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BILLBOARD
A type of off-premises sign. See Article VIII.
BUILDING OR WALL SIGN
A sign mounted or painted parallel to the face of a building or wall and not projecting above the walls of the building and which does not project more than 36 inches from the wall of the building. A building sign may also be attached to an allowed canopy or awning that is attached to a building wall, provided such feature does not project more than 48 inches from the wall of the building.
DIRECTORY SIGN
A sign advertising a group of establishments occupying one lot that includes the name of the property/building and the names of the individual establishments.
FREESTANDING SIGN
A sign supported by upright or uprights that are permanently anchored into the ground, and which is not attached to a building. This may have two display sides.
OFF-PREMISES SIGN
A sign which directs attention to an object, product, service, place, activity, person, institution, organization, or business that is primarily offered or located at a location other than the lot upon which the sign is located.
POLITICAL SIGN
A temporary sign giving notice of a particular political party or a candidate for any public office, or expressing an opinion concerning a political issue, public election or referendum.
PORTABLE SIGN/SIGNS ON MOBILE STANDS
Any sign used for a period of time and which is not permanently affixed to a location on a building or attached to the ground, and which can be carried on the back of a flatbed truck or towed from one place to another, including sandwich boards, posters and signs on wheels. A sign on a mobile stand also includes any vehicle or trailer which is parked on a public right-of-way or on public or private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way, which has attached thereto, or located thereon, any sign of advertising device for the basic purpose of providing advertisement of products or directing people to a business or activity located on the same or on another property.
PROJECTING SIGN
A sign that is attached to a building and extends further from the building than is allowed by the definition of a building sign.
SIGN
A device for visual communication that is used to bring the subject to the attention of the public. "Signs" include lettering, logos, trademarks, or other symbols that are an integral part of the architecture design of a building, that are applied to a building, or that are located elsewhere on the premises; signs affixed to windows or glass doors or otherwise internally mounted such that they are obviously intended to be seen and understood by vehicular or pedestrian traffic outside the building; flags and insignia of civic, charitable, religious, fraternal, patriotic, or similar organizations; insignia of governments or government agencies; banners, streamers, pennants, spinners, reflectors, ribbons, tinsel, and similar materials; and inflatable objects.
SIGN
A "sign" is defined as any billboard, signboard, lettering, or other advertising device with the purpose in mind of drawing attention to the person, product, service, premises, business, residence, location, event, organization or notice described thereon. For the purposes of this chapter, the term "sign" does not include mailboxes, names of occupants, other identifications not having commercial connotation, flags not having commercial connotations, insignias of governments, legal notices, signs giving direction or information required by government bodies, or signs directing or guiding traffic and parking without the use of advertising material. The term "sign" shall not include displays that only involve symbols that are clearly and entirely religious in nature, and which do not include advertising.
SIGN AREA
The square footage displayed on one side of a sign, as measured under § 200-43C.
SIGN, OFF-PREMISES or OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN
A sign that directs attention to a product, service, business, or cause that is not offered on the premises.
SIGN, PORTABLE
A sign that can be moved from place to place, that is not permanently attached to the ground or a building.
TEMPORARY SIGN
Any sign that is posted less than 45 days in any calendar year, unless a more restrictive requirement applies in this article.
WINDOW SIGN
A sign attached to, painted or suspended next to a window so that it can be seen through the window, and which is not internally illuminated. An internally illuminated sign in a window shall be regulated as a building/wall sign.
The following regulations apply in all zoning districts.
 
A. No more than one freestanding sign shall be placed on any lot held in single and separate ownership, unless such lot fronts upon more than one public street, in which event, one such sign may be erected on each street frontage.

B. Unless the regulations of this chapter specifically state that a sign may be placed off the lot or premises to which it relates, signs may be placed only on the same lot with the use or establishment to which the sign relates.

C. Obstruction. No sign shall be placed in such a position that it will cause danger to traffic on a street or entering a street by obscuring the view, or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of an official traffic control device. No sign shall be placed in a clear sight triangle.

D. Location. All parts of any sign, except for official traffic and street signs, shall observe the following placement requirements:
(1) No sign shall be erected or maintained within 15 feet of the edge of the cartway or curb or be located within, or project over, the legal right-of-way of any existing or proposed street or road, whichever is greater.
(2) No freestanding sign shall be erected or maintained within a distance of 10 feet from the side line of an existing principal residential use or five feet from any other side lot line, except as may be specifically permitted by this article.
(3) No sign shall be placed on Forks Township property, except for those signs installed by the Township or which the Township requires to be posted in that location.
(4) No sign shall be placed along a state road or road right-of-way which violates the regulations of PennDOT.
(5) No sign shall be erected and maintained within a parking space or fire lane, except signs denoting such purposes.

E. Code requirements. See also the requirements of the Township Construction Code and Electrical Code for signs.

F. Prohibited signs. See the prohibited signs tab. 

G. All permanent signs shall be professionally lettered and neatly displayed.

H. Signs that are not readable from any street or lot line are not regulated by this chapter, provided they have a maximum height of eight feet and a maximum sign area of 40 square feet.

I. Illuminated signs. Any illuminated sign, whether illuminated from within or by an exterior light, shall be subject to the following requirements.
(1) No internally illuminated sign of more than 20 square feet facing an occupied dwelling unit in an FP District or residential district shall be permitted within 200 feet of such occupied dwelling.
(2) See § 200-44F(1) concerning electronic and changing signs.
(3) Internally illuminated signs shall have dark backgrounds and light letters, rather than light backgrounds and dark letters, in order to reduce glare.

Area of a sign.
 
(1) The area of a sign shall be construed to include all lettering, wording, and accompanying designs and symbols, together with the background, whether open or enclosed, on which they are displayed, but not including any supporting framework and bracing incidental to the display itself. The computation of area of the sign shall include decorative trim in addition to the portion devoted to the message and lettering.
(2) Where the sign consists of individual letters or symbols attached to a building, wall, or window, the area shall be considered to be that of the smallest rectangle or other regular geometric shape which encompasses all of the letters and symbols.
(3) In computing square-foot area of a double-face sign, only one side shall be considered, provided both faces are identical. If the interior angle formed by the two faces of the double-faced sign is greater than 45°, then both sides of such sign shall be considered in calculating the sign area.

Illumination.
 
(1) Indirectly illuminated signs are those which have no internal source of light, but which have lights external to the sign which shine on signs to illuminate them. Lights shall shine with white or clear light only.
(2) Directly illuminated signs are signs which have an internal light source within the sign. The internal light source shall be a white or clear light only.
(3) Neon signs shall be considered to be internally illuminated.
 
Height.
 
Freestanding signs shall not exceed a maximum height of six feet from the ground level to the top of the sign unless stated otherwise in this article.
Construction and maintenance.
 
A. All signs must be constructed of durable materials and must be kept in good condition and repair at all times. The requirements of applicable Township codes shall be met.

B. Detailed plans showing supporting structural members and foundations must be submitted to the Building Inspector's office for approval before issuance of a permit. The seal of a registered engineer shall be required on all plans in any instance when the Building Inspector or the Township Engineer deems the approval of a registered engineer necessary to public safety.
The following signs are prohibited:
 
(1) Signs of a flashing, rotating, mechanically moving or revolving type are prohibited, with the exception of barber poles. Signs that move electronically or have electronically changing messages are prohibited, except for:
(a) Time and temperature signs; and
(b) Signs may have electronically changing messages, provided they do not change more than once every six seconds and do not flash.
(2) Novelty signs that are constructed from tires, automobiles, inflatable objects of more than 30 cubic feet, or that are mechanically animated are prohibited.
(3) Signs that are placed above or extend above the roofline of a flat roof or the lowest point of eaves of a sloping or mansard roof are prohibited.
(4) Any permanent sign suspended between poles and lighted by a series of lights is prohibited.
(5) Signs that are erected or attached to a tree or utility pole, or painted or drawn on a rock or other natural feature are prohibited.
(6) Any banner sign or sign of any other type across a public street or on any private property are prohibited, except for such signs which are approved by the Board of Supervisors to be of general benefit to the Township or for public convenience, necessity or welfare.
(7) Any sign suspended between poles which is either a pennant that blows in the wind or a spinner, which spins in the wind, is prohibited.
(8) Any sign is prohibited which imitates any official traffic sign, signal or device.
(9) A vehicle or trailer shall be prohibited if it:
(a) Is parked on a public right-of-way or on public or private property so as to have signs visible from a street right-of-way;
(b) Includes one or more signs of 40 or more square feet for the primary purpose of providing advertising; and
(c) Is not regularly operated as a vehicle or trailer on a public street.
(10) Any sign is prohibited which does not conform to the requirements of the sign ordinance that was in effect when the sign was erected.
(11) No sign shall be erected containing information which states or implies that a property may be used for any purpose not permitted under the provisions of this chapter in the zoning districts on which the property to which the sign relates is located.
(12) A series of lights or lighting outlining the edges of buildings or building elements shall be considered a sign under the terms of this chapter and shall be prohibited, except for holiday decorations.
(13) Signs on mobile stands are prohibited, except for such signs allowed in § 200-49.
 
Unsafe and unlawful signs.
 
If the Zoning Officer finds that any sign regulated herein is unsafe or insecure or is a menace to the public or has been constructed, erected, or maintained in violation of the provisions of this chapter, he shall give notice, in the same manner as in § 200-51A above, to the party to whom the permit was issued to erect the sign or to the owner of the premises where the sign is located, or to the owner of the sign or to any combination of them. If the parties notified fail to remove or alter the sign to comply with the standards herein set forth within 10 days after notice, such sign may be removed or altered by the municipality at the expense of each and every person notified. The expenses of removal or alteration shall be computed and paid for by the parties notified in the same manner as in § 200-51A above, and the same sanctions shall apply. The Zoning Officer may cause any sign or other advertising structure that is in immediate peril to persons or property to be removed summarily and without notice.
Nonconforming Signs

Any sign existing and lawful at the time of the passage of this chapter that does not conform in use, location, height or size with the regulations of the district in which such sign is located shall be considered a nonconforming sign and may continue in its present location until replacement or rebuilding becomes necessary, at which time a zoning permit shall be required and the sign must be brought into conformity with this chapter. If the sign is a part of a nonconforming use of the property, any such sign may be maintained, modernized or replaced without increasing its size and nonconformity, provided that such sign was legally erected prior to the adoption of this chapter. If the nonconforming use of the property is changed to another nonconforming use or to a permitted use, such sign shall be brought into conformity with the requirements of this chapter.
Digital signs.

(1) Purpose and intent. More businesses desire to utilize advancements in technology which permit signs to change copy electronically (e.g., utilizing an LED type of sign). These newer technologies pose additional risks of impacting adjacent areas and adversely dominating the environment in which they operate unless regulated in a reasonable fashion. The intent of this article is to establish operating standards and regulations for signs which utilize these newer technologies, other than billboards which are regulated separately by the Township, in order to minimize the secondary effects that often accompany the unregulated display of digital signs, preserve the character and repose of adjacent areas (with a principal focus on residential neighborhoods), protect property values, and reduce traffic hazards caused by undue distractions.

(2) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the words "wall sign," "digital sign," and "freestanding sign" shall have the same definitions as contained in the Township's adopted Zoning Ordinance, as amended from time to time.

(3) Display.
(a) A digital sign, other than a digital billboard, may not allow the display or message to change more frequently than once every eight seconds, with a transition period of one second or less.
(b) A digital sign must have installed an ambient light monitor, which shall continuously monitor and automatically adjust the brightness level of the display based on ambient light conditions consistent with the terms of this article. Since property size differs from billboard site to site, the ambient level should be measured at the property line, like we would do for site lighting.
(c) The maximum brightness levels for digital signs, other than a digital billboard, shall not exceed 0.2 footcandle over ambient light levels measured within 150 feet of the source, consistent with the terms of this section. Certification must be provided to the Township demonstrating that the sign has been preset to automatically adjust the brightness to these levels or lower. Reinspection and recalibration may be periodically required by the Township in its reasonable discretion, at the permittee's expense, to ensure that the specified brightness levels are maintained at all times.
(d) Brightness of digital signs shall be measured as follows:
[1] At least 30 minutes following sunset, a footcandle meter shall be used to obtain an ambient light reading for the location. This is done while the sign is off or displaying black copy. The reading shall be made with the meter aimed directly at the sign area at the preset location.
[2] The sign shall then be turned on to full white copy to take another reading with the meter at the same location.
[3] If the difference between the readings is 0.2 footcandle or less, the brightness is properly adjusted.

(4) Other requirements. The use, size and location of digital signs, other than digital billboards, must comply with all other relevant regulations and ordinances of the Township.
Applicability; purpose.

A. In all zoning districts, signs may be erected, altered, maintained, used, removed or moved, only when in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and any other applicable ordinances and regulations.

B. In addition to serving the overall objectives of this chapter, this article is intended to allow appropriate advertising of businesses and other activities, while balancing this need with protecting the community appearance by regulating the size, location, and type of signs used. Signs should be designed to be compatible with the rural/suburban nature of the community. This article is also intended to: promote and maintain overall community aesthetic quality, establish reasonable time, place and manner of regulations for the exercise of free speech, without regulating content (excepting obscenity that is prohibited by state law or language that incites violence); promote traffic safety by avoiding distractions and sight distance obstructions; and protect property values and ensure compatibility with the character of neighboring uses.

C. When an application is made for a zoning variance for signs, both the owner of the property and the primary entity that will use the sign shall be considered applicants.
Removal or abandonment.

A. The owner of any property or premises upon which any sign is erected shall be responsible for its complete removal at such time as the circumstances which caused its erection have ceased to exist, or at such other time that the sign must be removed under any other provision of this chapter. If the owner of any property upon which a sign has been erected shall fail or neglect to remove it as herein above required, the Zoning Officer shall give notice by certified mail to the owner. If this letter is returned undelivered, for any reason, he may post such notice upon the premises.
(1) If, upon the expiration of 30 days following notice, the owner fails to remove the sign, the Zoning Officer shall arrange for its removal on behalf of the Township, at the expense of the property owner, and the Township shall bill the owner for the cost of such work plus 10% for administrative cost. If such bill remains unpaid after the expiration of 30 days, the Township Solicitor shall take the necessary steps to collect the same. Failure of the property owner to remove such sign after the notice herein above provided, shall constitute a violation of the terms of this chapter, and each day's continuance of such failure shall constitute a separate violation.

B. If the owner of any sign in violation is not the owner of the premises on which it is situated, the identical notices specified above may be issued to him in like manner, and such owner of the sign shall be required to take such steps to comply with the notice or notices issued to him as though he were the owner of the property or premises on which the sign is located; if such owner of the sign fails to comply, such failure shall constitute a violation of the terms of this chapter, such owner of the sign shall be liable to the same extent as the owner of the property or premises on which the sign is located.