ARTICLE VI GENERAL SIGN REGULATIONS
Section 1. Sign Definitions
For the purpose of this section, certain terms and words pertaining to signs are hereby defined. The general rules of construction contained in Article 13 are applicable to these definitions.
1. Sign A structure, display, or device that is arranged, intended, designed, or used for advertisement, announcement, identification, or direction.
2. Sign Area That area within a line including the outer extremities of all letter, figures, characters, and delineations, or within a line including the outer extremities of the framework or background of the sign, whichever line includes the larger area. The support for the sign background of the sign, whichever line includes the larger area. The support for the sign background, whether it be columns, pylon, or a building or part thereof, shall not be included in the sign area. Only one side of a double-faced sign shall be included in a computation of sign area; for other signs with more than one face, each side shall be included in a computation of sign area. The area of a cylindrical sign shall be computed by multiplying one-half of the circumference by the height of the sign.
3. Accessory Sign A sign relating only to uses of the premises on which the sign is located, or products sold on the premises on which the sign is located, or indicating the name or address of a building or the occupants or management of a building on the premises where the sign is located.
4. Detached Sign A sign not attached to or painted on a building, but which is affixed to the ground. A sign attached to a flat surface such as a fence or wall, not a part of a building, shall be considered a detached sign.
5. Double-Faced Sign A sign with two parallel, or nearly parallel, faces, back to back, and located not more than 24 inches from each other.
6. Flashing Sign An illuminated sign on which the artificial or reflected light is not maintained stationary and color at all times when in use. Any sign which revolves or moves, whether illuminated or not, shall be considered a flashing sign.
7. Flat Sign Any sign attached to, and erected parallel to the face of, or erected or painted on the outside length by such wall or building and not extending more than 18 inches from the building wall.
8. Illuminated Sign Any sign designed to give forth artificial light or designed to reflect light from one or more sources of artificial light erected for the purpose of providing light for the sign.
9. Indirectly Illuminated Sign A sign which does not produce artificial light from within itself but which is opaque and back-lighted or illuminated by spotlights or floodlights not a part of or attached to the sign itself, or a sign of translucent non-transparent materials illuminated from within but with no exposed or exterior bulbs, tubes, or other light source.
10. Marquee Sign Any sign attached to or hung from a marquee. For the purpose of this Article, a Marquee is a covered structure projecting from and supported by the building with independent roof and drainage provisions and which is erected over a doorway or doorways as protection against weather.
11. Projecting Sign A sign which is attached to and projected more than 18 inches from the face of a wall of a building. The term projecting sign included a marquee sign.
Section 2. General Sign Regulations
The following regulations apply generally to all signs and are in addition to the regulations contained elsewhere in this Ordinance:
1. Applications for sign permits shall be submitted on forms available at the office of the Administrator. Each application shall be accompanied by plans showing size, design, proposed location and method of illumination, if any.
2. Structural and safety features and electrical systems shall be in accordance with the requirements of applicable codes and ordinances. No sign shall be approved for use unless it has been inspected by the department issuing the permit and is found to be in compliance with all the requirements of this Ordinance and applicable technical codes.
3. No sign which is not an integral part of the building design shall be fastened to and supported by or on the roof of a building and no projecting sign shall extend over or above the roof line or parapet wall of a building.
4. Applications for unusual signs or displays which give rise to questions of interpretation of these regulations may be referred by the Administrator to the Zoning Hearing Board for the purpose of interpretation by the Board and recommendation for action on the application by the Administrator. If in the opinion of the Board, the application is not adequately covered by these regulations, the Board may make recommendations for amendment of this Ordinance.
5. No sign shall be constructed, erected, used, operated, or maintained which: a. Displays intermittent lights resembling or seeming to resemble, the flashing lights customarily used by police, fire, or ambulance vehicles, or for navigation purposes. b. Is so located and so illuminated as to provide a background of colored lights blending with traffic signal lights to the extent of confusing a motorist when viewed from normal approaching position of a vehicle at a distance of 25 to 300 feet.
6. No sign, portable or otherwise, is to be placed or located to conflict with the vision clearance or other requirements of applicable traffic ordinances.
7. Except as otherwise provided, these regulations shall be interpreted to permitting one flat sign plus any other permitted type, in accordance with applicable regulations, sign “types” are flat, detached, projecting and marquee sign, or special purpose signs specifically listed in the district regulations.
8. Except as otherwise provided, any sign may be flat detached sign or projecting sign, and, except as otherwise provided, no detached sign shall exceed a height of 15 feet.
9. Signs of permitted types and sign area may be placed on walls of building other than the front except on side or rear walls facing, and within 100 feet of, a residential district.
10. Unless otherwise specified in these regulations, all signs shall comply with the yard requirements of the district in which they are located, provided that one accessory sign may occupy required yards in a district where such sign is permitted by these regulations are complied with.
11. No signs shall be attached to trees, utility poles, or any other unapproved supporting structure.
12. All signs shall be maintained in good condition and appearance. After due notice has been given as provided below, the Administrator may cause to be removed any sign which shows gross neglect or becomes dilapidated.
13. The Administrator shall remove or cause to be removed, any sign erected or maintained in conflict with these regulations if the owner or lessee of either the site or the sign fails to correct the violation within 30 days after receiving written notice of violation from the Administrator. Removal of a sign by the Administrator shall not affect any proceedings instituted prior to removal of such sign.
Section 3. Signs which may be Erected in any District without a Permit
1. Official traffic signs or sign structures and provisional warning signs or sign structures, when erected or required to be erected by a governmental agency and temporary signs indicating danger.
2. Changing of the copy on a bulletin board, poster board, display encasement, or marquee.
3. Temporary non-illuminated signs, not more than six square feet in area, advertising real estate for sale or lease or announcing contemplated improvements of real estate, and located on the premises, one such for each street frontage.
4. Temporary non-illuminated signs not more than ten square feet in area, erected in connection with new construction work and displayed on the premises during such time as the actual construction work is in progress, one such sign for each street frontage.
5. Non-illuminated signs warning trespassers or announcing property as posted.
6. Temporary non-illuminated portable signs, not exceeding six square feet in area, in a commercial or industrial district, one for each 50 feet of street frontage.
7. An on-premises sign not exceeding two square feet in area advertising home occupations or commercial enterprises, if attached flat to a building. Illumination, if any, shall only be shielded, non-flashing, uncolored light.
8. Directional or informational signs of a public or quasipublic nature, not exceeding two square feet in area.
9. Signs giving notice of public hearings concerning the premises on which such signs are located.
Section 4. Non-Conforming Signs
If damaged by fire, windstorm or other disaster, non-conforming signs may be repaired or replaced with a sign of the same type not exceeding the area of the non-conforming sign. Deteriorated signs may be repaired or painted. Sign may be altered in part, if area is not increased, to show change in products, brand names, ownership or type of business. All new signs shall conform to permitted sign regulations.
Section 5. Special Sign Regulations for Special Sign Districts Established on the Borough Zoning Map
1. No detached sign in a special sign district shall exceed a height of seventy-five [75] feet.
2. Unless otherwise specified in this Ordinance, all detached signs shall comply with the yard requirements of the district in which they are located, provided that one accessory sign may occupy required yardage in special sign district, if such sign is not more than two hundred [200] square feet in area, and the other requirements of this Ordinance are complied with.
3. No detached signs shall be erected and installed at a height in excess of fifteen [15] feet in a special sign district unless the front edge of vertical plane of the sign is set back from the front property line a minimum of one [1] foot in linear measure from the street or property line for every two [2] feet, or fraction thereof, that the sign exceeds fifteen [15] feet in height. Ordinance #1110