Mountain Lakes City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIV
Signs
§ 245-114 Purpose; definitions.
A.
Purpose. The design, construction, location and maintenance of all signs in the Borough shall be regulated and controlled as provided for in this section.
B.
Definitions. The following words in this subsection shall be defined as follows (see also § 245-3):
(1)
Functional sign definitions.
BUSINESS SIGN
A sign which advertises or otherwise directs attention to a business or businesses conducted, the commodities or services manufactured, offered, or sold or entertainment offered upon or from the premises upon which such sign is located.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN
A temporary sign on premises where construction or remodeling is taking place, during the period of such construction, identifying the person, firm or business (such as but not limited to architects, engineers, contractors, or similar professionals) directly connected with the structure or project.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN
A sign or device intended to direct or point toward a place or which gives verbal directions, including traffic direction signs.
GENERAL ADVERTISING SIGN
A sign which advertises a business, product or service conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than upon the premises upon which such sign is located. A billboard shall be considered a type of general advertising sign.
IDENTIFICATION SIGN
A sign which designates the name of the owner or occupant of the premises upon which it is located or which identifies the premises; this shall include nameplates.
NONCONFORMING SIGN
A sign lawfully constructed and maintained prior to the adoption of this chapter, but does not conform to the provisions of this chapter.
PERMANENT SIGN
A sign which is affixed or otherwise attached to the property or to a structural frame upon the premises and is intended to remain there for other than a temporary period.
REAL ESTATE SIGN
A sign indicating that the property, premises or any portion thereof on which it is located is for sale, lease or rent.
TEMPORARY SIGN
A sign which is displayed for no more than 30 days.
(2)
Physical sign definitions.
BULLETIN BOARD
An outdoor structure containing a surface upon which may be displayed the name of a park, church, school, library, community center or similar institution or facility and the announcement of the services or activities thereof or thereon.
CANOPY SIGN
A sign attached to the underside of a canopy.
FREESTANDING SIGN
A sign which is supported by one or more uprights, poles or braces in or upon the ground and which is not attached to a building.
PROJECTING SIGN
A sign, other than a wall sign, which is attached to the exterior wall of a building and which extends beyond such exterior wall.
ROOF SIGN
A sign that is mounted on or applied to the roof of a building or which is wholly dependent upon a building for support and which projects above the roofline of a building with a flat roof, or above the eave line of a building with a gambrel, gable, hip, mansard or other non-flat roof.
WALL SIGN
A sign which is attached to and placed flat against any exterior wall of a building or which is painted on any exterior wall of a building and which does not extend above the lowest point of the roofline.
WIND SIGN
A sign which is not fully affixed to a building, structure or other structural frame and which is intended to flap freely in the open air.
WINDOW SIGN
A sign which is attached to or painted on either the inside or outside of an exterior window of a building or which is placed or intended to have the advertising thereon viewed primarily outdoors through an exterior window.
§ 245-115 General regulations.
A.
Permits. No person shall erect, construct, reconstruct, relocate or use a permanent sign, including but not limited to a bulletin board, without first obtaining a sign permit, except for identification signs in residential zones as permitted in § 245-116B and C.
(1)
Applications for a sign permit shall be made to the Zoning Officer in writing. Applications shall contain the following: proposed use, size, coloring, material, illumination (if any), wording, a scale drawing showing the sign's design and relation to the building and its location on the premises.
(2)
A fee shall be required with each application except applications from the Board of Education or local government bodies. The fee shall be as set forth in § 111-3B.
(3)
If the Zoning Officer, after checking and reviewing the application and plans and specifications, determines that the proposed sign or the proposed alteration or relocation thereof conforms to all requirements of this subsection, he shall approve the application and issue a permit.
(4)
The Zoning Officer may issue a permit for a temporary wall, window or freestanding sign to be displayed for not more than 30 days in any two-month period.
B.
Content of signs. Signs shall be limited to those identifying the name, business, uses, occupants, products, or services of the premises on which they are located.
C.
Construction and maintenance. All signs shall be neat, constructed of durable materials and maintained at all times in safe condition and good repair by the owner of the premises upon which they are erected. The Zoning Officer may require necessary repair and painting of any sign which has been neglected or require its removal.
D.
Signs at intersections; interference with traffic signs. No sign shall be located at or near any street, intersection or driveway so as to create a traffic hazard by obstructing vision. No sign shall be located, constructed or lighted so as to interfere with or obstruct the view of any authorized traffic sign, signal or device. No red, green or yellow sign shall be located where it might be confused with a traffic signal.
E.
Obstructions. No sign or sign structure shall be erected in such a manner that any portion thereof will interfere with the free use of any fire escape, exit or standpipe, or will obstruct or block or cover any window except window signs.
F.
Sign area measurement. The area of any sign shall be computed as the product of the largest horizontal width and the largest vertical height of the lettering, illustration, display, frame, background or combination of these elements. This shall not be construed to include the supporting members of any sign which are used solely for such purpose. For signs with two display faces (back-to-back), the maximum area requirement shall be permitted on each side.
G.
Illumination. Only externally illuminated signs are permitted, subject to the following standards:
(1)
Permitted external illumination types.
(a)
Halo lights placed behind individual reverse pan-channel letters.
(b)
Spotlights which are directed to shine directly on the sign. Such lights shall be directed and/or shielded so as not to shine onto neighboring property or into the eyes of passing motorists.
(c)
All bare bulbs, tubes and other light sources must be shielded from view from any point on a public right-of-way and from adjacent residential lots.
(2)
LED lights should be used wherever feasible. Regardless of the type of illumination employed, the sign shall be properly shielded and located so as to prevent glare or blinding effects upon any line of moving traffic and so as not to be offensive to residents of the area.
(3)
No outdoor sign shall remain illuminated after 9:00 p.m. unless the establishment using the sign is open to the public for business.
H.
Provisions applicable to specific sign types. The following provisions shall apply to all zones unless otherwise set forth in this article.
(1)
Construction signs. No construction sign shall have any moving parts or be constructed of any reflective material, and no such sign shall be illuminated, and no part of such sign shall be higher than six feet above finished grade.
(2)
Directional signs. Directional signs having areas of less than three square feet are exempt from area and location regulations but shall be shown on an approved site plan. The Zoning Officer may authorize or require in writing additional signs for directional and safety purposes.
(3)
Bulletin boards. In any zone a single-faced bulletin board not to exceed 18 square feet in area shall be permitted and shall serve only to identify and announce the services and activities of a park, public or parochial or independent school, library, church, community center or other similar community facility or institution. Such bulletin board shall be located on the site of the community facility or institution, no closer than 10 feet to any street line or any lot line, and no portion thereof shall be higher than six feet above finished grade.
(4)
Real estate signs. One unilluminated real estate sign not more than 12 square feet in area in nonresidential zones and four square feet in area in residential zones is permitted on the premises to which it relates.
(5)
Projecting signs. Where permitted, no projecting sign shall exceed the lowest roofline or 12 feet in height, whichever is less, nor shall it be so low as to endanger the health and safety of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. In no event shall the projecting sign be lower than eight feet. A sign shall not project more than two feet from the wall.
(6)
Political, religious or other signs conveying statements which are within the protection, of any provision of the Constitution of the United States shall be permitted except that no such sign shall be greater than 12 square feet, and shall otherwise conform to the provisions of this chapter.
I.
Prohibited signs. Signs of the following types, or types closely related to them, are specifically prohibited in all zones:
(1)
Moving signs; wind signs; roof signs; banners; oscillating, rotating, flashing or other intermittent-type signs.
(2)
General advertising signs.
J.
Removal. After a use, advertised by a sign, has been abandoned or terminated, the owner of the premises shall be responsible for the immediate removal of such sign. If such sign is not removed within 30 days after such abandonment or termination, the Construction Official shall cause removal of such sign, and cost of such removal shall be a lien on the premises.
K.
Nonconforming signs. No nonconforming sign shall be altered, enlarged and/or reconstructed, except in such a manner as to comply with the requirements of this chapter.
§ 245-116 Permitted signs in residential zones.
A.
Except as otherwise expressly provided in § 245-115, no sign other than those hereinafter provided in this section shall be permitted in any residential zone.
B.
One single-faced personal identification sign plate no larger than 50 square inches overall, which may be placed on the wall of the building, shall be permitted.
C.
Single-faced property identification signs conforming to the following conditions shall be permitted:
(1)
The maximum area of each such sign shall be one square foot.
(2)
No more than two such signs shall be permitted.
D.
House numbers.
(1)
House numbers shall be a minimum height of four inches and shall be placed in a conspicuous location at least 24 inches above the grade where located so as to be clearly visible from the street as per Chapter 164, § 164-3.
(2)
House numbers may not exceed eight inches in height, whether on a freestanding sign, on the house, or painted on a rock. They may not be painted on trees or utility poles as per § 164-3.
E.
For home occupations permitted as a conditional use per § 245-100, one single-faced identification sign, which may also specify the service or profession, not over two square feet in area, shall be permitted. Only one sign per dwelling unit shall be permitted.
F.
Each contractor, while working on the premises, shall be permitted one construction sign of not over six square feet in area, subject to the requirements of § 245-115H(1).
G.
No sign except property identification signs shall be located closer than 10 feet to any front lot line or to any residence lot line.
H.
No portion of any sign permitted in this section shall be more than six feet above finished grade.
§ 245-117 Permitted signs in non-residential zones.
A.
General regulations.
(1)
Front yard setback. No part of any freestanding sign shall be closer than 10 feet to any front lot line or residence lot line, or five feet to any other side lot line. In specific situations for safety, the Zoning Officer may require a greater setback.
(2)
Signs may be externally illuminated per § 245-115G. No outdoor sign shall remain illuminated after 9:00 p.m. unless the establishment using the sign is open to the public for business.
(3)
In shopping or business centers containing more than one establishment, directory signs which are a part of the aggregate sign allowance for individual establishments are permitted and encouraged. The directory, if freestanding, shall constitute the one freestanding sign permitted for each individual establishment.
(4)
Stores in structures with more than one store and with direct access from the side or rear may have an identification sign of not more than two square feet next to, over, or on the side or rear entrance.
(5)
Each contractor or construction professional, while working on the premises, shall be permitted one construction sign of not over 15 square feet in area, subject to the requirements of § 245-115H(1).
B.
Permitted signs in Business Zone A:
(1)
Two signs, which may be wall signs, canopy signs, projecting signs or freestanding signs, aggregating not more than 30 square feet in area shall be permitted. Wall signs shall be located on the street-facing side(s) of the building.
(2)
In no event shall the permitted area of all signs on any premises exceed 10% of the overall surface of the street wall. For purposes of computing the street wall, the height of the building wall shall not exceed 15 feet for one-story structures or 25 feet for two-or-more-story structures.
(3)
No sign of any kind shall exceed three feet above the lowest roof line or 12 feet in height, whichever is less.
C.
Permitted signs in Business Zone B and Office and Light Industrial Zones OL-1 and OL-2.
(1)
One wall sign measuring not more than 30 square feet in area shall be permitted. Wall signs shall be located on the street-facing side of the building, except that if a property has two frontages, a second wall sign shall be permitted for a total of two wall signs, in which case the aggregate shall not exceed 50 square feet in area. No signs will be permitted on rear walls or side walls when said wall abuts a residential use or zone or any public or institutional use.
(2)
One freestanding sign measuring no more than 30 square feet in area shall be permitted; if a property has two frontages, two such freestanding signs shall be permitted.
(3)
No sign of any kind shall exceed 18 feet in height above finished grade.
(4)
All applications for signs in OL-2 and OL-2 Zones shall be reviewed and approved or denied by the Planning Board, in accordance with the site plan provisions of the Land Use Ordinance.
