North Codorus Township York County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Sign Regulations
§ 195-52 General regulations for all signs.
A.
Determination of sign size.
(1)
The size of the sign shall refer to the area of the sign facing, including any border framing or decorative attachments.
(2)
Where the sign consists of individual letters or symbols attached to a building, wall, or window, the area shall be considered to be that of the smallest rectangle or other regular geometric shape, which encompasses all of the letters and symbols.
(3)
When a sign has two or more faces, the area of all faces shall be included in determining the area of the sign, with the following exceptions where the two faces are placed back to back and are at no point more than three inches from one another.
B.
Location and placement of signs.
(1)
The location of signs shall not interfere with proper sight distances on streets or be placed within the clear sight triangle as set forth in this chapter.
(2)
No sign shall be located within a street right-of-way with the exception of those signs of a governmental body, including traffic signs and other regulatory notices.
(3)
No sign shall project over a public sidewalk or path.
(4)
Projecting signs shall not project more than three feet from the wall or surface to which they are mounted nor be less than eight feet high at the lower edge of the sign and shall not in any way interfere with normal pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
(5)
Parallel signs shall not extend beyond the edge of any wall or other surface to which they are mounted and shall not project more than 24 inches from its surface.
(6)
No person shall paint, paste, brand, stamp, or in any manner place on or attach to any tree, or to any utility, street light, or other street pole, any written, printed, or painted advertisement, bill, notice, sign, card or poster.
(7)
A sign (other than an official sign) shall only be posted with permission of the landowner or the person leasing the property. If a sign (other than an official sign) is posted without such permission, it may be removed and disposed of by the landowner or tenant.
C.
Illumination of signs.
(1)
Flashing, animated or signs with electronically moving messages, or signs with mechanically moving parts or with intermittent lights are prohibited. This prohibition on signs with electronically moving messages shall not prohibit signs that change from one static message to a different static message, which are considered to be "electronically changing signs."
(a)
Electronically changing signs shall not be allowed in the AP, RAC, R-1, R-2 or R-3 Districts. An electronically changing sign shall be setback a minimum of 100 feet from the lot line of a principal dwelling or a lot in a residential district.
(b)
An electronically changing sign shall not change more frequently than once every six seconds, except such interval shall be once every 30 seconds for a sign with an electronically changing sign area of more than 40 square feet.
(c)
The maximum brightness levels for electronic and digital signs shall not exceed 5,000 nits when measured from the sign face at its maximum brightness, during daylight hours, and 500 nits when measured from the signs face at its maximum brightness between sunset and sunrise. Nits are a measure of the amount of light a sign emits, based upon candelas per meter squared.
(2)
Signs may be interior-lighted with nonglaring lights or may be illuminated by floodlights or spotlights shielded so there is no direct light transmitted to other properties or public rights-of-way.
D.
Construction and maintenance. Signs must be constructed of durable materials, maintained in good condition, and not allowed to become dilapidated.
E.
Termination of enterprise. Within six months after termination or abandonment of a use, all signs pertaining to the enterprise must be removed, or changed to a blank message if the signs are intended to be reused.
F.
Replacement of nonconforming sign. An existing lawful nonconforming on-premises sign may be replaced as a permitted by right use with a new sign, provided that the new sign is no more nonconforming that the old sign in terms of height, size and location, and provided the new sign does not have an electronically changing message.
§ 195-53 Permitted permanent signs.
B.
Only the types of on-premises, permanent signs listed on Table 195-53 shall be permitted throughout Township.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said table is included as an attachment to this chapter.
C.
The following off-premises permanent signs shall be permitted in all districts:
(1)
Signs for direction, regulation and control of traffic; street names; legal notices; railroad crossings; and official signs authorized by a duly constituted governmental body.
(2)
Signs used for directing patrons, members, or an audience to service clubs, churches, or other nonprofit organizations and not exceeding four square feet in area.
D.
Billboards (see the definition, which relates to off-premises advertising) shall only be allowed in the I District, and shall meet the following regulations:
(1)
No structure shall contain more than one billboard per facing.
(2)
Only one billboard shall be permitted per lot.
(3)
No billboard area shall exceed 10 feet in vertical measurement or 30 feet in horizontal measurement and overall size of 300 square feet in area.
(4)
No billboard shall exceed 40 feet in total height above the ground.
(5)
No billboard shall be permitted to be erected upon the roof of any building.
(6)
The billboard shall be set back 30 feet from the front lot line or to the established front setback line, whichever is greater, and shall be set back 50 feet from the side and rear property lines.
(7)
One thousand feet shall separate one billboard from another billboard or freestanding business identification sign. No such sign shall be located within 1,000 feet of a residential building or residential district.
(8)
No sign shall be so illuminated in such a manner that it interferes with the effectiveness of or obscures an official traffic sign, device or signal.
(9)
No billboard shall obstruct the vision of motorists or adjoining commercial or industrial uses which depend on visibility for identification.
§ 195-54 Permitted temporary signs.
B.
Only the types of on premises, temporary signs listed on Table 195-54[1] shall be permitted throughout Township.
[1]
Editor's Note: Table 195-54 is included as an attachment to this chapter.
C.
The following off-premises, temporary signs shall be permitted in all districts.
(1)
Political signs meeting the sign description and requirements of sign category T-12 on Table 195-54, excluding banners.
(2)
Nonilluminated signs directing persons to temporary exhibits, shows, or events, located in the Township or contiguous borough subject to the following requirements:
(3)
Nonilluminated signs directing persons to real estate open houses shall not exceed six square feet.
(4)
Nonilluminated signs directing persons to approved development to be constructed in the Township by a builder, contractor, developer, or other persons interested in such sales or development subject to the following requirements:
§ 195-55 Sign permit requirements.
A.
All permanent signs (see Table 195-53 and § 195-53) over six square feet in area shall require a sign permit, with the exception of P-1 and § 195-53C(1) signs.