Adams Township Butler County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE X
Signs
§ 192-63 Sign requirements.
A.
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to create a uniform framework for control of signs within the Township in order to facilitate a convenient, pleasant, and efficient means of communication among people, while avoiding visual clutter that is potentially detrimental to traffic and pedestrian safety, property values, business opportunities, and community appearance.
B.
General requirements.
(1)
All signs shall be constructed of durable materials that are not easily flammable and shall be maintained in good repair. All parts and supports shall be painted or maintained as necessary to prevent rusting, rolling, illegibility, or other deterioration. All broken or missing parts shall be promptly replaced. The Code Enforcement Officer may require the owner of a sign to repair it if, in the Officer's opinion, it has become dilapidated. If, after 30 days from the date of receipt of written notice to repair, the sign is not repaired, the Code Enforcement Officer may order it removed within a period of 30 additional days, subject to penalties as provided in § 192-86 of this chapter.
(2)
Freestanding signs may occur only in yards abutting a street, with no portion of a sign closer to a side property line than 10 feet. No part of a sign shall extend into the street right-of-way or block sight distances for drivers entering or leaving the adjacent street.
(3)
No sign shall be permitted to be placed upon the roof of any structure or to project above the cornice line of a flat-roofed building or above the gutter line of a sloped-roofed building.
(4)
The following signs shall not be permitted in any zoning district in the Township:
(a)
Animated signs;
(b)
Signs illuminated by a flashing, pulsating, or intermittent source, except official traffic signs;
(c)
Signs lighted in such a manner as to create glare conditions on adjacent properties or any adjacent roadway;
(d)
Signs affixed to trees, utility poles, or equipment; or
(e)
Banners, pennants, and similar attention-getting devices for a period exceeding 30 days.
(5)
Separate permits shall be required for all signs. Permits are required for any new construction, maintenance of existing construction, replacement of existing construction; and the fee for sign permits shall be established yearly by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
[Amended 2-28-2011 by Ord. No. 141; 12-9-2019 by Ord. No. 176]
(6)
Temporary signs in the public interest shall be approved by the Code Enforcement Officer for erection in accordance with the requirements of this chapter for a period not to exceed 60 days.
(7)
No freestanding sign shall have more than two sides.
(8)
Signs shall be removed not more than 60 days after the reasons for their placement are no longer present, including completion of an event and closure of business. The Code Enforcement Officer may order their removal or have them removed after the sixty-day period has expired.
(9)
The sign restrictions of this section shall not apply to municipal authorities, municipal corporations, or other federal, state, or local government entities upon approval granted by the Board of Supervisors and Code Enforcement Officer.
[Added 2-28-2011 by Ord. No. 141; amended 12-9-2019 by Ord. No. 176]
C.
Signs in all residential districts.
[Amended 2-28-2011 by Ord. No. 141; 12-9-2019 by Ord. No. 176]
(1)
Permitted kinds of signs, subject to size and other limitations set forth in this section.
(a)
Noncommercial signs, including, but not limited to, public service or public safety signs installed by a public agency are unrestricted as to size or location and do not require a permit.
(b)
Signs identifying property limited to name and address of occupant, or nature of home occupation if applicable.
(c)
(Reserved)
(d)
Signs advertising property for sale or rent, indicating only owner or broker name, address and phone number.
(e)
Signs identifying public or semipublic institutions and activities carried on by them.
(f)
Signs identifying roadside stands selling goods produced on the same property occupied by the stand, or offering services on a temporary basis, such sign removed annually when seasonal sales have been terminated.
(g)
Signs indicating name, address, phone number and type of service performed by contractor on the premises, to be removed not more than 30 days after work on which artisan is employed is completed.
(h)
Sign indicating the architect and/or developer, engineer, project name, number of lots, source of financing, and contractor when displayed during the construction period on a construction site.
(3)
Standards for permitted signs. In addition to the general requirements and regulations contained in this section, all signs permitted in the Rural Conservation District shall comply with the following standards:
(a)
On-premises wall signs. There shall be allowed one wall sign for each lot or principal structure on each lot affixed to the wall of the principal structure, subject to the following requirements:
[1]
The sign shall identify the principal user of the building or lot.
[2]
(Reserved)
[3]
The sign shall be attached to the wall so that the face of the sign is substantially parallel to the wall.
[4]
The maximum sign area shall be no greater than 12 square feet, and the sign shall not extend above any wall or parapet of the building.
(b)
On-premises ground signs. All ground signs permitted in all residential districts are subject to the following requirements:
[1]
The sign shall not exceed a maximum height of five feet, including any base.
[2]
Signs indicating entry to a residential development shall be in an easement.
[3]
Signs indicating entry to a residential development shall not exceed 15 feet in height, notwithstanding Subsection C(3)(b)[1] above.
(c)
On-premises temporary construction signs. The sign area of any temporary construction sign shall not exceed 32 square feet, and the height of such sign shall not exceed six feet.
(d)
On-premises canopy signs. The sign shall be placed in a location that does not substantially interfere with or impair vehicular or pedestrian traffic on any public street, way, or sidewalk.
(e)
(Reserved)
(f)
(Reserved)
(4)
Maximum number of signs for commercial use. In the case of a commercial use, no more than two signs of any permitted type may be displayed.
(5)
Illumination. Illuminated signs in any residential district must be low voltage and shall not cause any spillover light and/or glare. No elements of the illuminated sign may change.
E.
Signs in the C Commercial, B Business, I Industrial Districts and overlay zoning districts.
[Amended 2-28-2011 by Ord. No. 141; 12-9-2019 by Ord. No. 176]
(2)
Permitted types of signs.
(a)
On-premises wall signs, but not painted directly on the wall surface.
(b)
On-premises ground signs.
(c)
On-premises canopy sign.
(d)
On-premises illuminated sign.
(e)
On-premises temporary construction signs.
(f)
On-premises window or door canopy signs.
(g)
On-premises window signs.
(h)
Off-premises freestanding signs, including pole signs, subject to the standards set forth in this section.
(3)
Standards for permitted signs. In addition to the general requirements and regulations contained in this section, all signs shall comply with the following standards:
(a)
On-premises wall signs. In addition to the on-premises signs permitted according to the regulations in this section, there shall be allowed one additional sign for each lot or principal structure on each lot affixed to the wall of the principal structure, subject to the following requirements:
[1]
The sign shall identify the principal user of the building or lot.
[2]
The sign shall extend no farther than 12 inches from the wall to which it is attached.
[3]
The sign shall be attached to the wall so that the face of the sign is substantially parallel to the wall.
[4]
The maximum vertical dimension of the sign shall be no greater than five feet and shall not extend beyond any wall or parapet of the building.
[5]
Maximum of 60 square feet in size, including any logo feature.
(b)
On-premises ground signs. All on-premises freestanding signs shall be ground signs of the types depicted in the figures included in this section.
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[1]
Height in overlay zoning districts. The sign shall not exceed a maximum height of 10 feet, including any base.
[2]
Maximum length. The sign face shall not exceed 15 feet in length, and the overall length, including the base structure, shall not exceed 20 feet.
[3]
Maximum surface area. For development of identification signs, sign faces shall not exceed 60 square feet in surface area per sign face, including any logo feature. No ground sign shall have more than two faces, and such faces shall be parallel to one another. Surface area shall be determined as the sign area enclosed by the smallest rectangle enclosing the extreme limits of the sign, including verbiage and logo.
[4]
Address. The property address must be present at the top of the sign for emergency identification and shall not be counted as a part of the maximum surface area.
[5]
Minimum setbacks. The sign or any part of the structure shall be set back at least 10 feet from the property line or right-of-way, whichever is closer to road frontage, except that no sign shall be erected within 10 feet of the Route 228 right-of-way or proposed right-of-way, or within 10 feet of the Mars-Evans City Road or Mars-Valencia Road rights-of-way, except as otherwise provided or authorized by the Code Enforcement Officer.
[6]
Spacing between signs. The minimum spacing between on-premises ground signs shall be 100 feet between the closest sign edges.
[7]
Color/materials. All on-premises ground signs and their bases shall be constructed of brick, stone or stucco. Color palette should be of predominantly neutral earth-tone colors.
[8]
Landscaping. The sign base shall be planted with a mixture of evergreen and deciduous shrubs to equal a minimum of six plants.
(c)
On-premises canopy sign.
[1]
The characters or letters of all canopy signs shall not exceed six inches and shall appear only on the apron of the canopy or awning.
[2]
Sign surface area. The sign area shall not exceed 60 square feet. Surface area shall be determined as the sign area enclosed by the smallest rectangle enclosing the extreme limits of the sign, including any logo.
[3]
Sign facing. Canopy signs may only be present on one side of the canopy.
(d)
On-premises illuminated sign.
[1]
Sign surface area. The illuminated sign area shall not exceed 12 square feet. The total sign area shall not exceed 32 square feet but shall be at least 24 square feet. Surface area shall be determined as the sign area enclosed by the smallest single rectangle enclosing the extreme limits of the sign.
[2]
Sign height. The sign cannot exceed 10 feet in height from ground level, including any base.
[3]
Day/night brightness. The sign must contain a photocell or similar device and adjust brightness for daytime and nighttime appropriate levels of brightness.
[4]
Digital changing. Only numerals that change may be digitally displayed. No other elements of the sign may be digital.
[5]
Minimum setbacks. The sign or any part of the structure shall be set back at least 10 feet from the property line or right-of-way, whichever is closer to road frontage, except that no sign shall be erected within 10 feet of the Route 228 right-of-way or proposed right-of-way, or within 10 feet of the Mars-Evans City Road or Mars-Valencia Road rights-of-way, except as otherwise provided or authorized by the Code Enforcement Officer.
[6]
Spacing between signs. The minimum spacing between on-premises ground or illuminated signs shall be 100 feet between the closest sign edges.
[7]
Color/materials. All on-premises illuminated price signs and their bases shall be constructed of similar materials to the building to which it is an accessory use.
[8]
Landscaping. The sign base shall be planted with a mixture of evergreen and deciduous shrubs to equal a minimum of six plants.
[9]
Hours of operation. The sign may be illuminated from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. unless the business is open before or after said times; in which case the sign may be illuminated for the duration that the business is open.
[10]
Corridor exception. Notwithstanding Subsection E(3)(d)[4] above, signs on frontage along Mars-Valencia Road and Route 228 may have digital elements that are nonnumerals.
[11]
Maximum change time. Digital elements may change no faster than once every 10 seconds.
(e)
On-premises temporary construction signs. The sign area of any temporary construction sign shall not exceed 32 square feet, and the height of such sign shall not exceed six feet.
(f)
On-premises window and door canopy signs. The characters or letters of all canopy or awning signs shall not exceed six inches and shall appear only on the apron of the canopy or awning.
(g)
On-premises window signs. All window signs shall comply with the following requirements: The total area of all window signs on display at any one time, including temporary window promotional signs, shall not exceed 33% of the total area of the window in which they are located. A series of windows that are separated by frames less than six inches shall be considered as a single window for purposes of this computation.
(h)
Off-premises freestanding signs. All off-premises signs shall conform to the following standards:
[1]
Maximum height: eight feet (see Figure 10-4), including the base, provided that the Zoning Hearing Board shall have the authority to permit taller signs upon finding unusual topographic conditions, due to which placement of the sign on property below the level of the roadway would render such sign ineffective for conveying information to the public. In providing relief from such unusual topographic conditions, the Board shall restrict the maximum height of the sign to the shortest height possible that will still enable the sign message to be conveyed to the public. However, in no instance shall any sign exceed 15 feet in height, as depicted in Figure 10-5.
[2]
Maximum length: eight feet.
[3]
Maximum surface area: no off-premises sign shall exceed a total of 32 square feet on each face. No off-premises sign shall have more than two faces.
[4]
Sign base. All off-premises signs shall be mounted on a base attached to the ground designed in accordance with the standards illustrated in Figures 10-4 and 10-6. Two base types are permitted: a solid stone base and a metal truss structure. Stone bases shall have a minimum height of two feet. The minimum base width for a stone base shall be 90% of sign face width. Signs using a metal truss shall be designed as follows:
[5]
Minimum setback. All off-premises signs must be set back at least 10 feet from the property line of the lot within which it is located, except that no sign shall be erected within 50 feet of the Mars-Evans City Road or Mars-Valencia Road rights-of-way except as otherwise specified.
[6]
Color. Metal sign bases shall be painted a dark green to blend in with natural surroundings. Stone bases shall use a native stone of earth-tone colors.
[7]
Landscaping. The sign base shall be planted with a mixture of evergreen and deciduous shrubs to equal a minimum of five plants, with a requirement of one plant per two linear feet of the sign area.
(4)
Maximum number and placement of signs.
(a)
Maximum number. Only two of the permitted types of on-premises signs shall be allowed on any property or lot, provided that no more than one freestanding sign (including both on- and off-premises signs) shall be allowed on any lot, with the following exceptions:
[1]
Where an establishment is part of a larger retail, commercial, or industrial development, shopping center, or similar land use with multiple occupants or tenants, the total number of freestanding on-premises signs shall be limited to one sign per lot that identifies the development or center and individual tenants or businesses therein, provided that a uniform sign plan and permit has been submitted and approved for the entire development. No freestanding on-premises signs shall be allowed for individual establishments within a larger shopping center, commercial, or industrial development, or similar land use with multiple occupants, unless an alternative master sign plan is presented and recommended to the Planning Commission and approved by the Board of Supervisors.
[2]
Lots with frontage along Route 228 and the parallel access road shall be permitted two freestanding on-premises signs, one for each road, provided that the sign along the parallel access road has no more than 20 square feet per face. The sign along the parallel access road shall not be digital.
(b)
Any off-premises sign shall be considered a principal use of the lot on which it is located, and no other permitted or accessory use shall be allowed on the same property as where an off-premises sign is located.
(c)
Wall signs shall occupy only the area between the heads of windows or doors opening into the ground floor of a building, unless the building is below grade; then the sign may occupy the closest floor that to grade of the nearest major roadway, and the sills of windows opening into the second story, or the top of the wall parapet if the building is only one story in height.
(d)
Where a freestanding sign extends over a vehicular or pedestrian way on the property where the sign is located, the lowest point of such a sign shall not be less than 14 feet for vehicular passage or eight feet for pedestrian passage.
(5)
Illumination.
(a)
Signs may be lighted, provided that illumination is low voltage and from an indirect hidden source shining upon the sign surface and that no glare occurs on adjacent streets or properties.
(b)
No sign shall be lighted that faces or partially faces an adjacent residentially used or zoned property or one across an intervening street unless the sign surface is completely screened so that no light is visible to the dwelling.
(c)
No sign shall be illuminated between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. except during times the establishment displaying the sign is open for business.
F.
Signs in all zoning districts.
[Added 11-8-2021 by Ord. No. 180[2]]
(2)
Standards for permitted signs. In addition to the general requirements and regulations contained in this section, all signs shall comply with the following standards:
(a)
Maximum size. The size of all signs placed in the road right-of-way shall be no larger than four square feet per sign face.
(b)
Maximum number of faces. Temporary signs placed in the road right-of-way shall contain no more than two faces.
(c)
Maximum height. The maximum height of the sign, including the support structure, is three feet.
(d)
Maximum duration. Signs must be removed within 24 hours of the event described, including, but not limited to, elections, open houses, and retail sale events; upon 80% of the lots in a common property being sold; or upon the property described being sold.
(e)
Maximum density. Identical signs may not be placed within 500 feet of each other. For the purposes of "identical," superficial changes, including, but not limited to, arrows or colors, do not constitute a different sign.
(f)
Exceptions to maximum density. Signs showing directions may be placed within 500 feet of each other, provided each directional sign is used to provide a different direction (e.g., multiple intersections within 500 feet).
(g)
Setback. Signs of this section shall be placed at least five feet from any road frontage and/or edge of pavement.
(h)
Sight distance. Signs placed at intersections must be placed at least 25 feet from the intersection and cannot impede sight distance.
(i)
Identifier. The name and address of the owner of the sign must be present on the sign, in legible font, at least size six.
(j)
Placement and retrieval. Signs in municipal rights-of-way may only be placed and retrieved on Saturdays and Sundays from dawn until dusk.
(k)
Signs placed in the road right-of-way must not interfere with sight lines for drivers and pedestrians.
G.
Exemptions. The following signs shall be allowed without a sign permit as per this section, provided such signs comply with all size, placement, and other standards and requirements set forth in this section:
(1)
Holiday signs or decorations displayed for recognized holidays or other community events.
(2)
Memorial plaques, historic markers, or other similar signs.
(3)
Official government signs, owned and maintained by a governmental entity, including but not limited to traffic signs, public notices, government flags, and other signs warning of hazardous or dangerous conditions.
(4)
Street number signs indicating the address of a building or establishment on the premises.
(5)
Vehicle signs attached to any operative vehicle that relate to the purpose or use of the vehicle, such as taxi signs and delivery vehicle signs, provided that the vehicle is currently registered, is properly insured, and is in good operating condition. Signs affixed to vehicles that are not related to the function of the vehicle shall be subject to the off-premises sign regulations contained herein.
H.
Review and approval procedure. Persons desiring to erect a sign or signs, whether as a separate project or part of other construction requiring a permit, shall apply to the Code Enforcement Officer and submit a plan of their proposal indicating the location of the sign on the property, dimensions to property lines, dimensions of the sign, including height of the top and bottom above ground level, and construction details indicating materials to be used and details of the method of attachment to the building or ground, including guying. The Code Enforcement Officer shall issue a permit if all applicable parts of this section and this chapter are adhered to.