Mount Oliver City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 500
Sign Regulations
§ 260-501 Purpose.
This chapter is intended to:
1.
Encourage sound signage practices and standards with respect to size, lighting, spacing, placement and type for the purpose of safeguarding and enhancing properties in each of the Borough's zoning districts;
2.
Promote the safety and welfare of the community;
3.
Protect public investment in public structures, public spaces and thoroughfares;
4.
Establish a clear process for the review and approval of sign permit applications and variances, and guidelines for violations and penalties; and
5.
Provide an environment which will promote the orderly growth and development of business and industry in the Borough.
§ 260-502 Definitions of specific signs.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
Any writing, printing, painting, display, emblem, drawing, graphic, electronic display, computerized display, or other device of similar character which 1) is designed to be viewed by the public and intended to announce, direct attention to, or advertise; and 2) is a structure or any part thereof or is attached to, painted on, or in any other manner represented on a building or other structure supporting the display.
The support on which a sign face stands. The sign base shall not communicate any messages or include business identification.
The area or display surface, including the advertising surface and any framing, trim, or molding, used for the message on a single plane.
The primary surface of a sign that carries the identifying/advertising message.
A portable sign comprised of two separate panels or faces joined at the top and spread apart at the bottom to form the base on which the sign stands.
The number or other designation assigned to a housing unit, business establishment, or other structure for all purposes of location, mail delivery, and emergency services.
Any sign or part of a sign that changes physical position or light intensity by any movement or rotation or that gives the visual impression of such movement or rotation. Changeable copy signs as defined herein are not considered animated or moving signs.
The movement, or the optical illusion of movement of any part of the sign structure, design or pictorial segment, including the movement of any illumination or the flashing, scintillating or varying of light intensity. Also included in this definition are signs having "chasing action" which is the action of a row of lights commonly used to create the appearance of motion.
Any sign that is a part of or attached to an awning, canopy, or other fabric, plastic, or structural protective cover over a door, entrance, window, or outdoor service area. A marquee is not a canopy.
A sign or outside advertising display having the character, letters, illustrations, ornamentations, symbol, color, or visual representation applied to cloth, paper, vinyl, fabric, plastic, or like kind of malleable material with or without frame. National, state, or municipal flags, or the official flag of any institution or business, shall not be considered banners.
See the definition provided in Article 200, Terminology.
A small pedestrian-oriented sign attached to a building, which bears only the name, number(s) and/or logo of the building but not the tenant and which is intended to be legible only from the pedestrianways immediately adjacent to the sign.
A sign that is designed so that characters, letters, or illustrations can be changed or rearranged manually to change the message on the sign without altering the face or surface of the sign.
A temporary sign announcing the name of contractors, mechanics, or artisans engaged in performing work on the premises and only during active construction activities.
A temporary sign erected during the period of construction and/or development of a property by the contractor and developer or their agent.
A computer programmable sign capable of displaying words, numbers, symbols, figures, or picture images that can be altered or rearranged by remote or automatically without physically altering the face or surface of the sign. These signs typically utilize light-emitting diode, plasma, or liquid crystal display technology to produce the character and graphic of the display. Digital signs shall include static alphanumeric displays and electronic message boards.
A sign, generally informational, that has a purpose secondary to the use of the lot or site on which it is located, such as "no parking," "entrance," "exit," "one way," "loading only," "telephone," and other similar directives, and provided that such sign does not exceed five square feet. Directional, incidental signs shall be located only in conjunction with site drive entrances and/or internal traffic drive aisles.
A type of digital sign which displays messages, such as time and temperature, in alternating light cycles.
A sign lighted by or exposed to artificial lighting either by lights on or in the sign or directed toward the sign.
A sign that contains an intermittent or sequential flashing light source or has a light source which is not stationary, varies in illumination intensity, or contains elements which give the appearance of any of the aforementioned.
Any sign supported by structures or supports that are placed on, or anchored in, the ground and that are independent from any building or other structure.
A sign which is owned, installed, and maintained by the Borough or other governmental agency.
A freestanding sign which is completely self-supporting, has its sign face or base on the ground and has no air space, columns, or supports visible between the ground and the bottom of the sign. It shall not be attached to a pole or pylon, nor raised by mounting on a man-made berm, wall, or similar structure. Pole/pylon signs that have pole covers which extend from the base of the sign face to the ground shall not be considered ground/monument signs.
A sign containing only the name and address of the occupant of the premises and their occupation. No logos or other advertising shall be permitted.
A three-dimensional (3-D) object, filled with air or gas, and located in such a manner as to attract attention.
A sign containing a source of light contained within the sign structure or sign cabinet.
A wall sign attached to an integral part of the building consisting of a roof which is supported by the building and may also be supported by columns or piers, and which includes porches, porticos, and porte cocheres, but does not include canopies or awnings.
A sign that lists for consumers the various options of products, goods, or services provided by a business.
A hand-painted, hand-tiled, or digitally printed restorative image on the exterior wall of a building that does not contain any commercial message. For definition purposes, a commercial message is any message that advertises a business conducted, services rendered, or goods produced or sold.
A sign identifying/advertising and/or directing the public to a business, or merchandise, or service, or institution, or residential area, or entertainment which is located, sold, rented, leased, produced, manufactured and/or furnished at a place other than the real property on which said sign is located.
A sign or display that identifies or communicates a message related to the activity conducted, the service offered, or the commodity sold on the premises where the sign is located.
Any lightweight plastic, fabric, or other material, whether or not containing a message of any kind, suspended from a rope, wire, or string, usually in series, designed to move in the wind.
A freestanding sign erected on a pole, poles, pylon, pylons, or other supporting structure where the bottom edge of a sign face is installed above the ground. Pole/pylon signs that have pole covers which extend from the base of the sign face to the ground shall not be considered ground/monument signs.
A sign which indicates the name, cause or affiliation of a person seeking public or elected office or on which reference is made to an issue for which a public election or referendum is scheduled to be held.
Any sign not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported, including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels; signs converted to A- or T-frames; sandwich board signs; balloons used as signs; umbrellas used for advertising; and signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public ROW, unless vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day operations of the business.
A sign which reproduces a remote image, by optical or any other means, on any surface.
Signs in connection with the identification, operation or protection of any public utility, on the same lot therewith, provided that the total sign area on any one street frontage does not exceed eight square feet.
A temporary sign advertising the real estate upon which the sign is located as being for rent, lease, or sale.
A sign that is designed so that characters, letters, or illustrations can be changed or rearranged remotely by electronic or other means to change the message or sign without altering the face or surface of the sign.
Any sign located in a district zoned for residential uses that contains no commercial message except advertising for goods or services legally offered on the premises where the sign is located, if offering such service at such location conforms to all requirements of this chapter.
Any sign used to identify the name of a residential development containing no commercial message and located at the principle entrances of such development.
A sign erected on or attached to a roof or a sign attached to a building that projects above the highest point on a wall that supports the roofline.
Public safety sign pursuant to federal, state, or local public safety regulations.
A sign indicating that the premises is in the process of being subdivided and/or developed for the future construction of dwellings or other buildings before any actual construction activity has begun.
A type of a digital sign that is only capable of displaying numbers and letters and that is not designed or programmed to flash, blink, move, or display multiple messages over a preset time interval.
A string or strip of miniature or full size pennants or flags which may or may not be suspended between two points.
A sign which is suspended from a structure above into a vehicular or pedestrian access way, more than one foot from the surface on which it is mounted, and is mounted usually, but not always, at right angles to the building.
Any sign, banner, pennant, valance or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wallboard or other light material, with or without frame, displayed for a period not exceeding 30 days. Temporary signs shall be permitted to advertise grand openings, distress sales, change in ownership, or temporary businesses which have been approved by the Planning Commission, Borough Council or ZHB.
A sign which indicates changing time and/or temperature.
A sign regulating traffic.
Any sign painted, attached to, or affixed to a building or structure, attached flat against the wall surface in such a way that only one face of a sign is visible.
Any sign, picture, symbol, or combination thereof, designed to communicate information about an activity, business, commodity, event, sale, or service that is temporarily affixed inside a window or upon the windowpanes or glass and is visible from the exterior of the window.
§ 260-503 Applicability.
1.
The regulations contained in this article shall apply to all signs in all zoning districts. No sign may be erected, placed, established, painted, created, altered, or maintained except in conformance with the standards, procedures, regulations, and requirements contained herein.
2.
Method of sign authorization and approval. For the purposes of this chapter, signs shall be authorized for approval pursuant to the following:
A.
Authorized signs are those for which a zoning approval has been issued by the Zoning Officer following a review of an application, if the application indicates compliance with this chapter.
B.
Exempt uses are signs that are authorized, but that are exempt from regulation under this chapter and do not require zoning approval.
C.
Prohibited signs are those neither authorized by this chapter nor exempt from regulation.
3.
Accessory uses. Signs shall be considered accessory uses (other than billboards) on the lot or site where they are located, and subordinate to the principal use of the lot. Signs shall be subject to the requirements of Article 300, Zoning Districts, of this chapter regarding accessory uses, in addition to the requirements of this article.
§ 260-504 General standards for all accessory uses.
1.
Principal uses. Billboards are considered the principal use of a lot or site on which they are located and shall comply with all the requirements of this article.
2.
Alteration of sign face. The physical alteration of a sign face or supporting structure shall be considered the same as construction of a new sign, which shall require zoning approval and conformity to all the requirements of this article.
3.
Signs on public property. Any sign installed or placed on public property or within a public ROW, except in conformance with the requirements of this article, shall be forfeited and is subject to confiscation in addition to other remedies the Zoning Officer shall have pursuant to this chapter.
4.
Enforcement and remedies. Enforcement and remedies of this article shall be pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and any other enforcement or remedies pursuant to state and federal law.
§ 260-505 Exempt and prohibited signs.
1.
Exempt signs. The following signs shall be exempt from these regulations:
A.
Holiday decorations displayed for recognized state and federal holidays.
B.
Official notices authorized by a court, public body, or public safety official.
C.
Memorial/historical plaques.
D.
Memorial signs and tablets when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other sculptured materials.
E.
Flags of a governmental organization.
F.
Signs authorized by the Borough, such as street signs, safety control signs, and traffic control signs.
G.
Public notice/public warning signs.
H.
Auction, garage sale, or yard sale signs.
I.
Address numbering.
J.
Construction signs (temporary, only during active construction).
K.
Signs of any type placed on public or park property by authorization of the Borough.
L.
Real estate signs which advertise the sale, rental, or lease of the premises upon which the said sign is located, provided that the sign only relates to the rental, lease, or sale of the property on which it is displayed. No more than two such signs may be placed upon any property in single and separate ownership and not more than one such sign facing one street.
M.
A-frame ("sandwich board") signs shall be permitted on sidewalks, provided that only one such sign per premises shall be permitted. Such sign shall not obstruct pedestrian travel and shall be removed each evening upon closing. A-frame signs shall not exceed six square feet per side.
N.
Signs announcing candidacy for public office. Such signs shall not be installed on utility poles, shall not be installed more than 60 days before the election to which they are relevant and shall be removed within five calendar days immediately following the relevant election day.
2.
Prohibited signs. The following signs shall not be permitted in any zoning district:
A.
Flashing, blinking, changing, animated, inflatable, or moving signs (except digital signs and LED billboards authorized by this article).
B.
Pennants (including "swooper flags"), nongovernmental flags, or streamers.
C.
Any sign containing information which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of this chapter.
D.
Signs that resemble traffic signals or any sort of traffic device.
E.
Signs that exhibit statements, words, or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects as determined by the Borough Council.
F.
Off-premises signs (other than billboards).
G.
Roof signs.
H.
Signs on trees, utility poles, and traffic devices.
I.
Signs that are hazardous to public safety and/or are located in the public ROW.
§ 260-506 Determining sign area and height.
The following shall control the computation of sign area and height:
1.
Computation of area of single-faced signs. The area of a sign face shall be computed by means of the smallest square or rectangle that will encompass the extreme limits of the writing, representation, emblem, or other display, together with any material or color forming an integral part of the background of the display or used to differentiate the sign from the backdrop or structure against which it is placed, but not including any supporting framework, bracing, or decorative fence or wall when such fence or wall otherwise meets this chapter's regulations and is clearly incidental to the display itself. Any digital portions of a proposed sign and/or a sign base that contains a message or logo shall be included in the calculation of the sign area.
2.
Computation of area of multifaced signs. The sign area for a sign with more than one face shall be computed by adding together the area of all sign faces visible from any one point. When two identical sign faces are placed back to back so that both faces cannot be viewed from any point at the same time, and when such sign faces are part of the same sign structure and not more than 42 inches apart, the sign area shall be computed by the measurement of one of the faces. Any digital portions of a proposed sign and/or sign base that contains a message or logo shall be included in the calculation of the sign area.
3.
Computation of height. The height of a sign shall be computed as the distance from the base of the sign at normal grade to the top of the highest attached component of the sign. Normal grade shall be construed to be the lower of 1) existing grade prior to construction or 2) the newly established grade after construction, exclusive of any filling, berming, mounding, or excavating solely for the purpose of locating the sign. In cases in which the normal grade cannot reasonably be determined, sign height shall be computed on the assumption that the elevation of the normal grade at the base of the sign is equal to the elevation of the nearest point of the crown of a public street or the grade of the land at the principal entrance to the principal structure on the zone lot, whichever is lower.
§ 260-507 Permitted signs in residential districts.
1.
In the residential districts (R and RMU Districts), only the following exterior signs shall be permitted. No ground or pole signs shall be permitted, except as provided below.
A.
A nameplate not exceeding two square feet in area containing only the name of the resident, the title of the person practicing a profession, name of building and name of agents, or any combination of the foregoing and placed directly against a building wall.
B.
A bulletin sign (instructional or directional) not exceeding 12 square feet in area erected upon the premises of an educational, philanthropic, or religious institution, including a church, hospital or similar institution, for the purpose of displaying the name of the institution and its activities or services, which shall be limited to one such sign.
C.
Ground signs shall be located at least 10 feet back from the street ROW.
D.
Residential development sign. One residential development sign not exceeding 32 square feet in total gross surface area per face, or two signs not exceeding 16 square feet in surface area per sign, shall be permitted which identifies the name of the residential development. In the case of the residential development with more than one entrance, a sign or signs as permitted above may be placed at each entrance to the development.
E.
In RMU - Multifamily Residential District, only one exterior wall and/or ground sign shall be permitted not exceeding 24 square feet in area in connection with a multiple-family dwelling or other authorized use and shall identify only the name of the structure or residential building.
F.
Directional signs as specified elsewhere in this chapter.
2.
No sign shall be erected upon, or applied to, any roof. The term "sign" here shall not apply to a religious symbol, unaccompanied by lettering, when applied to the cornice, tower, or spire of a place of worship.
3.
Permitted illumination of a sign, nameplate, or bulletin board shall be of a nonflashing, nonmoving, indirect type.
4.
Signs shall be constructed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and shall be kept in good condition and maintained so as not to create hazardous or threatening conditions to the health or safety of persons in the vicinity of said sign or cause a public nuisance. The Borough may take all lawful and proper actions necessary to revoke all permits and licenses issued for such sign and may order said sign removed or brought into compliance with the Borough ordinances and regulations within 30 days of the date of issuance of such notice and order, in writing, by the Zoning Officer.
§ 260-508 Permitted signs in all nonresidential districts.
In all nonresidential districts (MU, TND-MU, TND-C, C Districts), the following signs shall be permitted:
1.
Any sign permitted in any residential districts and subject to any stated condition for said residential district sign.
2.
Wall signs.
A.
The building identification wall signs (or signs) shall not be greater than one square foot multiplied by the width, in feet, of the principal building frontage along the public ROW or a maximum of 100 square feet.
B.
Where a building has frontage on more than one public road, the owner, occupant or agent may erect a sign on each wall facing the frontage, with each sign meeting the square footage requirements of this section, provided that all other provisions of this section are observed.
C.
Wall signs shall not extend beyond the side edges of any wall in either direction, nor shall the sign extend above the roofline of buildings having flat roofs, the deck line of buildings having mansard roofs or the gutter line of buildings having gable, hipped, or gambrel roofs.
D.
Wall signs shall only identify the owner of or enterprise conducting the business, the business engaged in or upon the premises, or products or services sold or any combination thereof.
E.
Wall signs for multiple occupancy buildings:
1)
Where several businesses or uses occupy a building, each business may be permitted to a share of the building's allowable sign area, at the direction of the building owner.
2)
If the owner permits the allowable square footage to be shared, the owner shall develop guidelines which require all signs located on the building to be compatible in terms of size, type, style, color, lighting, and design characteristics. A copy of these guidelines shall be filed with the sign permit and shall be a condition of permit approval.
3.
Ground/pole signs.
A.
All properties within nonresidential districts are permitted one ground/pole sign.
B.
The square foot area of ground/pole signs shall be limited to one square foot of sign area for every one linear foot of property frontage on a public ROW; but no ground/pole sign shall be permitted to exceed an area of 50 square feet for each side.
C.
When property is occupied by a business without a building, an applicant shall be permitted one permanent identification sign not exceeding 40 square feet. Such sign shall be located at least 15 feet back from the street ROW.
D.
The maximum height of a ground/pole sign shall be 20 feet. The minimum height of the bottom edge of any ground/pole sign shall be 10 feet, except when it is erected as a monument sign.
E.
Ground/pole signs are not permitted in the public ROW.
F.
The building setback or build-to line shall be the location standard for ground/pole signs. In no case shall a setback of less than 15 feet from the street ROW line be permitted. Ground/pole signs shall also be located a minimum of five feet from any building and 10 feet from any side property line.
G.
For signs over 10 square feet in area, an additional one foot of separation from adjacent side property lines shall be required for every 10 square feet of sign area.
4.
Wall plaques.
A.
Wall plaques shall be all signs extending no more than 1 1/2 inches from the walls to which they are attached. The edges of wall plaques shall be rounded, tapered or treated in any other manner.
B.
There shall be no minimum height above ground level for wall plaques.
C.
Wall plaques shall have a maximum of three square feet.
D.
Signs mounted perpendicular to the wall surface (including those over the public ROW) are only permitted in the TND-C District.
E.
Signs mounted perpendicular to the wall surface to which they are affixed shall have their bottom edge at sufficient height above the ground or other supporting surface as to assure no interference with pedestrian or vehicular traffic under or around the sign, and in any event at a height not less than 10 feet.
F.
When extending over a vehicular cartway, the minimum height above ground or cartway shall be 15 feet.
G.
Signs mounted perpendicular to the wall surfaces shall not protrude more than eight feet beyond the wall surface to which they are attached.
H.
Signs mounted perpendicular to the wall surface shall be limited to a maximum area of 32 square feet.
 |
5.
Temporary signs.
A.
Temporary signs shall be a maximum of 32 square feet in area.
B.
Temporary signs shall be located a minimum of 15 feet from any property or ROW lines and shall comply with all other height and location requirements of the category of permanent signs which they emulate. Temporary signs must be located on the same lot as the use which they advertise.
C.
All temporary signs shall be attached to a building or the ground in a manner satisfactory to the Zoning Officer, in protecting the public health, safety and welfare.
D.
The period of the temporary sign shall not exceed 30 days, unless otherwise authorized herein, and the sign shall be removed immediately upon expiration of the permit.
E.
Permits for temporary signs for the same use or lot shall not be issued more than four times in any calendar year.
F.
The sign permit shall be attached to temporary signs for the duration of the permitted use and easily visible from the street.
6.
Window signs.
A.
Window signs shall be permitted to be installed on the inside of the window of nonresidential structures only.
B.
Window signs shall not cover more than 25% of the glazing of any window.
C.
The copy of a window sign shall be designed to communicate information about an activity, business, community event, or a sale or service offered.
D.
Window signs shall not be permanently affixed to a window or windowpanes.
 |
7.
Advertising on awnings and canopies.
A.
Advertising on awnings and canopies shall be limited in size to a maximum of 50% of the allowable size of the wall sign permitted on the same structure. Such signage shall only include the name and/or logo of the business, industry, or pursuit conducted therein.
B.
Canopies shall comply with the height requirements of projecting signs as identified in this article.
 |
8.
Marquee signs. Marquee signs may be attached only to the front and sides of marquees and shall not project beyond the edges or the bottom of the marquee, nor extend more than 10 inches horizontally from the surface of the marquee.
9.
Directional signs. Directional signs are permitted in nonresidential districts.
10.
Digital signs.
A.
No digital sign face shall be installed, except as part of a wall or ground/pole sign and the placement and manner of installation of digital sign faces shall be subject to the placement and installation restrictions for the same.
B.
No digital sign shall be brighter than is necessary for clear and adequate visibility.
1)
All digital signs shall have installed ambient light monitors and shall at all times allow such monitor to automatically adjust the brightness level of the digital sign based on ambient light conditions so as to minimize and keep consistent sign brightness.
2)
The maximum brightness level for such signs shall not exceed 5,000 NITS when measured at the sign's face between dawn and dusk, as those times are determined by the National Weather Service.
3)
The maximum brightness level for such signs shall not exceed 300 NITS when measured at the sign's face between dusk and dawn, as those times are determined by the National Weather Service.
4)
No permit shall be issued for the installation of a digital sign unless the applicant has submitted a written certification from the sign manufacturer certifying that the light intensity of the sign has not been preset to exceed the illumination levels established herein and that the intensity level is protected from end-user manipulation by password protected software or similar security measures.
C.
All digital signs shall contain a default mechanism that will cause the sign to revert immediately to a black screen in instances of malfunction.
D.
Digital signs, exclusive of static alphanumeric displays, shall additionally be subject to the following operational limitations:
1)
Each message or image shall remain static and unchanged for a period of no less than 15 seconds.
2)
No message or image shall be permitted to blink, flash, or move.
3)
No message shall display any characters with a height of less than nine inches.
4)
No message shall display more than 12 individual words.
5)
Each message or image shall be complete without continuation of content to the next display or to another sign.
6)
Each message or image shall be followed by a transition period in which the display reverts to a black screen for a minimum period of three seconds.
7)
No digital sign shall emit any sound or audio message.
§ 260-509 General regulations.
1.
All applications for permits for construction, installation, maintenance, repair and/or modification of signs of any type or nature shall be submitted for review and approval or denial by the Borough Zoning Officer, prior to commencement of any activity or work by the applicant or the applicant's representative or delegate concerning installation, construction or modification of such sign. The provisions of this section and all of its subsections shall apply to, but are not limited to all replacement signs, new signs, changes, or alterations to existing signs or signs which must be relocated for any reason.
2.
A site plan or sketch, drawn to scale, shall be submitted to the Zoning Officer and shall depict the lot and building upon which the proposed sign will be located, and shall show all other buildings and structures located on said lot and their relationship to said sign. Information submitted to the Zoning Officer shall also include an application for sign permit, a written description of the materials and manner of construction and mounting of the sign, a description of the information and visual material to be included on all surfaces of the sign, a description of the illumination, if any, of the sign and one or more photographs of the proposed sign location from each approach from which the sign will be visible.
3.
Permit required. A permit shall be obtained from the Borough Zoning Officer, subject to filing the permit application and supporting information described above in this section and subject to payment of the required established fee, prior to the construction, alteration, modification, or moving of any exterior sign. No exterior sign established before the effective date of this chapter shall be (except when ordered by an authorized public officer as a safety measure) altered in any respect, or moved, unless it be made to conform with the provisions of this chapter.
4.
Signs not to constitute traffic hazard. No sign or other advertising structure as regulated by this chapter shall be erected in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision; or at any location where, by reason of the position, shape, or color, it may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device; or which makes use of the words "stop," "look," "drive-in, "danger," or any other word, phrase, symbol, or character in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.
5.
Material and construction. All signs shall be securely built, constructed and erected in compliance with all regulations and requirements of the relevant building codes, and in addition:
A.
The Zoning Officer may require calculations by an architect or engineer certifying the stability of a sign, with reference to dead load and wind stress capabilities when a sign is over 25 square feet in area or in the case of a ground sign whose height is greater than 10 feet or a sign which weighs in excess of 100 pounds.
B.
Any sign damaged by inclement weather, that is proven to be unsafe, may not be restored in kind without engineering data as required above.
6.
Illumination and animation.
A.
All illuminated signs shall be inspected by the authorized electrical inspection agency of the Borough during construction to verify compliance with the adopted Electrical Code of the Borough.
B.
Illuminated signs shall be nonflashing and nonglaring and shall be illuminated in a manner to prevent glare and reflection to a public street or adjacent properties.
C.
All signs shall be nonanimated with no exterior moving parts.
7.
Maintenance.
A.
Any sign regulated by this chapter shall be maintained in the proper structural and aesthetic condition by the owner or tenant.
B.
If a sign no longer advertises a bona fide business or other activity conducted on the premises, it shall be taken down and removed by the owner, tenant or by the entity having the beneficial use of the sign and the building within 30 days of the termination of such business or other activity.
§ 260-510 Billboards.
1.
Billboards are permitted as a conditional use in the C - General Commercial District.
2.
Billboards may be authorized by Borough Council as a conditional use upon a finding that compliance with the requirements of this chapter, as well as the following specific criteria, have been met by the applicant:
A.
The submission by the applicant of a conditional use application, which shall contain the information, maps, plans, and narrative and graphic materials set forth in Article 700, Conditional Use and Special Exception Regulations.
B.
Billboards are considered as the principal use of a lot or site and, as such, the land area utilized for a billboard shall not be otherwise required to support another use upon such lot, including, but not limited to, bufferyard, parking area or setback necessary to any preexisting use upon such lot.
C.
The portion of any lot upon which the billboard is to be located shall contain a minimum of 5,000 square feet in area.
D.
All billboards shall contain only one face for the display of lettered, written, printed, pictorial, or sculpted matter on only one side of its structure, and such face shall be oriented to be viewed from only one direction of travel from the nearest adjacent roadway (cross-roadway viewing shall not be permitted).
E.
The display area upon the face of a billboard shall be a maximum of 300 square feet (12 feet by 25 feet), and all portions of any display shall fit within such area with no extensions beyond the edge of the billboard sign's framework.
F.
All utility lines serving the billboard, or those extended to provide such service, must be installed completely underground. Such requirement may be waived if the billboard is powered by nontraditional alternative energy sources (for example, solar power).
G.
All billboards shall be set back from the below-described items as follows:
H.
The maximum height of billboards shall not exceed 20 feet, as measured from the grade of the roadway from which the advertising message is principally visible, and the bottom edge of the billboard shall be no more than eight feet above the elevation of the adjacent roadway, which height shall be sufficient to prevent unauthorized access upon the billboard.
I.
A bufferyard shall be required between billboards and any adjacent lot(s). For the purpose of establishing the required bufferyard, billboards shall be considered a commercial use.
J.
All displays on the faces of billboards shall be stationary, and no animated, sequential, flashing, moving, or oscillating signs or displays shall be permitted.
K.
Illumination of the display shall be designed so that it shall be focused on the face of the display itself, so as to prevent glare upon the surrounding area. All sources of illumination shall be external and equipped with shields to prevent spillage of light off the display.
M.
All billboards shall be constructed to all applicable structural standards for such devices, and all applications for the conditional use approval shall verify compliance with such standards as documented and sealed by a registered engineer.
3.
All billboards (including any and all supporting structures thereof) shall be dismantled and removed from the premises upon which they are located within 180 days of the cessation of use.
4.
All billboards shall be maintained by their owner in a state of repair so that they are as safe and as functional as when originally installed.
5.
No billboard shall be constructed or erected until an applicant thereof has made an application for same (which shall include a copy of a written lease for use of the land if the applicant is not the owner thereof) and paid the applicable fee thereof (as set by separate resolution of the Council) and received a permit thereof from the Borough.
6.
Prior to erection, all proposed applicants for billboards shall be required to obtain any necessary permit from and to conform to, in all respects, any regulation thereof promulgated by an agency of the commonwealth, including, but not limited to its Department of Transportation.
§ 260-511 Murals.
1.
Murals are permitted as a use by right in all nonresidential (MU, TND-MU, TND-C, C) districts.
2.
Murals may be authorized by the Zoning Officer as a permitted use upon a finding that compliance with the requirements of this chapter, as well as the following specific criteria, have been met by the applicant:
A.
The submission by the applicant of a conditional use application, which shall contain the information, maps, plans, and narrative and graphic materials set forth in the Article 700, Conditional Use and Special Exception Regulations.
B.
All murals shall not exceed the height of the structure to which it is tiled, painted, or affixed.
C.
All murals shall extend more than six inches from the plane of the wall upon which it is tiled, painted, or affixed.
D.
All murals shall not exceed a height of 20 feet above grade.
E.
All murals shall not consist of, or contain, electrical or mechanical components, or changing images (moving structural elements, flashing or sequential lights, lighting elements, or other automated methods that result in movement, the appearance of movement, or change of mural image or message, not including static illumination turned off and back on not more than once every 24 hours).
F.
All murals shall not be placed over the exterior surface of any building opening, including, but not limited to, windows, doors, and vents.
G.
All murals shall not be placed on a lot that has an exclusively residential structure.
H.
All murals shall not be illuminated.
 |