Crafton City Zoning Code

No sign shall be erected or displayed within a public right-of-way unless otherwise provided.

No sign shall project beyond any property line.

No sign shall be erected upon or applied to any roof or project above the cornice line of a flat roof or above the gutter line of a sloped-roof building.

Portable or wheeled signs, unless authorized as part of a temporary special event display;

Banners, other than temporary special event displays authorized by this chapter;

Inflatable display devices of any kind, unless authorized as part of a temporary special event display;

Searchlights, oscillating, moving or flashing signs, except for that portion of a permitted sign which indicates time or temperature which changes at intervals no less frequently than every five seconds;

Signs on trees, utility poles or official traffic control devices or signs;

Signs which imitate traffic control devices;

Signs painted on walls or chimneys of a building or on fences or walls;

Flashers, flags, pennants or other display paraphernalia, except those displays specifically authorized by this article;

Overhanging signs, as defined herein;

Signs on or affixed to vehicles and/or trailers which are parked on a public right-of-way, public property or private property, other than temporarily for overnight storage on the site of a business or for maintenance, repair, loading, unloading or rendering a service at any location, which are visible from the public right-of-way and where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct people to a business or activity located on the same or nearby property.

Holiday decorations displayed for recognized federal or state holidays, provided that they do not interfere with traffic safety or do not, in any other way, become a public safety hazard;

Memorial/historical plaques, as defined herein;

Window displays, as defined herein, provided that they shall not exceed 20% of the gross surface area of all display windows at ground level on the street side or sides of the building;

Signs authorized by Borough Council or erected by a governmental agency, including street signs and official traffic signs, but not including off-premises directional signs.

One nonilluminated temporary special event sign, as defined by this article, shall be permitted to be erected on any lot containing a public building, church or building housing a nonprofit organization, provided that the area of the sign shall not exceed 20 square feet and provided that the sign is displayed for a period no longer than 30 days and is removed within five days following the event that it is erected to promote.

A maximum of four off-premises directional signs shall be permitted to be erected by any agency or business other than a governmental agency. The off-premises directional signs shall be nonilluminated and shall not exceed 12 square feet in surface area. Off-premises directional signs shall be permitted only along an arterial or collector street, as defined by this chapter.

Such signs shall be permitted in the public right-of-way only if permission is granted by the owner of the right-of-way. Evidence of permission from the landowner shall be required for signs that are proposed to be erected on property owned by an owner other than the owner of the building or use the sign is intended to serve. Signs located outside the public right-of-way shall be located no more than 10 feet from the edge of the right-of-way or no more than 15 feet from the edge of the cartway, if the right-of-way is not contiguous with the front lot line.

On any lot which contains two or more multi-unit or nonresidential buildings and/or on any lot which provides more than 100 parking spaces, on-premises directional signs shall be permitted, provided that the surface area of any one sign shall not exceed four square feet.

On lots with areas less than one acre, a maximum of four nonilluminated or indirectly illuminated on-premises directional signs shall be permitted. On lots with areas of one acre or more, a maximum of six nonilluminated or indirectly illuminated on-premises directional signs shall be permitted on the first acre, and two additional on-premises directional signs shall be permitted for each additional acre.

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

The temporary special event display signs shall be securely attached to the building or to the supporting structure of a freestanding pole business identification sign or, if freestanding on the lot, shall be securely anchored to the ground, provided that it is not located in any public street right-of-way or on any sidewalk and does not create a public safety hazard for pedestrian or vehicular traffic;

Temporary special event display signs shall be displayed for a period not exceeding 30 days, either consecutively or cumulatively, in any twelve-month period;

The aggregate surface area of all temporary special event display signs shall not exceed 20 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 display signs on the site at any one time shall not exceed 100 square feet; and

Temporary special event display signs shall be nonilluminated.

In addition to the authorized business identification signs, one nonilluminated or internally illuminated changeable copy sign shall be permitted per lot, regardless of the number of businesses on the lot, which shall not exceed 30 square feet in area and which shall be permanently affixed to the wall of the building or to the supporting structure of an authorized freestanding pole sign on the lot. Any wall-mounted changeable copy sign shall be included in the aggregate area of all wall signs authorized by § 225-44C.

Electronic changeable copy signs shall not be permitted. Changeable copy signs shall be permitted to have copy changed manually only.

Wall signs. Each business establishment shall be permitted to have wall signs which may be illuminated or nonilluminated. The aggregate area of all wall signs shall not exceed two square feet for each lineal foot of width of the front wall of the building or portion of the building occupied by the business or a maximum of 100 square feet for each business, whichever is less. The aggregate area of all wall signs shall apply to business identification signs, any changeable copy sign affixed to the wall of the building, any canopy sign and any other legal sign affixed to the wall of the building. The number and location of wall signs shall be further subject to § 225-41C. Wall signs shall not be permitted on side or rear walls of the building, unless the side or rear wall fronts on a street which does not face residential property as provided in § 225-41C.

The wall sign shall not be located on the roof nor extend above the height of the building.

No freestanding pole sign exists or is proposed to be erected on the lot.

The maximum surface area of the ground sign shall not exceed 24 square feet.

The height and location of the ground sign shall be designed so as to not interfere with the clear sight triangle nor obstruct visibility for vehicular traffic entering or leaving the lot or traveling on any street, and in no case shall the total height exceed six feet.

Ground signs may be nonilluminated, internally illuminated or indirectly illuminated. The maximum illumination of the ground sign shall not exceed 1.5 footcandles on the sign face.

All freestanding ground signs shall be located at least 10 feet from any property line, except where property abuts on a public right-of-way; the ground sign shall be set back at least 10 feet from the right-of-way or at least 15 feet from the edge of the cartway if the right-of-way is not contiguous with the front lot line.

No freestanding ground sign exists or is proposed to be erected on the lot.

The pole sign shall be nonilluminated, indirectly illuminated or internally illuminated.

The maximum height of the top of the pole sign shall be 20 feet.

The minimum height of the bottom edge of the pole sign shall be eight feet.

The maximum surface area of the freestanding pole signs shall not exceed 40 square feet if there is only one business on the lot and shall not exceed 64 square feet if there is more than one business on the lot. Neither dimension of such sign shall be less than five feet.

No portion of any sign shall project over any public right-of-way, nor shall it be located within the clear sight triangle of any street intersection.

All freestanding pole signs shall be set back at least 10 feet from every property line; except where property abuts on a public right-of-way, the sign shall be set back at least 10 feet from the right-of-way or at least 15 feet from the edge of the cartway if the right-of-way is not contiguous with the front lot line.

The maximum surface area of the canopy sign shall not exceed 32 square feet.

If there are other wall signs on the building, the canopy sign shall be included in the aggregate area of all wall signs authorized by § 225-44C(1).

The maximum surface area of the arcade sign is 12 square feet.

If there are other wall signs or canopy signs on the building, the arcade sign shall be included in the aggregate area of all wall signs authorized by § 225-44C(1).

A permit is required for the sign. Such permit will need to be renewed annually.

Design materials shall be made of aluminum, heavy-gauge plastic or metal and may include chalkboard.

The maximum allowable dimensions shall not exceed six square feet.

The 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 sign shall be removed from sidewalk and stored inside a completely enclosed building when the business is closed.

Placement of the sign on a sidewalk shall not restrict the unencumbered width of the sidewalk to less than four feet, except that where business entry doors swing out over a continuous sidewalk which runs perpendicular to the path of egress, the unencumbered width shall be at least five feet.

When such sign extends past the property line, proof of liability insurance must be provided to the Borough, and an indemnity waiver agreement must be filed with the Borough indicating the entity that has jurisdiction of the rights-of-way is held harmless.

Wall signs. Each business establishment shall be permitted to have wall signs which may be illuminated or nonilluminated. The aggregate area of all wall signs shall not exceed two square feet for each lineal foot of width of the front wall of the building or portion of the building occupied by the business or a maximum of 100 square feet for all businesses, whichever is less. The aggregate area of all wall signs shall apply to business identification signs and any other legal sign affixed to the wall of the building. The number and location of wall signs shall be further subject to § 225-44C. Wall signs shall not be permitted on side or rear walls of the building, unless the side or rear wall fronts on a street which does not face residential property as provided in § 225-44C. The wall sign shall not be located on the roof nor extend above the height of the building.

No freestanding pole sign exists or is proposed to be erected on the lot.

The maximum surface area of the ground sign shall not exceed 60 square feet.

The height and location of the ground sign shall be designed so as to not interfere with the clear sight triangle nor obstruct visibility for vehicular traffic entering or leaving the lot or traveling on any street, and in no case shall the total height exceed six feet.

Ground signs may be nonilluminated, internally illuminated or indirectly illuminated. The maximum illumination of the ground sign shall not exceed 1.5 footcandles on the sign face.

All freestanding ground signs shall be located at least 10 feet from any property line, except where property abuts on a public right-of-way; the ground sign shall be set back at least 10 feet from the right-of-way or at least 15 feet from the edge of the cartway if the right-of-way is not contiguous with the front lot line.

No freestanding ground sign exists or is proposed to be erected on the lot.

The pole sign shall be nonilluminated, indirectly illuminated or internally illuminated.

The maximum height of the top of the pole sign shall be 20 feet.

The minimum height of the bottom edge of the pole sign shall be eight feet.

The maximum surface area of the freestanding pole sign shall not exceed 40 square feet if there is only one business on the lot and shall not exceed 64 square feet if there is more than one business on the lot. Neither dimension of such sign shall be less than five feet.

No portion of any pole sign shall project over any public right-of-way, nor shall it be located within the clear sight triangle of any street intersection.

All freestanding pole signs shall be set back at least 10 feet from every property line; except where property abuts on a public right-of-way, the sign shall be set back at least 10 feet from the right-of-way or at least 15 feet from the edge of the cartway if the right-of-way is not contiguous with the front lot line.

Roof signs shall be permitted only in the I Industrial District. One roof sign shall be permitted per building regardless of the number of establishments in the building. Roof signs may be illuminated or nonilluminated. Roof signs shall be permitted only if there is no existing or proposed wall sign.

The surface area of a roof sign shall not exceed two square feet for each lineal foot of width of the front wall of the building or a maximum of 200 square feet, whichever is less. Roof signs shall not project more than six feet above the highest point of the roof on which they are erected.

A permit is required for the sign. Such permit will need to be renewed annually.

Design materials shall be made of aluminum, heavy-gauge plastic or metal and may include chalkboard.

The maximum allowable dimensions shall not exceed six square feet.

The 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 sign shall be removed from sidewalk and stored inside a completely enclosed building when the business is closed.

Placement of the sign on a sidewalk shall not restrict the unencumbered width of the sidewalk to less than four feet except that where business entry doors swing out over a continuous sidewalk which runs perpendicular to the path of egress, the unencumbered width shall be at least five feet.

When such sign extends past the property line, proof of liability insurance must be provided to the Borough, and an indemnity waiver agreement must be filed with the Borough indicating the entity that has jurisdiction of the rights-of-way is held harmless.