Cressona City Zoning Code

SIGNS AND

ADVERTISING STRUCTURES

§ 155.225 GENERALLY.

(A) This subchapter shall apply generally to all signs within the borough.

(B) However, where a more particular standard or provision in this subchapter governs a type of sign, the more particular provision shall control and not be deemed in conflict herein.

(Prior Code, Ch. 27)

§ 155.226 SIGNS PERMITTED AND EXTENT OF USE.

(A) One freestanding or attached sign is permitted on each street frontage of a lot for each purpose listed below. An additional sign for each purpose is permitted for every 100 feet of street frontage or major fraction thereof.

(B) However:

(1) For business signs, any number of signs are permitted as long as their total area does not exceed the maximum below;

(2) Advertising signs and business signs must be at least 60 feet apart; and

(3) No sign exceeding 30 square feet in size may be located within 75 feet of a residentially zoned district.

Type of Signs	Where Permitted	Maximum Size
Advertising (billboards)	C and I zones subject to § 155.234	150 sq. ft. each face for back to back billboard sign1
Apartment bulletin board	R-3 zone	6 sq. ft.
Business, excepted for agricultural and horticultural products	Any zone but R-1 and R-3	30 sq. ft.
Directional	Any zone but R-1, R-2 and R-3	6 sq. ft.
For sale, for rent, sold and rented	Any zone	6 sq. ft.
Home occupation or home profession	Any zone	2 sq. ft.
Identification and information of churches, schools and other nonprofit institutions	Any zone	20 sq. ft.
Temporary sign for sale of agricultural and horticultural products and for constructing projects	Any zone	10 sq. ft.
Traffic	Any zone
Trespassing	Any zone	1 sq. ft.
Utility	Any zone	2 sq. ft.
Work sign of builders, painters and other artisans while performing work on the premises	Any zone	6 sq. ft.
1 Special permit from Zoning Hearing Board must be obtained

(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1401) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 14.1; Ord. 3-2006, passed 7-17-2006, § 1)

§ 155.227 SETBACK OF SIGNS.

(A) Attached signs. No portion of an attached sign may exceed beyond the building setback line.

(B) Freestanding signs. No portion of a freestanding sign may be closer to a street right-of-way than ten feet, except for a sign less than three feet in height.

(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1402) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 14.2)

§ 155.228 BUNTINGS AND PENNANTS.

Buntings and pennants are permitted only to announce the opening of a new business or industry or in connection with a civic event, and must be removed seven days after the event.

(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1403) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 14.3)

§ 155.229 PROJECTION OF SIGNS.

No sign may project:

(A) Over a public sidewalk area or beyond property lines;

(B) Over a public highway or street unless specifically authorized by other borough or state regulations; and

(C) More than 25 feet above the ground except for an attached sign which may project ten feet above the roof of a building providing the sign so placed does not project more than 25 feet from the ground to the highest part of the sign.

(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1404) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 14.4)

§ 155.230 ILLUMINATION OF SIGNS.

(A) All zones. Flashing, rotating and intermittent lights are prohibited.

(B) Freestanding signs. A freestanding sign may be illuminated only by back lighting or by accent lighting if the lighting is so screened that it is not directed or reflected toward any adjacent resident, and does not cause any glare upon any adjacent street.

(D) Near street traffic lights. Signs which are illuminated in the colors red, green or amber, either by colored bulbs or tubing, or in high reflection by the use of special preparations such as fluorescent paint or glass, may not be located within a radius of 100 feet of a street traffic light or similar safety device.

(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1405) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 14.5)

§ 155.231 TEMPORARY SIGNS.

(A) A temporary sign for the sale of agricultural and horticultural products may be erected for a period not exceeding 60 days.

(B) A temporary sign for a construction project may be erected and maintained for as long as the project is under construction.

(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1406) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 14.6)

§ 155.232 CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE.

Signs must be constructed of durable materials, maintained in good condition, and not allowed to become dilapidated.

(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1407) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 14.7)

§ 155.233 TERMINATION OF ENTERPRISE.

Upon termination or abandonment of a commercial or industrial use, all signs pertaining to the enterprise must be removed within the period of 30 days after termination or abandonment of such use.

(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1408) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 14.8)

§ 155.234 BILLBOARD SIGN REGULATIONS.

Billboards signs are permitted by special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board in the C and I Districts subject to the following standards.

(A) The maximum finished height of all billboard signs shall not exceed 35 feet above the elevation of the adjacent street, measured at the street centerline.

(B) The maximum advertising display area for each single sided billboard sign shall not exceed 300 square feet per sign face. Signs which exceed 150 square feet in area may not be double-faced (abutting and facing the same direction). Signs which are back to back may not exceed 150 square feet per sign face.

(C) The determination of the display area for any billboard sign shall be deemed to include all lettering, wording, designs, symbols and images together with all background and material to which they are attached or upon which they are displayed, but excluding any framework, posts, or bracing which is incidental to the display itself.

(D) Billboard sign structures shall have a maximum of two sign display areas/faces (one display area in each direction) and a maximum total width of 30 feet

(E) No billboard sign shall be erected within 1,200 feet of any residential dwelling, church, school, cemetery or any other existing billboard sign (s) on either side of any street or way, including existing signs in adjacent municipalities.

(F) No lot shall contain more than one billboard sign.

(G) No billboard sign shall be located within 20 feet of any property line and/or street right-of-way line.

(H) No billboard sign shall be located within 150 feet from any street intersection as not to impair sight distance.

(I) All billboard signs and structures shall comply with all building codes and building and/or zoning permits shall be required prior to the erection and construction thereof.

(J) All billboard signs and sign structures erected after the date of this section shall conform to all other applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.

(K) V-type sign arrangements are prohibited.

(L) Lighting of billboards shall not cause glare on to adjoining properties or public roads, or cause interference with the effectiveness of or obscure an official traffic sign, signal or device.

(M) Billboards which include a changeable message display area that will be controlled by electronic process or remote control including, but not limited to, rotating panels, glow cubes, electronically controlled lights, video displays and the like shall conform to the following standards.

(1) All messages/displays shall remain unchanged for a minimum of eight seconds.

(2) The time interval used to change from one complete message/display to the next complete message/display shall be a maximum of one second.

(3) There shall be no appearance of a visual dissolve or fading, in which any part of one electronic message/display appears simultaneously with any part of a second electronic message/display.

(4) There shall be no appearance of flashing or sudden bursts of light, and no appearance of animation, movement or flow of the message/display.

(5) Any illumination intensity or contrast of light level shall remain constant throughout the sign face.

(6) Illumination levels at night for electronic signs shall be adjusted as required to not cause glare.

(N) Other than as listed above, all billboards shall be in compliance with applicable requirements of PennDOT Standards (Chapter 445-Outdoor Advertising Devices).

(O) All applications for a zoning permit for a billboard shall be made in writing by the owner, tenant, vendee under contract of sale, or authorized agent on a form supplied by the borough and shall be filed with the Zoning Officer.

(P) The submission of a land development plan in accordance with the requirements of the borough’s subdivision and land development regulations will be required for an off-premises billboard where a leasehold is involved for the property upon which the billboard is to be located.

(Prior Code, Ch. 27, § 27-1409) (Ord. 293, passed 4-20-1992, § 14.9; Ord. 3-2006, passed 7-17-2006, § 1)