A sign may be erected, placed, established, painted, constructed, or maintained in the Borough only in conformance with the standards, procedures, exemptions, and other requirements of this article.

All signs, unless specifically stated otherwise in this article, shall relate to the use or occupancy of the property upon which the sign is located.

Temporary window signs in nonresidential districts, provided they are not illuminated and do not exceed more than one square foot in area.

Official governmental agency signs, including traffic control signs, traffic or directional signs, street signs, emergency, historical markers, and signs posted by government agencies.

Light displays in nonresidential districts. Lights and decorations with no commercial message are permitted in nonresidential districts from October 15 to January 15, and no more than 10 days before and no more than three days after any federal holiday. Such lights shall be small clear or white bulbs and shall not blink or flash, and shall not extend more than 15 feet from the ground level.

A contractor's identification sign, provided such signs shall not exceed three square feet in sign area and three feet in height and shall be located on the property where the work is being performed and only during the period of such work.

Flags and emblems of a government or of a political, civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organization.

Noncommercial signs on private property, provided that such signs shall not exceed three square feet in sign area and three feet in height. Noncommercial signs may be placed on private property for not more than 30 days prior to an event date and must be removed within five days following an event date, and in no case shall any such sign be displayed for more than 35 days. Noncommercial signs as defined by this subsection shall include political signs or signs expressing an opinion on a noncommercial issue. Noncommercial signs placed in the public right-of-way shall be subject to § 165-100F.

Portable signs.

Official governmental agency signs, including traffic control signs, traffic or directional signs, street signs, emergency, historical markers, and signs posted by government agencies.

Bus stop signs erected by a public transit company.

Informational signs of a public utility regarding its poles, lines, pipes, or facilities.

Awnings, canopies, flags, or signs projecting over a public right-of-way in conformity with the provisions of this article.

Emergency warning signs erected by a governmental agency, a public utility company, or a contractor doing authorized or permitted work within the public right-of-way.

Noncommercial signs, provided that such signs shall not exceed three square feet in sign area and three feet in height. Noncommercial signs may be placed in the right-of-way for not more than 30 days prior to an event date and must be removed within five days following an event date, and in no case shall any such sign be posted for more than 35 days. An exemption from the Borough Zoning Officer, which shall include a listing of all intended signs and dates the signs will be in place, shall be required prior to the placement of any noncommercial sign in the right-of-way. Noncommercial signs as defined by this subsection shall include political signs or signs expressing an opinion on a noncommercial issue. Noncommercial signs placed on private property shall be subject to § 165-98F.

Portable signs in conformance with § 165-98G.

Garage sale signs in conformance with Chapter 154 and § 165-106.

All signs not specifically permitted are prohibited.

Signs located or designed in such a manner so as to constitute a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

Inflatable signs.

Tethered balloons (except that noncommunicative decorative balloons not greater than 12 inches in diameter are permitted as stated in § 165-101C).

Flashing, animated, fluttering or rotating signs (with the exception of barber poles) or signs with the optical illusion of movement, including running lights having the primary effect of calling attention to a building or to elements of a building.

Wind signs, such as flags, pennants, or spinners [except as permitted under §§ 165-98B(2) and 165-105I].

Signs with more display surfaces than the two faces of a freestanding vertical sign. Examples of this type of prohibited sign are triangular or three-dimensional signs.

Portable signs for commercial purposes (except as permitted under §§ 165-98G and 165-106C).

Signs placed, inscribed or supported upon the roof or upon any structure which extends above the roof or any building, except such directional devices as may be required by Federal Aviation Administration.

Any sign indicating that a property has been leased or sold, with such language as (but not limited to) "sold," "leased," "too late" or "gone."

Billboards.

Signs incorporating projected images.

Signs that are temporarily or permanently affixed to standpipes, fire escapes, light poles, utility and traffic sign poles, Borough flagpoles, or any poles that are owned or operated by a governmental entity or public utility, except for signs placed by such governmental entity or public utility.

Signs that are temporarily or permanently erected on Borough-owned property or within the right-of-way, except as provided herein.

Signs located within a sight triangle, except for traffic regulatory signs posted by governmental agencies.

Internally illuminated signs using gas, chemical or fluorescent colors, including white, where tubing is visible. This includes all signs commonly described as neon, neon-like and/or fluorescent neon type. LED signs are not permitted unless they are inlaid channel lighting.

Signs that cause glare on adjacent property as set forth in § 165-78.

Signs for commercial purposes other than the use being made of the premises on which the sign is located.

Beacons and searchlights.

Construction, maintenance, and lighting.

Sign design. Signs shall adhere to the following design guidelines:

Applications for sign permits of any kind and applications for approval of a master signage plan shall be submitted to the Borough Zoning Official on an application form or in accordance with application specifications published by the Borough Zoning Official.

Fees. Each application for a sign permit or for approval of a master signage plan shall be accompanied by the applicable fees, which shall be established by the governing body of the Borough.

Completeness. Within 10 business days of receiving an application for a sign permit, the Borough Zoning Official shall review it for completeness. If the application is incomplete, the Borough Zoning Official shall, within such ten-day period, send a notice to the applicant setting forth the deficiencies in the application.

Action.

Signage on development applications. Before acting on a development application for a nonresidential use where installation or modification of any sign is proposed, the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment, as the case may be, shall, immediately after receipt of a complete application, refer the master signage plan to the Borough Zoning Official, who shall, within 10 business days, review the master signage plan and submit his recommendations to the Board.

Any application for a sign permit in any nonresidential district shall be accompanied by a master signage plan. A master signage plan shall also be included in any development plan or site plan required by the Borough for a proposed development in which the installation or modification of any sign is proposed.

The following information shall be included on a master signage plan for each existing and proposed sign, with the exception of incidental signs:

The master signage plan shall include a sketch or photograph showing the dimensions of each facade, window, and canopy of the building to which a sign is to be attached, in sufficient detail to show the location, dimension and area of all existing and proposed permanent signs affixed to the walls, windows, and awnings to the building. These dimensions shall be shown either on the sketch or on the photograph.

In addition, for lots with existing or proposed freestanding signs, a plot plan shall be submitted, showing the location of buildings, parking lots, driveways, and landscaped areas, as well as the existing or proposed signs.

The Borough Sign Committee may request color swatches and material samples for review of any application.

Wall signs. Wall signs are permitted only on the facades of buildings facing on a public street, public right-of-way or municipal parking lot. The following restrictions shall apply:

Freestanding signs. The following restrictions shall apply:

Side or rear entrance signs. When a business, in addition to a front entrance, also has a public entrance at the side or rear of a building and no other side or rear wall sign, a nonilluminated or externally illuminated sign identifying the occupant shall be permitted at such an entrance, provided it does not exceed six square feet in area.

Awning or canopy signage.

Projecting signs. In the B-4 District only, and only on streets abutting Main Street, either one projecting sign per premises or the allowable facade sign(s) shall be permitted. The projecting sign shall be hung from the ground-floor facade at least 10 feet above ground level, shall project no more than four feet from the building facade, have a total area not exceeding four square feet, and illumination shall only be external. The issuance and continuation of such a sign permit shall be conditioned on the sign owner obtaining and maintaining in force liability insurance for such a sign in such form and such amount as the Borough Administrator may reasonably from time to time determine, provided that the amount of such liability insurance shall be at least $1,000,000 and shall name the Borough of Chatham as an additional insured on such policy.

Incidental signs. Incidental signs of one square foot or less in area are allowed, require no permit, and are not included in any maximum total sign area or number of signs allowed on a single tax lot.

Window signs. In addition to the signs allowed elsewhere in this § 165-105, first-floor window signs are allowed, provided that no more than one illuminated sign shall be placed in any first floor window. In the B-4 District only, nonilluminated window signs are allowed in second-floor windows. No window sign shall exceed three square feet in area or 20% of the glazed area of any individual window, whichever results in the smaller sign area. In calculating the maximum window coverage as described herein, the figure used for any illuminated sign will be twice its actual area. The area of window signs shall count towards the total sign area permitted for wall signs pursuant to § 165-105A(1)(a).

Door signs. Door signs shall be subject to the following regulations:

Special event displays. Noncommunicative decorative flags, strings of pennants (building mounted only), and banners of no more than 10 square feet shall be permitted as a display for a period of not more than 30 days at a time. Such displays shall be permitted for any business on no more than two occasions in any calendar year, providing that a letter of intent shall be reviewed and approved by the Zoning Official.

Decorative flag. One flag shall be permitted per business premises, displaying only a generic logo or design (no lettering), and composed only of a lightweight fabric or woven material (no plastic). No such flag shall be larger than three feet by five feet and must be hung from the ground floor facade at least 10 feet above ground level and project no more than three feet from the building facade.

Traffic or directional signs. Such signs shall be permitted on private property where necessary to safely and effectively convey persons to their intended destination. Information on signs shall be directional information and shall not contain any logos, emblems or other business identifiers. The number of signs will be whatever is required to achieve this goal. These signs shall be consistent with other site signage, and shall be limited to four square feet in area and three feet in height. This type of signage is also permitted on public property as set forth in § 165-100A.

Nameplates. Nameplates shall be permitted without a permit if mounted flush on the wall near an entrance and bearing the name of the family unit residing on the premises. Not more than one sign shall be permitted for each family unit on the premises, and each sign may not exceed 72 square inches in area.

Home occupation. A nameplate shall be permitted without a permit bearing the name and/or business of the person engaged in a permitted home occupation and residing at the premises, provided that such signs shall not exceed one square foot in area. This nameplate may be attached to a building or to a post, which post shall not exceed five feet in height. Such signs may be lighted if it is determined after a public hearing that the proposed illumination is reasonable. Conditions may include the prevention of glare and the requirement that such illumination be extinguished at a particular time.

Real estate, work-in-progress, and garage sale signs. One sign shall be permitted without a permit so long as same does not exceed four square feet pertaining to the lease or sale of, or work-in-progress on, or a garage sale at, the lot or building, which sign shall be placed no nearer to the street than three feet from the sidewalk or, if there is no sidewalk, no nearer to the street than three feet from the front line of the property. Any such sign shall be removed after the approval of a CCO for the purchase of the premises, or completion of the work-in-progress, or completion of the garage sale. A garage sale sign may be displayed for no more than three days per property lot every six months and one work-in-progress sign per property lot for no more than 30 days every year.

Holiday lights, decorations and displays shall be permitted without a permit.

All signs that are not in conformity with this article but were erected prior to January 1, 1988, and not thereafter modified, or were thereafter erected or modified pursuant to a proper sign permit or other municipal approval, may remain, subject to being maintained in good structural condition and appearance, and in compliance with all building and electrical codes[1] and property maintenance codes.[2]

Customary sign maintenance, sign repair, and changing of permanent sign faces of nonconforming signs is allowed so long as structural alterations are not made and the sign is not increased in size. Signs and sign structures that are moved, replaced, or structurally altered must be brought into conformance with this article.