Sussex City Zoning Code
§ 19-18.9
Signs Permitted in Other Than R-1 A1933 and R-2 Residential.
[Ord. 09-95, S3; amended 2-4-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-01]
Signs permitted:
a.
All Signs Permitted in a Residential District (R-1/R-2).
1.
Signs which direct attention exclusively to a permitted business conducted on the premises on which such a sign is located, or to a product sold or service supplied by such business.
2.
Two business signs painted on the windows and/or doors of each business bearing the name, street number and/or type of business of the principal occupant, provided that there shall be no more than one such sign on each window or door, and that the total area of all signs shall not exceed ten square feet.
3.
Credit card signs and trading stamp signs may be displayed on windows provided that the total area of all such signs shall not exceed three square feet in area.
4.
Signs required by law to be exhibited by the occupancy of the premises, provided the same do not exceed six square feet in total area.
5.
Special signs serving the public convenience, such as "notary public," "public telephone" or words or directions of similar import, provided that each sign does not exceed 72 square inches in total area, and only one sign of each type is displayed.
6.
Awnings and canopies. A sign on an awning, marquee or canopy shall be considered part of a main business sign and shall be counted in determining the maximum sign area permitted on the face of the building.
b.
Ground Signs. Regulations:
1.
Height and area. No post or ground sign shall exceed ten feet in height measured from the ground level or 30 square feet in area. Not more than one such sign shall be erected for one business occupancy.
c.
Wall Signs. Regulations:
1.
Supports and attachments: Wall signs attached to exterior walls of solid masonry or concrete shall be safely and securely attached to the same by means of metal anchors, bolts, or expansion screws of not less than three-eighths inches in diameter which shall be embedded at least four inches. No wooden blocks or anchorage with wood used in connection with screws or nails shall be considered proper anchorage, except in the case of wall signs attached to buildings with walls of wood.
2.
Placement. Wall signs shall be placed in the solid wall spaces between the heads of a window and sills of windows. Wall signs shall be placed on the first story or street level of each building with the exception of signs which identify the name of the building.
3.
Projection. No wall sign shall project higher than the highest point of the facade of the building upon which it is to be erected and it shall not project more than eight inches from the facade of the building.
4.
Number. No more than one wall sign per face of a building which fronts on a street shall be permitted to any one business occupancy.
5.
Size. The total area of all wall signs on any one building shall not exceed in area 15 percent of the total area of the first story or ground level face of the building on which they are erected or 40 square feet, whichever is less.
6.
Corner properties. Corner properties fronting on two or more streets shall be permitted no more than one illuminated wall sign, fastened or painted on each wall fronting upon a street.
d.
Projecting Signs. Regulations:
1.
Materials. All projecting signs shall be built of material with a minimum of a one-hour fire-resistance rating.
2.
Supports and attachments.
(a)
Projecting signs shall be securely attached to a building or structure by metal bolts, anchors, supports, chains, wire ropes or steel rods. No staples or nails shall be used to secure any projecting sign to any building or structure.
3.
The dead load of projecting signs not parallel to the building or structure and the load due to wind pressure shall be supported by structural shapes, chains, wire ropes or steel guy rods. When chains, wire ropes or steel guy rods are used, such supports shall be erected and maintained preferably at any angle of 45 degrees or more to the horizontal to resist the dead load and at an angle of 45 degrees or more to the face of the sign in an approximately horizontal plane to resist wind pressure. The lateral supports shall be secured to a bolt or expansion screw capable of developing the strength of the supporting chain, wire rope or steel rod. Expansive device and details of the anchorage shall be subject to the approval of the construction official. Turnbuckles or other approved means of adjustment shall be placed in all chains, wire ropes, or steel rods supporting or bracing the projecting signs.
(a)
Chains, wire ropes or steel rods used to support the dead or wind load of projecting signs may be fastened to solid masonry walls with expansion bolts or other devices approved by the construction official; but no such support shall be attached to an unbraced parapet wall. Where the supports must be fastened to walls made of wood, the supporting device must be fastened securely in a manner approved by the construction official.
(b)
All chains, wire ropes and their attachments shall be galvanized or of a corrosive-resistant material. Other metal supports and braces shall be painted.
4.
Projection, height and area. A projecting sign shall not project beyond the building line more than four feet, and in no case shall a projecting sign project beyond any property line into public rights-of-way. The bottom of the sign shall be at least eight feet clear above the walk or ground. The area of the sign shall not exceed 30 square feet.
5.
Quantity allowed. Only one projecting sign shall be permitted for each building or structure.
e.
Electrical Equipment. All electrical equipment used in connection with outdoor advertising display signs shall, in the absence of specific requirements, be installed in accordance with the National Electrical Code, American CI-1946, or the latest edition thereof approved by the American Standards Association, Inc. Lighting reflectors may project beyond the face of a sign if approved by the construction official. All electrical equipment shall be approved by the electrical subcode official of the Borough of Sussex.
f.
Nonconforming Signs. A nonconforming sign shall not be altered, rebuilt, enlarged or extended. The right to maintain a flashing, blinking, fluctuating or animated sign shall terminate within 90 days after the sign becomes nonconforming. The failure to keep a nonconforming sign in good repair for a period of one year shall constitute an abandonment of the sign, and the sign shall be removed within ten days following the completion of that year. Any sign found not to have been legally erected and maintained as described above shall be removed within 30 days of notification of the violation to the sign owner and/or property owner, unless said sign conforms to the regulations as stated, in which case, the proper permit shall be obtained within 30 days of the violation.
g.
Permits, Fees and Enforcement.
1.
Permit. No sign shall be erected, constructed, altered or required until approval has been obtained from and a permit has been issued by the Zoning Officer and the required fee has been paid.
(a)
Exemptions. Except as to safety, the requirements for a permit shall not apply to:
(1)
A sign not exceeding 144 square inches of display surface on a resident building, stating only the name and profession of the occupant.
(2)
Temporary window signs.
(3)
Signs advertising the sale or lease of real estate.
(4)
Temporary signs of a political nature.
(5)
Temporary signs advertising charitable fund raising events.
2.
Regulations.
(a)
Fees. Fees shall be collected by the Zoning Officer in accordance with the Sussex Borough Fee Ordinance. Fees shall be required for all new signs and all signs replacing existing signs.
(b)
Revocation. All rights and privileges acquired under the provisions of this section or any amendment thereto, are mere licenses revocable at any time for any violation as stated in this section.
3.
Enforcement.
(a)
Inspection. The Zoning Officer shall inspect each sign for which a permit is required upon completion of its installation to confirm the same complies with the permit. The construction official shall inspect each such sign to confirm the same has been properly constructed and installed.
(b)
Unsafe signs. In the event that any sign is found to be in a dangerous structural condition, the construction official shall notify the owner of such sign and/or the owner of the property on which it is erected in writing and advise in what manner the owner shall make the same safe and secure. In the event the owner does not comply with the requirements as specified within 72 hours from receipt of such notice, the sign may be removed by Sussex Borough, in which case the owner of the sign and the owner of the building shall be jointly and severably liable to the Borough for the costs of removal.
(c)
Defective signs. In the event any sign is found to be in violation of size, number of location provisions of this ordinance, the Zoning Officer shall notify the owner of such sign and the owner of the property on which the sign is erected of such violation in writing, and the owner shall, within ten days, correct such violation.
(d)
Penalties. Every person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this section for which another penalty is not prescribed shall be liable, upon conviction, for each and every violation to a minimum fine of $100, and not exceeding the amount of $1,000, or to imprisonment in the county jail or in a place provided by the Borough of Sussex for the detention of prisoners for a term not exceeding 90 days, or to such fine, imprisonment and/or imposition of period of community service.