Source: https://www.ecode360.com/32876713
Timestamp: 2019-12-09 03:08:39
Document Index: 235231567

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 7', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27', '§ 27']

Township of Cranberry, PA SIGNS
Township of Cranberry, PA
Ch 7 Fire Protection
Ch 12 Impact Fees
Ch 17 Public and Private Improvements Code (Ppic)
Ch 18 Sewer and Water
Ch 19 Wastewater Pretreatment
Ch 21 Streets
Ch 27 Pt 6 SIGNS
§ 27-601 Purpose.
§ 27-602 Authorized Uses.
§ 27-603 Prohibited Signs.
§ 27-604 Signs Exempt from Permits.
§ 27-605 Signs Requiring Zoning Approval and Permits.
§ 27-606 General Provisions.
§ 27-607 Requirements.
§ 27-608 Specific Regulations.
§ 27-609 Definitions.
Ch A Adjustments to Territory Boundaries
Ch K Subdivision and Zoning Approvals
Ch KO Key to Disposition of All Ordinances
Ch KR Key to Disposition of Significant Resolutions
New Laws (3) Index Notes
Township of Cranberry, PA / Municipal Code / Zoning
Part 6 SIGNS
Sign Tables
This section of the ordinance refers to specific tables and charts for additional regulations. These tables and charts can be found as PDF's under the "Attachments" section located HERE.
[Ord. 2017-478, 12/14/2017[1]]
This section establishes a comprehensive and balanced system of sign control that accommodates the need for a well-maintained, safe and attractive environment within the Township and the need for effective communications, including business identification. These regulations promote the health, safety, general welfare, and morals of the Township by regulating signs that are intended to provide reasonable communication to the public by promoting the following specific purposes:
Encourage the effective use of signs as a means of identification and communication.
Preserve and improve the character of the Township through adherence to reasonable aesthetic principles in order to create an environment that is attractive to residents and visitors.
Enhance the ability to attract sources of economic development and growth.
Enhance pedestrian and vehicular safety.
Minimize the adverse effects of signs on nearby public and private property.
Enable the fair and consistent enforcement of sign regulations.
Promote and protect the public health, safety, general welfare and morals of the Township.
Promote the tasteful, progressive design of signs which are complementary to the buildings they serve.
Prohibit the erection of signs in such numbers, sizes and designs, and locations that may create a hazard to pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Avoid excessive competition for large or multiple signs so that permitted signs provide adequate identification and direction while minimizing clutter, unsightliness, and confusion.
Promote signs which are designed utilizing clear, crisp lettering and uncomplicated symbols which identify the intended message efficiently.
Avoid the uncontrolled proliferation of signs.
Increase legibility, reduce the time needed to read signs, and reduce driver distraction.
Restrict signs that overload the public's capacity to receive information or that increase the probability of traffic congestion and accidents by distracting attention or obstructing vision.
Eliminate potential hazards to motorists and pedestrians using the public streets, sidewalks, and rights-of-way.
Safeguard and enhance private investment and property values.
Control public nuisances.
Eliminate excessive and confusing sign displays.
Encourage signs that, by their design, are integrated with and harmonious to the surrounding environment and the buildings and sites they occupy.
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for the repeal of former Part 6, Signs, as amended.
[Ord. 2017-478, 12/14/2017]
Explanation of Use Categories. Five classifications of zoning uses for signs are established in this Part based upon the impact of the sign upon the Township and the procedures by which the signs are authorized.
Allowed Uses are those authorized signs for which no zoning approval is required and are in compliance with this chapter.
Uses by Right are permitted signs that are in compliance with this chapter.
Conditional Uses are those authorized signs that are permitted by approval of the Board of Supervisors in accordance with this chapter and specifically Part 7, Conditional Uses.
Exempt Uses are signs that are authorized but that are exempt from regulation under this chapter.
Prohibited Uses are signs that are not authorized by this chapter or exempt from regulation.
Principal Uses. A billboard is a principal use which is allowed by conditional use in all nonresidential zoning districts, subject to general provisions and express standards and criteria. Billboards are not allowed within any planned residential development. See § 27-606, General Provisions, and § 27-608.2E, Specific Regulations; Billboards.
Accessory Uses. Signs shall be authorized as accessory uses in accordance with the following Table of Authorized Accessory Signs, Zoning Districts Where Authorized, and Method of Authorization.
All signs not expressly authorized under this chapter or exempt from regulation hereunder in accordance with previous sections are prohibited. Prohibited signs shall include, but are not limited to:
Beacons.
Animated or flashing signs outside a structure.
Animated or flashing signs within a structure that are visible from any right-of-way.
Pennants.
Strings of lights, except those exempt under previous sections.
Inflatable signs and tethered balloons.
Any sign or sign structure that constitutes a hazard to public safety or health.
Signs that, by reason of size, location, content, coloring, or manner of illumination, obstruct the vision of drivers, either when leaving a roadway or driveway, or obstruct or detract from the visibility or effectiveness of any traffic sign or control device on public streets.
Signs that make use of words such as "Stop," "Look," "One Way," "Danger," "Yield," or similar words, phrases, symbols, lights or characters in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic.
Any obsolete sign that no longer identifies a bona fide business conducted or product sold.
Signs painted on, attached to, or supported by a tree, utility pole, stone, cliff or other natural object.
Banners, except for preoccupancy and temporary business identification signs.
Ban lighting, fascia lighting, strip lighting, and the like.
Projected signs and logos. Commercial messages and logos shall not be projected onto a building or structure.
Temporary commercial messages, except for temporary real estate signs.
The following signs shall be exempt from permits under this chapter:
Any public notice or warning required by a valid and applicable federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance.
Any sign inside a structure.
Works of art that do not include a commercial message.
Holiday lights and decorations with no commercial message, but only between November and January.
Memorial signs or tablets denoting the date of erection of a building.
Temporary signs, such as auction, fundraiser, garage, or yard sale signs, as identified in § 27-604.2C(1) and (2).
Signs and banners erected by a governmental body or under the direction of such body.
Temporary event signs and banners announcing nonprofit events for noncommercial purposes, where such sign does not exceed 32 square feet in area and 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.
Political signs announcing candidates seeking public office.
Building numbering in accordance with Cranberry Township Ord. 2004-348, 8/4/1994, and as amended, known as the "Building Number Identification Ordinance."
An off-premises sign for facilities that provide twenty-four-hour emergency services, provided that such facility is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for stabilization and treatment.
Temporary Signage. All signs that are temporary in nature, and are identified in the following subsections, do not require a permit.
Temporary Residential Real Estate Signs.
All such signs shall be of the freestanding sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-17 found in 27 Attachment 9.
There shall be not more than one sign for each lot.
Where a lot abuts two or more streets, an additional sign oriented to each abutting street shall be allowed.
Signs shall be made of a durable material.
Location and Setback from Property Line.
Signs shall be located only upon the premises for sale, lease, or rent.
Signs shall be located a minimum of 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way or property line.
Maximum Sign Area.
Six square feet.
Maximum Height.
Five feet.
Type of Illumination.
Illumination shall not be permitted.
Signs shall be removed within seven days of the sale or lease of the premises.
Unique Characteristics.
Signs for the purpose of advertising open houses, which are located off site or on lot shall not be allowed except for on Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. and ending 7:00 p.m. and weekends beginning 8:00 a.m. Saturday mornings and ending 7:00 p.m. Sunday evenings.
Temporary Common Residential Real Estate Development Signs. In addition to the requirements above, any residential development of six or more lots shall be allowed temporary common real estate development signs in accordance with the following provisions:
All such signs shall be of the freestanding sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-18 found in 27 Attachment 9.
A maximum of one sign per development entrance shall be allowed.
Signs shall be located on the development property.
Signs shall be a minimum of 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way or property line.
Thirty-two square feet.
Twelve feet.
Signs shall be removed when 90% of the lots therein are sold.
Signs shall advertise only the lots in the development in which the sign is located.
Signs shall not include the realtor's, developer's, builder's, or landowner's business in general. Information on such signs shall relate to property that they are placed upon.
Temporary Nonresidential Real Estate Signs.
All such signs shall be of the freestanding sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-19 found in 27 Attachment 9.
There shall not be more than one sign for each lot or site.
Signs shall be located only upon the premises for sale, lease, or rent or for which they are advertising.
Temporary Common or Shared Nonresidential Real Estate Development Signs. In addition to these requirements, any nonresidential developments of more than three lots shall be allowed a temporary common or shared real estate sign in accordance with the following provisions:
All such signs shall be of the freestanding sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-20 found in 27 Attachment 9.
Signs shall be located within the development.
Signs shall be removed when 90% of the lots therein are sold or developed.
Signs shall not include the realtor's, developer's, or landowner's business in general. Information on such signs shall relate to property that they are placed upon.
Preoccupancy Signs or Temporary Business Identification Signs.
All such signs shall be of the building-mounted sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-21 found in 27 Attachment 9.
There shall not be more than one sign for each tenant.
Signs shall be removed within 30 calendar days after issuance of zoning approval and/or building occupancy permit for the tenant.
Signs can be banners, panels, or the like.
Signs shall only advertise the business or their intent to hire.
Signs shall not include any realtor's, developer's or landowner's information.
Signs shall only be used if attached in a secure manner to a rigid backing, fabricated structure, or structure such as an existing sign.
Other Temporary Signs.
Auction, Garage, or Yard Sale Signs.
All such signs shall be of the freestanding sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-22 found in 27 Attachment 9.
Signs are only allowed at the site at which the event will take place.
Five square feet.
Signs shall be removed as soon as the event or activity has occurred.
Signs shall not be erected more than seven days prior to the event.
The event date shall be included on the sign.
Fundraiser Signs for Nonprofits or Charities.
All such signs shall be of the freestanding, sandwich board sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-23 found in 27 Attachment 9.
The sandwich board sign shall be placed within 10 feet of the building facade.
The sandwich board may be placed on the sidewalk immediately in front of the use, provided a five-foot-clear pedestrian passage is maintained.
Ten square feet.
Signs are intended to be sandwich board signs that are pedestrian-oriented.
Portable sign may be allowed provided it is displayed only during normal business hours.
Directional Signage. A sign that has a purpose secondary to the use of the lot or site on which it is located. Such signs consist of "No Parking," "Entrance," "Exit," "One Way," and other similar directives.
All such signs shall be of a freestanding or building-mounted sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-24 found in 27 Attachment 9.
No more than two directional signs are allowed per entrance and/or exit.
Additional, directional signs are allowed if they are located internal to the site.
Setback from Property Line.
Signs may be located anywhere on the site. Signs shall not be located within the right-of-way.
Signs shall not interfere with sight distance.
The sign shall not exceed five square feet.
Illumination of such sign shall be in accordance with § 27-607.3 of this chapter.
Signs that are no longer in use must be removed. If official notice is provided, removal must occur within 30 days.
Signs that are in disrepair shall be repaired. If official notice is provided, repair must occur within 30 days or sign shall be removed.
Signage may include organization name, logos, symbols, or other branding signifiers.
The following signs require permits under this chapter:
Residential development identification signs.
Freestanding or monument signs.
Building-mounted signs.
Community character development (CCD) signs.
Electronic message center signs.
Manual or mechanical changeable-copy signs.
Billboards.
Approval for Occupancy and Use for Erection or Alteration of Signs.
When Required. If a sign requiring zoning approval under the provisions of this chapter is to be placed, constructed, erected, or modified on a lot or site, the owner of the lot shall secure zoning approval prior to the construction, placement, erection, or modification of such a sign and zoning approval for occupancy and use after completion of such sign in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
No zoning approval shall be issued for a sign unless such sign is consistent with the requirements of this chapter.
Application Content for Zoning Approval for Structural Alteration or Erection of Structures for a Sign. In addition to the items required by § 27-1101.2, an application for zoning approval for structural alteration or erection of structures for a sign shall include the following:
Two copies of the landscaping plan demonstrating compliance with the landscaping requirements of this chapter.
Two copies of detailed construction plans for the sign with accompanying documentation, including sign area calculations, demonstrating compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
Calculation of Sign Area.
Single-Faced Signs. The area of a sign face shall be calculated by:
The smallest rectilinear, circular, or triangular shape that will encompass the extreme limits of the writing, 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.
The area of the sign face shall not include any supporting framework, bracing, or decorative fence or wall, when such fence or wall otherwise meets zoning regulations and is clearly incidental to the display itself.
Multifaced Signs. The area for a sign with more than one face shall be computed by:
Back-to-back signs shall be calculated as one single face.
Back-to-back signs may be separated from themselves on one end by no more than 36 inches.
Calculation of Sign Height.
The height of a sign shall be calculated as the distance from the midpoint of the base of the sign at the newly established grade to the top of the highest portion of the sign area.
Filling, berming, mounding, or excavating solely for the purpose of elevating the sign is prohibited.
Public Right-of-Way. No sign shall encroach into any public right-of-way.
Clear Sight Triangle. No sign shall be erected in the clear sight triangle area as specified in the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (Chapter 22).
Design, Construction, and Maintenance. All signs shall be designed, constructed, and maintained in accordance with the following standards:
All signs shall comply with the Township Building Codes pursuant to Ord. 2004-348, 5/1/2004, as it may be amended, known as the "Uniform Construction Code."
All signs shall be constructed of permanent materials and shall be permanently attached to the ground, a building, or another structure by direct attachment to a rigid wall, frame, or structure.
All signs shall be maintained in good structural and physical condition at all times and shall be in compliance with the Township Building Codes, and in conformance with this chapter.
Any monument or freestanding sign shall have a base of stone or brick veneer. The base width shall not be less than the width of the sign. The sign base shall have a minimum height of 24 inches above grade.
Nonresidential, freestanding signs must have the address number of the establishment placed on the structure or the sign. The address number must consist of Arabic numerals, be a minimum of six inches in height, and be of a contrasting color. The address number shall be on both sides of the sign or base.
Applicability of Requirements. All signs authorized by § 27-602, Authorized Uses, shall comply with the district requirements set forth in this section except as set forth in § 27-608, Specific Regulations.
Number of Signs per Lot or Site, Individual Sign Area, Height, Yards, and Vertical Clearance. The following requirements shall apply to various types of signs by zoning district.
Illumination.
The illumination of signs in each zoning district shall conform with 27 Attachment 7, "Table of Types of Illumination, Zoning Districts Where Authorized."[1]
Editor's Note: Table of Types of Illumination, Zoning Districts where Authorized, and Method of Authorization is included as an attachment to this chapter.
Internal illumination, where allowed, shall be designed so that when illuminated at night, only the letters and logos of the sign are visible. This shall be done by using an opaque background with translucent letters and logos. Halo signs shall be allowed. No light shall emanate through the background, the borders, sides, or any other surface of the sign or its supporting structure.
Illumination of electronic message center signs shall comply with § 27-608.2C.
No sign within a residential zoning district or within 150 feet of a residential zoning district may be illuminated between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m.
External illumination of "residential" identification signs shall be designed, directed and located so that only the sign is illuminated. No light shall emanate past the sign or illuminate any other adjacent structure or property. Residential street signs are not allowed to be illuminated.
Residential Signs.
Allowed Signs.
Residential development identification signs are allowed wherever a residential development is located.
No commercial signage shall be allowed on any residential structure.
All such signs shall be of the monument sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-25 found in 27 Attachment 9.
Two single-sided signs are allowed at each entrance on an arterial or collector street.
The monument must have brick, stone, or decorative masonry construction on the base, sides, and top.
The sign components, consisting of the monument structure and sign area, must be one cohesive unit, with no gaps between the sign and the base.
There shall be no gap between the bottom of the monument structure and grade level.
The sign shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the front, rear, and side yards.
Signs are not allowed at connecting streets between developments.
The sign shall not exceed 25 square feet.
The sign height shall not exceed eight feet.
Signs that are in disrepair shall be repaired. If official notice is provided, repairs must occur within 30 days, or sign shall be removed.
Nonresidential Signs. Nonconforming uses shall be allowed signage in conformance with this section.
Freestanding Monument Signs. Freestanding monument signs are allowed in the following types of developments:
One- and/or two-tenant buildings.
Three- or more tenant buildings.
Hotel or motel.
CCD signage.
All such signs shall be of the monument sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-26 found in 27 Attachment 9.
Only one monument sign identifying the one- and/or two-tenant building may be erected on lands occupied by a one- and/or two-tenant building along a street adjoining such lands from which street access is provided to said lands.
The monument must have brick, stone, or decorative masonry construction.
The sign shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way or property line.
One-tenant buildings shall be allowed 50 square feet.
Two-tenant buildings shall be allowed 50 square feet per tenant.
Signs that are no longer in use must be removed within 30 days of official notice.
Signs that are in disrepair shall be repaired within 30 days of official notice, or shall be removed.
Maximum Length. The maximum length of such sign area shall not exceed 16 feet six inches.
Three- or More Tenant Buildings. The following regulations shall apply to multiple-tenant buildings, consisting of three or more tenants in a single building:
All such signs shall be of the monument sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-27 found in 27 Attachment 9.
Only one monument sign identifying the multiple-tenant building and/or individual business within the multiple-tenant building may be erected on lands occupied by a multiple-tenant building along the street adjoining such lands from which street access is provided to said lands.
A second monument sign shall be allowed if the multiple-tenant building has street frontage along more than one street, provided that the street affords direct access to such land.
Maximum Sign Area. The square foot area of all freestanding signs in multiple tenant buildings shall be allowed as follows:
Zero square feet to 100,000 square feet: maximum 100 square feet of sign area.
One hundred thousand one square feet to 300,000 square feet: maximum 150 square feet of sign area.
Over 300,000 square feet: maximum 300 square feet of sign area.
Zero square feet to 100,000 square feet: The sign height shall not exceed 10 feet.
One hundred thousand one square feet to 300,000 square feet: The sign height shall not exceed 15 feet.
Over 300,000 square feet: The sign height shall not exceed 20 feet.
Hotel or Motel. The following regulations shall apply to hotel or motel signs:
All such signs shall be of the monument sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-28 found in 27 Attachment 9.
Only one monument sign identifying the hotel or motel may be erected on lands occupied by a hotel or motel along the street adjoining such lands from which street access is provided to said lands.
A second monument sign shall be allowed if the hotel or motel has street frontage along more than one street, provided that the street frontage affords direct vehicular access to such land.
The sign components, consisting of the monument structure and sign area must be one cohesive unit, with no gaps between the sign and the base.
The sign shall not exceed 100 square feet.
The sign height shall not exceed 10 feet.
CCD Signage. (Developments within CCD Districts are limited to the following signage.) The following freestanding sign regulations shall apply to nonresidential uses within an approved CCD.
All such signs shall be of the freestanding sign type.
One sandwich board sign, as seen in Drawing Z-23 found in 27 Attachment 9, per tenant; and
Only one monument sign, as seen in Drawing Z-29 found in 27 Attachment 9, identifying the multiple-tenant building and/or individual business within the multiple-tenant building may be erected on lands occupied by a multiple-tenant building along the street adjoining such lands from which street access is provided to said lands; and
The monument sign must have brick, stone, or decorative masonry construction on the base, sides, and top.
The sign components, consisting of the freestanding monument structure and sign area, must be one cohesive unit, with no gaps between the sign and the base.
There shall be no gap between the bottom of the freestanding monument structure and grade level.
The monument sign shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from any public or private street right-of-way or property line.
The sandwich board sign shall be a maximum of 10 square feet and shall resemble the shape and construction shown in Drawing Z-23 found in 27 Attachment 9.
The square foot area of all monument signs in multiple-tenant buildings shall be allowed as follows:
Maximum Freestanding Monument Sign Height.
Illumination of such signs shall be in accordance with § 27-608.4 of this chapter.
One sandwich board portable sign may be allowed, provided it is displayed only during normal business hours.
Maximum Length. The maximum length of the freestanding monument sign area shall not exceed 16 feet six inches.
Building-Mounted Signs. Building-mounted signs are allowed in the following types of developments:
All such signs shall be of the building-mounted sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-30 found in 27 Attachment 9.
No two signs for a single tenant shall face or be visible from any one direction.
The square footage of building-mounted signage for one- and/or two-tenant buildings shall be allowed as follows. All sign size allowances are per tenant.
One to 24,999 square feet of gross tenant space area: 240 square feet of building-mounted signage. No one sign shall be larger than 120 square feet.
Twenty-five thousand to 49,999 square feet of gross tenant space area: 400 square feet of building-mounted signage. No one sign shall be larger than 200 square feet.
Fifty thousand to 79,999 square feet of gross tenant space area: 500 square feet of building-mounted signage. No one sign shall be larger than 250 square feet.
Eighty thousand square feet of gross tenant space area or more: 600 square feet of building-mounted signage. No one sign shall be larger than 300 square feet.
Three- or More Tenant Buildings. The following regulations shall apply to buildings consisting of three or more tenants in a single structure.
All such signs shall be of the building-mounted sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-31 found in 27 Attachment 9.
Individual businesses within a three- or more tenant building shall be allowed one building sign in accordance with the provisions of this section.
A second building sign shall be allowed for any individual business within a three- or more tenant building, provided that it can meet one of the following criteria and all other provisions of this section:
The ground floor area of such individual business within the three- or more tenant building is in excess of 30,000 square feet.
Such individual business is located on an outparcel and is a freestanding structure.
No building sign for an individual business within a three- or more tenant building shall have an area that exceeds one square foot per each linear front foot of that portion of the building occupied by the individual business, but in no event shall such area exceed 120 square feet.
All such signs shall be of the building-mounted sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-32 found in 27 Attachment 9.
Only one building-mounted sign identifying the hotel or motel shall be allowed in accordance with the provisions of this section.
A second building-mounted sign shall be allowed, provided that it can meet the following criteria and all other provisions of this section.
The gross floor area of such hotel or motel is in excess of 30,000 square feet.
No two signs shall face or be visible from any one direction.
No building sign for a hotel or motel shall have an area that exceeds 4.5% of the structure wall upon which it is mounted. In no event shall such sign area exceed 200 square feet.
CCD Signage. (Developments within CCD Districts are limited to the following signage.) The following sign regulations shall apply to nonresidential uses within an approved CCD.
Signs shall be of the building-mounted sign type.
One blade sign, as seen in Drawing Z-33 found in 27 Attachment 9; and
One wall sign per building facade, not to exceed three total signs, as seen in Drawing Z-34 found in 27 Attachment 9; and
One projecting wall or awning/canopy sign per tenant, as seen in Drawing Z-35 found in 27 Attachment 9.
Building-mounted signage must be located on the tenant's facade.
No building sign for a CCD business shall have an area that exceeds 0.75 square foot per each linear foot of that portion of the building occupied by the individual business, but in no event shall such area exceed 90 square feet.
A projecting wall sign shall not exceed 20 square feet in area.
Maximum Sign Height.
A projecting wall sign may be allowed, provided that the lower edge of the sign is a minimum of 10 feet above grade, but does not extend more than six feet from the building wall and not higher than the first floor or 15 feet, whichever is less.
Illumination of such signs shall be in accordance with § 27-607.3 of this chapter.
Electronic Message Center Signs. All electronic message center signs shall meet the following requirements:
All such signs shall be of the monument sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-36 found in 27 Attachment 9.
One sign per property. An electronic message center sign is allowed in lieu of a freestanding monument sign.
No electronic message center sign shall be allowed on any property that has an existing or proposed manual or mechanical changeable-copy sign.
An electronic message center sign with faces back-to-back shall be treated as one sign, provided said sign faces are parallel or are adjoined on one end and have a separation of no more than three feet on the opposite end.
Only allowed in a commercial zoning district on a property that is immediately adjacent to the public right-of-way of the following roads:
Route 19, between the intersection of Route 19/Rowan Road/Ogle View Road and the Township's southern border with Marshall Township.
Route 228, between the intersection of Route 228/Franklin Road and Route 228/Route 19/Freedom Road.
Freedom Road, between the intersection of Freedom Road/Route 19/Route 228 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Except that manual or mechanical changeable-copy signs for municipal facilities, public education facilities, and religious establishments may be located in any commercial zoning district.
May occupy no more than a contiguous 50% of the actual copy and graphic area of a monument sign, up to a maximum of 50 contiguous square feet.
All drawings, messages, and graphics displayed must be static. Animation and video displays are prohibited.
Each individual message or display may be displayed for no shorter than 15 consecutive seconds.
Flashing signs are prohibited.
The transition from one static display to another must be instantaneous without any special effects, including, but not limited to, flashing, spinning, revolving transition methods, scrolling from left to right or top to bottom, slot machine, splice, mesh, radar, kaleidoscope, spin, or any other animated transition.
The entire sign display area must be black or blank for a period of three seconds between each message.
The drawings and messages displayed must be complete in themselves, without continuation in content to the next drawing or message or to any other sign.
The displays must be equipped with a means to immediately discontinue the display if it malfunctions.
The sign shall not have movement, or the appearance or optical illusion of movement or varying light intensity, of any part of the sign structure, design or pictorial segment of the sign.
Must have a mechanism that automatically adjusts the illuminative brightness of the display.
No sign shall be brighter than 5,000 nits between sunrise and sunset and 250 nits between sunset and sunrise, measured according to recognized industry standards for brightness measurement.
The intensity of the sign light source shall not produce glare, the effect of which constitutes a traffic hazard or is otherwise detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare.
The brightness of a sign may not interfere with nearby traffic control devices.
The use of streaming video or full-motion video on any sign is prohibited.
Manual or Mechanical Changeable-Copy Signs. All manual or mechanical changeable-copy signs shall meet the following requirements:
All such signs shall be of the monument sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-37 found in 27 Attachment 9.
One sign per property. A manual or mechanical changeable-copy is allowed in lieu of a freestanding monument sign.
No manual or mechanical changeable-copy sign shall be allowed on any property that has an existing or proposed electronic message center sign.
A manual or mechanical changeable-copy sign with faces back-to-back shall be treated as one sign, provided said sign faces are parallel or are adjoined on one end and have a separation of no more than three feet on the opposite end.
Except that manual or mechanical changeable-copy signs for public education facilities and religious establishments may be located in any commercial zoning district.
The sign shall not have movement, or the appearance or optical illusion of movement or varying light intensity, of any part of the sign structure, design, or pictorial segment of the sign.
Billboards; Relationship to General Provisions. Billboards shall be subject to the requirements of § 27-606, General Provisions; however, where there is any conflict with the provisions of this section, the provisions of Subsection 1 shall govern.
All such signs shall be of freestanding sign type, as seen in Drawing Z-38 found in 27 Attachment 9.
One per lot.
Billboards shall be located within 75 feet of the right-of-way of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) and I-79 in zoning districts where authorized.
Yard Requirements:
Front yard: 50 feet.
Other yard abutting a residential zoning district or use: 100 feet.
Other yard abutting all other zoning districts: 25 feet.
Separation Between Billboards:
No billboard shall be located within 3,000 feet in any direction of any other existing or proposed billboard.
Per Billboard. The area of a billboard shall not exceed 376 square feet with only single-face signs allowed.
Per Lot or Site. If a lot or site has an existing or proposed billboard located thereon, and the square footage of such sign is equal to or in excess of the maximum allowable in accordance with above, then the lot or site shall not be allowed any additional signage of any type, whether freestanding or building.
The height of a billboard shall not exceed 35 feet to the top of the sign.
Illumination of billboards shall be by external illumination only, but no direct ray of light shall extend beyond the face of the sign.
Design. All billboards shall be attached to the ground by a single vertical metal or concrete post, pillar, pole, or column.
Minimum Lot Area: 6,000 square feet.
Minimum Lot Width: 60 feet.
Owner Identification: All billboards shall be identified on the structure with the name and address of the owner of such sign.
ANIMATION OR VIDEO DISPLAY
Changing of a message or background of a sign in a manner or method of display characterized by motion or pictorial imagery, which may or may not include text and depicts action or special effect to imitate movement, the presentation of pictorials or graphics displayed in a progression of frames which give the illusion of motion, including, but not limited to, the illusion of moving objects, moving patterns or bands of light, or expanding or contracting shapes. Video display signs include projected drawings or messages with these characteristics onto buildings or other objects.
Any sign made of cloth, bunting, plastic, paper, or similar nonrigid material, attached to any structure, staff, pole, rope, wire, or framing which is anchored on two or more edges or at all four corners. Signs of political, professional, religious, education, or corporate organizations that contain emblems or insignias do not constitute banners. Banners are temporary in nature and do not include flags.
Any light with one or more beams directed into the atmosphere or directed at one or more points not on the same lot or site as the light source; also, any light with one or more beams that rotate or move.
An off-premises sign which advertises an establishment, an activity, a person, a product, or a service which is unrelated to or unavailable on the premises on which the sign is located.
BLADE SIGN
A blade sign is a type of projecting sign mounted on a building facade or storefront pole or attached to a surface perpendicular to the normal flow of traffic.
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.
Any fabric, containing distinctive colors, patterns, or symbols, used to represent any government, political subdivision, religious, education, or corporate organization. Flags are temporary in nature and do not include banners.
Any portion of a sign that changes light intensity, switches on and off in a pattern, or contains moving parts or the optical illusion of motion caused by use of electrical energy or illumination, with a display that appears for less than 15 consecutive seconds; a sign or any portion thereof where there is a pattern of changing light illumination, where the sign illumination alternates suddenly between fully illuminated and fully nonilluminated or alternates between various levels of illumination for the purpose of drawing attention; illumination that is intermittently on and off so as to flash or blink or the intensity varies so as to appear to flash or blink or where there is a pattern of changing light illumination.
Any permanent roof-like structure projecting beyond a building or extending along and projecting beyond the wall of the building, generally designed and constructed to provide protection from the weather.
MULTIFACED SIGN
A sign with two identical sign faces placed back-to-back so that both faces cannot be viewed from any one point at the same time and when such sign faces are part of the same sign structure and are not more than 36 inches apart.
A unit of measure used for lighting expressed as candelas per meter squared.
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 a series, designed to move in the wind.
Any device, fixture, placard, or structure that uses any color, form graphic, illumination, symbol, or writing to identify and communicate, announce the purpose of, or identify the purpose of a person or entity, or to communicate information of any kind to the public.
SIGN GROUND
Any sign in which the entire bottom is in contact with or is close to the ground and is independent from any building or other structure. A ground sign is also a freestanding sign.
SIGN, 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.
SIGN, AWNING
A cloth or other nonstructural covering that either is permanently attached to a building or can be raised or retracted to a position against the building when not in use.
SIGN, 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.
SIGN, BUILDING
Any sign attached to any part of a building, as contrasted to a freestanding sign.
SIGN, CCD POLE
A freestanding street graphic that is permanently suspended in a fixed location by a structure of pole(s), uprights or braces from the ground and not supported by a building or base structure.
SIGN, 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," 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.
SIGN, ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTER
Any sign or portion thereof that displays electronic drawings, graphics, or pictures, with or without textual information, using LEDs, fiber optics, light bulbs, or other illumination devices or combination thereof within the display area and where a static message change sequence is accomplished immediately or by means of fade, repixilation, dissolve or other such modes, devices, processes, products, applications or technologies from a proximate or remote location. Such signs include computer-programmable and microprocessor-controlled electronic displays.
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.
SIGN, GASOLINE PRICING
The gasoline pricing portion of a sign shall mean the static numeric display of gasoline prices only, with no solid background color other than black and no other picture, word, symbol or display of any type. A sign on which the only copy that changes is the electronic or mechanical indication of gasoline prices associated with an automotive fueling station shall be considered a gasoline pricing sign and not an electronic message center sign or a manual or mechanical changeable-copy sign.
SIGN, MANUAL OR MECHANICAL CHANGEABLE-COPY
A sign or portion thereof with characters, letters, or illustrations that can be changed or rearranged without altering the face or the surface of the sign.
SIGN, MARQUEE
Any sign attached to, in any manner, or made a part of a marquee and which provides an area for manual or electronic changeable copy.
SIGN, MONUMENT
A sign in which a stone or brick structure is used to mount the sign area on, in or as an integral part of such structure. The permissible sign area of such sign shall begin at a height not greater than four feet above normal grade.
Any sign that does not conform to the requirements of this chapter.
SIGN, NONRESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION IDENTIFICATION
A sign used to identify the name of a nonresidential development of three or more lots for nonretail use, containing no commercial message, and located at the principal entrances of such subdivision, such as an office park, industrial park, medical center, or business park.
SIGN, 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 right-of-way, unless the vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day operations of the business.
SIGN, PREOCCUPANCY
A temporary sign used to identify the coming of a new business or an intent to hire for a new business.
Any sign affixed to a building or wall in such a manner that any edge of such sign extends more than 12 inches beyond the surface of such building or wall, but does not project above the wall, roofline, or surface to which it is mounted nor in any way interfere with normal pedestrian or vehicular traffic or obstruct upper-story windows or openings.
SIGN, 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.
SIGN, 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.
Any sign erected and constructed wholly on and over the roof of a building, supported by the roof structure and extending vertically above the top walk or edge of a flat roof, the eave line of a building with a gambrel, gable, or hip roof or the deck line of a building with a mansard roof.
SIGN, ROOF-INTEGRAL
Any sign erected or constructed as an integral part of a normal roof structure of any design such that no part of the sign extends vertically above the highest portion of the roof and such that no part of the sign is separate from the rest of the roof by a space of more than six inches. A sign constructed between the eaves and deck line of a mansard roof shall be considered a roof-integral sign for the purposes of this chapter.
SIGN, SINGLE-FACED
A sign with one sign face.
SIGN, SUSPENDED
Any sign that is suspended from the underside of a horizontal plane surface and is supported by such surface.
Any sign that is used only temporarily and is not permanently mounted.
SIGN, TEMPORARY REAL ESTATE
Any sign used to offer for sale, lease or rent any premises.
SIGN, TIME-AND-TEMPERATURE
The time-and-temperature portion of a sign shall mean the static display of the time and temperature only, with no solid background color other than black, and no other picture, word, symbol or display of any type shall be permitted. A sign on which the only copy that changes is an electronic or mechanical indication of time or temperature shall be considered a time-and-temperature portion of a sign and not an electronic message center sign or manual or mechanical changeable-copy sign.
SIGN, VEHICULAR
Any sign displayed on a parked vehicle, where the primary purpose of the vehicle is to advertise a product or business or to direct people to a business or activity during all or part of the day. For the purposes of this chapter, vehicular signs shall not include business logos, identification, or advertising on vehicles primarily used for other business purposes.
SIGN, WALL
Any sign attached parallel to, but within 12 inches of, a wall, painted on the wall surface of, or erected and confined within the limits of an outside wall of any building or structure, which is supported by such wall or building, and which displays only one sign surface. A wall sign is a type of building sign.
SIGN, WINDOW
Any sign, picture, symbol or combination thereof, designed to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity, event, sale or service, that is placed inside a window or upon the window panes or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window.