An official highway route number sign, street name sign, directional or other traffic sign. These may be erected and maintained on public roads and highways in the interest of public safety or for the regulation of traffic.

A sign indicating the prohibition or control of fishing, hunting, trespassing, etc.; or signs indicating the private nature of a road are exempt from this Chapter, provided that the area of any such sign does not exceed four square feet.

A sign with an area not exceeding three square feet bearing only the property number, street address and post box numbers of the names of occupants in residential districts, provided that the characters do not exceed three inches in height.

A governmental flag or insignia, provided that the area does not exceed 50 square feet.

A legal notice.

A Christmas tree, other holiday display or window display of merchandise, except as specifically prohibited herein.

Public service and information signs advertising the availability of rest rooms, telephones or similar public conveniences, also signs advertising meeting times and places of nonprofit service or charitable organizations. Any such sign shall not exceed four square feet.

Public monuments, historic identification signs or plaques erected by a government agency.

One or more signs applied to a windowpane giving store hours or the name or names of credit or charge institutions, when the total area of any such sign or all signs together does not exceed two square feet.

A sign which is a permanent architectural feature of a building or structure, such as a cornerstone, or identifying letters carved into or embossed on a building, provided that the letters are not made of a reflective material nor contrast in color with the building.

Signs That Glare. A sign that uses any method of illumination that can cause glare is prohibited, except in accordance with the following:

Sign with Prohibited Words. No sign may use the words “stop,” “look,” “danger” or any other word, place symbol or character which attempts or appears to attempt to direct the movement of traffic or which interferes with, imitates or resembles any official traffic sign, signal or device within 75 feet of a traffic control device, whichever is greater.

Banner Sign. Any banner sign or sign of any other type prohibited across a public street except for such signs which are approved by the Borough Council to be of general benefit to the Borough or for public convenience, necessity or welfare. Banner signs are prohibited on lots of any classification except lots classified as commercial, when erected as a temporary promotion or special event sign.

Pennants or Spinners. Any permanent sign suspended between poles which is either a pennant which blows in the wind or a spinner which spins in the wind is prohibited. Such signs are prohibited on all lots of any classification except lots classified as commercial, when erected as a temporary promotion or special event sign.

Red or Green Lights. Except for traffic control signals, red or green lights are prohibited within 75 feet of a public right-of-way or 200 feet of a traffic control signal, whichever is greater.

Prohibitedly Placed Signs. Any sign erected or maintained on a tree or utility pole or painted or drawn on a rock or other natural feature is prohibited.

Posted Signs. Any sign generally of a temporary nature, tacked, nailed, strapped, posted, pasted, hung, glued or otherwise attached to a tree, pole, stake, fire hydrant, light stand, parking meter, fence or other object, is prohibited.

Illegal Signs. Any sign erected and maintained prior to the effective date of this Chapter which does not or did not conform to the requirements of the Sign Ordinance which was in effect prior to the effective date of this amendatory ordinance is prohibited.

Fascia Sign. A sign attached to, placed upon or hung from any structure projecting from and supported by a building and which extends beyond the facade of the building, such as a canopy, an awning, etc.

Freestanding Sign. A sign permanently supported by an upright pole(s) which is permanently anchored into the ground below the frost line with a footing.

Projecting Sign. A sign which is affixed to any building, wall or structure and extends more than 12 inches but less than 48 inches horizontally from the facade or place of the structure.

Wall Sign. A sign mounted parallel to the face of a structure or wall and projecting not more than 12 inches from the place or facade of the structure wall or above the roofline or eaves of the structure.

Window Sign. A sign mounted inside or on a window which can be seen from outside the window.

Nameplate Sign. A sign indicating the profession, activity or name of the occupant of a dwelling.

Development Signs (Permanent). A type of freestanding sign, including accessory entrance structure, designed to identify a development.

Directory. A type of freestanding or wall sign designed to identify the name and location of multiple occupants on the same lot, commercial or industrial in character, with or without an accompanying map, in order to aid in the internal pedestrian circulation within the lot

Temporary Signs Permitted in All Districts.

Temporary Signs Permitted in the C-1, C-2 and I-1 Districts Only.

Permits for Temporary Signs. The erector of temporary signs permitted under this Section or sponsor of an exhibit, show, event or proposed development shall apply for and obtain a permit from the Borough Zoning Officer and deposit with the Borough, at the time of his/her application, a sum in an amount as established from time to time by resolution of Borough Council as a guaranty that all such signs will be removed promptly within 20 days after the date of the election, exhibit, show or event to which such signs relate. At the time of deposit, the erector or authorized agent shall indicate upon which streets such signs are to be located. If such signs are not removed at the end of the twenty-day period, the Borough shall cause them to be removed and the deposit guaranteeing shall be forfeited to the Borough. In addition, failure to remove such signs as prescribed shall constitute a violation of this Chapter, subjecting offenders to the penalties prescribed in §27-1343 hereof. Temporary political signs permitted under Paragraph A(1) are not required to obtain a sign permit.

Definitions. As used in this Section the following term shall have the meaning indicated:

Temporary A-frame signs may be used only in the following districts and as accessory to the following uses:

Permit and License Requirements. Installation of a temporary A-frame sign requires a sign permit in accordance with §27-1222 and a yearly renewable license as set forth below.

Location and Dimensional/area Requirements.

Design Requirements.

Unless otherwise approved by the Borough, the following shall apply:

For shopping centers and multi-tenanted buildings, only one temporary A-frame sign shall be permitted per tenant. The Zoning Officer shall have the discretion to limit the number of temporary A-frame signs that can be displayed at any given time consistent with the public health, safety and welfare. The Zoning Officer shall likewise have the discretion to allow two or more businesses to be identified on one sign.

The sign may be displayed only during hours when the business is open to the public and must be taken inside at closing time each day and during periods when the weather conditions pose a hazard, at the discretion of the Zoning Officer. The sign shall be designed to prevent collapse.

If the Zoning or Code Enforcement Officer determines that the sign is a nuisance, then the owner of the sign shall receive a written notification. The sign shall be confiscated by the Zoning or Code Enforcement Officer if the nuisance is not corrected within 24 hours of written notification.

The sign owner shall be responsible for all liability related to its use, placement and condition.

The sketch below is an example of the dimensions and design of a temporary A-frame sign under this Section:

Borough Council or the Borough Zoning Officer may impose any other restriction on the location, size or design of the sign that, in its judgment, protects the health, safety and welfare of the public, including limiting the number of signs on any given sidewalk or street frontage at a given time for pedestrian movement or emergency response purposes.

Public Right-of-Way. In no case, except for a banner sign, shall any sign other than highway or traffic signs be erected within or project out into the present or future right-of-way of any street or within 10 feet of the shoulder or curb, whichever is greater.

Entrance or Exit to a Building. No signs shall be erected or installed in such a way as to block or obstruct any exit or entrance, including emergency exits or entrances of any building or other structure, nor shall any sign obstruct or interfere with or be attached to any part of any fire escape or fire tower.

Signs on Public Property. No signs shall be erected or maintained on any property owned by the Borough except with the express permission of the Borough given by the Council at its duly convened public meeting.

Signs Placed in a Parking Area or Fire Lane. No sign shall be erected or maintained in any parking space or any fire lane so as to obstruct or impede or impair the free use and access of such parking space or fire lane.

Signs That Cause Traffic or Pedestrian Hazards. No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will be a danger to traffic on a street, traffic entering a street or pedestrians. No sign shall obstruct the sight lines of pedestrians or motorists using a street. All signs shall conform to the following standards:

For lots with more than one frontage onto a public right-of-way, signs for each frontage shall be calculated separately.

Each sign shall be erected so that it can be seen most easily from the public right-of-way for which it was calculated.

A freestanding or projecting sign having two sides back-to-back on a horizontal angle of 180° or any V-shaped sign with a horizontal angle not greater than 90° is entitled to the maximum calculated sign area on each side.

A sign supported by more than one means (therefore, neither a freestanding, wall nor projecting sign) shall have its area and height calculation determined by that portion of the sign which has the most restrictive standards.

The maximum sign area shall include all framing, border and trim, but it shall not include the structural supports.

The maximum and minimum height of a freestanding sign shall be measured from the elevation of the shoulder of the road. In the case where there is a sidewalk the height of the sign shall be measured from the elevation of the sidewalk.

For a projecting wall sign, the maximum height shall be determined by the height of the facade of the building or the maximum building height permitted in this Chapter, whichever is smaller.

The copy area of all signs, except those listed below, shall not exceed 75% of the total area of the sign.

The following signs are exempted from this copy area restriction:

Exemptions. The following signs shall be exempt from the requirements for a sign permit, provided that they conform to the requirements and regulations of this Chapter and have no electrical parts or usage:

Application Requirements.

Non-Transferability. Sign permits are not transferable. Changes in ownership/operation require re-application for a sign permit.

Compliance and Outstanding Violations. A permit may be given to an applicant only if all other existing signs located on the premises comply with the requirements contained within this Chapter and are not the subject of any outstanding sign violations.