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Reading Overview
Reading, PA Code of Ordinances
READING, PA CODE OF ORDINANCES
PREFACE
Chapter C HOME RULE CHARTER
Chapter 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
Chapter 5 ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
Chapter 14 AUTHORITIES
Chapter 23 BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES AND COUNCILS
Chapter 36 FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES
Chapter 51 INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
Chapter 62 PENSIONS
Chapter 70 PERSONNEL
Chapter 77 POLICE DEPARTMENT
Chapter 91 SALARIES AND COMPENSATION
Chapter 120 ALARM SYSTEMS
Chapter 127 ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Chapter 141 ANIMALS
Chapter 166 CABLE TELEVISION
Chapter 173 COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY CODE
Chapter 180 CONSTRUCTION CODES
Chapter 185 CONVERSION THERAPY
Chapter 188 CURFEW
Chapter 201 ELECTRIC SERVICE
Chapter 212 FEES
Chapter 219 FIREARMS
Chapter 225 FIREWORKS
Chapter 231 FIRE INSURANCE PROCEEDS
Chapter 237 FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION
Chapter 251 FOOD CODE
Chapter 272 GRAFFITI
Chapter 288 HEALTH AND SAFETY
Chapter 295 HISTORICAL AND CONSERVATION DISTRICTS
Chapter 302 HOUSE NUMBERING
Chapter 308 HOUSING
Chapter 317 INVASIVE PLANTS AND NOXIOUS WEEDS
Chapter 325 LAW ENFORCEMENT
Chapter 328 LEAD POISONING PREVENTION
Chapter 332 LIBRARY
Chapter 339 LICENSES AND PERMITS
Chapter 346 LITTER AND ADVERTISING MATERIAL
Chapter 353 LOITERING AND PANHANDLING
Chapter 364 MASSAGE THERAPISTS
Chapter 378 MUNICIPAL CLAIMS AND LIENS
Chapter 387 NOISE
Chapter 396 PARKS AND RECREATION
Chapter 403 PAWNBROKERS
Chapter 410 PEDDLING AND SOLICITING
Chapter 424 POLES
Chapter 431 PROPERTY SALES
Chapter 433 PUBLIC ART
Chapter 438 RAIN BARRELS
Chapter 442 RECORDS, PUBLIC ACCESS
Chapter 453 SALES
Chapter 460 SCRAP METAL DEALERS
Chapter 467 SEWERS AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL
Chapter 473 SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES
Chapter 479 SIDEWALK CAFES
Chapter 485 SIGNS
Chapter 496 SOLID WASTE
Chapter 502 STORAGE FACILITIES
Chapter 505 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Chapter 508 STREETS AND SIDEWALKS
Chapter 515 SUBDIVISION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 521 SUSTAINABILITY
Chapter 536 TAMPERING WITH PUBLIC PROPERTY
Chapter 540 TATTOO AND PIERCING ESTABLISHMENTS
Chapter 543 TAX ABATEMENTS
Chapter 546 TAX AMNESTY PROGRAM
Chapter 549 TAXATION
Chapter 555 TREES
Chapter 564 VEHICLE NUISANCES, STORAGE OF
Chapter 570 VEHICLE REPAIR SHOPS
Chapter 576 VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
Chapter 583 VENDING MACHINES
Chapter 600 ZONING
Chapter A610 ANNEXATION OF TERRITORY
Chapter A611 BOND ISSUES AND LOANS
Chapter A612 FRANCHISE AND SERVICES
Chapter A613 GOVERNMENTAL AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
Chapter A614 PLAN APPROVAL
Chapter A615 PUBLIC PROPERTY
Chapter A616 SEWERS
Chapter A617 STREETS AND SIDEWALKS
Chapter A618 WATER
Chapter A619 ZONING; PRIOR ORDINANCES
Chapter DT DERIVATION TABLE
Chapter DL DISPOSITION LIST
§ 600-1703. Signs allowed in Residential Districts (R-1A, R-1, R-2, and R-3) and the INS Institutional Overlay Zone.
In these districts, signs should be designed for pedestrians or for vehicles moving at 25 miles per hour. The following signs shall be permitted on properties located within areas designated as R-1A, R-1, R-2, and R-3 Districts, within the following regulations:
   A.   Lighting. See §§ 600-1714 and 600-912.
   B.   Allowed signs.
      (1)   Wall signs shall be located no higher than the height of the building wall to which the sign is attached. Maximum horizontal projection from a building for a wall sign shall not exceed 18 inches. A sign shall not be located as so to obscure the cornice, windows, transom or similar architectural features of the building.
      (2)   Roof signs and off-premises signs are prohibited in any residential district unless specified otherwise by this Part.
      (3)   Signs for a home occupation shall be limited to one non-internally illuminated name plate. Such name plate shall not exceed 1.5 square feet in surface area and shall be a flat wall sign. Home occupations, including offices, are permitted to erect a projecting sign or ground sign, not to exceed three square feet in total surface area, in lieu of a wall sign. A ground sign shall have a maximum height of six feet.
      (4)   Each multiple-family dwelling property containing 10 or more dwelling units (including rental, condominium or cooperative apartments, or rental, condominium or cooperative townhouses) shall be limited to one identification sign not exceeding 32 square feet in total surface area (per side if double-faced). Such sign shall be either ground-mounted, extending not more than eight feet above grade, or a flat wall sign.
      (5)   New development signs. The following signs shall be permitted in conjunction with proposed new development involving more than 10 dwelling units or more than five business establishments:
         (a)   Signs announcing the subdivision and improvement of property, when located on the property to be improved, shall be single-faced, with a maximum surface area for each sign of 64 square feet. The maximum height of such development signs shall be eight feet.
         (b)   Development signs shall not be erected until zoning approval and subdivision approval, if required, have been given by the City. Such signs may be maintained for a period of one year from the date of erection of such signs. If the development is not completed within one year after erection of the sign, the sign permit may be renewed for periods not exceeding one year, provided the sign is maintained in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
         (c)   Signs not located on the advertised property, which are a maximum six square feet in area or less, may be allowed during construction and for a period of 30 days thereafter, upon application to the Zoning Administrator. Other off- premises advertising signs are prohibited.
   C.   Off-premises signs shall be prohibited in residential districts, except for signs that are specifically allowed by this Part 17.
   D.   Public, semipublic and private recreational uses shall be limited to one sign not exceeding 20 square feet in surface area per sign face. Such sign shall be either ground-mounted with up to two sides, to extend not more than six feet above grade, or a flat wall sign.
   E.   Lawful principal commercial, public utility or industrial use in a residential district shall be limited to one of the following:
      (1)   One wall sign not to exceed 32 square feet in surface area.
      (2)   One pole-mounted sign not to exceed 12 square feet in area (per side if double faced), contained totally within the property line, and placed no more than 10 feet above grade.
      (3)   One projecting sign not to exceed 12 square feet in area (per side if double faced), and placed no higher than the uppermost portion of the second floor of the building to which attached and which meets the minimum vertical clearance of Chapter 180, Construction Codes.
   F.   A lawful principal nonresidential use may also include directional signs of up to four square feet each, as required for the safe and orderly flow of traffic on the property. These signs, if freestanding, shall not extend more than four feet above grade.
   G.   If one or more retail stores are located in a building built for a principal industrial use, each such store may have, along each street upon which the building fronts, one identity sign which may be projecting, V-shaped, or a flat wall sign. Such sign may have no more than two faces and no single face may exceed 20 square feet in surface area, except for an overall identity sign described in the next subsection.
      (1)   There shall be no sign projecting above the second floor occupancy area as defined in § 600-2205. Below such point, signs may project in the following manner: A sign projection may occupy the vertical space created by drawing an imaginary line four feet from and parallel to the vertical building walls.
      (2)   If four or more stores occupy a single building, such building may contain one overall identity wall sign per street front, in addition to the individual identity signs just described. Each overall identity sign face shall not exceed 40 square feet in surface area.
   H.   Private parking lots shall have no signs except for directional signs, warning signs, and one identification sign not exceeding 12 square feet in surface area for each fronting street. Such sign shall be a wall sign or a ground-mounted sign not to extend into the public right- of-way.
   I.   Window identity signs are permitted in commercial storefronts located in all residential zones given the following conditions:
      (1)   Signs on show window glass shall be limited to 30% of the glass area, or 600 square inches, whichever is greater.
      (2)   Temporary signs on window glass (e.g., "sale") shall be limited to 35% of the glass area, or 700 square inches, whichever is greater, for a thirty-day maximum.
   J.   Each principal building of a college or university may have a wall sign area of 40 square feet per building side. A college or university may include the following ground-mounted signs with a maximum height of six feet each, provided the signs are not internally illuminated:
      (1)   One sign at each major entrance to the campus with a maximum sign area of 60 square feet on each of two sides.
      (2)   One sign of 20 square feet per street frontage for each principal building.
   K.   See also additional signs allowed under § 600-1712, such as signs for places of worship, and under § 600-1711, such as temporary signs.