Business signs shall be permitted only when in conjunction with a business or industry located on the immediate premises, except for billboards. Billboards may be permitted as a conditional use when approved by the Board of Supervisors after submission, review and recommendation by the Planning Commission and further provided the following requirements are met.
(A) Location.
(1) Billboards shall not be erected within 50 feet of the right-of-way line of a public road.
(2) Billboards shall be limited to A-1 Agricultural; C-2 Highway Commercial; I Industrial; and C-1 Neighborhood Commercial Overlay.
(3) Billboards shall not be erected within 100 feet of the boundary line of any R-1 or R-2 District or within 200 feet of the property line of any public or private school or church property.
(B) Size and height.
(1) Billboards shall have a maximum allowable cross surface area of 300 square feet per sign face. An advertising sign may have a maximum of two sign faces per billboard structure. As used in this section, SIGN FACE shall mean the entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of writing, representation, emblem or any figure or similar character together with any frame or other material, excluding necessary supports or uprights upon which such sign is placed. For signs utilizing individual letters or figures or characters mounted directly on a wall or a structure, the sign face shall be the entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the writing, representation or other communication material.
(2) The billboard’s surface area shall not exceed 20 feet in total height or 40 feet in total length.
(3) Billboard structures shall be limited to a maximum height or 40 feet above the curb of the roadway from which it is intended to be viewed.
(C) Construction methods. Billboards shall be constructed in accordance with applicable provisions of the township code of ordinances. In addition thereto:
(1) A billboard shall be independently supported and have vertical supports of metal that are galvanized or otherwise treated to prevent rust and corrosion or of some other durable material that is protected from deterioration;
(2) Vertical supports shall be capable of enabling the entire sign face to be able to withstand a minimum 80 mph wind load;
(3) All grading shall be in accordance with the township ordinances;
(4) No bare cuts are permitted on a hillside;
(5) All cuts or fills must be permanently seeded or planted.
(6) A billboard with display lighting shall be constructed so that it does not glare upon adjoining property and shall not exceed a maximum footcandle of 1.5 upon the adjoining property;
(7) No billboard or display lighting shall move, flash or emit noise. No display lighting shall cause distraction, confusion, nuisance or hazard to traffic, aircraft or other properties;
(8) The minimum front, side or rear yard requirements applying to a principal use as set forth within a zoning district in which the billboard is to be located shall apply to each structure;
(9) No billboard shall be erected in such a manner as to block the view from the road or street of any existing business sign, logo sign, residential or nonresidential structure;
(10) 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 case obstruct or impede traffic safety;
(11) The density (spacing) of billboard placement, regardless of the size of individual installations, shall not exceed two billboards per each lineal mile of public right-of-way; and
(12) Billboards may not be mounted on the roof, wall or other part of a building or any other structure.
(D) Maintenance.
(1) The aesthetic quality of billboards shall be maintained at all times.
(2) Every three years the owner of a billboard shall have a structural inspection made of each such sign by a qualified state registered engineer or architect and shall provide to the township a written certificate and report from the engineer or architect certifying that each advertising sign is structurally sound.
(3) Billboards found to be in violation of this or any other township ordinance shall be brought into compliance therewith or removed within 30 days upon written notification by the township.
(4) Billboards using removable paper or other materials shall be maintained in such condition as to eliminate loose or frayed material protruding or hanging from the structure.
(E) Permits. No billboard shall be erected without first obtaining a permit from the township and any other approvals, including but not limited to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Applications for permits shall be issued in the name of all owners of the real estate on which the billboard is erected and the owner of the sign.
(F) Presently existing advertising signs.
(1) No billboard existing in the township as of the effective date of this chapter shall be expanded in any manner except as may be otherwise provided in this section.
(2) In the event a presently existing billboard is removed and a replacement sign is erected in its place, said replacement sign must be built in complete conformity with this section.
(3) Permits for the placement of such signs shall be issued for a maximum of 90 consecutive days and may be renewed no more than one time during any consecutive 365-day period.
(2003 Code, § 170-43) (Ord. 2-93, passed 5-4-1993; Ord. 3-99, passed 11-11-1999; Ord. 2-2011, passed 3-7-2011) Penalty, see § 153.999