Manchester Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
§ 245-27 Sign regulations
permitted uses.
A.
Rural Agricultural (RA) Zone and Residential (R-40, R-15, R-14, R-10, and R-10A) Zones.
[Amended 6-28-2010 by Ord. No. 10-013; 9-8-2014 by Ord. No. 14-015; 7-13-2015 by Ord. No. 15-010]
(1)
A decorative sign showing the name and/or address of house or family, no larger than two square feet in area.
(2)
Signs may be illuminated; however, the actual source of illumination shall be shielded from public view, with the exception of neon signs. Nonstreaming LED-lighted informational signs will be allowed on the site pylon sign. There shall be a time delay of not less than six nor more than eight seconds between any form of messages.
(3)
Official signs of the federal government, the State of New Jersey, the County of Ocean and the Township of Manchester.
(4)
Signs identifying and announcing events of houses of worship, schools, hospitals, parks, playgrounds, public utility installations and other permitted institutions shall not exceed 36 square feet in area for each side.
(5)
Identification signs for farms shall not exceed a total of 10 square feet in area for each side; two such signs may be permitted.
(6)
A sign identifying a permitted home occupation or a professional office in the home. The sign area shall not exceed two square feet.
(7)
Signs identifying and advertising a development approved by the Township. Total area per each sign shall not exceed 36 square feet each. Two such signs may be permitted.
(8)
Permanent identification signs, signs identifying subdivisions, PRC or multifamily developments shall be approved with the subdivision on a case-by-case basis.
B.
C.
D.
Industrial and Office-Professional (LI, OR-LI and O-P) Zones.
(1)
Signs identifying a permitted use are subject to the limitations of Subsection E, General sign regulations, and to the following:
(2)
Traffic control signs. Signs controlling ingress and egress, as well as signs directing traffic on interior roads, or in parking areas, shall be regulated in number and location by the approving agency site plan approval.
(3)
Temporary signs. One temporary sign pertaining to the lease or sale of the same lot or construction of the building on which it is placed. Such signs shall be nonflashing, shall be situated within the property lines of the premises to which it relates, shall not exceed eight square feet in total area, and shall be promptly removed when said lease, sale or construction shall have been completed or discontinued.
E.
General sign regulations.
[Amended 9-25-2000 by Ord. No. 00-024]
(1)
No sign with any lighting or control mechanism which may cause radio or television interference shall be permitted nor shall any sign cause any glare off the premises.
(2)
Signs may be illuminated; however, the actual source of illumination shall be shielded from public view, with the exception of neon signs. However, flashing, blinking or intermittent variations in the illumination of a sign shall not be permitted.
(3)
No sign shall overhang a public right-of-way or passageway used by the public, nor extend more than 24 inches from the face of any building.
(4)
All signs shall require a permit, except those that are exempted.
[Amended 6-14-2010 by Ord. No. 10-012]
(5)
The setback for all ground signs requiring permits shall be at least 1/2 the required setback or front yard depth as required for the principal building. Setbacks for signs along Route 70 where the right-of-way is greater than 50 feet in depth from the edge of pavement shall be determined by the approval agency in a manner which will provide a setback suitable for the site in terms of setback from the edge of pavement and sight triangle clearance.
(6)
No sign not erected for the purpose of protecting the public health and safety shall simulate any official, directional or warning signs erected or maintained by a federal, state, county or local government, public utility or public agency.
(7)
The limitations on signs as set forth for this article shall not apply to any sign or directional device erected by the federal, state, county or Township government, or any agency thereof, nor to any "no trespassing signs" erected in accordance with the applicable statutes of the State of New Jersey.
(8)
Billboards prohibited. No commercial or other billboards shall be permitted in any zone.
(9)
Pennants, flags, posters, pinwheels and other attention-attracting forms of advertising shall not be permitted.
(10)
Roof signs prohibited. All roof signs are prohibited.
(11)
Animated or moving signs. No animated or moving signs shall be permitted except for the required movement of time and temperature displays.
(12)
Exempt signs. The following signs shall be exempt from the requirement of obtaining a sign construction permit:
(a)
Governmental signs erected or authorized by a governmental unit.
(b)
Nameplate signs, provided that such signs are limited to no more than one wall or ground sign per occupancy; are not more than 75 square inches in area; are nonilluminated or externally illuminated; and, if a ground sign, are not more than three feet in height.
(c)
Flags and emblems of a government or of a political, civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organization.
(d)
Private sale and event signs, provided that such signs are no more than six square feet in area; are located entirely on the premises where such sale or event is to be conducted or on other private property pursuant to the owner's consent; are clearly marked with the name, address and telephone number of the person responsible for the removal of such sign; are erected not more than 36 hours in advance of such sale or 45 days in advance of such event; and are removed on the day following the conclusion of such sale or event. No more than four signs may be placed on any business property nor more than one on any residential property.
(e)
Traffic signs and signals. Temporary or permanent traffic signs and signals installed or authorized by the Township, county, or state for the purpose of directing and regulating the flow of traffic.
(f)
Public transportation signs. Signs indicating public transportation stops when installed or authorized by the Township or a public transportation authority or agency.
(g)
Vacated property signs, provided that only one such sign shall be provided either affixed to a building wall or located within a window; not exceeding six square feet in area; nor displayed for longer than 60 days following vacating the property.
(h)
Warning signs, provided that such signs are limited to no more than two wall or ground signs per occupancy; are not more than three square feet in area each; are nonilluminated; and, if a ground sign, are not more than three feet in height.
(i)
Nonilluminated window signs visible in windows of business uses abutting a public roadway or parking facility; provided that the total graphic content coverage area of a window sign shall not exceed 20% of the area of the window in which it is exhibited and the aggregate area of all window signs shall not exceed 15% of the total window area of all windows containing any signs; provided, however, that a minimum of 20 square feet of window signs will be permitted regardless of window area covered.
(j)
Special events signs provided that there are no more than three placed in any business at any given time and they are nonilluminated and are maintained for a period of no longer than 45 days before the applicable event nor more than three days after such event.
(k)
On-site informational signs, provided that each sign is limited to a wall, window or ground sign of not more than two square feet in area and not more than seven feet in height above grade. The sign may include a business name or logo but shall not include any advertising message. In locations where more than one business share a common vehicular access, signs marking entrances and exits shall contain only the name of the shopping or business center. Multiple signs identifying each tenant or use are specifically prohibited.
(l)
Signs on machines. Signs which are an integral part of vending machines, including gasoline pumps, milk and ice machines, provided that they do not collectively exceed three square feet in area per machine.
(m)
Interior signs. Signs which are located within a building and not within 18 inches of a window visible from a public street or public parking facility.
(n)
Political signs. It is required that on nonresidential property, such signs be not more than 12 square feet in area if located in a nonresidential district and not more than six square feet if located in a residential district; are clearly marked with the name, address and telephone number of the person responsible for the removal of such sign; are erected not more than 30 days prior to such election; and are removed within seven days following such election.
(13)
Nonexempt signs. The following signs are not exempt and require municipal agency approval:
(14)
Nonconforming signs. A nonconforming sign shall be made to conform to the sign standards when:
(a)
The sign is more than partially destroyed, as determined by the Township Zoning Officer.
(b)
The sign has not been used for a period of six months or longer.
(c)
The sign is substantially modified.
(d)
The sign is relocated on the same or different premises.
(e)
The sign is located on premises which are the subject of site plan, subdivision, variance or conditional use approval.
(15)
Number of signs. The number of signs, other than exempt signs, shall be limited as follows:
(a)
One ground sign, as defined, is permitted per site on sites of 50 acres or less; two ground signs are permitted on sites of 50.1 to 200 acres; three ground signs are permitted on sites of 200.1 to 300 acres; and four ground signs are permitted on sites greater than 300 acres, subject to the following limitations:
[Amended 11-28-2005 by Ord. No. 05-053[1]]
[1]
The principal building on the site is set back at least 50 feet from the street line.
[2]
A ground sign exceeding 60 square feet in area shall only be located on a site having a frontage of 500 feet or more on a highway having four or more moving lanes.
[3]
A ground sign of more than six square feet shall only be located on a frontage of 100 feet or more.
[4]
A ground sign of more than six square feet shall not be located any closer than 100 feet to any other ground sign which is more than six square feet in area.
[5]
Ground signs shall not be located nearer than 15 feet to any property line nor within 50 feet of an intersection.
[6]
A ground sign more than 60 square feet in area shall not exceed 22 feet in height. A ground sign of 60 square feet or less shall not exceed 18 feet in height.
(b)
One wall sign, as defined, is permitted per site or per business establishment, subject to the following limitations:
[1]
Wall signs shall only be located within the signable area of the building, as defined. Applications for wall signs shall identify the signable area.
[2]
In a multitenanted building, each business establishment which occupies the space at ground level and fronts upon and has its own exterior public entrance from a street or off-street parking area may have one wall sign in the tenant's signable area.
[3]
Where a building is so situated that it fronts upon two or more public roads, one wall sign may be affixed to each wall, provided such additional walls do not front a residential district.
(16)
Sign measurement.
(a)
Area to be included. The supporting structure or bracing of a sign shall be omitted in measuring the area of the sign if such structure or bracing is not part of the message or sign face and if such structure or bracing is less than 20% of the sign width. Where a sign has two sign faces back to back and parallel to each other, the area of only one face shall be included in determining the area of the sign.
(b)
Area of signs with backing. The area of all signs with backing shall be measured by computing the area of the sign backing.
(c)
Area of signs without backing. The area of all signs without backing shall be measured by computing the area of the smallest geometric figure which can encompass all words, letters, figures, emblems and other elements of the sign message with a clearance of at least four inches from any such element.
(d)
Area of signs with and without backing. The area of all signs formed by a combination of elements with and without backing shall be measured by combining the area of such elements measured in accordance with the foregoing subsections.
(e)
Height of signs. Sign height shall be measured between average grade and the highest point of the highest element of the sign.
(17)
Multiple sign faces. No sign may contain more than one sign face, except that two sign faces back to back and parallel to each other (no angle between sign faces, commonly known as a double-faced sign) shall be permitted. No double-faced sign shall be greater than 18 inches in thickness as measured between sign faces.
(18)
Graphic content coverage. The maximum coverage of any sign face by graphic contents shall not exceed 60%.
(19)
Sign program requirements for shopping centers, industrial parks and office parks.
(a)
A shopping center, industrial park or office park shall submit a program for signs to the approval agency as part of its submission for preliminary site plan approval. The program for signs shall include signs proposed for display by the activities within these developments.
(b)
The program for signs shall include a visual representation of the lettering, illumination, color, area, height, placement and location of the signs proposed for display.
(c)
The approval agency may approve a program for signs if the signs visually represented in the program are appropriate to the function and architectural character of the shopping center, industrial park or office park. The approval agency may apply such restrictions on color, size, location, lettering style, illumination and number of signs to the sign program as it deems appropriate to the purpose of encouraging a desirable visual environment and promoting good civic design and arrangements.
(d)
Signs displayed by, or by an activity within, a shopping center, industrial park, or office park must comply with an approved program for signs.
(e)
The ground sign designating the shopping center, industrial park or office park shall not contain more than 10 items of information. A syllable of a word, an initial, a logo, an abbreviation, a symbol or a geometric shape shall be counted as an item of information, except for the following: