Bradford City Zoning Code

Signs attached to trees, utility poles or official traffic control devices or signs within the public right-of-way;

Signs that imitate traffic control devices;

Signs on or affixed to vehicles and/or trailers that are parked on a public right-of-way, or on any public property or private property other than the site of the business it advertises, except for maintenance, repair, loading, unloading or rendering a service at any location, where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct people to a business or activity located on nearby property, but not including temporary construction trailers authorized by this chapter.

In the case of an advertising panel, the surface area of the sign shall be the total area enclosed by one continuous line connecting the extreme points or edges of the advertising panel containing letters;

In the case of freestanding letters mounted on a wall or other surface, the surface area of the sign shall be the sum of the areas of each individual letter calculated by measuring the distance between the highest and lowest points of each letter and multiplying that distance by the distance between the extreme horizontal distance across the letter;

In the case of freestanding ground signs, the area shall not include the main supporting structure, any structural trim, as defined herein, and/or the framework around or connections between advertising panels;

In the case of letters that are painted on or affixed to an awning, canopy or marquee, the surface area of the sign shall be the area of the geometric shape formed by outlining the height and width of all the letters, including free space between the letters.

Except for billboards, as defined and authorized by this chapter, all signs shall be located on the premises that they are intended to serve.

No sign shall be located so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape. No sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.

Illumination, when authorized by this chapter, shall be directed upon the sign face and not towards adjoining properties or streets. Flashing or oscillating signs shall not be permitted. Lighting shall be stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times, except that electronic changeable copy signs, where authorized, may have a changing message, provided each message is stationary for at least three seconds. The intensity of any source of illumination of any sign, whether indirect or internal, shall be controlled so as to not exceed a maximum of 0.2 footcandle at the property line.

All illuminated signs shall comply with §§ 178-5, 178-20 and 178-21 of the City Code and Chapter 103, Electrical Standards, of the City Code.

Identification sign for public or semipublic buildings. One permanent ground sign that is nonilluminated or indirectly illuminated shall be permitted to identify any church, school, library or similar public or semipublic building, provided that the height of the sign shall not exceed six feet and the surface area of the sign shall not exceed 24 square feet. Up to 75% of the surface area of the sign may be a changeable copy sign, as defined herein.

Business identification sign for authorized uses by special exception or legal nonconforming uses. One nonilluminated or indirectly illuminated ground sign shall be permitted to identify a legal nonconforming use or a nonresidential use authorized as a use by special exception, provided the height of the sign shall not exceed six feet and the surface area of the sign shall not exceed 24 square feet in area.

Real estate, development or contractor signs. One nonilluminated temporary ground sign shall be permitted on each lot to advertise the sale, rental or proposed development of the property or to announce the names of contractors, mechanics or artisans performing work on the property, provided the sign shall not exceed six feet in height and shall not exceed 12 square feet in surface area. Such sign shall be removed within 30 days of the sale or rental of the property or completion of the work performed on which it is located.

Temporary special event sign. One nonilluminated temporary ground sign shall be permitted to be erected on the face of a public building, church or other building housing a nonprofit organization, to advertise a special event or promotion, provided that height of the sign shall not exceed six feet and the surface area of the sign shall not exceed 40 square feet and further provided that the sign is displayed for a period no longer than 30 days and is removed within five days following the event or promotion that it is erected to advertise.

Home occupation identification sign. One nonilluminated ground sign shall be permitted for an approved home occupation, provided that the height of the sign shall not exceed six feet and the surface area of the sign shall not exceed one square foot. The sign shall contain only the name, address and occupation of the resident and shall not contain any logo or other advertising. Signage shall not be authorized for a no impact home based business, as defined herein.

Identification sign for public or semipublic buildings. One permanent wall sign that is nonilluminated or indirectly illuminated shall be permitted to identify any church, school, library or similar public or semipublic building, provided that the surface area of the sign shall not exceed one square foot for each two lineal feet of the length of the building wall on which it is to be mounted.

Business identification sign for authorized uses by special exception or legal nonconforming uses in residential districts. One nonilluminated or indirectly illuminated wall sign shall be permitted to identify a legal nonconforming use or a nonresidential use authorized as a use by special exception in an R-1, R-2 or R-3 District, provided that the surface area of the sign shall not exceed one square foot for each two lineal feet of the length of the building wall on which it is to be mounted.

In the M-C, C-1, C-2, M-1 and M-2 Districts, ground signs may be nonilluminated, indirectly illuminated or internally illuminated.

In the M-C and C-1 Districts, one ground sign shall be permitted per lot, provided that the surface area of the sign shall not exceed 60 square feet.

In the C-2 and M-1 Districts, one ground sign shall be permitted per lot, provided that the surface area of the sign shall not exceed 100 square feet.

In the M-2 District, one ground sign shall be permitted at each entrance to a business, provided that the surface area of each sign shall not exceed 200 square feet.

In the M-C, C-1, C-2, M-1 and M-2 Districts, the signs may be nonilluminated, indirectly illuminated or internally illuminated.

In the M-C and C-1 Districts, more than one wall sign shall be permitted, provided that the cumulative surface area of all signs shall not exceed 100 square feet.

In the C-2 and M-1 Districts, more than one wall sign shall be permitted, provided that the cumulative surface area of all signs shall not exceed 150 square feet.

In the M-2 District, more than one wall sign shall be permitted, provided that the cumulative surface area of all signs shall not exceed 300 square feet.

In the C-2, M-1 and M-2 Districts, one changeable copy sign shall be permitted for each lot. The changeable copy sign may be nonilluminated, indirectly illuminated or internally illuminated. The changeable copy sign shall be affixed to the wall of a building or shall be made part of an existing or proposed ground sign. The maximum surface area of the changeable copy sign shall be 32 square feet.

Electronic changeable copy signs shall be permitted, provided the following regulations are met:

No more than one portable sign shall be permitted on a lot, regardless of the number of businesses on the lot.

The surface area of a portable sign shall not exceed 18 square feet.

The portable sign shall be located so that pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk is not blocked, access to any on-street or off-street parking spaces is not impeded and the clear sight triangle required by § 220-94D is maintained.

The portable sign shall be removed and stored inside a completely enclosed building, as defined herein, when the business is closed.

The portable sign shall not be used during inclement weather conditions such as high winds or heavy snowfall when the sign could create a hazard for pedestrian or vehicular traffic or snow removal.

The portable sign shall be located on the premises with the business it is advertising and shall only contain information related to features, products or services available on the premises.

No more than two signs or banners shall be permitted on any business establishment at any one time;

Portable signs shall not be used as temporary special event signs;

The temporary special event signs shall be securely attached to the building or to the supporting structure of a freestanding pole business identification sign;

Temporary special event signs shall be displayed no more than three times in any twelve-month period, provided each display shall not exceed 30 days;

The aggregate surface area of all temporary special event signs shall not exceed 24 square feet per establishment. In the event that there is more than one establishment on a site, the maximum aggregate surface area of all temporary special event signs on the site at any one time shall not exceed 70 square feet.

Billboards shall not be erected within 500 feet of the boundary line of any C-D, R-1, R-2 or R-3 District or within 500 feet of any public or private school, church or cemetery, said 500 feet being measured along the radius of a circle from the centermost point of the billboard structure extending in all directions.

Billboards shall not be erected within 500 feet of an interchange or safety rest area measured along the interstate or limited access highway from the beginning or ending of the pavement widening at the exit from or entrance to the main-traveled way.

Billboards shall maintain a lateral minimum spacing between any existing or proposed billboard of 1,000 feet. Required spacing shall be measured along both sides of the same roadway frontage from the centermost point of the billboard structure along a line extending from the centermost point of the billboard in both directions along the roadway to which the billboard is oriented.

No part of the billboard shall be located closer than 15 feet to any limited access federal highway right-of-way.

For all other billboards not located along limited access federal highway rights-of-way, the minimum front, side and rear yard requirements applying to a principal structure as set forth within the zoning district in which the billboard is to be located shall apply to all parts of each billboard structure.

No billboard shall be erected in such a manner as to block the view from the street, of any existing business identification sign or any residential or nonresidential structure, or limit or reduce the light and ventilation requirements for those structures.

No billboard shall be constructed within the clear sight triangle of the public street on which it is situated, as defined by § 220-94D, of this chapter, and shall not in any case obstruct or impede traffic safety.

No billboard shall be erected over any sidewalk or public right-of-way.

Billboards shall not be part of a roof or wall nor shall they be mounted on the roof, wall or other part of a building or any other structure.

A billboard shall have no more than two sign faces per billboard structure which may be placed back to back or in a V-shaped configuration having an interior angle of 90° or less.

Neither dimension of the billboard's sign face shall exceed 24 feet in total height or 30 feet in total length, provided the total allowable gross surface area for the sign face is not exceeded.

A billboard structure shall have a maximum height of 40 feet above the curb of the roadway from which it is intended to be viewed.

A billboard structure shall have a maximum of one vertical support being a maximum of three feet in diameter or width and without additional bracing or vertical supports.

A billboard sign face shall be independently supported and have vertical supports of metal that are galvanized or constructed of approved corrosive-resistant, noncombustible materials. Structures constructed with galvanized metal shall be painted.

The one vertical support shall be capable of enabling the entire sign face to be able to withstand a minimum wind load of 100 miles per hour. Structural design computations shall be made and certified by a registered engineer and shall be submitted to the City.

The base shall be installed using a foundation and footings approved by the City Engineer for the type of construction proposed.

The entire base of the billboard structure parallel to the sign face shall be permanently landscaped with suitable shrubbery and/or bushes of minimum height of three feet placed in such manner as to screen the foundation of the structure.

Landscaping shall be maintained by the sign owner in an attractive and healthy manner in accordance with accepted conservation practices.

No bare cuts shall be permitted on a hillside.

All cuts or fills shall be permanently seeded or planted.

A billboard with display lighting shall be constructed so that it does not glare upon adjoining property and shall not exceed a maximum of 1.0 footcandle upon the adjoining property.

Display lighting shall not operate between 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m. prevailing local time.

No billboard structure, sign face or display lighting shall flash or emit noise. No display lighting shall cause distractions, confusion, nuisance or hazard to traffic, aircraft or other properties.

A billboard structure shall be entirely painted every three years, unless constructed of an approved corrosive-resistant material.

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 City of Bradford a written report and certification from that engineer certifying that the billboard is structurally sound.

Annual visual inspections of the billboard may be conducted by the City of Bradford to determine continuing compliance with this chapter. Upon such inspection, the owner shall pay an annual inspection fee, as established from time to time, by resolution of City Council.

Billboards found to be in violation of this chapter shall be brought into compliance or removed within 30 days upon proper notification by the City issued in accordance with § 220-141 of this chapter.

Billboards using removable paper or other materials shall be maintained in such condition as to eliminate loose or frayed material protruding or hanging from the structure. All paper and other waste materials shall be removed from the site and disposed of properly whenever any sign face is changed.

Prior to submission of an application for a sign permit, the applicant for a billboard shall obtain and submit with the application, approvals from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), when applicable.

For billboards proposed to be located along state highways, the issuance of a sign permit shall be conditioned upon the approval of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). If the applicant fails to submit evidence of the required approval by PennDOT within 60 days of the issuance of the conditional sign permit, the sign permit shall be revoked by the Zoning Officer, who shall provide written notice to the applicant.

The applicant may reapply for the required sign permit, upon submission of evidence of PennDOT approval, without payment of any additional sign permit fee, provided the application is filed within six months from the date of expiration of the conditional sign permit.

Any billboard that does not conform to the requirements of this section shall not be enlarged or moved unless the billboard complies with all provisions of this § 220-121.

Any billboard that is damaged or destroyed by more than 51% of its replacement value at the time of damage or destruction shall be reconstructed only in compliance with all provisions of this § 220-121.