London Grove Township
City Zoning Code

To control the size, location, and illumination of signs in the township in order to reduce hazards to pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

To establish standards designed to encourage signs that are compatible with their surroundings, appropriate to the type of activity to which they pertain, expressive of the identity of individual proprietors, and legible in the circumstances in which they are seen; and to prohibit the erection of signs that do not meet these criteria.

To establish requirements for compliant signage when a new occupant or use is proposed on a property.

To prohibit the construction of and require the removal of signs that constitute a hazard or a blighting influence.

Any sign hereafter erected, attached to, suspended from or supported by a building or structure, altered and/or expanded shall conform to the provisions of this chapter and any other regulations of the township relating thereto. Any sign not specifically authorized by the provisions of this chapter shall not be erected or maintained within the township. Any sign, banner, poster or other display device which is not in compliance with the provisions of this chapter shall be considered illegal.

A sign permit shall be obtained from the zoning officer, upon submission of a proper application and fee, before erecting any sign under these regulations except as hereinafter provided. The zoning officer shall ensure that all signs erected or constructed under the provisions of this chapter shall comply with the applicable standards set forth in the Uniform Construction Code. Drawings submitted for sign permits shall show size, construction details, location and illumination in sufficient detail for review against all applicable codes and the provisions of this chapter.

The zoning officer is hereby authorized and empowered to revoke a zoning permit issued by the township upon failure of the holder of said permit to comply with any applicable provision of this chapter. Revocation can occur only after the zoning officer provides a fifteen-day written notice to the permittee after which if the violation is not corrected and the applicant has not appealed to the zoning hearing board, revocation of said permit shall occur. If the zoning officer finds that any sign or other advertising structure regulated herein is unsafe or is a menace to the public, or is constructed, erected, or maintained in violation of the provisions of this chapter, he shall give written notice thereof to the permittee or property owner of such sign. If the permittee or owner fails to alter or remove the sign so as to comply with the standards set forth herein within 10 days after such notice, the zoning officer shall advise the township to seek redress through the courts.

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply where signs are erected and maintained by the township for public purposes, provided that all other required governmental permits are obtained by the township prior to such township use.

Nonconforming signs may be maintained under the provisions of part 23 of this chapter.

All distances provided for in this part shall be measured along straight lines between signs and from the near edge to the near edge of the sign or sign structure. Height shall be measured from the existing grade at the location of the sign. If regrading is required to conform to the provisions of any other applicable regulations or chapters, height shall be measured from the proposed final grade.

Any sign located along the right-of-way of a state or federal highway shall comply with any more restrictive requirements which may be applicable.

No sign in any zoning district shall be erected containing information which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of this chapter.

No signs in any zoning district shall be erected on any premises except as may be related to a lawful principal use or permitted accessory use on the premises, except as may be otherwise permitted, to allow billboards, found elsewhere in this chapter.

All illuminated signs in any residential district shall be turned off at times when the business or entity which they advertise is not open for business and within 1/2 hour of closing such business.

Governmental signs, being those established by duly constituted governmental authorities or bodies, including, but not limited to: traffic regulation signs, public notice signs and other signs required to be maintained or posted by law or government order, rule or regulation.

Traffic regulation signs in private parking lots.

Signs indicating the prohibition or control of fishing, hunting, trespassing, peddling, soliciting, etc., or signs indicating the private nature of a road, provided the area of any such sign does not exceed four square feet. Such signs may be placed along property lines or road frontages at a maximum frequency of one sign every 100 feet.

Signs with an area not exceeding one square foot, bearing address or the names of the occupants in residential districts with characters not exceeding four inches in height.

Decorations or displays for a recognized officially designated holiday provided that they do not create a fire or traffic hazard and they are removed within 15 days after the holiday.

Flags, except that flags larger than 80 square feet shall require a permit.

Directional signs advertising the availability of restrooms, telephones, or similar public convenience.

One or more signs applied to a window pane giving store hours or the name or names of credit or charge institutions, when the total area of any such sign or all signs together does not exceed two square feet.

An identification sign, being defined as a sign 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 the letters are not made of a reflective material or contrast in color with the building and including historic structure identification signs not exceeding four square feet in area.

Temporary yard sale or garage sale signs provided such signs do not exceed six square feet in area and shall be removed within 48 hours of the conclusion of such sale, and limited to one sign per street frontage on the property where the sale is being conducted.

Signs advertising the meeting places and times of nonprofit service, governmental, religious, educational and charitable organizations, provided that they do not exceed 12 square feet in area and do not advertise any commercial establishment, activity, organization, product, goods or services. Such signs shall be limited to one per property.

Address signs, not more than one for each nonresidential principal building or use on a premises and not exceeding 160 square inches in area and displaying only the numerical address designation of the premises upon which they are maintained.

Non-commercial signs relating to ideological, religious, or political thought provided they do not exceed 12 square feet in area, located on the sign owner's property.

Special event temporary signs, including portable signs and banners, that identify a parade, festival, fund drive or similar occasion, where such signs are of general benefit to the township or for public convenience, necessity, or welfare.

Special event temporary signs shall be permitted for one period of 14 days every calendar year and removed within two days of the date or conclusion of the applicable event. Such signs may not exceed 12 square feet in area and shall not be greater than eight feet in height.

No more than four off-premises special event temporary directional signs may be placed within the township by any one establishment, and no more than one at any one intersection. No such sign may be erected, placed, installed, or maintained without the written permission of the owner of the real property involved.

Temporary signs of contractors, architects, mechanics, and artisans placed on the property where the contracted work is occurring. These signs shall have an area no greater than four square feet in area and shall be removed upon completion of the project.

Temporary real estate signs placed on the property to be sold, rented, or developed, limited to not more than one sign for every 1,000 feet of street frontage shall be placed on premises held in single and separate ownership unless such premises fronts on more than one street, in which case one sign per each street of frontage. Such signs shall be removed within seven days after transactions are completed, and shall be a maximum six square feet in area and no greater than eight feet in height. No off-premises real estate directional signs shall be permitted.

Temporary political campaign signs, a maximum 12 square feet in area. Such signs must be removed within 14 days after such election.

Directional signs located within a tract undergoing development, indicating the route to the sales office, model home, construction trailer, etc. These signs shall be a maximum eight square feet in area.

Temporary window signs intended to announce sales, special events or the like. They shall not exceed 20% of the total glass area on the side of the building where they are placed.

Signs announcing seasonal, temporary business (e.g. farm products, sales from temporary stands, Christmas tree sales, etc.), limited to a single sign on a property and displayed only during the sale period, not exceeding 60 consecutive days. Such signs may not exceed 15 square feet in area.

Emergency warning signs erected by a public utility, pipeline company, or contractor doing such work authorized or permitted by such utility or company.

Signs which use the words "stop," "look," "danger," or any other word, place, symbol, or character which attempts or appears to attempt to direct the movement of traffic or which interferes with, imitates or resembles any official traffic sign, signal, or device within 75 feet of a public right-of-way or within 200 feet of a traffic control device.

Any banner sign or sign of any other type across a public street.

Any suspended sign which is either a pennant that blows in the wind or a spinner which spins in the wind, except when located inside a temporary fairground in conjunction with a special event.

Except for traffic control signal, signs displayed red, yellow, or green lights within 75 feet of a public right-of-way or 200 feet of a traffic control signal.

Notices, placards, bills, cards, posters, advertisements, or other signs mounted or placed in any fashion upon a lamppost, electric light, telephone, or other utility pole, hydrant, planter box, bench, trash receptacle or upon any pier or column located on or along the public roads of the township, or any such signs mounted or placed in any fashion upon a rock, tree or any other natural feature. Exceptions are as authorized or required by law, or when exempt in accordance with applicable portions of this part.

Any sign with flashing, revolving, moving, sound producing or animated parts, components, or displays, including any sign which has the capability of motion in whole or in part, with the exception of signs that display time and or temperature exclusively and except signs permitted elsewhere in this chapter.

Any sign depicting lewd, vulgar, indecent or obscene advertising matter displayed in any manner.

Any sign which obscures or interferes with the line of sight at any street intersection or traffic signal or at any other point of vehicular access to a street.

Any sign erected within the right-of-way of any public or private street except those signs described as an exemption for government signs found elsewhere in this part.

Any sign erected or maintained so as to prevent free ingress or egress from any driveway, access way, door, window or fire escape.

Any portable sign (including vehicle signs) except for signs permitted in subsections 27-2204.15, 27-2204.16, 27-2204.17, 27-2204.21, 27-2206.2 and 27-2208.7.

Any sign, or any portion thereof, which extends above the roof line on any building on a property or which is attached or mounted or painted on a roof.

Billboard signs, except as provided in the Industrial (I) Zoning District (limited to those properties with frontage on Old Baltimore Pike between the municipal boundary line between the township and the Borough of West Grove and Baker Station Road and permitted pursuant to applicable sections of this part regulating billboards.

No sign of any kind shall be attached to a stand-pipe or fire escape.

Off-premises signs, except as permitted as a temporary yard or garage sale, and directional signs as regulated elsewhere in this part.

Neon signs that are less than five square feet placed in windows of premises are permitted. Exterior use of neon signs is prohibited.

Advertising murals, posters, wall bulletins, or other types of signs directly painted upon the facade or wall of any building or structure are prohibited.

Advertising cloth or paper banners or signs of any similar character suspended or hung from any structure are prohibited.

Directional Sign. A sign either mounted on a building or a ground sign intended to provide information for pedestrian or automobile traffic within or exterior to a property.

Ground Sign. As defined in the definition section of this zoning ordinance and as provided for elsewhere herein.

Portable Sign. Any outdoor advertising display which is movable from one location to another and which is not attached to a fixed structure or does not have permanent supports embedded in the ground. A maximum of one portable sign may be placed on a property, and only as allowed in accordance with subsections 27-2204.10, 27-2204.11, 27-2204.15, 27-2204.16, 27-2204.17, 27-2204.21, 27-2206.2 and 27-2208.7. The term portable sign shall include an outdoor advertising display located in or on a vehicle, except where:

Official traffic signs.

On-premises directional signs.

All off-premises directional signs, indicating only the name of the facility, organization or site including location of meetings and the direction in which it is located or approximate distance, shall be permitted provided that the size shall not exceed three square feet in area. No advertising matter shall be contained on signs of this type. No more than four such signs, per use, shall be permitted within the township unless otherwise approved by the board of supervisors. A permit is required and the application for permit shall contain the number and exact location of each sign.

Accessory use signs, provided that:

Identification signs for subdivisions or multi-family developments, farms or estates, schools, churches, and other permitted uses, provided that:

Development signs, including signs advertising prices or indicating financing, but excluding directional signs, provided that:

Bulletin board signs for churches, schools, parks or institutions, provided that the sign area does not exceed 12 square feet and the height is less than six feet, excluding directional signs.

All signs permitted in the residential districts.

Ground signs, provided that:

A wall sign shall be permitted on any wall of a building or structure incident to a permitted use provided that:

One projecting sign shall be permitted for each building or structure incident to a permitted use, except wherein wall signs are used for identification and/or merchandising purposes, subject to the following conditions:

Window signs advertising the sale or rental of properties, goods, or services, provided that the total area of the sign does not exceed 20% of the window in which it is placed.

Decorations for an officially designated holiday, provided that they conform to the other applicable provisions herein.

Portable sign in accordance with applicable provisions found elsewhere in this part.

Two wall signs per street frontage shall be permitted on any wall of a building used for the convenience store, provided that:

Ground signs shall be permitted, provided that:

Fuel canopy signs shall be permitted, provided that:

Price signs are permitted as part of a ground sign permitted by section 27-2208A.2, provided that:

In addition to any signage permitted pursuant to sections 27-2208A.1—4 above, the following signage shall be permitted if the convenience store has an accessory car wash service:

The general standards applicable to all signs in section 27-2210 shall apply except the restrictions on setbacks in sections 27-2210.4, 27-2210.5, 27-2210.6, [and] 272210.7.

Notwithstanding any section of this chapter to the contrary, all electronic or illuminated signage shall be extinguished at any time the convenience store is closed for business.

Intent. The intent of this section is to provide opportunity for billboards as a special exception by the London Grove Township Zoning Hearing Board, and to:

Definitions.

Criteria for Billboards. Billboards shall only be permitted by special exception, subject to the applicant establishing compliance with the following criteria, together with all applicable criteria set forth in the zoning ordinance.

Criteria for Electronic Signs/Billboards. In addition to the above criteria in subsection (3) and all other applicable criteria set forth in this part, the following criteria shall apply to electronic signs/billboards, which shall only be permitted by special exception pursuant to the applicant establishing the following criteria:

Illumination and Screening. In addition to the illumination provisions specifically provided for in section 27-2210, the following illumination standards shall apply. All illuminated signs shall be constructed to the standards of the National Board of Fire Underwriters. Illumination of signs is only permitted for commercial purposes between 7:00 a.m. and the close of business or 11:00 p.m. (whichever is earlier). Illumination may be direct (giving forth light from the interior of the sign through translucent material) or indirect, provided that the light source is directed upon the sign. The lighting source shall not be directly visible from any street or sidewalk, nor from any other normal vantage point. Lighting shall not shine directly on abutting properties, or within the normal line of vision of the public when using streets or sidewalks. No sign shall be placed or illuminated in such a position that it will cause any danger to pedestrians or vehicular traffic. No sign shall be utilized in a manner that produces a noxious glare at or beyond the boundaries of the lot on which it is located. No direct beams of light shall be directed toward adjacent properties or public roads, and all light source shall be shielded and screened from adjoining residential properties.

All billboards must comply with [the] London Grove Township zoning ordinance and more specifically, The General Regulations and Design Standards Lighting, as may be amended from time to time.

Applications for the lighting or relighting of signs and billboards (including electronic signs/billboards) using external light sources shall be accompanied by a point-by-point plot of initial vertical illuminance on the sign or billboard face, catalog cuts of proposed fixtures and any glare reduction devices and a description of lamps, mounting locations, aiming angles and proposed hours of operation and method for automatically extinguishing the lighting by the required hour.

Maintenance. Every sign shall be constructed of durable materials, using non-corrosive fasteners, and shall be structurally safe and erected or installed in strict accordance with the township building code and maintained in a safe condition and good repair at all times. Specifically, no sign shall be maintained within the township in such a state of disrepair as to have the appearance of neglect or which is rotting or falling down, which is illegible, or has loose parts, separated from original fastenings.

Height. Except as specifically referenced in other sections of this part, the height of any sign shall not exceed 30 feet. The height of a sign ([excepting] wall signs) shall be defined as the vertical distance measured from the sign's highest point to the ground surface, or the vertical distance measured from the grade of the cartway nearest to the sign to its highest point of the sign, whichever is lesser. The highest point in the case of a sign shall include the supporting structure.

Setbacks—Street Intersections. At all street intersections, no sign, except traffic control signs, school warning signs, and similar signs as provided for by other portions of these provisions, shall be permitted within a clear sight triangle.

Such triangles shall be established from a distance of 75 feet from the point of intersection of the centerlines of the intersection streets, except that a clear sight triangle of 200 feet shall be provided for all intersections with or of arterial highways. In addition, sight distance shall meet the requirements of PennDOT Publication 201, Engineering and Traffic Studies, as regulated elsewhere in this part, as amended from time to time.

Setbacks—Road Right-of-Way. Signs shall be set back from the right-of-way a minimum of 15 feet, a distance equivalent to 1.1 times the height of the billboard, or the minimum front building setback set forth in the underlying Industrial Zoning District, whichever is greater. No part of a billboard shall be set back more than 60 feet from the nearest street right-of-way.

Setbacks—Building. In addition to any setback requirements set forth in this part, ground signs shall be set back from any building a minimum of 100 feet or 1.1 times the height of the sign from any building, whichever is greater.

Signs shall be subject to all applicable rear and side yard building setbacks. No portion of any sign shall project over a lot line, and in no case shall be within a setback area from the rear or side yards equivalent to a distance of 1.1 times the height of the sign, unless the owner of the property over which the sign projects agrees in writing to such sign and unless an easement is filed with the Chester County Recorder of Deeds to permit such encroachment.

A sign permit applicant must obtain all necessary outside agency approvals prior to erection of a sign, including, but not limited to, approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; as may be required. The applicant is required to provide the township with any such agency approvals prior to the issuance of a permit for a sign. PennDOT and any outside agency approval shall not constitute township approval.

The owner and/or operator of any sign permitted under applicable sections of this part, shall provide, and maintain with the township, their current address and contact information.

Unsafe Signs. All signs and billboards shall be properly and regularly maintained and shall at all times be kept in safe and operational manner.

Whenever a sign becomes structurally unsafe or endangers the safety of a building or premises or endangers the public safety, the zoning officer shall give written notice to the owner of the premises on which the sign is located that such sign be made safe or be removed within five days, unless the zoning officer shall deem appropriate a more extended period for compliance.

Abandoned Signs. A sign structure which has been discontinued for a period of 90 consecutive days (in that no advertising content or message has been displayed on the sign within such time), shall be presumed to be abandoned. In such instance, the township zoning officer shall provide written notice to the landowner, directing that the landowner/sign owner advise as to its intent to continue the use of the sign. The notice shall advise the landowner/sign owner that, if the landowner/sign owner fails to provide written notice to the zoning officer within 30 days receipt of such notice (unless extended in writing by the zoning officer) of its intent to continue the use of the sign, then the sign shall be construed by the township to be abandoned and the permit for the same shall be revoked. If the landowner/sign owner provides written notice of the intent to continue the use of the sign, then the permit for such sign shall remain in effect (unless and until a future abandonment notice is transmitted to the landowner/sign owner pursuant to this section. If the landowner fails to do so, then the zoning officer shall issue a notice to the landowner/sign owner to revoke the permit for the sign and such sign may not be considered to be nonconforming with respect to any past or future zoning ordinance amendments. The township may then take any and all actions pursuant to this chapter and otherwise pursuant to the law (including, but not limited to, an injunction).

Nonconforming Signs. All existing signs which do not conform to the requirements of this chapter, but which have valid permits issued by the township, shall be nonconforming. Any lawful nonconforming sign may remain in place while maintained in good condition and not abandoned, provided that such nonconforming sign may not be changed, expanded or altered in size, dimension, location or use.

Signs and scoreboards shall be permitted by "special exception" in all zoning districts when accessory to an approved recreational use, provided that: