Tullytown City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
Signs
§ 185-56 Purpose, scope and applicability.
Within all zoning districts of Tullytown Borough, signs may be erected, altered, maintained, used, removed, or moved only when in compliance with the provisions of this article and any and all other ordinances and regulations of Tullytown Borough relating to the erection, alteration, maintenance, use, removal, or moving of the signs or similar devices.[1]
§ 185-57 General sign regulations.
B.
Obstruction. No sign shall be erected or maintained within a distance of 25 feet from the intersection of any rights-of-way or the intersection of a right-of-way and the edge of a private accessway.
C.
Overhanging. No signs shall overhang any walkway or public right-of-way.
D.
Maintenance. All signs permitted in this article must be constructed of durable materials and must be kept in good condition and repair. Any sign that is allowed to become dilapidated shall be removed by the Borough at the expense of the owner or lessee of the property on which it is located in accordance with Subsection M.
E.
Nonconforming signs. Signs existing at the time of passage of this chapter which do not conform to the requirements of this chapter shall be considered nonconforming signs and may continue in nonconformity until removed for repair, replacement or any other reason. A nonconforming sign shall not be replaced unless with a conforming sign; however, nonconforming signs may be repainted or repaired in place provided such repainted or repaired sign does not exceed the dimensions of the existing sign. All nonconforming signs which are rebuilt or replaced shall conform with the provisions of this chapter.
F.
Permit required. All signs shall require the issuance of a sign permit before erection or replacement.
G.
Separate frontage. If an establishment has walls fronting on two or more streets, the total sign area permitted shall be computed separately.
H.
Temporary signs located on public property or public rights-of-way.
[Amended 7-9-2013 by Ord. No. 352; 12-1-2015 by Ord. No. 373]
I.
Yard requirements. No portion of any freestanding sign shall be located closer to any lot line than 1/2 the required yard for the district in which it is located. If this requirement cannot be met, the freestanding signs shall be prohibited on such properties.
J.
Vehicular signs. Any vehicle to which a sign is affixed in such a manner that carrying of such sign or signs no longer is incidental to the vehicle's primary purpose, but becomes a primary purpose in itself, shall be considered a freestanding sign and as such be subject to the provisions regarding freestanding signs in the district in which such vehicle is located.
K.
Signs in parking lots. No sign shall be located so as to occupy vehicular parking spaces which are required under § 185-61 of this chapter.
§ 185-58 Signs in Residential Districts (R-1, R-2, BC).
A.
On-premises signs. No on-premises sign shall be permitted except as follows:
(1)
Signs displayed strictly for the direction, safety, or convenience of the public, including signs which identify rest rooms, telephone booths, parking area entrances or exits, freight entrances or the like, provided the area of any such sign shall not exceed four square feet.
(2)
Flags.
[Amended 12-1-2015 by Ord. No. 373]
(3)
One nonilluminated sign or indirectly illuminated sign displaying only the name and address of the occupant of a premises, provided that the area of any such sign shall not exceed four square feet. The provisions of Subsection A(7) do not apply to this type of sign.
(4)
One nonilluminated or indirectly illuminated sign for permitted accessory uses, indicating only names of persons and their occupations, provided that the area of any such sign shall not exceed four square feet.
(5)
One nonilluminated or indirectly illuminated bulletin or announcement board, or identification sign for a permitted nonresidential building or use, provided that the area of any such sign shall not exceed 12 square feet.
(6)
One nonilluminated sign advertising the sale or rental of the premises upon which such said sign has been erected or one sign indicating that said premises have been sold or rented, provided that the area of any such signs shall not exceed 16 square feet and such signs shall be removed within 20 days after an agreement of sale or rental has been entered into.
(7)
Temporary nonilluminated signs with a maximum of 16 square feet.[1]
[Amended 12-1-2015 by Ord. No. 373]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection A(8), regarding temporary nonilluminated signs of mechanics or artisans, and Subsection A(9), regarding signs related to no trespassing and private roads and controlling fishing or hunting, which immediately followed this subsection, were repealed 12-1-2015 by Ord. No. 373, which ordinance also renumbered former Subsection A(10) as Subsection A(8).
(8)
Nonilluminated or indirectly illuminated memorial signs or historical signs or tablets.
B.
Off-premises signs. Off-premises signs are not permitted except as follows. (Signs permitted within this section may also be on-premises signs.)
(1)
Signs necessary for the direction, regulation and control of traffic; street name signs; legal notices; warnings at railroad crossings; and other official signs which are similarly authorized or erected by a duly constituted governmental body.
(2)
Temporary signs shall not exceed 16 square feet in area.[2]
[Amended 12-1-2015 by Ord. No. 373]
[2]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B(3), regarding temporary directory nonilluminated signs in the BC District, and Subsection B(4), regarding directory nonilluminated signs, which immediately followed this subsection, were repealed 12-1-2015 by Ord. No. 373.
C.
Temporary signs shall not exceed 16 square feet in area.
[Amended 12-1-2015 by Ord. No. 373]
D.
Height restrictions.
§ 185-59 Signs in Highway Commercial District.
A.
On-premises signs. No on-premises sign shall be permitted except as follows:
(2)
Parallel business signs subject to the following provisions:
B.
Off-premises signs. The following off-premises signs are permitted in the HC District:
(2)
Billboards/outdoor advertising signs, as a conditional use subject to the following provisions:
(a)
No billboards/outdoor advertising sign or any part thereof shall be erected and maintained within 500 feet of any other advertising sign measured on the same side of the road. And, no such sign shall be permitted within 100 feet of any residential use, no matter in what district the use is located.
(b)
No billboards/outdoor advertising sign shall be erected and maintained within 24 feet of any building.
(c)
No billboards/outdoor advertising sign shall be permitted to exceed a maximum area of 300 square feet, including border and trim but excluding supports. A sign having two sides back-to-back, or a V-shaped sign with a horizontal angle not greater than 45º, is permitted 300 square feet on each side, or a total maximum area of 600 square feet.
(d)
No advertising sign or any part thereof shall exceed 25 feet in height, measured from the natural level of ground immediately underneath the proposed advertising sign.
(e)
The reduced minimum lot size of 4,500 square feet, permitted in § 185-21, Table 185-21,[1] applies to off-premises advertising signs only. No other use shall be permitted on a lot under 16,000 square feet in the HC District.
[1]
Editor's Note: Table 185-21, Dimensional Requirements, is included at the end of this chapter.
§ 185-60 Signs in Shopping Center, Industrial, Solid Waste Disposal and Solid Waste Staging Districts (SC, LI, SWD, SWS).
A.
On-premises signs. No on-premises signs shall be permitted except as follows:
(2)
Parallel business signs subject to the following provisions:
(a)
The total area of any parallel sign shall not exceed two square feet for each foot of length of the front building wall which is devoted to such establishment, or 100 square feet, whichever is less.
(b)
No parallel sign shall be painted on or affixed to the inside or outside of windows in such districts.
(3)
Freestanding business signs, provided the area of all such signs shall not exceed one square foot for each two feet of lot frontage, or 100 square feet, whichever is less.
B.
Off-premises signs. All off-premises signs permitted in § 185-58B at the standards prescribed therein are permitted in SC and LI Districts.
(1)
Freestanding signs which advertise a shopping center, including the name of the center and the uses therein, may be erected in each yard fronting on a street. No portion of a shopping center freestanding sign shall be less than eight feet or more than 32 feet above the ground. The area of any one side of such sign shall not exceed 100 square feet.
(2)
Freestanding signs which advertise a group of businesses or industrial uses other than a shopping center on a lot held in single and separate ownership may be erected in each yard fronting a street and such freestanding signs may contain a collection of signs identifying the different interests and uses on the premises, provided that the total area of one side of the freestanding sign does not exceed 100 square feet and that each individual sign does not exceed four square feet.