Weehawken Township City Zoning Code
§ 23-12.2
General provisions.
[Ord. No. 13-1993, § 2]
The following provisions shall apply in all zones:
a.
No sign shall be erected, altered, relocated, maintained or reconstructed unless it conforms to the regulations of this section and unless a sign permit has been issued by the Construction Code Official of the Township provided however that no permit shall be required for the following:
1.
Designation signs not exceeding an aggregate of one square foot in area on any building;
2.
On one to four family dwellings Real Estate Signs that are four square feet or less in area and do not contain a name and telephone number of a person other than the owner or occupant offering the premises for sale, rental or lease;
3.
Signs erected or required by governmental bodies as necessary to the public welfare;
4.
Political signs provided that such political signs shall meet all of the other requirements of this § 23-12 and shall be removed within 48 hours after the election to which they relate;
5.
Promotional signs advertising a "garage sale," "open house" or other similar event in connection with a one to four family dwelling or a permitted home occupation, provided that such promotional sign is installed no earlier than 48 hours before the event and removed no later than 24 hours after the event. Such promotional signs may be portable signs;
6.
Portable business signs in the B-1, B-2, B-3, R/B-1 and R/B-2 Zones provided that the requirements of Subsection 23-12.4c5 are met.
b.
No wall sign, awning sign or projecting sign shall project beyond the property line of the lot on which it is located, except that a sign attached to the face of an existing structure which is located on the street line may so project.
c.
Identification/directional signs shall be permitted only along Boulevard East, Hackensack Plank Road, 19th Street, Park Avenue, Pershing Road and the North and South Marginal Roads provided that:
1.
No more than five identification/directional signs shall be permitted in the entire Township for any single business, occupant, development or establishment.
2.
The sign area of each identification/directional sign shall not exceed one square foot;
3.
The sign shall not have its own support but be attached to an existing traffic sign support or traffic light stanchion, with the written permission of the owner;
4.
No more than one sign of a single business, occupant, development or establishment and no more than five signs in the aggregate shall be permitted on any single support.
5.
No more than two signs per use identified shall be permitted on the northbound side and no more than two signs per use identified shall be permitted on the southbound side of Boulevard East; and
d.
No illuminated sign or moving sign shall be located or illuminated in such a manner as will interfere with or be mistaken for a traffic light or similar safety device, nor shall any glare-producing signs be permitted.
e.
No signs affixed to a motor vehicle as defined in Chapter 39 of the New Jersey Revised Statutes (N.J.S.A. 39:1-1 et seq.) shall be utilized to circumvent any of the sign regulations of this section. This provision shall not be construed to prevent the temporary parking of a commercial vehicle which has markings on it that would otherwise be regarded as a sign.
f.
Except as otherwise expressly permitted by this section, no portable signs shall be allowed.
g.
No sign shall be erected on or affixed to private property or to public utility property without the consent of the record owner.
h.
Except as otherwise expressly permitted by this section, no signs shall be affixed to public property including but not limited to traffic sign supports, traffic light stanchions, fences, benches, walls, or similar structures.
i.
No banners, pennants, balloons or other signs shall be strung from private property across a public sidewalk or street to a pole or tree.
j.
No sign shall emit audible sounds.
k.
Special signage shall be permitted with the permission of the Planning Board. Applications for special signage shall be reviewed in light of reasonable standards relating to size, scale, illumination, safety, duration, maintenance, location and design harmony. Factors to be considered by the Board shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, marketing impact, compatibility with surrounding uses and structures, and compatibility with other signage in the immediate area and in the zoning district in which the special signage will be located.
l.
Traffic signs are permitted in all zones and shall comply with all applicable governmental regulations.
m.
Wall signs shall not project more than 12 inches in front of the building facade to which they are affixed, nor shall they be higher than the building facade to which they are affixed.
n.
Projecting signs shall not project more than five feet in front of the building facade to which they are affixed and shall not be higher than the building facade to which they are affixed.
o.
No sign shall be fastened by screws, nails or other fasteners inserted into the trunk or limbs of any tree within the public right of way.