(a)

The sign regulations as herein set forth are intended to control the size, location, character and other pertinent features of all exterior signs.

(b)

The purpose of this article is to regulate all exterior signs so as to protect health, safety and morals and to promote the public welfare. The regulations are also to reduce pedestrian and traffic hazards and visual disturbance from signs and to meet community standards for aesthetic qualities.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 501; Ord. No. 2012-01T, § I, 6-25-2012)

(a)

Use by right; building permit required. The table in section 66-134 presents regulations for permanent signs in each zoning district identified by this chapter. Signs which conform to these regulations are a use by right, but each such sign also requires a building permit. Only signs as described herein and as may be described under the temporary signs, section 66-126, and exemptions, section 66-126, will be permitted in each zoning district.

(b)

Zoning districts created after adoption of article provisions. If a new zoning district is created after the enactment of the ordinance from which this article is derived, no signs shall be permitted therein until this article shall be amended to include said district.

(c)

Joint identity sign for commercial or industrial area. In any commercial or industrial zoning district, a joint sign identifying a commercial or industrial area and/or its occupants may be allowed by special use permit. This sign may be in addition to the maximum number and total area of signs for the parcel, but must comply with the applicable limits for sign size, height and setbacks.

(d)

Table of regulations. Please see pages at the end of this article.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 502; Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, 3-28-2022)

Temporary signs: Sign, temporary, means any sign which is to be displayed for a limited period of time only, including but not limited to, banners, pennants, streamers, fabric signs, wind-animated objects, clusters of flags, festoons of lights and searchlights. A temporary sign may be of rigid or non-rigid construction. A sign that is not permanently installed in the ground or permanently affixed to a building.

The following signs shall be permitted anywhere within the township and shall conform with all yard requirements herein, and all temporary sign ground-mounted shall not exceed a height of six feet above ground level, and permitted signs shall conform to the following cited requirements:

(1)

Temporary signs. Temporary signs which are unlit and not over 32 sq ft in area total for all temporary signs.

(2)

Show window signs. Signs in a window display merchandise when incorporated with such a display.

(3)

Temporary portable signs. Not to exceed a total height of six feet and total sign area of 32 square feet, provided that the other requirements of this zoning chapter are complied with and provided that such a sign is not displayed for more than a total of 30 days in any calendar year. All portable signs require a permit (see section 66-131(c)).

(4)

Special purpose/event signs. Any other temporary signs, subject to the restrictions outlined in the following table of special purpose sign regulations and to the location restrictions for permanent signs in the applicable zoning district. All special purpose/event signs require a permit.

TABLE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE/EVENT REGULATIONS FOR TEMPORARY SIGNS

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 503; Ord. No. 2012-01T, § I, 6-25-2012; Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, 3-28-2022)

The following types of signs are exempted from all the provisions of this chapter, except for the following requirements.

(1)

Public signs. Signs of a noncommercial nature and in the public interest, erected by, or on the order of, a public officer in the performance of his public duty, such as safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, traffic signs, memorial plaques, signs of historical interest and the like.

(2)

Institutional signs. Signs setting forth the name of any single announcement for any nonprofit located entirely within the premises of that institution, up to an area of 32 square feet. Such signs may be illuminated in accordance with the regulations contained hereinafter. If building mounted, these signs shall be flat wall signs and shall not project above the roofline. If ground mounted, the top shall be no more than seven feet above ground level.

(3)

Items that are an integral part of structure. Names of buildings, date of erection, monumental citations, commemorative tablets and the like when carved into stone, concrete or similar material or made of bronze, aluminum or other permanent-type construction and made an integral part of the structure.

(4)

Private traffic direction. Signs directing traffic movement onto a premises or within a premises, not exceeding three square feet in area for each sign. Illumination of these signs shall be permitted in accordance with the section hereinafter included on illumination. Horizontal directional signs on and flush with paved areas are exempt from these standards.

(5)

Small signs. Signs not exceeding two square feet in area, attached flat against the building, stationary and not illuminated, announcing only the name and occupation of building tenant.

(6)

Temporary land development signs. Pertaining to the sale, lease, rent or development of a subdivision, planned shopping center, industrial park or similar land parcel are allowed for a period of one year upon issuance of a permit by the board of appeals and further said permit may be extended for one additional year by the zoning board of appeals, after duly advertised public hearing. Total number of signs allowed, together with maximum size, shall be controlled according to the following schedule:

Signs are not allowed on parcels of less than one acre and shall not exceed a maximum height above ground of six feet for freestanding or ground mounted signs.

(7)

Rentals. Signs on the premises announcing rooms for rent, board, apartment, or house for rent and not exceeding four square feet.

(8)

Vehicles. Signs on vehicles of any kind, provided the sign is painted or attached directly to the body of the original vehicle and does not project or extend beyond the original manufactured body proper of the vehicle.

(9)

Farms. Homes of occupants and other identification, painted or otherwise made a part of the surface or roof of a barn or other accessory building pertaining to and identifying the owner and/or activity of the farm unit provided said identification is not for advertising purposes.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 505; Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, 3-28-2022)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, adopted March 28, 2022, repealed the former § 66-126, and enacted a new § 66-126. The former section pertained to similar subject matter off-premises commercial signs and derived from Ord. of May 30, 2000, § 504. Subsequently, Ord. No. 2022-01 renumbered the former §§ 66-127—66-134 as §§ 66-126—66-133 as set out herein. The historical notation has been retained with the amended provisions for reference purposes.

Refer to section 66-88.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 506; Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, 3-28-2022)

Note— See editors note in § 66-126.

The following signs are prohibited unless a variance shall be applied to and granted by the township zoning board of appeals:

(1)

Contain statements, words, or pictures of an obscene, indecent, or immoral character, such as will offend public morals or decency.

(2)

Contain or are in imitation of an official traffic sign or signal or contain the terms: "stop," "go slow," "caution," "danger," "warning," or similar words.

(3)

Are of size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination that may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device or which hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal.

(4)

Move in any manner or have a major moving part. Moving parts include banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers, strings of light bulbs, spinners, or other similarly moving devices.

(5)

May swing or otherwise noticeably move as a result of wind pressure because of the manner of their suspension or attachment.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 507; Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, 3-28-2022)

Note— See editors note in § 66-126.

(a)

Any electrical illumination of a sign shall be done in full compliance with the electrical code in force and adopted by the Carrollton Township.

(b)

Light from any illuminated sign shall be so shaded, shielded or directed that the light intensity or brightness will not be objectionable to surrounding areas.

(c)

Except as otherwise provided for in this article, no sign shall have blinking, flashing or fluttering lights or other illuminating device, such as changing light intensity, brightness, or color. No sign shall utilize moving patterns of light so as to convey an illusion of motion or animation. Beacon lights are not permitted.

(d)

No colored lights shall be used at any location or in any manner so as to be confused with or construed as traffic control devices.

(e)

Neither the direct, nor reflected light from primary light sources shall create a traffic hazard to operators of motor vehicles on public thoroughfares.

(f)

No exposed reflective-type bulbs and no strobe light or incandescent lamp which exceeds 15 watts shall be used on the exterior surface of any sign so as to expose the face of the bulb, light or lamp to any public street or adjacent property.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 508; Ord. No. 2012-01T, § I, 6-25-2012; Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, 3-28-2022)

Note— See editors note in § 66-126.

All signs shall comply with the pertinent requirements of the building code and all other applicable chapters. Signs that are 100 square feet or larger must be erected on structural or tubular steel supports. Where the back of a sign is visible, it shall be suitably painted or otherwise covered to present a neat and clean appearance. No guy wires are permitted.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 509; Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, 3-28-2022)

Note— See editors note in § 66-126.

(a)

Required. Prior to construction or establishment of any sign, a permit shall be obtained from the building official.

(b)

Time limit of work completion. A sign permit shall become null and void if the work for which the permit was issued has not been completed within a period of six months after the date of the permit.

(c)

Not required for certain operations. The following operations shall not be considered as creating a sign and therefore shall not require a sign permit:

(1)

Replacing copy. The changing of the advertising copy or message on an approved painted or printed sign or billboard or on a theater marquee and similar approved signs which are specifically designed for the use of replaceable copy.

(2)

Maintenance. Painting, repainting, cleaning and other normal maintenance and repair of a sign or a sign structure unless a structural change is made.

(3)

Portable temporary signs. A sign permit shall be obtained prior to placement of any portable sign (see regulations for portable signs in section 66-125(6)).

(4)

Temporary signs. See regulations for temporary sign in section 66-125.

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 510; Ord. No. 2012-01T, § I, 6-25-2012; Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, 3-28-2022)

Note— See editors note in § 66-126.

(a)

Inspection. Signs for which a permit is required may be inspected periodically by the building official for compliance with this and other codes of the municipality.

(b)

Traffic safety. No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct the view of approaching vehicular or pedestrian traffic from any direction or present a hazard to the safe flow of traffic. In the event that any sign violates this requirement, the township police or the code enforcement officer may remove such sign to protect traffic. The owner of the property or business operator where such sign is located shall first be notified of its impending removal. The property owner or business operator shall be given opportunity to alter or replace such a sign within 24 hours to make it comply with this section.

(c)

Tagging. All signs requiring permits shall display, in a place conspicuous to inspectors the name of the owner or erector as the inspector may designate.

(d)

Maintenance. All signs and components thereof shall be kept in good repair and in safe, neat, clean, and attractive condition.

(e)

Removal of sign. The building official may order the removal of any sign erected or maintained in violation of this Code. The official shall give 30 days' notice in writing to the owner of such sign, or of the building, structure, or premises on which such sign is located, to remove the sign or to bring it into compliance. The building official may remove a sign immediately and without notice if, in his opinion, the condition of the sign is such as to present an immediate threat to the safety of the public.

(f)

Abandon signs. A sign shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the premises upon which the sign is located when the business, which it advertises, is no longer conducted on the premises. If the owner or lessee fails to remove it, the building official shall give the owner 15 days' notice to remove it. Upon failure to comply with this notice, the building official or his duly authorized representative may remove the sign at cost to the owner. When a successor to a defunct business agrees to maintain the signs as provided in this Code, this removal requirement shall not apply.

(Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, 3-28-2022)

Note— See editors note in § 66-126.

Following is the table of sign regulations for the township:

Sign Regulations for Township

Sign descriptions:

Ground. A freestanding sign where the base of the sign structure is permanently in the ground or integrated into landscaping or other solid structural feature. Must be ten feet above a sidewalk and 15 feet above a driveway.

Wall. A sign attached to, painted on, placed against, or supported by the exterior surface of any building. Wall signs also include marquees and canopy signs.

Marquee. Any hood, canopy, awning, or permanent construction that projects from a wall of a building.

Projecting. A sign affixed to any part of a building or structure that extends beyond the building or structure by more than 20 inches.

Roof. A sign erected, constructed, or maintained upon, or which projects above, the roof line of a building.

Integral. signs made an integral part of the wall of the structure or roof for farm buildings. Or when carved into stone, concrete, or similar material or made of bronze, aluminum, or other permanent type construction.

Electronic message boards. A sign or portion thereof that is an electronic message board shall not be greater than 24 square feet in area and shall comply with the following regulations:

1.

If signs are determined to be a nuisance or traffic hazard, the maximum brightness for the sign shall be reduced so not to exceed an illumination of 5,000 NITS (candelas per square meter) during daylight hours or 1,000 NITS (candelas per square meter) during the period from sunset to sunrise, as measured from the sign face at maximum brightness.

2.

Each electronic message board shall have a dimmer control to produce a distant illumination change from a higher illumination level to a lower one for the period from sunset to sunrise. Each sign must appropriately adjust display brightness to conform with applicable brightness specifications as ambient light levels change at each such location due to sunrise, prevailing weather conditions or otherwise.

3.

No additional electronic message board is permitted on the building if it is visible from a public road.

# Must be ten feet above a sidewalk and 15 feet above a driveway.

* Must have 100-foot setback from R-1 zone. ; Ord. No. 2022-01, § 1, 3-28-2022)

(Ord. of 5-30-2000, § 511; Ord. No. 2012-01T, § I, 6-25-2012)

Note— See editors note in § 66-126.