North Wales City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVIII
Signs
§ 208-80 Purpose and intent.
It is recognized that signs perform an important function in identifying properties, businesses, services, residences, events, and other matters of interest to the public. The intent of this article is to regulate all signs within the Borough to ensure they are appropriate for their respective uses and in keeping with the appearance of the affected property and surrounding environment and to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare by:
A.
Setting standards and providing controls that permit reasonable use of signs and enhance the character of the Borough.
B.
Prohibiting the erection of signs in such numbers, sizes, designs, and locations as may create a hazard to pedestrians and motorists.
C.
Avoiding excessive competition for large or multiple signs, so that permitted signs provide adequate identification and direction while minimizing clutter, unsightliness, and confusion.
D.
Establishing a process for the review and approval of sign permit applications.
E.
Ensuring sign design that builds on the traditional town image and visual environment the Borough seeks to promote.
§ 208-81 Prohibited signs.
The following signs are unlawful and prohibited:
A.
Abandoned signs and abandoned billboards.
B.
Snipe signs. Signs shall only be attached to utility poles in conformance with state and utility regulations and the requirements of this chapter.
C.
Vehicle signs. This regulation does not include the use of business logos, identification or advertising on vehicles primarily and actively used for business purposes and/or personal transportation.
D.
Mechanical movement signs, including revolving signs.
E.
Pennant strings and streamers.
F.
Animated signs, flashing signs, or signs that scroll or flash text or graphics.
G.
Inflatable devices or balloon signs, with the exception of balloons used in temporary situations.
H.
Any signs that imitate, resemble, interfere with, or obstruct official traffic lights, signs, or signals.
I.
Signs which prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, fire escape, or that prevent free access from one part of a roof to any other part. No sign other than a safety sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
J.
Signs which emit smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor or contain open flames.
K.
Reflective signs or signs containing mirrors.
L.
Interactive signs.
M.
Signs incorporating beacon or festoon lighting.
N.
Any banner or sign of any type suspended across a public street, without the permission of the owner of the property or road.
O.
Roof signs.
P.
Unofficial signs on Borough property.
Q.
Signs erected without the permission of the property owner.
R.
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.
S.
Signs that exhibit vulgar words or images of an obscene, sexual, violent, or illegal nature as determined by the Borough.
T.
Any sign that promotes illegal activity.
§ 208-82 Signs exempt from permit requirements.
The construction or display of the following sign types will be permitted without a permit. Exempt signs shall, however, conform to all other applicable regulations:
A.
Signs that communicate a message that is necessary to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of residents of the Borough or the general public. Such signs include the following:
(1)
Signs erected or required by government agencies or utilities. Such signs include, but are not limited to, legal notices, traffic, safety, railroad crossing, utility, and identification signs for public facilities.
(2)
Address signs. Address signs that indicate the address, number and/or name of occupants of the premises that are necessary for emergency response purposes.
(3)
Security and warning signs. Signs regarding a potential hazard or danger associated with a facility or location.
B.
Personal expression signs. In order to enable a business, institution, or individual to exercise their right to free speech by displaying an opinion, interest, or position, personal expression signs shall be permissible on any property, provided that they are:
C.
Flags. Flags shall be permissible on private property, provided that they meet the following requirements:
(1)
Location. Flags and flagpoles shall not be located within any required yard setbacks.
(2)
Height. Flags shall be limited in height to 30 feet above grade level.
(3)
Number. No more than two flags per lot in all districts.
(4)
Size. Maximum flag size is 24 square feet in all districts.
(5)
Flags in the CBD, OR, TOD, or LI districts may be used as a permitted freestanding or projecting sign, and, if so used, the area of the flag shall be included in, and limited by the computation of allowable area for signs on the property.
D.
Memorial signs, public monuments, historical or scenic identification signs erected by the Borough.
E.
Signs which are a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure, existing at the time of adoption of this chapter.
F.
Signs interior to a building or lot which are not viewable from a public street or right-of-way.
§ 208-83 General regulations.
A.
Nuisance. No sign shall create a public nuisance by emitting smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor or open flames.
B.
Sign location.
(1)
No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger pedestrians or traffic on a street by obscuring the view or by interfering with official street signs or signals by virtue of position or color.
(2)
No sign, except official traffic signs or those approved by the Borough, is permitted within the cartway of the right-of-way.
(3)
No projecting sign shall extend into the cartway of the right-of-way, or be less than eight feet above a pedestrian way.
(4)
No freestanding sign may occupy an area designated for parking, loading, walkways, driveways, fire lane, easement, cartway of the right-of-way or other areas required to be unobstructed.
(5)
No freestanding sign may occupy a sight triangle.
(6)
Awnings and/or canopies shall not extend into the street right-of-way.
(7)
No signs shall be erected or maintained so as to prevent free ingress and egress to or from any door, window, or fire escape. No sign other than a safety sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
(8)
Signs and their supporting structures shall maintain clearance and noninterference with all surface and underground utility and communications lines or equipment.
C.
Sign materials and construction. Every sign permitted in this section shall be constructed of durable materials, using noncorrosive fastenings, shall be structurally safe, and erected or installed in strict accordance with the PA Uniform Construction Code, and shall be maintained in safe condition and good repair at all times so that all sign information is clearly legible.
D.
Sign area.
(1)
The "area of a sign" shall mean the area of all lettering, wording and accompanying designs, logos and symbols, together with the background on which they are displayed, whether open or enclosed. The area of a sign shall not include any supporting framework, bracing or trim which is incidental to the display, provided that it does not contain any lettering, wording, or symbols.
(2)
Where the sign consists of individual letters, designs, or symbols attached to a building, awning, wall, or window, the area shall be that of the smallest rectangle which encompasses all of the letters, designs, and symbols.
(3)
Signs may be multisided. In determining the area of a multisided sign, only one side shall be considered, provided that the faces are not more than 18 inches apart. Where the faces are not equal in size, the larger sign face shall be used as the basis for calculating sign area. When the interior angle formed by the faces of a multisided sign is greater than 45°, or the faces are greater than 18 inches apart, all sides of such sign shall be considered in calculating the sign area.
(4)
Signs that consist of, or have attached to them, one or more three-dimensional or irregularly shaped objects, shall have a sign area of the sum of two adjacent vertical sign faces of the smallest cube encompassing the sign or object.
(5)
If elements of a sign are movable or flexible, such as a flag or banner, the measurement is taken when the elements are fully extended and parallel to the plane of view.
E.
Sign height.
(1)
Sign height shall be measured as the distance from the highest portion of the sign to the mean finished grade of the street closest to the sign. In the case of a sign located greater than 100 feet from a public street, height shall be measured to the mean grade at the base of the sign.
(2)
All wall, projecting, awning, and canopy signs shall have a maximum height equal to the bottom of the second story window sign or the eave line, whichever is lower.
(3)
All marquee signs shall have a maximum height equal to the eave line.
(4)
Clearance for freestanding and projecting signs shall be measured as the smallest vertical distance between finished grade and the lowest point of the sign, including any framework or other structural elements.
F.
Sign spacing. The spacing between sign structures shall be measured as a straight-line distance between the edges of each sign face closest to each other.
G.
Sign illumination.
(1)
Signs may be illuminated, unless otherwise specified herein, consistent with the following standards:
(a)
Location/allowed illumination standards by location.
[1]
R-1 residential district, R-2 residential district, R-3 residential district, and Office Residential (OR) district. No illumination.
[2]
Commercial Business District (CBD) and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) districts. External illumination, internal illumination when in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
[3]
Limited Industrial District (LI). External illumination, internal illumination.
[4]
Off-premises. External illumination, internal illumination.
(c)
Light sources to illuminate signs shall neither be visible from any street right-of-way, nor cause glare hazardous to pedestrians or vehicle drivers or so as to create a nuisance to adjacent properties. All ground-mounted lighting fixtures must be obscured by landscaping or architectural features such as walls.
(2)
Types of illumination. Where permitted, illumination may be:
(a)
External. Externally illuminated signs, where permitted, are subject to the following regulations:
(b)
Internal. Internally illuminated signs, where permitted, are subject to the following regulations:
[1]
Neon lighting or other visible light emanating gas tubes may be used only for signs located in the Commercial Business District (CBD), Transit-Oriented Development District (TOD), and Limited Industrial District (LI) and shall not exceed 10% of the sign area for any given sign.
[2]
Internal illumination must be static in intensity and color.
(3)
Electrical standards.
(a)
Permits for illuminated signs will not be issued without an approved electrical permit. Applications for electrical permits shall be filed at the same time as the sign permit application.
(b)
All work shall be completed in full compliance with the Borough Electrical Code as set forth in the PA Uniform Construction Code.
(c)
The electrical supply to all exterior signs, whether to the sign itself or to lighting fixtures positioned to illuminate the sign, shall be provided by means of concealed electrical cables. Electrical supply to freestanding signs shall be provided by means of underground cables.
(4)
Glare control. Glare control shall be achieved primarily through the use of such means as cutoff fixtures, shields, and baffles, and appropriate application of fixture mounting height, wattage, aiming angle, and fixture placement. Vegetation screens shall not be employed to serve as the primary means for controlling glare.
§ 208-84 On-premises signs.
A.
Wall signs.
(1)
No portion of a wall sign shall be mounted less than eight feet above the finished grade or extend more than 12 inches from the building wall on which it is affixed. If the wall sign projects less than three inches from the building wall on which it is affixed, the eight-foot height requirement need not be met.
B.
Window signs.
(1)
Incidental window signs displaying pertinent business information such as the business's hours of operation and credit cards accepted, shall be excluded from area calculations for window signs.
C.
Projecting signs.
(1)
No portion of a projecting signs shall project more than four feet from the face of the building.
(2)
The outer-most portion of a projecting sign shall project no closer than five feet from a curbline or shoulder of a public street.
D.
Canopy or awning signs.
(1)
A canopy or awning without lettering or other advertising shall not be regulated as a sign.
(2)
Canopy or awning signs must be centered within or over architectural elements, such as windows or doors.
(3)
No awning or canopy sign shall be wider than the building wall or tenant space it identifies.
(4)
Sign placement.
(a)
Letters or numerals shall be located only on the front and side vertical faces of the awning or canopy.
(b)
Logos or emblems are permitted on the top or angles portion of the awning or canopy up to a maximum of three square feet. No more than one emblem or logo is permitted on any one awning or canopy.
(7)
Any ground-floor awning projecting into a street right-of-way must be retractable.
(8)
Awnings above the ground floor may be fixed, subject to a maximum projection of four feet from the face of the building.
(9)
Multi-tenant buildings. If the awning or canopy sign is mounted on a multi-tenant building, the awning or canopy sign shall be similar in terms of height, projection, and style to all tenants in the building.
E.
F.
Freestanding signs.
(1)
The lowest edge of any freestanding pole sign shall be either less than four feet or greater than seven feet above the ground.
(2)
Freestanding ground signs (i.e., monument signs) shall be supported and permanently placed by embedding, anchoring, or connecting the sign in such a manner as to incorporate it into the landscape or architectural design scheme.
§ 208-85 Off-premises signs.
B.
Sign size. An off-premises advertising sign face shall be no larger than six feet in height by 12 feet in width, and shall not have a sign area greater than 72 square feet.
C.
Height and location of sign.
(1)
The copy area of any off-premises sign shall not be located greater than 12 feet in height above ground elevation.
D.
Spacing.
(1)
May not be located closer than 25 feet from any street measured from the ultimate right-of-way of such street.
(2)
May not be located closer than 25 feet from any property line.
(3)
May not be located within 50 feet of any building, structure, or on-premises sign located on the same property.
(4)
May not be located closer than 500 feet from another off-premises sign on either side of the road measured linearly.
(5)
May not be located within 500 feet of any intersection, interchange, or safety rest area.
(6)
May not be permitted within 1,000 feet of any property line abutting a public park, playground, religious institution, cemetery, school, or residential district (R-1, R-2 and R-3).
(7)
No off-premises sign shall be attached to the external wall or otherwise affixed to any part of any building and shall not extend over any public property or right-of-way.
E.
Number of signs per lot. There shall be no more than one off-premises sign per lot.
F.
Content. Off-premises signs shall not display any message or graphic of an obscene nature as determined by the Borough.
G.
Multisided off-premises signs. Signs may be single- or double-sided, in accordance with § 208-83D(3).
H.
Message sequencing. Message sequencing is prohibited.
I.
Identification of sign owner. All off-premises signs shall be identified on the structure with the name, address and phone number of the owner of such sign.
J.
Additional regulations. All off-premises signs shall comply with any and all applicable zoning regulations of Borough, and any and all municipal, state and/or federal regulations.
K.
Illumination and changeable copy of off-premises signs.
(1)
Off-premises signs may be illuminated, provided that:
(a)
All light sources shall be designed, shielded, arranged, and installed to confine or direct all illumination to the surface of the billboard and away from adjoining properties. Light sources shall not be visible from any street or any adjoining properties.
L.
Safety. In applying for special exception relief, the applicant bears the burden of proof to establish that the proposed off-premises sign will not create a public health or safety hazard in the matter and location that it is proposed and in the manner by which it is to be operated.
§ 208-86 Temporary signs.
A.
Temporary signs, as defined in this chapter, located on private property, are exempt from standard permit requirements; however, they are required to comply with the regulations set forth below. The requirements listed below shall apply to both commercial and noncommercial signs.
B.
Size and number.
(1)
In the Commercial Business District (CBD), Transit-Oriented Development District (TOD), and Limited Industrial District (LI):
(2)
In the R-1 residential district, R-2 residential district, and R-3 residential district:
C.
Duration and removal.
(1)
Temporary banner signs are allowed to be displayed no more than two times per year, for not more than 30 consecutive days, in that year.
(2)
All temporary signs shall be removed by the sign owner within 10 days after the occurrence of the event.
(3)
The Borough or property owner may confiscate signs installed in violation of this chapter and dispose of it. The property owner is not responsible for notifying sign owners of confiscation of an illegal sign.
D.
Permission.
(1)
The party posting the temporary sign is solely responsible for obtaining the permission of the property owner before posting their temporary sign.
E.
Borough notification.
(1)
Temporary signs are exempt from the standard permit requirements but the Borough must be notified of the location, size, and timing associated with any temporary sign that is larger than four square feet in size. This notification must include a contact person's name, address and telephone number.
F.
Installation and maintenance.
(1)
All temporary signs must be installed such that in the opinion of the Borough's Building Official, they do not create a safety hazard.
(2)
All temporary signs must be made of durable materials and shall be well-maintained.
(3)
Temporary signs that are frayed, torn, broken, or that are no longer legible will be deemed unmaintained and required to be removed.
G.
Illumination. Illumination of any temporary sign is prohibited.
§ 208-87 Portable signs.
A.
B.
Sandwich board or A-frame signs.
(1)
Number. One sandwich board sign is permitted per establishment.
(2)
Area. Each sign shall have a maximum area of seven square feet per sign face.
(3)
Height. Signs shall have a maximum height of 3.5 feet.
(4)
Sign placement.
(a)
If a sign is located on a public or private sidewalk, a minimum of 36 inches of unobstructed sidewalk clearance must be maintained between the sign and any building or other obstruction.
(b)
The sign must be located on the premises, and within 12 feet of the primary entrance, of the establishment it advertises.
(c)
Portable signs shall be weighted, temporarily secured, or strategically placed so as to avoid being carried away by high winds.
(5)
Manual changeable copy. Manual changeable copy signs are permitted when integrated into a sandwich board sign.
C.
Vehicular signs and mobile billboards. Vehicular signs and mobile billboards are subject to the regulations found in Pennsylvania Vehicle Code.
§ 208-88 Signs in residential districts.
In addition to the exempt signs described in § 208-82, Signs exempt from permit requirements, the following numbers and types of signs may be erected in the R-1 residential district, R-2 residential district, and R-3 residential district, subject to the conditions specified here and in §§ 208-83 through 208-86.
B.
C.
Freestanding signs for residential developments containing more than 10 units shall be permitted subject to the following regulations.
D.
E.
Summary table for signs in residential districts.
Residential Districts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Wall and Projecting | Freestanding | ||
Standards | Maximum number | Home occupations: 1 per lot Institutional uses: 1 per lot | Home occupations: 1 per lot Residential developments: 1 per lot Institutional uses: 2 per lot |
Maximum area (square feet) | Home occupations: 2 Institutional uses: 10 | Home occupations: 6 Residential developments: 15 Institutional uses: 15 | |
Maximum height | The eave line or the bottom of the second story window sill, whichever is lower | Home occupations: 7 feet Residential developments: 10 feet Institutional uses: 10 feet | |
§ 208-89 Signs in business district.
In addition to the exempt signs described in § 208-82, Signs exempt from permit requirements, the following numbers and types of signs may be erected in the Commercial Business District (CBD), Office Residential (OR) district and Transit Oriented Development District (TOD), subject to the conditions specified here and in §§ 208-83 through 208-86.
A.
Any sign permitted in residential districts (R-1, R-2 and R-3), for the appropriate uses.
C.
The total area of all permitted sign types for a use shall be limited to two square feet per one linear foot of building frontage that faces a public street or parking lot, subject to maximum size limitations based on sign type.
D.
Wall signs shall be permitted subject to the following regulations.
E.
Window signs shall be permitted subject to the following regulations.
(1)
Area. A maximum of 15% of the total window area of any single storefront may be used for permanent signs that are etched, painted, or permanently affixed to the window. A maximum of 25% of the total window area of any single storefront may be covered by a combination of permanent and temporary window signs.
F.
Projecting signs shall be permitted subject to the following regulations.
H.
I.
No freestanding signs are permitted.
J.
Summary table for signs in main street districts.
Main Street Districts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wall, Awning/Canopy, and Marquee | Projecting | Window | Freestanding | ||
Standards | Maximum number | Based on sign type (See § 208-89) | 1 per ground floor establishment, plus 1 per building entrance serving tenants without a ground floor entrance | N/A | Prohibited |
Maximum area | 2 square feet per linear feet of building frontage facing a public street, subject to maximum size limitations based on sign type | Prohibited | |||
Maximum height | The eave line or the bottom of the second story window sill, whichever is lower | N/A | Prohibited | ||
Additional requirements | See § 208-89 | See § 208-89 | 15% of total window area (permanent signs); 25% total window area (all signs) | Prohibited | |
§ 208-90 Signs in industrial districts.
Except as noted below, the following numbers and types of signs may be erected in the Limited Industrial District (LI) subject to the conditions specified here and in §§ 208-83 through 208-86.
A.
Any sign permitted in residential districts (R-1, R-2 and R-3), for the appropriate uses.
C.
The total area of all permitted sign types for a use shall be limited to 1.5 square feet per one linear foot of building frontage that faces a public street or parking lot, subject to maximum size limitations based on sign type.
D.
Wall signs for shall be permitted subject to the following regulations.
E.
Window signs shall be permitted subject to the following regulations.
(1)
Area. A maximum of 25% of the total window area of any single storefront may be used for permanent signs that are etched, painted, or permanently affixed to the window. A maximum of 35% of the total window area of any single storefront may be covered by a combination of permanent and temporary window signs.
F.
Projecting signs shall be permitted subject to the following regulations.
H.
I.
Freestanding signs shall be permitted subject to the following regulations.
(1)
Number. One sign per street frontage, up to two signs per property held in single and separate ownership.
(2)
Area. Each sign shall have a maximum area of 50 square feet plus an additional 10 square feet per tenant up to a maximum of 100 square feet.
(3)
Height. Signs shall have a maximum height of 20 feet.
§ 208-91 Special regulations for signs in Historic Preservation District.
In addition to all other requirements of this article, the requirements of Chapter 130, Historic Preservation District and § 130-11, Signs, the following regulations shall be applicable to any sign placed in the designated Historic Preservation District:
A.
No sign shall be erected or altered until an application has been reviewed and approved by the Historic Architectural Review Board and after Borough Council has issued a Certificate of Appropriateness.
B.
The Historic Architectural Review Board shall ensure that the proposed sign is appropriate compared to the style, period, type, size, and scale of the building for which it is proposed with other signs in the district.
C.
In addition to all other applicable requirements of this article, the following regulations shall apply to any sign placed in the Historic Preservation District:
(1)
All applications for a permit must contain the following information:
(a)
A current color photograph of the property.
(b)
An illustration of the building facade showing the proposed sign.
(c)
A scaled drawing showing the sign itself and including the size, materials, colors, lighting, lettering, and method of attachment. Material samples may be required.
(d)
For ground signs, a site plan indicating the location of the sign.
(e)
The type of illumination.
(2)
Installation must not damage or require removal of historic materials and must be done in a manner such that signs can be removed without harm to the masonry or architectural detailing.
§ 208-92 Removal of unsafe, unlawful, or abandoned signs.
A.
Unsafe or unlawful signs.
(1)
Upon written notice by the Borough, the owner, person, or firm maintaining a sign shall remove said sign when it becomes unsafe, is in danger of falling, or it becomes so deteriorated that it no longer serves a useful purpose of communication, or it is determined by the Borough to be a nuisance, or it is deemed unsafe by the Borough, or it is unlawfully erected in violation of any of the provisions of this article.
(2)
The Borough may remove or cause to be removed said sign at the expense of the owner and/or lessee in the event of the owner of the person or firm maintaining said sign has not complied with the terms of said notice within 30 days of the date of the notice. In the event of immediate danger, the Borough may remove said sign immediately upon the issuance of said notice to the owner, person, or firm maintaining said sign.
B.
Abandoned signs.
(1)
It shall be the responsibility of the owner of any property upon which an abandoned sign is located to remove such sign within 365 days of the sign becoming abandoned as defined in this section. Removal of an abandoned sign shall include the removal of the entire sign including the sign face, supporting structure, and structural trim.
(2)
Where the owner of the property on which an abandoned sign is located fails to remove such sign in 365 days, the Borough may remove such sign. Any expense directly incurred in the removal of such sign shall be charged to the owner of the property. Where the owner fails to pay, the Borough may file a lien upon the property for the purpose of recovering all reasonable costs associated with the removal of the sign.
§ 208-93 Permits and applications.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to erect, alter, repair, or relocate any sign within the Borough without first obtaining a sign permit, unless the sign is specifically exempt from the permit requirements as outlined in § 208-82, Signs exempt from permit requirements.
B.
In order to apply for a sign permit, the applicant must provide the following information, in writing, to the Borough:
(1)
A completed sign permit application including all required information identified on the permit.
(2)
If the sign is located in the Historic Preservation District, confirmation that an application has been submitted to the Historic Architectural Review Board.
(3)
A permit fee, to be established from time to time by resolution shall be paid.
§ 208-94 Nonconforming signs.
A.
Signs legally in existence at the time of the adoption of this chapter, which do not conform to the requirements of this chapter, shall be considered non-conforming signs.
B.
Permanent signs and sign structures must be brought into conformance with the sign regulations when and if the following occurs:
(1)
The sign is removed, relocated, or significantly altered. Significant alterations include changes in the size or dimension of the sign. Changes to the sign copy or the replacement of a sign panel on a nonconforming sign shall not be considered a significant alteration.
(2)
If more than 50% of the sign area is damaged, it shall be repaired to conform to this chapter.
(3)
An alteration in the structure of a sign support.
(4)
A change in the mechanical facilities or type of illumination.
(5)
A change in the material of the sign.
(6)
The property on which the nonconforming sign is located submits a subdivision or land development application requiring municipal review and approval.
(7)
The property on which the nonconforming sign is located undergoes a change of land use requiring the issuance of either a use and occupancy permit or a change of use and occupancy permit by the Borough.
C.
All nonconforming temporary signs, portable signs, and banners must be permanently removed within 90 days of the effective date of this article, unless specific approval is granted as provided for herein.
§ 208-95 Signs on the premises of legally nonconforming uses.
A.
Signs on the premises of legally nonconforming uses (such as an office in a residential area) may remain until the existing use of the premises is discontinued.
B.
If a sign wears out or is damaged (including rust, faded colors, discoloration, holes, or missing parts or informational items), or is changed for any other reason, the number, size, and area of all signs relating to the premises shall not be increased beyond the characteristics of the sign or signs that existed on that property at the time this article was adopted.
§ 208-96 Substitution clause.
Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, to the extent that this chapter allows a sign containing commercial copy, it shall allow a noncommercial sign to the same extent. The noncommercial message may occupy the entire sign area or any portion thereof, and may substitute for or be combined with the commercial message. The sign message may be changed from commercial to noncommercial, or from one noncommercial message to another, as frequently as desired by the sign's owner, provided that the sign is not prohibited and the sign continues to comply with all requirements of this chapter.
§ 208-97 Violations and penalties.
The placement of a permanent or specially permitted sign without a sign permit shall be unlawful. Violations of this article shall be treated as strict liability offences regardless of intent. Violators shall be fined a daily fee per sign displayed in violation of this article. The fee amount shall be established from time to time by resolution of the Borough.
§ 208-98 Severability clause.
If any part, section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, phrase, clause, term, or word in this article is declared invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining portions of the article.