This Part recognizes that signs perform an important function by identifying residences and businesses and that minimum control of signs is necessary to promote the health, safety and general welfare by lessening hazards to pedestrian and vehicular traffic: by preserving property values, by preventing unsightly and detrimental development which has a blighting influence upon residential, business and industrial uses, by preventing signs from reaching such excessive size that they obscure one another to the detriment of all concerned and by securing certain fundamentals of design for the Township.

(Ord. 45, Z-§ 700, 5/12/76)

   1.   All permanent on-premises and off-premises signs, regardless of size shall require the issuance of a Zoning Permit from the Zoning Officer before erection or replacement. All signs must comply with all of the regulations contained herein, regardless of whether a permit is required. However, no permit shall be required to repaint any sign provided there are no changes or alterations whatsoever.

   2.   Permits are not required for temporary signs to be used within a period of less than thirty (30) days.

   3.   Permits issued for signs, including the conversion of a nonconforming billboard to an EMS, shall be subject to the provisions of § 27-1303 and construction shall be commenced and completed within six (6) months of issuance or shall automatically expire. [Ord. 475]

(Ord. 45, Z-§ 701, 5/12/76; as amended by Ord. 475, 7/18/2007, § 2)

   1.   Signs which any way simulate official, functional, directional or warning signs erected or maintained by the United States government, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County or Municipality thereof, or by any railroad, or public utility or similar agency concerned with the protection of public health or safety.

   2.   Banners, spinners, flags, pennants or any moving object used for commercial advertising purposes whether containing a message or not, except where specifically permitted.

   3.   Flashing, blinking, twinkling, animated, twirling or moving signs of any type, including signs with changing messages or graphics, except those portions of signs which indicate time and temperature changes and except where these signs are permitted by § 27-707(1)(C)(5). [Ord. 367]

   4.   No sign shall be erected, containing information on it which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of this Chapter in the zone in which the property to which the sign relates is located.

   5.   On-premises signs advertising a use no longer in existence or a project no longer available shall be removed or changed to advertise the new use or product immediately after cessation of the original use. Signs once removed, shall be replaced only by signs in conformance with this Chapter.

   6.   No signs except those of a duly constituted governmental body, including traffic signs and similar regulatory notices shall be allowed within street lines unless specifically authorized by other Chapters and regulations of the Township and in compliance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania regulations.

   7.   No vehicle to which a sign is affixed in such a manner that the carrying of such sign or signs no longer is incidental to the vehicle’s primary purpose but becomes a primary purpose in itself.

(Ord. 45, Z-§ 702, 5/12/76; as amended by Ord. 367, 2/18/1998, § 3)

   1.   Only lawful signs existing at the time of passage of this Chapter and which do not conform to the requirements of the Chapter shall be considered nonconforming signs and once removed shall be replaced only with conforming signs; however, lawful, nonconforming signs may be repainted or repaired provided such repainted or repaired sign does not exceed the dimensions of the existing sign. Any sign or billboard destroyed, damaged, or dismantled for any reason whatsoever may only be rebuilt on its previous location in strict conformity with the regulations of the district in which it is located. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a nonconforming sign or billboard may be converted by the owner of such nonconforming sign or billboard to an EMS, including the structural reinforcement thereof for purposes of supporting said EMS, provided that the converted EMS shall not exceed the dimensions of the existing sign or billboard, shall not be relocated, and shall otherwise meet all of the requirements for an EMS including, but not limited to, the distance requirements set forth in § 27-711.4. [Ord. 475]

   2.   Every lawful sign, billboard and other outdoor advertising media erected in the Township prior to the adoption of this Chapter, may continue to be maintained in spite of their lack of conformity with all of the provisions of this Chapter, for a period of 7 years after the adoption hereof, after which the owner of every such sign, at his own expense, shall cause the same to be brought into strict conformity with all the requirements of this Chapter, or shall remove the same. The work of bringing such sign into conformity with such requirements shall constitute either repair, alteration or relocation and therefore, shall require the owner of such sign, to obtain a permit. Provided, the Zoning Hearing Board may permit the owner of the sign to continue to maintain such sign without conforming to the require ments of this Chapter where to require cessation of use would in the opinion of the Zoning Hearing Board, impair the property rights of any person to such an extent as to be an unconstitutional taking of property.

   3.   Every unlawful sign must conform to the provisions of Part 12. All signs erected prior to the adoption of this Chapter which do not have a Zoning Permit but do conform to the provisions of this Part, shall be required to apply for a Zoning Permit within 60 days of the official adoption of this Chapter.

(Ord. 45, Z-003, 5/12/76; as amended by Ord. 475, 7/18/2007, § 3)

   1.   The size of any sign shall be computed by multiplying its greatest height by its greatest length, exclusive of supporting structures, unless such supporting structure is illuminated or is in the form of a symbol or contains advertising copy. In the case of signs that have no definable edges, such as raised letters attached to a building facade, the sign size shall be that area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the actual message or copy area.

   2.   The area of a sign shall be construed to include all lettering, wording and accompanying designs and symbols, together with the background, whether open or enclosed, on which they are displayed but not including any supporting framework and bracing which are incidental to the display itself.

   3.   Where the sign consists of individual letters or symbols attached to or painted on a surface, building, wall or window, the area shall be considered to be that of the smallest rectangle or other shape which encompasses all of the letters and symbols.

   4.   In computing square foot area of a double-face sign, only one side shall be considered provided both faces are identical. If the interior angle formed by the two faces of the double-faced sign is greater than 45 degrees, then both sides of such sign shall be considered in calculating the sign area and it shall be considered as a parallel sign.

   5.   If an establishment has walls fronting on two or more streets, the sign area for each fronting street may be computed and used. Each sign shall be placed on the frontage used in the computation. When a freestanding sign is used only one wall sign shall be allowed.

(Ord. 45, Z-004, 5/12/76)

The following requirements shall apply to all specifically designated signs:

   1.   All signs except temporary signs shall be constructed of durable material and kept in good condition and repair. Electrical signs shall be subject to the performance criteria of the Underwriters Laboratory, Incorporated, or to applicable Township Codes, whichever is more stringent.

   2.   All sign provisions of this Chapter shall apply to smoke stacks, water towers and other similar structures.

   3.   No sign shall be so located or arranged that it interferes with traffic through glare, through blocking of reasonable sight lines for streets, sidewalks, or driveways, through confusion with a traffic control device (by reason of color, location, shape or other characteristics), or through any other means. In no case shall any sign, other than an official governmental sign, be erected within the official right-of-way of any street unless specifically authorized by other ordinances or regulations of the Township and in conformance Commonwealth of Pennsylvania regulations, where appropriate. No sign shall violate the visibility restrictions outlined in this Chapter.

   4.   All signs, other than those traffic control signs permitted within the street right- of-way, shall be set back from the street right-of-way line a minimum distance of 10 feet or as otherwise specified in this Chapter and in conformance with the minimum regulations outlined in corner visibility restrictions of this Chapter.

   5.   No sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, service, or entertain ment conducted, sold, or offered only elsewhere than upon the premises where it is displayed shall be established nearer than 100 feet to a Residential District, unless the advertisement surface of such sign is not visible therefrom and does not create a nuisance to adjacent property owners, in which instance they shall be no closer than 50 feet to a Residential District.

   6.   No sign in a Non-Residential District shall be located so as to face any Residential District. This provision shall not apply to signs at right angles to the street line of such street.

   7.   All free standing signs shall be set back at least 10 feet from the front lot line. No free standing sign in other than a Residential District shall extend within 50 feet of any Residential District boundary line.

   8.   Special promotional devices, signs, or displays such as flood lights, flags, spinners, banners, pennants, "A" type (sandwich type) sidewalk or curb signs and related devices (“devices”) shall only be allowed by permit for a new business or an existing business, subject to the following provisions.

      A.   For all types of devices together on a single lot, permits may be issued not more than four (4) times a year.

      B.   No more than one (1) permit may be issued for any business covering the same date or dates.

      C.   Each permit shall allow use of not more than five (5) devices at any time with a maximum height of twenty (20) feet for a parallel sign and eight (8) feet for a free-standing sign and a maximum aggregate area of forty (40) square feet.

      D.   Each permit shall be for a minimum of thirty (30) days and a maximum of sixty (60) days, but for a total of not more than 120 days for all permits for any business in any calendar year.

      E.   At a shopping center with more than one business under separate ownership on the lot, the provisions of this Section 705(8) shall apply to each such separately owned business, individually, provided that no more than four such permits may be issued covering the same dates. Permits for such businesses shall be issued in the order that the applications are received.

      F.   Such devices are not permitted for an existing business on a property with an EMS.

      G.   Such signs shall not be permitted in the Medium Residential (MR) Zoning District, as well as the residential portion of the Planned Unit Developed (PUD) Zoning District.

      H.   The devices shall be subject to the setback restrictions applicable to other signs in the zoning district.

      I.   Devices shall be permitted only on a lot on which the business is located and off premises devices are not permitted.

      J.   A permit shall be required for the placement of all devices and at no other time shall such devices be permitted. [Ord. 517]

      K.   The Hanover Township Council shall establish fees for such permits by resolution.

The following signs are permitted provided no directly illuminated signs shall be allowed and provided all signs shall comply with the sign regulations in § 27-709.

   1.   On-Premises Signs.

      A.   Official traffic signs and other official Federal, State, County and Township governmental signs.

      B.   Signs displaying only the name and address of the occupant of the premises, provided not more than one such sign shall be erected for each occupant of a premises, unless such property fronts on more than one street, in which case one such sign may be erected on each street frontage. The area of such sign shall not exceed 1 square foot. [Ord. 517]

      C.   Temporary signs advertising the sale, lease or rental of property, provided than not more than one such sign shall be placed on property held in single and separate ownership unless such property fronts on more than one street, in which case one such sign shall be allowed for each frontage. All signs shall be removed within 7 days after an agreement of sale or rental has been entered into. Such temporary signs shall not exceed 6 square feet and the height and setback limitations applicable to free standing identification signs in the zoning district in which it is located. [Ord. 517]

      D.   Trespassing signs, signs indicating the private nature of a road, driveway, or premises. The area of such sign shall not exceed 2 square feet. [Ord. 517]

      E.   Signs erected to identify a major subdivision, land development, mobile home park, or apartment complex providing that only one such sign is located at the main entrance. The area of such sign shall not exceed 36 square feet. [Ord. 517]

      F.   Temporary signs erected in connection with the development or proposed development of the premises by a land developer, provided that such signs shall be removed within 20 days after the last structure has been initially occupied.

Where a real estate developer is engaged in selling lots only, then temporary signs advertising the sale of lots in the subdivision, shall be permitted during the initial period of the development project, which period shall commence with the recording date of the subdivision map and shall end 12 months thereafter. The permit for such signs may be renewed at the end of each 12-month period.

      G.   Temporary signs of contractors, mechanics or artisans may be erected and maintained during the period such persons are performing work on the premises on which such signs are erected. Not more than one sign shall be placed on property held in single and separate ownership unless such property fronts on more than one street, in which case one such sign shall be allowed for each frontage. Such signs shall be removed upon completion of work by the mechanic or artisan. The total area of all such signs shall not exceed 12 square feet and the height and setback limitations applicable to free standing identification signs in the zoning district in which it is located. [Ord. 517]

   2.   Off-Premises Signs.

      A.   Signs directing patrons, members, or audiences to temporary exhibits, shows, or events located in the Township and signs directed in conjunction with a political election subject to the following requirements:

         (1)   Signs shall be removed within 1 week after the date of the exhibit, show, event or election.

         (2)   No permit shall be issued for the erection of such signs until a deposit shall be made with the Zoning Officer in accordance with a fee schedule adopted by Township Council to guarantee removal within the time prescribed. Failure to remove such signs within the time prescribed shall result in forfeiture of the deposit.

         (3)   No such sign shall be posted earlier than 3 weeks before the occur rence of the event to which it relates with the exception of political signs which shall be posted no earlier than one 12 month prior to an election.

         (4)   Signs shall not exceed an area of 24 square feet. [Ord. 517]

      B.   Signs necessary for the direction, regulation and control of traffic, street name signs, legal notices, warning at railroad crossings and other official signs which are similarly authorized or erected by a duly constituted governmental body.

No sign shall be permitted except as follows:

   1.   On-Premises Signs.

      A.   All signs permitted in previous § 27-706 at the standards prescribed therein except as otherwise provided in this Section.

      B.   No sign except such directional devices as may be required by the Federal Aviation Administration, shall be placed, inscribed or supported upon the roof or upon any structure which extends above the roof of any building.

      C.   Parallel and projecting signs, provided:

         (1)   Signs attached to a main wall of a principal building shall not project more than 15 inches therefrom and that no portion shall be less than 10 feet above the basic grade and no more than 25 feet above the basic grade. If not projecting more than 3 inches from a wall of a building, the sign need not conform to the height limits. No such sign shall project more than 2 feet above the roof line.

         (2)   The total area of all signs shall not exceed 20% of the area of the building face (including window and door area and cornices) to which they are attached. In no case, however, shall the total area of all signs exceed 300 square feet. [Ord. 86]

         (3)   Permanent window signs shall be considered parallel signs and included in this computation but shall nevertheless not exceed 30% of the total window area on each street.

         (4)   In the case of a shopping center or a group of stores or other business uses on a lot held in single and separate ownership, the provisions of this Section relating to the total area of signs permitted on a premises shall apply with respect to each building, separate store, or similar use. Only parallel signs shall be permitted for individual establishments.

         (5)   In the case of a shopping center, signs not visible from surrounding public streets or highways may be flashing, blinking, animated or incorporate changing messages or graphics, including electronic message signs. [Ord. 475]

      D.   Free Standing Signs.

         (1)   Shall be limited to one except for an establishment which fronts on two or more streets in which case a sign may be erected in each yard fronting on a street.

         (2)   No portion of any such sign shall be more than 25 feet above the ground, except such signs described in § 27-707(1)(D) and as follows: provided, that such sign does not cause danger to traffic by obscuring the view across the lot between the height of 2 and 10 feet.

         (3)   The area of any free standing signs except such signs as described in § 27-707(1)(D)(4) and (5) below shall not exceed 1 square foot for each 2 feet of lineal lot frontage or 50 square feet, whichever is smaller.

         (4)   No sign shall be located beyond the rear wall of the main building when the rear property line upon which it is situated abuts a Residential District, except signs that convey information such as parking, entrances and traffic flow directions. The area on one side of any such sign shall not exceed 8 square feet. The name of the business on the premises may appear on such signs.

         (5)   In the case of a shopping center, only two free standing signs indicating the name of the center or similar use may be erected. No portion of a shopping center free standing sign shall be less than 20 or more than 40 feet above the ground. The area of any one side of such sign shall not exceed 100 square feet. The location and orienta tion of such sign shall be shown on the development plan.

         (6)   In the case of a group of business uses other than a shopping center, on a lot held in single and separate ownership, a single standing sign including signs identifying different establishments may be erected on a common backing provided that the total area of one side of the sign does not exceed 50 square feet The structural backing for all such signs shall be uniform and no sign may extend, in any direction, beyond the outside edge of the backing.

         (7)   Except as set forth in § 27-707(1)(C)(5), in a PC District, only free standing signs may be electronic message signs, provided such electronic message signs comply with all other provisions applicable to free standing signs.

[Ord. 475]

No sign shall be permitted except as follows:

   1.   On-Premises Signs.

      A.   All signs permitted in § 27-706 and electronic message signs, as provided in § 27-707(1)(D)(7), at the standards prescribed therein except as otherwise provided in this Section. [Ord. 475]

      B.   Signs for permitted non-residential uses provided:

         (1)   There shall be a limit of one parallel or projecting sign, identifying the owner and/or occupants of the building, affixed to the face of a building on each yard fronting on a street or abutting an expressway, provided a building in a yard abutting an expressway must be within 100 feet of the right of way of the expressway.

            (a)   If the building face fronts a street, all signs shall not exceed 100 square feet or 20% of the area of the building face to which they are attached or painted, whichever is less.

            (b)   If the building face is in a yard abutting an expressway, all signs shall not exceed 75 square feet or 20% of the building face to which they are attached, whichever is less.

[Ord. 461]

         (2)   Free standing signs shall not exceed 1 square foot of one sign area to 2 feet of lineal lot frontage. The maximum area of any free standing sign may not exceed 75 square feet and not more than one such sign shall be placed on property in single and separate ownership unless such sign property fronts on more than one street, in which case one such sign may be erected on each street frontage.

         (3)   Any entrance to an industrial or office park serving five or more tenants may have a single sign indicating the name of the park and listing each tenant and having a maximum area of 100 square feet.

         (4)   No sign shall be erected within 20 feet of the nearest right-of-way line of any street, road or highway.

   2.   Off-Premises Signs.

      A.   Within 100 feet of the right-of-way of an expressway, a billboard shall be permitted provided:

         (1)   The face of the sign shall have a width of no greater than 48 feet.

         (2)   The total height of the sign or any portion of the structure supporting or otherwise associated with the sign shall have a height not greater than 40 feet, subject also to the height limitations set forth in the sign area regulations of § 27-709.

         (3)   No billboard shall be located within 1,500 feet of any other billboard regardless of on which side of the highway the said other billboard is located.

         (4)   A back-to-back billboard located on a single structure shall be permitted.

         (5)   Only one sign shall be permitted on each side or face of a billboard. [Ord. 486]

         (6)   The light from any fixture illuminating the billboard shall not be directly visible in any part of the right-of-way of the highway or any other public right-of-way or property.

         (7)   The face of a sign mounted on a unit pole shall have a width no greater than 48 feet and a height no greater than 14 feet. Such sign shall be a billboard mounted on a single pole fixed in the ground and having no other support or bracing.

         (8)   Such signs may have banners, spinners, pennants, flags or other material which moves in the wind.

         (9)   Off-premises billboard signs are permitted in the PIO Zoning District only.

         (10)   All or part of a billboard may be an EMS, provided that no EMS which is a billboard, including a converted nonconforming billboard, may be located within 1,500 feet of another EMS which is a billboard.

[Ord. 475]

      B.   Those signs permitted in § 27-706(2) shall also be permitted.

Maximum Area By District. The following is a summary and in the event of any conflict, the provisions of §§ 27-701 through 27-708 and 27-710 shall prevail.

   NL = No Limitations

(Ord. 45, Z-§ 709. 5/12/76; as amended by Ord. 124, § 2, 6/9/82; and by Ord. 517, 6/15/2011, § 5)

The use of off-premises signs, notices and other signs are herewith restricted as follows in order to facilitate the movement of traffic to minimize the hazard on expressways, as designated in the Township Comprehensive Plan and to restrict the use of signs in the various zoning districts of Hanover Township. Signs permitted by this § 27-710 shall not be permitted on any lot upon which a billboard is located.

   1.   Within 50 feet of any part of the right-of-way of any expressway within the limits of the Township, only the following signs shall be permitted.

      A.   Official signs including traffic markers, directional signs, or street name plates.

      B.   Name plates not exceeding 2 square feet, identifying the owner or occupant of the property.

      C.   In those areas where there is no open area adjacent to a building abutting the said highway approach a sign not exceeding 4 square feet in area pertaining to the sale or lease of the property and set back at least 25 feet and placed so as not to obstruct a driver’s view of official signs.

   2.   Over 50 feet and within 100 feet of the edge of said rights-of-way referred to in the preceding subparagraph only the following signs shall be permitted:

      A.   All signs permitted in subparagraph § 27-710.

      B.   An unilluminated sign attached to the main wall of a building and projection horizontally not more than 12 inches therefrom, 10 feet, nor more than 20 feet above the ground. The said sign shall not exceed 30 inches in height or bear an advertisement other than the name of the person, firm or corporation operating the place of business, or owning the property and a description of the general character of the business.

      C.   One illuminated projecting sign, excluding a flashing or animated illuminated sign, or animated unilluminated sign for each building or use not projecting over a street or other public space more than 10 feet from the face of the building or structure, nor in any case beyond a vertical plane two feet inside the right-of-way line; nor shall it be so erected that its innermost edge shall be placed more than 12 inches from the building line; nor shall it bear an advertisement other than the name of the person, firm or corporation operating the place of business, or owning the property and a description of the general character of-the business or be above the roof line.

(Ord. 45, Z-§ 710, 5/12/76)

Electronic message signs (EMS) wherever permitted in the Township shall be subject to the following rules:

   1.   No EMS image or part thereof (including words, letters, symbols or other graphics) may change more than once every 10 seconds.

   2.   Any change in an image shall occur within 1 second or less.

   3.   Change of an image includes, but is not limited to, any perceived movement of the image such as scrolling, dissolving, fading or similar adjustment.

   4.   No side or face of an EMS which is a billboard shall contain double or multiple signs or split screen images. [Ord. 486]

   5.   Only one sign on a side or face of an existing, nonconforming double or multiple sign billboard may be converted to an EMS. [Ord. 486]

   6.   No EMS which is a billboard shall be located within 1,500 feet of any other EMS which is a billboard regardless of which side of the highway the said other EMS which is a billboard is located.

   7.   Each EMS must be equipped with automatic day/night dimming software, to maintain a constant illumination intensity or contrast of light level.

   8.   Community Service. Each EMS owner shall give priority over all messages to emergency alerts as directed by Federal, State, and local authorities . Each owner must notify AMBER ALERT and register its location for use if needed. When possible due to unsold message time, an EMS owner shall give consideration to devoting such unsold time to community service messages (i.e., time and temperature, school closing, weather, non-profit announcements, etc.), as determined by the EMS owner.

(Ord. 45, Z-§ 711, 5/12/76; as added by Ord. 475, 7/18/2007, § 9; and as amended by Ord. 486, 7/2/2008, § 2)