Rockaway Township City Zoning Code
§ 54-30.11
Signs.
[Ord. No. 95-24 § 54-109; Ord. No. 99-19 § 2; Ord. No. 09-5 § 1; Ord. No. 10-24 §§ 1, 2; Ord. No. 11-14 §§ 1, 2; Ord. No. O-15-16, § 1]
A.
Required permits and approvals. No sign shall be constructed, relocated or displayed unless a permit shall have first been obtained from the Construction Official, except that no permit is required for real estate signs, "for sale by owner" signs and political signs. No permanent freestanding sign and no illuminated sign shall be permitted until a site plan showing the location and size of the proposed sign is approved by the Planning Board, except that freestanding residential nameplates permitted in paragraph D of this subsection are exempted from the requirement of site plan approval.
B.
Measurement of sign area and height.
(1)
The area of a sign shall be computed as the total square foot content of the background upon which the lettering, illustration or display is presented, excluding any base support or frame, unless the support or frame is an integral part of the sign. If there is no background, the sign area shall be the rectangle which is the product of the largest horizontal and vertical dimensions of the lettering, illustration or display. For signs with two display faces, the maximum area requirement shall be permitted on each side.
(2)
The height of a sign shall be computed as the distance from normal grade to the top of the highest point of the sign. Normal grade shall be construed to be the newly established grade after construction, exclusive of any filling, berming, mounding or excavating solely for the purpose of locating the sign.
C.
Regulations applicable in all districts:
(1)
All applications seeking approval for signs shall submit at least the following information concerning the sign(s):
(a)
Sign area, dimensions and height above ground;
(b)
Dimensions of letters or other symbols in the sign;
(c)
A view of the front of the sign, and the rear in the case of two-sided signs if different from the front;
(d)
A cross-section of the end-view of the sign;
(e)
Description of sign materials, including type, color, texture, etc.;
(f)
The method of sign illumination, (if any) including a detail showing the number, location, and wattage of bulbs or other light sources, reflectors and shields, type of light source, etc.;
(g)
A detail showing the construction of the sign base, pole or other support; and
(h)
Any landscaping which exists or is proposed in proximity to the sign.
(2)
No sign shall be placed as to interfere with or be mistaken for a traffic light or similar safety device. No sign shall be located so as to create a traffic safety problem or reduce visibility at intersections.
(3)
All illuminated signs must comply with the following regulations:
(a)
No sign shall be lighted by means of flashing or intermittent illumination.
(b)
Illuminated signs may use internal light sources or external light fixtures.
(c)
All lights used for the illumination of any sign shall be completely shielded from the view of vehicular traffic using the road(s) abutting the properties containing such signs, and shall be directed so as to prevent excessive glare, reflection or illumination on adjacent properties or streets.
(d)
There shall be no illumination of any sign between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. within 200 feet of existing residential properties.
(e)
No sign shall be illuminated from an internal light source unless it complies with the following requirements:
(4)
No sign as permitted shall extend or project above the highest elevation of the wall to which it is attached.
(5)
Freestanding signs necessary for directional or safety purposes on the property are permitted in addition to the other signs permitted in the respective districts, provided that site plan approval is obtained from the Planning Board, and further provided that all of the following requirements are complied with:
No sign other than entrance, exit, identification and conditions-of-use signs shall be maintained in any parking area. No such sign shall be larger than four square feet in area.
(a)
The signs shall be limited to directional signs, with the content of the signs limited to the words "enter," "exit" and the like. There shall be no company name, logo or use identification on directional signs.
(b)
The signs shall not exceed an area of two square feet per sign, and shall not exceed a maximum dimension of two linear feet. The signs shall also be limited to a maximum height of five feet. Notwithstanding the above, standard highway signs such as "stop," "yield," "do not enter," etc. shall be permitted to have the standardized dimensions and height as determined by the most recent edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices or as required otherwise by law.
(c)
The lighting of all the signs shall be approved by the Planning Board as part of site plan approval.
(6)
Temporary on-site signs used as an accessory to new construction or alteration on the premises, identifying the project and/or the contractor are permitted in all districts.
(a)
Such signs shall only be erected after a building permit for the construction and sign has been issued.
(b)
Temporary construction signs shall not be larger than 32 square feet.
(c)
Temporary construction signs shall not be closer than 10 feet to any property line.
(d)
Such signs shall be removed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the construction, or within seven days of the completion of construction if no certificate of occupancy is required.
(e)
Such signs shall be registered with the Construction Official, and he shall collect a monthly fee of $15 for such signs.
(7)
Real estate signs are permitted in all districts, provided they comply with all of the following requirements:
(a)
One such sign per street frontage of a lot shall be permitted.
(b)
Such signs shall not be illuminated.
(c)
Such signs shall pertain only to the lease or sale of the lot upon which they are placed.
(d)
Such signs shall not exceed three square feet in area in residential districts, nor 12 square feet in area in nonresidential districts.
(e)
Such signs shall be removed within seven days after the consummation of the lease or sale transaction.
(8)
Signs deemed necessary to the public welfare by the Township Council are permitted in all districts. Such signs shall not pertain to any company, individual or business establishment.
(9)
A sign for churches, advertising the name of the church on the premises, its pastor and its coming activities is permitted in all districts. In addition, a temporary nonilluminated church sign may be displayed not more than twice a year for periods not to exceed 30 days each, provided such temporary signs are registered with the Construction Official. Permanent and temporary church signs shall not exceed an area of 12 square feet. Such signs shall be located in the rear half of the front yard or the rear half of the minimum required front yard setback, whichever results in a lesser setback.
(10)
Temporary signs advertising such events as fairs, bazaars, auctions and other special activities, excluding political signs shall be permitted in any district, subject to the following restrictions:
(11)
Flags of the United States, the State of New Jersey, the County of Morris, the Township of Rockaway, foreign nations having diplomatic relations with the United States, and any other flag adopted or sanctioned by an elected legislative body of competent jurisdiction, shall be permitted in all districts, provided that the following requirements are met:
(a)
No flagpole shall be constructed the top of which is more than 40 feet above the ground, or five feet above the height of the existing principal building, whichever is less.
(b)
If attached to a building, a flagpole shall not exceed 15 feet in length, and shall comply with the above height requirement.
(c)
One freestanding flagpole shall be permitted per lot.
(d)
All freestanding flagpoles shall be located no closer to any property line than a distance equal to the height of the flagpole. In addition to the above requirement, flagpoles in the front yard shall not be located closer to the street than the rear half of the required front yard setback.
(e)
All freestanding flagpoles, except in the case of one-family and two-family detached dwellings, shall require site plan approval.
(12)
Street address numbers are permitted on all principal buildings in all districts. Address numbers shall be permitted in addition to any other signs permitted for the use or in the district, provided that the total area of the address numbers for each building shall not exceed two square feet for nonresidential uses, nor one square foot for residential uses; otherwise the street address numbers shall be construed to be an advertising sign as regulated herein, and shall not be permitted as an additional sign.
(13)
All signs which are not specifically permitted herein are prohibited. In addition, the following signs are specifically prohibited:
(a)
Window signs, except where specifically permitted herein.
(b)
Signs, including any sign attached to a tree, utility pole, light stanchion, fence or other structure not designed for support of the sign.
(c)
Roof signs.
(d)
Portable or movable signs.
(e)
Signs painted or attached to any vehicle advertising a business and which are intended to be viewed while the vehicle is stationary.
(f)
Signs with more than two display faces.
(g)
A double-face sign having an included angle of over 45°.
(h)
All signs which move, rotate, or use flashing lights or utilize mechanically changing displays.
(i)
Pennants, streamers, banners and flags, except those flags permitted by Section 54-30.1C(11).
(14)
Notwithstanding the provisions contained above in this Subsection 54-30.11C, any nonprofit, not-for-profit or religious organization located within the Township may erect a temporary sign in the form of a banner relating to a certain occasion, event or activity. Said banner shall not exceed 100 square feet and may be displayed for not more than 120 days over a one-year period. Said banner must be placed on the organization's property or over a road, within the right-of-way. In the event said banner is to be hung over a road, within the right-of-way, the organization shall be required to first obtain written approval for the same from the entity with jurisdiction over said road. The organization must then seek a permit from the Construction Official for the proposed sign in accordance with this subsection.
(15)
Temporary political signs, and signs not related to a political campaign but containing political expressions, shall be permitted in any district, subject to the following restrictions:
(a)
Such signs may be erected for a period not exceeding 30 days.
(b)
Any such sign shall be removed not more than 15 days after the date of the election to which such sign pertains.
(c)
Such signs shall not exceed 16 square feet, the dimension shall not exceed four feet on any side, and the top of the sign shall not exceed six feet from ground level.
D.
Signs in the R-20AC, R-5AC, R-88, R-20, and the R-13 Districts. In addition to the signs permitted in all districts, the only sign permitted is one residential nameplate sign not more than two square feet in area.
E.
Signs in the RMF-15, RMF-8 and RMF-5 Districts. In the RMF-15, RMF-8 and RMF-5 districts, each multifamily development shall be entitled to one freestanding sign at each vehicular entrance to the development, provided that such signs comply with the following requirements:
(1)
The area of each sign shall not exceed eight square feet.
(2)
The height of each sign shall not exceed six feet.
(3)
All such signs shall be set back at least 10 feet from any street right-of-way.
(4)
The sign shall be an identification sign only, limited to the name of the development or project on-site.
(5)
The design and location of all such signs shall be subject to the review and approval of the Planning Board.
F.
Signs in the B-1 and B-2 Districts.
(1)
Except as specifically permitted in this chapter, no sign shall be permitted which is not accessory to the business conducted on the property.
(2)
The area of any single sign shall not exceed 10% of the area of the exterior wall to which it is attached, or one square foot for each linear foot of building frontage occupied by the tenant using the sign, whichever results in the smaller sign.
(3)
Except as provided otherwise below, only attached signs are permitted. The following regulations shall apply to attached signs:
(a)
Attached signs shall be placed parallel to the face of the building, and shall not extend further than 12 inches from the face of the building. Where a building has a permanent canopy or marquee constructed as an integral part of the building, an attached sign may be placed on the front of the marquee, provided that no part of the sign extends above or below the front edge of the canopy or marquee. The permitted area of canopy or marquee signs shall be the same as for other attached signs, and shall be computed using the area and/or length of the wall from which the canopy or marquee extends. No attached signs shall be placed above the ground floor on any building with more than one story.
(b)
There shall not be more than one attached sign for each separate tenant of the premises, unless specifically permitted otherwise in this section. Where a building is served with a rear entrance opening on a parking area as approved by the Planning Board, each tenant in the building is permitted a second sign facing the rear parking area. The second sign shall not have an area exceeding 1/3 the maximum area permitted for the first sign as regulated in paragraph F(2) above.
(c)
The total area for all attached signs on a single wall serving various tenants in the building shall not exceed 10% of the ground floor area of the wall upon which the sign is attached, or one square foot for each foot of the length of the wall on the ground floor, whichever is less.
(d)
Only one dimension of any attached sign may exceed two feet.
(e)
The length of any sign shall not exceed 50% of the length of the facade occupied by the tenant using the sign, up to a maximum sign length of 25 feet.
(4)
In addition to the permitted attached signs, one freestanding pylon sign is permitted in the B-2 district for a retail building or buildings on a lot with more than one tenant and a floor area of at least 25,000 square feet. The following regulations shall apply to the pylon sign:
(a)
The pylon sign shall identify the shopping center only. Tenants within the building shall not attach their sign to any part of the permitted pylon sign.
(b)
The height of the pylon sign shall not exceed 20 feet, and no part of the sign illustration shall be less than 10 feet above the ground.
(c)
No freestanding pylon sign shall be nearer than 25 feet to any abutting street right-of-way or property line.
(d)
The area of the sign shall not exceed 50 square feet.
(5)
Window signs shall be permitted, provided the following regulations are complied with:
(a)
The total area of all window signs shall not exceed 25% of the main front window area, or one square foot for each linear foot of building frontage occupied by the tenant using the sign, whichever is less. For purposes of complying with this section, the maximum area permitted for window signs shall be calculated separately from the area for other permitted signs.
(b)
Such signs shall be located only in the main front window.
(c)
Such signs shall not be illuminated.
(6)
In the case of buildings used by or designed for multiple tenants, all signs shall express a single design theme, utilizing uniform size, color, materials, lighting and styles. In the case of existing buildings, new signs shall conform to the existing design theme, if a theme exists. In the case of existing buildings with more than one design theme, new signs shall conform to the single design theme which is expressed by the greatest number of existing signs. In the case of existing buildings where no design theme is expressed by more than one sign, new signs shall conform to the design theme expressed by any single existing sign. The above regulations shall not be construed to permit any sign which does not conform with all the requirements of this chapter.
G.
Signs in the R-B District.
(1)
For buildings located within the R-B District, but not within the mall, attached signs, including window signs, are permitted as follows:
(a)
The following regulations shall apply to attached signs:
[1]
The area of any single sign shall not exceed 10% of the area of the exterior wall to which it is attached, or one square foot for each linear foot of building occupied by the tenant using the sign, whichever results in the smaller sign.
[2]
Attached signs shall be placed parallel to the face of the building, and shall not extend further than 12 inches from the face of the building. Where a canopy or marquee is constructed as an integral part of the building, an attached sign may be placed on the front of the marquee, provided that no part of the sign extends above or below the front edge of the canopy or marquee. The permitted area of canopy or marquee signs shall be the same as for other attached signs, and shall be computed using the area and/or length of the wall from which the canopy or marquee extends. No attached signs shall be placed above the ground floor on any building with more than one story.
[3]
There shall be no more than one attached sign for each separate tenant of the premises, unless specifically permitted otherwise in this section. Where a building is served with a rear entrance opening on a parking area as approved by the Planning Board, each tenant in the building is permitted a second sign facing the rear parking area. The second sign shall not have an area exceeding 1/3 the maximum area permitted for the first sign as regulated in Subsection 54-30.11G(1)(a)[1] above.
[4]
The length of any sign shall not exceed 50% of the length of the facade occupied by the tenant using the sign, up to a maximum length of 25 feet.
(b)
Window signs shall be permitted, provided the following regulations are complied with:
[1]
The total area of all window signs shall not exceed 25% of the main front window area, or one square foot for each linear foot of building frontage occupied by the tenant of the sign, whichever is less. For purposes of complying with this section, the maximum area permitted for window signs shall be calculated separately from other permitted signs.
[2]
Such signs shall be located only in the main front windows.
[3]
Internally illuminated signs shall be permitted, provided such signs do not face towards Mount Hope Avenue, Mount Pleasant Avenue, or Route 80. Neon signs and flashing signs shall not be permitted.
(2)
For buildings located within the mall and having direct access to the parking area via a separate entrance:
(a)
Tenants having a total floor area of at least 100,000 square feet may have one attached sign for each exterior building elevation, but in no event shall have more than three signs per building and one sign per exterior building elevation. Such signs shall not have an area that exceeds 10% of the exterior building elevation to which it is attached, but may not exceed 300 square feet.
(b)
Tenants having a floor area of less than 100,000 square feet may have one attached sign for each exterior building elevation, but in no event shall have more than two signs per building and one sign per exterior building elevation. Such signs shall not have an area that exceeds 250 square feet, and may extend no more than 75% of the length of the tenant facade space to which it is attached.
(c)
Exterior building elevation shall be the total of all building walls for the tenant which are facing the same direction.
(3)
Signage shall not be permitted for those buildings within the mall which do not have direct customer access to the parking area via a separate entrance.
H.
Signs in the O-1, O-2, OB-RL, PED, I and M Districts.
(1)
Except as specifically permitted in this chapter, no sign shall be permitted which is not accessory to the use conducted on the property.
(2)
One freestanding sign identifying the principal operation on the lot and/or the individual tenants in the building is permitted, provided that no freestanding identification sign is permitted unless the principal building(s) on the lot conform with the required minimum front yard setback for the district. If permitted, the freestanding sign shall conform with the following regulations:
(3)
In addition to any freestanding sign that may be permitted, one attached sign per tenant is permitted, which shall be subject to the following requirements:
I.
Signs in the R-P and OR-3 Districts.
(1)
Signs used for any single-family detached dwellings or two-family dwelling permitted in the R-P and OR-3 districts shall be permitted as regulated in paragraph D above.
(2)
Signs used for any single-family attached dwelling or multifamily dwelling permitted in the OR-3 district shall be permitted as regulated in paragraph E above.
(3)
Signs used for any retail sales or retail service establishment permitted in the OR-3 district shall be permitted as regulated in paragraph F above.
(4)
Signs used for any office use permitted in the R-P or OR-3 districts shall be permitted as regulated in paragraph H above.