Andover City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XII
Signs
§ 134-55 General provisions.
[Amended 10-8-1979; 8-11-1986 by Ord. No. 230; 12-27-1993 by Ord. No. 305; 5-10-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-2]
A.
If the letters, illustration, display or background are attached to the face of a building, the vertical height or horizontal width of the sign shall be such height or width of the largest letter or of the illustration, display or background, whichever is greater. If a sign has two display faces, the maximum area requirement shall be permitted on each side. Signs with more than two display faces are prohibited.
B.
Permits. No sign shall be constructed or displayed within the Borough unless and until a permit has first been obtained from the Zoning Officer, upon submission of the required application and fees.
C.
Exemptions. The following signs are exempted from permitting requirements:
(1)
"No hunting," "no fishing," "garage sale" and "no trespassing" signs. No sign shall exceed 12 square feet in area.
(3)
"Entrance" and "exit" signs, "open" and "closed" signs per Subsection H below, traffic directional signs, and temporary safety, traffic or warning signs approved by the appropriate governmental authority.
(4)
Political signs.
(5)
The flag of a government or noncommercial institution, such as a school.
D.
Temporary signs.
(1)
The owner or owners of premises may post, display or erect a maximum of three temporary signs on their premises, subject to the following conditions:
(a)
Temporary signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in area.
(b)
The advertising display sign may be attached to a vehicle, but the sign shall conform to all other requirements for signs in the zone in which the sign or vehicle is located.
(c)
Temporary signs shall not be posted, displayed or erected prior to 40 days of the date of the related event, occasion or election and must be removed within seven days after the event, occasion or election related to the sign.
(d)
Temporary signs are subject to all other general provisions set forth for signs, and no temporary sign shall be displayed within 15 feet of any intersection or right-of-way.
(e)
Political signs and customary warning, trespassing and posted signs, traffic directional signs, and safety signs are excluded from the requirements of this section.
(f)
No more than 10 signs shall be permitted for any one event.
E.
Political signs. Political signs may be placed in any zone, subject to the following requirements:
F.
The following signs are prohibited in all zoning districts:
(1)
Moving or rotating signs, streamers, pennants, flags, balloons, spotlights or spinners or similar objects and devices across, upon, over or along any premises or building, whether as a part of any sign or for advertising or public attraction or otherwise, are prohibited in all zones; provided, however, that this provision shall not apply to United States and New Jersey flags and decorations customarily used for locally celebrated holiday displays or Borough celebrations.
(2)
No sign shall be placed so as to interfere with or be mistaken for a traffic light or similar safety device or to interfere with traffic visibility or create any sort of safety hazard.
(3)
No sign shall be lighted by means of flashing or intermittent illumination. All lights used for illumination of signs, either directly or indirectly, of any use or building or of the area surrounding them shall be completely shielded from the view of any vehicular traffic along any public right-of-way and shielded from any abutting owners or users.
(4)
Off-premises advertising signs and billboards; newspaper delivery boxes, unless the color of such blends with the surrounding area and any lettering is primarily for identification rather than advertising purposes.
(5)
No sign shall be placed, erected or continued to be displayed within or along any right-of-way, intersection or driveway in such a manner to obstruct free and clear vision, including required sight distances.
(6)
Roof signs.
(7)
Signs causing interference with radio or television reception.
(8)
Signs obstructing doors, fire escapes or stairways or keeping light or air from windows used for living quarters.
(9)
Signs placed on awnings, trees, fences, or utility poles.
(10)
Signs painted on or affixed to water towers, storage tanks, smokestacks or similar structures or to trees, rocks or other natural things.
G.
Real estate signs.
(1)
Not more than one "for sale" or "for rent" sign shall be displayed on any property; except that on a corner lot, one sign may face each street. Each sign shall not exceed six square feet in area and must otherwise conform to the general sign requirements. Such signs shall not be illuminated.
(2)
Once the property has been sold or leased, all signs shall be removed.
(3)
Not more than one additional real estate sign shall be displayed on any property scheduled for a residential open house, provided that the sign may only be displayed seven days in advance of the open house and thereafter must be removed within five days after the event is concluded. The sign must otherwise conform to the general sign requirements.
(4)
Real estate signs advertising the sale or lease of lots within a subdivision or units in a site plan shall be limited to one sign per entrance to the property, and each sign shall be no larger than 12 square feet in area. Such signs shall be removed within 10 days of the sale or lease of the lot or premises.
H.
"Open" and "closed" signs.
(1)
Not more than one "open" and/or "closed" sign shall be displayed on a window or door for any lawfully existing business on a property; except that for a business on a corner lot, with frontage on two streets, one sign may face each street.
(2)
Each sign shall not exceed two square feet in area and must otherwise conform to the general sign requirements. Such signs shall not be lighted by means of flashing or intermittent illumination.
§ 134-56 Residential zones.
[Amended 6-9-1986 by Ord. No. 224; 5-10-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-2]
In all residential zones, only the following signs shall be permitted:
B.
A sign deemed necessary to the public welfare by the governing body.
C.
A sign not more than 24 square feet in area publicizing the name of the area or publicizing the name of a church on the premises, its pastor and its coming activities.
D.
Signs locating and advertising subdivisions of land and projects requiring site plan approval, which have received tentative or final approval by the Borough, provided that no such sign shall exceed 24 square feet in area, exceed two in number, nor be located closer than 15 feet to any street line. Such sign permits shall be valid for a period of six months, and then such signs shall be removed, unless the permit is renewed. Such signs shall be removed, in the case of land subdivisions, when either 75% of the lots created have been built upon or after 75% of the lots have been sold by the developer, whichever should occur first; and in the case of projects receiving site plan approval, upon the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
E.
No sign shall be erected or attached to the roof of any building.
F.
Professional office signs, no larger than three square feet in area.
§ 134-57 Nonresidential zones.
[Amended 6-9-1986 by Ord. No. 224; 9-14-1987 by Ord. No. 243; 8-13-1990 by Ord. No. 281; 12-27-1993 by Ord. No. 305; 5-10-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-2]
In all nonresidential zones, signs are permitted as regulated in § 134-56 above, and commercial signs shall be permitted, provided that all signs shall be accessory to the business conducted on the property, and provided that the following requirements are met:
A.
A business establishment shall be permitted only one sign for each side of the building or the establishment that abuts on a street, attached to such side, subject to the following conditions:
(1)
Said sign shall be erected parallel to the face of the building, except where otherwise hereinafter provided.
(2)
No sign shall extend further than six inches from the face of the building upon which it is attached. Where a sign extends more than three inches from the face of the building, the bottom of said sign shall not be closer than 10 feet to the ground level below said sign.
(3)
The maximum height of any sign shall not exceed 10% of the height of the wall to which it is attached or two feet, whichever is less.
(4)
The maximum width of any sign shall not exceed 50% of the width of the wall or 12 feet, whichever is less.
(5)
The maximum area of any sign shall not exceed 24 square feet.
B.
Where a business establishment has a legally existing canopy or marquee constructed as an integral part of the building, a sign may be attached to the face of or erected on top of the canopy or marquee in place of a permitted wall sign, provided that said sign does not extend above the highest point of the building wall to which the canopy or marquee is attached, and further provided that:
(1)
Signs attached to the face of the canopy or marquee shall not extend above, below or to the sides of the face of said canopy or marquee nor extend more than three inches from the face of said canopy or marquee.
(2)
Signs erected on top of the canopy or marquee shall not extend beyond the face or edge of said canopy or marquee.
(3)
For the purpose of this section, a "canopy" or "marquee" shall mean a covering extending from a building wall, having a horizontal bottom surface located at least eight feet above the sidewalk or the ground below, but not including any extension of the building roof.
(4)
Maximum sign area and size shall be determined by the size and dimensions of the wall to which the marquee or canopy is attached.
C.
Automotive service stations may, in addition, display the following signs, which are deemed by the Zoning Officer, customary and necessary to such respective businesses:
(1)
One freestanding or pylon sign advertising the name of the station or garage and for the principal products sold on the premises, including any special company or brand name, insignia or emblem, provided that each such sign shall not exceed 64 square feet in area on a side and shall be erected not less than five feet from the property line and not less than 10 nor more than 25 feet above the ground.
(2)
Directional signs or lettering displayed on the building wall over individual entrance doors or bays, consisting only of the words "washing," "lubrication," "repair," "mechanic on duty" or other words closely similar in import, provided that there shall be not more than one such sign over each entrance or bay, that the letters thereof shall not exceed 12 inches in height and that such letters shall be limited to a single line.
(3)
Customary lettering on, or other insignia which are a structural part of, a gasoline pump, consisting only of the brand name of gasoline sold, lead warning sign, a price indicator and any other sign required by law and not exceeding a total of three square feet on each pump.
D.
In addition to the foregoing signs, business establishments other than automotive service stations may construct and install one freestanding sign, subject to the following requirements:
(1)
All freestanding signs shall be located in the front yard only and shall be located at least 15 feet from any right-of-way, intersection or property line.
(2)
The area of said sign shall not exceed one square foot for each linear foot of setback from the street line or 100 square feet, whichever is the lesser.
(3)
The height of the sign structure, including its supporting members, shall not exceed one foot for each linear foot of front yard setback or 25 feet, whichever is the lesser.
(4)
The bottom of the sign display area shall be either at least eight feet above the ground surface or not more than two feet above the ground surface.
E.
General provisions for nonresidential signs.
(1)
No sign shall be closer than 50 feet to the point of intersection of any two street lines.
(2)
Lights shall be so located and shielded as to prevent any glare or blinding effect upon adjacent properties or roadways.
(3)
No neon or similarly illuminated signs of red, yellow or green color may be located in such a fashion as to diminish or detract in any way from the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar safety or warning device. The Board shall seek a determination from the Police Department for any sign which may contravene this provision.
(4)
In the event that there is more than one tenant lawfully existing on a nonresidential property, each tenant shall be permitted to have a nameplate sign in addition to the permitted sign(s) on the property. Each nameplate sign shall be no larger than three square feet in area.
(5)
No business or advertising sign structure erected directly upon the ground shall be within 20 feet of any other such sign structure.
(6)
No sign shall extend above the roofline.
(7)
No sign shall be located on the roof of any building.
(8)
Floodlights used for the illumination of said premises or of any sign thereon, whether or not such floodlights are attached to or separate from the building, shall not project above the highest elevation of the front wall of the building or more than 25 feet above the street level of the premises, whichever is less.
(9)
Signs shall be of such materials and construction as to be consistent with the architectural theme of the development. It is the specific intent of this provision to provide a desirable visual environment in the most viable portion of the Borough.
(10)
Signs regulating traffic, parking, loading and unloading shall be permitted as necessary on each property, subject to the Zoning Officer’s approval. All such signs shall be no larger than three square feet in area, and the bottom of each sign shall be located at least three feet above the ground where it is located.
F.
(Reserved)
G.
Temporary business signs. Any owner or operator of an existing business located in a nonresidential zone shall be permitted, in addition to any other sign(s) permitted pursuant to provisions of this chapter, upon issuance of a permit by the Zoning Officer, to erect one additional temporary sign related to the business being conducted on the property. All temporary signs shall comply with the provisions of § 134-55D, and such signs shall be erected for no more than 60 days, and no more than three such signs shall be permitted in a calendar year.
H.
Grand openings. A business newly established, relocated or refurbished shall be permitted to erect, in addition to any other permitted sign(s), a maximum of two additional temporary signs indicating a grand opening, subject to the following conditions:
(1)
Additional temporary signs, banners and pennants shall not interfere with the safe sight distance for persons entering or exiting the property or other properties.
(2)
Additional temporary signs, banners and pennants shall be permitted for a maximum period of two weeks.
(3)
Additional temporary signs shall not include signs which blink or rotate. Such signs may be freestanding or attached to the facade of the structure, strung between the structure and freestanding signs in any combination so as to achieve its purpose without engendering a safety hazard. If the Zoning Officer deems that a hazard shall exist, any sign, banner or pennant causing such hazard shall be removed immediately.
(4)
Temporary grand opening signs shall not be constructed or displayed within the Borough unless and until a permit has first been obtained from the Zoning Officer, upon submission of the required application and fees.
§ 134-58 (Reserved) [1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 134-58, IP Industrial Zone, as amended, was repealed 5-10-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-2.