Barnegat Light City Zoning Code
§ 215-12
Signs.
A.
Signs in residential zones.
(1)
No signs, billboards, advertising structures or similar items are permitted except as follows:
(a)
Street signs at public or private streets, lanes or drives erected by the borough or county or approved by the Borough Council.
(b)
Signs on homes setting forth the owner's or resident's name and/or address not to exceed two square feet in size.
(c)
One lighted professional office announcement sign not over two square feet in size.
(d)
One unlighted home occupation announcement sign not over two square feet in size.
(e)
One lighted sign not to exceed 12 square feet in area at each driveway to a church, school, public museum or similar public use, plus signs not to exceed two square feet in area necessary to provide directions to specific buildings and to off-street parking areas. Such signs shall be set back a minimum distance of five feet from any street line.
(2)
Real estate signs are prohibited on improved parcels, except that no more than one sign not over six square feet in area and bearing a sale or rent message may be exhibited thereon by the owner of the property or by a real estate broker, it being the express intention to permit no more than one such sign to be maintained at any time. Any real estate sign erected pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall be placed and erected only in such manner that no portion of the sign extends beyond the lot on which the sign may be erected.
(3)
No more than one sign shall be permitted advertising vacant land for sale or rent, and it shall not exceed six square feet in area.
(4)
These requirements shall not apply to a permanent announcement board erected by churches or similar institutions but which shall be of conventional size, not to exceed 32 square feet.
(5)
Lighted signs, where permitted, shall not include exposed bulbs or tubings or flashing lights.
(6)
In this zone, the trim or framing device shall be included in calculating the sign area permitted.
(7)
During the construction of a single building, one sign may be maintained on the construction site by each of the contractors and subcontractors concerned, provided that such sign does not exceed six square feet in area. Termination of the construction shall be determined by the Construction Code Official.
B.
Signs in commercial zones.
(1)
No signs, billboards, advertising structures or similar items are permitted, except as follows:
(b)
Premises or point-of-sale signs, including illuminated or lighted types but excluding flashing or moving signs, are permitted, provided that:
[1]
There shall be on any parcel or use no more than two signs with an aggregate area not exceeding 40 square feet plus 10% of the sign area for border area, and the aggregate length of the sign or signs shall not exceed 12 feet.
[2]
No attached sign shall project more than five feet beyond the building line or more than six feet beyond the face of any building.
(2)
In addition to the signs mentioned in this subsection, signs may be painted upon or attached to the exterior commercial structure, provided that it or they may not exceed in total over 10% of the ground floor plan (with a maximum of 3,000 square feet in any event) actually devoted to the business described in such sign, and provided further that a sign may be more than five feet in height if its width does not exceed five feet. No sign thus arranged vertically shall exceed 12 feet from the bottom of the sign.
(3)
A point-of-sale sign may be erected on any commercially zoned property owned by the proprietor of a business conducted on that property.
(5)
In making application for any freestanding sign, the applicant shall provide to the Construction Code Official a plot plan or survey of the property not over one year old or, if such survey or plot plan is over one year old, it shall be accompanied by an affidavit sworn under oath by the applicant that the plot plan or survey remains accurate and that no changes have been made in the property. Such survey or plot plan shall be certified to and sealed by a licensed surveyor or engineer of the State of New Jersey.
C.
Political signs. Signs bearing a political message are permitted in all zones under the following conditions:
(1)
No such signs shall exceed 16 square feet in total area.
(2)
Any sign espousing any political candidate for public office shall be removed within 48 hours following the closing of the polls for the election of that candidate to the office to which that candidate aspires.
(3)
Signs bearing a political message in support of or in opposition to any public question to be voted on at any election shall be removed within 48 hours following the closing of the polls at which such question is voted upon by the electors.
(4)
Any political message not addressing itself to a question to be voted upon by the electorate may be maintained for a reasonable period of time, following which it shall be promptly removed upon order of the Mayor and Council. The Mayor and Council may delegate their power to order removal to the Chief of Police, the Zoning Officer or such other municipal employee as they may from time to time by resolution designate. In determining the reasonableness of the period of time the Mayor and Council or their designee shall weigh the following factors:
(a)
The timeliness of the message as it pertains to current public political discussions, with reference to media coverage and the general timeliness of the topic.
(b)
The impact of the message on present or potential residents and property owners of the Borough of Barnegat Light.
(c)
The absence of the creation of a clear and present danger to persons or properties.
(d)
The likelihood of the message to incite an immediate breach of the peace.
D.
Signs prohibited in the public right-of-way. No sign shall be placed by any person within any public right-of-way or street right-of-way within the Borough of Barnegat Light. Additionally, no signs shall be placed on any property owned by the Borough of Barnegat Light unless authorization is received from the appropriate officials of the Borough of Barnegat Light. This prohibition shall not apply to signs placed on behalf of or by any political subdivision of the State of New Jersey or the State of New Jersey. Nor shall this prohibition apply to temporary signs placed in connection with construction on a right-of-way or made necessary because of said construction. Preexisting signs shall be afforded nonconforming structure protection provided by § 215-15 of this chapter.
[Added 3-27-1995 by Ord. No. 95-138]