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Keyport City Zoning Code

§ 25-1-17

SIGNS.

[Ord. No. 13-90;Ord. No. 3-03; Ord. No. 10-09]
Signs may be erected and maintained only when in compliance with the following provisions.
a. 
Exempt signs. The following signs are exempt from regulations and standards set forth herein and the Uniform Construction Code of the State of New Jersey.
1. 
Political signs of 32 square feet or less.
2. 
Property address numbers of six inches or less in height.
b. 
Signs in residential districts. The following types of nonadvertising and nonflashing signs are permitted in all residential districts as follows:
1. 
Nameplates and identification signs.
(a) 
Signs indicating the name or address of the occupant, or a permitted home occupation, provided that they shall not be larger than one square foot in area excepting that those engaged in a recognized profession as defined in § 25-1-3, a self-illuminating, nonflashing sign not to exceed two square feet shall be permitted. Only one such sign per dwelling unit shall be permitted except in the case of corner lots where two such signs (one facing each street) shall be permitted for each dwelling unit.
(b) 
For multiple dwelling structures, a single identification sign not exceeding six square feet in area shall be permitted.
2. 
Sales or rental signs. Signs advertising the sale or rental of the premises upon which they are located may be permitted provided:
(a) 
The size of any such sign is not in excess of six square feet; and
(b) 
Not more than one sign is placed upon any property unless such property fronts upon more than one street, in which event two signs may be erected, one on each frontage.
3. 
Institutional signs. Signs of schools, churches, hospitals, sanitoriums, or other institutions of a similar public or semipublic nature may be erected subject to the following:
(a) 
The size of any such sign is not in excess of 20 square feet; and
(b) 
Not more than one such sign is placed on a property, unless such property fronts upon more than one street, in which event two such signs may be erected, one on each frontage.
4. 
Development signs. Signs advertising the sale or development of the premises upon which they are erected, when erected in connection with the development of the premises by a builder, contractor, developer, or other persons interested in such sale or development may be erected and maintained, provided:
(a) 
The size of any sign is not in excess of 10 square feet; and
(b) 
Not more than one sign is placed upon any property, unless such property fronts upon more than one street, in which event one such sign may be erected on each frontage;
(c) 
Any such sign shall be removed by the developer within 30 days of the final sale of the property.
5. 
Artisans' signs. Signs of mechanics, painters, or other artisans may be erected and maintained during the period such persons are performing work on the premises, provided:
(a) 
The size thereof is not in excess of 12 square feet; and
(b) 
Such signs are removed promptly upon completion of this work.
6. 
Private driveways. Signs indicating the private nature of a driveway, or trespassing signs, provided that the size of any such sign shall not exceed two square feet.
7. 
Garage sale and/or yard sale signs located on the premises only, not to exceed two square feet, and containing the date of sale, which sign may be posted five days prior to the sale and which shall be removed within 24 hours following the conclusion of the sale.
8. 
Temporary or permanent signs posted by municipal, county or state governmental agencies, pursuant to statute or ordinance.
9. 
Temporary or permanent traffic signs and signals installed by the Borough, county or state for the purpose of directing and regulating the flow of traffic, parking or to identify parking areas, loading zones, entrances and exits and directions to public transportation.
10. 
Signs indicating public transportation stops when installed by the Borough or public transportation utility.
11. 
Flags, signs or emblems of religious, educational, civic or governmental organizations or signs calculated to promote neighborhood safety or awareness may be displayed on the property or flown from supports on buildings located on such property within residential districts.
12. 
Temporary signs and posts for advertising public functions or fund-raising events for charitable, religious, educational or civic organizations or groups shall be permitted for a period of 30 days prior and during the event and shall be removed within five days after the event. The sign shall be nonilluminated, not larger than 12 square feet in area, not exceeding eight feet in height and may be erected flat against the building or freestanding.
13. 
Projection of sign. No portion of any sign in any residential district, except signs installed by various municipal, county or state governments or agencies thereof, shall project beyond the property line, or shall be suspended over a public right-of-way.
14. 
Except as provided in § 25-1-17a, no residential property shall be permitted to display more than two lawn signs, which shall not include American or New Jersey flags.
c. 
Signs in commercial and industrial districts. Business and advertising signs are permitted in commercial and manufacturing districts in accordance with the following regulations:
1. 
No flashing signs, billboards or banners shall be permitted in any commercial or industrial district.
2. 
No business or advertising sign shall project into the right-of-way of any street.
3. 
The height of all signs shall be regulated as follows:
(a) 
Maximum height. The top of any sign attached on a principal structure shall not project higher than the height of the principal structure.
(b) 
Minimum clearance. No hanging or suspended sign shall be erected or maintained less than 15 feet above grade.
(c) 
No use shall have a sign of more than 100 square feet or 10%, whichever the lesser, of the total area of a building wall or portion thereof occupied by the use.
(d) 
No freestanding sign shall exceed 25 feet in height or the height of the principal building, whichever the lesser.
d. 
General regulations. The following regulations shall apply to all permitted sign and billboard uses.
[Amended 11-20-2018 by Ord. No. 24-18]
1. 
Signs, other than an official traffic sign, shall not be erected within the right-of-way of any street.
2. 
A permit shall not be required for the erection, alteration, or maintenance of any signs permitted in a residential district.
3. 
A permit shall be required for the erection, alteration or reconstruction of any advertising sign.
4. 
All temporary signs erected for a special event shall be removed by the property owner when the circumstances leading to their erection no longer apply. No permit is required for such temporary signs.
5. 
Political signs shall not be permitted on public property, which shall include all publicly owned property, right-of-way and everything affixed thereto or thereover. Political signs shall not be placed on private property without the permission of the owner or occupant thereof.
(a) 
"Political sign" is defined as any sign or banner that displays or advocates for or against any person who is a candidate who will or who has appeared on the election ballot in any election or sign or banner for or against any issue related to any election.
(b) 
"Candidate" is defined as any individual(s) seeking election to any public or party office of the United States, the State of New Jersey or of a county, municipality, or school district thereof.
(c) 
Presumption created; responsibility for observance. There is hereby created a presumption that any political sign was constructed or installed at the request or direction of the person whose candidacy such sign advertises or publicizes and such person shall be responsible for observance of this section. The candidate identified in the political sign shall have 48 hours to remove the sign after being notified to do so by the Borough.
(d) 
Violations and penalties. Any person(s), candidate as outlined in Subsection d5(c) above, entity, form or corporation or other group or person that is found guilty of violating any part of the provisions of this section shall be subject to any penalty set forth in § 1-5 of the Code of the Borough of Keyport. Each incident shall count as a separate violation.