Flashing or oscillating signs shall not be permitted. Lighting shall be stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times. The intensity of any source of illumination of any sign, whether indirect or internal, shall be controlled so as to not create glare and to be compatible with the intensity of ambient light and illumination on surrounding lots.

Maintenance and Inspection. All signs must be constructed of a durable material, maintained in good condition and otherwise comply with the Township Property Maintenance Code (Chapter 5, Code Enforcement, Part 2).

Removal of Signs.

Whenever any business, activity, or product on a lot is discontinued, vacated, or no longer sold, all signs relating to the discontinued or vacated business shall be removed within 30 days of the vacation or discontinuance of the business or activity.

If the landowner and/or developer fails to remove the sign by the end of the 36th day, the landowner and/or developer shall be subject to the provisions of § 27-1009. If the landowner and/or developer fail(s) to remove the temporary sign by beginning of the 46th day from which the permit had been issued, the Township shall be permitted to remove the sign at the owner's expense.

Permits. No permit shall be required for the following types of signs as described above: notification, real estate, political, directional, and construction signs erected by a governmental agency. Permits shall be required for all other signs authorized by § 27-1009. The Zoning Officer shall issue the required permits upon submission of an application that complies with all applicable provisions of this Part 10 and payment of the required fee established from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

Expiration of Permits. Any permit issued by the Zoning Officer for erection, alteration, replacement, or relocation of any sign shall expire automatically within six months of the date of issuance if work authorized by the permit has not been initiated and diligently pursued.

Sign Location. Noncommercial signs including but not limited to signs announcing or advocating candidates for political office or ballot questions are permitted on private property within the Township and with the property owner's permission. Signs shall not be placed, carried, or worn by vehicles or people.

With the exception of North Fayette Township, no place, name, or location name is permitted on a sign.

§ 27-1008 Size Regulations of Major Signs.

[Ord. No. 477, 5/11/2021]

Use Categories. Land uses defined in Table 1 and Table 2 for permitted uses, conditional uses, and uses by special exception shall be classified within one of the following use categories. A complete listing of authorized land uses per use category is included within the Part 3 of this chapter. Use categories include:

Commercial/office/industrial. See Table 15.

Residential. See Table 16.

Miscellaneous. See Table 17.

Table 15: Commercial, Office, and Industrial Sign Regulations [Amended by Ord. No. 513, 11/14/2023]
Sign Type	Number of Signs (maximum)	Maximum Size	Maximum Height	Restrictions
Development Plan Identification
Ground	1 per development	60 square feet	6 feet	Ground or wall sign (not both), wall sign may be affixed to decorative wall, internally illuminated sign prohibited
Wall	1 per development	24 square feet	N/A	Ground or wall sign (not both), wall sign may be affixed to decorative wall, internally illuminated sign prohibited
Pole	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted	Ground or wall sign (not both), wall sign may be affixed to decorative wall, internally illuminated sign prohibited
Business/Occupation Identification
Ground	1 per lot	Without pole sign on lot: 1 square foot/linear foot of front wall building width (120 square feet max) With pole sign on lot: 0.5 square foot/linear foot of front wall building width (60 square feet max)	6 feet	10 feet from property line or ROW, requirements for vehicular visibility: 500 feet/30 feet (arterial/collector) 250 feet/25 feet (local) 200 feet/25 feet (service)
Pole	1 per lot	Without ground sign on lot: 60 square feet (1 business); 80 square feet (more than 1 business) With ground sign on lot: 32 square feet (1 business); 64 square feet (more than 1 business)	20 feet at top, 6 feet minimum at bottom	10 feet from property line or ROW, no portion of sign over ROW, 5 feet minimum for any sign dimension
Wall (option 1)	1 per business in building	2 square feet/linear feet of frontage	Below roofline	6-inch max projection from wall
Wall (option 2)	2 per business	1 square foot/linear foot of frontage. This does not apply to lots with more than 1 street frontage.	Below roofline	6-inch max projection from wall
Projecting or arcade	1 per business	8 square feet	N/A	For shopping centers/office complexes with roofed pedestrian accessway, marquee or exterior arcade
Building Identification
Ground or wall	1	20 square feet	Below roofline	Multi-tenant building only
Directional (On-Premises)
Ground	4 per lot (if lot less than 1 acre) 6 per first acre (if lot greater than 1 acre) 2 additional per lot	4 square feet per sign	4 feet	—
Display
Changeable copy ground	1 per lot	32 square feet	6 feet	Permanently affixed to authorized grant/pole sign on the lot
Bulletin	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Window	Less than 50 feet frontage = 3; 50 to 100 feet frontage = 5; Greater than 100 feet frontage = 7	15 square feet each	N/A	For commercial buildings only

Table 16: Residential Sign Regulations
Residential Signage
Sign Type	Number of Signs (max)	Maximum Size	Restrictions
Development Plan Identification
Ground	1 per entrance	24 square feet	Ground or wall sign (not both), wall sign may be affixed to decorative wall, internally illuminated signs prohibited
Wall	1 per development	24 square feet	Ground or wall sign (not both), wall sign may be affixed to decorative wall, internally illuminated signs prohibited
Pole	Not permitted	Not permitted	Ground or wall sign (not both), wall sign may be affixed to decorative wall, internally illuminated signs prohibited
Business/Occupation Identification
Ground	1 per lot	12 square feet	For businesses other than home occupations and no-impact home-based businesses, maximum height of 4 feet
Pole	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Wall	1 per dwelling unit	1 square feet	For home occupation
Projecting or arcade	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Building Identification
Ground or wall	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Directional (On-Premises)
Ground	4 per lot if lot less than 1 acre); 6 per first acre if lot greater than 1 acre; and 2 additional (per each additional lot acre or portion of an acre)	4 square feet (per sign)	For lots with 2 or more multifamily buildings and/or 100 or more parking spaces
Display
Changeable copy	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Ground	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Bulletin	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Window	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted

Table 17: Miscellaneous Sign Size Regulations
Sign Type	Number of Signs (max)	Maximum Size	Restrictions
Development Plan Identification
Ground	1 per lot	40 square feet	8 feet in height
Wall	1 per lot	40 square feet	Below roofline
Business/Occupation Identification
Ground	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Wall	1 per dwelling unit	12 square feet	Below roofline
Projecting or arcade	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Building Identification
Ground or wall	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Directional (On-Premises)
Ground	4 per lot if lot less than 1 acre; 6 per first acre if lot greater than 1 acre; and 2 additional per each additional lot acre or portion of an acre	4 square feet (per sign)	For lots with 2 or more nonresidential buildings and/or 100 or more parking spaces
Display
Changeable copy	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Ground	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted
Bulletin	1	24 square feet	For public/semi-public building
Window	Not permitted	Not permitted	Not permitted

The following sample images can be used as an appendix to show visual representation of signs.

[Added by Ord. No. 513, 11/14/2023]

Ground Sign.

Pole Sign.

Wall Sign.

Projecting/Arcade Sign.

§ 27-1009 Sign Packages, Permits, Fees, and Procedures.

[Ord. No. 477, 5/11/2021]

All proposed development shall be required to submit a sign package to the Township for its approval prior to any sign permits being issued to businesses. This provision shall apply to new construction after the effective date of this Part 10 and to the proposal of new signs or changes in signs of an existing use. "Sign package" shall mean a detailed description, including, but not limited to, type, size, and location of all signs for each unit within the complex/center, as well as the ground sign. The Zoning Officer shall review all sign packages for completeness. Any application determined to be incomplete shall be returned to the applicant with a description of missing and/or incomplete items.

A sign permit shall be required in order to erect, install, relocate, modify or change any sign within the Township unless otherwise indicated in this section. "Modify," as it is used herein, shall mean a cabinet or face replacement because of a change in the nature of the business or a change in the name and ownership of a business, or replacement of supporting structures.

The application for a permit shall be signed by the landowner and/or developer of the lot. The tenant of the lot, if not the landowner and/or developer, shall be permitted to sign the permit application if he can present notarized evidence that the tenant has permission to act on the landowner's and/or developer's behalf.

Failure to conform to the conditions of a sign permit, including any conditions and/or stipulations attached thereto shall render such permit void.

Fees for sign permits shall be required and payable in such sums as the North Fayette Board of Supervisors may from time to time establish by resolution.

No sign permit shall be valid or effective after six months from the date of issuance thereof and shall thereafter be void unless the sign is in place as of the expiration date.

To obtain a sign permit, a sign permit application must be completed and include the following information:

A drawing prepared to scale of the proposed sign showing all sign dimensions including the height of the sign, grade level of base of sign, sign materials, and colors.

Lot plan showing proposed locations of sign.

Any building elevations showing proposed location of sign.

The sources of sign illumination and applicable details of the fixture and screening.

Sign Installation. All signs shall be installed in accordance with good engineering practice which shall be the responsibility of the sign owner.

Sign Maintenance.

Every permitted sign must be constructed of durable material and kept in good condition and repair and otherwise comply with the Township Property Maintenance Code (Chapter 5, Code Enforcement, Part 2). If the durability and/or condition of said sign is not improved within the time period defined by the Zoning Officer, the sign shall be removed by the Township at the expense of the owner or person in possession of the lot on which the sign is located. The Zoning Officer will notify the responsible party with a certified letter prior to any removal action being taken by the Township.

Any damaged sign shall be repaired within 60 days.

Any sign which has been damaged to such extent that it may pose an imminent hazard to passersby, as determined by the Zoning Officer, shall be repaired or removed immediately.

Any internally illuminated sign cabinets or sign panels which have been damaged shall remain nonilluminated until repaired.

Nonconforming signs shall only be repaired in accordance with Part 14.

Failure to comply with these sign maintenance requirements shall constitute a violation of this Part 10.

10.

Size.

The square footage of the sign shall refer to the area of the sign facing; including any border or framing or decorative attachments, but not including some architectural or landscaping element which otherwise meets zoning regulations and is clearly incidental to the sign itself. Size of individually mounted letters or logos shall be measured as the area enclosed by the smallest single rectangle or square which will enclose all sign copy and logos. Ground signs mounted as individual letters and/or graphics against a wall or fence incorporated in the landscaping of a building shall be measured from the outermost length and height dimensions of the sign.

The height of any decorative base or architectural or landscape feature erected to support or ornament the sign shall be measured at average grade as part of the sign height. Maximum sign height shall be measured from the existing or proposed average ground level to the top of the sign structure, provided the ground level is not deliberately elevated to increase the height of the sign.

Ground signs installed perpendicular to a street may be double-faced with the allowable square footage on each face. Double-faced signs that are erected at an angle to each other will be subject to the interpretation of the Zoning Officer as to whether they are intended as two signs or for all intents and purposes only constitute one sign for N/S, E/W orientation on the serving street.

Wall signs shall not exceed the width of the front of the building on which it is located and shall not protrude more than six inches from the facade on which the sign is mounted.

In no case shall a wall, projecting, or awning sign exceed the height of building allowed in the zoning district.

Gasoline service stations shall be allotted 10 additional square feet to display price per gallon figures divided as they select between logo and prices on the one ground sign permitted on the lot.

Existing multi-tenant developments shall be permitted one permanent message board or an electronic variable message sign of 36 square feet in lieu of any temporary signs permitted by said land use. The additional sign area shall be either incorporated below the existing pole sign or installed as a ground-based sign subject to the regulations of minor permanent signs. A lot that has been granted a variance on sign size will not be eligible for this additional sign. New multi-tenant developments shall be required to incorporate this type of sign into their maximum ground sign allotment or concede all future use of temporary signs.

Automobile dealers are permitted one "used car" ground sign not to exceed 12 feet in height and 10 square feet in area; or the 10 additional square feet can be incorporated into the existing sign to advertise used cars, divided as the sign owner selects.

Sign copy mounted or painted on an illuminated surface (including awnings) or illuminated architectural element of a building shall be measured as the entire illuminated surface or architectural element which contains sign copy. A nonilluminated sign placed on an awning shall be measured as if placed on any other architectural element.

11.

Lighting and Movement.

Signs which incorporate in any manner any flashing or moving illumination, or illumination which varies in intensity and signs which have visible movement achieved by electric pulsations or by actions of normal wind currents shall comply within the regulations of this subsection unless otherwise noted. This regulation shall also apply to waving banners, fluttering appurtenances and balloons or other special devices. Banners used as temporary signs are permitted as long as they are secured and not waving or fluttering and comply with maximum size permitted. National, state or municipal flags shall not be considered a banner.

Externally illuminated, building-mounted signs may be illuminated by either ground-mounted lights or building-mounted light bars. In either situation, the light source shall be totally screened from view.

Externally illuminated freestanding signs shall be illuminated by ground-mounted lights, with the light source being totally screened from view.

Digital Signs.

(a)

All digital signs shall have installed ambient light monitors and shall at all times allow such monitor to automatically adjust the brightness level of the digital sign based on ambient light conditions so as to minimize and keep consistent sign brightness.

(b)

The maximum brightness level for such signs shall not exceed 5,000 NITS when measured at the sign's face between dawn and dusk, as those times are determined by the National Weather Service.

(c)

The maximum brightness level for such signs shall not exceed 300 NITS when measured at the sign's face between dusk and dawn, as those times are determined by the National Weather Service.

(d)

No permit shall be issued for the installation of a digital sign unless the applicant has submitted a written certification from the sign manufacturer certifying that the light intensity of the sign has not been preset to exceed the illumination levels established herein and that the intensity level is protected from end-user manipulation by password-protected software or similar security measures.

(e)

All digital signs shall contain a default mechanism that will cause the sign to revert immediately to a black screen in instances of malfunction.

(f)

Each message or image shall remain static and unchanged for a period of no less than 15 seconds.

(g)

No message or image shall be permitted to blink, flash, or move.

(h)

No message shall display any characters with a height of less than nine inches.

(i)

No message shall display more than 12 individual words.

(j)

Each message or image shall be complete without continuation of content to the next display or to another sign.

(k)

Each message or image shall be followed by a transition period in which the display reverts to a black screen for a minimum period of three seconds.

(l)

No digital sign shall emit any sound or audio message.

Neon or LED Building Lighting. Neon or LED lighting of a building perimeter is permitted so long as the neon or LED lights are completely shielded from direct view and the lighting does flash or blink and does not create a glare in any parking lot (private or public) or street. All lighting shall be so arranged as to shine down, cut off, or otherwise reflect the light away from adjoining premises and public rights-of-way.

[Added by Ord. No. 513, 11/14/2023]

12.

Signage placement.

No sign shall be placed, erected, or located so that:

It is pasted, stapled, or otherwise attached to public utility poles or trees within the street ROW line.

It is on a public lot or public ROW, unless erected by a governmental body, or unless required to be so located by order of a governmental body.

It is painted on, attached to, or supported by a tree, stone, cliff, or other natural objects.

(4)

It is displayed on a vehicle parked and visible from a public right-of-way, unless the vehicle is used for the normal day-to-day operation of a business on the premises. The intent of this provision is to prohibit the use of a sign on a vehicle to circumvent sign limits on a lot.

Signage for ground signs shall be set back 16 feet from the paved cartway of any street in the B-2 Zoning District and in all other zoning districts shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the paved cartway of any street.

Sign font and logos shall not be legible from the rear of the sign.

Signage shall not be lettered or painted directly upon the wall or any other part of the building except for windows.

Building signs in nonresidential zoning districts shall be placed on the front face of the building only, except in instances where the entrance door to the business is on the side or the rear of the building. However, no signs in nonresidential zoning districts may face an immediately adjacent residential zoning district.

Illuminated window signs shall include lit signs placed inside a window facing the exterior of the building. A permit shall be required only for illuminated window signs.

Illuminated window signs shall not be placed above the ground floor of the building and/or more than 10 feet above grade level of the building.

Illuminated window signs shall not exceed a size of 16 square feet. Anything exceeding this size shall be deemed the building sign to which the business is entitled. Any combination of illuminated window signs grouped in an area not to exceed 16 square feet will be permitted.

13.

Sign Landscaping.

[Amended by Ord. No. 513, 11/14/2023]

Ground Sign. For each visible sign face, the landowner and/or developer shall provide landscaping equivalent to 1.5 square feet for each square foot of sign area. Landscaping shall consist of a combination of deciduous and evergreen ornamental grasses, ground cover and/or small shrubs. Turf grass shall not be considered as landscaping for ground signs. Ground signs must extend to the ground. There shall be no open space permitted between the bottom of the sign and ground. Ground signs with open space below shall be considered pole signs.

Pole Sign. In addition to the authorized wall signs, one freestanding pole sign shall be permitted, per lot, regardless of the number of businesses on the lot and regardless of the number of street frontages of that lot; provided that:

Pole signs shall only be permitted in the MU (only those portions located within the Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District), B-1, B-2, I-1, and I-2 Districts, unless otherwise provided in this chapter.

Landscaping shall be planted at the base of each pole sign. The developer shall provide landscaping equivalent to 1.5 square feet for each square foot of sign area. Landscaping shall consist of a combination of deciduous and evergreen ornamental grasses, ground cover and/or small shrubs. Turf grass shall not be considered as landscaping for ground signs.