Yeadon City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIII
Signs
§ 300-76 Compliance required.
Any sign hereafter erected or maintained shall conform with this article and any other ordinance or regulation of the Borough relating thereto.
§ 300-77 General regulations.
The following regulations shall be observed in all districts:
A.
Except as provided in § 300-83, all signs shall be related to the use of the structure or premises where it is located.
[Amended 8-20-2009 by Ord. No. 1339]
B.
A sign permit must be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer before a sign is erected in the Borough, except for temporary real estate signs.
C.
Permit applications for signs larger than eight square feet in size shall be accompanied by a plan, drawn to scale, showing the sign and the size and location of the sign with respect to the building.
D.
Plans for signs which exceed 20 square feet in size shall be subject to review and approval as a conditional use by the Borough Council.
[Amended 8-20-2009 by Ord. No. 1339]
E.
All signs shall be kept in a proper state of repair.
F.
If a sign has become dilapidated, the Code Enforcement Officer shall notify the owner or the lessee of the property to correct the condition within 30 days. The owner or lessee may appeal the decision of the Code Enforcement Officer to the Zoning Hearing Board within the same time period.
G.
If, after 30 days, the condition has not been corrected and the notice has not been appealed, the Code Enforcement Officer shall cause the dilapidated sign to be removed at the expense of the owner or lessee.
H.
If the Code Enforcement Officer determines that the condition of the sign poses an imminent danger to the public safety, he or she may order the sign removed immediately. The owner or lessee shall have a right of appeal after the fact to the Zoning Hearing Board.
I.
No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger to traffic on a street by obscuring the view or to pedestrians by obstructing the sidewalk right-of-way.
J.
No sign shall be erected with colored lights which may be confused with highway traffic lights.
K.
No stringing of light bulbs, animated signs or signs that revolve or swing or have movable parts or flashing lights or reflectors shall be permitted after the effective date of this chapter (Ordinance No. 1115, passed July 12, 1984).
L.
No sign shall be erected on a roof.
M.
Parallel signs shall not project over 12 inches from the face of the building to which they are attached.
N.
No animated signs, other than time and temperature signs, or signs that emit smoke, vapor or noise shall be permitted.
O.
No projecting signs of any type shall be permitted.
P.
All signs shall front on a street.
§ 300-78 Nonconforming signs.
All nonconforming signs on the effective date of this chapter (Ordinance No. 1115, passed July 12, 1984) shall be replaced or brought into compliance with this article within five years of the date of the adoption of this chapter.
§ 300-79 Signs in Residence and Institutional Districts.
The following signs, and no others, shall be permitted in Residence and Institutional Districts:
A.
Signs of any type erected by the Borough.
B.
Signs for a professional or accessory use, indicating the name, profession or activity of the occupant of the dwelling, provided that:
(1)
The size of any such sign shall not exceed two square feet.
(2)
Not more than one sign shall be permitted for each permitted use or residential structure, unless such premises front on two streets, in which case not more than two signs, one on each street, shall be permitted.
(3)
No such sign shall be illuminated except by concealed or indirect lighting attached to the sign itself.
(4)
No such sign, if freestanding, shall have a height greater than 80 inches.
C.
Identification signs for garden-type apartment houses, schools, churches and other permitted uses, other than dwellings, provided that:
(1)
The size of any such signs shall not exceed 20 square feet.
(2)
Not more than one such sign shall be placed on premises held in single and separate ownership, unless such premises front on two streets, in which case not more than two signs, one on each street, shall be permitted.
(3)
No such sign shall be illuminated except by concealed or indirect lighting attached to the sign itself.
D.
Temporary real estate signs advertising the sale, lease or rental of premises, provided that:
(1)
The size of any such sign shall not exceed four square feet.
(2)
Not more than one such sign shall be erected for any property held in single and separate ownership.
(3)
No such sign shall have a total height exceeding 54 inches.
E.
Temporary signs for developments indicating the location and direction of premises which are in the process of such development, provided that:
(1)
The size of any such sign shall not exceed 12 square feet.
(2)
Not more than one such sign shall be erected along each 500 feet of street frontage.
(3)
No such sign shall be illuminated.
(4)
All such signs shall be removed within five days of completion of active work on the development.
(5)
No such sign shall have a total height exceeding 54 inches.
F.
Temporary home improvement signs indicating ongoing services, provided that:
(1)
Such signs shall be erected only on the premises where such work is being performed.
(2)
The size of any such sign shall not exceed four square feet.
(3)
Such signs shall be removed promptly upon completion of the work.
(4)
No such sign shall have a total height exceeding 54 inches.
§ 300-80 Signs in Neighborhood Commercial Districts.
The following signs, and no others, shall be permitted in the NC Neighborhood Commercial District:
A.
Any sign of a type and size permitted in a Residence District which relates to a use permitted in the district;
B.
Window signs not exceeding 15% of the glass area of the window in which they are placed;
C.
Wall signs, not to exceed 20 square feet;
D.
Canopy signs, not to exceed 20 square feet;
E.
Parallel signs, not to exceed 20 square feet; and
F.
Real estate signs, subject to § 300-79D.
§ 300-81 Signs in Regional Commercial Districts.
The following signs, and no others, shall be permitted in RC Regional Commercial Districts:
A.
Any sign permitted in the Neighborhood Commercial District.
B.
Pole signs, subject to the following requirements:
(1)
One such sign per street frontage per tract or parcel, regardless of the number of establishments occupying such tract or parcel, shall be permitted.
(2)
Each pole sign shall be erected in such a way that the distance from the edge of the sign to each street right-of-way line shall be not less than 10 feet.
(3)
No freestanding sign shall be erected within 100 feet of another freestanding sign.
(4)
No establishment shall be permitted to utilize a pole sign unless it has a front yard of not less than 35 feet.
(5)
No pole sign shall exceed a height of 20 feet.
(6)
Not more than one pole sign may be permitted on each street frontage relating to, and directing persons to, a shopping center as a whole.
(7)
The size of any such sign shall not exceed 40 square feet.
C.
Directional signs not exceeding nine square feet.
D.
Temporary real estate signs advertising the sale or rental of the premises, provided that:
(1)
The size of any sign shall not exceed 12 square feet.
(2)
One sign per street frontage shall be allowed.
§ 300-82 Signs in Industrial Districts.
The following signs, and no others, shall be permitted in IND Industrial Districts:
A.
Temporary real estate signs advertising the sale or rental of the premises, provided that:
(1)
The size shall not exceed 12 square feet.
(2)
Only one sign per street frontage shall be permitted.
B.
Ground signs, provided that:
(1)
The height of any such sign does not exceed 60 inches.
(2)
The length of any such sign does not exceed 96 inches.
(3)
Only one such sign per street frontage shall be permitted.
C.
Parallel signs, provided that the size of any such sign shall not exceed 30 square feet.
§ 300-83 Off-Premises Advertising Sign Overlay District.
[Added 8-20-2009 by Ord. No. 1339]
Off-premises advertising signs, including but not limited to billboards, shall be permitted in the Off-Premises Advertising Sign Overlay District, subject to the following regulations:
A.
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ABANDONED SIGN
(1)
Any sign that does not display a well maintained message for a consecutive one-hundred-twenty-day period;
(2)
Any sign the owner of which cannot be located at owner's last address as reflected on the records of the department; or
(3)
Any sign no longer fully supported, by the structure designed to support the sign, for a consecutive one-hundred-twenty-day period.
AREA OF A SIGN
The area of one side of a sign is calculated from the smallest rectangle that encompasses all the exposed face that could be filled with a message or graphics.
BANNERS
Sign placed without a permanent structure containing a time-bound message and used in aggregate no more than seven days in any calendar on any private parcel.
DOUBLE-FACED SIGN
Sign with a message on both sides of a support structure thus counting as two sign faces.
GOVERNMENT SIGN
A sign authorized by this municipality, another governmental agency, the State or Pennsylvania, or the federal government.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN
Any sign advertising activities, services, products or uses not located, made, sold, used or served on the premises displaying such sign.
PUBLIC CONVENIENCE
A structure maintained by the Borough or other authorized governmental entity which provides a service to the public such as public bus shelters, public trash receptacles, and other similar structures.
SIGN
An object, including a structure, wall, image, or movable device displaying any message visible to the public.
B.
District boundaries. The boundaries of the overlay district shall consist of the area within 50 feet of the right-of-way:
(1)
Of Baltimore Avenue within the Borough; and
(2)
Of McDade Avenue from Cedar Avenue eastbound approximately 420 feet which is zoned Regional Commercial.
The overlay district is set forth in the attached overlay district map.
C.
Off-premises signs shall be permitted as of right in the Overlay District, provided that such signs meet the following criteria:
(1)
Each sign allowed under this section of the article shall be located not less than 500 feet (measured by radial spacing) from any other sign allowed pursuant to this section of the article and not less than 100 feet from a residential zoning district. Distance measurement shall be made horizontally in all directions from the nearest edge of the sign face.
(2)
Only one sign may be permitted on any one lot.
(3)
No sign's gross surface area shall exceed 300 square feet in face size.
(4)
The height of the sign structure at the top of the sign surface area shall not exceed 35 feet above the grade at the sign base.
(5)
The sign shall conform with all other sections of this article, including but not limited to limitations on illumination and construction of signs.
(6)
Applicants shall prohibit the display of obscene materials on sign faces.
(7)
The minimum required lot width at both the street line and the front yard setback line shall be 100 feet.
(8)
Adequate screening must be provided to screen the view of the sign from any and all adjacent residential districts.
(9)
Subject to the landowner's consent, a noncommercial message of any type may be substituted for any duly permitted or allowed commercial message; provided, that the sign structure or mounting device is legal without consideration of message content.
D.
Construction methods. Billboards shall be constructed in accordance with the applicable provisions of all Borough codes. In addition:
(1)
Applicability of International Construction Code (ICC) standards. All sign standards herein shall exist in full force and effect in conjunction with all sign standards existing in the most recent edition of the ICC, as amended. Whenever any conflict exists between this chapter and the ICC Code, the more restrictive provisions shall have precedence.
(2)
A billboard sign face shall be independently supported and have vertical supports of metal which are galvanized or otherwise treated to prevent rust and corrosion. All billboards shall be painted in PMS Color 279.
(3)
One vertical support shall be capable of enabling the entire sign face to be able to withstand a minimum one-hundred-mile-per-hour wind load.
(4)
The entire base of the billboard structure shall be permanently landscaped with suitable shrubbery and/or bushes of minimum height of six feet placed in such a manner as to screen the foundation of the structure. A landscaping plan shall be submitted for review and approval by the Code Enforcement Officer. Said landscaping shall be maintained by the owner in an attractive and healthy manner in accordance with accepted conservation practices. Landscaping shall form a base and backdrop to the billboard sign when practical.
(5)
No bare cuts are permitted on a hillside, and all cuts or fills are to be permanently seeded or planted.
(6)
No billboard structure, sign face or display shall emit noise, cause distraction, confusion, nuisance or hazard to traffic safety, aircraft or other properties.
(7)
No billboard shall be constructed within the clear sight triangle of the public street or road on which it is situated and shall not in any manner obstruct or impede traffic safety, including ingress or egress.
(8)
Billboards may not be mounted on a roof, wall or face or other part of a building or any other structure, including trees.
(9)
Illumination of any and all sign faces shall be shielded to prevent the light source from being seen from any direction.
(10)
No illumination of any sign shall occur between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
(11)
Multiple message signs are prohibited.
(12)
Signs which contain, include or are illuminated by any flashing, pulsing, oscillating, intermittent, scrolling or moving light or lights are prohibited.
(13)
Signs containing video and/or animated graphics are prohibited.
(14)
All freestanding off-premises signs (billboards) shall be approved by the Borough Engineer. Applicants must submit a plan, sealed by a structural engineer, showing the proposed construction.
(15)
All sign structures shall comply with all other applicable Borough codes and ordinances.
E.
Maintenance.
(1)
The billboard structure shall be entirely repainted at a minimum of every five years.
(2)
Every three years, the owner of the billboard shall have a structural inspection made of the billboard by a qualified Pennsylvania registered structural engineer and shall provide to the Borough a certificate from the engineer or architect certifying that the billboard is structurally sound.
(3)
Annual inspections of the billboard shall be conducted by the Borough Code Enforcement Officer to determine compliance, and billboards found to be in violation of this section shall be brought into compliance within 30 days of notice or ordered removed upon written notification by the Borough.
(4)
Any abandoned sign must be removed within 30 days after notice. If the owner fails to remove an abandoned sign within 30 days, the Borough may remove the sign at the owner's expense.
