Fallowfield Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XII
Sign Requirements
§ 400-18 Authority.
Signs may be erected and maintained only when in compliance with the provisions of this article and any and all other ordinances and regulations of this Township which may be applicable.
§ 400-19 Exclusions. [1]
The following signs shall be permitted in all districts and shall not be subject to the provisions of this article unless otherwise specifically cited herein:
A.
Signs of a duly constituted local, state or federal governmental body, including traffic or similar safety and regulatory devices, legal notices, railway warning signals, memorial signs or tablets;
B.
Small signs with a surface area not exceeding three square feet, displayed for the direction or convenience of the public, which identify landmarks, parking areas, convenience facilities and similar features;
C.
One temporary nonlighted sign on a construction site, not exceeding an area of 48 square feet, denoting engineer, architect, contractor or funding agencies and related information regarding the development.
§ 400-20 Permitted Signs in A-1, R-1, and R-2 Districts.
In the A-1, R-1 and R-2 Districts, the following requirements shall apply.
A.
The following signs shall be permitted:
(1)
One permanent identification sign for each dwelling unit, which may cite the name of occupant, address and other distinguishing features of the structure or property. Such signs shall not exceed one square foot in area.[1]
(3)
One announcement sign designating professional uses, group residential facilities, day care or home occupations, provided all such signs shall be limited to three square feet in area.
(4)
One permanent monument sign erected by places of worship, schools, hospitals, cemeteries, municipal facilities or similar principal permitted uses, which may include any appropriate message, provided that the area of such sign shall not exceed 24 square feet in area. The sign may include, in part or in total, an electronic message sign.
[Amended 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
(5)
Temporary signs advertising a garage sale, street fair or other temporary activity, or a temporary sign directing persons to the location of such activity. Signs must be removed within 24 hours of termination of the activity and shall not exceed 12 square feet in area.[3]
(6)
Temporary signs relating to the sale of agricultural products produced on the premises in residential districts and for roadside stands shall be limited to a total of two such signs that do not exceed a cumulative total of 20 square feet in area. Such signs shall be displayed only when seasonal sales are taking place and removed when not applicable.
[Amended 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224[4]]
(7)
Signs for private and commercial recreation in A-1 Districts shall be established in accordance with the following requirements;
(a)
Signs shall be limited to the immediate site.
(b)
Signs shall relate only to the activities at the immediate site.
(c)
There shall be no more than two signs at each business site.
(d)
Individual signs shall not exceed 20 square feet in area.
(e)
Signs mounted or painted on a wall, canopy or other portion of a principal site structure shall not protrude more than 18 inches beyond the wall on which said signs are mounted.
B.
Signs in all A and R Districts shall be located a minimum distance of four feet from the street or road right-of-way if no sidewalk exists, and four feet from the inside edge of the walk, if such a walk exists.
C.
The bottommost part of a sign shall not be more than two feet above ground level, except signs attached to a building. No sign shall project above a roof or be mounted on a building above the eave line of a roof or extended above a public sidewalk.
§ 400-21 Permitted signs in Business and Industrial Districts.
In the Business and Industrial Districts, the following requirements shall apply.
A.
The following signs shall be permitted:
[Amended 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
(1)
Signs advertising the sale or rental or development of property.
(2)
Signs indicating the location of premises.
(3)
Signs advertising business conducted or services, material or equipment for sale on the premises.
(4)
Business signs not to exceed one square foot of sign area for each one lineal foot of lot frontage.
(5)
Individual signs: One wall sign per wall visible from a street or commercial access drive shall be permitted for each principal use within the building to which it is attached. The total cumulative area of signs per wall shall not exceed 15% of the area of the wall's face. One monument sign shall be permitted for each parcel at one square foot for every lineal foot of frontage up to 50 square feet. The sign shall not exceed eight feet in height.
B.
Signs shall be located a minimum distance of 10 feet from the street right-of-way line.
C.
No sign shall be mounted onto a building above the eave line of a roof or extend above a public sidewalk or vehicular right-of-way.
[Amended 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
§ 400-22 Signs in shopping centers and integrated industrial areas.
[Amended 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
Business signs established for shopping centers and integrated industrial areas shall meet the following criteria:
A.
Monument signs: one monument sign per frontage bearing an entrance to the center or area. Said sign area shall not exceed 1/2 square foot per lineal square foot of frontage up to 400 square feet in sign area. Said sign shall not exceed 12 feet in height. Up to 50% of the sign area may be comprised of an electronic message sign.
B.
Pole sign: one pole sign within 50 feet of the I-70 or SR43 right-of-way not exceeding 25 feet in height and set back at least 20 feet from the I-70 or SR43 right-of-way and 50 feet from the remaining site boundaries. Said sign area shall not exceed 1/2 square foot per lineal foot of frontage on the preceding routes up to 200 square feet.
§ 400-23 Portable or mobile signs.
[Amended 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
Portable or mobile signs and other similar advertising displays may be used for special sales, announcements and related purposes, except roadside stands, subject to the following provisions:
A.
Display area of such signs shall not exceed 32 square feet.
B.
No portion of the sign or its supporting structure shall occupy a public right-of-way.
C.
All lighting and illumination restrictions which apply to displays, signs and structures under this chapter shall apply except that electronic message signs shall be prohibited.
D.
Permits for the placement of such signs shall be issued for a maximum of 30 consecutive days and may be renewed no more than one time during any consecutive one-hundred-eighty-day period.
§ 400-24 General standards.
The following standards shall apply to signs in all zoning districts of the Township:
A.
No sign shall be located or constructed to obstruct, or interfere with any traffic control signal, sign, device or intersection sight triangle.
B.
All signs shall be constructed of durable materials; shall be kept in good condition and repair; and shall not be permitted to become unsightly or dilapidated.
C.
No sign shall be permitted that is deemed to constitute a hazard of any kind.
D.
Signs shall not be attached to utility poles except for authorized public purposes.
E.
A sign shall be removed within 30 days when the circumstances that led to its erection no longer apply or if safety violations occur. Circumstances that dictate sign removal shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1)
The creation of a safety hazard.
(2)
Dilapidation.
(3)
Vacancy or termination of the subject business for more than 90 days.
(4)
Legal transfer of ownership of a property that involves a change of name or business activity.
(5)
The completion of an event, business transaction or other activity for which the sign was originally installed.
(6)
Any illegality under the provisions of this chapter or regulation of a duly constituted governmental authority.
F.
Signs shall be subject to the following regulations:
(1)
All lighting and illumination of signs shall conform to regulations regarding traffic hazards as specified in local and state regulations, and shall not cause undue distraction, confusion or hazard.
(2)
Signs or devices with flashing, moving or similar lighting or animation are prohibited in all zoning districts.
G.
Business signs not located on the premises of the business or industry that they advertise shall be permitted only if they meet the following requirements:
(1)
Subject matter on the sign shall be limited to advertising products, services, or attractions available within 10 miles of the location of the sign.
(2)
Signs shall be permitted only in those districts zoned for business and industrial uses (B-1, I-1 and I-2).
[Amended 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
(3)
Signs shall be limited to 500 square feet in area.
(4)
Signs shall not project over nor be located within public rights-of-way.
(5)
The signs shall not be illuminated in any manner that has a potential of causing undue distraction, confusion or hazard to vehicular traffic.
(6)
Signs advertising the same products, services, or attractions shall not be closer than 1/2 mile from one another.
H.
Two menu boards may be authorized for drive-through facilities for restaurants in the B and I Districts. Menu boards shall not exceed more than 50 cumulative square feet and eight feet in height and shall conform to the same setbacks required for the principal structure.
[Added 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
I.
A residential plan of more than six principal single-family buildings or two or more multifamily buildings shall be authorized one monument sign at each entrance not exceeding 15 square feet in sign area or five feet in height, excepting an additional foot for decorative elements.
[Added 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
J.
Gas or service station signs.
[Added 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
(1)
Where a gas or service station is engaged in the on-premises retail sale of gasoline or other motor vehicle fuels, the following signage shall be authorized as an accessory use.
(2)
Monument signs are authorized as follows:
(a)
In lieu of a freestanding or monument sign otherwise authorized by this chapter, one monument sign bearing up to 75 square feet of sign area is authorized on the premises of the gas or service station.
(b)
An automatic changeable copy sign may comprise up to 36 square feet of said sign area when primarily used for the display of fuel pricing.
(c)
The monument sign shall not exceed nine feet in height.
(d)
The monument sign shall be located at least 10 feet from the front property line and 20 feet from side or rear property lines.
(e)
Where the gas or service station is located on a corner lot, a second sign meeting the standards of this section may be located on the secondary frontage, provided that both frontages border an arterial street or an internal street within a retail center or office park.
(f)
Where the parcel lies within a retail center or office park, the authorized monument sign may be located within the front yard adjoining an exterior arterial or collector street.
(3)
A canopy sign not to exceed 50 square feet on each face of a canopy covering fuel stations.
§ 400-25 Permits.
B.
Each application for a permit shall be accompanied by a drawing to scale showing the proposed sign, the size, general characteristics, method of illumination, the exact location of the sign in relation to the lot and structure involved and other data as may be required by the Zoning Officer.
C.
A fee shall accompany each application for a permit. Such fees shall be established by resolution of the Township Board of Supervisors.
§ 400-26 Political signs in all districts.
[Added 6-26-1996 by Ord. No. 138]
A.
All signs used for political advertisement shall be subject to the following rules, regulations and requirements:
[Amended 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
(1)
All signs shall be removed within 30 days when the circumstances that led to its erection no longer apply, such as, but not limited to, the election for which the candidate or issue was voted upon. Therefore, all political signs pertaining to a specific issue or candidate shall be removed within 30 days of the election for which said candidate or issue was on the ballot.
(2)
A sign shall be removed immediately if a safety violation or danger or hazard occurs.
(3)
No sign shall be permitted; unless the same has been erected with the express consent of all owners of the land upon which the same is to be placed. Additionally, if ownership of the premises should change after the erection of the sign(s), then permission must be obtained from the new owner(s).
(4)
Additionally, no sign shall be posted until such time as the candidate or person responsible for the sign has posted and/or paid a bond or security deposit in the amount specified hereinafter with the Township, wherein said sum shall be repaid and/or refunded, without interest, to the appropriate person within 30 days after it has been determined that compliance with this chapter and/or amendment thereto and/or any related provisions of the Zoning Ordinance has/have been made. The amount of the bond or security deposit for Township, school district and magisterial district elections, the bond or security deposit for countywide elections, state senator and state representative, and the amount of the bond or security deposit for all other elections shall be subject to change by resolution.[1]
C.
Any person or entity violating these requirements, limits and/or regulations shall be subject to the same penalties and/or enforcement remedy contained in this chapter and/or as is otherwise available pursuant to the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Act.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
§ 400-27 Sign illumination standards and electronic message signs.
[Added 1-27-2016 by Ord. No. 224]
Electronic message signs, where authorized, and all illuminated signs shall be subject to the following standards:
A.
Within the R Residential District, signs shall have a minimum display time of 12 seconds. The transition time between messages and/or message frames is limited to one second.
B.
Where otherwise authorized by this chapter, within the B-1, I-1, I-2 Districts or authorized shopping centers, electronic message signs shall have a minimum display time of eight seconds.
C.
The following display features and functions are prohibited: scrolling, traveling, flashing, spinning, rotating, fade, dissolve, any other moving effects, and all dynamic frame effects or patterns of illusionary movement or simulated movement.
D.
Signs may be illuminated at night. Signs that are illuminated at night may not exceed a maximum luminance level of 250 cd/m2 or Nits, regardless of the method of illumination.
E.
All signs must comply with the maximum luminance level of 750 cd/m2 or Nits at least 1/2 hour before sunset. All electronic message signs must comply with this maximum luminance level throughout the night, if the sign is energized, until sunrise, at which time the sign may resume luminance levels appropriate for daylight conditions, when required or appropriate.
F.
Luminance levels of illuminated signs shall not otherwise exceed 5,000 Nits.
G.
Signs that have external illumination, whether the lighting is mounted above or below the sign face or panel, shall have lighting fixtures or luminaires that are fully shielded.