Green Lane City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIII
Signs
§ 415-85 Permitted signs.
In all residential districts, the following signs shall be permitted and no other:
A.
Official street and traffic signs and any signs required by law.
B.
Professional, accessory use, home occupation or name signs on the same lot with and indicating the name, profession or activity of the occupant of a dwelling; provided, that the area of any one side of any sign shall not exceed two square feet; and provided, that not more than one such sign shall be erected for each permitted use or dwelling.
D.
Sign for school, church, hospital, sanitarium, club or other institution of a similar nature, on the same lot therewith, for the purpose of displaying the name of the institution and its activities or services; provided, that the area of any one side of such sign shall not exceed 15 square feet; and provided, that not more than one such sign shall be erected on any one street frontage of any property in single and separate ownership.
E.
Trespassing signs and signs indicating private ownership of roadways or other property, on the same premises therewith; provided, that the total area on any one side of such sign shall not exceed one square foot and shall be spaced at intervals of not less than 100 feet of street frontage.
F.
Real estate signs as follows:
(1)
For advertising the sale or rental of the premises upon which the sign is erected; provided, that the total area on any one side of such sign on any one street frontage of any property in single and separate ownership shall not exceed six square feet.
(2)
For advertising, on the premises, the sale or development of homes, within a subdivision the recorded plat of which contains fewer than 10 lots; provided, that the area of any one side of such sign shall not exceed 15 square feet; and provided, that not more than one such sign shall be erected within any such subdivision.
(3)
For advertising, on the premises, the sale or development of homes within a subdivision the recorded plat of which contains 10 or more lots; provided, that the area of any one side of any such sign shall not exceed 35 square feet, and provided that not more than two such signs shall be erected within any such subdivision.
G.
Signs in connection with the identification, operation or protection of any public utility or municipal activity, on the same lot therewith; provided, that the total sign area on any one street frontage of any property in single and separate ownership shall not exceed eight square feet.
H.
For the sale of agricultural products, signs on the same lot therewith indicating the name of the owner or occupant and the product sold or services or activities performed on the premises; provided, that the total sign area on any one street frontage of any property in single and separate ownership shall not exceed 15 square feet.
I.
Directional signs; provided, that the area of any one side of any such sign shall not exceed six square feet; and provided, that such signs shall be spaced at intervals of not less than 100 feet of street frontage.
§ 415-86 Signs permitted in BC Borough Commercial Districts.
In BC Borough Commercial Districts, the following signs shall be permitted, and no other:
A.
Any sign permitted in all residential districts, provided the use to which it refers is permitted in the BC Borough Commercial District.
B.
Signs in connection with tourist homes or rooming houses, on the same lot therewith; provided, that the area of any one side of such sign shall not exceed six square feet; and provided, that not more than one such sign shall be erected on any one street frontage of any property in single and separate ownership.
§ 415-87 Signs permitted in LI Limited Industrial Districts.
In LI Limited Industrial Districts, the following signs shall be permitted and no other:
A.
Any sign permitted in any other district; provided, that the use to which it refers is permitted in the LI Limited Industrial District.
B.
For any commercial or industrial use, a sign to display the name of the owner or occupant of the premises, the address, and the activity conducted thereon, on the same lot therewith as follows:
(1)
One freestanding sign per lot not to exceed 40 square feet.
(2)
One facade sign per use not to exceed 40 square feet.
(3)
Building identification sign consisting only of letters and/or numbers: six square feet per building.
(4)
One site directory sign per lot not to exceed 12 square feet.
(5)
Non-illuminated directional signs not to exceed two square feet.
C.
A billboard not to exceed 300 square feet when authorized by special exception and subject to the following additional criteria:
(1)
The top of the billboard shall not exceed a height of 20 feet from ground elevation.
(2)
The maximum length shall be 30 feet.
(3)
No more than one billboard shall be positioned on an individual lot.
(4)
The closest edge of the billboard shall be set back a minimum of 25 feet from the street right-of-way line. No billboard shall be positioned less than 200 feet from an adjacent billboard.
§ 415-88 Signs permitted in REC Recreational Districts.
A sign limited to the name and address of the use or tract on the same lot as the use to which it refers which shall not exceed six square feet.
§ 415-89 General sign regulations for all districts.
In all districts, the following general sign regulations shall apply:
A.
No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger traffic on a street by obscuring a clear view or by confusion with official street signs or signals by virtue of position or color.
B.
No sign, other than the official street signs, shall be erected or maintained within the street right-of-way.
C.
No sign shall project more than 24 inches over a public walkway, and the lower edge of such projecting sign shall be not less than 10 feet above the walk level.
D.
Every sign permitted in this chapter shall be constructed of durable materials and shall be maintained in good condition and repair at all times.
E.
No freestanding or façade or building-mounted sign shall exceed a sign height to the highest elevation of the sign of greater than 15 feet, except as may be provided for billboards.
F.
No sign shall project above the building height restriction for the district nor shall any sign be mounted on the roof of any building.
G.
Sign area calculations.
(1)
The area of a sign shall include all lettering, wording and accompanying designs and symbols, together with the background, whether open or enclosed, on which they are displayed, including any frame, but not including any support and bracing incidental to the display itself. If the sign consists of more than one section, all areas will be totaled.
(2)
When the sign consists of individual letters or symbols attached to a building, wall or window, the area shall be considered to be that of the smallest rectangle or other regular geometric shape which encompasses all of the letters and symbols.
(3)
In computing square feet area of a double-faced sign, only one side shall be considered; provided, that both faces are identical. If the interior angle formed by the two faces of the double-faced sign is greater than 45°, then both sides of such sign shall be considered in calculating the sign area.
H.
Prohibited signs. The following signs, because of their inherent characteristics, could threaten the health, safety or welfare of persons in the Borough and are prohibited:
(1)
Any sign erected within 75 feet of a public right-of-way or within 200 feet of a traffic control device which:
(2)
Any banner or sign hung across a public street or private property, except for such signs which are deemed to be of general benefit to the municipality or for public convenience, necessity or welfare, subject to PennDOT regulations.
(3)
A pennant which blows in the wind or a spinner which spins in the wind, except when located inside a temporary fairground or when used in conjunction with a special event.
(4)
Any sign, except as specifically permitted in § 415-88 above, tacked, nailed, posted, pasted, hung, glued or otherwise attached to a tree, pole, stake, light stand, fence or other object.
(5)
Any sign or part of sign with flashing or intermittent lighting, sequential lights or revolving, moving, sound-producing or oscillating parts, or which has movable parts or reflectors; or with changing colors or intensity of illumination which utilize electrical energy; or which changes sign image or text more than once every 24 hours; or which flaps in the wind, with the exception of signs that display time, date and/or temperature exclusively and barber poles.
(6)
Mobile or portable signs.
(7)
Advertising vehicles.
(a)
Any vehicle or trailer which is parked on a public right-of-way or on public or private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way, which has attached thereto or located thereon any sign or advertising device for the basic purpose of providing advertisement of products or directing people to a business or activity or service of any kind, is hereby deemed to be an advertising vehicle and shall be prohibited.
(b)
This section shall not prohibit any form of vehicle signage, such as a sign attached to a bus or a lettered motor vehicle where the vehicle is not used for the basic purpose of providing advertisement or direction as set forth above.
(c)
Should the prohibition stated above be overturned by a court of law or act of legislature, then an advertising vehicle shall be permitted only so long as it does not interfere with the safety of the traveling public, and further provided that any signage placed upon the vehicle in any manner shall constitute a sign as defined under this article and be subject to all applicable regulations defined in this article.
I.
Temporary signs of contractors. Temporary signs which identify only the name, address, phone number and specialty of contractors, mechanics, painters and artisans placed on the premises where the work is performed shall be permitted in all districts, limited in size and duration as to the following:
(1)
In residential districts:
(a)
For new construction, additions, and renovations of individual residential properties, one sign per contractor, limited to six square feet.
(b)
For three or more contractors, signs shall be mounted on a common surface, each sign not to exceed six square feet, and the total sign area shall not exceed 32 square feet.
(2)
In all other districts:
(a)
For new construction, additions, and renovations of individual, nonresidential properties, one sign per contractor, limited to 12 square feet.
(b)
For three or more contractors, signs shall be mounted on a common surface, each sign not to exceed 12 square feet, and the total sign area shall not exceed 64 square feet.
(3)
All such signs shall be unlighted and shall be removed within 30 days from when the contractor has completed or otherwise discontinued work on the premises.
(4)
All signs shall be placed a minimum of 10 feet behind the face of the curb or edge of pavement in noncurbed areas.
J.
Exempted signs. The following signs are exempt from the provisions of this article:
(1)
Official highway route number, street name, directional or other traffic signs, including those on private or public property.
(2)
A sign indicating the prohibition or control of fishing, hunting or trespassing or signs indicating the private nature of a road; provided, that the area of any such sign does not exceed one square foot and that such signs are spaced no less than 100 feet apart on street frontages and 50 feet apart along other boundaries.
(3)
A sign with an area not exceeding one square foot bearing only property number, street address or post box numbers or the names of the occupants in residential districts.
(4)
Governmental flags or governmental insignias, public monuments, historic identification signs or plaques and municipal identification signs erected by or with the permission of a government agency.
(5)
A legal notice.
(6)
A Christmas tree, other holiday display or window display of merchandise, except as specifically prohibited herein. Holiday or seasonal non-identification flags without letters, words or numbers are permitted.
(7)
Public service signs, signs promoting public safety and information signs advertising the availability of restrooms, telephones or similar public conveniences.
(8)
A sign on a vending machine advertising the sale of the contents contained therein.
(9)
One or more signs applied to a windowpane giving store hours or the name or names of credit or charge institutions, when the total area of all such signs does not exceed two square feet.
(10)
A sign not exceeding four square feet which is a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure, such as a cornerstone or identifying letters carved into or embossed on a building; provided, that the letters are not made of reflective material nor do they contrast in color with the building.
(11)
An emblem, logo, insignia or badge displayed to signify membership or of affiliation with any trade association, craftsman group, labor union, civic or fraternal group or similar organization, not to exceed one square foot.
(12)
American flags, not to exceed 40 square feet each.
(13)
On-premises directional signs, devoid of all symbolic or actual reference to any business activity on the lot and giving only traffic or pedestrian information, no-parking signs and handicapped parking signs.
(14)
Religious symbols in conjunction with places of worship in those districts where permitted.
K.
Construction and maintenance. Every sign shall be constructed of durable materials, using noncorrosive fasteners, shall be structurally safe and erected or installed in strict accordance with Chapter 135, Construction Codes, Uniform, and maintained in a safe condition and good repair at all times.
§ 415-90 Illumination of permitted signs.
A.
In all residential districts, excluding BC Borough Commercial Districts, the following permitted signs may be illuminated, and no other:
(1)
Professional sign of a physician, dentist, healer, Magisterial District Judge and such other person whose services in emergency are customarily considered essential to the public health, safety and welfare; provided, that the illumination is white light only and provided further that the total illumination for any such sign shall not exceed the equivalent of that given by a 25 watt incandescent light source.
(2)
Sign of a school, church, hospital, sanitarium, club or other institution of similar nature, laboratory or municipal building; provided, that the illumination is white light only and, provided further, that the total illumination for any such sign shall not exceed the equivalent of that given by a 60 watt incandescent light source.
(3)
Signs for regulation of traffic, marking of hazards and the like.
(4)
Signs greater than two square feet shall be provided with "external illumination only." External illumination shall not exceed 17 footcandles at the face of the sign, the light source shall consist only of white or amber color range, and shall consist of a uniform distribution of light intensity.
B.
In BC Borough Commercial Districts and LI Limited Industrial Districts, any permitted sign, building or structure may be illuminated. Signs greater than two square feet shall be provided with "external illumination only." External illumination shall not exceed 17 footcandles at the face of the sign. The light source shall consist only of white or amber color range and shall consist of a uniform distribution of light intensity. Illumination is to be controlled by a timer which shall turn off the sign light not later than one hour after the close of regular business hours. Emergency directional signs and physicians providing emergency care upon the premises, as well as governmental signs, shall be exempt.
C.
Any permitted illumination of signs, buildings or structures in any district shall be subject to the following regulations:
(1)
Illumination shall be of an even intensity and the light and light source shall be maintained in a stationary position and constant in intensity and color at all times when in use.
(2)
Flood-lighting shall be so shielded that the source of light shall not be visible from any point off the lot on which the sign, building or structure being illuminated is erected and so that only the sign, building or structure is directly illuminated.
(3)
The light source for externally illuminated signs shall be shaded, hooded, or otherwise screened to prevent the source of the light from being visible on adjacent property or causing glare to traveling motorists on a public street. Illumination measured at the face of the sign shall not exceed 17 footcandles.
(4)
The intensity of internal illumination shall not exceed six footcandles at a distance of eight feet from the center line of the sign. When illuminated, light or pale colors and the color white shall not exceed 60% of the sign area.
(5)
Electrical components of illuminated signs shall bear the Underwriter's Laboratory label.
§ 415-91 Permits for signs.
A.
Unless otherwise stated herein, prior to erecting, affixing, attaching, modifying or installing any sign or sign structure on or to any building, structure, or property, an application for permit must be submitted to and approved by the Code Enforcement Officer, as set forth in Article XVII herein.
(1)
Permits are required for all signs except as otherwise indicated herein below. No signs shall hereafter be erected or altered or the content changed (except directory and bulletin boards at churches, synagogues, schools and government buildings) until a permit authorizing the same is issued by the Code Enforcement Officer. Such permit shall be valid for the length of time set forth in the permit, in this chapter, or as may be authorized by formal decision of the Zoning Hearing Board.
(2)
Applications for sign permits shall be filed on forms furnished by the Code Enforcement Officer and shall be accompanied by detailed plans and specifications necessary to determine the location and details of construction of such signs.
(3)
No permit to erect a sign shall be issued until the required fee has been paid to the Code Enforcement Officer, which fee shall be established from time to time by resolution of Borough Council.
(4)
After installation, the Code Enforcement Officer shall inspect the sign to ensure that the installation has conformed to the regulations set forth in this article.
(5)
A permit may be revoked or a lawful nonconforming sign may be removed by the Code Enforcement Officer for any of the following violations if the owner of the sign neglects to comply with the Building and Code Enforcement Officers' directives to correct the violations:
(a)
If the sign constitutes a hazard to the public health or safety.
(b)
If a sign has been altered in a manner which requires a new permit.
(c)
If a sign has been altered in a manner which would render the sign prohibited.
(d)
If a sign has been erected in a manner which violates the regulations set forth in this article.
(e)
If a sign is not maintained in a safe condition and good repair at all times.
B.
Signs not requiring a permit.
(1)
Temporary signs of contractors (as authorized § 415-89I), erected and maintained on the premises during the period of their work.
(2)
Temporary yard or garage sale signs, provided they do not exceed four square feet in area, are erected no more than two days before the first day of the sale, and are removed within two days after the sale. No more than three temporary off-premises signs shall be permitted and permission shall be obtained from the landowner to post such signs.
(3)
A sign, bunting or pennants announcing the opening of a new business or industry, provided they are removed within seven days of the opening day or first day of business.
(4)
Temporary window signs announcing a drive or event of civic, philanthropic, educational, or religious organization, not to exceed four square feet per business, placed in a store or office window. Temporary signs for such events shall be removed within three days after the event. Permission shall be obtained from the landowner to post said temporary signs.
(6)
Real estate signs, not greater than six square feet and not more than one per street frontage indicating exclusively the sale or rent (lease) of the premises upon which it stands. Such signs shall be removed 30 days after the property is sold or rented or, in the case of a subdivision, shall be removed the lesser of one year following the date of issuance of the sign permit or 30 days after the sale of the last lot.
C.
Temporary special event signs requiring a permit.
(1)
Where such signs are in the form of banners proposed to be suspended across public roads, the following standards shall apply:
(a)
The sign shall not exceed three feet high by 30 feet wide and the bottom edge of the sign shall be at least 15 feet above the road surface.
(b)
Where the proposed banner spans a state road, the applicant shall also comply with PennDOT's procedural requirements for the placement of signs or banners across state highways. Evidence of such compliance shall be supplied to the Borough.
(2)
Grand opening. On-site signage that does not constitute a safety hazard for vehicles or pedestrian travel where proposed, not to exceed 100 square feet total, for a period of no more than 14 days, and only one time for a newly established business within the BC and LI Districts.