Oakmont City Zoning Code
ARTICLE IX
Signs
§ 205-901 Purpose; general rule.
The purpose of this article is to permit such signs that will not, by their reason, size, location, construction or manner of display, obstruct the vision necessary for traffic safety or otherwise endanger public health, safety and morals; and to permit and regulate signs in such a way to support and complement land use objectives set forth in this chapter. No construction, use of, or placements of any sign shall be permitted in any zoning district except in compliance with these minimum regulations for the display of signs.
§ 205-902 General design and use regulations.
A.
No animated signs, no signs illuminated by a flashing, pulsating or intermittent source or no signs lighted in such manner as to create glare conditions on adjacent properties or any adjacent street shall be permitted.
B.
Signs may be placed no closer than 15 feet to an adjacent highway right-of-way line in the Commercial District and the Industrial District. In all other cases, the sign shall meet the required setback for structures.
C.
Signs in excess of 30 square feet in area, as well as their structural supports, shall be made of noncombustible materials, meaning those materials which will not ignite or deform at temperatures below 1,200° F.
D.
The computation of sign area shall be as follows:
(1)
The surface area shall be computed by including the entire area within a single, continuous, rectilinear perimeter of not more than eight straight lines or a circle or an ellipse, enclosing 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 or bracing that is clearly incidental to the display itself.
(2)
If the sign consists of more than one section or module, all of the area, including that between sections or modules, shall be included in the computation of the sign area.
(3)
With respect to two-sided, multisided or three-dimensional signs, the sign surface area shall be computed by including the total of all sides designed to attract attention or communicate information.
E.
Every sign shall be designed and anchored to withstand a steady horizontal wind pressure of at least 100 miles per hour regardless of the direction of air movement. No loads except those of the sign itself plus normal snow and ice loads shall be placed on the supports of the sign.
F.
No sign shall be located so as to block doors, fire escapes, operable windows or access to them; nor shall a sign be attached to a fire escape. No sign shall by reason of location or message content create a traffic hazard by obstructing sight distances or confusing motorists.
G.
No sign shall be painted directly on a wall, but letters or other devices prepared elsewhere may be applied directly to a wall or to a display window.
H.
Where glass panels on any sign exceed three square feet in area they shall be wire glass or shatterproof glass; otherwise glass areas shall be at least one-quarter-inch-thick safety glass.
I.
The sign shall be located only on the property containing the use identified by the sign, except in the case of billboards.
J.
No electronic variable message signs, as defined herein, shall be permitted in any district.
[Added 12-21-2020 by Ord. No. O3-2020]
§ 205-903 Signs in residential and mixed use districts.
The following regulations shall apply in residential and mixed use districts:
A.
Permitted types of signs:
[Amended 12-21-2020 by Ord. No. O3-2020]
(1)
Signs, not to exceed two square feet in area per side, posted in conjunction with doorbells or mailboxes.
(2)
Signs, not to exceed six square feet in area per side, on a property that is for sale, rental or lease. Signs, not to exceed 32 square feet in area per side, for a residential subdivision during the initial construct phase. Such signs are to be removed after 90 days.
(3)
Temporary signs, not to exceed 16 square feet in area, may not be in place for more than 90 days.
(4)
Signs of architects, engineers, landowners and/or developers or contractors are not to exceed eight square feet in area per side and are to be removed not later than 30 days after the completion of work on which the individual or firm was employed.
(5)
Signs, not to exceed 12 square feet in area per side, on any property identified with a primary use of public or semipublic institution.
(6)
Signs, not to exceed 24 square feet in area per side, on property with a primary use of nonresidential development.
B.
Permitted kinds of signs: freestanding sign and wall sign.
C.
Location of signs:
(1)
Signs shall be located only on the property containing the land use identified by the sign.
(2)
Only one sign of each type permitted shall be allowed on any property, except each contractor employed in construction on a property may have his own sign.
(3)
Where a property abuts more than one public street, one permitted type of sign may occur on each street frontage.
[Amended 12-21-2020 by Ord. No. O3-2020]
E.
Illumination: Signs in a residential or mixed use district which identify public or semipublic institutions may be lighted, provided that such lighting is from a hidden source and provided that no reflected glare occurs on adjacent roads or properties.
§ 205-904 Signs in Commercial District and Industrial District.
The following regulations shall apply in the Commercial District and the Industrial District:
C.
Size of signs:
(1)
Freestanding signs shall not present more than two faces parallel to one another, back to back. For commercial or industrial sites with one principal use, each side of the sign shall not exceed 100 square feet of area. For commercial or industrial sites with two or more uses in the same building, the freestanding sign shall not exceed 200 square feet of area, per side.
(2)
In the Commercial District or Industrial District, where at least 50,000 square feet of building floor area is occupied for commercial purposes on a property, the owner may erect one freestanding sign with a maximum area on each face of not more than 300 square feet, provided that no other permanent freestanding signs occur on the property.
(3)
Wall signs shall not exceed 60 square feet in area or be larger than 15% of the wall surface to which it is attached, whichever is greater. Window and door areas may be counted in computing wall surface areas. Signs shall not be painted on the building.
(4)
Marquees shall extend no more than five feet to either side of a building entrance door or doors along the wall to which the marquee is attached and may extend perpendicular no more than eight feet from the wall surface to which it is attached.
(5)
Street clocks shall be considered as signs for the purposes of determining maximum permitted size, and clocks may be an integral part of a sign if included within the sign's area.
D.
Location of signs:
(1)
Only one freestanding sign, identifying a business or businesses, located along an arterial road, shall be permitted on any property, except that on properties abutting two or more streets, wall signs may be placed on two walls. Where a principal building is devoted to two or more permitted uses, the operator of each use may install a wall sign upon his/her proportionate share of the building wall to which the sign is to be affixed.
(2)
Freestanding signs shall be located in the front yard or side yards of a property abutting a public street, but not closer to a street right-of-way than 15 feet, nor shall they create a visual hazard for motorists because of location on the property or height above the ground.
(3)
Wall signs shall be located between the heads of windows and doors on the ground floor of the structure and the sills of windows on the second floor or the top of the parapet on a one-story building. Where a wall contains no windows, the heads of windows and doors in an adjacent wall shall be used to determine location. Variations may be permitted by the Building Inspector to achieve continuity of height and location across the facade of a building.
E.
Height:
(1)
Ground or low-profile signs: not to exceed four feet.
(2)
Monument, pole or pylon signs: not to exceed 35 feet, bottom of sign at least eight feet off the ground.
(3)
Wall sign: not to exceed existing building height.
(4)
Canopies shall be held at least eight (eight) feet off the ground and no part of the canopy or its supporting structure shall extend closer than one foot to a vehicular driveway. If supported by a building wall, canopies shall not exceed more than eight feet at right angles to the wall.
F.
Illumination:
(1)
Signs in the Commercial District and Industrial District may be lighted, provided that no reflected glass occurs on adjacent roads or properties.
(2)
No sign shall produce glare conditions when the sign faces or partially faces an adjacent residentially zoned or residentially used property or such a property across a street from a sign.
G.
Temporary and directional signs:
(1)
Approval; permit; renewal.
(a)
A temporary sign not exceeding 50 square feet in area may be allowed for a period not longer than 30 days upon approval of a permit by the Zoning Officer and payment of a fee of $50 to the Borough of Oakmont. The permit may be renewed for one additional period of 30 days upon payment of a fee of $200. There can be only one renewal per calendar year.
(b)
For purposes of this section, portable signs and banner signs are considered to be temporary signs.
(2)
A temporary sign may be approved by the Zoning Officer for a period not to exceed 30 days to advertise a store opening or a special event of a business or institution. Any temporary sign shall conform to § 205-902. The applicant shall provide a description and sketch of the sign as a condition of approval.
(3)
Private traffic control signs, indicating points of entrance and exit, may be approved by the Zoning Officer, provided that such signs are not greater than three feet off the ground, not greater than four square feet in area and contain only traffic directional information and a company log if desired. Such signs may be placed in the front yard up to the street right-of-way line.
§ 205-905 Permits, inspections and maintenance.
A.
A building permit, issued by the Zoning Officer, shall be required before any sign may be erected in the Borough of Oakmont, except as allowed by § 205-906.
B.
Application for permits shall include the following data on forms provided by the Inspector:
(1)
Names, addresses and telephone numbers of the applicant, the contractor to erect the sign and the owner of the property upon which the sign is to be located, as well as address of property if different from owner.
(2)
Location of the sign relative to other buildings on the property, property boundary lines and height above ground to bottom and top of sign.
(3)
Written consent of the owner of the property on which the sign is to be located permitting the sign to be erected.
(4)
Construction drawings and specifications for the erection of the signs, showing materials, construction details, finishes, electrical system, support structure, treatment of support below grade, guying of sign or method of attachment to building and such other structural information as the Building Inspector may require.
(5)
Statement of a registered professional engineer that the sign meets dead load and wind pressure requirements of this article, as stated in § 205-902.
(6)
Such other information as the Building Inspector shall require to show full compliance with this chapter and all other Borough ordinances.
C.
Provided that the application is in order, the Zoning Officer shall issue a building permit for the erection of the sign, construction of which shall be completed within 18 months. The Zoning Officer shall collect a fee of $2 for each square foot of sign of face area before issuing the permit.
D.
A permit shall be required for the replacement, enlargement, remodeling or moving of any sign existing prior to adoption of this article.
E.
If the Zoning Officer determines that any sign or structure regulated by this article is unsafe or otherwise is a public menace or has been erected or maintained in violation of the provisions of this article, the owner of such sign shall be given a written notice citing the irregularities found and the actions needed to gain compliance. If, after 30 days from the date the notice was sent, the corrections have not been made, the owner shall be considered subject to proceedings as provided by Article XX of this chapter and in addition the Zoning Officer may cause to have the offending sign repaired or removed with the costs thereof assessed the owner, who shall be denied any further sign permits in the Borough until such assessed costs have been paid in full.
F.
If the Zoning Officer determines that a sign is causing an immediate hazard to the public, he may order that the sign be removed immediately without further notice, with the costs assessed to the owner.
G.
Signs advertising places of business or activities which terminate operations shall be removed within 60 days of such termination.
§ 205-906 Exemptions.
[Amended 12-21-2020 by Ord. No. O3-2020]
A.
The following types of signs shall not require permits for erection:
(1)
Signs as described in § 205-903A(1) through (4).
(2)
Traffic or other municipal signs providing warning or information to the traveling public put up by a public agency or authorized to be put up by a public agency.
(3)
Signs erected in connection with municipal or school district sports activities shall be permitted on athletic fields. All signs shall be one-sided and face or be directed to the interior of the athletic facility. The sign(s) shall not be lighted and may not exceed 15 feet in height.
§ 205-907 Temporary signs on Borough property limited.
No person, other than the Borough itself, may affix any political sign or temporary special event display on the grounds of any Borough-owned property, unless the sign is in connection with a special event or election to be held or conducted on Borough property hosting the event on the date of the event, in which case each event or candidate will be able to erect one such temporary sign which sign shall not be affixed in any way to Borough structures. For the purpose of this section, the day of the event shall include a period 24 hours in advance of and after the event.
§ 205-908 Signs within road right-of-way lines limited.
No sign including traffic signs and similar regulatory notices except those of a duly constituted governing body shall be allowed within road right-of-way lines. This section shall not apply to political signs or temporary special event display signs at any intersection, so long as such political signs and temporary special event display signs are erected or displayed within one 150 feet in any direction from the intersecting point, and are erected or displayed no earlier than 14 days prior to such election or event and removed within seven days after such election or event to which they pertain.
§ 205-909 Amortization of nonconforming signs.
A.
If the nonconformity consists of too many freestanding signs on a single lot or an excess of total sign area on a single lot, the person responsible for the violation may determine which sign or signs need to be altered or removed to bring the development into conformity with the provisions of this article.
B.
The following types of nonconforming signs or signs that are nonconforming in any of the following ways shall be altered to comply with the provisions of this article or removed, within 90 days after the effective date of this article: