Worcester Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXI
Signs
§ 150-147 General sign regulations.
In all districts, the following general sign regulations shall apply:
A.
Permit required. No sign shall be constructed or erected until a permit for the same shall have been obtained from the Zoning Officer.
B.
Signs exempt from permits. The following signs may be erected without a sign permit in any district, unless otherwise specified, and shall not be included in the determination of the type, number, or area of permanent signs allowed within a zoning district unless otherwise specified:
(1)
Signs warning of danger or prohibiting trespassing. Such signs shall not exceed 150 square inches in area and four feet in height and shall be posted at intervals not less than 150 feet.
(2)
Directional signs within the property for traffic control.
(3)
Signs erected or mounted inside a building or other structure on a property which are not visible or intended to be visible from the outside of the building.
(4)
On residential and agricultural properties only, signs bearing the street address, property owner's name, and/or property name, excluding any business name or commercial message, provided such sign does not exceed two square feet in area and five feet in height. One and only one such sign shall be allowed per property. Such sign shall not be illuminated in any manner.
(5)
Temporary signs as follows:
[Amended 5-16-2018 by Ord. No. 276]
(a)
Temporary signs may be displayed up to a maximum of 30 consecutive days. Such signs shall not be illuminated in any manner. Upon the conclusion of the thirty-day period, the temporary sign will be removed immediately.
(b)
All properties, residential and nonresidential, shall be permitted to display temporary signage subject to the limits set forth below.
(6)
Signs that identify or commemorate the historic and/or cultural significance of a location, structure, event, or person and are placed to inform the public of that significance may be erected or permitted to be erected by a property owner in any zoning district. The size, design, and location of this sign shall be approved by the Board of Supervisors to ensure consistency of such signs throughout the Township. Such signs shall generally not exceed 15 square feet in area or 10 feet in height. Such signs shall not be counted toward signage or area limits contained elsewhere in this chapter.
(7)
Removal of signs. Should any sign be determined to be in violation of this chapter, written notice shall be given to the property owner to remove the sign. If after two days from such written notice the sign or signs have not been removed, Worcester Township may remove signs installed in violation of this chapter. No written notice shall be required if, in the sole discretion of the Township, a sign is deemed to constitute an immediate threat to the health, safety and/or welfare of the general public, in which instance the sign may be removed by the Township.
[Added 5-16-2018 by Ord. No. 276]
(8)
Municipal notification. Temporary signs are exempt from the standard permit requirements but the date of erection of a temporary sign must be written in indelible ink on the lower right-hand corner of the sign.
[Added 5-16-2018 by Ord. No. 276]
(9)
Installation and maintenance.
[Added 5-16-2018 by Ord. No. 276]
(a)
All temporary signs must be installed such that, in the opinion of Worcester Township's building official, they do not create a safety hazard.
(b)
All temporary signs must be made of durable materials and shall be well-maintained.
(c)
Temporary signs that are frayed, torn, broken, or that are no longer legible will be deemed unmaintained and required to be removed.
(10)
Illumination. Illumination of any temporary sign is prohibited.
[Added 5-16-2018 by Ord. No. 276]
C.
Illumination.
(1)
All signs, if allowed to be illuminated, shall be illuminated only by a source external to the sign and mounted either directly above or directly facing the sign, such that only the sign area is directly illuminated and there is no spillover lighting outside of the sign area. Backlit signs are prohibited.
(2)
All electrical installations shall require an electrical permit and shall conform with all requirements of the Uniform Construction Code ("UCC") and other applicable building codes.
(3)
Sign illumination shall not flash, move, oscillate, vibrate, shimmer, rotate, blink, or change color or intensity.
D.
Calculating the area and height of a sign.
(1)
Area.
(a)
The area of a sign not mounted on a building shall be calculated as the smallest rectangle that wholly encloses the words and any logo, design, or decorative device on the sign, including the spaces between sections of the same sign and between letters or symbols on a sign.
(b)
If a sign is mounted or supported by any structure other than a building, the dimensions of this structure shall be included in the calculation of the area of the sign if the supporting posts or columns exceed six inches in width or diameter, or if the supporting base exceeds 30 inches in diameter and 12 inches in height.
(c)
The area of a sign mounted on a building shall be calculated as the sum of the smallest rectangles that wholly enclose each message, logo, design, or decorative device. The spaces between sections of the sign shall not be counted in the computation of the area of a building-mounted sign.
(d)
All faces of a multifaced sign shall be included in the calculation of the area of a sign, except for double-faced signs, in which case only one face shall be included. A double-faced sign shall be a sign with two identical faces that are either attached to each other back to back, with no more than 16 inches of space between faces.
(2)
Height.
(a)
The height of a sign not mounted on a building shall be measured from the normal grade under the middle of the sign to the topmost part of the sign or any part of the structure to which the sign is attached.
(b)
The height of a sign mounted on a building shall be measured from the lowest point to the highest point of the lettering, logo(s), design(s), or frame making up the sign. No sign or any part thereof which is attached to a building may project more than four feet above the building's roofline, and in no event shall the top of the sign exceed the maximum building height permitted in that zoning district.
 Calculating the area and height of a sign – Examples |
E.
Any sign existing on the effective date of this chapter which is a lawful sign and has a valid sign permit (if one was required) but does not conform to the revisions of this chapter shall be considered a lawful nonconforming sign and may be continued.
(1)
Nonconforming signs may be repaired or repainted but shall not be structurally altered, enlarged, added to, or replaced except in conformance with the provisions of this chapter. If a renewal permit is required for such sign, a permit shall be secured as required under this chapter or the sign shall be removed or reconfigured to conform with the provisions of this chapter.
(2)
If the use of a property changes, nonconforming signs shall be changed to conform to the provisions of this chapter. A "change in use" shall be defined as any change that requires land development approval, zoning approval, conditional use or special exception approval, or a use and occupancy permit. This provision shall not apply to changes in use among individual tenants on multitenant properties.
(3)
If the use of a property is discontinued for more than 12 months, any nonconforming sign on the property shall lose its status as a lawful nonconforming sign and shall be subject to all of the provisions of this chapter.
(4)
Any nonconforming sign which is removed, destroyed, or abandoned shall not be rebuilt or reused except in conformance with this chapter.
F.
The following signs are prohibited in any district:
(1)
Signs affixed to trees, fences, guardrails, traffic signs, utility poles, rocks, or other natural features.
(2)
Movable signs or signs with any moving parts, including letters; inflatables, flags, streamers, sandwich boards, banners, or balloons used for the purpose of advertising; awnings, umbrellas, or other outdoor structures that include logos or any other form of advertising.
(3)
Signs with flashing, intermittent, animated, revolving, or electronically changeable message or illumination, including beacons and digital signs.
(4)
Vehicular signs — Any vehicle or equipment to which a sign is affixed or painted and which is used or parked in such a manner that display of such signs becomes the vehicle's primary purpose.
G.
In addition to the other requirements of this Code, every sign authorized herein must be constructed of durable materials, kept in good condition and repair and not allowed to become dilapidated.
H.
No sign shall be erected at the intersection of any streets or at any location in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision or where, by reason of position, shape or color, it may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic signal or device. No sign shall be erected within the clear sight triangle of any intersection.
I.
No sign, whether permanent or temporary, may be erected closer than 15 feet to the paved edge of the road or the gravel edge of the shoulder farthest from the paving. The Township shall not be liable for the expense of removing a sign that is erected in the right-of-way of a public road which is later condemned for road improvements.
J.
The provisions of this article shall not apply to official federal, state, or municipal signs erected within Worcester Township.
§ 150-148 Signs permitted in residential and agricultural districts.
[Amended 5-16-2018 by Ord. No. 276]
In residential and agricultural districts, signs may be erected and maintained only in compliance with the following provisions:
A.
Signs incident to a lawful use of the property. Such signs shall not exceed 2.083 square feet, or 300 square inches, in area. Not more than one such sign shall be placed upon any property in single and separate ownership.
B.
Neighborhood identification signs. In a residential development having at least 15 dwelling units and more than one internal street or road, the following is allowed:
(1)
One sign shall be permitted at one entrance to the neighborhood. The sign shall contain no wording, logo, or information other than the name of the neighborhood (as approved by the Board of Supervisors as part of the subdivision and land development plan or otherwise) and the words "Worcester Township," which shall be in a typeface no less than 1/2 the size of the name of the neighborhood. The sign may be double-faced, either parallel or attached at one edge and with an angle of no more than 45°, in which case the two faces shall be identical.
(2)
The total area of the sign, or of each face of a double-faced sign, shall not exceed 15 square feet. If the sign is mounted on a monument, the area of the monument shall not exceed 1.5 times the area of the sign, and in no case shall either the monument or the sign exceed four feet in height.
(3)
The sign shall be erected only on property owned in common by the homeowners' association or other entity designated to own commonly held property in the development. If there is no commonly owned property at the entrance to the development, no sign shall be permitted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the development has open space near the entrance which has been dedicated to the Township, a neighborhood sign may be permitted after the Board of Supervisors has approved an agreement providing for the maintenance of the sign and the area immediately surrounding the sign.
(4)
A neighborhood identification sign shall be constructed of stone, brick, wood, or other durable material and shall be maintained in good condition at all times. Placement and maintenance of the sign shall be the responsibility of the homeowners' association or other entity designated to own commonly held property in the development.
(5)
The depiction of any neighborhood identification sign on the subdivision or land development plans approved by the Township shall not constitute permission to erect such sign. No neighborhood identification sign is permitted to be erected until a permit is obtained from the Township and the fee is paid.
(6)
Any fence, wall, gate, or other decorative structural element in conjunction with the neighborhood identification sign shall be in conformance with other sections of this Code.
(7)
A neighborhood identification sign shall not be illuminated in any manner, nor shall it use reflective materials of any kind.
C.
No sign shall exceed eight feet in height.
§ 150-148.1 Athletic field area signs.
[Added 6-21-2017 by Ord. No. 267]
The following signs are permitted at athletic field areas at a public or private school, subject to the noted conditions.
A.
Athletic field fence signs are permitted on the fences that immediately surround the playing area of a baseball or softball field, football field, lacrosse field, soccer field, field hockey or similar playing facility.
(1)
Signs shall be directed toward the playing field or spectator stands only. Any side of a sign that is not directed toward the playing field or spectator stands shall be a uniform dark color and shall contain no words, graphics or other content.
(2)
No portion of the sign shall be higher than the top of the fence, or 10 feet from grade, whichever is less.
B.
Athletic field spectator stand signs are permitted on the railings in front of or behind the spectator stands that immediately surround the playing area of a baseball or softball field, football field, lacrosse field, soccer field, field hockey or similar playing facility.
(1)
Signs on the railing in front of spectator stands shall be directed toward the spectator stands. The reverse side of the sign shall be a uniform dark color and shall contain no words, graphics or other content.
(2)
Signs on the railing behind spectator stands shall be directed away from the spectator stands. The reverse side of the sign shall be a uniform dark color and shall contain no words, graphics or other content. No portion of the sign may be visible from neighboring properties.
(3)
No portion of the sign shall be higher than the top of the railing, or five feet from grade, whichever is less.
C.
Scoreboard signs are permitted on one scoreboard that serves a baseball or softball field, football field, lacrosse field, soccer field, field hockey or similar playing facility.
(1)
One sign is permitted on each scoreboard or scoreboard support structure.
(2)
The sign shall be directed toward the playing field. The reverse side of the sign shall be a uniform dark color and shall contain no words, graphics or other content.
(3)
Signs shall not exceed three feet in height, and shall not exceed the width of the scoreboard.
(4)
Signs shall be posted below the scoreboard, and no portion of the sign shall be higher than 20 feet from grade.
D.
Dugout signs are permitted on up to two dugouts that serve a baseball or softball field or similar playing facility.
E.
A permit shall be required prior to the installation of any athletic field area sign. With the permit application the applicant shall submit a signage plan that shows all signage to be installed, and all signage that may be installed, at each playing facility, which shall include the field and any spectator stands, scoreboards and dugouts associated with the field. The permit issued shall encompass all proposed signage at the playing facility. No change in the approved signage plan shall be allowed unless a revised signage plan is submitted to the Township and the Township issues a new permit.
F.
Athletic field area signs shall not be illuminated in any manner; nor shall they contain moving parts, electronically changeable messages, lighting, video, or sound.
§ 150-149 Signs permitted in MHD, MR and RO Districts.
In MHD, MR and RO Districts, signs may be erected and maintained only in compliance with the following provisions:
A.
All signs shall relate only to the use located on the property where the sign is located, provided such use is permitted in the district.
B.
Not more than one such sign, which shall not exceed 20 square feet nor have a height greater than six feet, shall be permitted on each street frontage, regardless of the number of uses on the property.
§ 150-150 Signs permitted in C and SC Districts.
In C and SC Districts, signs may be erected and maintained only in compliance with the following provisions:
A.
No signs shall be permitted in these districts except signs of business or commercial establishments conducting a business enterprise in the district, provided that such signs are in accordance with this section of the Zoning Ordinance and provided that they are erected or placed on the property or building of such enterprises. No off-premises signs are permitted.
B.
One freestanding sign not to exceed 25 square feet in area, 12 feet in height, and 10 feet in width shall be allowed on each property held in single and separate ownership. In the case of a corner property, one such sign shall be allowed on each road frontage, at least 300 feet from the intersection and located so as not to interfere with the clear sight triangle at the intersection.
C.
Instead of the provisions of § 150-150B above, for a commercial complex with at least three buildings of at least 5,000 square feet each, a total cumulative floor commercial floor area of at least 20,000 square feet, frontages along two arterials, and involving three or more businesses, the following signs are permitted:
(1)
One freestanding sign not to exceed 60 square feet in area, 12 feet in height, or 12 feet in width shall be allowed in front of each building, to serve all businesses in that building. Not less than one-fourth of the area of this sign shall be designed specifically to accommodate temporary signs using only changeable lettering or changeable sign panels.
(2)
By conditional use: One freestanding sign which is, notwithstanding the sign area standards of § 150-147D, no greater than 70 square feet in solid sign area, no taller than 14 feet above the ground, and no wider than eight feet. Not less than one-fourth of the area of this sign shall be designed specifically to accommodate temporary signs using only changeable sign panels. The sign area for this condition only shall be measured as the actual area of the solid sign panels used to comprise the sign, irrespective of the size of the graphics. Posts or columns exceeding 16 inches in width on any side will be counted toward the calculation of the sign area.
(3)
By conditional use: Signs that identify a geographic area of the Township, such as the names of the villages, may be erected, not exceeding 30 inches in height and otherwise conforming to this article. This sign shall not be included in the determination of the type, number, or area of permanent signs allowed within a zoning district. The applicant shall consult with the Planning Commission for advice about the design of the sign.
(4)
For a single commercial complex located within both the C and SC Districts, one freestanding sign which is, notwithstanding the sign area standards of § 150-147D, no greater than 70 square feet in solid sign area, no taller than 14 feet above the ground, and no wider than eight feet. Not less than one-fourth of the area of this sign shall be designed specifically to accommodate temporary signs using only changeable sign panels. The sign area for this condition only shall be measured as the actual area of the solid sign panels used to comprise the sign, irrespective of the size of the graphics. Posts or columns exceeding 16 inches in width on any side will be counted toward the calculation of the sign area.
D.
Each individual business establishment shall be permitted one sign advertising the business conducted or product sold at that establishment, which sign shall not exceed 15 square feet in area and shall be physically attached to the building in which the business is located. No part of the sign shall be higher than the highest point of the building's roofline. The sign shall protrude no more than 10 inches from the building if it is less than 10 feet above the level of the ground, measured to the lowest portion of the sign.
E.
Interior signs.[1]
(1)
Neon signs permanently affixed to the interior of a window or the interior of a wall of a building in commercial use shall be permitted under the following conditions:
(2)
The area of all interior signs, including neon signs, shall not exceed 20% of the aggregate clear glass area of the window to which it is affixed. Aggregate clear glass area shall mean the clear glass surface area of a window or door that is designed as a unit, whether operable or not, and is defined by a structural frame.
F.
In recognition of the unique and particular significance of gasoline stations to the driving public, such stations shall be permitted signs as described above and the following additional signs: one ground or freestanding sign per station for each road frontage, for purposes of advertising current fuel prices only. The area of such signs may not exceed 16 square feet on each side. Both sides of such signs may be used for advertising fuel prices only. No sign shall extend more than 15 feet above the mean pavement level.
G.
Any sign permitted in § 150-148 is allowed, provided that the use to which it refers is permitted in the district and has been previously approved if so required.
H.
Where there is more than one building in commercial use on one property and a street entrance is shared by two or more buildings, one sign not exceeding 12 square feet in area and four feet in height shall be allowed at that entrance and interior to the property, for the purpose of directing visitors to the individual businesses or buildings on the property.
§ 150-150.1 Signs permitted in Village overlay districts.
For by-right nonresidential uses in any district, signs shall be allowed as follows:
A.
Class 1.
(1)
One freestanding sign shall be allowed on each property and may contain only the name of the business allowed to be conducted on the property.
(a)
The area of the sign shall not exceed 2.083 square feet, or 300 square inches. The sign shall be no higher than four feet, measured from the ground at the base of the sign to the top of the highest element of the sign, including the mounting post and illumination, if any.
[Amended 5-16-2018 by Ord. No. 276]
(b)
The sign shall be located no closer than 15 feet to the edge of the roadway and must not block the line of sight along the road or from the access driveway of this or any other property onto the road.
(c)
No temporary signage of any kind is permitted.
(d)
No sign shall be illuminated between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
(2)
No sign shall be allowed on the exterior of any building on the property, nor shall any sign be affixed to any wall, window, or door so as to be visible from outside the building.
§ 150-151 Signs permitted in LI District.
In the LI District, signs may be erected and maintained only in compliance with the following provisions:
A.
All signs shall relate to the use located on the property on which the sign is erected.
B.
Not more than one freestanding sign which shall not exceed 32 square feet nor have a height greater than 10 feet shall be permitted on each street frontage with access and shall relate to the particular permitted use(s) on the property.
C.
[1]No temporary signs are allowed.
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection C, which permitted one sign, physically attached to the building and not to exceed 32 square feet, per each individual establishment, was repealed 11-20-2013 by Ord. No. 245. This ordinance also redesignated former Subsections D, E, and F as Subsections C, D, and E, respectively.
§ 150-151.1 Signs permitted in IR District.
[Added 11-20-2013 by Ord. No. 245]
In the IR District, signs may be erected and maintained only in compliance with the following provisions:
A.
All signs, except as noted in Subsection C below, shall relate to the use located on the property on which the sign is located.
B.
Not more than one freestanding sign, which shall not exceed 32 square feet nor have a height greater than 10 feet, shall be permitted on each street frontage with access, and such sign shall relate to the particular industry, laboratory, engineering center or office building located within the district. In addition, there may be one additional sign which shall not exceed 32 square feet and shall be physically attached to a building.
§ 150-152 Permits and fees.
A.
A permit shall be obtained from the office of the Zoning Officer before erecting, placing, rebuilding, reconstructing or moving any sign. Where multiple signs are allowed, a separate permit shall be obtained for each sign.
B.
A fee shall be required for any sign permit in accordance with the Township's fee schedule.