West Orange City Zoning Code
§ 25-15.4
General Regulations.
[Ord. No. 2357-12 § 25-15.4]
The following general regulations shall be applicable to all zones except as specifically limited:
a.
No more than four signs of all types, permitted under the provisions of this chapter, shall be erected or maintained at any time per each 250 feet of street frontage on any one premises in a single and separate ownership, provided that in the Main Street/Neighborhood Business, Business/Office, and Industrial zones, where portions of premises are used or leased by separate persons, firms, or corporations, signs shall be permitted for each separate establishment.
b.
There shall be a minimum distance of 50 feet between the nearest portions of the separate pylon or free-standing ground or post signs erected under the provisions of this chapter. No property with a frontage of less than 50 feet shall have erected upon it a pylon or freestanding ground or post sign in any zone.
c.
No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger to traffic on a street, or which is entering a street, by obscuring the view. In no case shall any sign, other than an official sign, or functional sign be erected within the official right-of-way of any street unless specifically authorized by other ordinance or regulations of the Township. All signs over six square feet in size, other than those permitted within the street right-of-way shall either be erected with the bottom of the sign at least eight feet above the level of the road center line, or shall be set back from the edge of the improved cartway for a distance of not less than 20 feet or shall be at least 50 feet from the side of any street or driveway intersection.
d.
The following signs are prohibited in all zones:
1.
A flashing, blinking, twinkling, animated or moving sign of any type, other than an electrically activated changeable sign as regulated by Subsection 25-15.4q.
2.
Signs with any lighting or control mechanism which may cause radio or television interference.
3.
Any sign so erected, constructed or maintained as to obstruct or be attached to any fire escape, window, door, or opening used as a means of egress or ingress or for firefighting purposes, or placed so as to interfere with any opening required for legal ventilation.
4.
Any sign which is such a form, character, or shape as to confuse or dangerously distract the attention of the operator of a motor vehicle.
5.
Signs which in any way simulate official, functional, directional, or warning signs erected or maintained by the State of New Jersey, County or Municipality thereof, or by any railroad, or public utility or similar agency concerned with the protection of public health, safety, or welfare.
6.
Any sign located on a lot other than the lot occupied by the primary use, event, or product which the sign advertises.
7.
Any sign attached to or painted on trees, fences, utility poles, rocks, curbs, walks, lamps, hydrants or bridges.
8.
Any sign that obstructs driving vision, traffic signals, traffic, directional and identification signs, other places of business or other signs. Obstruction is to be determined by the line of sight for 300 feet, from a height of four to 10 feet, oriented from the stop line of any intersection of streets and/or driveways.
e.
Every sign permitted in this section must be constructed of durable material and must be kept in good condition and repair. All freestanding signs either permanent or temporary in nature, must be anchored in the ground.
f.
In order that no sign may be injurious to public interest or endanger the interest of public safety or morals, all unlicensed signs shall be removed upon receipt of written or hand-delivered notice of violation served by the Zoning Officer to the landowner or lessor or lessee of the sign. Such violations shall be discontinued immediately.
g.
No sign shall be illuminated between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following morning, unless the business or use so advertised is open to the public later than 10:00 p.m., in which event any such establishment may keep the sign illuminated until the business is closed to the public, but not thereafter. This prohibition shall not apply to an electrically activated changeable sign as regulated by Subsection 25-15.4q.
h.
No sign shall be erected, containing information on it which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of the Township Zoning Ordinance in the zoning district in which the property to which the sign relates is located.
i.
All signs shall be permanently fixed to the ground or attached to a building or structure in a manner conforming to the Township Building Code.
j.
All freestanding and monument signs shall require a building permit.
k.
Signs advertising a use no longer in existence or a product no longer available shall be promptly removed.
l.
No portion of an awning or canopy or its sign may extend below 6.5 feet when extended or retracted, and may not extend more than six feet from the building line when open. An awning or canopy sign may not exceed eight inches in height, but may run the entire length of the allowable edge.
m.
A projecting sign shall not project out more than four feet and may have an area of not more than nine square feet. In addition, it is to have a minimum distance of eight feet from the ground surface to the bottom edge of the sign or its frame.
n.
Marquee signs shall not exceed eight inches in height, or be positioned less than 6.5 feet above the ground surface.
o.
Signs advertising work performed by a contractor shall be removed within seven days of the substantial completion of the work performed.
p.
Manually activated changeable signs shall be permitted as part of a permitted sign for a public or private school or house of worship.
q.
Electrically activated changeable signs shall only be permitted as part of a permitted freestanding sign in a business zone, which sign is located along a lot frontage abutting a State or County road.
