Millersville City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
Signs
§ 380-48 Sign purposes.
This article is intended to:
A.
Provide for signs as a means of effective visual communication;
B.
Promote adopted comprehensive planning and zoning objectives;
C.
Assure compatibility of signs with land uses and buildings in the vicinity of the signs and in the community as a whole;
D.
Improve the safety of pedestrians, vehicular traffic, and property;
E.
Enhance the economic value of the community;
F.
Enhance the aesthetic environment;
G.
Minimize adverse effects of signs on nearby property;
H.
Otherwise promote the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community;
I.
Regulate the use of signs through a sign permitting process; and
J.
Enable the fair and consistent enforcement of these sign regulations.
§ 380-49 Sign definitions.
The following definitions of "sign" and kinds of signs shall apply to those terms whenever they appear in this article:
An off-premises, permanent sign that directs attention to a product, service, business, or cause.
A sign attached to or painted on a building that has a use in addition to supporting the sign; this includes wall signs and roof signs. A building sign may also be placed on an awning of a building that projects a maximum of 48 inches from the building wall.
A business sign that provides identification at the main entrance to a center such as a shopping center, office complex, or industrial park.
A sign that directs attention to any business, professional, commercial, or industrial activity occurring on the premises on which the sign is located, but not including a home occupation sign. (Also see "business center sign.")
A temporary sign that carries the name and information about a contractor who is involved in construction work occurring on the premises or the institution or agency financing the construction on which the sign is located.
A temporary sign that directs attention to a candidate or candidates for public office, a political party, or a ballot issue.
A sign not attached to or painted on a building or a sign attached to or painted on a building that has no use in addition to supporting the sign.
A temporary sign that directs attention to the sale of personal goods on the premises on which the sign is located.
An off-premises sign placed by a governmental unit, such as a traffic, directional, informational, or street name sign or an historical marker.
A sign providing information about a business activity conducted within a dwelling unit on the premises on which the sign is located.
A sign used to identify the name and display information about the individual, organization, agency, institution, facility, or development located on the premises on which the sign is located, but not including a business sign. (Also see "development sign" and "public use sign".)
An informational sign, no more than two square feet in size, that carries a message such as "enter," "open," "telephone," "rest rooms," "no parking," "no trespassing," "warning," a listing of hours when open, an on-site direction, or anything similar. Incidental signs may not include any commercial message or logo, except that one "enter" sign per entrance may include a logo or business name, as long as the entrance is exclusively for that business and the logo or business name is subordinate to the word "enter."
A temporary sign that directs attention to an opinion of a public or private nature, such as but not limited to a community, social, or religious issue.
An off-premises sign displaying information about a place of worship, service club, or other organization that does not operate for the purpose of making a profit.
A sign that does not apply to the property on which it is displayed.
A sign that applies to the property on which it is displayed.
A temporary sign that provides information about a real estate open house, including the words "open house," the day and time of the open house, and the name of the realtor.
A sign located such that pedestrian or vehicular traffic might pass beneath any part of it.
A sign intended to be displayed for an unlimited period of time.
A flat, two-sided sign that extends perpendicular outward from the front of a building and which may extend over a sidewalk if authorized under this article.
An identification sign used to identify the name and display information about a public use, such as a government building, school, park, firehouse, or church.
A sign with a message relating to a business organization performing a public service and subject to special governmental regulations (e.g., an electric company, sewer authority, or telephone company).
A temporary sign that provides information about a real estate activity on the premises on which the sign is located, such as a sign advertising a sale, rental, or property available for or in the process of development, but not including an open house sign.
An identification sign at the entrance to a residential development.
A sign attached to or painted on a roof.
A temporary sign placed on the sidewalk adjacent to the commercial activity it advertises, but not including a contractor sign, a garage/yard sale sign, a home occupation sign, an open house sign, a real estate sign, or a special event sign.
A device for visual communication that is used to bring the subject to the attention of the public. Signs do include lettering, logos, trademarks, or other symbols that are an integral part of the architectural design of a building, that are applied to a building, or that are located elsewhere on the premises; signs affixed to windows or glass doors or otherwise internally mounted such that they are obviously intended to be seen and understood by vehicular or pedestrian traffic outside the building; flags and insignia of civic, charitable, religious, fraternal, patriotic, or similar organizations; insignia of governments or government agencies; banners, streamers, pennants, spinners, reflectors, ribbons, tinsel, and similar materials; and inflatable objects. Signs do not include architectural features that may be identified with a particular business; backlit awnings that include no lettering, logos, or other symbols; signs within a building that are obviously intended to be seen primarily from within the building; outdoor signs intended for use within a property, such as menu signs by fast-food restaurant drive-through lanes, signs with regulations within a park, and building identification signs within a campus; flags of governments or government agencies; decorative seasonal and holiday banners on residential properties; and displays of merchandise either behind store windows or outdoors.
A temporary sign that carries information about a special event, such as an auction, flea market, festival, carnival, meal, or fund-raising event, but not including any business sign, such as a "sale" sign at a store.
A sign that is displayed for no more than three months in any year, unless stated otherwise in this chapter.
A sign that identifies or directs persons to buildings and activities owned or leased by a college or university.
A sign attached to or painted on the wall of a building.
An exhibit behind a window that is intended to draw attention to a product, service, business, or cause.
§ 380-50 Sign area and height.
The following guidelines shall apply when interpreting area and height regulations in this article:
A.
Sign area. The area of a sign shall be the area of the smallest rectangle, triangle, or circle that will encompass all elements of the sign, such as letters, figures, symbols, designs, or other display.
(1)
When the sign is a separate unit, the area shall include any borders, framing, trim, decorative attachments, background, and space between elements; it shall not include any supporting structure, unless that structure is illuminated, is in the form of a symbol, or contains advertising elements.
(2)
When the sign is applied to a wall or otherwise has no definable edges, the area shall include all color, artwork, or other means used to differentiate the sign from the surface upon which it is placed.
(3)
When a single sign structure has more than one face with the same message, and no two sign faces are more than three feet apart at any point, the area shall be computed by determining the greatest total area of all sign faces visible from any single location.
B.
Sign height. The height of a sign shall be measured from the average ground level beneath the sign to the highest point of the sign. No person(s) shall artificially increase the maximum height of a sign by altering the grade at the base of the sign.
(1)
The height of freestanding signs shall be controlled by the regulations in Tables 1 and 2.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Tables 1 and 2 are included at the end of this chapter.
(2)
Unless otherwise stated, wall signs may be at any height on the wall to which they are attached, except that they may not extend higher than the top of the wall.
(3)
Roof signs may extend no more than five feet above the lowest point where they are attached to the building and may not extend above the highest point of the roof.
§ 380-51 General sign regulations.
A.
The following regulations shall apply to all signs, in addition to the specific regulations contained in the following provisions of this article. Where the general regulations are conflict with a specific regulation, the specific regulation shall control:
(1)
All signs shall reflect the general character of the neighborhood.
(2)
All signs shall be constructed of durable materials, maintained in good condition, and secured in a safe manner.
(3)
When a sign becomes unsafe, the Zoning Officer shall give written notice to the owner of the premises on which the sign is located that the sign must be made safe or removed immediately.
(4)
The areas surrounding all signs shall be maintained in a neat, clean, and attractive condition.
(5)
All signs shall be removed within three months if the purpose for which they were erected no longer exists. If business property is offered for sale or lease, an existing sign may be changed to a blank face or a "for sale" or "for rent" sign until a new use occupies the property.
(6)
Each property shall display the number of its street address in a manner that is prominently visible from slow-moving traffic at the front of the property from the street. The numbers should be at least three inches high. The area taken up by the address does not count as part of the sign area.
(7)
No temporary signs shall be permitted, except as authorized elsewhere in this article.
(8)
No sign shall be located within a street right-of-way, except a government sign, a public utility sign, a sidewalk sign, a nonprofit organization sign, or another sign approved by the Borough Council or the State Department of Transportation.
(9)
No signs, except official signs, shall obstruct the required clear sight triangle or otherwise cause a significant sight obstruction to oncoming vehicle traffic.
(10)
No signs shall be painted, pasted, nailed, stapled, or otherwise attached to utility poles, trees, fences, fire hydrants, or in an unauthorized manner to walls or other signs, except insofar as such signs comply with generally applicable rules, regulations, or policies formally adopted by the Borough Council.[1]
(11)
Any freestanding sign within a floodplain must receive approval under the floodplain regulations if it could obstruct floodwaters.
(12)
No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct any door, stairway, window, fire escape, or other means of egress or ingress.
(13)
No sign shall be placed so as to obstruct ventilation or light from a building.
(14)
No overhead sign shall have a clearance of less than eight feet between any pedestrian walk and the lowest part of the sign and less than 17.5 feet between any roadway and the lowest part of the sign.
(15)
No sign that is parallel to and attached to the face of a building shall project more than 18 inches over a public sidewalk.
(16)
No sign that is perpendicular to and attached to the face of a building shall project more than 48 inches from the building.
(17)
No sign shall have lights or other illuminating devices that constitute a public safety or traffic hazard.
(18)
No sign shall be permitted that imitates or that might be confused with an official traffic sign or signal, such as by containing the words "stop" or "danger" or by including red, green, or yellow lights.
(19)
No sign or window display shall include a revolving beam or beacon of light resembling an emergency vehicle or facility.
(20)
No sign shall advertise activities or products that are illegal under federal, state, or local municipal laws or regulations.
(21)
No sign visible from outside of a building shall include statements, displays, words, or pictures that are vulgar, obscene, or pornographic.
(22)
No streamers, pennants, spinners, reflectors, ribbons, tinsel, balloons or similar materials shall be displayed outside a building. (See "special event sign" in Table 2 for regulations that apply to banners used as special events signs.[2])
[2]
Editor's Note: Table 2 is included at the end of this chapter.
(23)
In addition to any other signs permitted by this article, each principal institutional, commercial or industrial property may display one flag not to exceed 35 square feet, in addition to flags of the United States and Pennsylvania.
(24)
No animated, sequential, intermittent, flashing, rotating, or oscillating signs shall be permitted, except for time-and-temperature signs.
(25)
No sign shall emit smoke, visible vapors, particles, sound, or odor.
(26)
No sign shall be placed on an automobile, truck, or other vehicle if that vehicle is being used primarily for displaying such sign.
(27)
No inflatable signs shall be permitted.
(28)
No open flames shall be permitted as part of a sign or in any other way to attract attention.
(29)
Advertising painted upon or displayed upon a barn or other structure shall be considered a sign and shall comply with the regulations of this article.
(30)
Any sign that has been authenticated as historically significant and accurate for its specific location, whether original or a replica, may be exempted from the regulations of this article as a special exception.
(31)
Signs may be interior-lighted with nonglaring lights; or signs may be externally lighted by lights that are shielded so there is no direct light transmitted to other properties or public rights-of-way. The light bulb shall not be directly visible from a street, sidewalk or other property.
(32)
The light from any illuminated sign shall not adversely affect safe vision of operators of vehicles moving on public or private streets or parking areas, any residential district, or any part of a building or property used for residential purposes.
(33)
No lighting shall be permitted to outline buildings or structures or parts thereof through the use of exposed neon tubing, strings of lights, or other means, with the exception of customary holiday decorations between November 9th and January 6th.
(34)
Business signs in other than commercial and industrial districts shall not be illuminated when the business is closed.
(35)
All electrically illuminated signs shall be constructed to the standards/listing of the latest edition of the National Electrical Code.
§ 380-52 Specific sign regulations.
A.
Tables 1 and 2 provide regulations for specific kinds of signs in each zoning district. Table 1 provides regulations for permanent signs; Table 2 provides regulations for temporary signs. Kinds of signs not provided for in Tables 1 or 2 or anywhere else in this article shall not be allowed.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Table 1, Regulations for Permanent Signs, and Table 2, Regulations for Temporary Signs, are included at the end of this chapter.
B.
Sign permits. All of the signs listed in Table 1 shall require sign permits, except government signs. None of the signs listed in Table 2 shall require sign permits.
§ 380-53 Sign permitting procedures and fees.
Sign permits for the placement of signs are required as indicated by the last column in Tables 1 and 2.[1] Sign permit application requirements, such as forms, plans, and fees, shall be established by the Borough Council.
[1]
Editor's Note: Tables 1 and 2 are included at the end of this chapter.
§ 380-54 Nonconforming signs.
Nonconforming signs may continue to be displayed, as long as there is compliance with the following limitations and conditions:
A.
There may be no expansion or increase in the nonconformity in any way.
B.
Maintenance and repair of the sign are permitted.
C.
Except as required by Subsection D below, an existing lawful nonconforming sign serving an existing use may be voluntarily replaced with a new sign, provided that the new sign is not more nonconforming in any manner than the existing sign.
D.
The sign must be brought into conformity or replaced by a conforming sign if, for a period of at least three months, the message has no longer applied to an activity on the premises (this does not apply to billboards).