[Ord. 498, 9/13/2016, § 701]
The intent of this Part is to encourage the use of various types
of signs as a means of identification in the Borough while maintaining
and enhancing the aesthetic and physical environment, community character
and public safety. The purpose of this Part is:
[Ord. 498, 9/13/2016, § 702]
The regulations contained in this Part shall apply to all signs
in all zoning districts. No sign may be erected, placed, established,
painted, created, altered or maintained except in conformance with
the standards, procedures, regulations and requirements contained
herein.
1.
Method of Sign Authorization and Approval. For the purposes of this
article, signs shall be authorized for approval pursuant to the following:
A.
Authorized signs are those for which a zoning approval has been issued
by the Zoning Officer following a review of an application if the
application indicates compliance with this Chapter.
B.
Exempt uses are signs that are authorized but that are exempt from
regulation under this Chapter and do not require zoning approval.
C.
Prohibited signs are those not authorized by this Chapter nor exempt
from regulation.
2.
Accessory Uses. Signs shall be considered accessory uses (other than billboards) on the lot or site they are located and subordinate to the principal use of the lot. Signs shall be subject to the requirements of § 27-315, Accessory Uses and Structures, of this Chapter in addition to the requirements of this Part.
3.
Principal Uses. Billboards are considered the principal use of a
lot or site on which they are located and shall comply with all the
requirements of this Part.
4.
Alteration of Sign Face. The physical alteration of a sign face or
supporting structure shall be considered the same as construction
of a new sign which shall require zoning approval and conformity to
all the requirements of this Part.
5.
Signs on Public Property. Any sign installed or placed on public
property or within a public ROW, except in conformance with the requirements
of this Part, shall be forfeited and is subject to confiscation in
addition to other remedies the Zoning Officer shall have pursuant
to this Chapter.
6.
Enforcement and Remedies. Enforcement and remedies of this Part shall
be pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter and any other enforcement
or remedies pursuant to state and federal law.
[Ord. 498, 9/13/2016, § 703]
For the purposes of this Part, all signs shall be classified
by the following definitions:
A name, identification, description, display, illustration
or device which is affixed or represented directly or indirectly upon
a building, structure or land and which functions as an accessory
use by directing attention to a product, place, activity, person,
institution, or business. The following terms and definitions are
associated with the sign regulations contained in this Chapter.
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A-FRAME — A portable sign comprised of two separate panels
or faces joined at the top and spread apart at the bottom to form
the base on which the sign stands.
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ADDRESS — The number or other designation assigned to
a housing unit, business establishment, or other structure for all
purposes of location, mail delivery, and emergency services.
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ANIMATED or MOVING — Any sign or part of a sign that changes
physical position or light intensity by any movement or rotation or
that gives the visual impression of such movement or rotation. Changeable
copy signs as defined herein are not considered animated or moving
signs.
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ANIMATION — The movement, or the optical illusion of movement
of any part of the sign structure, design or pictorial segment including
the movement of any illumination or the flashing, scintillating or
varying of light intensity. Also included in this definition are signs
having "chasing action," which is the action of a row of lights commonly
used to create the appearance of motion.
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AWNING, CANOPY — Any sign that is a part of or attached
to an awning, canopy, or other fabric, plastic or structural protective
cover over a door, entrance, window or outdoor service area. A marquee
is not a canopy.
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BANNER — A sign or outside advertising display having
the character, letters, illustrations, ornamentations, symbol, color
or visual representation applied to cloth, paper, vinyl, fabric, plastic,
or like kind of malleable material with or without frame. National,
state or municipal flags, or the official flag of any institution
or business, shall not be considered banners.
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BILLBOARD — A permanently installed sign identifying/advertising
and/or directing the public to a business, or merchandise, or service,
or institution, or residential area, or entertainment which is located,
sold, rented, leased, produced, manufactured, and/or furnished at
a place other than the real property on which said sign is located.
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BUILDING IDENTIFICATION — A small pedestrian-oriented
sign attached to a building, which bears only the name, number(s)
and/or logo of the building but not the tenant and which is intended
to be legible only from the pedestrian ways immediately adjacent to
the sign.
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CHANGEABLE COPY — A sign that is designed so that characters,
letters, or illustrations can be changed or rearranged manually to
change the message on the sign without altering the face or surface
of the sign.
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CHANGEABLE COPY, REMOTE — A sign that is designed so that
characters, letters, or illustrations can be changed or rearranged
remotely by electronic or other means to change the message or sign
without altering the face or surface of the sign.
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COMBINED DEVELOPMENT — Two or more establishments or businesses
occupying a common building or adjoining or adjacent buildings or
buildings on adjoining parcels which are designed and developed in
a coordinated manner and which may share parking, driveways and other
common facilities.
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COMMERCIAL MESSAGE — Any sign wording, logo, or other
representation that, directly or indirectly, names, advertises, or
calls attention to a business, product, service, or other commercial
activity.
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CONSTRUCTION — A temporary sign announcing the name of
contractors, mechanics, or artisans engaged in performing work on
the premises and only during active construction activities.
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DEVELOPMENT — A temporary sign erected during the period
of construction and/or development of a property by the contractor
and developer or their agent.
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DIRECTIONAL, INCIDENTAL — A sign generally informational,
that has a purpose secondary to the use of the lot or site on which
it is located, such as "No Parking," "Entrance," "Exit," "One Way,"
"Loading Only," "Telephone," and other similar directives, and provided
that such sign does not exceed five square feet. Directional, incidental
sign shall be located only in conjunction with site drive entrances
and/or internal traffic drive aisles.
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ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD — A sign which displays messages,
such as time and temperature, in alternating light cycles.
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FLAG — Any fabric containing distinctive colors, patterns,
or symbols, used as a symbol of the United States of America, the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the local municipality. A flag is
not a sign.
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FLASHING — A sign that contains an intermittent or sequential
flashing light source or has a light source which is not stationary,
varies in illumination intensity, or contains elements which give
the appearance of any of the aforementioned.
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FREESTANDING — Any sign supported by structures or supports
that are placed on, or anchored in, the ground and that are independent
from any building or other structure.
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GOVERNMENTAL — A sign, which is owned, installed, and
maintained by the Borough or other governmental agency.
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GROUND/MONUMENT — A freestanding sign, which is completely
self-supporting, has its sign face or base on the ground and has no
air space, columns, or supports visible between the ground and the
bottom of the sign. It shall not be attached to a pole or pylon, nor
raised by mounting on a man-made berm, wall, or similar structure.
Pole/pylon signs that have pole covers which extend from the base
of the sign face to the ground shall not be considered ground/monument
signs.
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HOME OCCUPATION IDENTIFICATION — A sign containing only
the name and address of the occupant of the premises and their occupation.
No logos or other advertising shall be permitted.
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ILLUMINATED SIGN, EXTERNAL — A sign lighted by or exposed
to artificial lighting either by lights on or in the sign or directed
toward the sign.
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ILLUMINATED SIGN, INTERNAL — A sign containing a source
of light contained within the sign structure or sign cabinet.
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INFLATABLE — A three-dimensional object, filled with air
or gas, and located in such a manner as to attract attention.
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MARQUEE — An integral part of the building consisting
of a roof which is supported by the building and may also be supported
by columns or piers, and which includes porches, porticos and porte-cocheres,
but does not include canopies or awnings.
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MARQUEE SIGN — A wall sign attached to a marquee.
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MENU BOARD SIGN — A sign that lists for consumers the
various options of products, goods, or services provided by a business.
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OFF-PREMISES — A sign identifying/advertising and/or directing
the public to a business, or merchandise, or service, or institution,
or residential area, or entertainment which is located, sold, rented,
leased, produced, manufactured and/or furnished at a place other than
the real property on which said sign is located. However, billboard
signs shall not be considered to be off-premises signs.
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ON-PREMISES — A sign or display that identifies or communicates
a message related to the activity conducted, the service offered,
or the commodity sold on the premises where the sign is located.
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PANEL — The primary surface of a sign that carries the
identifying/advertising message.
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PENNANT — Any lightweight plastic, fabric, or other material,
whether or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a
rope, wire, or string, usually in series, designed to move in the
wind.
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POLE/PYLON SIGN — A freestanding sign erected on a pole,
poles, pylon, or pylons, or other supporting structure where the bottom
edge of a sign face is installed above the ground. Pole/pylon signs
that have pole covers which extend from the base of the sign face
to the ground shall not be considered ground/monument signs.
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POLITICAL — A sign which indicates the name, cause or
affiliation of a person seeking public or elected office or on which
reference is made to an issue for which a public election or referendum
is scheduled to be held.
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PORTABLE — Any sign not permanently attached to the ground
or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported,
including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by
means of wheels; signs converted to A- or T-frames; sandwich board
signs; balloons used as signs; umbrellas used for advertising; and
signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the
public ROW, unless vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day operations
of the business.
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PROJECTION — A sign, which reproduces a remote image,
by optical or any other means, on any surface.
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PUBLIC UTILITY — Signs in connection with the identification,
operation or protection of any public utility, on the same lot therewith,
provided that the total sign area on any one street frontage does
not exceed eight square feet.
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REAL ESTATE SIGN — A temporary sign advertising the real
estate upon which the sign is located as being for rent, lease, or
sale.
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RESIDENTIAL — Any sign located in a district zoned for
residential uses that contains no commercial message except advertising
for goods or services legally offered on the premises where the sign
is located, if offering such service at such location conforms with
all requirements of this Chapter.
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RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IDENTIFICATION — Any sign used
to identify the name of a residential development containing no commercial
message and located at the principal entrances of such development.
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ROOF SIGN — A sign erected on or attached to a roof or
a sign attached to a building that projects above the highest point
on a wall that supports the roofline.
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SAFETY CONTROL — Public safety sign pursuant to federal,
state, or local public safety regulations.
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SIGN BASE — The support on which a sign face stands.
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SIGN FACE — The area or display surface, including the
advertising surface and any framing, trim, or molding, used for the
message on a single plane.
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SIGN or SIGNBOARD — Any writing, printing, painting, display,
emblem, drawing, graphic, electronic display, computerized display,
or other device designed to be viewed by the public, designed and
intended for advertising, and the structure supporting the display.
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SITE DEVELOPMENT SIGN — A sign indicating that the premises
is in the process of being subdivided and/or developed for the future
construction of dwellings or other buildings before any actual construction
activity has begun.
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STREAMER — A string or strip of miniature or full-size
pennants or flags which may or may not be suspended between two points.
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SUSPENDED — A sign which is suspended from a structure
above into a vehicular or pedestrian accessway, more than one foot
from the surface on which it is mounted, and is mounted usually, but
not always, at right angles to the building.
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TEMPORARY SIGN, GENERAL — Any sign, banner, pennant, valance
or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric,
cardboard, wallboard or other light material, with or without frame,
displayed for a period not exceeding 31 days. Temporary signs shall
be permitted to advertise grand openings, distress sales, change in
ownership; or temporary businesses which have been approved by the
Planning Commission, Borough Council or Zoning Hearing Board.
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TIME-AND-TEMPERATURE SIGN — A sign which indicates changing
time and/or temperature.
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TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGN — A sign regulating traffic.
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WALL SIGN — Any sign painted, attached to, or affixed
to a building or structure, attached flat against the wall surface,
in such a way that only one face of a sign is visible.
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WINDOW SIGN — Any sign, picture, symbol, or combination
thereof, designed to communicate information about an activity, business,
commodity, event, sale, or service that is temporarily affixed inside
a window or upon the windowpanes or glass and is visible from the
exterior of the window.
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[Ord. 498, 9/13/2016, § 704]
1.
The following signs shall be exempt from these regulations:
A.
Holiday decorations displayed for recognized state and federal holidays.
B.
Official notices authorized by a court, public body or public safety
official.
C.
Memorial/historical plaques.
D.
Memorial signs and tablets when cut into any masonry surface or when
constructed of bronze or other sculptured materials.
E.
Flags of a government organization or corporate entity.
F.
Signs authorized by the Borough such as street signs, safety control
signs and traffic control signs.
G.
Public notice/public warning signs.
H.
Auction, garage sale or yard sale signs.
I.
Address numbering.
J.
Construction sign (temporary, only during active construction).
K.
Signs of any type placed on public or parks property by authorization
of the Borough.
L.
Real estate signs which advertise the sale, rental or lease of the
premises upon which the said sign is located, provided that the sign
only relates to the rental, lease or sale of the property on which
it is displayed. No more than two such signs may be placed upon any
property in single and separate ownership and not more than one such
sign facing one street.
M.
A-Frame (sandwich board) signs shall be permitted on sidewalks, provided
that only one such sign per premises shall be permitted. Such sign
shall not obstruct pedestrian travel and shall be removed each evening
upon closing. A-Frame signs shall not exceed six square feet per side.
N.
Signs announcing candidacy for public office. Such signs shall not
be installed on utility poles, shall not be installed more than 60
days before the election to which they are relevant and shall be removed
within five calendar days immediately following the relevant Election
Day.
2.
Prohibited Signs. The following signs shall not be permitted in any
zoning district:
A.
Flashing, blinking, changing, animated or moving signs (except LED
billboards authorized by this Part).
B.
Pennants, flags or streamers.
C.
Signs advertising a property for sale or rent that lists an improper
use of the property.
D.
Signs that resemble traffic signals or any sort of traffic device.
E.
Signs that contain obscene or pornographic material, this shall include
the nonrepair of illegal acts of vandalism (graffiti).
F.
Off-premises sign (other than billboards).
G.
Roof sign.
H.
Signs on trees, utility poles, and traffic devices.
I.
Signs that are hazardous to public safety.
[Ord. 498, 9/13/2016, § 705]
The following shall control the computation of sign area and
height.
1.
Computation of Area of Single-Faced Signs. The area of a sign face
shall be computed by means of the smallest square or rectangle that
will encompass the extreme limits of the writing, representation,
emblem, or other display, together with any material or color forming
an integral part of the background of the display or used to differentiate
the sign from the backdrop or structure against which it is placed,
but not including any supporting framework, bracing, or decorative
fence or wall when such fence or wall otherwise meets Zoning Ordinance
regulations and is clearly incidental to the display itself.
2.
Computation of Area of Multi-Faced Signs. The sign area for a sign
with more than one face shall be computed by adding together the area
of all sign faces visible from any one point. When two identical sign
faces are placed back to back so that both faces cannot be viewed
from any point at the same time, and when such sign faces are part
of the same sign structure and not more than 42 inches apart, the
sign area shall be computed by the measurement of one of the faces.
3.
Computation of Height. The height of a sign shall be computed as
the distance from the base of the sign at normal grade to the top
of the highest attached component of the sign. Normal grade shall
be construed to be the lower of: (1) existing grade prior to construction;
or (2) the newly established grade after construction, exclusive of
any filling, berming, mounding, or excavating solely for the purpose
of locating the sign. In cases in which the normal grade cannot reasonably
be determined, sign height shall be computed on the assumption that
the elevation of the normal grade at the base of the sign is equal
to the elevation of the nearest point of the crown of a public street
or the grade of the land at the principal entrance to the principal
structure on the zone lot, whichever is lower.
[Ord. 498, 9/13/2016, § 706]
In the SFR and MFR Residential Districts, only the following
exterior signs shall be permitted. No ground or pole signs shall be
permitted, except as provided for in Subsections 2 and 6 below.
1.
A nameplate not exceeding two square feet in area containing only
the name of the resident, the title of the person practicing a profession,
name of building and name of agents, or any combination of the foregoing
and placed directly against a building wall.
2.
A bulletin sign (instructional or directional) not exceeding 12 square
feet in area erected upon the premises of an educational, philanthropic
or religious institution, including a church, hospital or similar
institution for the purpose of displaying the name of the institution
and its activities or services, which shall be limited to one such
sign. Pole signs are not permitted in the MFR District. Ground signs
shall be located at least 10 feet back from the street ROW.
3.
No sign shall be erected upon, or applied to, any roof. The term
"sign" here shall not apply to a religious symbol, unaccompanied by
lettering, when applied to the cornice, tower or spire of a place
of worship.
4.
Permitted illumination of a sign, nameplate or bulletin board shall
be of a nonflashing, nonmoving, indirect type.
5.
Signs shall be constructed in accordance with the provisions of this
Chapter and shall be kept in good condition and maintained so as not
to create hazardous or threatening conditions to the health or safety
of persons in the vicinity of said sign or cause a public nuisance.
The Borough may take all lawful and proper actions necessary to revoke
all permits and licenses issued for such sign and may order said sign
removed or brought into compliance with the Borough ordinances and
regulations within 30 days of the date of issuance of such notice
and order, in writing, by the Zoning Officer.
6.
In the MFR Residential District, only one exterior wall and/or ground
sign shall be permitted not exceeding 24 square feet in area in connection
with a multiple-family dwelling or other authorized use and shall
identify only the name of the structure or residential building. Pole
signs are not permitted in the MFR District. Ground signs shall be
located at least 10 feet back from the street ROW.
7.
Directional signs as specified elsewhere in this Chapter.
[Ord. 498, 9/13/2016, § 707]
In all nonresidential districts, the following signs shall be
permitted:
1.
Any sign permitted in any residential districts and subject to any
stated condition for said residential district sign.
2.
Wall Signs.
A.
Wall signs shall not extend beyond the side edges of any wall in
either direction, nor shall the sign extend above the roof line of
buildings having flat roofs, the deck line of buildings having mansard
roofs or the gutter line of buildings having gable, hipped or gambrel
roofs.
B.
The size of business or identification wall signs (or signs) shall
not exceed the greater of one square foot multiplied by the width
in feet of the principal building frontage along the public ROW or
a maximum of 150 square feet.
C.
Multiple Occupancy Buildings.
(1)
Where several businesses or uses occupy a building, each business
may be permitted to a share of the building's allowable sign area,
at the direction of the building owner.
(2)
If the owner permits the allowable square footage to be shared,
they develop guidelines which require all signs located on the building
to be compatible in terms of size, type, style, color, lighting and
design characteristics. A copy of these guidelines shall be filed
with the sign permit and shall be a condition of permit approval.
D.
Wall signs shall only identify the owner of or enterprise conducting
the business, the business engaged in or upon the premises or products
or services sold or any combination thereof.
E.
Where a building has frontage on more than one public road the owner,
occupant or agent may erect a sign on each wall facing the frontage
with each sign meeting the square footage requirements of this Section,
provided that all other provisions of this Section are observed.
3.
Ground/Pole Sign.
A.
Ground/pole signs are not permitted in the public ROW.
B.
The building setback or build-to line shall be the location standard
for ground/pole signs. In no case shall a setback of fewer than 15
feet from the street ROW line be permitted. Ground/pole signs shall
also be located a minimum of five feet from any building and 10 feet
from any side property line.
C.
For signs over 10 square feet in area, an additional one foot of
separation from adjacent side property lines shall be required for
every 10 square feet of sign area.
D.
The square foot area of ground/pole signs shall be limited to one
square foot of sign area for every one linear foot of property frontage
on a public ROW, but no ground sign shall be permitted to exceed an
area of 60 square feet for each side.
E.
The maximum height of a ground/pole sign shall be 20 feet. The minimum
height of the bottom edge of any ground/pole sign shall be 10 feet
except when it is erected as a monument sign.
4.
When property is occupied by a business without a building, one permanent
identification sign not exceeding 40 square feet. Such sign shall
be located at least 15 feet back from the street ROW.
5.
Wall Plaques. Wall plaques shall be all signs extending no more than
1 1/2 inches from the walls to which they are attached. The edges
of wall plaques shall be rounded, tapered or treated in any other
manner.
6.
Signs mounted perpendicular to the wall surface (including those
over the public ROW) are only permitted in the NBC District.
A.
Signs mounted perpendicular to the wall surface to which they are
affixed shall have their bottom edge at sufficient height above the
ground or other supporting surface as to assure no interference with
pedestrian or vehicular traffic under or around the sign, and in any
event at a height not fewer than 10 feet.
B.
When extending over a vehicular cartway, the minimum height above
ground or cartway shall be 15 feet.
C.
Signs mounted perpendicular to the wall surfaces shall not protrude
more than eight feet beyond the wall surface to which they are attached.
D.
Signs mounted perpendicular to the wall surface shall be limited
to a maximum area of 32 square feet.
7.
Temporary Signs.
A.
Temporary signs shall be located a minimum of 15 feet from any property
or ROW lines and shall comply with all other height and location requirements
of the category of permanent signs which they emulate. Temporary signs
must be located on the same lot as the use which they advertise.
B.
All temporary signs shall be attached to a building or the ground
in a manner satisfactory to the Zoning Officer, in protecting the
public health, safety and welfare.
C.
Temporary signs shall be a maximum of 32 square feet in area.
D.
The period of the temporary sign shall not exceed 30 days, unless
otherwise authorized herein, and the sign shall be removed immediately
upon expiration of the permit. Permits for temporary signs for the
same use or lot shall not be issued more than four times in any calendar
year.
E.
The sign permit shall be attached to temporary signs for the duration
of the permitted use and easily visible from the street.
8.
Window Signs.
A.
Window signs shall be permitted to be installed on the inside of
the window of nonresidential structures only.
B.
Window signs shall not cover more than 25% of the glazing of any
window.
C.
The copy of a window sign shall be designed to communicate information
about an activity, business, community event or a sale or service
offered.
D.
Window signs shall not be permanently affixed to a window or windowpanes.
9.
Advertising on Awnings and Canopies.
A.
Shall be limited in size to a maximum of 50% of the allowable size
of the wall sign permitted on the same structure. Such signage shall
only include the name and/or logo of the business, industry or pursuit
conducted therein.
B.
Canopies shall comply with the height requirements of projecting
signs as identified in this Part.
10.
Marquee Signs. Marquee signs may be attached only to the front and
sides of marquees and shall not project beyond the edges or the bottom
of the marquee, nor extend more than 10 inches horizontally from the
surface of the marquee.
11.
Directional signs as specified elsewhere in this Chapter.
[Ord. 498, 9/13/2016, § 708]
1.
All applications for permits for construction, installation, maintenance,
repair and/or modification of signs of any type or nature shall be
submitted for review and approval or denial by the Borough Zoning
Officer, prior to commencement of any activity or work by the applicant
or the applicant's representative or delegate concerning installation,
construction or modification of such sign. The provisions of this
Section and all of its subsections shall apply to, but are not limited
to all replacement signs, new signs, changes or alterations to existing
signs or signs which must be relocated for any reason.
2.
A site plan or sketch, drawn to scale, shall be submitted to the
Zoning Officer and shall depict the lot and building upon which the
proposed sign will be located, and shall show all other buildings
and structures located on said lot and their relationship to said
sign. Information submitted to the Zoning Officer shall also include
an application for sign permit, a written description of the materials
and manner of construction and mounting of the sign, a description
of the information and visual material to be included on all surfaces
of the sign, a description of the illumination, if any, of the sign
and one or more photographs of the proposed sign location from each
approach from which the sign will be visible.
3.
Permit Required. A permit shall be obtained from the Borough Zoning
Officer, subject to filing the permit application and supporting information
described above in this Section and subject to payment of the required
established fee, prior to the construction, alteration, modification
or moving of any exterior sign. No exterior sign established before
the effective date of this Chapter shall be (except when ordered by
an authorized public officer as a safety measure) altered in any respect,
or moved, unless it be made to conform with the provisions of this
Chapter.
4.
Signs Not to Constitute Traffic Hazard. No sign or other advertising
structure as regulated by this Chapter shall be erected in such a
manner as to obstruct free and clear vision; or at any location where,
by reason of the position, shape or color, it may interfere with,
obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign,
signal or device; or which makes use of the words "Stop," "Look,"
"Drive-In, "Danger," or any other word, phrase, symbol or character
in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic.
5.
Material and Construction. All signs shall be securely built, constructed
and erected in compliance with all regulations and requirements of
the relevant building codes, and in addition:
A.
The Zoning Officer may require calculations by an architect or engineer
certifying the stability of a sign, with reference to dead load and
wind stress capabilities when a sign is over 25 square feet in area
or in the case of a ground sign whose height is greater than 10 feet
or a sign which weighs in excess of 100 pounds.
B.
Any sign damaged by inclement weather shall have proven itself unsafe
and may not be restored in kind without engineering data as required
above.
6.
Illumination and Animation.
A.
All illuminated signs shall be inspected by the authorized electrical
inspection agency of the Borough during construction to verify compliance
with the adopted electrical code of the Borough.
B.
Illuminated signs shall be nonflashing and nonglaring and shall be
illuminated in a manner to prevent glare and reflection to a public
street or adjacent properties.
C.
All signs shall be nonanimated with no exterior moving parts.
7.
Maintenance.
A.
Any sign regulated by this Chapter shall be maintained in the proper
structural and aesthetic condition by the owner or tenant.
B.
If a sign no longer advertises a bona fide business or other activity
conducted on the premises, it shall be taken down and removed by the
owner, tenant or by the entity having the beneficial use of the sign
and the building within 30 days of the termination of such business
or other activity.
[Ord. 498, 9/13/2016, § 709]
Billboards may be authorized by the Council as a conditional
use upon a finding that compliance with the requirements of this Chapter,
as well as the following specific criteria, have been met by the applicant:
1.
The submission by the applicant of a conditional use application,
which shall contain the information, maps, plans and narrative and
graphic materials set forth in the Part 4, Express Standards and Criteria
for Special Exceptions and Conditional Uses.
2.
The portion of any lot upon which the billboard is to be located
shall contain a minimum of 5,000 square feet in area.
3.
All billboards shall contain only one face for the display of lettered,
written, printed, pictorial, or sculpted matter on only one side of
its structure, and such face shall be oriented to be viewed from only
one direction of travel from the nearest adjacent roadway (cross roadway
viewing shall not be permitted).
4.
The display area upon the face of a billboard shall be a maximum
of 300 square feet (12 feet by 25 feet), and all portions of any display
shall fit within such area with no extensions beyond the edge of the
billboard sign's framework.
5.
All utility lines serving the billboard, or those extended to provide
such service, must be installed completely underground. Such requirement
may be waived if the billboard is powered by nontraditional alternative
energy sources (for example solar power).
6.
All billboards shall be set back from the below described items as
follows:
7.
The maximum height of billboards shall not exceed 20 feet, as measured
from the grade of the roadway from which the advertising message is
principally visible, and the bottom edge of the billboard shall be
no more than eight feet above the elevation of the adjacent roadway,
which height shall be sufficient to prevent unauthorized access upon
the billboard.
8.
A buffer yard shall be required between billboards and any adjacent
lot(s). For the purpose of establishing the required buffer yard,
billboards shall be considered a commercial use.
9.
Billboards are considered as the principal use of a lot or site and
as such the land area utilized for a billboard shall not be otherwise
required to support another use upon such lot, including, but not
limited to, buffer yard, parking area or setback necessary to any
preexisting use upon such lot.
10.
All displays on the face of billboards shall be stationary, and no
animated, sequential, flashing, moving, or oscillating signs or displays
shall be permitted.
11.
Illumination of the display shall be designed so that it shall be
focused on the face of the display itself so as to prevent glare upon
the surrounding area. All sources of illumination shall be external
and equipped with shields to prevent spillage of light off the display.
12.
Except as otherwise may be specified herein, all development of billboards
shall comply with the provisions of the subdivision and land development
ordinance and this Chapter.
13.
All billboards (including any and all supporting structures thereof)
shall be dismantled and removed from the premises upon which they
are located within 180 days of the cessation of use.
14.
All billboards shall be constructed to all applicable structural
standards for such devises, and all applications for the conditional
use approval shall verify compliance with such standards as documented
and sealed by a registered engineer.
15.
All billboards shall be maintained by their owner in a state of repair
so that they are as safe and as functional as when originally installed.
16.
No billboard shall be constructed or erected until an applicant thereof
has made an application for same (which shall include a copy of a
written lease for use of the land if the applicant is not the owner
thereof) and paid the applicable fee thereof (as set by separate resolution
of the Council) and received a permit thereof from the Borough.
17.
Prior to erection all proposed applicants for billboards shall be
required to obtain any necessary permit from and to conform, in all
respects, to any regulation thereof promulgated by an agency of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including, but not limited to its Department
of Transportation.
