Harris Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIV
Signs
§ 12-14.1 Title.
This article shall be known as the "Harris Township Sign Ordinance."
§ 12-14.2 Effective date.
This article shall become effective this 15th day of June, 2024.
§ 12-14.3 Intent and purpose.
It is the intent of this article to provide minimum standards for outdoor signage within Harris Township. The purposes of the regulations within this article are as follows.
A.
To regulate the location, type, size, number, and illumination of signs as well as other physical characteristics of signs within Harris Township to promote public health, safety, and welfare.
B.
To preserve and to improve the aesthetic environment of Harris Township by preventing visual clutter that could occur with competing signs in corridors of nonresidential zoning districts.
C.
To provide the opportunity for enhanced visual appearance of Harris Township while allowing an effective means of communication that is consistent with constitutional guarantees and with Harris Township's goals for public safety.
D.
To encourage the display of signs within Harris Township that are attractively designed in order to enhance the economic value and visual character of the community.
§ 12-14.4 Definitions.
The definitions in Article XI, Terminology, of this chapter shall apply in the interpretation of this article. Additionally, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given in this section.
The use of land, buildings, or other structures for some public or social purpose but not for a commercial use or for commercial business purposes. Institutional uses include governmental, religious, charitable, philanthropic, or other similar noncommercial uses.
The measure of light emanating from an object which is used to quantify electronic sign brightness, calculated by the total amount of light emitted from a sign divided by the surface area of the sign measured as candelas per square meter.
The officially designated and duly sworn Ordinance Enforcement Officer of the Township of Harris, County of Centre, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The land area of a single tax parcel owned, rented, or leased; a lot of record.
Any structure, device, light, or natural object, including the ground itself, or any part thereof or any device attached thereto, or painted or represented thereon, which shall be used to identify, advertise, or attract attention to any object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization, firm, group, commodity, profession, enterprise, industry, or business, or which shall display or include any letter, work, model, number, banner, flag, pennant, insignia, device, or representation used as an announcement, direction, or advertisement, and which is intended to be seen from off of the premises or from a parking lot.
DIRECTIONAL SIGNA sign denoting a business name, direction, and distance information containing no other commercial advertisement.
ELECTRONIC/DIGITAL SIGNAny sign or portion thereof which is comprised of a series of lights, including light-emitting diodes, fiber optics, or other similar technology which has the ability to change the message or display of the sign face. Electronic/digital signs shall be designed as on-premises signs in the zoning districts in which they are specifically permitted.
GROUND POLE SIGNA sign supported by one or more uprights, poles, or braces placed in or upon the ground.
ILLUMINATED SIGNA sign that provides artificial light directly, or through any transparent or translucent material, from a source of light connected with such sign, or a sign illuminated by a light focused upon or chiefly directed at the surface of the sign.
INTERIOR SIGNA sign contained within a building whether visible or not from outside of the building.
MONUMENT SIGNA sign placed on or in the ground, not supported by any building or other structure, with the bottom edge of the sign entirely at grade.
OFF-PREMISES SIGNA sign which contains a message unrelated to a business or profession conducted upon the premises where such sign is located, or which is unrelated to a commodity, service, or entertainment sold or offered upon the premises where such sign is located.
ON-PREMISES SIGNA sign located on the property or attached to the exterior of the building which houses the business or occupation.
PERMANENT SIGNAny sign intended for display for an unlimited period of time or in excess of that associated with a temporary sign, as specifically described in this article.
PROJECTING SIGNA sign which projects from and is supported by a wall, building, or structure.
REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT SIGNA sign providing the name of a development, the developer, and/or the developer's contact information.
REAL ESTATE SALES SIGNAny sign used by a company, business, or individual offering for sale or lease any property and/or any structure or portion of a structure on a property.
TEMPORARY SIGNAny sign intended for display for a limited period of time or for less than that established for a permanent sign, as specifically described in this article.
WALL SIGNA sign that is attached directly to or painted upon a building wall or window which does not extend more than 12 inches therefrom nor above the roofline.
The area of the smallest triangle, rectangle, or circle which can wholly enclose the surface area of the sign. All visible faces of a multi-faced sign shall be counted separately and then totaled in calculating sign area. Three-dimensional signs shall be counted as dual-faced, such that the total area shall be twice the area of the smallest triangle, rectangle, or circle which can wholly circumscribe the sign in the plane of its largest dimension.
§ 12-14.5 Signs permitted and prohibited in all zoning districts.
A.
Signs permitted in all zoning districts. Signs listed in this section are permitted in all zoning districts and shall not require licenses nor be counted when calculating the total number of signs on a premises. However, such signs shall conform with the general regulations for signs enumerated in the remainder of this article.
(1)
Name and address of resident, excluding any commercial advertisement, of not more than two square feet in sign area.
(2)
Signs regulating the use of property, such as "no trespassing," "no hunting," "no fishing," etc., of no more than two square feet of sign area in residential zoning districts and no more than five square feet of sign area in commercial and industrial zoning districts.
(3)
Signs regulating on-premises traffic, parking, or other functional subdivision, such as lavatory facilities, telephone, and signs denoting sections of a building such as an office, etc., when such signs are less than five square feet in area and bear no commercial advertising.
(4)
Signs erected by a governmental body, or under the direction of such body, and bearing no commercial advertisement, such as traffic signs, railroad crossing signs, signs identifying public schools and playgrounds, etc.
(5)
Memorial signs or tablets and signs denoting the date of erection of buildings, not exceeding two square feet in area on a single face.
(6)
Permanent residential development signs at major entrances designed to identify a residential subdivision and containing no commercial advertisement which do not exceed 32 square feet in sign area on a single face or 64 square feet in sign area on a double face.
(7)
On-premises occupation signs containing only name and occupation and of no more than two square feet in sign area.
(8)
Interior signs, including decals, etc., affixed to the insides of windows or door glass panes.
(9)
Signs not exceeding 32 square feet in area erected on the inside of the perimeter fencing or on the scoreboard of an organizational athletic field for the sole purpose of sponsoring or contributing to the organized sport or organization.
(10)
Flags that are affixed to a permanent flagpole or flagpoles that are mounted to buildings (either temporary or permanent) and contain no commercial advertisement. Flags that contain commercial advertisements shall be considered signs and shall require licenses as either ground pole signs or projecting signs.
(11)
One sign of not more than 32 square feet in area if single-faced or more than 64 square feet in area if dual-faced identifying an institutional use on any property. Such signs may not exceed eight feet in height if located within residential zoning districts.
(12)
Personal message signs that may promote political candidates, causes, yard sales, garage sales, etc., when placed on private property. No more than three such signs may be placed on a property at any one time; no such signs shall exceed five square feet in area per face; such signs are intended for personal messages and may not contain any commercial advertisement.
B.
Signs prohibited in all zoning districts. Signs listed in this subsection are prohibited in all zoning districts unless specifically permitted elsewhere within this section.
(1)
Signs which by reason of size, location, height, coloring, or manner of illumination obstruct or detract from the vision of drivers, either when driving on a roadway or when entering a roadway from another roadway or driveway, or obstruct or detract from the visibility or effectiveness of any sign or control device on public streets and roads.
(2)
Any sign which obstructs free ingress to or egress from a fire escape, door, window, or other required exitway.
(3)
Signs which make use of words such as "stop," "look," "one-way," "danger," "yield," or any similar words or phrases, symbols, lights, or characters in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.
(4)
Any signs which approximate in shape, design, color, or wording any traffic control sign or device installed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation or Harris Township.
(5)
Any obsolete sign which no longer advertises a bona fide business conducted or a product sold. In any case, 90 days shall be allowed for removal of an obsolete sign.
(6)
Signs on public property or public rights-of-way, including public sidewalks, unless erected by a government body or required to be so located by order of a government body. No sign located on public property or public rights-of-way shall bear any commercial advertisement or announcement.
(7)
Signs painted on, attached to, or supported by a tree, stone, cliff, or other natural object, except signs listed in § 12-14.5A(2).
(8)
Pennants, balloons, and streamers except for occasions such as grand openings and then only with special permission from the Ordinance Enforcement Officer. Use shall be limited to a fifteen-day period.
(9)
Flashing, moving, or oscillating sign lights.
§ 12-14.6 Sign licensing regulations.
A.
Permanent signs.
(1)
All permanent signs, except those enumerated in § 12-14.5A, Signs permitted in all zoning districts, must be licensed. A license shall be required prior to constructing or installing a new sign and prior to altering or moving an existing sign.
(2)
Application for a license for a permanent sign shall be made on a form provided by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer. The Ordinance Enforcement Officer shall issue a sign license only if the applicant has provided sufficient information to assure that such sign will comply with all applicable provisions of this article.
(a)
Any person desiring a sign license shall file an application upon a form which shall contain or have attached thereto the following information:
[1]
Name, address, and contact information of the applicant.
[2]
A map or drawing showing the location of any building, structure, or lot to which the sign is to be attached or erected, and showing the position of the sign in relation to nearby buildings and streets; such map or drawing shall be drawn to scale.
[3]
A plan showing the design of the sign, materials to be used, lighting plans, method of construction, and means of attachment to a building, structure, or the ground.
[4]
Name of person, firm, corporation, or association erecting, altering, and/or installing said sign.
[5]
Written consent of the owner of the land upon which the sign is to be erected, altered, or relocated.
[6]
Other information that the Ordinance Enforcement Officer may require in order to show full compliance with all applicable provisions of this article and other applicable ordinances of Harris Township.
(3)
Licenses for permanent signs shall be valid for three years and shall be renewable at three-year intervals.
(4)
A sign may be erected, installed, altered, or relocated after a sign license has been issued by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer. The owner of the sign shall notify the Ordinance Enforcement Officer, who shall inspect the sign.
(a)
If the Ordinance Enforcement Officer finds that the sign has been placed as specified in the license application and in compliance with all applicable provisions of this article and other ordinances of Harris Township, the Ordinance Enforcement Officer shall provide written notification of ordinance compliance.
(b)
If the Ordinance Enforcement Officer finds that the sign has not been placed as specified in the license application and/or is not in compliance with all applicable provisions of this article and other ordinances of Harris Township, the owner of the sign shall be notified in writing by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer to remove said sign or correct any violations of this article noted by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer within 30 days of the date of notification. Any sign owner who shall fail to remove such sign or to correct noted violations within 30 days of notification shall be subject to fines as set forth in § 12-14.10, Enforcement and penalties, of this article.
B.
Temporary signs.
(1)
All temporary signs as they are defined in this article shall be licensed and shall conform to the regulations established in this article. Possession of a valid license for a temporary sign shall entitle the licensee to display one temporary sign at any time for the period stated.
(2)
Application for a license for a temporary sign shall be made on a form provided by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer. Licenses for temporary signs must be kept on the premises where signs are displayed.
(3)
Licenses for temporary signs are valid for 90 days and may be renewed upon the filing of a new application and payment of the license fee.
(4)
Not more than two temporary signs may be licensed for any property at any one time.
§ 12-14.7 General regulations in all zoning districts.
A.
Limit on signs per property. No more than five (5) signs may be erected or maintained on any property at any one time, except on a multi-tenant property, as described in § 12-14.9B(3), Multi-tenant property signs.
(1)
In calculating the total number of signs on a property, only permanent signs shall be used. A double-faced sign shall count as a single sign.
B.
Limit on sign area. The total permanent sign area per property shall not exceed two square feet per lineal front foot of the main building on the property; however, no property shall be limited to less than 20 square feet of total sign area nor allowed to exceed 200 square feet of total sign area.
C.
Limit on height of signs. No sign, nor any part thereof, including braces, supports, or lights, shall exceed a height of 25 feet unless expressly permitted herein. Height shall be measured from the median grade level directly below the face of the sign to the highest part of the sign.
(1)
For those properties in nonresidential zoning districts where the maximum height of buildings and other structures is 45 feet, wall signs on buildings and other structures whose height is between 35 feet and 45 feet may be located a maximum of 35 feet above the median grade level directly below the face of the sign to the highest part of the sign.
D.
Nonconforming signs. The owner of any licensed nonconforming sign shall submit an application for a sign license at the time of renewal. Additionally, an application for a certificate of nonconformity shall be filed for signs not officially recognized as nonconforming at the time of license renewal.
(1)
No nonconforming sign shall be enlarged or dimensionally altered or moved from one location to another.
(2)
Nonconforming signs may be repaired and maintained, which shall include, but not be limited to, the replacement of certain portions of the sign, or the entire sign if necessary, to repair damage from collision, natural causes such as windstorm or fire, or from intentional damage such as vandalism.
(3)
If there is an abandonment or nonuse of a nonconforming sign or sign location for a period of at least one year, such nonconforming sign shall be deemed to be abandoned and the right to maintain such nonconforming sign shall terminate.
E.
Illumination of signs.
(1)
Light sources which cast light on signs shall be shielded by opaque materials so that the bulbs, floodlights, tubes, or other light sources are not visible off of the property on which the signs are located; the shielding of light sources for signs shall additionally be designed, located, and arranged so that the direct rays of the light sources do not shine into a dwelling unit or into the eyes of a pedestrian or a vehicle operator.
(2)
Ground-anchored light sources for signs shall be prohibited.
(3)
In addition to the above regulations for sign illumination, all requirements listed in § 12-7.6, Outdoor illumination, shall be applicable, and evidence of compliance with such regulations shall be provided to the Ordinance Enforcement Officer with every sign license application that proposes a sign that includes illumination.
F.
Safety and maintenance.
(1)
Every sign and all parts thereof, including framework, supports, background, anchors, and wiring systems, shall be constructed and maintained in compliance with the building, electrical, and fire prevention codes as they now or may hereafter exist in Harris Township.
(2)
All signs and parts thereof shall be kept in a good state of repair and maintenance.
(3)
Any sign which has received damage or deterioration to 50% or more of the sign area as estimated by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer shall be considered a nuisance and must be repaired or removed within 30 days of notification by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer.
§ 12-14.8 Sign regulations in residential zoning districts.
Signs in Single-Family, Two-Family, and Multifamily Residential Zoning Districts (R-1, R-2, and R-3) are allowed as follows:
A.
All signs are prohibited in R-1, R-2, and R-3 Zoning Districts except those identified in §§ 12-14.5A and 12-149B(2)(a).
B.
Illuminated signs are prohibited in R-1, R-2, and R-3 Zoning Districts except for those signs identifying street addresses, professional or institutional uses permitted in such zoning districts, and signs necessary for public safety.
C.
No sign may be erected or maintained in R-1, R-2, or R-3 Zoning Districts which exceeds 32 square feet in sign area on a single face nor 64 square feet of sign area on a double-faced sign.
D.
Wall signs of not more than 15 square feet in sign area identifying residential, commercial, municipal, professional, or institutional uses as they are or may hereafter be allowed in R-1, R-2, and R-3 Zoning Districts shall comply with all applicable provisions of this article.
E.
One wall sign of not more than five square feet in area identifying a home occupation accessory use consistent with the provisions for home occupations contained in § 12-2.4A(11) shall be permitted on a property in any zoning district. Home occupation signs shall not include lighting and must be licensed as required in this article.
§ 12-14.9 Types of signs.
A.
Basic sign types.
(1)
Ground pole signs. In addition to the general provisions of this article, the following regulations shall apply to all ground pole signs.
(a)
Every ground pole sign, and all parts, braces and supports thereof, shall be located entirely behind the property line and shall not project over public rights-of-way or other adjoining lands. Ground pole signs may be located between the front property line and building setback line.
(b)
No ground pole sign shall exceed 32 square feet in sign area on a single sign face nor more than 64 square feet in sign area if double-faced, except in the Village Zoning District, where no ground pole sign shall exceed 15 square feet in sign area on a single face or 30 square feet in sign area if double-faced.
(c)
No more than one sign shall be mounted to the supporting structure of any ground pole sign except for directional signs permitted in this article.
(d)
One ground pole sign may be installed for and toward each public street on any property located on a corner lot or having entrances to two or more public streets.
(2)
Projecting signs. In addition to the general provisions of this article, the following regulations shall apply to all projecting signs.
(a)
No projecting sign shall project more than five feet beyond the building line in the direction of the street, nor shall any portion of any projecting sign be closer than two feet to the face of the street curb or curb line.
(b)
No portion of any projecting sign shall be less than 10 feet above grade level, except in the Village Zoning District, where projecting signs shall maintain at least eight feet of clearance over walkways.
(c)
No single face of a projecting sign shall exceed 15 square feet in sign area, except in the Village Zoning District, where projecting signs may not exceed 10 square feet in sign area per face.
(d)
There shall be no more than one projecting sign for any premises unless the premises is located on a corner lot or has public entrances on two or more public streets, in which case one projecting sign may be erected for and toward each public way.
(3)
Wall signs. In addition to the general provisions of this article, the following regulations shall apply to all wall signs.
(a)
No wall sign shall extend above the top of the wall upon which it is placed, nor extend beyond the left and right extremities of the wall to which it is attached.
(b)
No wall sign, nor any portion thereof, shall project more than 12 inches from the wall upon which it is mounted.
(c)
No wall sign shall exceed 32 square feet in sign area, except in the Village Zoning District, where no wall sign shall exceed 15 square feet in sign area.
(4)
Monument signs. In addition to the general provisions of this article, the following regulations shall apply to all monument signs.
(5)
Electronic/digital signs. In addition to the general provisions of this article, the following regulations shall apply to all electronic/digital signs. All permanent signs permitted within this article may contain electronic/digital sign faces in conformance with the following regulations.
(a)
Sign display/message.
[1]
Each display or message shall remain unchanged and static for a period of not less than 20 seconds to limit the number of displays or messages seen by motorists.
[2]
The display or message shall not flash, pulsate, move, or scroll, nor may the display or message portray explosions, fireworks, blinking or chasing lights, or any movement or animation as it enters, is displayed, or leaves the sign board.
[3]
Each display or message shall transition by changing instantly; no fading in or fading out of displays or messages shall be permitted.
[4]
Electronic/digital signs shall contain a default setting which shall freeze the sign message in one position and at the maximum nighttime brightness level should a malfunction occur.
(b)
Brightness. All electronic/digital signs shall be equipped with automatic brightness controls to reduce light levels at night and under cloudy or other darkened conditions.
[1]
The maximum brightness levels shall not exceed 5,000 nits when measured from the sign's face at its maximum brightness during daylight hours.
[2]
The maximum brightness levels shall not exceed 500 nits when measured from the sign's face at its maximum brightness between sunset and sunrise (nighttime) as those times are determined by the National Weather Service.
(c)
Size. No electronic/digital sign shall have a sign area exceeding 15 square feet if single-faced or 30 square feet if double-faced.
(d)
Height. No electronic/digital sign shall have a height in excess of 10 feet as measured from the ground directly below the sign face.
(e)
Number. One electronic/digital sign shall be permitted per property.
(f)
Location. Electronic/digital signs shall be permitted only in the General Commercial (C-1), Village Commercial (VC), and General Industrial (I-1) Zoning Districts.
[1]
No electronic/digital sign shall be located closer than 50 feet to any property line of a lot located within the Single-Family Residential (R-1), Two-Family Residential (R-2) or Multifamily Residential (R-3) Zoning Districts or to any lot in any other zoning district with a residential primary use.
(g)
Professional certification.
[1]
At the time of sign license application submission, the applicant shall provide written certification from the sign manufacturer confirming that the light intensity levels have been preset not to exceed the illumination levels established by this article and that such levels are protected from end user manipulation by an approved method such as password protected software.
[2]
At the time of sign license application submission, the applicant shall provide written acknowledgement that the sign owner shall have the sign tested to determine compliance with the acceptable brightness standards for daytime and nighttime operation and shall provide to Harris Township the written results of such tests upon written request of the Ordinance Enforcement Officer.
B.
Special sign types.
(1)
Directional signs. In addition to the general provisions of this article, the following regulations shall apply to all directional signs.
(a)
Directional signs may be erected along arterial roadways, with the property owner's permission, to direct vehicles or pedestrians to locations not visible or easily accessed from major roadways.
(b)
Directional signs shall be ground pole signs with a maximum sign area of 10 square feet if single-faced and 20 square feet if double-faced.
(c)
Directional signs shall not be located more than 500 feet from an entrance or other roadway leading to the advertiser, shall be located in advance of such roadway or entrance, and shall be located on that side of the highway which is occupied by traffic to which direction is being conveyed.
(d)
No more than two individual signs shall be erected within the permitted area and these shall be attached to a single ground support structure. When more than two such signs are requested at a single location, all information shall be combined in one sign which shall not exceed either an area of 32 square feet for a single-faced sign or 64 square feet for a double-faced sign.
(e)
Directional signs on collector or local streets may be erected with the property owner's permission. Such signs may not exceed five square feet of sign area and are considered permanent.
(2)
Real estate development signs. In addition to the general provisions of this article, the following regulations shall apply to all real estate development signs.
(a)
The use of real estate development signs shall be limited to those developers or owners having for sale a minimum of six (6) lots in one subdivision.
(b)
Such signs must be located on the subdivision in which the lots are for sale.
(c)
Such signs shall conform to building setback line requirements. If any person shall use more than one sign for the same development or area, no two signs shall be closer to each other than 1,000 feet measured in a straight line.
(d)
The maximum sign area of any such single-faced sign shall be 32 square feet, and for any double-faced sign, 64 square feet. No part of such sign shall be more than 10 feet above grade or in excess of 10 feet in any dimension.
(e)
Such signs shall be removed when 75% of the lots in the subdivision have been sold or leased.
(f)
Artificial illumination of such signs is prohibited.
(3)
Multi-tenant property signs. For those properties containing more than one tenant, including but not limited to shopping centers, office parks, and industrial parks, the following regulations shall apply.
(a)
For every multi-tenant property, one ground pole or monument sign not exceeding 32 square feet in area per face identifying the property/development shall be permitted at the entrance. In the case that a property has entrances from more than one public street, one additional ground pole or monument sign shall be permitted at an additional entrance.
(b)
For each tenant on the property, one wall sign of not more than 32 square feet in area shall be permitted.
(c)
Directional signs of not more than 10 square feet in area per face may be erected at street/driveway intersections within the property; such signs shall not require licenses and shall not be counted toward the number of signs permitted on the property.
§ 12-14.10 Enforcement and penalties.
A.
Enforcement.
(1)
The provisions of this article shall be enforced by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer of the Township of Harris.
(2)
The Ordinance Enforcement Officer shall examine all applications for permits for the erection of signs, issue licenses for new signs and for continued use of signs which conform to the requirements of this article, record and file all applications for permits with any accompanying plans or documents, and make such reports as Harris Township may require.
(3)
If the Ordinance Enforcement Officer shall find that any sign has been constructed or erected or is being maintained in violation of the provisions of this article, the Ordinance Enforcement Officer shall promptly notify the owner or lessor thereof in writing. Failure to remove said sign within the time given in the notice by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer shall constitute a violation of this article. The Ordinance Enforcement Officer is authorized by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq., to enforce the provisions of this article and to abate violations of this article.
(4)
Each day a violation exists shall constitute a separate violation of this article.
(5)
The cost of removal or abatement of any violation shall be borne by the owner or lessor of such sign and shall be a lien upon the property of the owner or lessor.
(6)
The Ordinance Enforcement Officer shall cause any sign which is in immediate peril to persons or property to be removed immediately. The cost of such removal shall be borne by the owner or lessor of such sign and shall be a lien upon the property of the owner or lessor.
B.
Penalties. Penalties for violation of this article are set forth in §§ 712.1 and 712.2 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act of 1968, P.L. 805, No. 247, as reenacted and amended, 53 P.S. §§ 10712.1 and 10712.2, respectively.
§ 12-14.11 Zoning Hearing Board.
The Zoning Hearing Board shall hear all cases involving variances, special exceptions, appeals involving interpretations of this article, unified appeals, and challenges to the validity of this article as provided by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.