Bloomsbury City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVIII
Signs
§ 270-140 General provisions.
All signs within the Borough of Bloomsbury shall be erected, constructed or maintained in accordance with the provisions of this article. No existing sign shall be enlarged, rebuilt, structurally altered or relocated except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and until a permit has been issued by the Zoning Officer. The issuance of a permit shall not relieve the owner or lessee of the premises from the duty of maintaining any sign safely. No sign of any description shall be installed, erected, constructed or maintained in such a manner as to obstruct any fire escape or window or door. Every sign constructed or maintained shall be plainly marked with the name of the person, firm or corporation erecting or maintaining such sign.
A.
Traffic safety. No sign shall be erected in the Borough that:
(2)
Would tend by its location, color, shape, message or nature to be confused with or obstruct the view of traffic signs or traffic signals by motorists or pedestrians; no red, green or yellow illuminated sign shall be permitted within 300 feet of any traffic signal.
(3)
Uses admonitions such as "Stop," "Go," "Slow," "Danger," etc., which might be confused with traffic directional signs.
(4)
Is other than an official traffic control device or street sign if erected within or encroaching within the right-of-way lines of any street unless specifically authorized by other ordinances or regulations of the Borough.
B.
Firesafety, light and air. No sign shall be erected or constructed that will violate any of the Borough regulations as to health, required light, safety or areas defined in the Building Code of the State of New Jersey.
C.
Maintenance. Whenever a sign becomes structurally unsafe or endangers the public safety, the Zoning Officer shall order that such sign be made safe or removed. Such order shall be complied with within 10 days of the receipt thereof by the person, firm or corporation owning or using the sign or the owner of the building or premises on which unsafe sign is affixed or erected. Failure to obey orders shall be a violation of this chapter.
D.
Types of signs. No sign shall contain flashers, animation or mechanical movements or contrivances of any kind.
E.
Illumination. Illumination devices such as, but not limited to, floodlights or spotlights shall be placed and so shielded as to prevent the rays of illumination thereof from being cast into neighboring dwellings or approaching vehicles.
F.
Signs over pedestrian walks. No portion of any sign shall be located within or suspended over a pedestrian walk within a ten-foot vertical clearance thereof.
G.
Historical site or monument. No sign shall be permitted within 100 feet of the lot line of any historical site or monument.
H.
Setback from residential district. When signs are located along the district boundary of any residential district, the signs shall be set back not less than 75 feet from such residential district boundary line and they shall be screened from the adjoining residential district by shrubbery, a wall or other suitable device.
I.
Nonconforming signs. Any sign existing at the time of adoption of this chapter that does not conform in use, location, height or size to the regulations of the district in which the sign is located shall be considered a nonconforming use and may continue in such use in its present location until replacement or rebuilding becomes necessary, at which time a permit will be required and the sign brought into conformity with this chapter.
J.
Movable signs. No permanent sign so constructed as to rotate or to be movable, or which shall be placed on a standard sitting upon the ground, shall be placed or permitted to remain on any part of any street, sidewalk, parkway, curb or other public place.
K.
Signs overhanging vehicle parking areas and/or passageways are prohibited.
[Added 5-14-1996 by Ord. No. 803-96]
§ 270-141 Permit procedure.
A.
Administration. The Zoning Officer shall only issue a permit for the erection or construction of a sign which meets the requirements of this article. Any aggrieved person may appeal the decision of the Zoning Officer by filing such appeal with the Planning Board.
B.
Filing procedure. Application for permits to erect, hang or place a sign shall be submitted on forms obtainable from the Zoning Officer. Each application shall be accompanied by plans showing the area of the sign; size and character; method of illumination, if any; the exact location proposed for such sign and, in case of a projecting or freestanding sign, the proposed method of fastening such sign to the building, structure or ground; the vertical distance between such sign and the finished grade; and the horizontal distance between such sign and the curb and also between such sign and the nearest lot line.
C.
Additional information. Each applicant shall, upon the request of the Zoning Officer, submit any additional information deemed necessary by said Zoning Officer.
§ 270-142 Signs not requiring permits.
The following signs may be erected, constructed, placed and maintained without a permit from the Zoning Officer. Only one sign of those listed below is permitted on any lot.
A.
Home occupation sign. One sign not to exceed three square feet in area may be permitted to identify a home occupation, provided that a permit to have that home occupation has been issued by the Zoning Officer.
B.
Temporary real estate sign. Such sign shall not be illuminated and shall not exceed nine square feet.
C.
Incidental sale of farm products sign. Any incidental sign advertising the sale of farm products grown or produced on the premises, in any zoning district where agricultural use is permitted, provided that such sign shall not exceed 12 square feet in area and shall be at least 100 feet from the nearest street intersection of a street and at least five feet from the cartway and without the side yard setbacks. Such signs shall not be illuminated.
D.
Temporary construction site sign. Any temporary construction site sign erected on the site during the period of construction to announce the name of the owner or developer, contractor, architect, landscape artist or engineer. Such sign shall not be illuminated. In no event shall a temporary sign be located upon a premises for more than six months in a calendar year.
E.
Temporary contractor signs. Temporary signs of mechanics, painters and other artisans, provided that such sign shall be on the lot where such work is being performed, does not exceed 12 square feet, and shall be removed upon completion of the work. In no event shall a temporary sign be located upon a premises for more than six months in a calendar year.
F.
Legal process and public welfare signs. Signs incident to legal process of law and necessary to the public welfare.
G.
Customary signs. Customary warning, trespassing and posted sign or signs indicating the private nature of a driveway or property, provided that the size of the sign does not exceed three square feet.
H.
Directional or information signs. Directional or information signs of a public or semipublic nature, subject to the following conditions:
(1)
Not exceeding eight square feet in area. Not more than one such sign shall be placed on each lot. For lots which have frontage on more than one street, one sign may erected on either frontage but not on both. Such signs shall be only used for the purpose of stating or calling attention to:
(a)
The name or place of a meeting of an official or civic body, such as the Chamber of Commerce or service club.
(b)
An event of public interest, such as a public or general election, worship or public meeting, local and community fair, volunteer fire department fair, and other similar community activities and campaigns.
(c)
Soil conservation, 4-H and similar projects.
(2)
Not exceeding two square feet in area for each one-foot width of the building facade of the principal building or 35 square feet, whichever is smaller. Such sign must be attached to the building and shall not project more than three inches from the face of said wall. The bottom of said sign shall not be closer than 10 feet to the ground level nor higher than 15 feet from ground level. Such sign shall not have a vertical dimension in excess of five feet. If such building has frontage on more than one street, the total area for all signs on all frontages shall not exceed 35 square feet. Such signs shall be used only for the purpose of stating or calling attention to the name or location of the Borough or its services, community service centers, public or private schools, or places of worship.
§ 270-143 Signs requiring permits.
§ 270-144 Signs in residential districts. [1]
This includes those areas of the Agriculture - Residential District that include single-family dwellings. This includes those areas of the PUD District that include single-family dwellings, multifamily dwellings, townhouses and two-family dwellings. No signs are permitted in this district, except those identified in § 270-142.
§ 270-145 Signs in B-1, B-2, PUD and ROM Districts.
Signs in the PUD area are limited to utilities, office buildings, scientific or research facilities and places of worship. The following types of signs shall be permitted, provided that a permit is issued by the Zoning Officer. For those signs identified in § 270-142 no permit is required.
A.
Business sign. The sign shall not exceed two square feet in area for each one-foot width of the building facade which is devoted to the principal business or 35 square feet, whichever is smaller. Such sign is subject to the following regulations:
(1)
Any sign attached to a building shall not project more than three inches from the face of said wall. The bottom of said sign shall not be closer than 10 feet to ground level nor higher than 15 feet from ground level.
(2)
Such sign shall not have a vertical dimension in excess of five feet.
(3)
A freestanding sign shall not exceed a height of 15 feet measured from the ground level to the topmost portion of the structure. The bottom edge of the sign shall be not less than 12 inches above the ground.
[Amended 5-14-1996 by Ord. No. 803-96]
(a)
Not more than one freestanding sign per lot shall be permitted on any one street frontage.
(b)
Such sign may be interior lighted with nonglaring lights or may be illuminated by shielded floodlights. No lights of intermittent or flashing type shall be permitted. Such signs shall not have any changing messages.
(c)
Such sign shall be no closer than 50 feet to a side yard lot line. If said lot line is adjacent to a different district such sign shall be no closer than 75 feet to that lot line.
(d)
Supporting frames for all such signs shall be of permanent materials, such as steel, concrete or masonry. If such sign and/or supporting structure is not higher than six feet above the ground the supporting frame may be made of wood.