As used in this chapter:
(a) “Animation.” The movement or change of lighting to depict action or create a special effect or scene in a sign.
(b) “Back-Lit Illumination.” A means of illuminating a sign whose structure is mounted to the wall of a building and contains space between the structure and the wall itself, by locating lights behind the structure which shine onto the wall of the building, illuminating the sign from behind.
(c) “Bed and Breakfast.” A single-family, owner-occupied dwelling, where between one and six sleeping accommodations are rented to overnight guests on a daily basis for periods not exceeding two weeks. Breakfast may be offered only to registered overnight guests.
(d) “Changeable Copy.” A sign or portion thereof on which the copy or symbols change automatically through electronical means or manually through the secure placement of letters or symbols.
(e) “Civic-Oriented Use.” An area developed or to be developed that may contain one of the following public buildings or uses, including offices, libraries, playgrounds, parks, assembly halls, or first responder stations.
(f) “Copy.” The words and/or graphics to be printed or displayed.
(g) “Digital Display.” The portion of a sign message made up on internally illuminated components capable of changing the message periodically. Digital displays may include LED illumination or similar features of illumination.
(h) “External Illumination.” A means of illuminating a sign by lighting devices not located within the sign itself, but may or may not be attached to the sign, such as gooseneck lights, panel lights, and flood lights.
(i) “Face.” The area or portion of a sign on which copy is intended to be placed.
(j) “Funeral Home.” Establishments engaged in undertaking services such as preparing the dead for burial and arranging and managing funerals.
(k) “Graphic Area.” The area of the square or rectangle that would completely enclose all parts of the sign copy and any decorative background. The supporting canopy or awning shall not be included in the calculation of graphic area, except where there is a change of color or material which forms a background for the sign copy.
(l) “Ground Floor.” The space that is contained within the floor of the building base, which is on the same level as the sidewalk located in front of the front facade of the building, and extends upwards to the bottom of the floor of the space located directly above. The second floor behinds at the top of its floor.
(m) “Internal Illumination.” A means of illuminating a sign internally by locating a light source within the sign that allows for light to project through the transparent material of the sign but not through the opaque material of the sign.
(n) “Internally Illuminated Lettering.” A source of sign illumination which refers to the illumination of individual letters whose faces are covered and are independently mounted within a wall sign that allow for light to pass through the transparent material used on the face of the letter.
(o) “LED Illumination.” A method of illuminating a sign by incorporating LED lights that may or may not change in pattern and/or message.
(p) “Neon/Tube Illumination.” A method of illuminating a sign by incorporating neon tubing which illuminates internally.
(q) “Place of Assembly/Worship.” An institution and/or lot that is designed for the assembly or collection of persons, for civic, political, educational, social or religious purposes, and where recreation, amusement, dining, or religious worship may occur as accessory activities. A place of assembly does not include a private club.
(r) “Public Property.” Any lot owned by a municipal, county, State or Federal entity or division.
(s) “Sign Area.” The entirety of the sign structure, which includes the sign copy, graphics, illustration, background structure and support structure.
(t) “Sign.” Any structure, device, light or natural object, including the ground itself, or any part thereof or any device attached thereto or painted or represented thereon, which shall be used to identify, advertise or attract attention to any object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization, firm, group, commodity, profession, enterprise, industry or business, or which shall display or include any letter, word, model, number, banner, flag, pennant, insignia, device or representation used as an announcement, direction or advertisement, and which is intended to be seen from off the premises or from a parking lot. “Sign” shall include the structure which supports the sign face, as well as the sign face itself. “Sign” shall not include signs which are affixed to the inside of windows and glass doors of enclosed buildings, except for illuminated or animated show windows. No other indoor sign shall be deemed a sign under this chapter.
(1) “Air-Activated Sign.” A temporary sign made of polyamide nylon silk or similar materials which is inflated by air by means of a motorized blower. Also known as an “air dancer” sign.
(2) “Address/Directory/Wayfinding Sign.” A permanent sign whose purpose is to assist the public in navigating the public realm.
(3) “Awning Sign.” A permanent sign that is mounted, painted, or otherwise applied on or attached to an awning structure and which may include separate graphic areas on each of the awning structure’s faces.
(4) “Banner Sign.” A temporary sign having characters, letters or illustrations applied to cloth, canvas or other type of natural or man-made fabric.
(5) “Billboard Sign.” A sign advertising goods or services not produced or available on the premises containing the sign.
(6) “Blade Sign.” A temporary sign composed of fabric such as polyknit, nylon, or similar material, which is attached to a pole no greater than two inches in diameter and is usually inserted into the ground or mounted by a removable stabilization structure placed directly on the ground.
(7) “Building Directory Sign.” A permanent sign which is located inside a building or within the building’s portico which displays the names and locations of the tenants of a multi-tenant site. A building directory sign is not located on a surface of a building wall that abuts the public right-of-way.
(8) “Building Sign.” A permanent sign which displays the name of the building upon which the sign is erected/installed.
(9) “Canopy Sign.” A permanent sign that is mounted, painted, or otherwise applied on or attached to a canopy structure and which may include separate graphic areas on each of the canopy structure’s faces.
(10) “Construction Sign.” A sign located on property on which there is construction and/or development.
(11) “Contractor Sign.” A sign located on a property upon which a contractor is making improvements and/or renovations to the property’s building or structure.
(12) “Dedication Sign.” A permanent sign located on a building or structure which displays that a sponsoring body is associated with that building or structure.
(13) “Directional Sign.” A permanent sign located upon the same lot as its business establishment which indicates the ingress and egress points in order to guide the circulation of motorists and pedestrians to and on the site.
(14) “Double-Faced Sign.” A sign which displays text, shapes and/or symbols on both sides the object. The term “Double-Faced Sign” applies to pole signs, sandwich board signs, ground signs, real estate signs, pylon signs, multiple-business signs and projecting signs.
(15) “Flag Sign.” A piece of fabric or other flexible material attached to or designed to be flown from a pole or similar device that is affixed to a building or the ground.
(16) “Free-Standing Sign.” A sign supported entirely by its own structure set in or on the ground and not attached to a building or other structure. The height of a free-standing sign shall be measured from the average grade at the bottom of the sign to the top of the sign. Freestanding signs should not overhang the sidewalk or project into the right-of-way.
(17) “Ground Sign.” A permanent freestanding sign suspended or supported by one or more braces anchored in the ground The sign area shall include the structure upon which the displayed message is located.
(18) “Hanging Sign.” A permanent sign attached to a building or structure that hangs parallel from the wall or structure to which it is attached.
(19) “Identification Sign.” A permanent type of sign which is located upon the same lot as a business establishment whose purpose is to make the location and presence of the business establishment known to the public.
(20) “Incidental Sign.” A permanent sign which may or may not be permanently displayable upon the exterior surface(s) of the business establishment or upon the business establishment’s lot that conveys pertinent information to the public such as local events, specials, or a restaurant menu. An incidental sign may be located on the same structure as a secondary component to a business identification sign. Interior window signs, such as open signs, event flyers, “help wanted” signs, and displays of business hours, are not covered by incidental sign guidelines. The single stipulation for interior window signs directed to the exterior is that in aggregate, they may not cover more than 40% of window area.
(21) “Information Sign.” A permanent group of signs whose purpose is to convey general information to the general public about the subject lot but which may or may not be associated with identification or wayfinding matters of said lot.
(22) “Interpretive Sign.” A permanent sign which is not associated with the business establishment upon which the sign is located, but which conveys that an organization or institute, such as the “Western Pennsylvania Conservancy maintains a portion of this lot.”
(23) “Marquee Sign.” A permanent sign mounted on a permanent, roofed structure attached and supported by the building which projects over the public right-of-way, but is not attached to the public right-of-way.
(24) “Multiple-Business Sign.” A permanent sign mounted at or near the ingress/egress point of a lot containing multiple business establishments which displays the different business establishments contained within the lot.
(25) “Nonconforming Sign.” Any sign which exists on the effective date of this chapter and does not comply with the requirements of this chapter.
(26) “Pennant Sign.” A temporary sign in which individual pennants are secured to a fabric or vinyl string.
(27) “Permanent Sign.” A sign intended to be erected or used for a time period in excess of 30 days which advertises the location of a business establishment.
(28) “Pole Sign.” A permanent freestanding sign that is affixed, attached, or erected on a pole that is not itself an integral part of or attached to a building or structure. The pole itself shall not be calculated in the dimensions of the sign area.
(29) “Political Sign.” A sign which announces or advocates any candidate for political office or a ballot question. See: “Yard Sign.”
(30) “Projecting Sign.” A sign attached to a building wall along one edge of the sign, or attached to a wall by a bracket perpendicular to the wall surface.
(31) “Pylon Sign.” A permanent freestanding sign in excess of eight feet in height that is detached from a building and is supported by one or more structural elements which are architecturally similar to the design of the sign.
(32) “Real Estate Sign.” A temporary sign that relates to the sale, lease, or rental of property or buildings.
(33) “Roof Sign.” A sign erected on a roof or a sign that projects above the highest point of the roofline, parapet or facade of the building.
(34) “Sculptural Feature Sign.” A permanent three-dimensional sculptural feature resting on or attached to the ground and which may hold a sign. The feature is permitted with or without wording and may be either mobile (temporary) or immobile (permanent).
(35) “Street Address Sign.” A permanent sign identifying the street numbers and/or street name, whether used for emergency and/or delivery purposes, associated with the lot. A street address sign may be located on the window of a business establishment but shall not be considered a window sign.
(36) “Wall Sign.” A permanent sign attached to a building’s wall.
(37) “Window Sign.” A permanent sign that is painted, suspended, or otherwise applied on or attached to a window or door window, but which does not include a street address sign.
(38) “Yard Sign.” A temporary H-frame or I-frame sign affixed to the ground that is used for conveying advertising, political information or other messaging and which shall include construction signs, contractor signs, real estate signs, political signs and the like.
(u) “Street Frontage.” A property line which abuts a public right-of-way that provides public access to or visibility to the premises.
(Ord. 2159. Passed 12-19-94; Ord. 2221. Passed 12-15-97; Ord. 2534. Passed 5-15-17.)