Ambridge City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVII
Commercial District Signs
§ 310-139 General provisions.
A.
Applicability. Any sign erected, altered or maintained after the effective date of this article shall conform to the following regulations. The Zoning Officer shall deem illegal any sign erected in the Borough that is not a permitted sign as defined in this chapter or is erected without a necessary permit.
B.
Purpose. The sign regulations, controls and provisions set forth in this chapter are intended to allow signs to perform the important function of identifying uses while ensuring:
(1)
The promotion and protection of property values.
(2)
The encouragement of business activity and economic development.
(3)
That signs do not proliferate in an uncontrolled manner that creates distraction or otherwise endangers the safety and efficient flow of traffic.
(4)
That signs do not create visual clutter that has a blighting influence upon residential, commercial or other land uses.
(5)
That signs enhance the distinct character of each individual commercial district.
C.
Exemptions. The following signs are exempt from the permit standards of this article and are permitted in any district:
(1)
Signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities, such as traffic, utility and safety signs.
(2)
Indoor signs not attached to a window or door that are not legible from a distance of more than three feet beyond the lot line of the parcel on which the sign is located.
(3)
Holiday and seasonal decorations that do not contain a commercial message.
(4)
Up to three personal expression signs of any type at any given time per business or residence, provided that they do not exceed three square feet in area per side, are noncommercial in nature and are not illuminated.
(5)
Up to two signs of no more than two square feet in total area stating address, number and/or name of the occupants of the premises, provided that they do not include any commercial advertising or other identification.
(6)
Signs or emblems of a religious, civil, philanthropic, historical or educational organization that do not exceed four square feet in area.
(7)
One "private drive" sign per driveway entrance, not to exceed two square feet in area.
(8)
Conventional "no trespassing" and similar security and warning signs posted in accordance with state law, provided that no posted security or warning signs may exceed two square feet in area.
(9)
Flags with a maximum height of 30 feet, provided that flags and flagpoles shall not be located within any right-of-way. The maximum flag size is 35 square feet in commercial districts.
(a)
Flags containing commercial messages may be used as permitted freestanding or projecting signs, and if so used, the area of the flag shall be included in and limited by the computation of allowable area for signs on the property.
(b)
Flags up to 40 square feet in area containing noncommercial messages are considered personal expression signs and are regulated as specified above.
(10)
Legal notices.
(11)
Signs that are a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure existing at the time of adoption of this article.
(12)
Incidental and directional signs that convey instructions with respect to the use of a premises; i.e., business hours, reserved parking spaces, etc., provided that they contain no commercial messaging.
(a)
Area: No single incidental or directional sign shall exceed four square feet in area.
(b)
Height: Such signs shall have a maximum of three feet.
(c)
Illumination: Such signs shall be nonilluminated.
(d)
Number: An unlimited number of such signs may be located within the interior of a lot so long as the sign copy is not legible from an adjacent public right-of-way or lot line.
(13)
Art and murals, provided that such signs do not contain any commercial messaging.
(14)
Auxiliary advertising signs that are vital to the operation of a business, such as credit card or trade association signs, not to exceed a combined total area of four square feet.
(16)
Indoor electronic ticker displays with a maximum height of five inches and a maximum total length of four feet.
D.
Prohibited signs. The following signs are unlawful and prohibited:
(1)
Abandoned signs.
(2)
Animated signs, flashing signs or signs that scroll or flash text or graphics, with the exception of indoor electronic ticker displays up to five inches high.
(3)
Any banner or sign of any type suspended across a public street, without the permission of the owner of the property and the street.
(4)
Any sign affixed or attached to trees, poles, stakes, fences, public benches, streetlights or other objects, or places on any public property or in the public right-of-way, or on any private property without the permission of the property owner.
(5)
Any signs that promote illegal activity.
(6)
Any sign that resembles, interferes with or obstructs official traffic lights, signs or signals.
(7)
Balloon signs (see definition for exceptions).
(8)
Interactive signs.
(9)
Mechanical movement signs, such as revolving signs.
(10)
Reflective signs or signs containing mirrors.
(11)
Roof signs.
(12)
Signs erected without the permission of the property owner, with the exception of those authorized or required by local, state or federal government.
(13)
Signs incorporating beacon or festoon lighting.
(14)
Signs that emit sound, smoke, vapors, particulate matter, or odor or contain open flames.
(15)
Signs containing statements, words or images of obscene or pornographic subjects, as determined by the Borough.
(16)
Signs that prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape or that prevent free access from one part of a roof to any other part. No sign other than a safety sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
§ 310-140 General sign regulations.
A.
Packages, permits, fees and procedures.
(1)
A sign permit shall be required in order to erect, install, relocate, modify or change any sign within the Commercial Districts unless otherwise indicated in this section. "Modify," as it is used herein, shall mean cabinet or face replacement due to a change in the nature or name and ownership of the business or replacement of supporting structures.
(a)
To obtain a sign permit, applicants must complete a sign permit application that includes the following information:
[1]
A drawing prepared to scale of the proposed sign showing all sign dimensions, including the height of the sign, the grade level of base of sign or pole(s) and sign materials and colors.
[2]
A lot plan showing proposed sign locations.
[3]
Any building elevations showing proposed sign locations.
[4]
The sources of sign illumination and applicable details of the fixture and screening.
(b)
The landowner or developer of the lot shall sign the application for a permit. The tenant of the lot, if not the landowner or developer, shall be permitted to sign the permit application if he or she can present notarized evidence that the tenant has permission to act on behalf of the landowner and/or developer.
(2)
All proposed developments shall be required to submit a sign package to the Borough's Planning Commission for approval prior to any sign permits being issued to businesses within the development. This provision shall apply to new construction after the effective date of this article. Sign packages shall include a detailed description of the type, size and location of all signs for each unit within the complex/center, as well as any pole or monument sign.
(3)
Failure to conform to the conditions of a sign permit, including any conditions and/or stipulations attached thereto, shall render such permit void.
(4)
Fees for sign permits shall be required and payable in such sums as Borough Council may establish by ordinance from time to time.
(5)
No sign permit shall be valid or effective after six months from the date of issuance thereof and shall thereafter be void unless the sign is in place as of the expiration date.
B.
Design, construction and installation.
(2)
All signs shall be designed to be compatible in character and style with regard to materials, color and size of the building, other signs on the building and other adjoining parcels in order to produce an overall unified effect.
(3)
All freestanding signs shall be submitted to Planning Commission for review at the time of site plan approval in all commercial districts according to the following parameters:
(a)
Continuity: Signs shall be reviewed in relation to the zoning district and shall have a continuity of design.
(b)
Style/color: The color of a sign shall be compatible with the color of the building and shall consist of architectural elements that relate the sign to the building.
(c)
Lettering: The lettering of a sign shall be large enough to be easily read, but not overly large or out of scale with the building. An excessive amount of information on signs where visual clutter could create a potential safety hazard to motorists shall be prohibited.
(d)
Materials: All building and freestanding signs shall be fabricated with materials of good quality and durability that are consistent with or complementary to the building. The use of banners unframed or directly attached to the building shall not be considered compliant with this section.
C.
Landscaping.
(1)
Landscaping surrounding monument or pole signs shall consist of a combination of deciduous and evergreen ornamental grasses, groundcover and/or small shrubs. Turf grass shall not be considered as landscaping for signs.
(2)
Pole sign: For each visible sign face, the landowner and/or developer shall provide landscaping equivalent to two square feet for each square foot of sign area.
(3)
Monument sign: For each visible sign face, the landowner and/or developer shall provide landscaping equivalent to 1 1/2 square feet for each square foot of sign area.
D.
Maintenance.
(1)
Every permitted sign shall be kept in good condition and repair. Any sign that is allowed to become dilapidated as determined by the Zoning Officer may be removed by the Borough at the expense of the owner or person in possession of the lot on which the sign is located. The Zoning Officer will notify the responsible party with a certified letter prior to the Borough taking any removal action.
(2)
Any damaged sign shall be repaired within 60 days.
(3)
Any sign which has been damaged to such extent that it may pose an imminent hazard to passersby, as determined by the Building Inspector, shall be repaired or removed immediately.
(4)
Any internally illuminated sign cabinets or sign panels which have been damaged shall remain nonilluminated until repaired.
(6)
Failure to comply with these sign maintenance requirements shall constitute a violation of the Zoning Ordinance.
E.
Dimensions.
(1)
Area: The maximum permitted area for all signs is determined by the sign type and the zoning district in which the sign is located. The area of a sign shall refer to the area of all lettering, wording and accompanying designs, logos and symbols.
(a)
The area of a sign shall not include any supporting framework, bracing or trim which is incidental to the display, provided that it does not contain any lettering, wording or symbols.
(b)
Where the sign consists of individual letters, designs or symbols attached to a building, awning, wall or window, the area shall be that of the smallest rectangle which encloses all of the letters, designs and symbols.
(c)
Permanent ground/monument signs installed perpendicular to a street may be double-faced with the allowable square footage on each face. Double-faced signs which are erected at an angle to each other will be subject to the interpretation of the Zoning Officer as to whether they are intended as two signs or for all intents and purposes only constitute one sign for North/South, East/West orientation on the serving street.
(d)
Pole signs which are perpendicular to the street may be double-faced with the allowable square footage on each side. Double-faced pole signs shall not be erected at angles.
(2)
Height: The permitted maximum height for all signs is determined by the sign type and the zoning district. Maximum sign height shall be measured from the existing or proposed average ground level to the top of the sign structure to the mean finished grade of the street closest to the sign.
(a)
In the case of a sign located greater than 100 feet from a public street, height shall be measured from the mean grade at the base of the sign, provided the ground level is not deliberately elevated to increase the height of the sign. The height of any decorative base or architectural or landscape feature erected to support or ornament the sign shall be measured at average grade as part of the sign height. Clearance for freestanding and projecting signs shall be measured as the smallest vertical distance between finished grade and the lowest point of the sign, including any framework or structural elements.
(b)
In no case shall a wall, projecting or awning sign exceed the height of building allowed in the zoning district.
(c)
Sign copy mounted or painted on an illuminated surface (including awnings) or illuminated architectural element of a building shall be measured as the entire illuminated surface or architectural element which contains sign copy. A nonilluminated sign placed on an awning shall be measured as if placed on any other architectural element.
F.
Illumination.
(1)
Signs may be illuminated, unless otherwise specified herein, consistent with the following standards:
(a)
No sign may incorporate any flashing or moving illustration, illumination that varies in intensity, or visible movement achieved by electric pulsations or by actions of normal wind currents, except when not visible from motor vehicles traveling on public roadways.
[1]
This regulation shall apply to waving banners, fluttering appurtenances and balloons or other special devices.
[2]
This regulation shall not apply to banners used as temporary signs as long as they are secured and not waving or fluttering and comply with maximum size limits. Flags shall not be considered banners.
(b)
Glare control shall be achieved primarily through the use of such means as cutoff fixtures, shields, baffles and appropriate application of fixture mounting height, wattage, aiming angle and fixture placement. Vegetation screens shall not be used as the primary means for controlling glare.
(2)
Where permitted, illumination may be:
(a)
External:
[1]
The source of the light must be concealed by translucent covers and shall be a steady, stationary light source shielded and directed solely at the sign. The light source must be static in color.
[2]
The light source shall be totally screened from view and shall not cause glare hazardous or distracting to pedestrians, drivers or adjacent properties. Lighting shall be aimed and controlled so that light is confined to the maximum extent possible to the objects that are intended to be lit.
G.
Location.
(1)
No sign shall be placed, erected or located so that:
(a)
It endangers pedestrians, bicyclists or traffic on a street by obscuring the view or by interfering with official street signs or signals by virtue of position or color.
(b)
It interferes with any surface or underground utility or communications lines or equipment.
(c)
It is pasted, stapled or otherwise attached to public utility poles or trees within the street right-of-way line.
(d)
It is on a public lot or public right-of-way or within a sight triangle, unless erected or required by a governmental body, or required to be so located by order of a governmental body.
(e)
It is painted on, attached to or supported by a tree, stone, hillside or other natural objects.
(f)
It is displayed on a vehicle parked and visible from a public right-of-way unless the vehicle is used for the normal day-to-day operation of a business on the premises. The intent of this provision is to prohibit the use of a sign on a vehicle to circumvent sign limits on a lot.
(2)
Signage shall not be lettered or painted directly upon the wall or any other part of the building except for windows.
(3)
Building signs shall be placed on the front face of the building only, except in instances where the entrance door to the business is on the side or the rear of the building. In any case, no signs may face an immediately adjacent residential zoning district.
(4)
Illuminated window signs shall include lit signs placed inside a window facing the exterior of a building. A permit shall be required only for illuminated window signs exceeding four square feet.
(5)
No pole signs shall be permitted in the following commercial districts: CBD, GWS.
H.
Removal. Obsolete signs which advertise a business no longer operating on the premises or a product no longer sold shall be removed within 60 days. If the sign is a conforming sign in all respects except for placement, only the letter portions of such signs must be removed.
I.
Nonconforming signs and signs for nonconforming uses.
(1)
No nonconforming advertising sign, billboard or nonresidential advertising structure shall be moved to another position on the building or lot on which it is located or modified in size or shape after the effective date of this article or amendment thereto.
(2)
Whenever the nature of the business conducted on the premises changes or the signs are modified in size, shape or location, the sign shall then be brought into conformance with current regulations. Whenever the ownership and the name of a business changes and signs are modified in size, shape or location, the sign shall then be brought into conformance with current regulations.
(3)
A sign on a nonconforming use may be continued, but the size, shape or location of such a sign shall not be modified.
(4)
A sign which is nonconforming as to location on a lot or building shall not be enlarged or modified in any way.
(5)
In the event that any nonconforming advertising sign, billboard, nonresidential advertising structure or statuary is damaged by casualty to the extent of 75% of its cost of replacement at the time of destruction, or becomes dangerous, dilapidated or an imminent hazard, such sign shall not be restored or replaced except in conformity with the regulations of this article.
(6)
Whenever any use of a building, structure or land ceases, all nonconforming signs may be removed by the Borough at the expense of the owner or person in possession of the lot on which said sign is located after official notification.
J.
Liability. The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed as relieving or limiting in any way the responsibility or liability of any person, firm or corporation, erecting or owning any sign, or resulting from the negligence or willful acts of such person, firm or corporation, its agents, employees or workmen, in the construction, maintenance, repair or removal of any sign erected in accordance with a permit issued hereunder; nor shall issuance of such permit be construed as imposing on the Borough or its officers or employees, any responsibility or liability by reasons of approval of any sign's structural integrity, construction methods, materials, electrical or mechanical devices or other components which shall be the sole responsibility of the person, firm or corporation erecting, owning, repairing or removing such sign.
§ 310-141 Type-specific regulations.
This section contains provisions that apply across all commercial districts to each category of sign. Dimensional requirements specific to districts appear in the following section.
A.
Freestanding signs. No freestanding sign may occupy an area designated for parking, loading, walkways, driveways, fire lane, easement, right-of-way or other areas required to remain unobstructed, except for official traffic signs and government/regulatory signs.
(1)
Monument signs shall be a maximum of six feet in height. The base shall be constructed with materials used on the main structure and permanently affixed to the ground in such as manner as to incorporate it into the landscape and architectural design scheme.
B.
Wall signs. No portion of a wall sign shall be mounted less than eight feet above the finished grade or extend more than 12 inches from the facade on which it is affixed. If the wall sign projects less than three inches from the building wall on which it is affixed, the eight-foot height requirement does not apply. Wall signs shall not exceed the width of the front of the building on which they are located.
D.
Canopy/awning signs.
(1)
A canopy or awning without lettering or other advertising shall not be regulated as a sign.
(2)
Canopy or awning signs must be centered within or over architectural elements such as windows or doors.
(3)
No awning or canopy sign shall be wider than the building wall or tenant space it identifies.
(4)
Height: The lowest edge of the canopy or awning sign shall be at least eight feet above the finished grade.
(5)
Placement: Letters or numerals shall be located only on the front and side vertical faces of the awning. Logos or emblems are permitted on the top or angled portion up to a maximum of three square feet. No more than one emblem or logo is permitted on any one awning or canopy.
(6)
Any ground-floor awning projecting into a street right-of-way must be retractable.
(7)
If the awning or canopy sign is mounted on a multitenant building, all awning or canopy signs shall be similar in terms of height, projection and style across all tenants in the building.
E.
Window signs. Incidental window signs less than two square feet in area, such as the business's hours of operation and credit cards accepted, shall be excluded from area calculations for window signs.
F.
Marquee signs. No part of a marquee sign shall extend vertically above the eaveline. The lowest edge of the marquee sign shall be at least 10 feet above the finished grade.
G.
Off-premises signs (billboards).
(1)
Location: Billboards shall only be erected as a principal use only in the "C" General Commercial District. They are not a use permitted by right in the CBD, MID or GWS districts.
(2)
Spacing: Off-premises signs shall be:
(a)
Limited to a maximum of one two-sided billboard per property.
(b)
Not mounted on a roof, wall or other part of a building or any other structure.
(c)
Erected in such a manner as to not block the view from the road or street of any existing business sign, residential or nonresidential structure.
(d)
Set back from the ultimate right-of-way a distance equal to the height of the off-premises sign or 15 feet, whichever is greater.
(e)
Located no closer than 25 feet from any property line.
(f)
Located no closer than 50 feet from any building, structure or on-premises sign located on the same property.
(g)
Located no closer than 1,500 feet from another off-premises sign on either side of the road, measured linearly.
(h)
Located no closer than 500 feet from any intersection or interchange.
(i)
Located no closer than 1,000 feet from any property line abutting a public park, playground, religious institution, cemetery, school or residential district.
(j)
Not attached to the external wall or otherwise affixed to any part of any building and shall not extend over any public property or right-of-way.
(k)
Not located on utility rights-of-way or pipelines.
(l)
Not located on a bridge.
(3)
Size and height.
(a)
A billboard shall have a maximum allowable gross surface area of 250 square feet per sign. A billboard shall have a maximum of two sign faces per structure. However, the gross area of each sign face shall not exceed the maximum of 250 square feet.
(b)
There shall be a maximum height of 35 feet from ground the finished grade to top of sign, measured at the center of the sign. The lowest sign edge shall be at least seven feet above the finished grade.
(4)
Illumination. Off-premises signs may be externally illuminated, provided that all light sources are designed, shielded, arranged and installed to confine all illumination to the surface of the sign and away from adjoining properties, and that light sources are not visible from any street or adjoining properties.
(5)
Landscape plan.
(a)
The entire base of the billboard structure on the side of the sign face shall be permanently landscaped with suitable shrubbery and/or bushes a minimum of three feet placed in such manner as to screen the foundation of the structure.
(b)
Permanent landscaped trees (minimum three-foot diameter) shall form a base and/or backdrop to the billboard sign when practical in the opinion of the Zoning Officer.
(6)
Permit requirements. A sign permit application must be submitted to the Planning Department in accordance with the general sign regulations of this article in addition to the following requirements:
(a)
Every 10 years, the owner of the billboard shall have a structural inspection made of the billboard by a qualified Pennsylvania registered engineer and shall provide to the Borough a certificate from the engineer certifying that the billboard is structurally sound.
(b)
Annual inspections of the billboard shall be conducted by the Borough to determine compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(c)
The issuance of a permit for any billboard by the Borough shall be conditioned upon the approval of permit by PennDOT within 30 days of the issuance of the permit.
H.
Temporary signs.
(1)
Temporary signs shall:
(a)
Be displayed for no more than 30 consecutive days up to three times per calendar year.
(b)
Relate to activities on the property where they are erected, such as a yard sale, festival or special event.
(c)
Not require a sign permit; however, they shall be labeled with the date of erection.
(d)
Be anchored or secured to their designated location so as not to be portable or affected by winds.
(2)
Temporary signs on wheels or with changeable letters are not permitted.
(3)
Not more than one temporary sign per property will be permitted at any one time.
I.
Portable signs. Unlike temporary signs, portable signs may be displayed indefinitely, but are limited in terms of their hours of display within any single day. Portable signs are designed to be easily transported.
(2)
Sandwich board signs or three-dimensional figures that comply with the requirements in this subsection shall not be included in the determination of the type, number or area of signs allowed on a property.
(3)
One sandwich board sign is permitted per establishment. Each sign shall have a maximum area of seven feet per sign face and a maximum height of 3.5 feet.
(4)
One three-dimensional figure is permitted per establishment. Each shall have a maximum height of six feet.
(5)
If a sign or figure is located on a sidewalk, a minimum of 36 inches of unobstructed clearance must be maintained. The sign or figure shall not interfere with pedestrian ingress or egress as required by the Building Code.
(6)
The sign or figure shall be located within three feet of the primary entrance of the establishment it advertises.
J.
Other permanent signs.
(1)
Monument signs may be erected to identify institutional, governmental, school, park or residential developments at the entrance to the property or plan and may be double-faced, provided that:
(a)
Permits are required.
(b)
Illumination is external by white light only.
(c)
Maximum size is 20 square feet.
(d)
If such signs are erected at a new driveway (institutional, governmental) or street intersection (subdivision), the double-faced allotment may be placed one on each side of the intersection.
(2)
Changeable copy signs:
(a)
Manual changeable copy signs are permitted only when integrated into a freestanding, marquee or wall sign.
(b)
Electronic changeable copy signs (message center or digital display) integrated into a freestanding, marquee or wall sign shall be a conditional use in all commercial districts. Additionally:
[1]
The content of electronic changeable copy signs shall not flash, pulsate, move or scroll. The content must transition by changing instantly (no fade-out or fade-in).
[2]
Glare control shall be achieved primarily through the use of such means as cutoff fixtures, shields, and baffles, and appropriate application of fixture mounting height, wattage, aiming angle, and fixture placement. Vegetation screens shall not serve as the primary means for controlling glare.
[3]
The electrical supply to all exterior signs, whether to the sign itself or to lighting fixtures positioned to illuminate the sign, shall be provided by means of concealed electrical cables. Electrical supply to freestanding signs shall be provided by means of underground cables.
[4]
During daylight hours, luminance shall be no greater than 5,000 nits. At all other times, luminance shall be no greater than 250 nits.
[5]
The minimum message duration shall be no less than 10 seconds.
(3)
Gasoline service stations shall be allotted 10 additional square feet to display price-per-gallon figures.
(4)
A menu board at drive-through restaurants shall not exceed 36 square feet or contain company identification more than four inches high. They are not counted toward total sign allotment.
§ 310-142 District-specific regulations.
This section contains provisions that specify the types, dimensions and other characteristics of signs that may be erected in each zoning district. Where regulations in this section are more restrictive than those set in § 310-141, Type-specific regulations, the more restrictive provisions will supersede for the purpose of establishing or maintaining the Borough's desired neighborhood character.
A.
Community Business District, Midtown District and Gateway South District.
(1)
In addition to the exempt signs described in § 310-139, the following numbers and types of signs may be erected in the CBD, MID and GWS Districts, subject to the conditions specified in this chapter.
(a)
Any sign permitted in residential districts, for the appropriate uses, as defined and regulated in Article VIII, Residential Signs.
(b)
Up to one flag as defined and regulated in § 310-139C(9).
(d)
First-floor occupants may erect wall, awning/canopy and projecting signs as specified below, subject to a limit of two square feet per one linear foot of building frontage that faces a public street or parking lot and subject to maximum size limitations based on sign type. First-floor occupants may additionally erect window signs and marquee signs as specified below.
(e)
Upper-floor occupants may erect only projecting and/or window signs as specified below, except that projecting signs for upper-floor occupants shall not exceed a total sign area of 18 square feet, where each sign face shall not exceed nine square feet.
(f)
Owners of multistory buildings with multiple tenants may erect one upper-story projecting sign per building for building/landmark identification, according to the area, height and illumination standards specified below.
(2)
Wall signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Number: one sign per street-level tenant. Where a store has entrances facing both a street and a parking lot, a second sign is permitted to face the parking lot.
(b)
Area: No single wall sign shall exceed 24 square feet in area.
(c)
Height: Signs shall have a maximum height equal to the eaveline or the bottom of the second-story window sill, whichever is lower.
(3)
Awning or canopy signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(4)
Projecting signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Number: one sign per ground-floor establishment, plus one sign per building entrance serving one or more commercial tenants without a ground floor entrance.
(b)
Area: Each sign shall have a maximum area of six square feet per sign face.
(c)
Height: Signs shall have a maximum height equal to the eaveline or the bottom of the second-story window sill, whichever is lower.
(5)
Internal illumination. Window signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Area: A maximum of 15% of the total window area of any single storefront may be used for permanent signs that are etched, painted, or permanently affixed to the window. A maximum of 25% of the total window area of any single storefront may be covered by a combination of permanent and temporary window signs.
(6)
Marquee signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(7)
In addition to building signs, freestanding signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Pole signs may be erected only in MID. Monument signs may be erected only in GWS. Neither shall be permitted in CBD.
(b)
Number: one sign per street frontage, up to two signs per property held in single and separate ownership.
(c)
Area: Each sign shall have a maximum area of 50 square feet plus an additional 10 square feet per tenant up to a maximum of 100 square feet.
(d)
Height: Pole signs shall have a maximum height of 20 feet, and monument signs shall have a maximum height of six feet.
B.
All other commercial districts.
(1)
In addition to the exempt signs described in § 310-139, the following numbers and types of signs may be erected in all other commercial districts, subject to the conditions specified in this chapter.
(a)
Any sign permitted in residential districts, for the appropriate uses, as defined and regulated in Article VIII, Residential Signs.
(c)
Wall, awning/canopy and projecting signs, subject to a limit of 1.5 square feet per one linear foot of building frontage that faces a public street or parking lot and subject to maximum size limitations based on sign type.
(d)
Window signs, marquee signs and freestanding signs for nonresidential uses, as specified below.
(2)
Wall signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Number: one sign per street-level tenant. Where a store has entrances facing both a street and a parking lot, a second sign is permitted to face the parking lot.
(b)
Area: Each sign shall have a maximum area of 32 square feet per sign face.
(c)
Height: Signs shall have a maximum height equal to the eaveline.
(4)
Projecting signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Number: one sign per ground-floor establishment, plus one sign per building entrance serving one or more commercial tenants without a ground floor entrance.
(b)
Area: Each sign shall have a maximum area of eight square feet per sign face.
(c)
Height: Signs shall have a maximum height equal to the eaveline.
(5)
Window signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Area: A maximum of 25% of the total window area of any single storefront may be used for permanent signs that are etched, painted, or permanently affixed to the window. A maximum of 35% of the total window area of any single storefront may be covered by a combination of permanent and temporary window signs.
(6)
Marquee signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(7)
In addition to building signs, freestanding signs for nonresidential uses shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Number: one sign per street frontage, up to two signs per property held in single and separate ownership.
(b)
Area: Each sign shall have a maximum area of 50 square feet plus an additional 10 square feet per tenant up to a maximum of 100 square feet.
(c)
Height: Pole signs shall have a maximum height of 20 feet, and monument signs shall have a maximum height of six feet.