Conemaugh Township Cambria County Johnstown, Pennsylvania ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLE 16

ARTICLE XVI
SIGNS

SECTION 1600 GENERAL PROVISIONS

Any sign erected or altered after the effective date of this ordinance shall be in accordance with the provisions and regulations contained in this article.

• A. A permit shall be required for any sign erected, with a surface area in excess of two (2) square feet.
• B. All signs shall be constructed and maintained in a safe orderly manner. No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger to vehicular or pedestrian traffic by obscuring view or causing distraction.
• C. Any sign, if illuminated, shall be nonflashing, shall be of enclosed lamp design, and shall be lighted in a manner not detrimental to any adjacent property or public rightofway.
• D. No sign, except traffic signs and other official signs, may be erected or extend onto any public street or rightofway.
• E. Any sign attached to or painted on a building may extend a maximum distance of six (6) inches from the wall to which it is attached, may cover maximum of 25% of the total area of the wall to which it is attached, and shall not extend beyond any point of the line of the building to which the sign is attached.
• F. The height of any sign may not exceed twenty (20) feet, as measured from the ground level to the top of the sign.
• G. No sign that is a part of or is supported by a building shall be erected upon the roof of such a building.
• H. No sign structure erected directly upon the ground shall have less than three (3) feet of clear space between such sign and the ground, however, necessary supports may extend through such open space.
• I. No signs shall be permitted which are posted, stapled or otherwise permanently attached to public utility poles or trees within the street line.
• J. Nonconforming signs, once removed, shall be replaced only with conforming signs, however, non conforming signs may be repainted or repaired, providing such repainting or repairing does not exceed the dimensions of the existing sign.
• K. Signs may be permitted in A/R1 zones by the Zoning Hearing Board granting of a special exception.
• L. Nothing in this article shall be deemed to regulate or restrict political or public issue signage, except that such signs may not be created on public property or private property without the owners consent and no sign may be placed to obstruct the view of traffic at intersections. Nothing shall restrict traffic or public service signage placed by a municipal government.

SECTION 1601 PROVISIONS FOR A/R1, A/R2, AND R3 DISTRICTS

In a residential district, the following signs shall be permitted and the following regulations shall apply:

• A. Permitted Signs
  • 1. All signs erected in a residential zone shall be on premise signs and refer, advertise, or direct attention only to a home business or occupation permitted on the parcel and conducted on the site; except that a temporary directional sign may be erected for special events, if prior approval is granted by the owner of property on which the sign is to be erected under the same conditions provided for temporary promotional signs as provided in Section 1602(1)f. Temporary signs for garage sales shall not require permits, provided they comply with these provisions and are posted no more than 36 hours.
  • 2. One temporary sign of contractors, realtors, architects, mechanics and artisans provided that such signs shall not exceed six (6) square feet and shall be removed within thirty (30) days following completion of work.
  • 3. One (1) identification sign for each professional and accessory use indicating the name, profession, or activity of the occupant of a dwelling or structure and similar type signs provided that such signs do not exceed an area of two (16) square feet and are set back a minimum of ten (10) feet from the nearest property line.
  • 4. One (1) identification sign for motels, office buildings, church, school, restaurants, mobile home parks, funeral homes and other places of business permitted in respective residential zones provided that such signs shall not exceed an area of twentyfour (24) square feet and are set back a minimum distance of fifteen (15) feet from the nearest property line.
  • 5. Signs offering the sale of farm products, nursery products, or livestock produced or raised on the premises not exceeding 16 square feet.
  • 6. Sign denoting membership in agricultural associations, cooperatives, or indicating specialization in a particular breed of cattle, hogs, etc., or in a particular hybrid or strain of plant, provided that such sign is limited to six (6) square feet and not more than one (1) sign on any one street frontage.

SECTION 1602 SIGN PROVISIONS FOR "C" COMMERCIAL DISTRICT

In a Commercial District, the following signs shall be permitted and the following regulations shall apply:

• 1. Signs permitted within the Front Yard Setback Area. (Between the building setback line and the property line.)
  • a. All signs erected in the front yard must be set back a minimum distance of five (5) feet from all property lines.
  • b. Any sign within the setback area must be erected in a manner to permit the free and unobstructed vision of persons entering or leaving the property and adjacent property or of or from the roadways.
  • c. One (1) sign within the setback line may be permitted for each twentyfive (25) feet of frontage of the lot used for business advertised on the sign, and the maximum number of such signs shall not exceed four (4) for any one business or commercial lot. Double faced signs shall be considered two (2) signs under this provision.
  • d. For a commercial lot with a frontage of less than sixty (60) lineal feet, the maximum area of any single faced sign shall not exceed thirty (30) square feet, for a double faced sign the combined area shall not exceed sixty (60) square feet.
  • e. In no case may the combined area of all signs within the setback area exceed 360 square feet.
  • f. Temporary promotional signs or displays may be erected within the setback line subject to the following regulations:
    • 1. A special two (2) dollar permit must be obtained for all signs to be erected or displayed during the temporary promotion, such a permit shall be valid for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days.
    • 2. The applicant for such a permit shall submit drawings and/or narrative description of the size and location of all signs and/or display material to be utilized in the temporary promotion.
    • 3. The maximum number of six (6) signs or displays may be used in a temporary promotion and the combined area of all such signs or displays shall not exceed thirty (30) square feet.
    • 4. Any sign or display erected under a special temporary promotion permit shall be removed by the applicant on the expiration date of such a permit.
  • 2. Signs Permitted behind the Setback Lines of a Commercial Zone.
  In addition to the above regulated signs permitted within the setback area, signs behind the setback line and those attached to a building shall be permitted and regulated as follows:
  • a. All signs erected shall conform to the height and setback regulations of the Commercial Zone and to the General Provision, Article IV, of this Article.
  • b. One (1) sign may be permitted for each twentyfive (25) feet of lineal frontage of the lot used for commercial purposes.
  • c. The combined area of all signs behind the setback may not exceed one (1) square foot in area for each one (1) foot of lineal frontage of the lot used for commercial purposes. In no case may the combined area of all signs exceed 360 square feet.
  • d. Billboards may be permitted in R3 and C zones by the Zoning Hearing Board granting of a special exception provided that:
    • The area of the billboard does not exceed three hundred (300) square feet. The billboard is set back a minimum distance of fifty (50) feet from the nearest public rightofway.
    • The billboard does not exceed forty (40} feet in height.
    • The billboard is a minimum distance of three hundred (300) feet from the nearest A/R1, A/RZ District, church, park, school, or other public building.
    • The billboard is a minimum distance of four hundred (400) feet from the center line of any expressway or limited access highway if the face of the sign is visible therefrom.
• 3. Off premise signs may be permitted by special exception only in a commercial zone, provided that such signs comply with the area regulations of the District and that the land on which such sign is erected is owned or leased by the individual or business erecting the sign.

SECTION 1603 SIGN PROVISIONS FOR "L1" LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS

In "L1" districts, the following signs shall be permitted and the following regulations shall apply:

• A. Any sign permitted in A/R, R, and C districts.
• B. Business or identification sign, not to exceed one (1) square foot for every one (1) lineal foot of frontage per street occupied, but not to exceed one hundred twenty (120) feet for any one (1) sign.
• C. One (1) business or identification sign per street for a group of three or more businesses on one parcel or tract not to exceed two hundred forty (240) square feet per sign.
• D. Signs not attached to a building shall be set back at least five (5) feet from a lot or street line, or any required buffer area. Any sign mounted on a building may not project above the ridge line of a sloping roof or above the eave line of a flat roof.