Hemlock Township City Zoning Code
PART 7
SIGN REGULATIONS
§ 27-701 Purpose.
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005, § 700]
In order that the legitimate demands for signage can be met without the unsightly intrusion of an unlimited number of signs of inappropriate size, dimension and location, any sign erected or altered in Hemlock Township after the effective date of this chapter shall conform to the following regulations.
§ 27-702 Types of Signs.
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005, § 701; as amended by Ord. No. 11-11-2014, 11/11/2014]
1.
Signage can include a variety of different types of signs, each with unique functions. The following list itemizes and describes the types of signs considered under the provisions of this Part:
A.
Advertising Sign Boards (Billboards). A sign or board which attracts the attention of motorists or pedestrians to a product, place or activity that exists or occurs at a location other than the location upon which the sign is situated, excluding official notices or road signs of a governmental body or other directional signs, i.e., an off-premises sign. For the purposes of this chapter, advertising sign boards may only be freestanding signs.
B.
Business Identification Sign. A sign or, board which attracts motorists or pedestrians to a business, product, service or activity that is sold, produced, or conducted on the same premises upon which the sign is located; i.e., an on-premises sign. For the purposes of this chapter, business identification signs may be either freestanding, or parallel or projecting wall signs.
C.
Business or Industrial Complex Identification Sign. A sign which identifies the name of a business or industrial complex, i.e., a shopping center or shopping mall, office building complex, industrial park, or similar multi-tenant commercial or industrial facility. The names of individual businesses or operations located within such complex may also be displayed on such signs.
D.
Digital Message Board. A business identification sign or advertising sign board, or part thereof, with a moving message.
E.
Directional Sign. A sign erected and maintained for the purpose of directing traffic to a particular destination including, but not limited to, places of business, properties for sale, and the like. Such signs may not contain any advertisement or promotional information.
F.
Free-Standing Sign. A self-supported sign resting on the ground or supported by means of poles or standards placed in or on the ground. Such signs may advertise products or items offered for sale or that are directly related to the premises on which they are located, i.e., a business identification sign, or may advertise a business, product or event located elsewhere, i.e., an advertising sign board.
G.
Image-Changing Advertising Sign Board. An advertising sign board which is designed so that its advertising face changes mechanically on a designated frequency.
H.
Institutional Sign. A sign erected and maintained for the purpose of identifying a school, church or place of worship, park or playground, municipal or government building, art gallery, library or museum, nursing or personal care home, medical center, or other institutional building or use located on the same premises as the sign. Such signs may be either freestanding or parallel wall signs.
I.
Parallel Wall Sign. A type of wall sign which is attached parallel to the face of its supporting wall, and which does not project more than 12 inches from such wall.
J.
Permanent Sign. A sign which is permanently affixed to the ground, excluding standard real estate or similar signs.
K.
Political Sign. A temporary sign erected to announce or support a political candidate or issue in connection with any national, state or local election.
L.
Product or Service Advertising Sign. Devices, structures or objects used to advertise a product, service, commodity, or activity available or occurring on the same premises as the sign(s). Such signs shall include, but need not be limited to, placards, boards, or other devices which are mounted, hung or painted on the inside of windows and faced outward, or are placed outside of a business, either on the building itself or on the same lot as the building, which advertise or are intended to advertise the variety, type, or pricing of available products or services. Rags, pennants and banners which advertise specific products or services shall also be considered product or service advertising signs for the purposes of this chapter.
M.
Projecting Wall Sign. A type of wall sign with its horizontal plane attached at right angles to its supporting wall and which projects more than 12 inches from such wall.
N.
Rolling Billboard. A mobile digital or electronic changing advertisement sign.
O.
Temporary Sign. Any sign which is not permanently affixed to the ground.
§ 27-703 General Sign Regulations.
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005, § 702; as amended by Ord. No. 07-08-2008, 7/08/2008, § 34]
1.
The following regulations shall apply to all permitted sign uses:
A.
Construction and Maintenance. Signs shall be constructed of durable materials, be maintained in good condition, and shall not be allowed to become dilapidated or endanger public health, safety or welfare. All signs shall be securely fastened in order to prevent their displacement by the elements.
B.
Sign Area.
(1)
For the purposes of this chapter, sign area shall include the entire display face of a single side of a sign, excluding all structural supports and structural margins not exceeding 12 inches in width on each border of the sign.
(2)
A double-faced sign shall be considered a single sign, unless the interior angle formed by the two sides of the sign is greater than 45°, then each side of the sign shall be considered to be a separate sign.
(3)
Where a sign consists of individual letters or symbols attached to a building, the area of the sign shall be considered to be the smallest rectangle or other regular geometric shape which encompasses all of the letters and/or symbols.
C.
Placement.
(1)
No sign (whether temporary or permanent) shall be placed within the clear sight triangle of any intersection as per the requirements of § 27-505, Subsection 4, of this chapter, nor at any other location that could obstruct or impair a motorist's clear vision. In addition, no sign shall be located where it could be an impediment to pedestrian traffic.
(2)
No sign, other than an official traffic sign, shall be erected within the right-of-way of any public street or roadway, unless authorized by the Township Supervisors for a special purpose.
(3)
The main supporting structure(s) of all permanent freestanding signs shall be set back from the edge of the adjoining street right-of-way or front property line, whichever is greater, as follows:
(a)
General use signs, including directional signs: five feet.
(b)
Institutional signs: 15 feet for new construction; one-half the depth of the existing front yard for existing structures.
(c)
Business identification signs-a distance equal to the height of the sign, but no less than 20 feet.
(d)
Business or industrial complex identification signs: 50 feet.
(e)
Advertising sign boards or billboards: 50 feet.
(4)
Temporary freestanding signs may be placed to within five feet of the edge of the adjoining street right-of-way or front property line, but must still meet the clear sight triangle requirements of subparagraph (1) above.
(5)
All freestanding signs shall be set back to meet the side and rear yard requirements for the district in which they are to be located.
(6)
No sign shall be erected or maintained which could prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape, nor shall any sign be attached to a vent pipe, fire escape, or the eave of any building. Further, no signs shall be affixed to the roof of any building.
(7)
Signs placed in any Floodplain District shall be subject to the regulations of the underlying district, except that no sign in any floodplain area may substantially impede natural drainage or the flow of water.
(8)
No sign shall be painted, erected, affixed or maintained on a tree, stone (except for ornamental or architectural stones that may be used to identify a business or personal property), or other natural object, except for property posting signs, nor shall any sign be painted, erected, affixed, supported, or maintained on an accessory storage trailer.
D.
Height.
(1)
Sign height shall be measured from the average finished grade of the site beneath the sign to the highest point of the sign or sign structure, whichever is greater. No person(s) shall artificially increase the highest maximum height of a sign by altering the grade at the base of the sign.
(2)
Maximum sign heights for freestanding signs shall be as follows:
(a)
General use signs, including directional signs: six feet.
(b)
Institutional signs: 20 feet.
(c)
Business identification signs: 20 feet in Residential and Agricultural Districts; 30 feet in General Commercial or Industrial Zones; 50 feet in Interchange Commercial Zone.
(d)
Business or industrial complex identification signs: 200 feet.
(e)
Advertising sign boards or billboards: 50 feet.
(3)
No portion of a wall sign, whether parallel or projecting, shall extend above the top of the wall or roof line of the wall to which it is attached.
E.
Projection.
(1)
Parallel wall signs may not extend more than 12 inches from the surface to which they are mounted or attached, nor in any way interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
(2)
Projecting wall signs shall not extend or project more than five feet from their supporting structure or wall, nor shall any such sign extend over a public street or walkway.
(3)
Parallel or projecting wall signs shall have a clearance of no less than 10 feet, measured from the ground or pavement immediately beneath the sign to the bottom or lowest part of the sign.
F.
Illumination. Illuminated signs shall cause no glare or other disturbance which would be incompatible with the nature of the neighborhood where the sign is located or which would in any way impair the vision of passing motorists. Illumination shall be steady in nature, not flashing, moving or changing in brilliance, color or intensity, except for digital message boards or image-changing advertising sign boards which may be considered as special exceptions in the General Commercial, Interchange Commercial and Industrial Districts.
G.
State Regulations. All applicable state regulations shall be met where signs are proposed in areas adjacent to highways included in PennDOT's Primary and Interstate Highway Systems. Any person desiring to erect a sign in these areas shall contact PennDOT to determine if the state's regulations will affect his proposal. A written copy of PennDOT's determination shall accompany all applications for signs in such areas.
H.
Event Signs. Temporary signs, including those used to advertise garage, porch, or yard sales or other periodic or legally permissible special events in the Township, may be permitted in any zoning district provided that the following criteria are met:
(1)
The size or area of each sign shall not exceed the size or area set forth for permanent signs in the district where they are located.
(2)
Such signs shall not be located within any street right-of-way, without prior approval of the Township Supervisors. The Township may remove without notice any such sign placed within any street right-of-way without the approval of the Township Supervisors.
(3)
Event signs shall not be displayed more than 30 days prior to the event.
(4)
The signs shall be removed by the property owner or promoter within two days after the event or the Township may remove any such sign without notice.
I.
Political Signs. Temporary signs used to announce or support a political candidate may be permitted in any zoning district provided that the following criteria are met:
(1)
Such signs shall not be located within any street right-of-way, nor shall they be located within the clear sight triangle of any intersection or in any other way obstruct or impair a motorist's clear vision.
(2)
All such signs shall be removed by the property owner, the candidate or the candidate's representative within 14 days after the election or the Township may remove any such signs without notice.
§ 27-704 Signs in the RR Rural Residential, SR Suburban Residential and UR Urban Residential Districts.
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005, § 703]
1.
Signs may be placed or located in the RR, SR, and UR Districts subject to the specified requirements:
A.
General Use Signs. The following types of nonilluminated, non-advertising general use signs may be permitted in the RR, SR, and UR Districts as indicated below. Such signs may be designed as either freestanding or parallel wall signs. (See also § 27-703, Subsection 1C and D, regarding placement and height requirements for such signs.)
(4)
Property Sale and/or Rental Signs. Signs which advertise the sale, rental or lease of property on which they are located may be permitted as follows:
(5)
Directional Signs. Signs directing persons or motorists to the location of churches, schools, nonprofit or civic organizations, places of business, or residential developments may be permitted as follows:
(7)
Residential Development Identification Signs. Signs which identify the name of the residential development upon which they are located may be permitted as follows:
B.
Institutional Signs.
(1)
Externally or internally illuminated, nonadvertising institutional signs may be permitted in the RR, SR, and UR Districts as indicated below. Such signs may be designed as either freestanding or parallel wall signs. (See also § 27-703, Subsection 1C and D, regarding placement and height requirements for such signs.)
(2)
Signs which display the name of a school, church, group home, park or playground, nursing or personal care home, medical or dental clinics, or any other institutional building or use may be permitted as follows:
C.
Business Identification Signs. The following types of externally or internally illuminated, business identification signs may be permitted in the RR, SR, and UR Districts as indicated below. Such signs may be designed as either freestanding or parallel wall signs. (See also § 27-703, Subsection 1C and D, regarding placement and height requirements for such signs.)
(1)
Existing Nonconforming Uses. Signs which identify the name of an existing nonconforming use (whether a new sign or a replacement for an existing sign) may be permitted as follows:
(2)
New Commercial Uses. Signs which identify the name of an approved commercial use or activity, including day care facilities, rooming or boarding houses, and professional offices, neighborhood retail activities, or other uses set forth in the District Regulations, §§ 27-303, 27-304 and 27-305, may be permitted as follows:
§ 27-705 Signs in the C General Commercial, IC Interchange Commercial, and I Industrial Districts.
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005, § 704; as amended by Ord. No. 11-11-2014, 11/11/2014]
1.
Signs may be placed or located in the C, IC, and I Districts subject to the specified requirements:
A.
General Use Signs. Those signs permitted in § 27-704, Subsection 1A, General Use Signs, in the RR, SR, and UR Districts may also be permitted in the C, IC, and I Districts at the same size, in the same quantity, and in the same style, with the exception that directional signs may be illuminated.
[Amended by Ord. No. 03-09-2021, 3/9/2021]
B.
Institutional Signs. Those signs permitted in § 27-704, Subsection 1B, institutional signs in the RR, SR, and UR Districts, may also be permitted in the C, IC, and I Districts, in the same size, same quantity, and in the same style.
C.
Business Identification Signs. Where proposed in conjunction with an approved commercial or industrial use or activity, externally or internally illuminated business identification signs may be permitted in the C, IC, and I Districts as indicated below. Such signs may be designed as freestanding signs, or parallel or projecting wall signs. (See also § 27-703, Subsection 1C and D, regarding placement and height requirements for such signs.)
[Amended by Ord. No. 12-12-2017, 12/12/2017]
(1)
There shall be no more than one freestanding sign per property and one wall (parallel or projecting) sign per face of the building in these zones.
(2)
No one business identification sign, whether a freestanding or wall sign, shall exceed 200 square feet in size. No wall sign shall occupy more than 20% of the wall to which it is attached, nor shall any projecting wall sign exceed 20 feet in length measured vertically.
(3)
Total signage area shall not exceed 500 square feet per business.
(4)
Each anchor store located within a multi-tenant shopping mall or commercial complex may be permitted one business identification sign per side façade of the business. No external signs shall be permitted for individual internal stores in the complex, except as may be permitted in § 27-705, Subsection 1D, below. Where however, all stores within a multi-tenant shopping center or commercial complex have independent, outside patron access, each store may be permitted one business identification wall sign. No freestanding business identification signs shall be permitted in such complexes.
D.
Business or Industrial Complex Identification Signs. Where proposed in conjunction with an approved commercial or industrial complex, shopping mall or shopping center, industrial park, or similar multi-tenant facility, externally or internally Illuminated identification signs may be permitted in the C, IC, and I Districts as indicated below. Such signs may only be designed as freestanding signs. (See also § 27-703, Subsection 1C and D, regarding placement and height requirements for such signs.)
(1)
There shall be no more than one commercial or industrial complex identification sign for each such complex, except that where such facilities have frontage on two streets or have more than one entrance, one complex identification sign may be erected on each frontage or at each entrance.
(2)
Business or industrial complex identification signs shall not exceed 500 square feet in area per face, nor extend more than 200 feet in height above the average finished grade of the site within a twenty-foot radius of the supporting pole.
(3)
Business or industrial complex identification signs may also include or display the name of individual businesses or operations located within the complex, but shall not exceed the size and height set forth above.
E.
Product or Service Advertising Signs. Where proposed in conjunction with an approved commercial or industrial use, nonilluminated product or service advertising signs may be permitted in the C, IC, and I Districts as indicated below:
(1)
The total amount of permissible product or service advertising signage per commercial or industrial establishment shall not exceed 50 square feet for establishments containing less than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area; 75 square feet for establishments containing between 10,000 and 25,000 square feet of gross floor area; and 100 square feet for establishments containing more than 25,000 square feet of gross floor area.
(2)
All such signs shall be located on the same lot as the business or product they are advertising.
F.
Advertising Sign Boards (Billboards). Externally illuminated advertising sign boards or billboards may be permitted in the C, IC and I Districts as indicated below. Such signs may only be designed as freestanding signs. (See also § 27-703, Subsection 1B, C and D, regarding area calculations, placement, and height requirements for such signs.)
(1)
Maximum sign area shall not exceed 300 square feet per face. Advertising sign boards may have two parallel faces, but may not be vertically or horizontally doubled, nor multiplied further in any fashion.
(2)
Advertising sign boards shall be located no closer than 1,200 feet (measured on the same side of the street) to any other advertising sign board, and no closer than 150 feet to any residence.
(3)
No advertising sign board shall exceed the maximum height limit permitted for principal structures in the district where it is to be located, nor shall it be situated closer to the ground than 15 feet (measured from the lowest part of the sign) when located in a parking, vehicular or pedestrian circulation area.
G.
Rolling Billboards. Rolling billboards may be permitted in the General Commercial, Interstate Commercial and Industrial Districts in the Township. Such signs may only be designed as freestanding or mobile signs (See also § 27-703, Subsection 1B, C, D and F, regarding calculations, placement, height and illumination requirements.
§ 27-706 Signs in the A Agricultural District.
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005, § 705]
1.
Signs may be placed or located in the A District subject to the specified requirements:
A.
General Use Signs. Those signs permitted in § 27-704, Subsection 1A, general use signs in the RR, SR, and UR Districts, may also be permitted in the A District at the same size, in the same quantity, and in the same style.
B.
Institutional Signs. Those signs permitted in § 27-704, Subsection 1B, institutional signs in the RR, SR, and UR Districts, may also be permitted in the A District at the same size, in the same quantity, and in the same style.
C.
Business Identification Signs. Where proposed in conjunction with an approved commercial use or activity, the following types of internally or externally illuminated business identification signs may be permitted in the A District as indicated below. Such signs may be designed as either freestanding or parallel wall signs. (See also § 27-703, Subsection 1C and D, regarding placement and height requirements for such signs.)
(1)
There shall be no more than one freestanding business identification sign or one parallel business identification wall sign per property in this zone.
(2)
Maximum sign area shall not exceed 20 square feet per business, regardless of the type of sign utilized. Where, however, a business is situated on a corner, or has frontage on two streets, one business identification sign may be erected on each frontage, in which case the total sign area for all signs on the site shall not exceed 36 square feet.
§ 27-707 Permit Requirements.
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005, § 706]
1.
The following requirements shall apply to all permanent signs:
A.
A zoning permit shall be required for the placement, erection, or alteration of all permanent signs, except as may exempted in paragraph .C below. All applications for signs being erected on property other than that owned by the applicant shall also include notarized permission from the property owner.
B.
Fees for the issuance of zoning permits for signs shall be paid to the Township upon filing of an application for such use. All such fees shall be in accordance with the schedule of fees established by resolution of the Township Supervisors. There shall be no fee for the erection of any sign necessary to the public welfare.
C.
No zoning permits shall be required for the following types of signs, although the requirements of §§ 27-703 and 27-704, Subsection 1A, shall remain applicable:
(1)
Property posting signs.
(2)
Name plates or personal identification signs.
(3)
Property sale or rental signs.
(4)
Event or political signs.
(5)
Artisan's signs or other temporary signs.
(6)
Public service signs, including those advertising the availability of rest rooms, public telephones, or other public conveniences, provided that such signs do not advertise any commercial establishment, activity, product, or goods.