Perkasie City Zoning Code

No signs except those of a duly constituted governmental body, including traffic signs and similar regulatory notices, shall be allowed within five feet of the rear edge of a sidewalk and within 10 feet behind the proposed curbline of the street in those areas not having a sidewalk. The proposed curbline shall be determined by reference to the existing ordinance of Perkasie Borough which ordains the street which the said curb abuts or, when there is no such ordinance, by reference to the cartway width specified for the classification of said street as set forth in § 164-20 of the Code of Perkasie Borough, Chapter 164, Subdivision and Land Development. This provision shall not apply to projecting signs.

No person shall affix, by any means, a sign to any electric or light pole, facility or structure of the Borough without the Borough's authorization.

No sign shall be so located or arranged that it interferes with traffic through glare, through blocking of reasonable sight lines for streets, sidewalks or driveways, through confusion with a traffic control device (by reason of color, location, shape or other characteristics) or through any other means. Reasonable sight lines are defined in Chapter 164, Article III, § 164-20G, Sight distance, of the Code of the Borough of Perkasie.

(Reserved)

No sign shall lie within a parking space or fire lane.

No sign shall block movement of pedestrians traveling on public thoroughfares.

The area of a sign shall be construed to include all lettering, wording and accompanying designs and symbols, together with the background, whether open or enclosed, on which they are displayed, but not including any supporting framework and bracing which are incidental to the display itself.

The area of a sign painted upon or applied to a building shall be considered to include all lettering, wording and accompanying designs or symbols, together with any backing associated with the sign.

Where a sign consists of individual letters or symbols, the area shall be considered to be the area of the smallest rectangle or other shape which encompasses all of the letters and symbols.

In computing area of a double-face sign, only one side shall be considered, provided that both faces are identical. If the interior angle formed by the two faces of the double-face sign is greater than 45°, then both sides of such sign shall be considered in calculating the sign area.

If an establishment has walls fronting on two or more streets or if the property fronts on more than one street, the sign area for each building wall or property frontage shall be computed separately.

A sign supported by more than one means (and therefore may be defined as a freestanding, wall, roof or projecting sign) shall have its area and height calculation determined by the type of sign which has the least restrictive standards.

Prior to the erection of a sign and the issuance of a permit, the Borough Code Enforcement Officer shall review all signs for conformance to the provisions of this article, the Municipal Building Code (see Chapter 70, Building Construction, and any other article or regulation of the Borough).

No sign shall be illuminated by other than electrical means, and electrical devices and wiring shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of the National Electrical Code. All electrical sign components, connections and installations shall conform to specifications of the National Electrical Code and Underwriters' Laboratories. In no case shall any open spark or flame be used for display purposes.

Every sign permitted by this article must be constructed of durable materials and kept in good condition and repair.

Upon written notice by the Borough of Perkasie, the owner or the person or firm maintaining a sign must remove said sign when it becomes insecure, or it 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. The Borough of Perkasie may remove or cause to be removed said sign at the expense of the owner and/or lessee in the event the owner or 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, however, the Borough of Perkasie may remove said sign immediately upon the issuance of said notice to the owner, person or firm maintaining said sign.

Signs may be illuminated by direct or indirect lighting, but shall have such lighting shielded so that no direct light will shine on abutting properties or in the normal line of vision of the public using the streets or sidewalks.

Temporary signs placed outdoors directing attention to commercial promotions or activities on the same lot shall be moved indoors at the end of each business day.

No off-premises sign shall be established nearer than 100 feet to an R-1A, R-1B, R-2, R-3, or A district, unless the advertising surface of such sign is not visible therefrom.

In those zoning districts in which freestanding and projecting signs are permitted, only one of the foregoing types of signs may be erected on any one premises.

In those zoning districts in which roof and projecting signs are permitted, only one of the foregoing types of signs may be erected upon any one premises.

No more than two signs of any type shall be permitted per street frontage, except as permitted in § 186-80A and E.

Height of a sign is measured from finished grade. The height of an earth mound on which a sign is mounted shall be included in the allowable height.

No sign shall be erected containing information which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of the Borough zoning chapter in the zoning district in which the property is located.

It is not firmly attached to the ground or some other object and can be easily moved.

It becomes so deteriorated that it no longer serves a useful purpose of communication and is a nuisance as determined by the Borough.

The copy of a sign is changed for a change of business or ownership.

Official highway route number signs, street name signs, directional or other official federal, state, county or Borough signs.

Signs displaying only the name and address of the occupant of the premises, provided that the area of any such sign shall not exceed one square foot and not more than one such sign shall be erected for each property held in single and separate ownership unless such property fronts on more than one street, in which case one such sign may be erected on each street frontage. Signs of this nature shall be located not less than five feet from any lot line and at least five feet behind the sidewalk or street line where no sidewalk exists.

No-trespassing signs and signs indicating the private nature of a road, driveway or premises, provided that the area of any such sign does not exceed one square foot.

Real estate signs, provided that the area of such sign shall not exceed six square feet and that not more than two such signs shall be placed on property held in single and separate ownership unless the property fronts on more than one street, in which case two such signs shall be permitted along each street. All such signs shall be removed within three days after a final settlement or an agreement of rental has been entered into.

Governmental flags or insignias.

Legal notices.

Window signs giving store hours or the name or names of credit or charge institutions, provided that the total area of any such sign or all signs together does not exceed two square feet.

Vending machine signs bearing the brand name of a product or the price of such product when displayed on a vending machine selling such product.

Public service and information signs advertising the availability of rest rooms, telephones or similar public conveniences; also signs advertising meeting times and places of nonprofit service or charitable organizations. These may be erected provided that they do not advertise any commercial establishment, activity, organization, product, goods or service, except those of public utilities. Any public service and information sign shall not exceed four square feet. Signs advertising meeting times and places of nonprofit service or charitable organizations shall not exceed four square feet; provided, however, that a number of such signs may be erected at a common location where their aggregate size does not exceed 32 square feet.

Permanent bulletin or announcement board signs for public service announcements only, provided that the area of any one side of such sign shall not exceed 16 square feet.

Temporary window signs announcing a drive or event of a civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organization, less than six square feet, placed in store windows.

Temporary on-premises signs announcing a drive or event of a civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organization and temporary on-premises signs erected in conjunction with a political election. Such signs shall not exceed 20 square feet in area and shall be removed immediately upon completion of the campaign, drive or event.

Temporary off-premises signs announcing a drive or event of a civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organization and temporary off-premises signs erected in conjunction with a political election, subject to the following requirements:

Memorial signs or historical signs or tablets, provided that such sign or tablet does not exceed four square feet.

Signs which are a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure, such as a cornerstone, or identifying letters carved into or embossed on a building, provided that the letters are not made of a reflective material nor contrast in color with the building.

Temporary mechanic's or artisan's signs which have been set forth on the Borough building permit application may be erected during the period that such persons are performing work on the premises on which such signs are erected; provided, however, that such signs shall be removed immediately upon completion of work by the mechanic or artisan, and the total areas for all such signs shall not exceed 12 square feet. Not more than one such sign shall be placed on any given property on which such person is performing work unless such property fronts on more than one street.

Bunting, pennants and similar materials are permitted to announce the opening of a new business or industry and must be removed after seven days.

Revolving barbershop pole sign, provided that it does not exceed 24 inches in height and that it is erected only in a C-2 Commercial or I-2 Light Industrial District.

A sign advertising a yard sale and/or garage sale is permitted, provided that the sign is on premises, does not exceed four square feet in area, remains up only during the sale and does not appear more than once every six months on the same premises.

On-site directional and parking signs and warning signs are permitted in all zoning districts but are not considered in calculating sign area. No such signs shall exceed two square feet.

A sign that uses any method of illumination that can cause glare is prohibited, except in accordance with the following:

No sign may use the words "stop," "look," "danger" or any other word or character which attempts or appears to attempt to direct the movement of traffic or which interferes with or resembles any official traffic sign, signal or device within 75 feet of a public right-of-way or within 200 feet of a traffic control device, whichever is greater.

Except for traffic control signals, red or green lights are prohibited within 75 feet of a public right-of-way or 200 feet of a traffic control device signal, whichever is greater.

Any banner sign or sign of any other type is prohibited across a public street or on any private property, except for such signs which are approved by the Borough Council to be of general benefit to the Borough or for public convenience, necessity or welfare.

Any sign suspended between poles which is either a pennant which blows in the wind or a spinner which spins in the wind is prohibited.

Any banner-type sign suspended between poles and lighted by a series of lights is prohibited.

Any sign is prohibited which does not conform to the requirements of the sign ordinance which was in effect when the sign was erected.

Any on-premises sign permitted under this article shall be removed or replaced at such times as the original subject of the sign moves to a different location or goes out of business.

Any sign nailed to a tree.

A sign that is in any way attached to a utility pole or municipal light standard except as otherwise permitted by the Borough.

Any sign which flashes, rotates, revolves, or oscillates, with the exception of barber poles.

Any vehicle or trailer which is parked on a public right-of-way or on public or private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way, which has attached thereto or located thereon any sign or advertising device for the basic purpose of providing advertisement of products or directing people to a business or activity located on the same or another property.

A sign in violation of this § 186-78B, Prohibited signs, shall be removed within 14 days of notice from the Borough that such sign shall be removed.

Temporary on-premises signs associated with the proposed development may be erected along the project frontage/right-of-way during the construction period, provided that the area of such signs shall not exceed six square feet per sign and that no more than one sign per 200 feet of frontage shall be permitted along the existing right-of-way.

Number: no more than one sign shall be provided for any one building unless the building is located on a corner lot, in which case a sign may be erected on each street frontage.

Type: awning, freestanding, projecting, or wall.

Size: maximum of eight square feet.

Height of freestanding sign: maximum of five feet.

Illumination: unilluminated or indirectly illuminated only.

No portion of the signs shall be less than 10 feet above the proposed finished grade. If not projecting more than three inches from a wall of a building, the sign need not conform to the ten-foot height limit.

The total area of all signs shall not exceed 15% of the area of the first floor of the building face, including window and door area and cornices, to which they are attached.

Permanent window signs shall be considered parallel signs and included in this computation; temporary window signs shall not be included in this computation but shall nevertheless not exceed 40% of the total window area on each street.

One parallel sign may be erected for each street-level use occupying a single structure on the same premises.

If a parallel sign is utilized at a premises, then the premises shall not also have a roof sign.

They shall be limited to one sign indicating the name of the development or similar information. In the event that such development fronts on two or more streets, a sign may be placed for each street frontage.

No portion of the sign shall be more than 20 feet above the ground.

The area of the sign shall not exceed one square foot for each two feet of linear lot frontage or 60 square feet, whichever is smaller.

Freestanding signs shall be so landscaped as to screen any utility and/or service equipment associated with them.

They shall be limited to one such sign per structure. If more than one use is carried on in a single structure, then only one such sign may be erected; said sign may indicate the presence of all uses in the structure.

No portion of the sign shall be more than six feet above the ground.

The area of the sign shall not exceed 16 square feet or one square foot for each two feet of premises frontage, whichever is less.

In the event that the premises fronts on more than one street, one sign may be placed along each street frontage.

In the C-2 District, signs located along the Ridge Road frontage shall meet the following height and area standards instead of the standards of § 186-80C(2) and (3): No portion of the sign shall be more than 12 feet above the ground, and the area of the sign shall not exceed 30 square feet.

No portion of a projecting sign shall be less than 10 feet nor more than 20 feet above the proposed finished grade, and no such sign shall be less than two feet from the plane of the face of the curb.

When a building is occupied by one use, the area of such signs shall not exceed 16 square feet or one square foot for each two feet of premises frontage, whichever is less.

When a building is occupied by more than one use, each business may have a projecting sign; the area of such signs shall not exceed eight square feet.

In the event there are multiple uses occupying a single structure, one projecting sign may be erected for each use occupying a single structure on the same premises.

In the event that the premises fronts on more than one street, one projecting sign may be placed along each street frontage. Where multiple uses occupy a single structure, each projecting sign shall be located on the same street frontage as the entrance for the associated use.

If a projecting sign is utilized at a premises, then the premises shall not have a freestanding sign.

Such sign shall be displayed outside only during business hours and taken inside after business hours.

Only one such sign shall be permitted per property frontage.

Such signs shall not obstruct pedestrian traffic nor interfere with the opening of vehicle doors or obstruct sight lines along streets, sidewalks, or driveways.

Such signs shall be a maximum of two feet by three feet per side, exclusive of the stand.

Parallel signs for permitted nonresidential uses, provided that:

Freestanding signs in the case of planned industrial development shall be subject to the following conditions:

Freestanding signs for nonresidential uses in the case where planned industrial development has not been applied due to configuration of lots, size of lots or where individual lots are not considered part of a planned industrial development, subject to the following conditions:

Roof signs shall conform in all respects to the conditions specified for freestanding signs in this section, except that no portion of a roof sign shall be more than 10 feet above the roof. Roof signs shall not be established less than 100 feet from an R-1A, R-1B, R-2, R-3 or A District, unless the advertising surface of the roof sign is not visible therefrom.

Projecting signs are prohibited in the I-1 District.

Projecting signs for nonresidential uses are permitted in the I-2 District, subject to the following conditions:

Yard setbacks.

No such sign shall be erected within 500 feet of any other such sign or freestanding sign.

The following minimum landscaping shall be planted adjacent to each such sign:

Area and height.

Commercial outdoor advertising signs/billboards shall not have internally illuminated, light emitting diode (LED), or electronic or digital displays.